Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before

Book Description

A visual odyssey that will change the way we see our planet, this remarkable book, companion to the acclaimed Discovery Channel/ BBC series, is an enduring and awe-inspiring record of one of the most ambitious natural history projects ever undertaken. Using the latest aerial surveillance, state-of-the-art cameras, and high definition technology, the creators of Planet Earth have assembled more than 400 stunning photographs of wondrous natural landscapes from around the globe, including incredible footage of the rarely spotted, almost mythical creatures that live in these habitats. Many of the images reveal inaccessible places that few have seen and record animal behavior that has never been filmed or photographed before. With the help of this highly advanced technology and the world's premier wildlife photographers, the book takes us on a spectacular journey from the world's greatest rivers and impressive gorges, to its mightiest mountains, hidden caves and caverns, and vast deserts. Planet Earth captures breathtaking sequences of predators and their prey, lush vistas of forests viewed from the tops of towering trees, the oceans and their mysterious creatures viewed from beneath the surface, and much more--in a magnificent adventure that brings unknown wonders of the natural world into our living rooms.
Copub: BBC Worldwide Americas

Customer Reviews:

Planet Earth........2007-08-14

Wow!!! my 8 year old loves this DVD. Very interesting to watch. Does have some parts that my 8 year old has a trouble watching, this is the section of life and death in the food chain. Otherwise highly recommended, in HD DVD is Awesome....

Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before.......2007-08-10

I have not had a chance to even break the seal on this new book as yet. I skimmed this book at a bookstore, and then decided to buy it. If you saw the mini-series on Discovery or Animal Planet, you will be impressed with this book as well. For those with children, this book is a must.

A Great Coffee Table Book.......2007-08-04

A great companion book to the dvd series.

magnificent.......2007-07-30

Amazing photos and wonderous facts regarding everything imaginable to the unusual. Our family has enjoyed this educational and spellbinding photography.

Glorious.......2007-07-27

Beautifully photographed and informational, this book should be on every nature lover's shelf. The "Planet Earth" series, which I watch weekly on Animal Planet, is even more jaw-dropping. I thank the generous and unbelievably courageous people who have the cojones to make this possible!

Julie Townsend
Metairie, LA

Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries

Average customer rating:

Educational and entertaining
An enjoyable read for those with an interest in science and astronomy
Death by Black Hole by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
Conversational Cosmology 101 - Superb!
Heavy & light reading all in one

Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0393062244

Book Description

A vibrant collection of essays on the cosmos from the nation's best-known astrophysicist.

Loyal readers of the monthly "Universe" essays in Natural History magazine have long recognized Neil deGrasse Tyson's talent for guiding them through the mysteries of the cosmos with stunning clarity and almost childlike enthusiasm. Here, Tyson compiles his favorite essays across a myriad of cosmic topics. The title essay introduces readers to the physics of black holes by explaining the gory details of what would happen to your body if you fell into one. "Holy Wars" examines the needless friction between science and religion in the context of historical conflicts. "The Search for Life in the Universe" explores astral life from the frontiers of astrobiology. And "Hollywood Nights" assails the movie industry's feeble efforts to get its night skies right.

Known for his ability to blend content, accessibility, and humor, Tyson is a natural teacher who simplifies some of the most complex concepts in astrophysics while simultaneously sharing his infectious excitement about our universe.

Customer Reviews:

Educational and entertaining.......2007-10-02

I have long known Tyson to be an excellent speaker and purveyor of scientific ideas with a Saganesque ability to convey the excitement of scientific findings with a bit more hipness and swagger to his talks than Sagan. This book is an excellent read through and through. I couldn't beat the feeling as I sat on the roof of a 14 story building in Curitiba, Brazil watching the sunset alone on the summer solstice (their winter solstice) while reading the section on Stick-In-The-Mud-Science and watching the long shadows creep across the sky and have Tyson explain to me all the celestial happenings around me (this really happened). Quite a magical read. The author presents complex scientific ideas in short, readable, cohesively-themed articles. Each article is on a topic familiar to us, upon which he expands towards scientific ideas which may be unfamiliar to us. There is enough overlap in the independent sections that the read feels like one is being 'taught' rather than just reading information. And Tyson is first and foremost a great educator. Although I did find myself trying to remember something from a previous chapter and flipping back through, I feel like I have learned a great deal about astrophysics from a book that was downright entertaining.

An enjoyable read for those with an interest in science and astronomy.......2007-09-27

The qualities that make Neil deGrasse Tyson so annoying on Nova Science Now are absolute positives when it comes to the written word. He is an intelligent and entertaining writer with an uncanny ability to reduce complex scientific concepts to bite sized chunks even I could (mostly) understand.

Death by Black Hole by Neil DeGrasse Tyson.......2007-09-19

An astrophysicist for the American Museum of Natural History, director of the world famous Hayden Planetarium, and columnist for Natural History magazine, Neil DeGrasse Tyson brings to the non-scientific world the ideal book for those fascinated with space, the cosmos, black holes, and all the questions and wonders therein. Death by Black Hole is the perfect book for the reader who wants answers to questions about the universe in a simple and clearly defined way so that even if they know next to nothing about science and it's jargon, Tyson makes it easily understandable.

While I was hoping for something a little more in depth in the style of Brian Greene's The Fabric of the Cosmos or Lee Smolin's The Trouble With Physics, Death by Black Hole nevertheless provides quick and simple answers to many questions everyday readers without a science background have about physics, the universe, space, and most matters dealing with the cosmos. The book is a selection of his columns in Natural History that are organized in a somewhat textbook fashion. Tyson starts with the idea of science and nature in its basic form, how humanity views Earth, the solar system, the universe. Along with this discussion, Tyson also gives minor history lessons on the development of different ideas in physics and astronomy, what people came up with what big ideas and how the progression led to the development of the big theories of our current time with string theory and relativity. Going on from here, Death by Black Hole address the crucial steps that led to the formation of the universe and its development over the many billions and billions of years, again explaining how it is that scientists know what they do and what instruments were used, as well as the history of who invented and used said instruments.

It is then that Tyson finally turns to the subject matter of the title of the book in the section "When the Universe Turns Bad: All the Ways the Cosmos Wants to Kill Us." Here he addresses the complex and still relatively unknown subjects of chaos theory, dark matter (which constitutes over 90% of all matter in the universe, while we still know next to nothing about it), and finally black holes. Tyson takes the reader on a hypothetical journey with what would happen if one were to be sucked into a black hole and how as they approached the event horizon, they would become stretched until the elasticity point of their skin was surpassed and the body would be torn into thousands then millions of little pieces.

With many questions now answered, in the next section Tyson discusses how science is viewed by the media, Hollywood, and people around the world in general. The final section addresses the concept of science and religion, again taking the reader on a historic journey through the development of first religion, then science, and the struggle that has ensued for centuries. It is the perfect end to a book on science, as Tyson lectures the importance of supporting fact and reality in a time when there are many who believe more in faith, even when all the evidence is to the contrary.

For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com

Conversational Cosmology 101 - Superb!.......2007-09-19

New York Planetarium director and astrophysicist Tyson has been writing a column for "Natural History" magazine for some 11 years - that makes about 132 short essays. Tyson says this monthly chore is "one of the most exhausting and exhilarating things I do." Forty-two of these essays appear in this volume, "mildly edited for continuity and to reflect emergent trends in science."

He divides these essays into seven sections:

1. THE NATURE OF KNOWLEDGE - The challenges of knowing what is knowable in the universe.
2. THE KNOWLEDGE OF NATURE - The challenges of discovering the contents of the cosmos.
3. WAYS AND MEANS OF NATURE - How nature presents herself to the inquiring mind.
4. THE MEANING OF LIFE - The challenges and triumphs of knowing how we got here.
5. WHEN THE UNIVERSE TURNS BAD - All the ways the cosmos wants to kill us.
6. SCIENCE AND CULTURE - The ruffled interface between cosmic discovery and the public's reaction to it.
7. SCIENCE AND GOD - When ways of knowing collide.

"Natural History" is the same magazine Stephen J. Gould wrote 300 essays for, overlapping with Tyson for seven years. In both cases, the authors excelled in making their respective fields (evolutionary biology and cosmology) easily readable for the general public, adding to their already impressive credentials.

From page 33: "This universality of physical laws tells us that if we land on another planet with a thriving alien civilization, they will be running on the same laws that we have discovered and tested here on Earth - even if the aliens harbor different social and political beliefs. Furthermore, if you wanted to talk to the aliens, you can bet they don't speak English or French or even Mandarin Chinese. You don't even know whether shaking their hands - if indeed they have hands to shake - would be considered an act of war or of peace. Your best hope is to find a way to communicate using the language of science."

The format provides for benign redundancy as the Big Bang, formation of galaxies, creation of the chemicals in the periodic chart, and predictable physics versus chaos of interactions are looked at over and over from differing perspectives. This book is highly entertaining and I recommend it for anyone who wants to buff up their knowledge of astronomy (cosmology, astrophysics...) or for the confirmed science nut like me. First rate!

Heavy & light reading all in one.......2007-09-14

Anything by this author is worth reading. I like the way he starts off explaining things in a very simple way and winds up getting deep into the end result. "A professional con job with very educational results".

Our Changing Planet: An Introduction to Earth System Science and Global Environmental Change (3rd Edition)

Average customer rating:

Our Changing Planet: An Introduction to Earth System Science and Global Environmental Change (3rd Edition)
Fred T. Mackenzie
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0130651729

Book Description

This book offers a general, interdisciplinary discussion of global environmental change oriented toward the non-specialist in science. The unifying theme of the book is consideration of aspects of both natural and human-induced global environmental change. The two part organization according to this distinction allows for easy reading on specific topics. This book is useful for anyone interested in learning more about Earth's systems.

Average customer rating:

i think its running out of gas but its still got some go juice
Different than its predecessors
An excellent novel that stands on its own merits.
A fast read
Excellent conclusion!

The Last Colony
John Scalzi
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Ghost Brigades
The Sagan Diary
The Android's Dream
Old Man's War
Dauntless (The Lost Fleet, Book 1)

ASIN: 0765316978
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Book Description

Retired from his fighting days, John Perry is now village ombudsman for a human colony on distant Huckleberry. With his wife, former Special Forces warrior Jane Sagan, he farms several acres, adjudicates local disputes, and enjoys watching his adopted daughter grow up.

That is, until his and Jane's past reaches out to bring them back into the game--as leaders of a new human colony, to be peopled by settlers from all the major human worlds, for a deep political purpose that will put Perry and Sagan back in the thick of interstellar politics, betrayal, and war.

Customer Reviews:

i think its running out of gas but its still got some go juice.......2007-10-02

While this novel didn't have the charm that old man's war did, it was entertaining to a point. the political motivations were a bit obscure and never felt real for me. A large build up in the colonization phase that never fulfills any depth it ends with too neat of a solution for my taste. I'm trying to not spoil any plot elements here but i think if the universe is a messy place its gonna have some messy endings, no?

Different than its predecessors.......2007-09-10

"The Lasr Colony", alas, is also the last of a trilogy that began with the brilliant "Old Man's War" and was followed by the inventive "The
Ghost Brigades". The first two volumes literally crackled with excitement, very interesting future technology and reverberated with good old-fashioned space combat.

John Perry, hero of "Old Man's War" and Jane Sagan, formerly of the Colonial Special Forces, have taken up housekeeping on the colony planet Huckleberry. With their adopted teenage daughter Zoe, they live a reasonably content, if placid life. (Without ever saying so, Scalzi does lead you to think about why anyone would want to be a colonist anywhere, any time, regardless of the technology available. In a way, Scalzi describes a simple life that would drive most urbanites out of their minds in short order.)

One day General Rybicki appears on the planet to make Perry and Sagan an offer they can't refuse: take leadership of a new colony to be established by the Colonial Union. Reluctantly Perry and Sagan accept and become the leaders of Roanoke, a new colony of Earthlings.

A rather large problem looms since an (unbelievably) secret organization of more than 400 races from around the Universe have formed the Conclave which has ordered that no new single race colonies be created. (Scalzi's Universe, by the way, is not at all a peaceful place.)

Unlike the two earlier volumes, "The Last Colony" is largely a story about interstellar politics and old-fashioned diplomatic gameplaying. Sadly it is not nearly as exciting as its predecessors. There's not a whole lot of science in this fiction.

Scalzi, in earlier works, did a bang-up job of centering the story individually on Perry and then on Sagan. This time, he tries to spread the attention over Perry, Sagan, the young Zoe and her Obin bodyguards, hostile (but humane) generals, local political opponents . . . and, frankly, too many people. Scalzi doesn't fail, but he does dilute the power of his writing.

Overall, "The Last Colony" is a good read, but probably only if you've read "Old Man's War" and "The Ghost Brigades". Scalzi tries to fill in the backstory, but really can't. Standing alone, I don't think "The Last Colony" would have made a lot of sense.

Like many, I am sorry to see the end of the John Perry and Jane Sagan characters, at least in the roles we'vd become accustomed to. By the same token, Scalzi is a very strong writer and I will be interested in seeing what next springs from his imagination. (I also recommend Scalzi's The Android's Dream).

Jerry

An excellent novel that stands on its own merits........2007-08-28

Although I did not read the first two novels in this trilogy (an oversite I intend to correct), the author has created such a wonderful novel here that I found it to stand out amongst the deluge of science fiction books that have past across my desk recently. Scalzi gives you enough background on the main characters, and weaves his intricate plotline through one of the most successful excercises in "world building" that I have seen. I found myself wrapped up in the storyline, and dreaded any interruption that took me away from this book. The author has a witty, clean style of writing that is a pleasure to read, and I highly recommend another of Scalzi's novels: "The Android's Dream" which was originally published in late 2006.

A fast read.......2007-08-23

This third book in the series was over too quick. This is not to say that it was too short -- just that I enjoyed it so much that I read it quickly.

Excellent conclusion!.......2007-08-21

I'll keep this short. If you've already read your way through the first two books, you would be insane not to polish off the trilogy by reading "The Last Colony". The book actually moves quickly, but not as quickly as you will end up reading it. And then wishing you had taken more time.

Alas, now I wish I could read more stories in the "Old Man's War" universe, but.. we may have to wait a long time.

Average customer rating:

Stars and Galaxies and Nebula, oh my!
Unbelievably boring

The Planetary System, Third Edition
David Morrison , and Tobias Owen
Manufacturer: Benjamin Cummings
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 080538734X

Book Description

Co-authors Morrison and Owen are leading researchers in planetary astronomy today, and this book reflects their expertise and excitement for the subject. Drawing on recent findings, this authoritative, up-to-date book gives a straightforward account of our solar system. Written in an informal style with minimal use of mathematics, this book is ideal for beginning non-science readers. Since publication of the previous edition of The Planetary System, the pace of planetary exploration and new discoveries has accelerated. Also, the new multidisciplinary field of astrobiology has emerged and now provides a fruitful perspective for the study of the origin, evolution, and distribution of life within our solar system and other planetary systems. As scientists who have participated in the definition and development of astrobiology, Morrison and Owen have integrated these new perspectives, as well as many other discoveries, into this new edition to make it once again undisputedly the most authoritative, up-to-date, and exciting planetary book available. For anyone interested in astronomy or planetary astronomy.

Customer Reviews:

Stars and Galaxies and Nebula, oh my!.......2003-11-13

I bought The Planetary System for an Astronomy class and enjoyed the text immensely. I think Morrison and Owen should have added a few more explanations of events/heavenly bodies in a few places but overall this is a great book for introducing astronomy and definitely kept my interest! The cdrom that comes with the book "Voyager Skygazer" turned out to be fabulous fun although a little distracting when I discovered that I was able to track satellite orbits as well as the night sky events with its help.

Unbelievably boring.......2001-10-11

This book is very clear, but it is quite boring. I have to read it for an astronomy class and the hundred dollars I spent on it has been wasted. All the concepts are very clearly explained through pictures, examples from real life and diagrams, but this textbook still sucks nonetheless. IF you know that you have to purchase this textbook for a class, pray the class isnt as dull as the reading

Lonely Planet the Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World

Average customer rating:

Fantastic for Reference or Coffee Table
Great Gift Idea
travel book
This is my favorite photography travel book ever.
Great dream starter

Lonely Planet the Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World
Roz Hopkins
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1741046297

Book Description

The world is a breathtakingly big place, and in this big book we have undertaken the big task of detailing as much of it as we can - every single country, many of the larger dependencies and other, smaller destinations. With the traveler's experience at its heart, this book shows a slice of life in every corner of the globe, and all points in between, engaging the reader's senses in an adventure which conjures up the sights, smells, tastes, sounds and feel of our amazing world.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic for Reference or Coffee Table.......2007-07-07

I am taking my teenager on a backpacking trip around the world, and this obviously requires a bit of research. I have to admit that I have done most of this in the bookstores, sitting with a book such as this one, and taking notes.

This book, this massive tome, though, kept calling to me every time I went in. I came up with a justification for buying it easily enough - it will look great on the coffee table! (And it does)

It impresses in several ways

1- The breadth - every country in the world - every single one - has a 2 page spread. (Only thing left out are the micronations, but don't worry, LP has a separate book just for them!)

2 - The pictures - in true LP fashion, the photos are stunning views into another place, a different culture, often taken from an angle you don't expect.

3 - The information - concise, accurate, up-to-date. Included are little bits you won't easily find elsewhere, like how much for a cup of coffee, or the best things to shop for, or unexpected experiences one may find just off the beaten path. Of course, you will also find the essential bits of history and culture to help you get a feel for the place.

I find my self turning to it time and again as I research our trip - it gives me just enough info to know if I want to further investigate a place, or if I should just leave it to armchair travel. This book, by the way, is the ultimate guide for the armchair traveller!

My son has used it for school projects. When he had to write a paper on Africa that included 5 different countries, this is the book he used to determine which countries to research.

Also, it really does look FANTASTIC on your coffee table! Your friends will pick it up as soon as they sit down - you'll see. It is such a large and gorgeous book, and at such a crazy cheap price, there's little risk here.

If your considering buying it, go ahead, you will be happy to own it. And your friends will be glad you own it, too!

Great Gift Idea.......2007-07-03

I have given this book as a gift (appreciation, birthday, etc) a number of times and each time the receipient has LOVED it!

travel book.......2007-06-28

i absolutely love this book. it's great to learn a little bit about each country in the world. it has fantastic pictures. great for the world traveler or the person that likes to dream about the world!

This is my favorite photography travel book ever........2007-06-10

I am so happy I decided to buy this. It helps me understand what other parts of the world are like the people and land. Places I never even knew existed. I have a better understand and Idea of what the world is like now. I have even become very interested in learning about other places and to visit them. It is my first resource to picking a place to go on vacation. This is a great resource if you want ideas for places to travel. My only complaint is that I wish the book listed a little more practical information on each country. They dont tell much about the countries. Also I would highly recommend purchasing the hardcover edition as the paper back in this book is so large that it quickly became unglued from the spine. Definatly get this book if you are curious about places of the world or if want to glimpse into all the countries looking for places to visit. I didnt know how many choices there are. The photographs are wonderful and real of what daily life is really like in each country. Not like the romantic touristy photos in other books. This is really healpful because you dont just see all the beautiful good places in a country. You get to see the reality wich is really helpful when choosing a vacation destination. I only give 4 stars because of the lack of information provided on each country is very small.

Great dream starter.......2007-05-14

This is a beautiful coffee-table sized book that gives the reader a "taste" of every country in the world. As a traveler, I love the pictures and the opportunity to learn about countries I read and hear about. It'a a great introduction and the references to movies, books and movies about the country are helpful too.

Average customer rating:

Vatta book 4
Pure light Space Opera -- nothing earthshaking, nothing really new, but good fun.
Virtually Flawless
Command Decision (Vatta's War)
More Skulduggery in the Spaceways

Command Decision (Vatta's War, Book 4)
Elizabeth Moon
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0345491599
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

With the Vatta’s War series, award-winning author Elizabeth Moon has claimed a place alongside such preeminent writers of military science fiction as David Weber and Lois McMaster Bujold. Now Moon is back–and so is her butt-kicking, take-no-prisoners heroine, Kylara Vatta. Once the black-sheep scion of a prosperous merchant family, Kylara now leads a motley space force dedicated to the defeat of a rapacious pirate empire led by the mysterious Gammis Turek.

After orchestrating a galaxy-wide failure of the communications network owned and maintained by the powerful ISC corporation, Turek and his marauders strike swiftly and without mercy. First they shatter Vatta Transport. Then they overrun entire star systems, growing stronger and bolder. No one is safe from the pirate fleet. But while they continue to move forward with their diabolical plan, they have made two critical mistakes.

Their first mistake was killing Kylara Vatta’s family.
Their second mistake was leaving her alive.
Now Kylara is going to make them pay.

But with a “fleet” consisting of only three ships–including her flagship, the Vanguard, a souped-up merchant cruiser–Kylara needs allies, and fast. Because even though she possesses the same coveted communication technology as the enemy, she has nowhere near their numbers or firepower.

Meanwhile, as Kylara’s cousin Stella tries to bring together the shattered pieces of the family trading empire, new treachery is unfolding at ISC headquarters, where undercover agent Rafael Dunbarger, estranged son of the corporation’s CEO, is trying to learn why the damaged network is not being repaired. What he discovers will send shock waves across the galaxy and crashing into Kylara’s newly christened Space Defense Force at the worst possible moment.

Customer Reviews:

Vatta book 4.......2007-08-16

Worth a read, if you like prior books as I did, but hope the next one is better- this was set up book in a lot of ways to widen the story line, imho.
Not worth the HC price in my view.

Pure light Space Opera -- nothing earthshaking, nothing really new, but good fun. .......2007-08-12

In a way there is little to say about the fourth novel in an ongoing sequence. Suffice it to say, perhaps, that Elizabeth Moon makes no major missteps in this book -- if you have been enjoying the Vatta's War series, you will enjoy this one. What else do we need to know?

To begin with, if you haven't been reading this series, I recommend going back and starting with book one. If you enjoy fast-moving space adventure, with involving characters and space war tactics and action and all... these books will work for you. They aren't perfect -- in common with most novels in this subgenre, the main characters are a bit implausibly skilled at the roles they are thrust into, in common with many series novels, the individual novels don't always work ideally on their own.

What of Command Decision, then? By this time essentially four main points of view have been established. Ky Vatta is the nominal protagonist of the series: a young woman unfairly forced out of the Slotter Key Space Academy, who joined her family space transport company and who thus was well-positioned to begin resistance when conspirators destroyed ansibles throughout human space and attacked several systems, including Slotter Key. Stella Vatta is Ky's beautiful cousin, who discovers in herself unsuspected talents for leading a business when most of the Vattas were killed and she was left the only candidate to try to keep the business going. Grace Vatta is Ky and Stella's supposedly dotty Aunt, who turns out to really be a spy, and as one of the few survivors of the attack on Vatta interests at Slotter Key is the natural choice to take a position in the new government. (No Moon books would be complete without a formidable Aunt -- after all, James Nicoll went so far as to dub her previous Space Opera series "Aunts in Space".) And finally Rafe Dunsbarger is a mysterious man, the disgraced son of the CEO of ISC, the company that controls ansible traffic, supposedly a remittance man (i.e. living on an allowance from his family) but actually serving as an undercover ISC agent.

Of these four Rafe's story is most central to this new novel. He has secretly returned to his home planet, Nexus, hoping to find his father and try to understand what's up with ISC and the ansibles. But his father (along with his mother and sister) has disappeared. So Rafe must try to find out what's up with his father -- and in the process figure out what's up with ISC. This forces him to reassess his troubled past life -- and also leads to fun but almost goofy scenes including a shootout in the boardroom.

Meanwhile, Aunt Grace is continuing to root out potential traitors in Slotter Key's government. Stella is pursuing further potentially lucrative business opportunities while still coming to terms with her personal history. And Ky is still trying to expand her fleet, this time with some unexpected help from a very romantic -- and very wealthy -- fellow. She also deals with a nasty system, complete with slavers, and she helps out the Mackensee mercenaries when they are in danger from the pirates. All this means she is faced with another difficult personal choice.

Basically, this is a middle book in a long series. Nothing is really resolved -- but nothing need be resolved at this point. There is plenty of cool action, several engaging good guys to root for in a struggle against some really really bad guys (as ever, Moon's villains are truly villainous). This is pure light Space Opera -- nothing earthshaking, nothing really new, but good fun.

Virtually Flawless.......2007-07-14

COMMAND DECISION (2007) is the fourth book of the VATTA'S WAR Series - following ENGAGING THE ENEMY(2006), MARQUE AND REPRISAL(2005), and TRADING IN DANGER(2004). These books follow the exploits of Kylara Vatta, a Space Trader with a military training background, who is forced to turn Space Privateer, in response to an attack by Space Pirates on the Vatta family Space Trading enterprise and the ansible inter-system communication network... the conflict begins to expand to a galactic war in ENGAGING THE ENEMY, and in this book, Ky takes charge of a small fleet at the center of conflicts in the enlarging galactic war.

Near the end of the book, 4 disparate groups of ships (pirates, mercenaries, Ky's new "Space Defense Force" and ISC's force) could meet up in a remote location... but I won't give away what happens - as it is the best scene out of the series.

As usual with this series, there are some overly-coincendental or contrived scenes (the magic "skull ansible" technology in Ky's head... why don't MORE people have it, if it works?) - but they really don't impact the exciting pace and overall quality of the book. While the book isn't perfect, it is very enjoyable, and it gets 4.5 stars - round it up to 5.

Command Decision (Vatta's War).......2007-06-13

I've read all the books in this series and I found them to be a read you can't put down. It kept me wanting to read the next book to see what happens. I looked up on the net to see when the next book is coming out and I can't believe it's not til next year, I can't wait that long, but I suppose I just have to.

More Skulduggery in the Spaceways.......2007-05-31

Command Decision (2007) is the fourth SF novel in the Vatta's War series, following Engaging the Enemy. In the previous volume, pirates jumped the privateer ships practicing maneuvers in a deserted system and destroyed several of the vessels. Kylara Vatta joined forces with two other ships as they fought their way out of the ambush.

Aunt Grace supervised the laying of the cornerstone for the new Vatta Transport building. Afterward, Master Sergeant MacRobert invited her to tea and then stated that she would be asked to serve in a high position within the government.

In this novel, Rafael Dunbarger lands at Nexus Center Port as Genson Ratanvi, a middle-aged Cascadian business man. He passes Customs and Immigration without problems and heads for the Ambisor where he has stayed before in this identity. After installing his baggage in the room, he goes out to make some calls.

Upon reaching Luce's, a cafe in his former neighborhood, Rafe tries his father's private number and gets a "no longer available" message. When he calls his home phone number, the call is answered by someone he doesn't recognize. Then the voice asks his business and reason for calling. After telling the voice that he is trying to reach Flasic's Bakery Supplies, Rafe is told that he has the wrong number. But then he is asked for his calling location and told to stay on the line.

After he is permitted to hang up, Rafe complains to the proprietor of the cafe about the rudeness of some people. He asks for directions to Flasic's and Luce walks over with him. He makes some inquiries, but finds the transportation costs are too high. Luce walks out with him, yet returns to his cafe. By that time, Rafe is being followed by someone else.

Later Rafe is awakened by a call on his implanted ansible. He doesn't answer immediately, but just waits. Eventually he hears voices and jacks up the sensitivity to listen to three voices. The conversation suggests that someone had gotten his number from his father.

Stella and Toby are doing well on Cascadia Station. Unfortunately, Toby has stacked electronic gear all over the apartment. Stella tries to get him to pick up the mess, but he keeps getting distracted. Since Toby is designing some interesting modifications to the shipboard ansibles, Stella can't just throw the stuff out. Luckily, she has a lead on office and workshop space for the rebuilding Vatta Transport organization.

Ky is having medical problems aboard the Vanguard. Several of her crew have ingested something virulent. Although they identify the substance and treat the crew in the medboxes, Ky needs a medical staff like the professional forces. In addition, she needs to tighten discipline, for the crew should have known not to bring anything unusual onboard without permission. She holds an all-crew meeting while they are in FTL.

Ky visits Gretna Main Station to restock on missiles and gains a bad impression of their ethics. Among other malpractices, the Gretnans have a form of slavery and Ky buys her medical staff as indentured laborers. Of course, she frees the individuals as soon as they come aboard, but she puts her crew on high alert after learning of some other Gretnan tricks from her new medics.

In this story, Rafe continues his masquerade as a Cascadian businessman while gaining assistance from his former classmates to find his family. Toby learns how to connect shipboard ansibles to system ansibles and Stella starts a patent search. Aunt Grace becomes a very high personage in the Slotter Key Defense Ministry.

Ky recruits three other ship captains to her System Defense Force squadron. Captain Ransome and his fellows are much too romantic -- in the swashbuckling sense -- to be trusted fully, but their ships are small, fast, armed and highly maneuverable, making good scouts. Indeed, the crews have some experience boarding pirate ships. Best yet, Ransome is very rich and actually *buys* the shipboard ansibles that he installs in his ships.

This story continues the evolution of a multisystem defense force to fight the pirates. Ky has some setbacks, but also gains much more experience and some influential friends, including stronger ties with the MacKensee Mercenaries.

Highly recommended for Moon fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of naval conflict, corporate intrigue and personal combat.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Average customer rating:

Lonely Planet Costa Rica
Great Book
Conflicted author may depress you
Lonely Planet Rocks
Pretty good but not enough pictures.

Lonely Planet Costa Rica
Mara Vorhees , and Matthew Firestone
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Waterproof Costa Rica Map
Frommer's Costa Rica 2007 (Frommer's Complete)
Costa Rican Wildlife: An Introduction to Familiar Species (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)
Lonely Planet Nicaragua & El Salvador
Moon Handbooks Costa Rica

ASIN: 1741044634

Book Description

Beyond the deserted beaches of the Nicoya Peninsula and the visceral heights of the Monteverde cloud forests lies the real Costa Rica - a land of delicate pathos, forthright purity and hard-won pacifism. Tromp through virgin rain forest - sighting poison-dart frogs and howler monkeys along the way - or simply explore the local lore and laid-back beach scene with this comprehensive guide. LESS IS MORE - expanded ecofriendly coverage and loads of volunteer and learning opportunities make traveling with a conscience easier than ever THE WILD SIDE - spot your favorite rain forest dwellers - scarlet macaws, caimans and more - with our expert-written color wildlife section GAPS ON THE MAP - lose yourself in the seldom-visited corners of this ecological powerhouse with informed do-it-yourself content and more than 80 maps CHARGE IT! - surf the world's longest left at Pavones, hike through rain forest in Corcovado or drop into roaring rapids with our Adventure Travel chapter

Customer Reviews:

Lonely Planet Costa Rica.......2007-10-04

As always, Lonley Planet doesn't disappoint. All the information you need to plan your trip is here. It is presented precisely and with humor.

Great Book.......2007-09-29

This book was such a useful resource to have while traveling through Costa Rica. The information was very helpful and I would strongly recommend it.

Cean Colcord

Conflicted author may depress you.......2007-07-11

While I agree with the conservationist spirit and general distaste for overrun tourist traps expressed throughout this guidebook by Matthew Firestone (one of the book's two authors), I found his relentlessly negative tone to be extremely off-putting. While the sections written by the other author (Mara Vorhees) are more neutral, informative and generally reflect the high quality I've come to expect from the Lonely Planet series of guidebooks, Matthew Firestone's sections have fully succeeded in dampening my enthusiasm for a trip to Costa Rica before the trip has even begun.

While it may be that the beach at Playa Tamarindo "is full of blubbery North American and European holidaymakers who spend most of their time frying in the sun like beached whales" turning their complexion "from a pasty white to a rosy shade of skin cancer," and while that description does indeed sound like a scene I would rather avoid, I find the author's consistent haughty tone and overriding negativity to be out of place and offensive in a book that is intended for - after all - tourists.

I am still planning what I fully expect to be an exciting and fun vacation in Costa Rica, but now I have to do so in spite of the author of this book's overbearing negativity. It's true, I'm sure, that Costa Rica was once better to visit than it is today, but this book is not for people who knew and loved the country years ago. It's intended for people who have never been there before, and since Mr. Firestone couldn't put aside his sour gripes and focus on what's great about the place rather than bemoaning what's been lost, his words and advice won't be making the trip with me.

This book has been my first disappointment in the Lonely Planet series.

Lonely Planet Rocks.......2007-07-05

In my travels I have come to rely on Lonely Planet for sound advise - they've never led me astray. Prior to travel I always check out their website as the feedback from other travels that is posted there is also outstanding.

Pretty good but not enough pictures........2007-05-31

This book is very detailed but it can be hard to use without so many pictures of what they are describing. Some of the information was a little out dated or incorrect, but on the whole, a useful resource. I used it in conjunction with the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide which has more pictures but less detail. Using the two, we were able to get a a more comprehensive guide for our excursioins.

Average customer rating:

Peru, Lonely Planet Guide
Lonely Planet is one of my most important travel accessories
RIGHT ON LONELY PLANET PERU
Choose a different guide!
information needed

Lonely Planet Peru
Sara Benson , Paul Hellander , and Rafael Wlodarski
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Machu Picchu Guidebook: A Self-Guided Tour
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The Inca Trail, Cusco & Machu Picchu, 3rd: Includes the Vilcabamba Trek & Lima City Guide

ASIN: 1740597494

Book Description

Bike, hike and ride a scary cable car to Machu Picchu on one of five alternatives to the busy Inca Trail, p. 277. Glide past manatees, dolphins, monkeys and macaws in the Reserva Nacional Pacaya-Samiria, p.482. Swill a scoopful of chicha - saliva-fermented corn beer - to earn the respect of the locals, p.78. Descend into the narrow, hallucinatory underground chambers of the millennia-old ruins at Chavin de Huantar, p.415.

Three authors, 144 days of on-the-road research via planes, riverboats and dozens of death-defying bus rides. Dedicated Peru Outdoors chapter, plus expanded activities coverage throughout. Get the inside story on the Inca world from notes explorer and author Hugh Thomson. Content updated daily - visit lonelyplanet.com fro up-to-the-minute reviews and traveler suggestions.

Customer Reviews:

Peru, Lonely Planet Guide.......2007-09-10

As always, Lonely Planet gives you all of the information you need for a trip that meets and exceeds all of your expectations. This includes those little known corners of a place that are the most memorable.

Lonely Planet is one of my most important travel accessories.......2007-09-04

I am a seasoned backpacker and have been to places in the remote jungles of the Philippines to the cosmopolitan city of Sydney and back. I have tried using Fodors and Frommers, but Lonely Planet has by far served me better. I am not saying that I totally depend on Lonely Planet for all of my travel needs and resources, but I use it as an invaluable resource especially for transportation and maps. I have yet to use the Rough Guide Series or the Moon Series, so I cannot speak on their behalf.

RIGHT ON LONELY PLANET PERU.......2007-08-01

The LONELY PLANET guides are always my one stop source guide when I travel. It was my bible on my trip to PERU. There aren't a lot of travel guides written about Peru but LONELY PLANET had the information I needed. The series always provides insight into the history and culture of a country. Peru is tranforming itself into a tourist country. It's a work in progress so realize that information can become quickly outdated once a book is published. Restaurants open and close, details on museums change so keep that in mind with any travel guide. I traveled to several cities and found the LONELY PLANET guide to be immensely useful. Lonely Planet guides are great for people of all budgets. Hotels and restaurants are broken down into budget and expensive. You have the choice. I used LONELY PLANET PERU to make my hotel decisions and couldn't have been more pleased with their honest recommendations. If a place is shabby but has a great staff and location, Lonely Planet will tell it like it is. I found their suggestions and recommendations to be right on the mark.

Choose a different guide!.......2007-06-06

Lonely Planet typically does a decent job with its guide books and I have bought quite a few of them. However, Lonely Planet Peru does not make the cut. This book is awful. I just purchased the newest version (2007) for a trip to Peru in May 2007 and the information in the book was almost useless.

First, there is a lot of incorrect information. For example, we had our hearts set on eating at a restaurant recommended by Lonely Planet in Cusco, but when we got to the address, we found that the restaurant was out of business. Also discovered that many addresses are wrong. Descriptions of the bus trip from Puno, Peru to La Paz, Bolivia are misleading, and the overall organization of the book is confusing and very disappointing.

Do yourself a favor and look for a different Peru guide book.

information needed.......2007-05-21

I needed this to go to Peru to update my information for contacts, for hotels, for food, ect - thatnks

The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos is Designed for Discovery

Average customer rating:

A Better Reference Than A Reader
Have they read the book?
God in a cheap suit
Sure this book sucks, buuut...
First-rate scholarship

The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos is Designed for Discovery
Guillermo Gonzalez , and Jay Richards
Manufacturer: Regnery Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

The Privileged Planet
Rare Earth: Why Complex Life Is Uncommon in the Universe
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ASIN: 0895260654

Product Description

Is Earth merely an insignificant speck in a vast and meaningless universe? On the contrary: The Privileged Planet shows that this cherished assumption of materialism is dead wrong. In this provocative book, Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay W. Richards present a staggering array of evidence that exposes the hollowness of this modern dogma. They demonstrate that our planet is exquisitely fit not only to support life, but also to give us the best view of the universe, as if Earth were designed both for life and for scientific discovery. Readers are taken on a scientific odyssey from a history of tectonic plates, to the wonders of water and solar eclipses, to our location in the Milky Way, to the laws that govern the universe, and to the beginning of cosmic time. The Privileged Planet contains astounding findings that should lead any individual to reevaluate and even to reconsider our very purpose on what so many have dismissed as nothing more than an accident of cosmic evolution.

Customer Reviews:

A Better Reference Than A Reader.......2007-08-14

I really appreciated the work & thought that went into this book. I was already a proponent of intelligent design & actually got boored by the extensive examples of cosmological features that suggest design. Someone new to the subject & open-minded might find it far more interesting. The issue itself has eternal consequences & is therefore inherently interesting.
I was impressed that these fellows are capable philosophers of science & did well in their presentation of their argument as well as responding to criticisms. My main challenge for the intelligent design camp is to focus it's excellent critical examination skills upon the assumptions that undergird mainstream dating methods for the earth & cosmos. This is a weak link for them, which has been pricked by authos such as Kenneth R. Miller in Finding Darwin's God.

Have they read the book?.......2007-08-12

I do find it interesting to note, from the one star reviews, just how many of these "reviewers" take on the concepts of the book rather than engaging in personal insults and name calling. Seems like this book, and others, strikes a nerve that the secular humanist has a hard time dealing with?

Overall, this is a fabulous book. Written at an appropriate level of technical detail for general readers but chock full of the references to the hard science underlying the ideas. Like the distance from the earth to the moon, the diameter of the earth and the diameter of the moon. This interesting "coincidence" that these few facts present allow us to enjoy a total solar eclipse. The eclipse, in large part, allows us to understand what the sun is all about. We can then generalize to other stars in the universe. My what an interesting group of coincidences. These facts sounds like "Christian Science" to me?

Just as Michael Behe and Michael Denton and scores of others are rightfully bringing up questions about "just so" stories in biology relative to how we got here Guillermo Gonzalez and Mr Richards are bringing up many questions relative to just exactly where our earth happens to find itself in the universe.

God in a cheap suit.......2007-08-01

This is not a book about science, this is a book about a myth, written by people who do not understand science.

Worthwhile to look through to see what an "intelligent design" believer will claim.

Sure this book sucks, buuut..........2007-07-30

Sure this book sucks, but it's great for scientists and philosophers to use as a teaching guide for what is not science. There are so many fallacies, straw men and just plain false "facts" that it makes someone who is a scientist sick to his stomach. This kind of propagandistic filth is what holds back science and our youths from advancing. Thanks Gonzalez!

First-rate scholarship.......2007-05-15

On many occasions, I have loaned the DVD summary version of the book, "The Privileged Planet" to my college students to challenge their thinking in the field of Intelligent Design. The results have almost always been favorable. What is especially engaging about both the book and the DVD, is the "non-preaching" format: the research is purely scientific and presented in a manner that a wide range of readership should both understand and appreciate. My only "critical" comment would be this: the authors systematically build a scientific foundation of contingency. Since Jay Richards has a strong background in philosophy, I would have enjoyed an approach to the subject based upon Aristotle and his development of the argument of contingency. But this is a moot point. If you have high school students, read the book together with them and discuss.

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