Blood Omen 2: Prima's Official Strategy Guide

Book Description

It's Good To Be Bad!

• Thorough step-by-step walkthrough for all 11 levels
• Combat strategies for all enemies and mini-bosses
• Detailed explanation of the 7 Dark Gift powers
• All Relics and Weapon chests located

Customer Reviews:

Get this game.......2002-10-14

One of XBOX's best only behind Halo and Max Payne in my opinion

Get this game.......2002-10-14

One of XBOX's best only behind Halo and Max Payne in my opinion

Great walkthrough for this creepy game!.......2002-08-03

Another awesome Prima strategy guide! This book provides a nearly flawless walkthrough for the entire game and, although most of it was pretty simple to figure out, the guide came in great use for those really tricky sections of the game. Also the guide provides info on every item, so you won't miss anything in the game. A must companion for the Playstation 2 game!

The Fortune Telling Book: Reading Crystal Balls, Tea Leaves, Playing Cards, and Everyday Omens of Love and Luck

Average customer rating:

fortunate ones
Good
sweet little book for fortune telling
Outstanding , Exceeding My Expectations!
EXCELLENT!!!

The Fortune Telling Book: Reading Crystal Balls, Tea Leaves, Playing Cards, and Everyday Omens of Love and Luck
Gillian Kemp
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Wicca | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0316488356

Book Description

Have you ever wondered what good things the future will bring? Whats next for your love life, your career? Look into your crystal ball with the help of this enchanting little handbook for aspiring fortune-tellers that shows you how to develop your sixth sense and to glimpse your futureor that of others. Filled with practical advice, gypsy folklore, and both ancient and modern divinations, this delightful book will reveal the future to all those who believe. Like its predecessor, The Fortune-Telling Book looks like a family treasure that has been passed down through generations. Ribbon markers, handwritten notes, and mysterious keepsakes are tucked between the pages. Kemp includes only the most user-friendly techniquesmost of the divinations are simple enough to be used as party games. The Fortune-Telling Book uses common objects like a bowl of water (in lieu of that crystal ball), playing cards, tea leaves, dice, and other items found in every home.

Customer Reviews:

fortunate ones.......2007-09-25

i have purchased this item twice in my life time for various reasons. each purchase is so worth it.

Good.......2007-01-05

Not bad...again repeats itself a bit from the other books in the series, although DOES have its own theme...the extra notes and stuff are things the author has already mentioned

sweet little book for fortune telling.......2006-03-29

This book is nice and compact. It has all kinds of ideas on how to tell your fortune. I got this book to help my son develope his skills and for me to try other forms of divination. I would recommend this book to someone who is interested in learning more about fortune telling.

Outstanding , Exceeding My Expectations!.......2005-09-23

Coming from the well renowned author, gillian kemp, this book has various techniqes to help you read your future and even the present and past. As always in this series of books, the ingrediants area fairly easy to manage and the instruction can be followed by even a gold fish! The wonderful look of this book is very attractive, with old looking pages, some handwritten spells, and things that make it look like an antique. So if you've been looking for a good, small but very reliable divination book, look no further than this special treasure!

EXCELLENT!!!.......2005-07-23

I have always wanted a sweet small book that explained several fortune telling techniques in a 'simple' & 'understandable' manner. This book is it!! It's small, adorable and complete for the novice. It's unfortunate amazon no longer carries it. The contents: crystal ball reading, hydromancy, apple divinations, playing cards-cartomancy, candle majic, dice, marriage folklore, tea leaves, bay leaf. Absolutely everything is to the point and well presented. It is so easy to apply. It feels majical holding this beautiful little book. Lovely and talky as the author writes in after thoughts by hand. It also gives the history of playing cards (description of every card and spread) and dice (ditto). It's full of tidbits of knowledge to apply immediately - no heavy study and not so complex it ends up on your shelf. All inclusive and wonderful! A big thank you to the author!

The Ancient Omen (Elijah Creek & the Armor of God)

Average customer rating:

The Ancient Omen

The Ancient Omen (Elijah Creek & the Armor of God)
Lena Wood
Manufacturer: Standard Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0784715904

Customer Reviews:

The Ancient Omen.......2007-05-12

The Ancient Omen, a book written by Lena Wood, though a fiction book, will help you learn about God. Elijah, Robbie, Reece, Mei, and Skid find a piece of armor at the bottom of a hill that will lead them to the adventure of their lives. During their summer break, in a town where usually nothing happens, Elijah Creek, a fourth grader, and his friends named Robbie, Reece, Mei, and Skid, who are all very adventurous, find a belt but don't know what to do next. When looking for another piece of armor, Elijah, Robbie, Reece, Mei, and Skid find a body that might be the daughter of a man named Dolan. They get into trouble with the police and are forced to tell the truth to what feels like the whole world. Elijah regrets he ever got into this mess. Elijah tries very hard to stay out of trouble but it seems to turn out bad most of the time.

I wasn't like any of the kids in the story because I don't keep secrets and hardly anything exciting ever happens to me. Once though, I did search for treasure in my woods with my friends Rob and Mark, and found some nails with a metal detector. This is my text-to-self connection. Elijah and I are not the same in many ways. For example, he gets into trouble more often than me.

The Ancient Omen is a great book. It explains a lot about Christianity and can help you with some problems you might face in life like lying. I liked it when Elijah and his friends found the belt at the bottom of the hill. If I could change anything in this book it would be instead of finding the belt they would find a sword or shield. People who might like this book are Christians or people who have just become Christians because the armor they find is the armor of God. Third and fourth graders will probably like this book.

Average customer rating:

More of what one expects

Wings of Omen (Thieves' World, Book 6)
various
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0441805965

Customer Reviews:

More of what one expects.......2002-10-30

Wings of Omen, the sixth in the Thieves' World series, brings more of what one expects from the series. Featuring 8 stories from talented authors (including Asprin, Lynn Abbey, Diana Paxson, and C.J. Cherryh), Wings moves the town of Sanctuary into an open guerilla conflict on the street. Like the other Thieves' World books, the format of different stories occurring in the same location has strengths and weaknesses. On the one hand, it is intersting to see the different perspectives each writer brings. On the other hand, interesting ideas generated by one writer or poorly followed up, or not at all. Too, there have been so many authors writing about so many characters that a glossary has become a must to keep track of who is whom. Nevertheless, Wings of Omen is an enjoyable, if somewhat dark and depressing at times, read.

Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain. Books 4 & 5--"The Soothslayers" and "The Omens" (Book 4 : the Soothsayers, Book 5 : the Omens)

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Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain. Books 4 & 5--"The Soothslayers" and "The Omens" (Book 4 : the Soothsayers, Book 5 : the Omens)
Arthur J. O. Anderson
Manufacturer: University of Utah Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 087480003X

Antichrist: After The Omen (Spire books)

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Antichrist: After The Omen (Spire books)
Frank Allnutt
Manufacturer: F. H. Revell Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Babylonian Planetary Omens (Bibliotheca Mesopotamica)

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Babylonian Planetary Omens (Bibliotheca Mesopotamica)
Erica Reiner
Manufacturer: Undena Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

The Book of Omens (The Magical True Adventures of a Self-Made Movie Star)

Average customer rating:

Definitely a MUST READ-THIS BOOK DESERVES 10 STARS!!!
FANTASTIC BOOK!
Truly exceptional and confidently recommended
Real Modern Magic!

The Book of Omens (The Magical True Adventures of a Self-Made Movie Star)
Jon Jacobs
Manufacturer: Spiral Staircase Pub.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0972452958

Book Description

OMEN: An occurrence or phenomenon believed to portend the future.

As a boy growing up in England, Jon Jacobs had dreams of stardom. The Book of Omens: The Magical True Adventures of a Self-Made Movie Star chronicles his adventures in the underbelly of Hollywood as he pursues his dream to star in his own movies. Jacobs doesn't use an agent or manager to guide him, but instead follows omens (signposts from the universe) allowing his belief in magic and faith in destiny to lead him to success.

FREE DVD INSIDE! Jon Jacobs' hit movie LUCINDA'S SPELL.

Customer Reviews:

Definitely a MUST READ-THIS BOOK DESERVES 10 STARS!!!.......2003-08-27

I found this book to be an excellent and refreshing read. The Hollywood stigma is that you either survive or die, and Jacobs definitely supports the theory that you can do-it-yourself. His amazing collection of work and insightful abilities to craft a good story are truly masterful.

READ THIS BOOK. BUY THIS BOOK. DELIGHT IN THIS BOOK.

...

FANTASTIC BOOK!.......2003-08-08

Wow! What a fun read! It's smart, funny, inspiring, a quick read, everything you could expect from a great book! The book includes a special DVD of the author's cult film classic film Lucinda's Spell, starring Jon Jacobs and model Kristina Fulton. The DVD alone is worth the price of addmission, baby!

The book itself is wondrous. The DVD is just the icing on the already marvelous cake? So! Are you getting the impression I liked it? Mr. Jacobs has a new comedy called HEY DJ that's coming out soon. If it's half as good as this book HEY DJ will be the film to watch for this movie season!

Truly exceptional and confidently recommended.......2003-04-09

The Book Of Omens: The Magical True Adventures Of A Self-Made Movie Star is the amazing autobiography of Jon Jacobs, a British-born actor who followed his own dreams to stardom and who has appeared in (or directed) over two dozen feature films. Jon's marvelous life and his deep belief in omens as signals from the universe itself to guide him to his ultimate destiny, mark this original, attention engaging, and reader enriching narrative. Enhanced with the inclusion of a 105-minute DVD of the movie "Lucinda's Spell", The Book Of Omens is truly exceptional and confidently recommended.

Real Modern Magic!.......2003-01-16

I was given a copy of this book by a friend, because i'm always nagging her about omens and synchronicity. I wasn't sure about the whole movie star angle at first, but as I started to read I found i could relate, to everything in this book and see the parallels in my own life. Forget about Harry Potter, real magic is right here in our daily lives and it doesn't take much training to start to see it... Great book! Also the DVD that came with the book is great fun, witches in New Orleans, more of a fantasy, than the book, but it was totaly fresh, better than the Craft or Practical Magic. (naughtier too)

Book Description

Eleven-year-old Brody Miller is sent to his wealthy grandmother's after a terrible family tragedy, and finds himself in the middle of a living nightmare. It starts with footsteps and whispers outside his bedroom at night, and unearthly sounds that send chills up his spine. This leads him to uncover a dark family secret and a hidden room that brings him face to face with an actual ghost! The ghost has a disturbing message, one that sends Brody on a quest to find out all there is to know about the old Dumbermere castle and its inhabitants...both living and deceased.

Average customer rating:

Dark Mystical Thrills

A great insight from someone within the music industry

Engrossing

An Intriguing Look at Some of the Forces Behind the Mystic 60s

super-genomewarable

Turn Off Your Mind: The Mystic Sixties and the Dark Side of the Age of Aquarius
Gary Lachman
Manufacturer: Disinformation Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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A Dark Muse: A History of the Occult

A Secret History of Consciousness

Generation Hex

Sinister Forces-The Manson Secret: A Grimoire of American Political Witchcraft (The Manson Secret)

Book of Lies: The Disinformation Guide to Magick and the Occult

ASIN: 0971394237

Book Description

How did a decade of love and peace end in Altamont and the Manson Family bloodbath? Gary Lachman explores the sinister dalliance of rock's high rollers and a new wave of occultists, tying together John Lennon, Timothy Leary, Mick Jagger, Brian Wilson, Charles Manson, Anton LaVey, Jim Morrison, L. Ron Hubbard and many more American cultural icons.

We will use advance copies to solicit reviews in national newspapers and magazines, as well as embarking on a radio interview campaign. The author is a well-known journalist and literary critic and interviews extremely well.

Gary Lachman was a founder member of Blondie and wrote the group's early hits. Born in New Jersey and a long-time resident of both New York and Los Angeles, he now lives in London.

Customer Reviews:

Dark Mystical Thrills.......2007-08-21

This book was a lot of fun to read. When I got to the end of its 400 pages I wanted it to go on for another hundred. It tells the story of the rise of mysticism and the occult in the 1960's in America and England. You know brother, the Age of Aquarius... But where did these beliefs come from and how did they disseminate throughout popular culture? Yes, Lachman tells us about the Buddhism of the beats, but he also uncovers other sources like Madame Blavatsy, Henry Miller, Herman Hesse, J.R.R. Tolkein, and Alister Crowley. We see L. Ron Hubbard conducting black magic ceremonies before the invention of Scientology, and we learn about accusations that the Maharishi used his powers of mind control to reduce his hotel bill. We hear Neil Young's testimony that Charlie Manson was a "really great" musician before he had Sharon Tate slaughtered in a Satanic ritual, and we encounter Carl Jung's dream in the 1930's about a tree of flowers sprouting in Liverpool, and his prediction that the Age of Aquarius would dawn in 1964. In all, this book is a juicy history of the mystic happenings of the 1960's and a source book for the influences that brought about the events of that unique decade. It's like an "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls" of the Occult in the 1960's. A great summer read...

A great insight from someone within the music industry.......2007-01-19

Amazing read of music history. An insight of music and lyrics and the possible influences to the music we have all been affected.

With so many people named and their connections to the mystic. Each person could have a chapter devoted to each of them.

As I read the book, I certainly have come up with great questions that I would ask music icons, like Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney of their musics true meaning.

Engrossing.......2006-11-05

I have found Mr. Lachman's explorations into the occult to have the
page turning quality of a captivating novel combined with the author's deep and penetrating insight into the mysteries of the human condition. For anyone seriously interested in knowing all the dimensions of the 1960s, I highly recommend this book.

An Intriguing Look at Some of the Forces Behind the Mystic 60s.......2006-09-25

I rarely review more than one book by a single author, but in Gary Lachman's case it is really justified. He is the former bass player and songwriter with the band Blondie, and so he came in on the tail end of some of the extraordinary goings-on that permeated part of the art and music culture of the late 1960s.

Gary has done an extraordinary amount of research and digs deeply into the dark side of the 1960s. He turns up some fascinating material about the people who provide the soundtrack for many of us as we were growing up. There is a wealth of anecdotes about the Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithfull, the Rolling Stones and a host of other celebrities who soaked themselves in New Age spirituality, and in some cases the dark side of the occult, producing songs like Sympathy for the Devil and eventually spawning bands like Black Sabbath.

The book is populated by some extraordinary individuals including Kenneth Anger, Anton LaVey and, of course, the Maharishi, who all hoped to extend their reach by appealing to the rich and famous in the music and the arts. The motives of some of the people whom we meet were clearly of the highest order, while others, including Charles Manson had their own agendas.

Gary's book is quite well researched, opinionated and extremely readable. Though I would be willing to bet that most readers will also find a few things that he says to be infuriating. I thought that I knew a lot about those days, but it turned out that there was much that I had not known before: The book is a revelation about people, beliefs and practices that are still affecting us today.

If you have any interest in the New Age, mysticism and in the explosions in music and personal freedom that happened at the end of the 1960s, I cannot think of a better book that ties them all together.

super-genomewarable .......2006-02-10

"Turn Off Your Mind is the super-genomewarable era respiration-byte sending program of acidhuman regarding the ultra=machinary tragedy-ROM creature system of this abolition world." - Kenji Siratori, author of Blood Electric

Turn Off Your Mind: The Mystic Sixties and the Dark Side of the Age of Aquarius

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Turn Off Your Mind: The Mystic Sixties and the Dark Side of the Age of Aquarius
Gary Lachman
Manufacturer: Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORDL6O

Book Description

The Vampire Slayers's Field Guide to the Undead is a fully illustrated directory of the deadly fiends who haunt the night in search of blood, the world's most complete encyclopedia of vampire species from around the world and throughout history. Not just the pop culture vampires like Dracula, but the vampires of folklore and myth from all lands. An authoritative examination of vampire legends, complete with essays on detecting and destroying the undead, extensive bibliographies, and information on vampires in literature, poetry, art and film, this is the complete resource for any Vampire Slayer!

Customer Reviews:

thourough and concise.......2006-04-26

Good stuff. Very informative. Can be read front to back, or just skip around.

Some useful info, some fluff, some errors........2005-12-05

Author Shane MacDougall says that many of today's popular beliefs about vampires (their habits, strengths, and weaknesses) derive from films and modern novels, and bear only tenuous relation to ancient vampire myths and folklore. For instance, he says that the Chinese Chiang-Shih is that rare vampire affected by garlic, mirrors, running water, and shapeshifting; most vampires aren't. Furthermore, vampire folklore varies widely throughout the world, at least if one defines "vampire" broadly, which MacDougall does. Psychic vampires qualify.

Much of the book is arranged by nations, making it easy to look up each country's vampire folklore. Not every nation on Earth, but it's an extensive and diverse listing, with entries from six continents (Antarctic appears to be Earth's only vampire-free continent!). Thankfully, this means the often overlooked Africa and South America are included.

Yet while this book is a useful reference tool, it can't seem to decide whether it wants to be a reference tool or pop entertainment. Amid obscure and scholarly data are padding and fluff. Some entries are scant; a page or two--and that includes illustrations (19 artists are credited). But while some illustrations are helpful or compelling, others are silly and irrelevant (such as photographs of campy women wearing fangs or carrying stakes). It's padding and fluff, and at 686 pages, this book doesn't need it.

The sequence of chapters also seems calculated for a breezy read. The nationality chapters are interspersed between more general chapters. "A World of Vampire A-F" (Albania to France) is followed by "Becoming Undead," then "A World of Vampires G-L," then "Fighting the Undead," etc. Sometimes irrelevant sidebars pepper the chapters. A sidebar on "Sirens" appears with the "Vampires of France" (why not with the "Vampires of Greece"?). The "Vampires of Byelorus" has sidebars on "Telepathy" and "Werewolves In Movies." (Even if Byelorusian mjertovjecs are shapeshifters, what have they to do with I Was A Teenage Werewolf?) Nothing wrong with irrelevant sidebars in a book intended to be read sequentially, but less appropriate for a reference tool.

Yet despite the fluff and casual arrangement, The Vampire Slayer's Guide is a useful reference tool. The meat is scholarly and impressive, although as with any such extensive work, one can always nitpick. In "Vampires of Transylvania," MacDougall writes: "During the time of Vlad Tepes, Romania's ruling class was composed of Romanian Szekelys and Hungarian Magyars." However, my father, who is a Szekeyly and born in Transylvania, insists the Szekelys are Magyars, albeit a subgroup, and in no way Romanian. (And as Magyar is Hungarian for Hungarian, "Hungarian Magyar" would be redundant).

Elsewhere, MacDougall writes: "Tangled in the complex rural histories of Romania and other Slavic countries are a number of references to different types of Strigoi." However, Romanians have long insisted that they are not Slavic, but a Latin people, descended from Roman colonists (hence, Romanian). No small point. Ethnic issues in Eastern Europe remain contentious and politically pregnant. The late Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, in seeking Western aid, would stress that Romania is "a Latin island in a Slavic sea."

I know less about the other nationalities in the book, and thus can't comment on it. I can comment on MacDougall's use of "revenant," which he defines as: "A corpse that has been reanimated and has risen as a vampire, ghost, zombie, or angel. For the purposes of this book, Revenant will be used as a term to describe those vampires that are human corpses that have returned from the dead. These vampires are often pale and shambling, their bodies showing signs of decay."

It's no biggie, but for purposes of horror film analysis, I define a revenant as a corpse with a degree of self-awareness and intent (usually revenge, as often seen in Tales From The Crypt). By contrast, a zombie lacks self-awareness and is usually under another's control (e.g., White Zombie, I Walked With a Zombie), or is of the often mindless, flesh-eating variety. Unlike MacDougall, I don't equate revenants with vampires. But then, we use the term for different purposes. Like I said, no biggie.

An oddity: The book prominently announces that Shawn MacDougall is the pen name of Jonathan Maberry. Likewise, the book's promotional material. Sort of defeats the whole point of having a pen name, no?

Oddities aside, MacDougall does a fine job gathering vampire folklore from around the world, compiling their names and characteristics, along with tales and legends for many of them. The illustrations are attractive, if not always pertinent. All black & white, aside from a 14-page "Color Gallery." 540 pages of main text, plus 132 pages of appendixes covering vampire websites, unset groups, bibliographies, filmographies, glossary, etc.

Vampires 'R Us?.......2004-11-16

I thought I knew something about vampires, now I know a lot about vampires. This is a well put-together volume for a vast store of information on a fun topic. It's best as a reference book but a great read for Halloween. Since vampires are around all year it pays to keep it close at hand.

Interesting research! Great art!.......2004-07-02

I was most pleased with seeing many of my friends and fellows listed in his book, but was somewhat surprised that I was never asked if he could include my name and my work. Nevertheless the book is a wonderful resourse guide and an enjoyable read.

Great Vampire Book A must have.......2004-05-22

I would have given it a 4.5 star if they had it. The only reason why I would take .5 away from this book, is the sometime silliness of it. There are a couple to things that I wouldn't agree to but over all a good read.

Average customer rating:

The Slayer's Guide To Undead
Gary Gygax , John Creffield , and Chris Quilliams
Manufacturer: Mongoose Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1903980801

Book Description

The Slayer's Guide to Undead is written by Gary Gygax and Jon Creffield, and filled with ghoulish secrets and spine-chilling lore describing creatures of the night. At 128 pages, it is another big fat Slayer's Guide, in the same vein as the highly popular Slayer's Guide to Dragons. The incredible front cover has been done by the talented Chris Quilliams, as well as one of the two fantastic but chilling pieces that grace the inside covers. Pull this book out during a game, and your players will start running for cover! The book kicks off with A Demonic Overlord, describing the nature of Undead and their relationship with the Lord of the Damned, Orcus. Excerpts from the Book of Dis give this chapter a creepy tone and GMs are treated to an overview of what creatures make the best types of Undead, as well as a treatise on the nature of Undeath itself, be it corporeal or incorporeal, free-willed or mindless. The Free-Willed Living Dead is a chapter guaranteed to cause players nightmares in their games. Covered here are the more potent forms of Undead including Bodaks, Devourers, Ghouls (including a Ghoul King), Mummies, Wights, Gholles. As well as a massive amount of background information and gaming tips, each also comes with a full-blown template allowing you to turn any existing creature into an absolute nightmare! A complete scenario has been included in the form of The Peak of the Nightlord, designed for 9-11th level characters - and the players had better pray they have a cleric in their ranks! Detailed maps are provided to plot the action as the players attempt to penetrate the lair of a vampire and this scenario is very much in the Gary Gygax mould we all know and love. The Bestiary of the Damned wraps up this 128 page supplement with 20 creatures of the night that can be pulled out on your players at a moment's notice, or be used to fuel your own scenarios. A complete index is included, allowing handy reference during play.

Book Description

Brilliantly compiled by author Juval Lowy, Programming .NET Components, Second Edition is the consummate introduction to the Microsoft .NET Framework--the technology of choice for building components on Windows platforms. From its many lessons, tips, and guidelines, readers will learn how to use the .NET Framework to program reusable, maintainable, and robust components. Following in the footsteps of its best-selling predecessor, Programming .NET Components, Second Edition has been updated to cover .NET 2.0. It remains one of the few practical books available on this topic. This invaluable resource is targeted at anyone who develops complex or enterprise-level applications with the .NET platform--an ever-widening market. In fact, nearly two million Microsoft developers worldwide now work on such systems. Programming .NET Components, Second Edition begins with a look at the fundamentals of component-oriented programming and then progresses from there. It takes the time to carefully examine how components can simplify and add flexibility to complex applications by allowing users to extend their capabilities. Next, the book introduces a variety of .NET essentials, as well as .NET development techniques. Within this discussion on component development, a separate chapter is devoted to each critical development feature, including asynchronous calls, serialization, remoting, security, and more. All the while, hazardous programming pitfalls are pointed out, saving the reader from experiencing them the hard way. A .NET expert and noted authority on component-oriented programming, Lowy uses his unique access to Microsoft technical teams to the best possible advantage, conveying detailed, insider information in easy-to-grasp, activity-filled language. This hands-on approach is designed to allow individuals to learn by doing rather than just reading. Indeed, after digesting Programming .NET Components, Second Edition, readers should be able to start developing .NET components immediately. Programming .NET Components, Second Edition is the consummate introduction to the Microsoft .NET Framework--the technology of choice for building components on Windows platforms. From its many lessons, tips, and guidelines, readers will learn how to use the .NET Framework to program reusable, maintainable, and robust components. Following in the footsteps of its best-selling predecessor, Programming .NET Components, Second Edition has been updated to cover .NET 2.0. This invaluable resource is targeted at anyone who develops complex or enterprise-level applications with the .NET platform--an ever-widening market.

Customer Reviews:

Great, but...........2007-08-24

This book is incredibilly well written and has a very comprehensive way of explaining the ways of Component oriented programing. Explains its differences betweent COP and OOP. You can easily understand what the author has in mind, BUT, I found one big flaw on this book. Not that this flaw will make the book less comprehensive, but it will make it less fun.
In all concepts it presents Examples, but not exercises. It explains the features and then give a short example to it. It doesn't stimulate the reader to actually build a code within a major context. You read, see the example and move on to the next topic. It is not fun to just stay around and read and read and read without actually working with the book. It is still a great book, but the approach to the reader could be better.

Excellent book with an eye for Component Oriented Design.......2007-08-16

While going over component and control design, this book teaches the principles of the component-oriented design philosophy. The author doesn't pander and isn't overly verbose; getting to the point and explaining his meaning efficiently and succinctly. Definitely worth the read.

Good for Newbies.......2007-06-08

Book goes through the entire process of building controls, nothing is untouched. It dwells however much too long on the 'standard' topics of installation, distribution, setting up etc and is rather lite on the the real stuff like building controls that look and feel like commercial controls. Would be a good book if it had 20% of the pages.

Excellent in what it covers.......2007-03-08

Pros:
Material that was covered was done an a very concise, clear and justfied manner. More so than just about any other computer book I have read. As others have mentioned, the explanation of the mechanics of remoting are excellent. The coverage on the other topics was incredibly informative as well its just that Remoting stands out since the topic is not covered as well elsewhere. Several helper/extension class examples are included which help to enforce good practices. I found the coding practices addendum to be a helpful summary of the topics discussed in the book.

Cons:
While remoting is discussed, it defers discussion of the EnterpriseServices namespace (object pooling, transactions, lifecycling, etc) to a previously published book. I find these features a necessary consideration in component design. Instead of feeling like I know everything about dot NET components, I now feel like I have to read another book. Having said that, WCF, at least at first glance, appears to be among other things a rework of ServicedComponents into an attribute driven dot NET framework and less reliant on COM+. I hope that is the case because JEE has already proven that inhertance based component mangagement such as ServiceComponent cramp system architectures. I also feel like the book does not adequately cover the use cases appropriate for designing a distributed application. It covers the mechanics/how fine but it doesn't address the when and where portion of distributed components.

Juval's latest book covers WCF and I am looking forward to reading it and hope it will address the areas I felt still needed to be addressed by this book.

Interfaces Factoring.......2007-02-02

On page 73 of this book the author wrote:

" An in-depth discussion of how to decompose a system into components and how to discover interface methods and properties is beyond the scope of this book".

I would encourage the author to write a book that discusses specifically about interface factoring and to provide more examples on how components should be decomposed and organized in large scale applications.

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