Before the Dawn (Dark Angel)

Book Description

Never-before-told tales of action and adventure
revealing the early days of Dark Angel!

Los Angeles, 2019. Large sections of Tinseltown are in Richter-scale ruins in the aftermath of the Pulse and a devastating earthquake. Surviving among a ragtag pack of street kids, agile as a cat, and an expert thief, Max steals from the rich and gives to Moody, her mentor in crime and leader of the gang. But with no real family to speak of, Max longs for her missing “brothers and sisters” from Manticore, the covert agency with a sinister history of militaristic manipulation and control.

By chance, Max sees a news story on TV about a dissident cyberjournalist in Seattle, known to everyone as “Eyes Only.” The police are searching for his accomplice, a young rebel whose image flashes on the screen. Max immediately recognizes Seth, one of her Manticore siblings. She mounts her motorcycle and hightails it north. What she rides into is an elaborate web of betrayal, greed, revenge, and selfless heroism that will only further fuel her quest to uncover the secrets of her past—and seize hope for the future. . . .

Download Description

Based on the television series created by James Cameron and Charles H. Eglee

Los Angeles, 2019. Large sections of Tinseltown are in Richter-scale ruins in the aftermath of the Pulse and a devastating earthquake. Surviving among a ragtag pack of street kids, agile as a cat, and an expert thief, Max steals from the rich and gives to Moody, her mentor in crime and leader of the gang. But with no real family to speak of, Max longs for her missing "brothers and sisters" from Manticore, the covert agency with a sinister history of militaristic manipulation and control.

By chance, Max sees a news story on TV about a dissident cyberjournalist in Seattle, known to everyone as "Eyes Only." The police are searching for his accomplice, a young rebel whose image flashes on the screen. Max immediately recognizes Seth, one of her Manticore siblings. She mounts her motorcycle and hightails it north. What she rides into is an elaborate web of betrayal, greed, revenge, and selfless heroism that will only further fuel her quest to uncover the secrets of her past -- and seize hope for the future....

Customer Reviews:

Action with Thin Substance.......2007-09-05

Let me preface this by stating I have never seen an episode of the T.V. series, (or movies, if any) and am judging the book solely on it's own merits.

This book follows Max, and to a small extent Seth, soldiers from an illegal government super soldier program called Manticore. They escaped while extremely young after their handlers shot and killed one of their classmates, showing that weren't stupid and could the writing on the wall. The author takes this too far, referring at times to both Max and Seth in the novel as "the X5" which serves to dehumanize them in the mind's eye of the reader. Dehumanizing the hero isn't a great idea, since the story suffers if the reader doesn't care about the protagonist's fate.

Pacing is fast but not overwhelming. Setting is not well explained (As in electronics were supposedly fried, what about those shielded or repairable?) since I thought the degeneration of the USA caused by the Pulse event was simply glossed over. Characterization is not very deep, but typical for an action novel. I don't really understand why Max didn't have her barcode tattoo laser-surgery erased, and how she hides her 'cat's eyes' which the author gave me the impression of not looking like normal human eyes. I did think the dialogue had it's witty moments, but I also thought Max's vocabulary didn't match her upbringing.

On it's own as a novel, this was a quick fluffy read that broke down if you thought about it too much. I give this type of book three stars and recommend better novels. Maybe it was written only for fans of the series?

Quite Disappointing.......2007-08-27

This book does not do justice to this series, which is saying quite a bit, given how quickly the show met its demise. First of all, there are many inconsistencies between the book and the series. Facts just don't match up. Second, there is pointless and frequent profanity. Come on, this was a TV show, not an R rated movie. Kids who could handle the series shouldn't go near this book. Third, the editing is lousy. At times, even names were spelled incorrectly.

Overall, the story isn't bad. It's entertaining and a quick read. If it was just another book, the rating would be at least a three. But given the way it fails to mesh with the series, I can't give it anything besides a 2.

Super Reader.......2007-08-07

A nice solid prequel story, detailing how Max gets to Seattle, meets Original Cindy, and Lydecker learns that she may be there, along with learning what Logan is up to, and why.

Interesting.......2007-06-15

This book lets you know what happened before the TV show. It helps set the stage but you need not read it.

WARNING.......2007-05-12

I enjoyed the story of this book very much, but was very disappointed with all the profanity in it. I know the show used swearing a good bit, but this was excessive and foul.

How to Draw Fantasy Females: Create Sexy Cyberpunks, Seductive Supergirls, and Raunchy All-Action Heroines

Average customer rating:

Not Great...Actually, less than great
It's alright if you live under a rock
lousy book
Nice intro and useful catalog of techniques
Not what you think

How to Draw Fantasy Females: Create Sexy Cyberpunks, Seductive Supergirls, and Raunchy All-Action Heroines
Chris Patmore
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0764130897

Book Description

Graphic artists who open this scintillating tutorial discover the beauty secrets of cartoon bombshells, then learn how to give them active roles in stories. Step-by-step illustrations show female anatomy and proportion, ways to render poses and body shapes, and methods to exaggerate or simplify female shapes for special effects. Artists learn to create convincing drawings of seductive supergirls, action heroines, sexy cyberpunks, feisty Manga babes, and other types. Instruction includes methods for drawing facial features, head-turning hairstyles, and fantasy wardrobes with eye-popping metal bikinis and skin-tight jumpsuits. A historical overview of females in animation and comics covers styles from Betty Boop to Tank Girl. The author explains the importance of storytelling in art and discusses ways to develop story concepts before starting to draw. Chapters that follow focus on choosing art equipment (pencils, papers, brushes, inks, paints, and pixels), selecting appropriate drawing styles to match characters' personalities, rendering different feminine types, from goddess to the girl next door, and more.The book concludes with a brief survey of the business of commercial art, with advice on how and where to sell finished work, how to draw characters to order, and how artists can protect their rights. More than 200 flamboyant, full-color illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Not Great...Actually, less than great.......2007-09-30

I tend to buy a lot of "How to Draw" books, art books, etc. and, over the years, I've developeda pretty good sense of what works and what doesn't. Unfortunately, "How to Draw Fantasy Females" just doesn't work.

This book is basically a look into different kinds of female sci-fi/comic book/fantasy characters. It gives information on archetypes (actually, there is a little character sheet-type list at the beginning of the book that will help you design different character "types") and provides a couple of pseudo-helpful tutorials on Photoshop and other programs, but is mostly a showcase of different kinds of femals genre characters. I was underwhelmed, to tell the truth - there is very little "how to" to this book at all. Unless you are a collector or a completionist, I recommend just staying away from this one and looking elsewhere.

It's alright if you live under a rock.......2007-09-23

this book talks about the type of characters there are in stories and what not. And if you plan on drawing fantasy stuff, chances are you already know about these character types. Theres plenty left out and this doesnt teah you much if you know how to draw and if you dont know how to draw, this doesnt teach you how.

I got this thinking it'd show me how to draw suits and armor and stuff for females, not tell me that i could draw a girl with a gun or a female alien shaped like a uterus (im dead serious), whats up with that?

If i knew what i know now about this book, I wouldnt buy it. I can't really say who this book would be useful for. I guess its for those who want to draw fantasy style, but have no idea what kind of fantasy settings exsist. And with all the movies, cartoons, videogames, and comic books out there, i dont thing such a person walks this earth.

I wouldnt call it a waste, it does have some nice artwork in it, but overall its useless for me. I'm not an expert or draw for a living or anything like that and im not new at it. This would have been useful if it tought you how to draw stuff or at least had more/unheard of archetypes. Another thing is that this book does is assumes you want to make a comic book which gets annoying because it gives story ideas instead telling me what i wanted to learn.

lousy book.......2007-02-06

This book isn't worth the paper it's written on. There's next to nothing useful in it, any other drawing book on the market is far better. I'm amazed a publisher released it.

Nice intro and useful catalog of techniques.......2007-01-15

Overall, besides the 'cheesecake' appeal, the breakdown of styles and techniques justify buying this book. I haven't yet, but I might.

I reccomend anyone using this as a learning tool also get a DVD/Digital cable and once in a while use the 'pause' feature, to sketch what they see on the TV. Have a sketchbook devoted to 'life drawing' from this source, seperate from the 'fantasy' stuff. Also, "Drawing and painting fantasy figures" should be purchased first, as more versatile, along with its companion on "Fantasy Worlds".

Poser, mentioned heavily in this book, is also a very good tool. Ever see a movie called "Fire and Ice"? It was done with a "Rotoscope" where artists drew over still frames from a movie that used actors approximating what the animation would be. Today, with Poser and some decent software, such as flash and painter, such a movie could be made far more easily. One of my projects once I think of a good "Thud and Blunder" plot to tribute to Heroic fantasy;-)

I use TrueSpace for more ambitious 3D, but for general figure position experiments, Poser works good. Got a copy of Poser 5 here, and it works great. Previously, I'd used Poser 3, which I got for free in a magazine, but when I got a computer with more than a Gig of Ram, Poser 3 couldn't recognize it.

Not what you think.......2006-12-31

Drop the How to Draw from the title and you will get what you are paying for. This book covers software and tools used in the profession but lacks any step by steps useful to beginners and contains info already known by anyone with basic knowledge of character design. This book is more of a gallery of created characters.

Average customer rating:

A Great Read
Great Story, Spotty Art
love she hulk
"Judge Gibson...I'm going to need a brief recess. I have to go...save the world."
One of the BEST new comics to come out of Marvel in years!

She-Hulk Vol. 1: Single Green Female
Dan Slott , and Juan Bobillo
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0785114432

Book Description

Single Green Female, outgoing, intelligent, great sense of humor. Enjoys clubbing, dishing with gal-pals and saving the universe. Ready to put old issues behind and make a fresh start. Contact Jen W. at Avengers Mansion. That's right...everyone's favorite Jade Giantess, She-Hulk, has returned for tons of fun, both on and off the field of battle! Collecting SHE-HULK #1-6.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Read.......2007-09-18

Dan Slott is one of my favorite graphic novel writers and his work on "She-Hulk" perfectly demonstrates why.

"She-Hulk, Volume 1" is how the traditional superhero graphic novel for adults should be written. Along with the "Justice League" work that Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire did, Dan Slott's work on "She-Hulk" defines the traditional superhero graphic novel for adults. His writing in "She-Hulk" is full of sharp dialogue, timely humor, and an understanding that the traditional superhero story for adults normally works best when it is not taken seriously, and when the story focuses more on character interaction rather than superheroics.

She-Hulk (aka: Jennifer Walters) works at a law firm that defends superheroes. This is a great concept when you consider all the collateral damage and civil rights violations that superheroes inflict. And Slott takes this concept and runs with it to tell an incredibly amusing story. Juan Bobillo does the majority of the illustrations and while I'm not a huge fan of his, his artwork works well for "She-Hulk." His light and comical art fits the type of story that "She-Hulk" is. "She-Hulk" is one of the few stories--graphic novel or otherwise--that is so well written that I can read it more than once. It's a shame that more graphic novels aren't written this well; I recommend "She-Hulk, Volume 1" to all adults.

Great Story, Spotty Art.......2007-08-08

She-Hulk has been described often as a character who turns convention on its head - a strong, self-possessed female character (best drawn and written by John Byrne in the late 1980s and early 1990s), she revels in the fact that she is a superhero and tries to show that, yes, it actually is pretty easy bring green. In many respects, she is the exact opposite of the Hulk. That, however, was before this volume. Dan Slott takes an insightful (and, I suppose, postmodern) look at She-Hulk. Splitting time between her work as a lawyer and member of The Avengers, Slott starts out by portraying Shulkie as a party girl who has let her celebrity and joie de vivre for superheroics get the best of her - to the detriment of her reputation as both a lawyer and a superhero. Turning the John Byrne model of She-Hulk on its head, Slott paints her as a woman whose superheroism is more a liability than a benefit.

And this is where the fun begins - hitting rock-bottom, Shulkie is offered a job in a legal firm dealing in (as a later volume so aptly puts it), "superhuman law" - but only if she can hack it as her alter-ego, Jennifer Walters, not as the jade giantess. Cases hilarious and poignant comes across her desk, and Slott seems never to tire of taking Busiek-like liberties with the mechanics of the superheroic. And all the while Jennifer must deal with the fact that maybe, just maybe, the superpowers she thought were giving her an edge might just be holding her back.

The only thing holding this volume back is the art. The issues in this volume (and in volume #2) are split between a more conventional (and, to my taste) preferable illustration style and one that is more impressionistic in its interpretations of beloved Marvel characters. To each his own, but I would have preferred that they picked an artist and stuck with them. All in all, however, this is a great addition to anyone's graphic novel library - fun, fresh, and often hilarious, "Single Green Female" is not to be missed.

love she hulk.......2007-05-13

She-hulk is one of the sexiest characters around her stories are fun.

"Judge Gibson...I'm going to need a brief recess. I have to go...save the world.".......2007-04-01

In the superhero universe, Jennifer Walters, the She-Hulk, has always lurked somewhere in the periphery of my attention. For long decades, I've regarded her as a second rate, female version of her cousin, the Hulk, and I felt no need whatsoever to follow her adventures. But, partly on a whim and partly because of Adi Granov's art cover, I put money down on SHE-HULK: SINGLE GREEN FEMALE. I'm so glad I did!

Marvel Comics' SHE-HULK: SINGLE GREEN FEMALE reprints the first six fabulous issues of our jade giantess's 2004 series. The first issue isn't very kind to our girl. It reveals how She-Hulk's endless partying finally causes her to be kicked out of the Avengers' mansion and also how her superhero lifestyle gets her terminated from her law firm. But, in her bleakest moment, Jennifer is offered a place in the most prestigious firm on the east coast, Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg, & Holliway. The caveat presented to her is that, in the offices of the firm, she must, at all times, be in her civilian guise. Jennifer, who always prefers to be in her She-Hulk form, nevertheless, accepts.

The following issues go on to reveal that Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg, & Holliway isn't your average law firm but, rather, one which specializes in "superhuman law" and boasts the credo: "When the laws of reality are broken, we shall find solutions thru the laws of man." Jennifer is initially concerned (she wanted to work in a "respectable" firm) but gradually comes to appreciate the odd and unpredictable intricacies of her new job.

The cases themselves are decidedly not of the run-of-the-mill variety. Plenty of guest stars here as Jennifer finds herself hobnobbing with Dr. Strange, the Thing, Dr. Pym, and the Avengers. Her work cases number, among others, a ghost who demands his day in court and Danger Man, a disgruntled radioactive man who wants to file a class action suit against the company that gave him his superpowers. The funniest story here is when Spidey decides to sue J. Jonah Jameson for libel - this issue cracked me up all way through. And I'll tell you what, when the last two issues of SINGLE GREEN FEMALE decided to focus more on a massive supervillain prison breakout instead of the litigating aspects, it actually disappointed me.

In the course of these six issues, She-Hulk gathers about her a cast of eccentric supporting characters: Ditto, the jokey resident shapeshifter; Stu Cicero, nerdy master of the long boxes (more on that later); fellow attorney Augustus "Pug" Pugliese; and the very cool Awesome Andy (formerly super baddie, the Awesome Android). On the romantic side, a certain man-wolf/astronaut enters the picture while a hunky co-worker harbors a secret crush. Of course, Jennifer only sees the co-worker as a friend. Figures.

But it ain't all roses for She-Hulk. Sure, she now has job satisfaction and has even become more accepting of her drab, non-powered identity, but saddled with that is her ongoing rivalry with Mallory Book, the "barracuda lawyer with supermodel looks." Additionally, it turns out that Jen may not have been hired solely for her ability to make an argument. When the firm's boss's super villain granddaughter, Southpaw, is finally brought into custody, Jen learns the underlying reason.

Now, about those "long boxes." This is a pretty neat conceit thought up by writer Dan Slott and, in a way, is consistent with the She-Hulk's past habit of breaking down the fourth wall. The attorneys of the "superhuman law" branch of the firm rely greatly on research done via comic books, which are kept in long boxes. Apparently, most of the superheroes have licensed Marvel Comics to narrate their exploits in comic book format. Now, Marvel comic books before 2002 carry the seal of the Comics Code of America, which is a federal agency. Thus, Marvel comics are admissable in any court of law.

I haven't read She-Hulk's prior series incarnations, so I can't compare writer Dan Slott's superb work here with any of her other chroniclers. With regards to Mr. Slott, the man has a deft and light storytelling touch; he makes his court room scenes as much fun as his pages depicting the supervillain beat downs. He takes the time to delve into Jennifer's psyche and shows the reader that there's so much more beyond our heroine's shallow party girl image. Here, it's clear early on that She-Hulk's normal alter ego, Jennifer Walters, will play a very key role and that the big focus of the series will be on her vocation of attorney. Mr. Slott maintains a nice balance in shifting back and forth between Jennifer's more human side and her more extroverted, super strong persona.

Juan Bobillo's delicate and distinctive artistic style perfectly complements the breezy touch of the narrative; sadly, Paul Pelletier comes in for pencilling duties for the last two issues and gums up the works with his heavier handed artwork. Paul's art doesn't exactly suck but his style proves to be too jarring in the wake of Bobillo's finesse work. But never mind Paul Pelletier. Overall, the end result is that the She-Hulk has now become, for me, one of the most interesting characters in comic books and her series definitely one of the most readable and most FUN out there. So give this one a try, why don't you? Me, I've already ordered the next three She-Hulk volumes.

One of the BEST new comics to come out of Marvel in years!.......2006-03-20

I decided to give the first collection a try. I am so glad I did! These stories go against all of the current trends in comics today. Where other comics are mostly dark,
After hearing a lot of positive word of mouth about the new She-Hulk book I violent, and depressing, the stories in She-Hulk are creative, hopeful, and genuinely funny. Instead of getting one long, padded out story, you get one story after another in She-Hulk. I really felt like I got a lot of value for my money.

I've been reading comics for some time, but I've never really been interested in She-Hulk as a character. She always seemed very one note to me, just a big, green, female superhero. In this collection I was amazed to see how much character She-Hulk (and her alter-ego, Jen Walters) really had. She's a really fun and fleshed out person who lives in a fantastical, over the top world.

The main thrust of this series is that She-Hulk isn't just a superhero, she's a superhero-lawyer. And the fun comes from watching her work on cases that could only take place in a superhero world. There's a ghost who wants to testify at his own murder trial. There's an adventure that takes place at a dollhouse sized prison where they shrink supervillians. And in one of the funniest comics I've read in years, She-Hulk helps Spider-Man sue the Daily Bugle for all the times they've slandered him. I can't think of any other comic I've read that has been crammed full of so many different and clever ideas!

The art in this book is by two different artists. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. I liked the humor and weird approach of the first artist, and the more traditional comic book style of the second artist. But I think I might have liked it even more if just one artist did the art straight through the entire book.

If you enjoy a good read and you like fun in your comics, you owe it to yourself to buy this book!

Average customer rating:

Beautiful mix of psychology, dreams and horror
atmosphere is not enough
Well written but depressing
Excellent sequel to "Silk"... beautifully written
a different direction

Murder of Angels
Caitlin R. Kiernan
Manufacturer: Roc Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451459962
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Book Description

Ten years ago, Niki Ky and Daria Parker saw something unspeakable in an old house in Birmingham, Alabama. Daria has denied it, escaping into a frantic music career and various addictions. But Niki has not had so many distractions. Diagnosed schizophrenic, she's lost years in a haze of therapy and anti-psychotics.

But now, Niki's dead lover, Spyder Baxter, is calling to her from another world-an alien, impossible place where Niki is known as a Hierophant, a feared prophesied sorceress who can open a portal between worlds. And Daria will finally have to face what really happened ten years ago, if she's to help Niki save a world...or destroy it.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful mix of psychology, dreams and horror.......2007-07-28

There was quite a lapse between my reading of Silk, which I loved and Murder of Angels, but this story did a fairly good job of jogging my memory so it didn't matter, and I would reccomend it. That said, there were a few things nagging at me after I finished this book.

Was Spyder's world a real world at all? Due to the connections of characters that linger between worlds I would say yes, but the last scene with Daria and the little girl (the 'moment' from Spyder's past) and the revelation (drawing) in Spyder's ancient notebook that Daria finds, made me wonder.

I loved the idea that Spyder's own psychological disfunction/delusions?, stemming from the abuse from her father, colored her entry into the dream world and even infected a primal demon/force (the dragon) that exsisted in this dream world, But, due to the revelation of the drawing in Spyder's notebook it seems that this world would not have exsisted without Spyder to begin with or did she somehow have some precognitive knowledge of this world to begin with as a child?

The above is never explained.

I also wished there might have been more on Theda. Emotionally, she was an incredibly realistic character. Her anguished scream at the end at what she had become, at what had actually happened to her, or maybe just that she wasn't able to destroy the world that she hated, was extremely moving to me.

Another wonderful point was that Spyder's belief system regarding the angels wasn't simply pulled out of a hat, but based on an actual mythology that she simply tweaked for her own purposes or perhaps knew the truth of.

Her characters which are on the fringe of society, who *know* things and are in touch with things that the majority is not, very much reminds me of Peter Straub's Shadowland, but her world is much more realistic and sad.

With all that said, I loved the book. Kiernan's characters are usually unseen elswhere in literature and she paints them beautifully. Her dreamworlds with the ghosts and talking birds become real to me when I'm reading her words and in the end that's all that matters.

atmosphere is not enough.......2006-08-07

My first mistake was in deciding to tackle this book even after discovering it was a sequel, yet I did so after having been assured that reading the book's predecessor was not a prerequisite to enjoying the follow-up. The first 100 pages were wonderfully creepy and atmospheric, and I seemed to be piecing together the plot and filling in some of the blanks that came with not having ready "Silk". But the book shifts from horror to a rather lame SF/fantasy and the plot becomes increasingly intricate and confusing, and the characters' allegiances and motivations are all difficult to fathom. My second mistake was reading it to the end after suspecting that my time was being wasted, yet I persevered only to find the ending was hurried and slipshod. By the final page, I really didn't care about the characters and the fact that they all were dead (in this world anyway). The author is undeniably talented but this book just didn't do it for me...

Well written but depressing.......2006-05-23

Perhaps I needed to have read Silk, first. But I found that this book, while containing some excellent wordsmithing, made me unutterably depressed. Enough so that I gave up on the book before I finished it.

The author has an excellent control of setting, character, storytelling... and she communicated the depression and despair of the main characters with skill. But I don't necessarily *want* to be depressed.

I grabbed this book before a plane flight. By the time the peanuts and juice arrived, I had given up on the book, and I dragged out my laptop computer. ("Ah well, I probably should get some work done anyway" is not my response to a great book -- "just a few more pages..." is more common.) And then I bought another book in San Francisco to tide me over on the way home.

I'll make a point of looking for Kiernan's other novels. But this one didn't work for me.

Excellent sequel to "Silk"... beautifully written.......2006-03-05

If you enjoyed "Silk", you won't be disappointed with this work. It meets or exceeds the quality of it's predecessor. As always, Kiernan compellingly meanders through beautiful and creepy realities and experiences telling the tale of Niki, Dar, and Spyder. One has difficulty not taking pleasure from Kiernan's writing. Passages like the following one pepper the work in such a way that you cannot help but underline them: "Ahe she drew another deep breath, a sip of water from the bottle on the floor beside her feet, and started talking, letting the past drain like infection." As with all her work, I highly recommend it.

a different direction.......2006-03-04

knowing miss kiernan's fondness for science fiction, i finally really saw the influence in this book. the red witches and (literal) journeys across created lands threw me off a bit, yet the story was every bit as dark, as liberating, and as heartbreaking as i've come to expect.

my favorite novels thus far are threshold and low red moon, yet i've always wondered what happened to the survivors from birmingham. niki and daria's relationship, i feel, reflects the relationship between spyder and niki herself, only this time she's not the one helplessly watching someone unraveling. daria is thrust into the role of caretaker and lover, which is (seems to me) formed more out of convenience and a sense of responsibility, not out of romantic, head-over-heels love.

i really did like this book, as the author does a fantastic job of creating these barren landscapes. the characters are likable, although i thought niki was so much stronger after crossing the dog's bridge (before, i almost wanted to shake her by the shoulders and tell her to snap out of it)...some of the characters, such as esme chattox or theda, i would have liked to see more of, and i don't know if they'll ever show up again. and i'll probably understand it much more when i read it a second time, but i almost had a difficult time identifying the purpose and the antigonist...but as i said, these things are much easier the second time around, when you're not reeling from the shock of an event.

one thing that i can always count on when reading a caitlin r. kiernan book is that by the time i turn the last page, i've cried (and in some cases, bawled) at least once. these resolutions do not come with happy endings.

W Juliet, Volume 13 (W Juliet (Graphic Novels))

Average customer rating:

W Juliet, Volume 13 (W Juliet (Graphic Novels))
Emura
Manufacturer: VIZ Media LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1421505665

Book Description

Graduation is only months away, and keeping Makoto's gender a secret is more challenging than ever! Since Makoto's father is dead-set against his son's choice of profession, he has decided not to attend the graduation ceremony. Ito is intent on strengthening the bond between Makoto and his father, despite their conflict. She convinces Makoto to spend the New Year's holiday with his family in the hope that the pigheaded patriarch will change his mind. Makoto is quite confident in his acting skills, but will his persuasive abilities measure up?

Customer Reviews:

lovin' juliet.......2007-02-21

the two above are actually both right and if thats the plot for cheeky angel then someone needs to review some copyright laws. this book is awsome in itself in a cliche kind of way its predictable but in a good kind of way. the book has nice graphics and is appropriate for kids from one to ninety two enjoy!

Amazing.......2005-05-28

This is an amazing manga, from it's clean, clear imagery that's easy to follow, and read, to the very last page of its breath taking drama. The story is that of Ito Miura and Makoto Narita, and their developing feelings for one another. The problem?
Makoto Narita is posing as Makoto Amano, a girl! To persue his acting dreams, Mako must finish high school life as a girl, demanded by his tough, tyrannical father. After an accident, in which Ito learns the truth, the two become unseperable friends, then more. Despite of Ito's tomboyish appearance, the two suit each other well, and they vow to graduate together. But when an old fiance of Mako's turns up, and more than a few guys looking at Ito, what's the pair to do?

Well, grab the book, and find out!

W Juliet is Hilarious!.......2004-11-30

I love this series.
Although I would like to note that the above description of the item, released by the publsiher, was mistakenly attached to W JUliet, that description is for Cheeky Angel.
W Juliet is about two martial artists, a boy and a girl, who often cross dress. One because she looks like a boy and the other because he wants to be an actor and his father struck a deal with him. If he could pass for a girl and not be discovered until after graduation in high school then He could go on to be an actor and his sisters can be the ones to inherit the dojo.

Average customer rating:

Her solution is a problem
Peace, Love, And Harmony - Unless Of Course You're Male
A complex, involving sci-fi novel about alternate realities
Has aged very poorly
What do the women in Whileaway do with their hair? ý

The Female Man (Bluestreak)
Joanna Russ
Manufacturer: Beacon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0807062995

Book Description

Living in an altered past that never saw the end of the Great Depression, Jeannine, a librarian, is waiting to be married. Joanna lives in a different version of reality: she's a 1970s feminist trying to succeed in a man's world. Janet is from Whileaway, a utopian earth where only women exist. And Jael is a warrior with steel teeth and catlike retractable claws, from an earth with separate-and warring-female and male societies. When these four women meet, the results are startling, outrageous, and subversive.

Customer Reviews:

Her solution is a problem.......2006-07-13

This book is a nice departure from the mostly male-dominated science fiction genre. Instead of concentrating on technical details (like describing intricate new technologies, inventing
elaborate languages, etc.) the author seems to have decided to add whatever fictional technology she finds convenient for conveying her message without feeling the need to elaborate. Not that geekiness is inherently bad, but it can definitely feel alienating to some people. Actually, the biggest departure from mainstream science fiction is the fact that all of the main characters are female and the female characters are all well-developed and clearly intelligent.

There is a lot of exploration of gender relations between women and men. The book also explores the idea of different gender roles through the existence of parallel realities with drastically different societies. One problem with this book is that the parallel-reality world without men is presented as almost utopian, as if the removal of male-bodied persons is the solution to all of human society's problems. Another disturbing issue is the fact that the author more or less disregards the issues of race and economic class. In a book that is so focused on inequality between the sexes, it is surprising that the author overlooks other important class issues. This also relates to the first problem - if her belief is that the destruction of all men is necessary to eliminate sexism, what are her solutions for racism and classism?

Peace, Love, And Harmony - Unless Of Course You're Male.......2006-04-03

The virulent hatred of men exhibited by feminists who boast endlessly about how compassionate and nurturing they are is the most tiresome thing about feminist-Utopian gynotopias. This badly written and ideologically asinine novel has for some mysterious reason garnered wide acclaim. Among the author's embittered potshots at the male gender are a scene in which a man (a Marine, of course) consults a book called WHAT TO DO IN EVERY SITUATION when a woman rejects his advances and follows its instructions: insult her and "Girl backs down - cries - manhood vindicated." Gee, real subtle there.

A complex, involving sci-fi novel about alternate realities.......2004-02-10

Jeannine, anxiously awaiting marriage to her boyfriend, is a librarian on an Earth that never saw an end to The Great Depression. Joanna is a 1970s feminist trying to make it in a man's world by being just like a man. Janet Evason, a traveler from Whileaway which has not been home to a man in over 800 years, suddenly appears on a Broadway sidewalk. The three women are drawn to one another, presumably to learn and to share information. Things take a different track when they meet Jael Reasoner from an alternate Earth with separate, warring male and female societies. She has plans of her own for the three women.

This is a fantastic science fiction book centered on the idea that any given situation has a number of choices. What happens if all the choices actually occur, creating separate realities. What would the Earth be like in each of those realities? How would humans behave and act? Author Joanna Russ lays all these ideas at your feet, and then throws in: and what if you could travel between these realities?

Russ also gives the story a feminist flavor, having each of the characters represent a different aspect of a woman without being weak or vicitmized. They're very strong, very well-defined characters, challenging the reader to open his or her mind to all the possibilities around them.

The only difficulty I encountered with this book was sticking with the narrator. I never really knew who was talking at which time because the scenes would change from chapter to chapter. A little confusing at times, but if you stick with the book, the outcome is definitely worth it.

Has aged very poorly.......2003-09-24

This rambling bore of a book was one of 18 nominated for a Nebula award in 1975, but it certainly hasn't aged well. Russ ends the book "Do not complain when at last you become quaint and old-fashioned...Rejoice little book! For on that day , we will be free!" This pretentious closing gives The Female Man more self-credit than it deserves. The author thoughtfully provided some disjointed text in Part 7, Section III that sums up my feelings about the book: "maunderings of antiquated feminism...this shapeless book...some truth buried in a largely hysterical...of very limited interest. I should ... another tract for the trash-can...burned her bra and thought that . . . no characterization, no plot...really important issues are neglected while...another shrill polemic which the...this pretense at a novel...trying to shock... the usual boring obligatory references to Lesbianism [and statutory rape no less!]... drivel." If it's satire, it's not funny, except for a couple of pages where the assassin (man-killin' and android-lovin') messes with the minds of some barbarians. Male characters are mostly relegated to leering two-dimensional aspiring rapists. If you are interested in gender-issue science fiction, there are far superior examples, such as works by Ursula Le Guin.

What do the women in Whileaway do with their hair? ý.......2003-02-11

... They chop it off with clamshells. There was a time when speculative-fiction (or science-fiction, pick your term) was filled with writers who experimented and challenged the status quo. These writers, people like Harlan Ellison, Samuel Delaney, and Joanna Russ, are challenging, talented, and even funny when they want to be. If you are open minded, try reading them and their peers.

That background out of the way, of all the books in the speculative fiction genre I've read, this is my favorite. First off, yes, "The Female Man" is a feminist book. Guys, getting scared off at this point would be a bad idea. Jeannine's tragic life is something anyone forced into a role they can't stand will identify with. Janet's life is hilarious and exhilarating, filled with Whileawayan philosophy and sayings. Jael, aka "Sweet Alice", lives in a world that is as dark as Jeannine's and as strange as Janet's, but she has the power to take control of it. Lastly, Joanna, the author's mouthpiece, is the glue that ties the other three women together. The book is entertaining and nearly impossible to put down. The humor is perfect and the feminist ideas presented by Russ are still relevant today. Be happy that Russ has the ability to fling her readers across time and space then shoot them back, because few can make a book this fun and yet this sad.

Many of the reviews here on Amazon.com are from people who just don't seem to "get it". Russ and her peers didn't always write novels that were neat and orderly, and this one in particular can drive the close-minded insane. Russ' style is closer to a James Joyce than a Charlotte Perkins Gillman or an Isaac Asimov, so be willing to read this book on her terms and hers alone. If you can do that, there is little to fear. Russ is a rebel, and at one point in the novel she even predicts the negative reaction of literary critics on her book and provides examples of the reviews she believed they would write. Think about that for a minute, she put fake negative reviews for "The Female Man" in "The Female Man" itself to prove a point about our uptight society. That's just a classic moment, and when you see that it perfectly mingles with the rest of the content and doesn't upset the flow, you can bow before this great novel yourself.

Average customer rating:

Much better than the first book...

An excellent read

Political Intrigue and Magical Dangers

The women of the Yellow City have their magic groove back

Not Hambly's best, but still quite good

Circle of the Moon
Barbara Hambly
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Sisters of the Raven (Aspect Fantasy)

Dead Water (Benjamin January, Book 8)

Dragonstar

The Emancipator's Wife

Knight of the Demon Queen

ASIN: 0446618179

Book Description

The laws of magic have changedno one knows how or why. And with that change, new perils have arisen: deadly water-monsters from the depths of the Seven Lakes and a plague of madness in the desert. In the strongholds of human safety, anger and greed bloom as nobles and landchiefs fight for power. Raeshaldis, the only woman formally trained in the old systems of male magic, allies herself with the beautiful concubine Summerchild to found the Circle of the Moona motley group of women whose powers are untested, unknown, and unreliable. Faced with an attempt by the landchiefs to oust the King, and with the efforts of her own family to re-enslave her, Raeshaldis must play a deadly guessing-game, while an even more terrible threat awaits......

Customer Reviews:

Much better than the first book..........2007-03-18

The world has changed since men lost their magic while women have gained a new form of magic....

Things are going awry in the Yellow City and its surrounding areas as water monsters have appeared and a plague of madness seems to be on the move along with a deadly green mist. The entire Realm of the Seven Lakes and King Oryn Jothek II's very life may be in jeopardy unless the Raven women (ie, the Crafty women newly empowered with magic) figure out a way to help Oryn with the deadly obstacles he must face in the newly proclaimed Jubilee- obstacles that were handled via magic in the past but no longer seem to be effective. Meanwhile, Raeshaldis finds herself torn between her loyalties to Oryn and her grandfather, who has demanded her assistance after a magical attack on his life. Will the Ravens be able to save Oryn and the Realm of the Seven Lakes in time?

Barbara Hambly returns readers to the very ambitious world she first crafted in SISTERS OF THE RAVEN. Without a doubt, readers should first read SISTERS OF THE RAVEN in order to get a real grasp on the complex world building and the numerous characters. SISTERS OF THE RAVEN spent a lot more time initially on showing readers all the various politics within the Yellow City while CIRCLE OF THE MOON builds on those already established relationships and assumes the readers are familiar with the underlying issues. The strength of CIRCLE OF THE MOON makes the initial struggles with reading SISTERS OF THE RAVEN more than worth the effort!

CIRCLE OF THE MOON is chock full of intrigue with a good dose of action to keep the plot flowing. The characters are so well drawn that readers will feel an instant kinship with many of them, including even Pomegranate's pig, Pontifer! However, CIRCLE OF THE MOON is really more Raeshaldis' story as she learns to grow in her magic and stretches herself in ways she had never previously imagined. Facing her grandfather again is a real test for her, as her grandfather had once thrown her out of the house for having the very same magic from which he now seeks to benefit.

CIRCLE OF THE MOON continues to address some of the issues of prejudice that first manifested in SISTERS OF THE RAVEN. Readers will be thoroughly enthralled with this book in the series, as the depth and complexity is simply astonishing. Many questions regarding the changes in magic are answered in this sequel. Barbara Hambly demonstrates why she is one of the masters in the fantasy genre with CIRCLE OF THE MOON.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

An excellent read.......2006-11-28

In the follow up to Sisters of the Raven, Barbara Hambly draws the reader into a mystical world where many gods are worshipped, and magical women draw their power from the Sun and the Earth. Ever since the men lost the ability to do magic ten years ago, and the women inherited this power, the Realm of the Seven Lakes has been changing. The magical women, few and unsure of their own
abilities, are unable to bring the rains to the desert landscape of the Yellow City, and the lakes are beginning to choke with sand.

When Reashaldis hears the cries of a distant Sister of the Raven--the term for women bestowed with the ability to carry out magic--begging for Raeshaldis' help in the face of the death of many of her townspeople, she is determined to find her magical "sister."

And with the King facing his second Jubilee, where he must conquer crocodiles, charm snakes and overcome deadly poison, she needs all the help she can get in return.

But as time begins to run out, and the deadly green mist looms ever closer, she begins to wonder whether she will be able to save the King, and the entire Realm, before they are lost forever.

Barbara Hambly brings you into a world you have never seen before, breathing life into her characters, and keeping you guessing to the very last page.

Armchair Interviews says: An excellent read for all fantasy fiction readers!!

Political Intrigue and Magical Dangers.......2006-07-17

Circle of the Moon (2005) is the second fantasy novel in the Raven Sisters series, following Sisters of the Raven. In the previous volume, the Raven Sisters were being abducted and then murdered. Raeshaldis investigated various sources of magic within the city, discovering the nature of the magical being within the idol of Nebekht and transporting herself to the site of the Raven's sacrifice. Luckily Summer Concubine, Pomegranate Woman and Oryn also figured out where the sacrificial site was located and arrived just in time to rescue Raeshaldis and Foxfire Girl from the murderer. But the teyn jenny had already been sacrificed. Three days later, the rains came to the Yellow City.

In this novel, the Raven Sisters are trying to renew the magical protections within the kingdom. Assisted by some former mages, Raeshaldis is intensively studying and practicing the known sigils and chants. The traditional methods, however, seldom work quite the same way for Ravens.

Cattail Woman is getting rich by selling love and hate potions that don't necessarily work as advertised. Ahure the former Blood Mage is also raking in money for amulets that are completely ineffective. Other male mages are continuing to hide the loss of their powers.

Shaldis is called to her home because of a magical attack on her grandfather Chirak Shaldeth. She finds him little changed from the angry, abusive patriarch that she had fled two years before. Still, she checks for signs of magic use within the household and finds several traces of unknown origin. Maybe there is another Raven in the city that she has not met; with the burdens placed on the Ravens, another female mage would be a gift from the gods.

Shaldis is also having strange dreams about dying children. Although trying to contact the source while awake, she has no success. Soth, the former Earth Mage, suggests holding thoughts of healing herbs in her mind before falling asleep and she tries this for many days. Finally she dreams again of the dying children and establishes contact with the faraway woman.

Pomegranate and Soth discover that ancient wards are no longer working to constrain the lake monsters. Of course, none had previously known that these wards even existed, so what other ancient wards are no longer functioning? And what danger were they designed to prevent?

This novel follows the Raven Sisters as they investigate several urgent mysteries, including the deaths at Three Wells and the unusual behavior of the teyn. Then Lord Akarian suggests that the gods have deserted the land and will only return after the Ceremony of the King's Jubilee. The king's uncle, Mohrvine, quickly agrees with the idea and the news is spread to every part of the city and beyond. Without magical help, maybe the king will be killed during the ceremony and then Mohrvine can become the king.

Highly recommended for Hambly fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of high adventure, exotic cultures, and perseverance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

The women of the Yellow City have their magic groove back.......2006-04-19

When I reviewed Barbara Hambly's Sisters of the Raven, I mentioned how I would be disappointed if there was a sequel, because it seemed to end at the perfect place and didn't need a sequel. In fact, I said that a sequel would "cheapen the magic that this one carries." Of course, she had to go and prove me wrong. With Circle of the Moon, Hambly builds on everything that she created in the first book, giving a logical extension to the events there and writing a book that is almost better than its predecessor. Not quite, but very close.

In a small desert society, the magic of men has disappeared. Sisters of the Raven detailed how some women discovered that they had some magical power of their own, and how that power became important. Circle of the Moon shows us the development of this magic as an even greater threat to the Yellow City emerges from the dead. As Raeshaldis, the only woman trained in the art of the old magics, works with the king's concubine, Summerchild, to discover why female magic works only sporadically, weird things start happening. Water monsters long thought extinct are terrorizing the coasts of the Seven Lakes. Some men are behaving in a monstrous fashion, turning into maniacs intent on nothing but destruction. Raeshaldis must figure out what is going on and how it relates to the various tombs scattered in the desert. Things become even more complicated when the King is challenged to a renewal of the ritual trials that proclaimed him King, and he discovers that it was the old magic, now seemingly non-existent, that stood in the way of the King dying. Can things get any worse? Of course they can.

Hambly once again gives us an extremely interesting society, where women are still treated as chattel but some women hold more power than many of the men. Summerchild is the power behind the throne, along with King Oryn's charisma and intelligence. With women now working magic, they may become even more powerful, and Hambly shows us all the different facets of this. Some use it for monetary gain, a power that is easily gained. Others use it to try and get a family member on the throne, and will stop at nothing to obtain that power. Meanwhile, a small circle of women (the Sisters of the Raven) try to help the king as well as figure out how their power works. It's all extremely fascinating, and Hambly weaves all of these stories into a tapestry that includes this grand threat to everything in existence, and she manages not to lose her way doing it. It helps that many of these stories are tied together, of course.

Once again, it's Hambly's power of setting that makes the book even better, though I can certainly see why some people wouldn't like it. She sets the scenes extremely well, describing everything that's going on around the characters as they walk and talk, or as they sit in the desert heat trying to keep cool. My mind's eye pictured every location vividly, and each character seemed even more human as they went about their business, discussing what they can do to help Summerchild as they eat what proves to be one of the few meals they're able to enjoy, for instance. Of course, this description can get tedious if you aren't hooked on the story, but this time there's no problem there.

Then there is the characterization, which Hambly performs with her usual aplomb. I said before that everybody seems human in this book, but it's much more than that. I really grew to care about the characters, even as some of the events in their lives are extremely predictable. Hambly seems to play coy with the relationship between Raeshaldis and Jethan, but it's obvious where it's going. Even so, how it develops says a lot about Raeshaldis and provides even more characterization for her. The loving relationship between Oryn and Summerchild is even better, even with Summerchild being out of the book for a long stretch of time. Hambly avoids the clich? of the handsome king and the beautiful queen. While Summerchild is quite pretty, Oryn is described as slightly overweight, almost pudgy. But their love is strong, and this makes them both seem even more realistic.

Even the bad people in the story are three-dimensional. There isn't really a "villain," per se, but Mohrvine is hungry for the throne and anxious for Oryn to fail the tests. But even he is humanized, helping Oryn when it's in his best interest to do so, and feeling an obligation to the Sisters who saved his daughter's life. His mother is the closest to one-dimensional, using her power cruelly in the hopes of saving her son's life and having him ascend the throne, but even she isn't too bad.

I haven't said much about the plot of the book, other than my description, but that's because it really should be experienced without many hints. When I discovered the secret behind the women's fluctuating power, I had to hit myself on the forehead, it was that obvious. But Hambly disguises it well, and what's happening with the rest of the story is equally intriguing. The final action sequences go on a bit too long, but that's the only criticism I can give to this book. Circle of the Moon is yet another winner from Hambly, and only the fact that I loved Sisters of the Raven so much keeps me from saying it's better. Combine these two books, and you have a wonderful series. And, best of all, Hambly leaves room for an obvious sequel, and this time I can't wait.

David Roy

Not Hambly's best, but still quite good.......2006-03-04

Barbara has put out better works (time of the dark, etc.), but this was still quite fun and a compelling read. It expands upon the world and characters introduced in Sisters of the Raven nicely, and leaves many issues open for further works.