Average customer rating:
- I have not yet received this product
- My daughter loves these books
- Great for 1st-3rd Graders
- my son loves these books!
- Good starter book series
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Magic Tree House Boxed Set 1, Books 1-4: Dinosaurs Before Dark, The Knight at Dawn, Mummies in the Morning, and Pirates Past Noon
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
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Magic Tree House Boxed Set 2, Books 5-8: Night of the Ninjas, Afternoon on the Amazon, Sunset of the Sabertooth, and Midnight on the Moon
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Magic Tree House Boxed Set of 4, Books 9-12: Dolphins at Daybreak, Ghost Town at Sundown, Lions at Lunchtime, and Polar Bears Past Bedtime
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Vacation Under The Volcano (Magic Tree House 13, paper)
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Day Of The Dragon-King (Magic Tree House 14, paper)
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Viking Ships At Sunrise (Magic Tree House 15, paper)
ASIN: 0375813659
Release Date: 2001-05-29 |
Book Description
Get ready for a world of adventure with the first four titles in the beloved Magic Tree House series!
Jack and his little sister Annie are just two regular kids from Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. Then they discover a mysterious tree house packed with all sorts of books...and their lives are never the same! Soon they are traveling through time and space in the magic tree house and having amazing adventures. Whether it's watching baby dinosaurs hatch, finding a secret passage in a castle, helping a ghost queen in an Egyptian pyramid, or finding pirate treasure readers won't want to miss a single story!
Customer Reviews:
I have not yet received this product.......2007-09-23
I was accidently sent another book in my mailing package. I sent that one back with a note that it was the wrong product. i have not yet received the Magic Tree House book set.
My daughter loves these books.......2007-08-09
My daugther just could not put down these books after she had received them. She finished 12 books in less than a week! I am going to get the rest of this series for her soon.
Great for 1st-3rd Graders.......2007-07-28
While the writing isn't great, the stories are certainly entertaining, and are great reading for 1st-3rd Graders. The stories follow two siblings, Jack and Annie, who are magically transported to various places, and the various settings set the stage for some very fascinating, to the young reader, tales they will come to treasure.
my son loves these books!.......2007-07-07
I've been reading to my son since he was two weeks old. He just had his fourth birthday, and I gave him this Magic Tree House box set. I thought he'd get bored pretty quick since there aren't illustrations on every page, but I was wrong. We read the first book in an afternoon, and he wanted to move straight on to the next one. We've since finished the first four and I've ordered the next box set, and while we wait we're re-reading the first four. Fantastic books!
Good starter book series.......2007-05-12
Good books to help me and my grandchildren communicate. We started a book discussion club. Great quality time.
Average customer rating:
- Other Books
- The greatest tale of batman
- Not For Me (...and possibly not for you)
- One of the great graphic novels of our generation
- It's either this or Alan Moore's Watchmen
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Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Frank Miller
Manufacturer: DC Comics
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ASIN: 1563893428 |
Amazon.com
If any comic has a claim to have truly reinvigorated the genre, then The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller--known also for his excellent Sin City series and his superb rendering of the blind superhero Daredevil--is probably the top contender. Batman represented all that was wrong in comics and Miller set himself a tough task taking on the camp crusader and turning this laughable, innocuous children's cartoon character into a hero for our times. The great Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing, the arguably peerless Watchmen) argued that only someone of Miller's stature could have done this. Batman is a character known well beyond the confines of the comic world (as are his retinue) and so reinventing him, while keeping his limiting core essentials intact, was a huge task.
Miller went far beyond the call of duty. The Dark Knight is a success on every level. Firstly it does keep the core elements of the Batman myth intact, with Robin, Alfred the butler, Commissioner Gordon, and the old roster of villains, present yet brilliantly subverted. Secondly the artwork is fantastic--detailed, sometimes claustrophobic, psychotic. Lastly it's a great story: Gotham City is a hell on earth, street gangs roam but there are no heroes. Decay is ubiquitous. Where is a hero to save Gotham? It is 10 years since the last recorded sighting of the Batman. And things have got worse than ever. Bruce Wayne is close to being a broken man but something is keeping him sane: the need to see change and the belief that he can orchestrate some of that change. Batman is back. The Dark Knight has returned. Awesome. --Mark Thwaite
Book Description
If any comic has a claim to have truly reinvigorated the genre, then The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller--known also for his excellent Sin City series and his superb rendering of the blind superhero Daredevil--is probably the top contender. Batman represented all that was wrong in comics and Miller set himself a tough task taking on the camp crusader and turning this laughable, innocuous children's cartoon character into a hero for our times. The great Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing, the arguably peerless Watchmen) argued that only someone of Miller's stature could have done this. Batman is a character known well beyond the confines of the comic world (as are his retinue) and so reinventing him, while keeping his limiting core essentials intact, was a huge task.Miller went far beyond the call of duty. The Dark Knight is a success on every level. Firstly it does keep the core elements of the Batman myth intact, with Robin, Alfred the butler, Commissioner Gordon, and the old roster of villains, present yet brilliantly subverted. Secondly the artwork is fantastic--detailed, sometimes claustrophobic, psychotic. Lastly it's a great story: Gotham City is a hell on earth, street gangs roam but there are no heroes. Decay is ubiquitous. Where is a hero to save Gotham? It is 10 years since the last recorded sighting of the Batman. And things have got worse than ever. Bruce Wayne is close to being a broken man but something is keeping him sane: the need to see change and the belief that he can orchestrate some of that change. Batman is back. The Dark Knight has returned. Awesome. --Mark Thwaite
Customer Reviews:
Other Books.......2007-09-03
Well, it really doesn't get any better than this. I was hooked on hits from the first time I saw the cover image in a comic shop.
The news media scenes now, are pretty much right out of today, with screaming pundits on the television, American style.
The fascism and violence prompts Bruce Wayne out of retirement. Heartened by the assistance of a young girl, he plans his strategy.
He has one major obstacle.
Superman, who is now a covert special forces operative lapdog.
The greatest tale of batman.......2007-08-14
This book tells the return of Batman in an future where Gotham City is in peace but sudenly appears a new threat, mutants, and they are powerfull and they work like a gang of destruction, you will see the Joker, Superman, Catwoman, Two Face, etc all of them older, cracier and pitiless. Fank Miller give power to the history he is a genius, and the drawing is strange but with a lot of impact and action. If you like batman, you must have this book, and if you never read a batman comic, then when you read this one you will change your mind.
Not For Me (...and possibly not for you).......2007-08-06
I will start by saying that I have enjoyed DC Comics and their heroes for almost twenty-five years. In particular, I have always loved reading about Batman, Robin, NightWing, and anything that was related to the Gotham crime fighting circuit. I couldn't believe that after all these years, I had yet to read what was regarded as one of the best graphic novels of all time. While on vacation this summer, I decided it was time to finally read this classic.
First, the artwork doesn't appeal to me. I know others love it and will defend how wonderful it is. That's fine, it just doesn't suit my tastes and I can get over it provided the story is good. So, is the story good? It's okay. I can definitely see why other people like it, and I appreciate the different approach Miller took to the time and setting, I felt that it was too over the top though. I found myself wondering if this was suppose to be ten years after Bruce's retirement, or forty. I also didn't care for some of the assumptions that are made throughout the story in regards to several characters' pasts. The development and appearance of "Robin" in this novel was weak and pointless, other than to provide a cheap reason for an event (that I won't spoil) that takes place near the conclusion of the book.
Finally, I felt like the book drug on way too long. The brutality of Gotham City and the Bruce Wayne vs. Batman ego struggle was beat to death in my opinion. I could have cared less about the politics of Gotham, which also was repeated time and time again. I didn't feel as though there was a decent balance between those storylines and the ones involving Two Face and Joker.
To wrap this up, I will be honest and say that I did not enjoy this masterpiece the way almost everyone else has. The futuristic story and excessively "dark" setting feel like paths I've been down too many times in too many other books. I am glad though that most seem to have enjoyed the story, it just isn't for everyone.
One of the great graphic novels of our generation.......2007-08-01
A friend of mine let me borrow his copy of this and I read the whole thing straight through. Now a year or so later I am buying The Watchmen and this book comes up as recommended. I can't help but buy it. Frank Miller paints an incredible revision of the idea of Batman. His art and story flow so well together. This book has helped to re-define the current definition of a graphic novel. I can't recommend this enough.
It's either this or Alan Moore's Watchmen.......2007-07-25
This is without a doubt, one of the finest graphic novels you will probably ever read, if not the absolute best. If you ask me, this is as honest a portrayal of Batman/ Bruce Wayne as we're ever going to get. A vigilante in every sense of the word, this older, darker Batman is preoccupied with his age and the persistent belief that he can die at any given moment. There's a believability to his internal thoughts and actions that strikes one as being completely realistic. I think that's what makes this project work so well, the fact that all of the characterizations in the book are spot on and make perfect sense. The Joker is a homicidal maniac, not some clown. Commissioner Gordon is a man who's been around for a long time and knows that once they get him out of his position, there may be no one else who can keep Batman out of trouble. Superman becomes a weapon for the government. Some other familiar faces show up and some may or may not be how you remember them to be but Miller manages to keep everything fresh and interesting.
The art takes a little getting used to but I think for the most part it works. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole mutant gang thing but those are my only trifles with the book.
In the end, I feel that this is the best Batman story I've ever read or will ever read.
Average customer rating:
- Great Compilation
- Cost to damn much.
- BOTH Worthy Reads
- Great Batman book
- Half good, half ordinary
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Absolute Dark Knight
Frank Miller , and
Klaus Janson
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
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ASIN: 1401210791 |
Book Description
DC Comics Absolute Editions set the standard for the highest quality, most in-depth presentation of classic graphic novels. Each oversized volume is presented in a slipcase and includes unique additional material making each Absolute Edition a cornerstone of any serious comic collection.
On its publication in 1986, Frank Miller's THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS changed the landscape of the graphic novel irrevocably. With its dark vision of Batman's future and its stunning artwork, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS set the world on fire. 15 years later, Miller's sequel, THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN, further redefined the boundaries of the superhero genre.
Now, both of these comics masterpieces are collected in one giant-sized slipcase edition for the first time ever. Frank Miller has provided a new introduction, a new cover and new art for the slipcase. This edition is also filled with bonus material featuring an excerpt from Miller's original plot for DARK KNIGHT RETURNS #4, sketchbook material and much more.
Customer Reviews:
Great Compilation.......2007-04-03
A well put together bundle of both the classic and the new graphic novels with a few extras. Very Impressive packaging (coffee table worthy).
Cost to damn much........2007-01-28
The first one was great. The second one...I think that Frank Miller read "Kingdom Come" and said "I can do better!".
Only problem is. He didn't.
Once Amazon dropped their discount this is no longer worth it. Buy it if you love Frank Miller but buy it somewhere else.
BOTH Worthy Reads.......2007-01-27
Everybody knows TDKR was a phenominal book. What everybody doesn't know is that The Dark Knight Strikes Again is ALSO a phenominal book. Many readers have their opinions warped by superficial comic book reviewers who critique Miller's sequel because it was not as "dark" or "gritty" as the first book was. Is that it? Is that you're only complaint? Are you so ignorant that you're not going to delve underneath the appearances to look at the thematic significance of the work?
Yes, TDKSA is a departure from its predecessor in terms of style. But it still shines in RELEVENCY. Miller gives us a mind blowing look at what our society is and may become. What is democracy in the media age? Do the people really run a country where a select few that run the major news outlets control everything that the people know and believe? And does it make us feel any better that it is one man, Batman, who is arrogant enough to enforce his social ideology on us?
Don't be fooled. While The Dark Knight Returns is still a significant work in today's literary work, it was a book about yesterday. The Dark Knight Strikes Again is a book about TODAY.
Great Batman book.......2007-01-16
I love Batman and this book is realy great its one of the best books I own you should buy it.
Half good, half ordinary.......2007-01-16
I can distinctly remember the pleasure I had reading the original Return of the Dark Knight issues way, way back. A massive, high quality volume like Absolute Dark Knight is fitting for a such body of work. Sadly, the second part is _much_ less interesting in most respects.
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- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
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- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
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History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
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History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
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History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Average customer rating:
- Graphic SF Reader
- ugh...
- "Sequel" to the Legendary "Dark Knight Returns"
- Wacky Wayne Chronicles
- Is it Superman or Batman?
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Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again
Frank Miller , and
Lynn Varley
Manufacturer: DC Comics
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1563899299 |
Amazon.com
The Dark Knight Strikes Again is Frank Miller's follow-up to his hugely successful Batman: the Dark Knight Returns, one of the few comics that is widely recognized as not only reinventing the genre but also bringing it to a wider audience.Set three years after the events of The Dark Knight Returns, The Dark Knight Strikes Again follows a similar structure: once again, Batman hauls himself out of his self-imposed retirement in order to set things right. However, where DKR was about him cleaning up his home city, Gotham, DKSA has him casting his net much wider: he's out to save the world. The thing is, most of the world doesn't realize that it needs to be saved--least of all Superman and Wonder Woman, who have become little more than superpowered enforcers of the status quo. So, the notoriously solitary Batman is forced to recruit some different superpowered allies. He also has his ever-present trusty sidekick, Robin, except that he is a she, and she is calling herself Catwoman. Together, these super-friends uncover a vast and far-reaching conspiracy that leads to the President of the United States (Lex Luthor) and beyond.
The Dark Knight Strikes Again is largely an entertaining comic, but much of what made The Dark Knight Returns so good just doesn't work here. Miller's gritty, untidy artwork was perfect for DKR's grim depiction of the dark and seedy Gotham City, but it jars a bit for DKSA, which is meant to depict an ultra-glossy, futuristic technocracy. Lynn Varley's garish coloring attempts to add a slicker sheen, but the artwork is ultimately let down by that which worked so well for DKR--this time around, it just feels sloppy and rushed. The same is true of the book's denouement, which happens so quickly that it leaves the reader reeling and looking for more of an explanation. Moreover, DKSA is packed full of characters who will mean little to those unfamiliar with the DC Comics universe (e.g., the Atom, the Elongated Man, the Question). Perhaps the book's biggest failing is that where The Dark Knight Returns gave comic book fans a base from which to evangelize to theuninitiated, The Dark Knight Strikes Again is just preaching to the converted. Comic book superhero fans will find much to enjoy here, but others would be better off sticking with the original. --Robert Burrow
Book Description
The Dark Knight Strikes Again is Frank Miller's follow-up to his hugely successful Batman: the Dark Knight Returns, one of the few comics that is widely recognized as not only reinventing the genre but also bringing it to a wider audience.Set three years after the events of The Dark Knight Returns, The Dark Knight Strikes Again follows a similar structure: once again, Batman hauls himself out of his self-imposed retirement in order to set things right. However, where DKR was about him cleaning up his home city, Gotham, DKSA has him casting his net much wider: he's out to save the world.The thing is, most of the world doesn't realize that it needs to be saved--least of all Superman and Wonder Woman, who have become little more than superpowered enforcers of the status quo. So, the notoriously solitary Batman is forced to recruit some different superpowered allies. He also has his ever-present trusty sidekick, Robin, except that he is a she, and she is calling herself Catwoman. Together, these super-friends uncover a vast and far-reaching conspiracy that leads to the President of the United States (Lex Luthor) and beyond.The Dark Knight Strikes Again is largely an entertaining comic, but much of what made The Dark Knight Returns so good just doesn't work here. Miller's gritty, untidy artwork was perfect for DKR's grim depiction of the dark and seedy Gotham City, but it jars a bit for DKSA, which is meant to depict an ultra-glossy, futuristic technocracy. Lynn Varley's garish coloring attempts to add a slicker sheen, but the artwork is ultimately let down by that which worked so well for DKR--this time around, it just feels sloppy and rushed. The same is true of the book's denouement, which happens so quickly that it leaves the reader reeling and looking for more of an explanation. Moreover, DKSA is packed full of characters who will mean little to those unfamiliar with the DC Comics universe (e.g., the Atom, the Elongated Man, the Question).Perhaps the book's biggest failing is that where The Dark Knight Returns gave comic book fans a base from which to evangelize to theuninitiated, The Dark Knight Strikes Again is just preaching to the converted. Comic book superhero fans will find much to enjoy here, but others would be better off sticking with the original. --Robert Burrow
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Cassie, the young Robin has decided she would rather be Catgirl, instead. Being older, I guess she reckons she looks good in a catsuit.
Now a more experienced field operative, she leads missions for the Batman.
There is a Kingdom Come type feel to this story as the heroes who are government sanctioned, and those who are not, line up for or against the Dark Knight.
ugh..........2007-08-14
the artwork is too sloppy to look at, the story is a meandering wad of lard... what the hell, Frank, did you whip all this out in a week for some desperate need for cash? Give your fans the respect they deserve.
"Sequel" to the Legendary "Dark Knight Returns".......2007-07-19
Frank Miller raised the bar for comics when he released the original 4-issue prestige format mini-series in 1986. It was one of two books that redefined comics for the 21st century (the other is Alan Moore's Watchmen). Every comic book fan has read (or should have read) it. It should be on your bookshelf right now!
But here we have the less-than-spectacular sequel, "The Dark Knight Strikes Again." The sequel is much more standard capes-and-tights super-hero action than the darker "Dark Knight Returns," and can be avoided by all but the most diehard fans. It doesn't strike any of the same notes as the original series. What we have here could almost be considered Silver Age super-hero action, rather than the post-modernity of "Dark Knight Returns." Miller experimented by deviating from the formula that's worked for him on classics such as "Sin City" and "Daredevil," but by doing so leads readers into different territory that they may not be interested in following him to. This is a "sequel" in name only.
Wacky Wayne Chronicles.......2007-07-19
If you are expecting anything nearly as good as the Dark Knight Returns, I'd suggest looking elsewhere. While I was slightly disappointed with the book overall, I've gotta say that this is one of the craziest comics (graphic novel, whatever) that I've ever read in my entire life. It's worth reading at least and while it doesn't ruin the memory of the original Dark Knight Returns, it's just too out there for me. The art is really funky and kind of sloppy, the writing isn't Miller at his peak and the story is a weird mishmash of cameos and political satire.
And the fate of one character in particular (I don't want to ruin the surprise because the individual shows up literally out of nowhere as one of the piece's main villains and shows up almost nothing like you remember them) was just mind boggling.
Worth a read but I don't know about recommending a purchase on this.
Is it Superman or Batman?.......2007-06-12
What the hell, is this story suppossed to be about Superman or batman? This second part is not as good as the first one. It is more about Superman and other DC characters than Batman himself and in the end it doesn't make any sense. I guess, I have to read it again to undestand. Okay, if you are a Batman fan, like myself, but don't pay full price for it.
Book Description
All of Myrillia is held in a grip of unease when a skull, twisted and corrupted by dark Graces, is found. It's the work of the Cabal, a faction of daemonic naethryn intent on destroying the Nine Lands. Former Shadowknight Tylar must unravel the mystery of the skull before all of Myrillia is threatened.
To save the Nine Lands-and himself-Tylar must enter the Hinterland, the desolate territory beyond the blessed Lands, where rogue gods roam and dark Graces flow-and from which no Shadowknight has ever returned.
Customer Reviews:
Only Tolkien gets 5 stars.........but this is darn good........2007-05-13
I'm pretty satisfied with both the book and it's predecessor. If youre looking for fantasy in the sword and sorcery vein BUT with good writing this is it. I've read quite a lot fantasy over the last 25 years and this has an unusual world with imaginative characters.
Looking forward to book 3.
Much better!.......2007-01-19
This book didn't focus so much on bodily fluids so I was able to enjoy the book more.
Some gods are dissatisfied with Tylar's current position and make their displeasure known, Castellan Mirra's fate is discovered. Some new characters are introduced and they're very likeable. We also learn something quite interesting about Dart and her pet.
Clemens opens up and takes us on a journey through his new world. As in Witch War, Clemens has some surprises for his readers. I look forward to his next book.
action oriented sword and sorcery saga .......2006-11-10
Tylar Ser Noche has been called many things in his life including Shadowknight, murderer, and Godslayer amongst the kinder epitaphs. Warden Fields pursued hum until he caught him and sold him into slavery; there Tylar was broken in body and spirit. He healed as he provided comfort to a dying goddess who put her naethryn inside him so that his humors flowed with Grace (magic). Now he returns to the stronghold of the Shadowknights where Fields and Tylar's treacherous ex-lover live in order to be inducted back into the Shadowknights.
When Tylar and his entourage arrive at the stronghold of Tashijan, everyone inside knows they are trapped. Ulf the God of Eyrie sends a storm that will kill everyone unless they hand over Tylar to him. He believes that Tylar is an abomination because a mortal must never carry a God's Grace. At the same time in the underground beneath the building is the former castellan who has joined the dark, who wnts everyone inside Tashijan dead so she can rule as the First Land. Tylar is the tug of war between godly forces that could devastate a world.
HINTERLAND is an action oriented sword and sorcery saga as James Clemens creates an intricately detailed fantasy world that readers will easily visualize. Similar to Greek mythology, the realm is an interesting place where gods live and interact with humans on a daily basis. The protagonist and the key support cast are fully developed and critical to this fine tale. It is easy to understand what motivates them though at least Tylar is quite a deep character. As the audience learns who is arranging for a full second God War, questions left dangling concerning the plot should be answered in the next Godslayer Chronicle.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
A daring collection of never-before-published erotic desire from four of the hottest names in paranormal romance.
Four of the most sizzling authors of paranormal romance take readers beyond their wildest fantasies, to a seductive midnight world of erotic suspense, demons, mages, vampires, and knights. A world of queens with devilish secrets, and of demons with secret desires. So dangerous and fun, readers may never want to come back down to earth again...
Customer Reviews:
Batman: The Dark Knight Archives Vol. 5.......2007-07-15
To the Batman fan, this particular volume is a particularly gratifying one, as we are seeing some of Dick Sprang's earliest work on the character he was probably best known for illustrating.
This isn't to degrade the work of Jerry Robinson, Jack Burnley or even Bob Kane himself, whose work also appears in this volume.
But Sprang, who actually began illustrating Batman in 1941, but whose stories were stockpiled until a few years later, brought a dazzling, magnificient, vibrant look to the feature unmatched by any artist of the time. In fact, he [later w/Charlie Paris inking] set the standard for the character, but was virtually unknown for who he really was [by name] until years and years later when he finally attended his first comic convention in Kansas City.
Sprang became a lifelong friend of mine and I worked with him closely to ID art he was unaware that he even did.
No serious Batman collector can do WITHOUT this Archive. Classic Batman w/great writing and imaginative illustrative story telling!!!
Amazon.com
If you're already well versed in Bat-trivia, you probably won't find The Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight anywhere near ultimate enough. But as a broad history of Batman's friends, foes, and high-tech hardware and hideouts, this oversized, illustration-filled DK guide just can't be beat.
Just as DK did with the people and paraphernalia of Star Wars in Star Wars: Episode I: Incredible Cross-Sections and Star Wars: Episode I: Visual Dictionary, this guide pulls apart and pokes at the many gadgets and backdrops found in the Dark Knight's world. Exploded diagrams reveal the innards of the new and old Batcaves, and stat-packed tags and captions spell out everything from how the Bat-Signal works to where Catwoman stashes her bullwhip. Batman scholar Scott Beatty has compiled hundreds of excellent panels and covers from the original comic, and he displays commanding knowledge cataloging Gotham's most colorful characters in big, splashy spreads. (And no doubt future historians will appreciate his capsulized, 1939-on Batman timeline as an uncanny window into American pop consciousness.)
Die-hard fans will find much lacking here, though, like the near-omission of Frank Miller's genius Dark Knight Returns series and not even a passing reference to Batman's poignant love-hate relationship with the Man of Steel. But what DK's Ultimate Guide does, it does well--examining neat Bat-minutiae and providing a primer on the post-no-man's-land comic continuity. --Paul Hughes
Book Description
With unparalleled access to the archives of DC Comics, Batman: the Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight provides spectacular illustrations reveal the secret workings of key installations and equipment such as the Batcave, the Batmobile, Batman's suit, and the weaponry contained in his Utility Belt. Panoramic views of Gotham City and Arkham Asylum with its villainous inmates, allow readers to enter into Batman's world. Crucial events and characters of the Batman legend are illustrated with drawings from the original DC comic books.
Customer Reviews:
LIVES UP TO ITS GRAND TITLE!.......2006-05-10
Despite being around for over 65 years, Batman's popularity never seems to wane. The blockbuster Batman film in 2005 once again generated enormous interest in the character. "Batman: The Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight" has been updated right up through 2005 to ride this crest of popularity. The book is really geared towards the more casual or new Batman fans, as old-timers will already be familiar with much of the material inside the 144 page, hardcover book. Still, the book moves the reader on a rapid fire history of the character beginning with his origin and creation by Bob Kane way back in 1939.
Techie fans will love the intense coverage of all of the "wonderful toys" that Batman uses. His utility belt includes such items as tear gas pellets, an acetylene torch, a palm top communicator, grappling hook, and more. The book also presents a look at each of the Batmobiles and how the style has changed over the years from a rather modest sedan to today's sleek, armored road-killer packed with the latest cutting-edge technology. There's also a look at the various other "bat vehicles" including the Bat-plane, Bat-sub, Bat-Copter, etc...There is also a nicely diagrammed, cut-away view of the Bat-cave.
Most of the major characters in Batman lore are featured including allies such as Commissioner Gordon, the various Robins, Batgirl, Oracle, loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth, and Azrael. Then there are the Batman romantic interests: Vicky Vale, Silver St. Cloud, Talia Al Ghul, and Julie Madison. But what would any Batman book that calls itself "Ultimate" be without a rundown of the caped crusaders rogues gallery of villains. Batman's villains are almost as famous as he is and have played a huge role in the character's long-lasting popularity. They are all here: The Joker, Riddler, Penguin, Catwoman, Bane, Mr. Freeze, Scarecrow, Mad-Hatter, Two-Face, and many more. All with brief sections noting their real name and first comic book appearance.
The book covers some of the more well-known storylines in Batman history such as the Death in the Family storyline where the Jason Todd Robin was killed by the Joker. Unfortunately the book fails to mention that this gimmick storyline hinged on a fan vote via phone call to determine if Robin lived or died. Another notable storyline mentioned is Frank Miller's landmark mini-series The Dark Knight Returns.
Finally, there is a fantastic look at the Golden Age Batman as well as a timeline noting important events and stories in Bat-history along with the issue number where it took place. If I do have one nit about the book it's that issue numbers are not provided for some of these noted storylines although you can find most of them in the timeline section. The book features incredible artwork from the host of artists who have worked on the various Batman titles over the years including: Neal Adams, Jim Aparo, Brian Bolland, Paul Gulacy, P. Craig Russell, Dick Giordano, and many, many more.
All in all, "Batman: The Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight" definitely lives up to its grand title!
Reviewed by Tim Janson
Batcool.......2005-05-08
In the press materials, DK Publishing claimed "unprecedented access to DC Comics' archives" to produce this coffeetable title. The author works in the comic-book industry, and the book hits all the high notes: origin of Batman, origin of Robin, first meeting with Ra's al-Ghul, death of Jason Todd, crippling of Barbara Gordon (known, of course, as "The Killing Joke" and the most disturbing Batmoment to this fan!), Bane's crippling of Batman and Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns."
The pages are lush and full-color throughout, and there are page-spreads on Batman's suit, weapons, Batcave (nice diagram), Wayne Manor, Batmobile and other vehicles. Gotham City is profiled, as is every major character. This book is not comic reprints; it's a who's-who and what's-what in the Batlegend. I enjoyed it.
A Celebration of the Modern-Day Caped Crusader.......2004-02-10
This book is a blast to read. I wished this book had come out sooner when I was just finding my way around the modern Batman comics. Nevertheless, better late than never.
A word of caution. If you are looking for the DEFINITIVE guide to everything Batman, I wouldn't recommend this book to you. Les Daniels' book on Batman is by far the most comprehensive treatment on the whole history of the Batman from his pre-conception in the 1930s up till the recent stuff (including his incarnations outside the comicbook - TV, toys, cinema, etc.). Also, if you're interested in analyzing Batman as a pop-culture icon, you should check out Will Brookner's "Batman Unmasked" book. Finally, if you're interested in reading a one-volume collection of the definitive Batman - I'd recommend Frank Miller's "Dark Knight Returns" and/or "Year One" along with the "The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told".
What then is this book by Scott Beatty about? It's about the modern day Batman. THIS Batman is as different from the classic Bob Kane/Bill Finger creation as the Tim Burton movies are from the Adam West TV show. For your information, THIS Batman is the one from Frank Miller's "Year One" (1986) and it includes the later revisions by Dennis O'Neil and Chuck Dixon up to today. In other words, this is the Batman of "Knightfall", "Contagion", "Cataclysm" and "No Man's Land". And in my opinion, this is the most exciting and rich version of the Batman since his conception in 1939. This book is not so much a guide but more a celebration of this modern-day Dark Knight of the comicbooks.
The book is neatly divided into sections. The first section is about Batman/Bruce Wayne and Gotham City. The second section covers his allies and loves (Alfred, Gordon, Nightwing, Oracle, Robin II, Robin III, etc.). The third section focuses on the many colorful villains in the Bat-mythos. Finally, there's also a foreword by Chuck Dixon, the man who, under the editorial-eye of Dennis O'Neil, pretty much shaped the direction of the Bat-books throughout the 1990s. Note: Dixon also teamed up with the author Scott Beatty on some other great works like the recent "Robin: Year One" and "Batgirl: Year One".
Answered a lot of my questions.......2004-01-22
I bought this book because I am new to the Batman world and I wanted to know about the people around him and his most famous adversaries. The graphics in the book are great. If you are looking for a primer on the major players in the Batman world (friends and foes), then this book is for you.
Not just for kids!!!!.......2003-11-04
This is the sort of guide I would like to see for all DC and Marvel characters. At first glimpse I thought it was a kid's book but it proved to be an invaluable aid for me to catch up on some of the plotlines I had missed.
Average customer rating:
- Interesting concept, flawed antagonists
- Good Action - Just Don't Look Too Close
- Counter delivers a very good follow-up sequel to Grey Knights
- Not as Good as the First One....but What Is?
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Dark Adeptus (Grey Knights)
Ben Counter
Manufacturer: Games Workshop
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 1844162427 |
Book Description
More action with the Grey Knights in the second book of this popular ongoing series. When a planet mysteriously reappears, having vanished a hundred years earlier, the Imperial authorities suspect it may have been corrupted by Chaos. A crack team of Grey Knights Space Marines is sent down to investigate, and discover a nightmare world where technology runs riot, and titanic war machines have been possessed by daemons.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting concept, flawed antagonists.......2007-01-08
This is an interesting concept, and fairly entertaining execution. The background and depiction of the adeptus mechanicus is interesting, given that not a lot has been written about them as far as I know. The protagonists vary from interesting to rather one-sided (the inquisitor particularly), however, the book does have a major flaw in that the antagonists are almost entirely one-dimensional.
spoilers
the captain of the enemy ship, a human from the heresy (a chaos space marine IIRC) with over 10,000 years of military and command experience, and handpicked by Abaddon for this mission, upon seeing the tribute destroyed, ravages the local area and its extremely valuable assets, rather than using a brain and reasoning that the evidence of recent combat, presence of imperial vessel, and the tribute's destruction were caused by enemies and not by the planet itself. He was also 'stupid' enough to leave surviving fragments of the imperial fleet behind him so that our characters would have a way to leave.
the castigator is sufficiently stupid to want to make a big personal deal of killing up close rather than just use its power and the titan's weaponry and get the job done. It is also nice that the castigator explains everything to alaric before deciding to kill him.
It is also interesting to note that if you compare the characters of the chaos ship captain, the castigator, and scaeras (spelled wrong), they are all pretty much the same.
Good Action - Just Don't Look Too Close.......2006-09-18
This is the second book of the Grey Knights series, and much like the first it's primarily a tale of action rather than character development. Justicar Alaric and his squad return as the central heroes of the tale, supported by Inquisitor Nyxos, Interrogator Hawkwspur, Magos Antigonus, and others. The author sets the novel in the familiar Warhammer 40,000 (40K) universe developed for the tabletop game by Games Workshop.
M. Counter is an action-oriented writer, and some of the other tools of the writer's craft don't receive as much attention. His exposition tends to be applied with brute force, starting with Magos Antigonus' dictation of his current situation to his servitor, and followed by occasional instances of characters talking for the benefit of the reader more than that of their fellows. Plot devices come similarly applied, with saviors emerging - literally - from the ground, villains suddenly discovering new purpose, or faith somehow destroying physical enemies. The combination makes suspension of disbelief difficult at times, and it jars one out of the flow of an otherwise solid plot.
The large-scale plotline, and his handling of the Dark Adeptus Mechanicus synonymous with the title, is actually quite well done. The basis for the story is interesting and pulled from an unexplored portion of the 40K background: the heretically corrupt sect of the Adeptus Mechanicus that sided with Horus and chaos during the Horus Heresy. The action scenes are similarly well done, but sometimes the heroes remain functional after soaking up rather a lot of damage, even for Space Marines. A Marine's broken arm that "folds uselessly" one moment delivers a "two-handed strike" that runs his enemy completely through seconds later.
The protagonists have simple motivations and enough character depth to support the action. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the antagonists of the tale. Their intelligence and decisions at any given moment depend on how much the author needs to pull one of the aforementioned plot devices out of his hat. They come to startling personal revelations that change their course of action, and sometimes even their form, usually to the benefit of the heroes. When frustrated from one goal, in a fit of rage, they destroy all the things that could have helped them continue their fight.
Though creative, M. Counter's feel for the 40K background just doesn't quite mesh with the established tone set by the other authors of the Black Library stable. Some elements just don't sit well with established canon, such as an individual existing entirely as information that can jump from machine to machine as necessary.
Excepting the points above, the book is generally solid, and any fan of either the Grey Knights or the Adeptus Mechanicus should enjoy it, as will any fan of an action yarn that isn't particular about well-written villains or jarring plot twists.
Counter delivers a very good follow-up sequel to Grey Knights.......2006-02-15
Ben Counter's one of my favorite Black Library writers in addition to Dan Abnett and William King. Counter's already written one series of Warhammer 40,000 novels for the Black Library: the excellent Soul Drinkers Saga. Counter added to that by starting a second series that focuses on the daemonhunting, space marine chapter of the Grey Knights. The self-titled intro novel of Counter's second series started off with a bang and kep the foot on the gas.
Dark Adeptus is the second novel in this new series and continues the adventures of Grey Knight Justicar Alaric and the surviving members of his squad. Their mission this time around takes them far from the raging war near the Eye of Terror as Abbadon and his 13th Black Crusade continues its attempt to break through the Imperium's defenses for a bee-line to Terra (Earth). Alaric, his squad, a senior Ordo Malleus Inquisitor and a small Naval fleet are sent to a backwaters system to investigate the sudden appearance of an Adeptus Mechanicus Forge World which had disappeared a century earlier and from a different location.
As soon as they arrive Alaric and his squad senses something terribly wrong about the reappearance of Forge World Chaeronias. This wrong start to their mission becomes even more complicated with the arrival of a Mechanicus ship also sent to investigate the reappearance of one of their own forge worlds. As with all Warhammer 40k novels allies sometimes work as if they're the enemy as each organization work towards their own agenda.
Counter does a good job in continuing the growth of Alaric as a unique character in the 40K universe. He does give Alaric abit more time being a holy crusader as seen in some of Alaric's dialogue, but Counter doesn't go overboard to make the character regress as a character. Counter expertly details the organization of the Adeptus Mechanicus and its relationship with the other groups in the Imperium. The way all these groups vie for control and any little advantage one wonders how the Imperium of Man has survived for 10,000 years.
The action is less epic than Grey Knights despite the epic location in this sequel. The action slowly builds up until the final confrontation in the ash and dune wastes of Chaeronias as Alaric, his squad and his erstwhile Mechanicus allies finally confront the corruption and cause of Chaeronias disappearance and troubles. Dark Adeptus finally gives a good accounting of one of the mysterious details of the Warhammer 40K universe and it involves the Mechanicus and a certain template.
In the end, Ben Counter goes a good job with this sequel to Grey Knights. I would say that it's not right at the same level of quality as Grey Knights, but not to say it's a terrible book. It's actually a very good novel but it just took a different tone than the rip-roaring first novel. Dark Adeptus does help in bringing to light more of the shadowy unreleased details of the 40K universe. I can't wait for Counter to release another novel detailing the exploits of Justicar Alaric and his Grey Knights. I highly recommend this book to fans of Warhammer 40k novels. They won't be disappointed.
Not as Good as the First One....but What Is?.......2006-02-08
I really enjoyed this book. The Grey Knights are my favorite Space Marine Chapter in the Black Library, and this is a fantastic book. The Dark Adeptus have never appeared in any story before this novel(at least to my knowledge), but I had some issues with them. It just seemed like they are not really evil enough. I was expecting something a little more dark. Also, the Grey Knights themselves did not really recieve the attention to detail that they had in the first novel. With the exception of Dvorn and Alaric, the Grey Knights are somewhat 2 dimensional. Another minor complaint is the battle scenes; any Space Marine, let alone the Grey Knights, should not be presented as being on the defensive. I expect a Space Marine to be far more assertive than Alaric and his squad were sometimes portrayed.
Those are nothing but small complaints, and it is really not fair of us to expect Ben Counter to write a sequel that is every bit as good as the first Grey Knights novel was. This is still a very good book. Those of you who enjoy a good Space Marine story will enjoy reading this.
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