History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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.

100 Great Operas And Their Stories: Act-By-Act Synopses

Average customer rating:

Essential for every literary collection
A good reference in most cases...
many good operas missing
A rare and USEFUL guide
If you only buy one book on opera...

100 Great Operas And Their Stories: Act-By-Act Synopses
Henry W. Simon
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0385054483
Release Date: 1989-04-22

Book Description

An invaluable guide for both casual opera fans and afficionados, this volume contains act-by-act descriptions of operatic works ranging from the early seventeenth century masterworks of Monteverdi and Purcell to the modern classics of Menotti and Britten. Written in a lively anecdotal style, entries include character descriptions, historical background, and much more.

Customer Reviews:

Essential for every literary collection.......2007-05-27

Opera deserves a place of honor in any literary collection. It's a proud individual who can say that they know the plot of Lakme or Tales of Hoffman. Even if you haven't seen an opera, get this book, and no one will be the wiser!

A good reference in most cases..........2006-12-12

I have used this book for many years as a quick reference for studying operas that are new to me, and for that purpose, the book is excellent. As others have mentioned (and the title obviously declares), only 100 operas are discussed, which means many important works are not included. My main complaint about this book is the amount of "editorializing" offered by Mr. Simon. He presents himself as an expert, but makes his personal likes and dislikes clear (perhaps the reason why some obscure operas are included...?). He offended me when he described Puccini's masterpiece, La Fanciulla del West, as a "tired" and "second-rate" Italian opera. His harsh criticism reflects his personal opinion, and is not an objective description. That said, his writing is very readable and even humorous at times. I simply advise readers to be aware that this book is not entirely a reporting of facts.

many good operas missing.......2005-09-04

they have included some operas i never heard of ,and did not include some good and popular ones.

A rare and USEFUL guide.......2004-07-27

I took an intrest in Opera and wanted to discover more about it. To my dismay, when I read reviews in the papers, I found nearlly nothing of value because they never did the simple job of brifely explaining what the story was actual about. That's why this book is great; it gives a brief summary of what the Opera is about act by act. Thus, this guide is a great tool to find a story that you like; however, one should still look into a local review of an Opera to see how the singers perform and the rendition is done; this book gives reviews in the general.

If you only buy one book on opera..........2001-03-25

This is a great book for the opera novice or seasoned opera affectionado. Going to an upcoming opera? Reading the synopsis will refresh one's memory or help the novice to better understand what is going on by acts. This is a well written book and a true bargain for the extensive information provided. I have purchased one for myself and another for a friend. A great gift book!

Average customer rating:

Great introduction for kids!
Mozart's The Magic Flute
The Definitive Magic Flute
A great way to learn about opera, suitable for young or old.
Wonderful story-telling

The Magic Flute
Anne Gatti
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0811810038

Amazon.com

Mozart's last opera, the simultaneously comic and serious fairy tale The Magic Flute (Die Zauberfloete), is as problematic as anything in the medium. Some deplore it for its perceived sexism and racism; some deplore it for its arguably goofy plot. "Depending on your perspective," writes David Foil in his essay in this book, it "is either the silliest opera ever written or a work of profound insight that happens to be dressed in the trappings of a cartoon." That it is Mozart's sublime music that ennobles something meant to be merely a short-lived popular entertainment is not in question.

This volume, issued by Black Dog Opera Library, puts together Foil's essay, lots of pictures, a complete libretto (with running commentary) in English and German, and a classic recording on two compact discs in one comfortably priced hardcover package. It is a fine introduction to what remains a great opera, goofy plot or no. (And Bellini's plots aren't even goofier?) It is worth buying just for the now out-of-print EMI/Angel 1972 (remastered in 1987) recording, contained on two very long-playing CDs, found inside the front and back covers of the book. The dialogue portions work better in this version than in most recordings. Anneliese Rothenberger is an appealing Pamina, and Walter Berry is a delightful Papageno. Edda Moser nails the difficult music of the Queen of Night, while Kurt Moll is our day's definitive Sarastro. Wolfgang Sawallisch, brisk and never lugubrious, conducts his soloists and the Bavarian State Opera Chorus and Orchestra with total certainty.

Book Description

Enter a magical world of monster serpents, mysterious ladies, and flying machines where giant flowers and butterflies the size of birds abound. It is here, amidst a lush wood and within a dark labyrinthine castle that an unforgettable cast of characters gathers and a magical story of good versus evil unfolds. Readers will thrill as Prince Tamino strives to save Princess Pamina from the wicked Queen of the Night and the Chancellor Monostatos. Accompanied by Papageno, the birdcatcher, and a magic flute to ward off evil, Tamino and Pamina must overcome thundering waterfalls and walls of fire to save their kingdom from darkness and live happily ever after.

Illustrated with the glorious paintings of Peter Malone, this enchanting retelling of Mozart's famous opera paired with an audio CD is sure to delight lovers of fairytales and music alike.

Awards and honors for The Magic Flute:
School Library Journal, starred review
1998 Bookbuilders West Award 1998 Parent Council Ltd. - Outstanding

Customer Reviews:

Great introduction for kids!.......2007-03-08

This is a great opera introduction for kids. The story is really easy to follow and the CD is a great addition. I highly recommend this for anyone.

Mozart's The Magic Flute.......2007-02-14

This was a wonderful story well written for a young audience. We bought it for our six-year-old son who began studying violin a year ago, and this was his one-year anniversary present. Mozart's Eine Kleine Nacht Musik was his inspiration to learn the violin, and he has since taken interest in other Mozart music. The illustrations are also very beautiful.

The Definitive Magic Flute.......2005-04-12

I'm usually dismissive of most Die Zauberflotes because I find the overall quality of the singers and recording lacking. Then I came upon this recording...I have to say that it is simply the most amazing Die Zauberflote I've ever heard! The orchestrations to the singers to the conductor himself...everything is mind-blowing! I'm not a Mozart person, but if I really like a recording of his I will buy it. This is an excellent way to introduce yourself to the Flute, especially since there is such a wonderful introduction accompanying this extremely famous opera. And the Queen of the Night-Edda Moser!!! Amazing! Simply amazing! No other Queen has conveyed that much drama into her singing. This is the Flute. I would suggest Marriner's version if I hadn't seen this one, but then here is a Flute with all the greats in it! Get it now!

A great way to learn about opera, suitable for young or old........2004-04-21

I received this as a gift from a mislead but well-meaning relative. Needless to say, I have never been a fan of opera. However, I was surprised that I was actually able to enjoy this book and accompanying CD. The book begins with a brief biography of Mozart, and then offers a prose overview of the story (extremely helpful for understanding!). The second half of the book contains the libretto, or text, of the opera. The original German forms one column on the left-hand side of each page, and the English translation is printed on the right. This way one can follow along with the story while listening to the music, even if you don't know a word of German. Throughout the entire book there are pictures from different stage performances of The Magic Flute. The musical recording is of high quality, contained on two disks that fit into pockets on the inside front and back cover of the book.

This would be a wonderful book for anyone interested in learning about opera, young or old. However, I must disagree with the reviewer who said this was geared toward children between three and seven. A 3-year-old would never be able to read the text, and a 7-year-old, unless very advanced, would no doubt struggle with it. The book is better suited for slightly older children all the way up through adults of any age. While I'm still not a fan of opera, I did gain some appreciation for it from this book and CD. I'm sure the only way to truly experience an opera is to see it performed live (just listening to a recording removes the entire visual element), but I would nevertheless recommend this product.

Wonderful story-telling.......2004-03-15

P. Craig Russell's drawing style seems especially apt for stories of enchanted lands and beings. His lines are light and airy, and he sets a mood nicely with color. In other words, he is ideally suited to illustrate this story.

He does a delightful job of it, too. He amplifies all of the characters theatrically beyond the believable, and has one small advantage over true opera - he is never at the mercy of the set designers, costumers, or other effects.

I am very glad to see this classic of western culture (and the others coming soon) made available in this format. I confess, I have not fully acquired the taste for opera, or the ability to derive the story from the way it is sung. I do, however, want to know at least a bit of the story, and this is a very digestible form. Russell's drawing makes it more than digestible, it's a real confection. I also appreciate the fact that Russell has adapted the story, and not created a new one from fragments of the classic.

Opera buffs - I hope you can accept this for what it is. One way to look at this is opera appreciation on training wheels, a painless entry into part of the operatic art. It's also a way to spread some knowledge of this classic across a generation that might not have been exposed to the story otherwise - certainly a good thing.

If nothing else, it's a well-drawn comic by a very capable artist. It's that "else" that makes this comic stand out. I'm looking forward to the next Russell operas.

Book Description

Space opera, once a derisive term for cheap pulp adventure, has come to mean something else in modern SF: compelling adventure stories told against a broad canvas, and written to the highest level of skill. Indeed, it can be argued that the new space opera is one of the defining streams of modern SF. Now, World Fantasy Awardwinning anthologists David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer have compiled a definitive overview of this subgenre, both as it was in the days of the pulp magazines, and as it has become in 2005. Included are major works from genre progenitors like Jack Williamson and Leigh Brackett, stylish midcentury voices like Cordwainer Smith and Samuel R. Delany, popular favorites like David Drake, Lois McMaster Bujold, and Ursula K. Le Guin, and modern-day pioneers such as Iain M. Banks, Steven Baxter, Scott Westerfeld, and Charles Stross.

Customer Reviews:

Great stuff!.......2007-07-22

Just finished reading this monster, (940-plus pages), and all I can say is "Wow!" After 50-plus years of reading SF I would have thought at least one of these stories would be a re-read. No way! They were all new to me and I give a big, "two thumbs UP" for nearly every one. The editors are to be commended for an excellent job with their introductions to the stories and lots of eclectic info on the authors. I honestly can't remember reading another anthology with such a majority of very good stories. If you are new to SF and wish to know about the various definitions of the term 'space opera', or, if you are an old hand, like me, and wish to dine on a sumptious buffet of the sub-genre stretching from it's very beginnings to the present, this book should not be overlooked. I just ordered the editor's companion volume "The Hard SF Renaissance" based solely on the quality of the stories included in this volume.

Hartwell & Cramer's best BIG review-anthology yet. .......2007-03-14

I'm working my way through the Hartwell & Cramer SPACE OPERA RENAISSANCE anthology, and finding it well-done and to my taste -- I think it's Hartwell's best BIG review-anthology yet. Truly a doorstop: 940+ pages!, with a surprisingly large number of new-to-me stories.

Space Opera, as Hartwell points out in his nicely-done introductory essay and story notes, is a flexible concept. And when you get to New Space Opera, or Widescreen Baroque Space Opera -- well, no one really knows what these are. Really, space opera is what Hartwell (or whoever) points to when he says "space opera"...

Anyway, take a look at this juicy lineup:
(my faves are starred*)

Introduction: *How Shlt became Shinola, Definition & Redefinition of Space Opera, by Hartwell & Cramer

I. Redefined Writers
"The Star Stealers" by Edmond Hamilton
"The Prince of Space" by Jack Williamson
"Enchantress of Venus" by Leigh Brackett
*"The Swordsmen of Varnis" by Clive Jackson

II. Draftees (1960s)
***"The Game of Rat & Dragon" by Cordwainer Smith
"Empire Star" by Samuel R. Delany
"Zirn Left Unguarded, the Jenjik Palace in Flames, Jon Westerly Dead" by Robert Sheckley

III. Transitions/Redefiners (late 1970s to late 1980s)
*"Temptation" by David Brin
"Ranks of Bronze" by David Drake
*"Weatherman" by Lois McMaster Bujold
"A Gift from the Culture" by Iain M. Banks

IV. Volunteers:Revisionaries (early 90s)
*"Orphans of the Helix" by Dan Simmons
"The Well Wishers" by Colin Greenland
*"Escape Route" by Peter Hamilton
"Ms Midshipwoman Harrington" by David Weber
"Aurora in Four Voices" by Catherine Asaro
**"Ring Rats" by R. Garcia y Robertson
*"The Death of Captain Future" by Allen Steele

V. Mixed Signals/ Mixed Categories (to the late 1990s)
*"A Worm in the Well" by Gregory Benford
**"The Survivor" by Donald Kingsbury
"Fools Errand" by Sarah Zettel
"The Shobies Story" by Ursula K. Le Guin
"The Remoras" by Robert Reed
"Recording Angel" by Paul McAuley
"The Great Game" by Steven Baxter
"Lost Sorceress of the Silent Citadel" by Michael Moorcock
"Space Opera" by Michael Kandel

VI. Next Wave (21st Century)
"Grist" by Tony Daniel
"The Movements of her Eyes" by Scott Westerfeld
*"Spirey and the Queen" by Alastair Reynolds
*"Bear Trap" by Charles Stross
"Guest Law" by John C. Wright

Some story comments:

"The Game of Rat & Dragon" (1955) by Cordwainer Smith. My favorite Smith classic, which is to say one of the best SF shorts ever, Hasn't dated one bit in a half-century. Meow!

Dan Simmons' "Orphans of the Helix" (1999, _Far Horizons_), is a tasty, atmospheric and thoroughly space-operatic travel-adventure, set in the Hyperian Cantos universe. Pure travelogue and goshwow, mind --allegedly, this started life as a TV treatment. Would have made a nice show, if the SFX turned out well....

There's a new-to-me David Brin short: "Temptation" (1999), Streaker dolphins in Jijo's ocean. Quite a nice one, and reminds me of the good bits in the Jijo books -- like the sheer audacity of (literally) scraping a technical civilization into the ocean. In theory, anyway . Those tricky Buyurs!

Donald Kingsbury's long novella "The Survivor" (1991) is set in Larry Niven's Known Space universe, during the Man/Kzin wars, and is a proxy for Niven, a Space Opera King who's notably absent. It's the first half of his Lt. Nora Argamentine saga, set just after the Fall of Wunderland. John Clute thought it one of the best stories of 1991, and so do I.

"Ring Rats" (2002) by R. Garcia y Robertson: Space pirates! --pure adrenaline rush, with some nasty bits. Strong stuff, one of his best yet.

"Spirey and the Queen" (1996) by Alastair Reynolds: which has "some of that space-war sizzle and true weirdness that we see as a primary appeal of late-model space opera" -- Hartwell

Anyway, there's a ton of good stories here, most of which you'll be happy to add to your permanent library. Check it out.

Happy reading--
Peter D. Tillman
Review first published at SF Site

Compilation of SciFi Short Stories under the "Space Opera" theme.......2007-02-21

Large and decent collection of short story samples from a number of popular authors, compiled under the loose definition of "Space Opera". Reminds me of the cheap old double LP compilations of "almost hit" songs from various artists, such as SCHLAGERS(1970).

I suggest folks ignore the early stories (they are mostly junk). I also suggest ignoring most of the editors' attempts at defining "Space Opera", which are interspersed throughout the large book.

There are good short story samples out of David Brin's Uplift "universe", and Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan Series - which have definately got me interested in pursuing reading more books from these author's series (which I believe is the REAL intention of this book, much like the intention of the LP record compilations from the 60's/70's).

Dignifying the Form.......2006-09-10

As someone whose own work has been describe as intelligent space opera, I love this book just for the statment on the dust jacket that:
Space Opera, once a derisive term for cheap pulp adventure, has come to mean something more in modern SF: compelling adventure stories told against a broad canvas and written to the highest level of skill. Indeed, it can be argued that the "new space opera" is one of the defining streams of modern SF.
I confess I thought it was more of an academic analysis than an anthology when I bought it, but now I'm looking forward to the sampling of works from different times and tangents, instead. There is an element of academic analysis, as well, in the introduction.

Excellent and enjoyable.......2006-08-15

Presents stories from the entire history of space opera (although heavily biased toward more recent stories), with scholarly comments on each entry and a long, informative introduction. A good selection of enjoyable stories from some of the major writers of the form (although Vernor Vinge is inexplicably absent). The copyediting is uneven in spots, with missing or misspelled words.

Average customer rating:

Not that great
great set of stories
Great Short Story Collection!
Magic, Space Opera, Horror and more!
Awesome!

What Ho, Magic!
Tanya Huff
Manufacturer: Meisha Merlin Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1892065045

Book Description

Tanya Huff, the acclaimed writer of the Blood and Kigh series, is also a fantastic short story writer. What Ho, Magic! is a collection of fifteen of Tanya's short stories: "I'll Be Home for Christmas" "Word of Honor" "Shing Li-ung", "First Love, Last Love" "The Harder They Fall" "February Thaw" "The Chase is On" "A Debt Unpaid" "Symbols are a Percussion Instrument" "Underground" "A Midsummer Night's Dream Team" Four stories featuring Vicki, Henry, and Mike from her Blood series: "This Town Ain't Big Enough" "What Manner of Man" "The Cards Also Say" "The Vengeful Spirit of Lake Nepeakea". This is also the first printing of her new novella: "The Vengeful Spirit of Lake Nepeaka". With an introduction to the book by Michelle Sagara West.

Customer Reviews:

Not that great.......2007-06-13

I really liked Tanya Huff's Heart of Valor and Summon the Keeper series, and Wizard of the Grove as well, though I haven't really gotten into the Blood Books. But this collection of her earlier short stories just isn't that great, pretty unremarkable and forgettable. I'm not sure if I regret buying it, but I'm going to donate it to the local library. If you can read it for free it's not that bad.

great set of stories.......2006-11-02

This is quite a list of stories.

I usually don't go back and re-read but this book I did. One of the stories is absolutely precious. I would love to see it made into a book.

Here fill in stories are great too. I don't think anyone of the stories deserves less then 4 stars

Great Short Story Collection!.......2002-03-02

So far, I haven't read a book by Tanya Huff that I haven't enjoyed, and this collection is no exception. It contains 15 of her short stories, and there's not a bad one in the bunch. Best of all, it contains four short stories involving her Blood series characters Vicki Nelson, Michael Celluci and Henry Fitzroy - always a pleasure to read.

"The Chase Is On" is a space opera, whose characters deserve a book of their own. "Underground" tells the story of what may exist in the Toronto subway system. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" is about a mother, her young daughter, and the inheritance that is much more than it appears to be. "Shin Li-Ung" is a story about Chinese tradition, gangs, and unexpected protection. "First Love, Last Love" is the ultimate tale of boys and their toys. "Word of Honor" tells of a woman who discovers her own honor while carrying out a quest for someone else. "The Harder They Fall" is about what happens when fairy tales turn real. "A Debt Unpaid" is a mining story involving personal choices and personal ghosts. "February Thaw" takes the story of Demeter, Persephone, and Hades and turns them into a modern-day dysfunctional family. "Symbols Are A Percussion Instrument" involves an cynic and a pack of tarot cards. "A Midsummer Night's Dream Team" takes High Elves and crosses them with the Olympics. And then "This Town Ain't Big Enough", What Manner of Man", "The Cards Also Say" and "The Vengeful Spirit of Lake Nepeakea" all continue the story of Vicki Nelson (ex-cop, now a vampire PI), her lover Detective-Sargeant Michael Celluci, and Henry Fitzroy (romantic novelist, vampire, and bastard son of King Henry VIII of England).

If you've never read Ms. Huff, this is a great introduction to her writing. And if you're a fan, then this is icing on the cake.

Magic, Space Opera, Horror and more!.......2000-02-18

What Ho, Magic! is the first of what is hopefully several collections of short stories by Tanya Huff. There are stories of quiet, haunting horror; stories of magic and of mystery; and even a wonderfully tongue-in-cheek space opera story. This collection shows the breadth of Huff's skills, and she proves that she is quite capable of delivering a mystery with a private detective turned vampire, or an attack of a foot-and-a-half long dragon, or a tale of ghosts in the subway that will incite feelings of slight claustrophobic for a day or two.

Her characters are strong and entirely human; well, the vampire *was* a human at one point. In the story "Shing Li-Ung," Huff tells a tale of a sister and brother finding their heritage in the melting pot of cultures in modern Toronto. "The Chase is On" tells us of a starship captain, most emphatically *not* a smuggler, but she does occasionally stray on the odd side of the law. Huff even brings magic into the sports arena with the delightful and thought-provoking "A Midsummer Night's Dream Team." High Elves playing basketball? Tolkien would have conniptions--or laugh his head off in approval.

Awesome!.......2000-01-16

If you never read a Tanya Huff book this is the one to start with. The stories are amazing in their diversity! I have read just about every Huff book (except one that is out of stock). All her books are awesome! I love the Blood books, the Last Wizard, and the Quartered books. It amazes me that she has such an imagination.

This book just shows there doesn't seem to be anything she can't write about.

Customer Reviews:

"The Opera Bible"? Not hardly!.......2007-06-18

Sure this is a fine book for what it DOES cover. But, if you'll simply "search inside" (click Amazon's above image) and examine its table of contents, you'll readily discover that it only covers about half of Handel's operas, two of Cavalli's operas, and nothing whatsoever for numerous "minor yet noteworthy" composers.

By contrast, the 2001-edition "NEW Penguin Opera Guide" (or, better still, its original 1993 version, "The Viking Opera Guide") covers many, many, many more operas and includes biographical content for the composers.

Or, if money (and shelf space) is of little concern, consider the only other truly "comprehensive" encyclopedia of opera, "The New Grove Dictionary of Opera" (4-volume set). That is unarguably the ULTIMATE choice, albeit the single-volume "Viking" is a fairly close second, provided you only need a reference for, specifically, operas and their composers. ("The New Grove" covers those things PLUS operatic terminology; technique; history; venues; performers; and more.)

Me, I'm pleased to own BOTH the four-volume "New Grove Dictionary" AND the single-volume "Viking" guide. When it comes to genuinely "COMPREHENSIVE coverage of particular operas and their composers," there's basically nothing else available.

The Opera Bible.......2002-11-28

It could be an exaggeration when I call the Kobbes Opera Guide a Bible for opera lovers. But it's a very resourceful book on operatic composers, performers and the rich history of opera from its early days in Baroque Italy. Everything you want to know is here...the opera comique style, Baroque masters such as Gluck and Handel, the Rossini operas, bel canto beauties such as the Donizetti operas, German operas and French operas. It is a very monumental source of information on singers as well, sopranos from the very talked about Maria Callas (1923-1977), Joan Sutherland, Beverly Sills, and recent singers as Renee Fleming and Sumi Jo, tenors Placido Domingo, Nicolai Gedda, Luciano Pavoratti, Jon Vickers, and their careers. A must have for any true opera buff. Immerse yourself into the stories of operas and its fascinating background in music.

ease of reference greatly appreciated.......1999-01-06

The new format of this magnificent reference book is the most outstanding feature of this revised, updated work. The prior Kobbe's clumsily, but not wholly improperly , catlogued composers like a taxonomical excercise. The genus being the chronological era and the species is the nationality of the composer. Thus German composers in the nineteenth century with singular emphasis on Wagner are grouped; then Italian opera for that century, and so on through Europe. Then we come to the twentieth century and all over again with this format but encompassing the world by nation. The revised volume has nothing more outstanding than an alphabetical arrangement for the subjects, but how outstanding and important this seemingly simple change is cannot be overestimated. This is a required reference book for opera afficianados whatever level of knowledge of the subject one possesses.

ease of reference greatly appreciated.......1999-01-06

Life And Times Of Porgy And Bess, The: The Story of an American Classic

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Life And Times Of Porgy And Bess, The: The Story of an American Classic
Hollis Alpert
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0394583396
Release Date: 1990-10-10

Liaison: the Gripping Real Story of the Diplomat Spy and the Chinese Opera Star

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It's unbelieveable

Liaison: the Gripping Real Story of the Diplomat Spy and the Chinese Opera Star
Joyce Wadler
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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M. Butterfly.

ASIN: 0553092138
Release Date: 1993-09-01

Customer Reviews:

It's unbelieveable.......2003-09-12

You just can't believe the entire story. You can't believe someone could live their life like this. The tale is definately gripping & it's narrated from a third person/Bernard perspective.

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Not Free SF Reader
Short stories set in the Revelation Space universe

Galactic North
Alastair Reynolds
Manufacturer: Ace Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0441015131

Book Description

Set in the Revelation Space universe-the first short story collection by "one of SF's best and most ambitious novelists." (SFX)

With eight short stories and novellas- including three original to this collection- Galactic North imparts the centuries-spanning events that have produced the dark and turbulent world of Revelation Space.

Centuries from now, the basic right to expand human intelligence-beyond its natural limits-has become a war-worthy cause for the Demarchists and Conjoiners. Only vast lighthugger starships bind these squabbling colonies together, manned by the panicky and paranoid Ultras. And the hyperpigs just try to keep their heads down.

The rich get richer. And everyone tries not to think about the worrying number of extinct alien civilizations turning up on the outer reaches of settled space...because who's to say that humanity won't be next?

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-08-07

Alastair Reynolds again shows us that he is incapable of having anything published that is not good.

There is an afterword in this book that explains some of his early attempts, and his take on the future history, and the writers that inspired him, mainly Larry Niven to begin with.

The stories here are at a really high level, with a 3.94 average. You are not likely to get much better than this.

Galactic North : Great Wall of Mars - Alastair Reynolds
Galactic North : Glacial - Alastair Reynolds
Galactic North : A Spy in Europa - Alastair Reynolds
Galactic North : Weather - Alastair Reynolds
Galactic North : Dilation Sleep - Alastair Reynolds
Galactic North : Grafenwalder's Bestiary - Alastair Reynolds
Galactic North : Nightingale - Alastair Reynolds
Galactic North : Galactic North - Alastair Reynolds

Only a damaged but brilliant child is allowing the Conjoiners to continue to hold out, delaying the end of a battle that they cannot win.

4.5 out of 5

Clavain investigates why it is cold and almost all dead on a base.

4 out of 5

A spy and infiltrator gets a lot more than he wanted, and a mortal shock, when he agrees to a mission for a lot of money using severe body altering technology.

3.5 out of 5

Driving force pickup.

4 out of 5

Sawbones in space.

3.5 out of 5

Collection pieces.

4 out of 5

Hospital ship joined.

4 out of 5

Remontoire returned, resurrected, revenged, rescued.

4 out of 5

5 out of 5

Short stories set in the Revelation Space universe.......2007-06-08

This review may contain spoilers.

This book presupposes some familiarity with the Revelation Space series, as some stories lose a lot of their meaning or significance if you don't understand persons or events referred to. Others depend much less on any familiarity with RS.

Along with the recent publication of The Prefect, Alistair Reynolds has begun publishing in the RS universe again. Stories here include background stories on Nevil Clavain, Felka, and Galiana, stories set in the Sol System, a story set on Yellowstone post-plague, one on Sky'e Edge, and a somewhat bizarre story which finally gives more than a name to Greenfly, (which was tossed into the very end of Absolution Gap with no explanation whatsoever, one of several defects in that title,) though the temporal telescoping in the last story reminds me more of something Poul Anderson might have written.

I wonder if Reynolds himself had decided on the origin of greenfly when Absolution Gap was published; the 4-page epilogue which substituted for actual resolution of that book gives few if any clues...

This is an enjoyable collection, well worth getting!

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Tagging Along to the Future
A First Rate Sci Fi Tale
Not Free SF Reader
Classic Space Opera - Superb Plot, Dialogue, Imagination
A unique take on a classic theme

Pushing Ice
Alastair Reynolds
Manufacturer: Ace Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0441014011

Book Description

2057. Bella Lind and the crew of her nuclearpowered ship, the Rockhopper, push ice. They mine comets. But when Janus, one of Saturn's ice moons, inexplicably leaves its natural orbit and heads out of the solar system at high speed, Bella is ordered to shadow it for the few vital days before it falls forever out of reach.

In accepting this mission she sets her ship and her crew on a collision course with destiny-for Janus has many surprises in store, and not all of them are welcome...

Customer Reviews:

Tagging Along to the Future.......2007-09-28

Pushing Ice (2005) is a standalone SF novel. In the far future, eighteen millennia from now, some descendents of the Terran species were trying to establish a suitable memorial for their political organization. Some suggested a fountain or other public work. Chromis Pasqueflower Bowerbird proposed sending messages to the Benefactor, wherever she might be, by scattering artifacts to all possible locations.

In this novel, Bella Lind is Captain and manager of the Rockhopper, a comet chaser owned by Deepshaft Corporation. She has called a special meeting of her top staff to discuss a new assignment from corporate headquarters. The United Economic Entities has requested that the company send the ship to chase Janus.

The former moon of Saturn has left orbit and is accelerating out of the system, Its trajectory indicates that it is heading toward Spica. Synthetic aperture images suggest the presence of a very large Structure in that system.

Rockhopper is the only vessel capable to intersecting with the former moon. At the most, it would only have enough fuel to follow the moon for five days before decelerating and returning to the inner planets. The UEE is convinced that this effort could pay off big in new scientific paradigms.

Svetlana Bardeghian is head of the engineering staff on the Rockhopper. She becomes suspicious about the fuel supply after noticing a glitch in the monitoring equipment. She checks the onboard message buffers and finds a discrepancy. Apparently Deepshaft is manipulating the data and lying to the Rockhopper crew about the available fuel.

Svetlana takes this information to her boss, but Bella insists on checking back with headquarters. Naturally, the suits suggest that Svetlana has gone loopy and ask that the buffer data be rechecked. When that data confirms the earlier corporate statements, Bella puts Svetlana under house arrest.

Then Janus changes its propulsive mode once it is far enough from the Solar System. Now it is using some sort of frameshift drive and dragging Rockhopper along in its slipstream. They are going to Spica unless they decelerate out of its frame.

In this story, Bella begins to believe Svetlana and decides to tag along with Janus rather than risking the return attempt. Craig Schrope -- the new second in command -- leads a mutiny against Bella in order to return the ship to its owners. Then another crewmember turns the tables on the mutineers and restores Bella as commander.

Janus is actually a large machine camouflaged as an ice moon. During its flight, the ice melts or falls away from the bow surface, exposing large machines, lava rivers and other inexplicable artifacts. The crew members land the Rockhopper in an excavated cradle on the ice at the stern and build a hamlet around it.

Traveling at almost the speed of light, Janus will take about thirteen shipboard years to reach the Structure at Spica. Yet the moon doesn't decelerate when they get close. Instead, it builds a shell completely around the moon.

Shortly after they should have reached the Structure, seismic sensors record a shock toward the stern of the moon. Afterward, alien things appear to many of the crew in the vicinity of the seismic event. Several searches of the area are made, but nothing is found until a lander overflies the area.

A circular piece is discovered on the ice within a shallow crater. The thing seems to be inert. Searching the shell above the crater, they find a hole to the outside. Apparently someone, or something, has cut their way into the shell.

This story tells of the factions on Janus and their efforts to survive. Some of the machinery is adapted to generate power, but strange things happen to people within the machinery. Although they make themselves comfortable, tension becomes a way of life.

After the aliens arrive, the Rockhopper crew begins to learn more about their surroundings. The Fountainheads are not the only aliens within the Structure. Then Bella touches an ancient artifact and the image of Chromis Pasqueflower Bowerbird appears before her as a hallucination. Her worldview has to undergo another change.

The tale is enthralling most of the time, but the emotional reactions of the crew can drive the reader to distraction. Several times I had to put down the book and do other activities for a while. It was well worth the reading, but it was aggravating at times.

Recommended for Reynolds fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of the far future, alien cultures, and human politics.

-Arthur W. Jordin

A First Rate Sci Fi Tale.......2007-09-18

When I saw "Pushing Ice" in the bargain bin, I almost passed it up. I was not an Alistair Reynolds fan; the only novel I'd read had left me unimpressed. Still, for a few bucks, I gave it a shot. Am I ever glad that I did! "Pushing Ice" is a first-rate piece of science fiction, and I am now officially on the Reynolds bandwagon.

The story follows the crew of the Rockhopper, a late 21st century comet-mining ship. On a routine mission, they are ordered to abandon operations and set a course to rendezvous with Janus, a moon of Saturn that has mysteriously broken orbit and begun accelerating toward the star Spica. The crew struggle against time and betrayal to reach the fleeing moon, now revealed to be an alien artifact of immense size and power. When the ship gets caught in Janus' spacetime wake, they face a life-or-death choice: do they make a desperate attempt to return home, or are they stuck riding Janus on its interstellar voyage? The rest of the book follows the group as they live through the consequences of their decision.

"Pushing Ice" has a bit of everything for the sci fi fan. There is a near-future spacecraft with a plucky, likable crew. There is political intrigue and a fight to survive against the odds. There is an archaeological mystery to solve; and a bevy of cool, well-developed alien cultures. The characters have personality and depth, and the world is portrayed in enough detail to give it a gritty, lived-in feel.

Though the plot seems a bit hokey at first, Reynolds makes it plausible by focusing on the concerns of the ship's crew. We follow events through the eyes of Bella and Svetlana, two headstrong women who wrestle for leadership of the group. The book is as much about their tortured relationship as it is about aliens and space travel. This provides the story with a human framework that makes the weird happenings on Janus somehow more believable.

There were times where the action lulled, but overall, "Pushing Ice" is a balanced, well-crafted tale. The ending left many questions unanswered, and the world is rich enough for several sequels. I look forward to reading more.

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Apart from a reasonably length prologue, there is far more of the straight new future action-spaceship in trouble type book here. However, given that this is Reynolds writing, you know it won't stay like that. He then diverts a little into Greg Bear's Eon, to a degree, but, of course, the situation is probably even nastier. Excellent work again. Reynolds is still an author I will be happy enough to pay the outrageous prices books have got to these days, to own. With a growing body of work he has not let me down once.

Classic Space Opera - Superb Plot, Dialogue, Imagination.......2007-08-13

PUSHING ICE is a near-perfect science fiction space opera. Notice the operative words "near-perfect". My only complaints (small) are the title (mundane), the reference to contemporary themes, music & films (a common problem in sci-fi literature)and the sometimes confusing description of movement within structures (..."turning right down the gray encarpment was a low shiny mound veering outward, one arm leading to a low rampthat beneath a 3 km high dome with radiating swirls of paths that circled behind the second pathway.....") Alastair Reynolds has found his niche with this type of book and that is fortunate. There are not many tales this long that can hold your interest and retain suspense. Once again, the genius is the backflash (a common but commonly misused practice). In this case, the novel opens at a meeting of a Galactic Congress 18,000 years in the future. One politicians wants to honor the "Benefactor", an almoast mythical woman who somehow gave birth to a jump in technological progress. In fact they have her DNA and have recorded her voice which is played to the hushed gathering..."I'm Bella Lind...and you're watching CNN." I was hooked.

The story has been told and retold but Reynods is, if nothing else, a master storyteller and in his hands the saga becomes a new creature. A mining ship is ordered to follow Janus, a moon of Saturn that has suddenly departed from its orbit. Of course it is an alien vessel bound for a distant enormous tube-like structure (several solar systems could fit inside) that is divided into sections. The real story, as in all Reynold's novels, resides in the human relationships. Here, it is the story of two strong women - Bella, the captain and Svetlana, head engineer. Along the way there is a mutiny, end of friendship, murder, and First Contact.

Each First Contact story approaches the idea from a different point of view and this is no exception. Like CONTACT, the galaxy is rife with intelligent life but the mystery is why they have not colonized the entire galaxy by now. Throwing a monkey wrench into the action is the politician mentioned in the prologue. She has pushed for the idea of sending an object back in time as a gift for the benefactor. Of course one is discovered and used....but that's enough - read the book.

A+ for dialogue, characterization (particularly the minor ones that in many books appear and vanish), originality, story and resolution. Many times when male authors attempt a heroine, the result is not satisfactory but in this case, the author attempted not only one but two major heroines and the effort seemed flawless. Great Book.

A unique take on a classic theme.......2007-08-13

I really enjoyed this book with the exception that the story was slightly disjointed at times. There are sudden jumps in the story and one in particular in which a large chunk of plot seems to suddenly go missing. Aside from these short comings, however, The science & plot work well together. The characters are reasonably complex & the universe captivating.

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