Johnny The Homicidal Maniac: Director's Cut

Book Description

Mayhem and violence rule in this collection of issues one through seven of Jhonen Vasquez's Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, as well as material seen before only in Carpe Noctem magazine. Dark and disturbingly funny, JTHM follows the adventures of Johnny (you can call him Nny), who lives with a pair of styrofoam doughboys that encourage his madness, a wall that constantly needs a fresh coat of blood, and--oh, yeah--his victims in various states of torture. Join Nny as he frightens the little boy next door (Todd, known to fans of Vasquez's work as Squee), thirsts for Cherry Brain Freezies, attempts suicide, draws Happy Noodle Boy, and tries to uncover the meaning of his homicidal existence.

Customer Reviews:

JTHM.......2007-08-24

VERY FUNNY LIGHT READING IN THE VERY DARK ZONE,IF YOU LIKE OVER THE TOP GORE THIS BOOKS FOR YOU!!

Insanity and Murder are Funny.......2006-11-26

Well actually, they really aren't, but after reading JTHM you might think they are. Jhonen Vasquez has an amazing talent; he is capable of making the most disturbing things laugh-out-loud hilarious. For this I wish to give JTHM Director's Cut a 5/5, but I cannot. But before I explain why, let me attempt to explain the meaning behind Jhonen's madness. Naturally, this is merely _my_ interpretation of his work.

JTHM is an attack (and a very violent one at that) on normalcy through the use of satire and parody with disturbing, dark themes. Due to the dark themes and disturbing content, this work could be labeled as "gothic" (and often is), but that would be rather insulting. Ironically, "goths" tend to adore the disturbing and the dark simply because it is not "normal," but they end up carving a very specific mold of normalcy out for their own clique. "If you don't fit a certain image, you're not goth and you're not one of US," a goth might say. JTHM is not only an attack on what MOST of us would consider normal, but also an attack on what GOTHS consider normal. It is an attack on all those arrogant people out there who deliberately exclude others because they don't fit in with their own definition of what normal is.

This theme pervades the entire series, from when Johnny is brutally torturing bullies for making fun of him for what he wears, to the little comments JV sometimes scratches in at the corners of his panels. But, it is not JV's attack on normalcy that is the most interesting aspect of JTHM, it is the contradictions. On the one hand, much of this comic book is rather demented and disgusting, but at the same time the book is hilarious--pulling the reader in two different directions at once. Also, sometimes there are comic strips that are completely pointless and filled with excessive (and unnecessary) violence, while there are others that have Johnny going on thought-provoking philosophical ramblings. This tension from pulling the reader back and forth (between violence and humor, and between pointlessness and meaning) is so instense that if you try to read too much at once you'll either sweat excessively, vomit profusely, or pass out from lack of oxygen because you're laughing so hard (or a combination of all three). I suggest reading in small dosages, you've been warned :)

This actually brings me to one of my only complaints. The JTHM series once featured "Meanwhiles" which are mini comic strips whose sole purpose is simply a brief, funny intermission between the JTHM series. The lack of meanwhiles lowers the value of the book (since they are really funny). But, the Meanwhiles also served as a means to break up the tension in the Johnny series. Since JTHM is so intense, the random and so often silly nature of the Meanwhile comic strips served as a pleasant deviation, and the lack of these pleasant little breaks means it's much more difficult to read JTHM in longer bursts.

My only other complaint is in the sturdiness of the actual book itself. I've only read through JTHM a few times, but already pages are falling out all over the place. I feel kind of bad negating a star primarily because of this reason (since it is not Jhonen's fault), but pages falling out really does detract from the overall experience.

Despite the lack of Meanwhiles and the overall flimsyness of the book itself, this is a solid purchase. Unless you're too easily offended or puke all over the place at the sight of blood, this graphic novel should not disappoint. Highly recommended!!!

The darkest, goriest, most awesome story ever!.......2006-11-05

I was introduced to this by my crazy friend, and I love it. Jhonen Vasquez has a very dark sense of humor, and has very comedic ways of showing someone kill people. I would HIGHLY suggest that one peeks into the book (click "Search inside this book") and read a couple of pages. In all honesty, though, if you don't like the few pages that are shown through Amazon, then you probably will not like the book. I think that the artwork is extremly well done, but it might not hold the interest of certain "normal" people.

Amazing Book.......2006-09-07

For anyone thinking of buying this book, the title explains the content: Johnny is a homicidal maniac. And this isn't an 80's horror film kind of homicidal maniac (one who likes to kill whislt in silhouette), oh no; the tortures and murders are shown in detail. The art work is very different compared to pretty much any other art work you'll find. Jhonen's use of skinny-as-hell characters and geometric drawings make this truly unique. Some may not like it, but that's a personal preferance.
That aside.
The story is non-linear in its own way (let's get one thing straight: it's not Tarentino non-linear), with different events taking place that can pretty much be interchanged with themselves (until part five), which gives the reader a simular sense of Johnny's psychosis. The dialouge is well crafted, logical (irony!) and often philisophical. If you're an intellectual, you'll thouroughly enjoy what the book has to offer...if you can manage some gore.

Also, the Happy Noodle Boy one-page segments are kept in this "Director's Cut" edition. These I found to be hilarious in their own, beyond random way. Seriously, these things are extremely random. Basically, it follows Happy Noodle Boy throughout a day in his life, which is often filled with swearing, yelling at people and usually ends with Noodle Boy getting shot.

In all, this is a great book and I highly suggest you pick up a copy. I find it very hard to believe anybody could whole-heartedly dislike this book.

Jhonny kicks your [...].......2006-08-09

dude, this book is the most awesome book ever. it just is.
Oh, and I LOVE that he listens to clasical music!!!!!!! thats one smart...put psycho....guy!!

But I must say one thing...
There are chicks on the internet that think that he's "hot" and they say that they'd "so do him"
but,
1. he'd kill you
2. HE'S A FRIGGEN COMIC BOOK CARACHTER YOU WEIRDOS!
3. You must be a freak if you HONESTLY think that.

yeah..i wouldnt do 'im...i wouldnt be evil to him like everyone else in the book...but yeah...i wouldnt think that a comic book character was hot. thats just odd. like...not good odd, like, say...invader zim-odd...but odd like.....say...my uncle that steals my grandma's bath towels odd......thats just stupid.

Prime Cuts: All-Male Strips from Gay Comix, Meatmen and Elsewhere

Average customer rating:

Amateurish.... NOT recommended
fooled by the title
Excellent Transaction
A Fine Collection

Prime Cuts: All-Male Strips from Gay Comix, Meatmen and Elsewhere
Howard Stangroom , Stephen Lowther , and William Morgan
Manufacturer: Bruno Gmunder Verlag Gmbh
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 3861877236

Customer Reviews:

Amateurish.... NOT recommended.......2007-06-05

I was disappointed by this book. I have all the "Meatmen" series of erotic art and was expecting this work to be on the same high level. It's not, not at all. The drawings are almost "cartoonish", not at all realistic or erotic. The Meatmen collection is high quality, very erotic and imaginative work. This stuff looks like it was drawn by a guy with a dirty mind who can't draw very well. Not recommended.

fooled by the title.......2006-08-28

I guess I hadn't realized when I purchased this that the work was all from one artist (and one whose work is not particularly appealing to me). The title made me think that it was a compilation of different artists, so, shame on me...

anyway, if you like this artist, and there are many reasons to like him, then you will enjoy this collection. his imagination is great and his stories run a wide gamut of themes. the most enjoyment for me comes in watching what looks to be Southern California locales become populated with men and women speaking with British dialects.

Excellent Transaction.......2006-02-23

Great communication. Easy payment options. Fast Secure shiping. Would definiely do business with them again.

A Fine Collection.......2006-02-05

The publishing house of Bruno Gmûnder recently released a compilation of gay comic strips by the creative team of Howard Stangroom and Stephen Lowther title PRIME CUTS. Over the past couple of years we've seen collections of Chelsea Boys, Adam and Andy, Kyle's Bed & Breakfast, and thankfully, Tales of the Closet. It's very satisfying to have a trade paperback that collects a selection of hard-to-find stories by Stangroom and Lowther.

This volume includes a good number of stories of varying lengths from shorts that are one to four pages and others in the 10 - 15 page ranges. The lengthiest is "Hot Pursuit." Themes range from space opera with a gay twist, a tribute to Millie the Model, slice of life, and social commentary in a super hero spoof, and romance and sex, and a little more sex.

In "The Gift" an alien space ship visits London during a Pride Parade, and imbues three men and three women with super powers to fight bigotry. What I thought was a story with political tones turned into commentary on gay culture.

"Can We Do It Till I Need Glasses" is an autobiographical peak at Stangroom's family. We've all had those fleeting fantasies involving a doctor, waiter, deliveryman, or the grocery stock boy. Howard's no different and I love the contrasting emotions that Lowther shows so well between Howard's family and fantasy.

Teenaged drama plays a part in the lives of the Archie's-like crew in "Ride the Wild Surf." Girlfriend Mollie is riding high, having achieved her goal of surfing champ. She can't understand why her red-haired boyfriend Flicker, of whom she dreams of marrying, is becoming colder to her. There's a happy ending, along with the message that love can come unexpectedly to one and all. Lowther mentions elsewhere in the book that Stan Lee's early Millie the Model gang served as inspiration for their characters, and not Archie.

"Out of the Blue" is about the mission of a tall, dark, hot, and hairy human looking alien whose mission is to study Earth culture in depth for a year. His craft crash land on the lawn of an equally attractive blond guy's home in the country, and what follows is some sweet romance and hot sex. I liked this story especially, because, well, honestly, I'm a sucker for romance, even when it involves an unexpected visitor from another world.

Clones have become a basis for fantasy in the future sex-positive world of "Don't Dream It, Be It." Your erotic dreams become hot sex when you select the clone of your desire (smooth, hairy, thin, muscular, you name it) and bring him home after having a test run.

Sexual fantasy clashes with stark reality and the need for companionship in the post-apocalyptic world of "Second Chance." It's a short story for which the pair received some criticism from, I imagine, some overly-PC folks because it manages to challenge some ideas of sexuality. Who cares? The one guy is hot and burly!

There's also plenty of sex and lust in sci-fi "Hot Pursuit," the longest story in the collection. Our hero, Steven Alpha, witnesses his warrior lover, Richard Nova, abducted by an arch villain. Alpha's hot pursuit for Nova takes him via teleportation to new worlds where he both introduces a world to the pleasure of gay sex, and in turn learns a thing or two from other cultures. Alpha's desire is crushed in the end, but fear not. He's landed on Pleasure World where no one is alone for very long.

"Creatures of the Night" seems to be the strongest reflection of its time, during the years of Section 28. A gay man is walking when he's singled out for gay bashing. A mysterious and queer figure appears from nowhere to rescue him. While I enjoyed the Gay Ghost, as he's later dubbed, sense of irony, the character's speech was a bit preachy. Then again, I imagine in the context of Thatcher's England that the frustration experienced would warrant this commentary. I remember life being more frustrating during Ronald Reagan's presidency, especially his second term.

The story with least appeal to me is "Harry the Flying Pyramid." Harry is a flying pyramid that escapes from Lowther's imagination and is followed by a large number of slug-like Grums that attack people. Harry encounters the eccentric Gran who believes she's the "true" Queen. Gran also shares the "real" Buckingham Palace with her gay grandson Jeremy. In fact, I think Gran, Jeremy, and his boyfriend Bill are the real stars and could provide more material if ever there are new shorts done.

All of Lowther's original art is presented here in color for the first time. His style has a consistent and enjoyable quality to it, and he delivers a variety of male eye candy for readers. The crisp, matte paper shows it off well, and even has a good feel to it. I've admired the production values in the couple of other books published by Bruno Gmûnder I have, and it's very nice to have them applied here as well. The book has itself has a substantial weight to it as well. An interview with the pair supplies behind-the-scenes information on their partnership and the stories.

All of these stories were new to me. It's odd to me knowing that I lived in Chicago at the time, and somehow didn't come across any of these at the time. Then again, I also missed Strip AIDS, AARGH!, and Tales of the Closet, and all of Gay Comics except for the first issue, and I definitely was not living in secrecy. It's taken me patience, luck, and a little fortitude to track down some of these and other LGBT comics. They're all a part of our cultural history. As records, nothing should be lost, especially now when in America our culture and government is leaning more and more to the conservative right, just as it was under the Reagan and Bush administration.

Stangroom's and Lowther's work deserved a handsome collection, and the opportunity for readers either new or old, to have the opportunity to enjoy a sampling of their collaborations. I certainly think future volumes are warranted.

Average customer rating:

Cut
Mike Richardson , Todd Herman , Al Milgrom , and Mike Mignola
Manufacturer: Dark Horse Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

The latest addition to the Dark Horse horror line is this chilling original graphic novel from writer and publisher Mike Richardson (The Secret, Cravan). Twentysomething Meagan Walters regains consciousness and finds herself locked in an empty room of an old house. She's bleeding from the back of her head, and has no memory of where the wound came from - she'd been at a club with some friends... left angrily... was she abducted? When Meagan peers through the door's keyhole, she starts to suspect that her captor isn't quite human...

DC Comics Masks: Nine Masks of DC Comics Heroes and Villains to Assemble and Wear

Average customer rating:

DC Comics Masks: Nine Masks of DC Comics Heroes and Villains to Assemble and Wear
Inc. DC Comics , and Christos Kondeatis
Manufacturer: Bulfinch Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

For anyone who has ever wanted to be Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman, the elaborate three-dimensional masks included in this book are the next best thing to having superpowers. Each mask accurately depicts the characters as they appear in todays comics and includes text outlining each characters origin and superpowers, along with a colour rendering of the complete costume.

Average customer rating:

LOVED IT!!!
Honest writing!
So real I started dreaming about home
impressive debut
a terrific first novel

Strip Cuts: A Novel
David Drayer
Manufacturer: Rowdy House Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0967521564

Book Description

Welcome to Cherry Run, Pennsylvania, the epitome of a blink and youll miss it American town where the jobs are dead-end, the ultimate dream is hitting the lottery, and the only apparent escape is drinking at the Ruffled Grouse. In story-like chapters, Strip Cuts captures Cherry Run's residents in their most private and defining moments. Often humorous and always sincere, Drayer's debut novel presents a unique and memorable look at the heartache and hope of a small town, where the land and the people have been stripped bare for all to see.

Customer Reviews:

LOVED IT!!!.......2007-03-22

This is not the kind of book I usually go for, but I was curious because David Drayer is my English teacher. I really loved it. I think everyone can find something to relate to and someone to identify with in this story. It covers 7 years of a small town, it's inhabitants and their not-so-closeted skeletons. I couldn't put it down and would have finished it the same day if I could. I highly recommend it.

Honest writing!.......2003-12-10

I was very fortuate to have had Mr. Drayer as a teacher for an English class I took in college one semester. Apart from the book for a moment, he is a very down-to-earth and funny person! I'd never heard of him as a writer before I had him in class, and I have to say that's the only reason I picked up the book in the first place, and I'm glad that I did- I loved it!

This book reminds me of the small town I live in, and the people who circle around in it. The honesty of the writing, and the characters (their emotions,their reactions, their thoughts especially) really hit me. Some authors do a poor job of developing their characters and their emotions, but I really felt like I knew the characters- probably because a lot of the storylines in the book have happened to me, and many people close to me. Who hasn't had a huge crush on a REALLY good-looking teacher??? I know I have!! If you live in a small town, you know how it feels when you are itching to get out of it.

I laughed while reading this book not because I thought it was funny, but because I thought it was honest, and truthful! Most people think like these characters, but never express these thoughts out loud. Because in reality, what do we really want? (what do the characters want, maybe?) We want to have lots and lots of sex, passion, love, change, happiness....etc.

All in all, great book, I can't wait to read what he writes next!

So real I started dreaming about home.......2002-12-11

The author's cousin, Bob, was my childhood best friend. I guess I was reading to find a hint of him when I found myself overwhelmed by the perfect character development of the people of our town. I was so moved that I actually had to put the book down for a few weeks because I was dreaming so much about home. Absolutely can't wait for David's next book.

impressive debut.......2002-04-02

Odd, isn't it, that the miserable and wasted coal fields should enjoy such a grip on at least our literary imaginations? From D. H. Lawrence to
Richard Llewellyn to The Deer Hunter to Homer Hickam, writers have celebrated escaping from mining country, but they've mostly (Lawrence being
the exception who proves the rule) looked back with some fondness. David Drayer's first novel is told in much the fashion of Sherwood Anderson's
Winesburg, Ohio, as a set of interconnected but not necessarily continuous stories. Here they are unified in that they trace the progress of Seth
Hardy, thirteen when we meet him, a man when he leaves town at the end of the book. The town is Cherry Run, Pennsylvania. The strip cuts of the
title are the remnants of the region's mining history.

Seth is a likable enough protagonist, undergoing the familiar torments of an awkward boy, with an unfortunate nickname, amongst high school
bullies. His particular nemesis is the loathsome Claude Coarsen. In a scene that provides a visceral thrill to anyone who's ever been bullied and that
offers a kind of insight into how kids might end up shooting up their schools, Seth draws a bead on Coarsen when they are both out hunting deer.
But in this case, Seth doesn't shoot. Equally compelling is a scene between Seth and the pretty young teacher who is one of his biggest supporters.
She ponders what would be so wrong about reaching out to this unhappy young man, yet has the good sense to control herself. And in many ways it
is Seth's father, Earl, who resides at the core of the book, a decent though reserved man who is capable of being just as strict with his son's high
school principal as he is with the boy and who proves a soft touch for a couple who are down on their luck.

This is an impressive debut, perhaps most impressive for Mr. Drayer's allegiance to his own material. He apparently resisted editors' attempts to strip
out secondary characters and he wisely avoided what must be a powerful temptation for any writer today, eschewing the annoyingly popular memoir
form and sticking with a novel. Mr. Drayer has said that he wants to return to these characters because he's interested to see what will happen to
them. You'll be curious too.

GRADE : B+

a terrific first novel.......2002-02-04

David Drayer has impressed me! For a first novel, this one is a winner. It's a cross between a more innocent, rural Holden Caulfield (the main character, Seth, reminds me of him a bit) in Catcher and Anderson's Winesberg, OH, one of my all time favorites. It's refreshing to see a new writer who does so many things right! The first 5 chapters or so that revolve around Seth are terrific. If anything, I wanted to see more about Seth, although some of the side characters are memorably drawn as well (the shaving chapter was very well done!). The teenage cruelty is done very realistically and touchingly. As usual, the most sensitive one is the one called "jack off" for his whole life but we can tell he's the best catch of them all.

The final few chapters take a bit of momentum out of the book -- Seth's early life was much more interesting. But that's only a minor criticism of a terrific first effort.

Customer Reviews:

Plots and plans.......2006-12-26

The eighth volume of "Vampire Game" is mostly expose and warm-up -- author Judal exposes more vampiric plots and more love triangle messes. It's perhaps the slowest-moving volume of the series thus far, but it's still an excellent read, and promises some interesting twists.

Ishtar is rescued from a runaway horse by an unexpected visitor -- her tutor/cousin Yuujel. But his return only fires up Leene's jealousy, and makes her even more determined to kill his first love, Ishtar. She's helped by a shadowy young woman called Diaage -- who is extremely familiar to the newly-returned Duzell.

It turns out that Diaage is none other than Sharlen, the vampire that they tussled with in La Naan -- and he's sowing the seeds of potential disaster, leaving a parting threat to Duzell, and a trio of poison pills for Leene to use on Ishtar's nearest and dearest. Will the spiteful girl destroy what Ishtar loves most?

Not much actual plot development in this volume, but Judal succeeds in making it feel like lots is going on -- murder plots, vampiric scheming, sickly queens, exotic balls, secret identities are revealed, and there are love triangles that Ishtar is blithely unaware of. And it isn't over yet.

Judal is in fine shape here, with her elongated drawing style and pretty characters; she also has lots of fun with flowing dresses and cloaks, as well as ornate jewelry sprinkled here and there. And though the overall tone is rather somber, she tosses in some funny moments, such as Ishtar having long-distance girl-chat with her cousin ("I can't imagine how Leene would respond to being shown up by a guy in drag!").

Most of the character development hinges on Yuujel and Duzell. The vampire king does some soul-searching when Diaage mocks him as "soft," even as he develops a fondness for sickly Queen Sofia. And Yuujel -- he of the ambiguous sexuality and motives -- finally reveals his reason for disguising himself as a tutor, his first love, and tries to get the oblivious Darres to notice Ishtar.

The eighth volume of "Vampire Game" is pretty slow-moving, but the ending promises to get the wagon rolling again pretty soon. Solid fantasy read.

Book Description

Poul Anderson, one of science fiction's most treasured visionaries, returns with a new masterpiece. Starfarers is the story of an expedition into the far reaches of the galaxy, where answers to mankind's greatest questions await.The saga begins when evidence of an advanced starfaring civilization is discovered by SETI astronomers. An expedition is planned and an eclectic team of scientists chosen to make the journey. But because the destination of the starship Envoy and her crew is 60,000 light years away, the time required to reach the point of origin of the signals and return is 120,000 years; longer than Homo sapiens have been on Earth. And though the crew is ready to face the ramifications of such a trek, no one is prepared for what awaits them at the outer edge of the cosmos or back at the planet they once called home.

Customer Reviews:

Liked this one, liked the way things branched out.......2007-04-05

I liked this book because it seemed so much like real life, not going in one direction. Some of the characters I could have done without, like the requisite bad guy.

I was a little surprised by a basic arithmetic flaw though. One of the premises is that the kith would interbreed into a different phenotype "tribe". This happens very rapidly in the book, too rapidly. A basic calculation shows that if on average 70 years pass for every year on board ship, and the ships orbit for maybe a year at each end, then each person ages 2 years for every 70 back on earth. That means their earth-life span would be about: 35 years per year x 70 years per life = 2,450 years per life span. This indicates that the rough period per reproducing generation is: 35 years per year x 25 years per generation = 875 years. In 10,000 years, for the kith, only 11 human generations would have passed. And if there were centenarians in the kith, then only 3 lifetimes would have passed at 3500 years each. Even if there were only 100 kith to begin with, that is hardly time enough to mix very much at all to produce a new phenotype. Since each ship carried that many, there were thousands of them in the first century.

I liked all the digressions, it made for an interesting story.

Sorta good.......2007-02-17

I liked this book for most of the way through it. Yeah, it got a little bogged down in some places. And it looked like it would have a good ending. It just ended sorta weird like the author didn't know how to end the book. More than that ... in those places where the story bogged down, it just seemed he didn't know where he was going with the story or any of the central themes. Maybe it was about some alien races, maybe it was about romance in space, maybe it was about a starfaring race. Yeah, maybe that was it. Yet still I do like Poul Anderson's writing style. Now I feel like I can't stop my review in a straight forward coherent way. Aargh.

Knowledge of relativity may help.......2006-12-02

I picked this up after reading that Anderson was a 'hard' sci-fi author. Having little understanding of science, I did not understand this book. Why do sci-fi writers write as though they are explaining ideas to get grant money? Anderson's ideas seemed cool, that we could draw near-infinite energy from a substrate universe, but still perplexing. Besides this, the story was boring, and Anderson used an irritating technique for dialogue. He'd state the character's attitude before the dialogue:
"Angrily: Go home, Beatrice." I hope Anderson's other books aren't like Starfarers as I am interested in reading Tau Zero.

Good Offering - But Not for Everyone.......2006-07-27

One of the main reasons I like this book is that it doesn't break Einstein's Theory of Relativity and the FTL barrier... of course, that means interstellar voyages MUST take a long time (even at near relativistic velocities). Folks must find ways to deal with the boredom, and with the side-effects of everyone you know being dead when you return to Earth from an interstellar voyage, 60 relativistic years later.

A good number of side stories with various themes are interjected to keep the book interesting during the 10,000 Earth year round-trip voyage The ENVOY's "crew of 10" must endure (2 of their years in transit, plus 5 on site). Unfortunately, the characters are a bit stale and contrived.

This book will not be for everyone; while there are some exciting "space battles", they are few and far between. This is a cerebral SciFi offering, and there are those who won't like the pace, nor the science. I myself usually prefer a more fast-paced/exciting book... but STARFARERS(1998) was unique and interesting enough to get a decent rating, in spite of the slow pace.

audacious premise, flawed execution..........2006-06-21

Poul Anderson is a classic hard SF writer. His work is consistent, usually thought provoking, and often brilliant. STARFARERS is a sprawling epic. It tells several stories, each of which would be fodder for a reasonably sized novel: the development of intersteller trade (and what such a vagabond life is like, with estrangement from the planet-bound), a distant voyage to another civilization, the displacement due to time dilation on a long voyage, the weirdness of alien intelligences unlike our own... and some commentary on nationalism, etc.

The main focus of this book is the voyage of the ENVOY to meet aliens, a journey that will consume 5000 years in each direction.

There are a handful of good novels in this vein--most SF either uses the "hyperspace" dodge or generation ships. So on that score alone I'm willing to overlook a lot.

What is especially good here are the episodic vignettes (used partially to illustrate the passage of time outside the ENVOY). These link generations of a family together and each is a short story gem.

What is not so good is the story of the ENVOY and her crew. These characters are much less well fleshed out (some border on the two-dimensional), with the requisite Bad Guy telegraphed far ahead. Not as much is done with the aliens as could be and some of the Big Revelations are of the deus ex machina variety.

Still, for such a long novel, it is reasonably well written. It's not terrific--it doesn't approach the best in any of the areas is attempts--but it has its moments.

Average customer rating:

Appealing but not as good as her earlier books
The best is yet to come
Not Disappointed - an exciting, intriguing tale
A definite disappointment from a wonderful writer

Starfarers
Vonda N. McIntyre
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0441780539

Customer Reviews:

Appealing but not as good as her earlier books.......2007-01-28

I absolutely adore Vonda McIntyre's earlier books (esp. Dreamsnake, Exile Waiting). This series has a very different feel and I didn't enjoy it as much. Each book covers only a few days of time, so every moment of every character's life during that time is told in the tiniest detail (right down to meal and bathroom breaks). Their double-cylinder spaceship is intriguing and many of the characters are interesting as they prepare for their journey, and I did enjoy spending time with them... just not *that* much time.

There are some interesting sci-fi ideas scattered throughout the book, but it does lack one big idea or focus. The goal of the "crew" (the huge ship is set up more like a university campus) is to search for alien life, which is not a compelling hook in my opinion. When they find it, it's just not that interesting. The scenes of first contact (in later books) lack a sense of importance and so I wasn't left feeling awestruck. Maybe I was expecting too much or missing the point... I simply didn't get that sense of wonder that I got with Dreamsnake.

But I'm currently re-reading the series... so there's no doubt it's retained some appeal through the years.

The best is yet to come.......2002-03-27

Admittedly not the strongest start, but recommended regardless as the first volume of one of my favorite science fiction series of all time. Vonda McIntyre tends to incorporate a few favorite elements into many of her short stories and novels, and I consider this series to be the culmination of her imaginings, even if it didn't get the same kind of critical attention as "Dreamsnake" or "The Moon and the Sun." "Starfarers" is a bit slow, used mainly to introduce the principals and really only hinting at the adventures to come, but the payoff in the next three novels is more than worth it.

Not Disappointed - an exciting, intriguing tale.......1998-04-17

Layer upon layer of juicy speculative detail about Earth in the near-future, particularly North America, and the events leading up to the launch of a space exploration habitat. Not your thing if you're into alien shoot-em-ups--the excitement here is more subtle, emotional and intellectual. Excellent political suspense, fascinating scientific ideas, interpersonal and sexual tension. People I cared about. I was particularly impressed with the way the writer tied all of her diverse storylines together, and spoke authentically from the perspectives of very different characters. I loved this book!

A definite disappointment from a wonderful writer.......1998-02-01

This story looked like it was going to be about a group of people on a journey to the stars to find other life but instead we get all the politics and preparations and junk preceding the journey. The real search for other life only starts on the 4th-to-last-page of the book. The only things making this book barely worth reading are the characters -- but even they aren't like the author's other books' characters in terms of richness and depth.

A Starfarer's Dozen: Stories of Things to Come

Average customer rating:

A Starfarer's Dozen: Stories of Things to Come

Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books
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STARFARERS
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Starfarers 36fl
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Dragonstar: Starfarer's Handbook (Dragonstar)

Average customer rating:

The Evolved Form of SpellJammer
Huge undertaking fairly well done
Tied for Best Third Party D20 Product
Yeah! Fanstay Sci fi!
Good

Dragonstar: Starfarer's Handbook (Dragonstar)
Fantasy Flight Games , and Various
Manufacturer: Fantasy Flight Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1589940563

Book Description

Welcome to Dragonstar, a boundless universe of magic and machine, science and sorcery. Intrepid adventurers explore the Outlands in starships powered by fusion fire and arcane rituals. Dwarven prospectors work veins of pure adamantite in remote asteroid belts, and elven loremasters conduct secret experiments in living space stations. Grizzled mercenaries augment their bodies with bioengineered spellware, and orc raiders armed with pulse lasers massacre innocents on isolated colony worlds.

Dragonstar is a unique space-fantasy campaign setting for the d20 System from Fantasy Flight Games. Written by verteran designers Matt Forbeck and Greg Benage. Prepare to take your adventure to the stars!

Customer Reviews:

The Evolved Form of SpellJammer.......2002-12-28

well, maybe not totally as SJ relied more heavily on magic than hard core science and Dragonstar reverses this trend, but it still fits to some degree. In someways this is SpellJammer advanced in timeframe to the era of Star Wars or Star Trek. The people at Fantasy Flight Games continue to push for their Thug NPC class, which could just as well be served by the generic Warrior NPC class but I digress. The ranger has been altered from a mellee to a missile specialist and fighting with two guns has been relegated to a seperate feat away from two weapon fighting. Wizards now have the option of trading in their spellbooks for a datapad. New stuff is in abundance in this book and in this settings. New skills, new classes, new races and new feats, including one that for many classes is a freebie feat that serves as a gateway into the new toys away from the traditional sword and sorcery fare. Fans of Brent Spiner's role in the ST series he starred in with Levar Burton, Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Merina Sertis and Michael Dorn, will be pleased to note the offering of a new type of construct, the SoulMech which in many ways is science fantasy version of the android. The two new core classes are the Pilot and Mechanist both of which are pumped up Experts but offer a unique flavor to the game and to any party that includes them. All in all a wonderful setting that offers a real alternative to the tried and true formula of the D20 genre. If you prefer the future to the past and don't mind a bit of whimsy Dragonstar is a good setting to explore however a word of caution: Much of the setting is designed as a dark and scary place so if you are turned off by that sort of thing you can still work with it, although alterations may be necessary.

Huge undertaking fairly well done.......2002-06-11

Very nicely done system. Taking D&D to the stars in a fairly hard science way. I really have been impressed with what they came up with, but DAMN they need the next book shipped printed...

Tied for Best Third Party D20 Product.......2002-05-09

This product, along with The Witchfire Trilogy from Privateer press, are tied for the best D20 products by third-parties on the market - and may well come out on top of ANY D20 product, barring the core rules.

Dragonstar is a game that takes D&D to the stars. Unlike spelljammer, it isnt magic that drives the starfaring races, but hard sci fi - but magic is there, still, and often integrates with technology seamlessly.

The setting is very compelling; with the rise of technology, Dragons formed a great empire and conquer the rest of the galaxy. Each Dragon clan, good and evil, rules for 1,000 years. The first 5,000 saw the rule of the 5 good dragon clans. Now, it is mere decades into the first rule of the first of the evil dragons, Mezzebone the Red. He has formed a Secret Police Force of Drow, and the galaxy groans under their lash.

The rules are excellent, the setting is incredible. As with any product, there are a couple of weak points. For instance, the lack of Spellware, and the lack of variant gravity rules, both of which are referenced in the book. They will be included in the upcoming Galaxy Guide, as magic items were in the DMG, so this is understandable, but a tad frustrating. Nevertheless, if you like the D20 system, and if you like the Sci Fi genre, you cannot go wrong with this product.

The artwork does leave a little to be desired, but I don't buy products for their artwork - I buy them for the content, and this product has that, in spades.

Yeah! Fanstay Sci fi!.......2002-04-08

An actual working ranger class! I just about had a heart attack at this one. The races and equipment are cool as well. The new classes are great, I like the mecyhanist best. All in all hte only truely negative thing is that there are no description of the spell ware, but regaurdless, it is a good book.

Good.......2002-04-02

An interesting, if brief set of rules for running DnD in outer space with futuristic weapons and vehicles. Now, I realize that Fantasy Flight Games is probably a smaller company with limited resources, but please, GET SOME REAL ARTWORK. The sketch of the soul mech looks like a cross between a bi Mr. Rogers and some reject from the band REM. The pictures consistently look something I might draw on my notebook out of boredom during class. Also, they could have included more pictures of the vehicles. More and better artwork may cost more, but I know I am glad to pay extra for it.

Average customer rating:

A Starfarer's Dozen: Stories of Things to Come
Michael (ed) Stearns
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJUTHQ

Average customer rating:

Starfarers

Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HK3X98

Average customer rating:

Starfarers.
Vonda N. McIntyre
Manufacturer: Easton Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
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Average customer rating:

These brownies are bliss!

My friends are raving about ME!

Another delicious timesaver by Camilla Saulsbury!

Book Description

Brilliant! Brilliant!

Brownie Mix Bliss: More Than 175 Very Chocolate Recipes for Brownies, Bars, Cookies and Other Decadent Desserts Made with Boxed Brownie Mix
Camilla V. Saulsbury
Manufacturer: Cumberland House Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Desserts | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Cake Mix Cookies: More Than 175 Delectable Cookie Recipes That Begin With a Box of Cake Mix

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Complete Cake Mix Magic

ASIN: 1581824440

Book Description

In COOKIE DOUGH DELIGHTS, Camilla V. Saulsbury worked magic with refrigerated cookie dough. With BROWNIE MIX BLISS she turns her attention to the familiar box of brownie mix and the many possibilities contained herein.

Incredibly, all 175-plus recipes in BROWNIE MIX BLISS begin with a standard box of brownie mix. What's more, all the recipes have been streamlined for easy, everyday baking. The problem, if you can call it that, will be deciding which treat to make first. How about Mocha Buttercream Brownies? Or Snickers Supreme Brownies? Or maybe Mint Julep Ganache Brownies? And that's but the tip of the chocolate iceberg. While brownie mix can be used to create all manner of mouthwatering concoctions, it can also be transformed into countless other very easy, very chocolate desserts ranging from sophisticated biscotti, soufflé cakes, madeleines, and cheesecakes to nostalgic drop cookies ice cream novelties, gooey layered bar cookies, and so much more.

In addition to the recipes, Saulsbury offers "Brownie Points," or tips for baking success. For the accomplished baker as well as the novice, BROWNIE MIX BLISS takes the chocolate dessert to a new level of, well, bliss!

Customer Reviews:

These brownies are bliss!.......2007-09-27

I have never bought a brownie mix cookbook before, and I never will have to again. The recipes in this book are absolutely delicious. There are a vast number of recipes to choose from. I sometimes can't make up my mind which to make so I will make two recipes at a time and share them with my neighbors. This book is a MUST for brownie lovers.

My friends are raving about ME!.......2007-03-04

Thanks to a recipe in this book. I had just bought the book and have only made one recipe and shared my brownies with my girlfriends and their hubbies. They were amazed...and I am amazed, too, since I am not known for my cooking skills ;o)

Another delicious timesaver by Camilla Saulsbury!.......2006-08-30

This book, along with Camilla's on refrigerated cookie dough, is a must have if you're a baker that wants to cut some corners. Start with a box of brownie mix, and you're halfway there! Stock up on mix ins, and you're done. Rave reviews from the people at my husband's office. I will never let them know that my killer brownies are not 100% from scratch, let them think it!

This book is a must have for all you busy Mom's, busy women, and young bakers out there!

Book Description.......2006-08-08

Brownie Mix Bliss: More Than 175 Very Chocolate Recipes for Brownies, Bars, Cookies and Other Decadent Desserts Made with Boxed Brownie Mix

In COOKIE DOUGH DELIGHTS, Camilla V. Saulsbury worked magic with refrigerated cookie dough. With BROWNIE MIX BLISS she turns her attention to the familiar box of brownie mix and the many possibilities contained therein.

All 175-plus recipes in BROWNIE MIX BLISS begin with a standard box of brownie mix. What's more, all the recipes have been streamlined for easy, everyday baking. The problem, if you can call it that, will be deciding which treat to make first. How about Mocha Buttercream Brownies? Or Snickery Supreme Brownies? Or maybe Mint Julep Ganache Brownies? And that's but the tip of the chocolate iceberg.

While brownie mix can be used to create all manner of mouthwatering brownies, it can also be transformed into countless other very easy, very chocolate desserts ranging from sophisticated biscotti, soufflé cakes, madeleines, and cheesecakes to nostalgic drop cookies ice cream novelties, gooey layered bar cookies, and so much more.

In addition to the recipes, Saulsbury offers "Brownie Points," or tips for baking success. For the accomplished baker as well as the novice, BROWNIE MIX BLISS takes the chocolate dessert to a new level of, well, bliss!

Brilliant! Brilliant!.......2006-06-13

Admit it - even die hard bakers and cooks like me - can use a short cut now and then - this is the brownie mix bible! Buy it - you won't be disappointed. -- Addendum: Made the dark rum brownies today with the chocolate glaze - dear God - - I bake them and then left the house - I came back in and the house smelled incredible (and I bake all the time!) - - - they taste even better than they look and smell. You would swear you bought these at some posh bakery! I made a double batch to send to my husband's work - but couldn't send them all - wrapped up some for favorite friends and pals - only the best of friends deserve these!

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