Map of Bones

Book Description

The bestselling master of astonishing adventure James Rollins delivers his most relentlessly exciting page-turner to date—a gripping and explosive novel of an ancient conspiracy to create a terrifying new world order out of the ashes of modern civilization.

The crime is inhumanly cruel with horrific consequences both unthinkable and inevitable. During a service at a cathedral in Cologne, Germany, a band of armed intruders dressed in monks' robes unleash a nightmare of blood and terror, ruthlessly gunning down worshippers and clergy alike. The killers haven't come for the church's gold and valuable artwork, but for a priceless treasure secreted within: the preserved bones of the Three Magi who once came to pay homage to a newborn savior. As they flee the carnage they have wrought, they carry a prize that could reshape the world.

The Vatican is in turmoil, and Lieutenant Rachel Verona of Rome's carabinieri is assigned to lead the investigation. But no ordinary police organization alone can deal with the bizarre theft and massacre, and SIGMA Force—an elite covert arm of the U.S. Defense Department—is called in under the command of Grayson Pierce. New to SIGMA, Pierce assembles a crack team of scientific and Special Forces operatives to unravel the mystery of the stolen bones, and together they set out on a twisting trail through a labyrinth of clues and dark revelations that carry them to the sites of the Seven Wonders of the World—and to the doorstep of the mystical and terrifying Dragon Court.

An ancient, secret fraternity of alchemists and assassins, the master-adepts of the Dragon Court have plans for the sacred remains that will alter the future of humankind in devastating ways that only the maddest of zealots could desire—and they will let nothing and no one stand in their way. Suddenly Pierce, Verona, and the SIGMA team are the hunted as well as the hunters, forced to use every skill they possess to survive as they follow the bones to the ultimate confrontation between darkness and light—in a lost place of history where science and religion will unite to unleash a horror not seen since the beginning of time.

A masterful novel that combines the exhilarating mysticism of The Da Vinci Code with the pulse-pounding action of a Tom Clancy thriller, James Rollins's Map of Bones is destined to be a modern classic that will stand among the very best adventure tales ever written.

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The bestselling master of astonishing adventure James Rollins delivers his most relentlessly exciting page-turner to date -- a gripping and explosive novel of an ancient conspiracy to create a terrifying new world order out of the ashes of modern civilization.

The Vatican is in turmoil, and Lieutenant Rachel Verona of Rome's carabinieri is assigned to lead the investigation. But no ordinary police organization alone can deal with the bizarre theft and massacre, and SIGMA Force -- an elite covert arm of the U.S. Defense Department -- is called in under the command of Grayson Pierce. New to SIGMA, Pierce assembles a crack team of scientific and Special Forces operatives to unravel the mystery of the stolen bones, and together they set out on a twisting trail through a labyrinth of clues and dark revelations that carry them to the sites of the Seven Wonders of the World -- and to the doorstep of the mystical and terrifying Dragon Court.

An ancient, secret fraternity of alchemists and assassins, the master-adepts of the Dragon Court have plans for the sacred remains that will alter the future of humankind in devastating ways that only the maddest of zealots could desire -- and they will let nothing and no one stand in their way. Suddenly Pierce, Verona, and the SIGMA team are the hunted as well as the hunters, forced to use every skill they possess to survive as they follow the bones to the ultimate confrontation between darkness and light -- in a lost place of history where science and religion will unite to unleash a horror not seen since the beginning of time.

A masterful novel that combines the exhilarating mysticism of The Da Vinci Code with the pulse-pounding action of a Tom Clancy thriller, James Rollins's Map of Bones is destined to be a modern classic that will stand among the very best adventure tales ever written.

Customer Reviews:

This book is terribly written........2007-10-05

I am usually a sucker for these thrillers, but this was terrible. It was poorly written and had very bad dialogue. I couldn't even finish it despite the fact that the setting was in Europe and had a good premise. I don't understand why people liked this book.

I liked it!.......2007-10-03

I thought this was an ejoyable thriller. I am tired of people who all have the same "It's so unrealistic" line. Guess what? There are alot of unrealistic books out there that are still entertaining and well-done. This is an action packed thriller that will keep you turning pages and entertained.

Full of Adventure.......2007-09-11

My husband and I read this book at the same time, and we both loved it. It's so interesting to travel around Europe with the characters and get a little history with the adventure. It reminded us a lot of DeVinci Code. The book had a nice, swift pace and a lot of action. My husband felt that they got a little corny with the "emotions" between the man and woman, but they didn't focus on it too much. The main focus was definitely on the action, with just a few corny love moments. We both liked this book a lot and would recommend it. Everyone I've spoken to that read it enjoyed it as well.

Not Believable, doesen't get any better with time........2007-09-07

This book, as all other Rollins' books, suffer/s from the same error in story telling. Very simply, they are not believable. These so called professional characters and agencies are at best amateurish and at worst, totally incompetent. Even a good Sci Fi book must be believable or plausible. Rollins fails terribly on this believability issue. The plots are good but held together with smoke and mirrors.
Reading Rollins' books are a frustrating endeavor. This and other Rollins' thrillers could be a great books but it just doesn't happen. I give up waiting for better. There are much better thrillers being written.

Better than the DaVinci Code.......2007-08-27

Not sure which came first - the DaVinci Code or this book, but this is definitely better. The two books are very similar with regard to religious secrets, code-breaking, etc. Had I read Map of Bones first, I would have loved it 10 times more, as it is more believable and a more interesting plot. I still enjoyed it, but couldn't help thinking "gee, this is a lot like the DaVinci Code..."

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader
Wilson Gets Better and Better
Best. Science Fiction. Novel. Ever. (or at least in top five)
I Can't Wait For The Sequel
Good old hard SF is back!

Spin
Robert Charles Wilson
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0765309386
Release Date: 2005-03-10

Book Description

One night in October when he was ten years old, Tyler Dupree stood in his back yard and watched the stars go out. They all flared into brilliance at once, then disappeared, replaced by a flat, empty black barrier. He and his best friends, Jason and Diane Lawton, had seen what became known as the Big Blackout. It would shape their lives. The effect is worldwide. The sun is now a featureless disk--a heat source, rather than an astronomical object. The moon is gone, but tides remain. Not only have the world's artificial satellites fallen out of orbit, their recovered remains are pitted and aged, as though they'd been in space far longer than their known lifespans. As Tyler, Jason, and Diane grow up, space probe reveals a bizarre truth: The barrier is artificial, generated by huge alien artifacts. Time is passing faster outside the barrier than inside--more than a hundred million years per day on Earth. At this rate, the death throes of the sun are only about forty years in our future. Jason, now a promising young scientist, devotes his life to working against this slow-moving apocalypse. Diane throws herself into hedonism, marrying a sinister cult leader who's forged a new religion out of the fears of the masses. Earth sends terraforming machines to Mars to let the onrush of time do its work, turning the planet green. Next they send humans....and immediately get back an emissary with thousands of years of stories to tell about the settling of Mars. Then Earth's probes reveal that an identical barrier has appeared around Mars. Jason, desperate, seeds near space with self-replicating machines that will scatter copies of themselves outward from the sun--and report back on what they find. Life on Earth is about to get much, much stranger. Wilson has become one of the most exciting talents in SF todayIn Spin, he outdoes himself, juggling numerous philosophical, moral and scientific ideas, including a fascinating Martian civilization created by humans, but he never neglects the emotional underpinnings of what the Spin comes to mean to humanitySpin to paraphrase Bogie, is the stuff that (SF) dreams are made of. -- The Globe and Mail "Like most of Wilson's books, Spin is an intelligent and inventive page-turner, with compelling characters and enough surprises to keep readers guessing right to the end. I recommend it highly." -- The Times-Colonist

Customer Reviews:

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

This really is pretty good, complete with 'holy crap' moment at the end.

The Earth is cocooned in a pocket of slow time, why?

Large scientific effort goes into looking at the problem, seen through the eyes of 2 of 3 childhood friends.

Naturally, all sorts of religi0ns go whacko, and religi0us whackos spring up, given the possible immiment death of the Earth, due to time differentials with the Sun.

This book is a lot more focused on a few characters, though, even a Martian.

Wilson Gets Better and Better.......2007-08-20

"Spin" follows three main characters for several decades after an unexplainable astrophysical event envelops the Earth within a temporal shroud. The stars are gone just like that, and time beyond the shroud--beyond the "Spin"--is advancing much more rapidly than time on Earth. This opens up some incredible opportunities for exploration, when, due to the time slip, a slow-moving rocket to another planet or into the far galaxy will have arrived and returned data within minutes of its launch. Also interesting and well thought out is the fatalistic psychology of the people on Earth, especially within the generation raised during the "Spin" who have never known any other way of life.

Robert Charles Wilson's early books described some fascinating science but his characterizations and plot development were weak. Wilson's skill has improved with each new book, though, and I believe that "Spin" is his best book yet. Not only does his science force the reader to think, but his characterizations are very strong and he has finally constructed an ending that is satisfying and complete; one that leaves open the opportunity for a new series.

Best. Science Fiction. Novel. Ever. (or at least in top five).......2007-07-15

_Spin_ by Robert Charles Wilson is the best. Science fiction novel. Ever. Yes, I mean that. I would put it up against _Dune_ , _A Fire Upon the Deep_, and _Ender's Game_, it is that unbelievably good. Or if it is not the best one ever, it definitely belongs in the top five.

Bold words I know and I run the risk of overselling the book but this novel is what other science fiction novelists should aspire to create. It has everything.

The basic premise - no spoilers here, you can get this from the back cover of the book - is that one October night the three main characters, three adolescents, Diane and Jason Lawton (fraternal twins) and their best friend Tyler Dupree are out on the lawn stargazing when the Moon and stars disappear, the sky become a flat black. Rushing inside, they learn that all satellite communications have been lost and the world is in a panic. News from the other side of the world is hard to come by, and the three wait with trepidation to see if the Sun will even rise in the morning.

It does, but it is a strange sun, an almost generic Sun, a perfect one without evidence of solar flares, prominences, or sunspots. An idealization of a Sun.

It becomes clear to the government, military, and scientists that a planet-spanning shield, a membrane, has been erected around the globe, completely blocking sight of the stars and Moon from the people of the Earth. The Sun that that people see, that is still driving the world's weather, ecology, and agriculture, is a simulacrum; for all intents and purposes, the real Sun but upon study obviously not an actual star.

It gets stranger though. The Spin membrane (the event comes to be called the Spin) has two highly unusual properties. One, it has produced a huge time discontinuity; for every second that passes on Earth, something like 3 years passes outside the membrane. Two, the membrane is selectively permeable. As obviously the Earth would be fried if 3 years of sunlight hit the planet every second, the "Sun" is a filtered representation of actual sunlight. Similarly, the planet is protected from similar accumulations of cosmic radiation. However, the membrane is permeable to manmade items, both coming and going. This is in fact how the unique temporal properties of the membrane were discovered, as survivors of the International Space Station fell to earth the first night of the Spin but claimed that they had been orbiting a frightening, black, blank world for three weeks! At first kept secret, this does eventually get out to the public.

The novel follows the next 30-odd years of history after the creation of the Spin membrane through the eyes of the three main characters. Each tackles the brave new era in his or her own way, each in ways that thoroughly flesh out the character, are true to the characters personalities and desires, and illuminate different aspects of the Spin Earth. Jason devotes his life to unraveling the mysteries of the Spin, trying to understand who did, what it means, and how to defeat it. Diane instead embraces religion, joining a different segment of the population who is trying to come to terms with the event through spiritual means. Tyler is in some sense the outsider, the unattached one, in the outside looking in as a child and still as an adult. He becomes a physician and travels between the two worlds, Diane's and Jason's.

The novel is also a love story, as Tyler nourishes strong unrequited love for Diane, who herself has strongly conflicted feelings for him in turn. As events in the Spin unfold, Diane and Tyler almost connect again and again but events in their personal lives - irrevocably tied up in the Spin - keep them apart.

It is an also an end of the world story. As 30-odd years pass on Earth, 300 billion years pass outside the Spin membrane. During that time the Sun has swollen and would be lethal to life on Earth if the membrane were to disappear. Instead of the Spin being seen as a prison, it instead becomes the only thing keeping humanity alive. But for how long? Will the membrane disappear, the Earth left to the blazing and merciless fury of a senescent Sun, the oceans boiling away, all life turned to cinders and ash? Or is something else in store? Humanity - and the main characters - struggle with the issue.

The novel continually adds surprises, with developments in the characters personal lives, how the world reacts to the Spin, and the absolutely fascinating and exciting things that are done to study and fight against the Spin, wonderful things that have you exited as you read them, going to yourself, "wow, I never thought of that." So many things happen, things I would love to tell you about, but I won't. Get the book and read it. Now. This is epic science fiction. This has fantastic writing. This has incredibly well-done characters. And it has a mind-blowing ending. Oh, and a sequel, _Axis_, due out in September, which I plan to get.

I Can't Wait For The Sequel.......2007-07-05

This book is high concept in the true meaning of the word, which is to say that it's literally a world stopper. One night the stars go out, all of them, because it turns out that an advanced alien race has put Earth inside a time shell for reasons of their own. It takes a while for people to figure this out, and meanwhile there is chaos and the economy goes to hell and new religions. The book follows Tyler Dupree, a doctor whose in the thick of things because he's best friends with a brother and sister who will ultimately solve the riddle of what's happening if not actually fix the problem itself. Time outside the shell is moving normally and millions of years pass outside while on Earth it's only been a few years, and the Sun is aging, and there are secrets and conspiracies and surprises. I won't tell you what, except to say that the entire book is great, very originial and real and suprising. The sequel should be amazing!

The Hoff

Good old hard SF is back!.......2007-07-05

This is my first Wilson novel and I really enjoyed it. He is an excellent hard Sci-Fi author. Together with Robert J. Sawyer, they are two of the best science fiction writers on the market. Finally some quality hard Sci-Fi, up to the height of the good old masters of the genre. They both are as good as Arthur Clarke (in his best times), lots of innovation and clever extrapolation of hard science.

Wilson's imagination and creativity are unlimited. The plot is rich on modern scientific knowledge regarding astrophysics and biology. Relativity, the evolution of the universe after billions of years, seeded life on another planet (man made panspermia), terraforming, evolution in another planet, genetic engineering, synthetic biology, von Newmann machines, you name it, everything with scientific accuracy and detail, and a huge dose of imagination. And for those readers who always complain about Sci-Fi typical cardboard characters, Wilson produced some flesh and blood characters, description of the scenery is detailed and even a love story is central to the plot. But probably this is not so good for most die-hard fans of the genre, because as a result of his "improved" writing, the pace is slowed down to the point of boredom. For fans of hard SF a plot based purely on clever extrapolation of scientific facts is more important than characters, romance and literary value. Anyway, from time to time you can skip entire paragraphs and still follow the plot. The novel is good for both types of readers.

And for those who enjoyed "Spin", look forward for "Axis", due in September 2007. The adventure continues in Equatoria. It seems the Hypotheticals will be back with some novelties. The paperback version I bought has a little excerpt at the end of the book. I am looking forward to read this new one and some more of Wilson's novels.

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Gods Among Men
You've all got it wrong...
An Entertaining Read
An interesting read, no doubt. However...
The Best of Anton Lavey's Work

The Devil's Notebook (LaVey, Anton)
Anton Szandor LA Vey , and Anton S. Lavey
Manufacturer: Feral House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0922915113

Book Description

Wisdom, humor, and dark observations by the founder of the Church of Satan. LaVey ponders such topics as nonconformity, occult faddism, erotic politics, the "Goodguy badge," demoralization and the construction of artificial human companions.

Customer Reviews:

Gods Among Men.......2007-09-02

Everything negative can be said about this book, even by those that read it. LaVey speaks only to very few who have a keen sense of humor, a sharp intellect, and a hearty taste for freedom. Most people need not apply for the position, and in fact, it's prefereable to everyone already inside. Purchase with care.

You've all got it wrong..........2006-05-27

Everyone, listen. Realize that when you are talking about Satanism you need to know that it is not about conjuring "demons", killing Christians, and the "occult." It is about living your life to the fullest without any stupid religious restrictions, "rejoicing life in the carnal, the mundane, the flesh." Stop looking at it from a "Christian" point of view. This book is good, yes, but of course it's not the first book you want to get if you want to be a Satanist. If you want to do it right, GET THE SATANIC BIBLE 1st! You need to already know this. If you read The Devil's Notebook first, you won't get the right understanding. And enough of the LaVey insults. If you're a Satanist you should have more respect for the man. Nuff said.

An Entertaining Read.......2003-10-19

This book is a collection of essays, written by Mr. (pope?) Lavey. Judging by the introduction, written by Adam Parfrey, it is some sort of tribute to him - though I am not for sure. It is good for entertainment, though not a whoooole lot else... but then again, books are a form of media, and the whole purpose of media is to entertain, so...

Alright, this is deffinatly a great read! I totally, TOTALLY loved the Diabolica, Duck-Billed Platitudes, and How to Be a God! They are all very entertaining and humorous (though I'm not sure whether or not they're supposed to be). Also, the whole book is pretty motivational for that little screaming, raving satanist in all of us.

That's about all there is to say about it. I mean, honestly, at only 147 pages, it's not a huge chunk of reading. I read it over one weekend. Not great, but not bad - not by any means bad - hence three stars.

An interesting read, no doubt. However..........2003-05-02

I feel kind of put off, if only because I have trouble giving this work more credit, simply because I find myself wondering how much was actually LaVey's own work. Run a google search on "LaVey", and you'll come across many websites, and many articles noting the fact that ASL was apparently quite a habitual falsifier. According to testimonies, research, and official documents, much of the life LaVey played up to the public, was built around tall tales. Everything from his name, to his personal holdings, to many of his "infamous" life experiences, were all made up or heavily exaggerated (apparently much of "The Satanic Bible" was just lifted from previous works, with no credit being given to said volumes.) Not to say that he isn't still an interesting individual from a psychological standpoint- it must have taken quite a sense of character for him to build up such a lifestyle, and, maybe he did indeed have a reason for all that carrying-on? Anyways, read this book for a collection of interesting, and sometimes thought provoking essays, whether they were all written by him or not.

The Best of Anton Lavey's Work.......2002-04-25

Greetings Everyone. Out of all of Anton Lavey's works (satanic bible, satan speaks, and the satanic witch), this book rght here, "The Devil's Notebook" (in my opinion anyway) is the best of Lavey's works. At the same time that some of the stuff in this is humorous (read chapters "Duck-Billed Platitudes", "Hatha Toilet Seat Meditaion", and "The Whoopi Cushion Shall Rise Again" for instance) most of stuff that Lavey says in this book is so true I'm surprised Lavey himself is not a perfect human being. Chapters like "on the Importance of Being Evil", "The Goodguy badge" and "Two Wrongs Make A Right" I agree with completely. You'll have to buy the book yourself and see why. Of course, I'm not actually a satanist, I'm really an atheist, so the only thing that I do not agree with in this book is all that magic and occult [stuff] that plague all of Lavey's work (I know that satanism doesn't equal to devil worship and Lavey's work doesn't mention anything about virgin sacrifices, animal mutilation or any other sick stuff that christians like to credit satanist with, for those of you that are satanist and are reading this review, so relax). Anyway, I have read other of Lavey's works. The satanic bible was okay, but it was filled with stuff that people should already know by instinct, satanist or not. The Satanic witch is just about the only piece of Lavey's work that I find repugnant and stupid. Again, in my opinion, those of you that are starting into satanism and/or never read one of Lavey's works, satanist or not, I suggest you start with this book first before you read any other material by him.

Necronomicon: The Wanderings of Alhazred

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A People's Necronomicon at last
Become one with madness, in the comfort of your own home
Abdul Alhazred could have written this
I'a, Tyson!
You must eat 3 Fungus Spiders to gain the second sight

Necronomicon: The Wanderings of Alhazred
Donald Tyson
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0738706272

Book Description

Anyone familiar with H. P. Lovecraft's work knows of the Necronomicon, the black magic grimoire he invented as a literary prop in his classic horror stories. There have been several attempts at creating this text, yet none stand up to Lovecraft's own descriptions of the Necronomicon . . . until now. Fans of Lovecraftian magic and occult fiction will delight in Donald Tyson's Necronomicon, based purely within Lovecraft's own fictional universe, the Cthulhu Mythos.

This grimoire traces the wanderings of Abdul Alhazred, a necromancer of Yemen, on his search for arcane wisdom and magic. Alhazred's magical adventures lead him to the Arabian desert, the lost city of Irem, ruins of Babylon, lands of the Old Ones, and Damascus, where he encounters a variety of strange creatures and accrues necromantic secrets.

Customer Reviews:

A People's Necronomicon at last.......2007-07-12

Though I am in strong agreement that this is a really terrific book, some of the terms used by previous positive reviewers (e.g. "believable") stand in tension with my own favorable impressions. While the Lovecraftian research is laudable and the feeling that the book has an actual insane author is great, praising these alone deflects attention from the purpose of Tyson's effort, which is a page-turning rollicking good time that wastes no space with pseudo-academic text and dives right for the bizarre, funny, disturbing possibility of taking the conceit of the Mad Arab seriously.

The style of short linked vignettes is inspired. It creates a progression of dream-like, dark, poetic stage sets. These are in fact so wonderfully weird that I regret Tyson hasn't taken a turn at meatier fiction. If the book has any relatives out there, they actually come from very different family of literature, including the works of Borges; the book is in fact strangely like Italo Calvino's classic "Invisible Cities."

This is a book for anyone, not just Lovecraft junkies, a real People's Necronomicon. Great stuff.

Become one with madness, in the comfort of your own home.......2007-04-04

I agree with most of the earlier reviews. They are what sold me on the book, to be honest. I just wanted to add that i really enjoyed how the author wrote from the perspective of an insane person who truly believes he is not insane. It's quite seductive and allows the reader to see how a person could hit such levels of depravity and still wear a veneer of humanity.

Abdul Alhazred could have written this.......2006-10-26

Of the many Necronomicons out there to read, Tyson has finally written one that is actually believable - as if a real Abdul Alhazred wrote it.

Tyson sticks meticulously to Lovecraft - and I do believe that Lovecraft would have given this book a huge thumbs up.

The book is also enjoyable to read - it flows very well. I didn't want the book to end as I read it. Some portions of it were tragic, making Abdul Alhazred a very sympathetic character, in my opinion.

I'a, Tyson!.......2006-08-13

Though knowledge of H.P. Lovecraft's "Cthulhu Mythos" enhances the enjoyment of this brilliant work, it isn't necessary. Tyson's Necronomicon traces the detailed path of the Mad Arab from his expulsion from Yemen into the desert to his final mind-shattering demise in Damascus. This text would also make a great sourcebook for the popular Call Of Cthulhu role-playing game from Chaosium. Lovcraft would have been delighted!

You must eat 3 Fungus Spiders to gain the second sight.......2006-08-12

Before I begin I do realize that this book is considered an "Occult" book and alot of the people who buy this believe in the contents. My response to that is simply .... "wow". Anyways, I read this book strictly as fiction. I myself am not a huge fan of lovecrafts work but, I am intrigued by his mythology and really wanted to have alot of it layed out in front of me. Sadly at first I had a hard time finding that. But this book definently did that Job. First it is well written, you can tell by the more complex language the author uses. Second, it in detail covers the Chthulthu Mythos and lays all the basic and much of the in depth information about them out for the reader. Third, This book is loaded with content and definently gives great credit to Lovecrafts writings. But their are a few downsides. It is written from the perspective of that "crazy arab" so it reads more like a handbook or guide. Their also isn't much action except for in the end. So It can be somewhat of a slow read, sense I found it hard to sit down and read a large amount at once. But the chapters are short so it makes this problem not to bad.Lastly, The book is heavy in terminology from Lovecrafts other stories so those people who haven't read much of Lovecrafts work might find some of the information confusing. Overall it is a good book and no doubt will satisfy those whom are just interested in the sheer fiction side of Lovecrafts Mythos. But I'm sure for those out there whom believe it to be real or semi - real. The author follows the occult quite a bit himself or so I've heard and I'm sure you will be satisfied.

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great book
Just OK
Boy do I love suicide cults.
Better Than Fight Club
Unique, Fresh, Brilliant

Survivor: A Novel
Chuck Palahniuk
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0385498721
Release Date: 2000-01-04

Amazon.com

Some say that the apocalypse swiftly approacheth, but that simply ain't so according to Chuck Palahniuk. Oh no. It's already here, living in the head of the guy who just crossed the street in front of you, or maybe even closer than that. We saw these possibilities get played out in the author's bloodsporting-anarchist-yuppie shocker of a first novel, Fight Club. Now, in Survivor, his second and newest, the concern is more for the origin of the malaise. Starting at chapter 47 and screaming toward ground zero, Palahniuk hurls the reader back to the beginning in a breathless search for where it all went wrong. This time out, the author's protagonist is self-made, self-ruined mogul-messiah Tender Branson, the sole passenger of a jet moments away from slamming first into the Australian outback and then into oblivion. All that will be left, Branson assures us with a tone bordering on relief, is his life story, from its Amish-on-acid cult beginnings to its televangelist-huckster end. All of this courtesy of the plane's flight recorder.

Speaking of little black boxes, Skinnerians would have a field day with the presenting behavior of the folks who make up Palahniuk's world. They pretend they're suicide hotline operators for fun. They eat lobster before it's quite... done. They dance in morgues. The Cleavers they are not. Scary as they might be, these characters are ultimately more scared of themselves than you are, and that's what makes them so fascinating. In the wee hours and on lonely highways, they exist in a perpetual twilight, caught between the horror of the present and the dread of the unknown. With only two novels under his belt, Chuck Palahniuk is well on his way to becoming an expert at shining a light on these shadowy creatures. --Bob Michaels

Book Description

From the author of the cult sensation Fight Club (now a major motion picture starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter) comes Survivor.

"A turbo-charged, deliciously manic satire of contemporary American life." --Newsday

"The only difference between suicide and martyrdom is press coverage," according to the "been there, done that" wisdom of Tender Branson, last surviving member of the Creedish Death Cult. At the opening of Chuck Palahniuk's hilariously unnerving second novel, Tender is cruising on autopilot, 39,000 feet up, dictating the whole of his life story into Flight 2039's "black box" in the final moments before crashing into the vast Australian outback.

Not since Kurt Vonnegut's Mother Night has there been as dark and telling a satire on the wages of fame and the bedrock lunacy of the modern world. Wickedly incisive and mesmerizing, Survivor is Chuck Palahniuk at his deadpan peak.

Customer Reviews:

great book.......2007-08-03

the chapter about lobster is the best. i've re-read it several times and i've introduced it to friends, who have been awed by its awesomeness.

Just OK.......2007-07-26

I thought the plot in this book fell a little short. There were some threads that Palahniuk started in the beginning of the book that were intriguing, but he didn't follow them through to the end. Not nearly as interesting as Fight Club.

Boy do I love suicide cults........2007-07-24

This was the second book by Chuck Palahniuk that I read and it just added fuel to the fire. It's and interesting story with VERY interesting characters that you will not be able to relate to but it's ok.

The way the book is set up is you're reading the book backwards. You're at the end of the book when you first open it, but it doesn't give important things away. It's a very unique way of telling a story and it worked for Chuck.

Better Than Fight Club.......2007-06-26

Fight Club was amazing. It was later made into a David Fincher film. LOL I love how every single one of Chuck's books has to mention that.

Anyways, Fight Club's ending in his book is a bit lame. The movie's ending overshadows it and even Chuck said the film's ending was better. Don't get me wrong Fight Club is great, but this is how Survivor edges out Fight Club.

The entire book just made me keep wanting to read. Never put that book down. Unlike Haunting, which made me want to give up reading, this book was just long enough and reading it was fun.

The only problem, if there was any, was the concentration on his celebrity status. It seemed a little drawn out and unnecessary. But it built on Tender's character. So whatever.

All I can say is, once you get to the end.. You'll be stunned.

PS. When you are finished being stunned, head over to Chuck's official website and read exactly what happens to Tender. I love this book.

Unique, Fresh, Brilliant.......2007-06-18

Survivor is an absurdly funny, yet penetratingly accurate look at modern society, in perhaps a not-so-good light. As a follow-up to the wildly successful Fight Club, Survivor carries over some of the elements I found so fresh and new about Palahniuk's writing, while still keeping the story fresh and new. In other words, this is definitely not Fight Club, Part II.

As an author, Palahniuk's best quality is his willingness to take chances. From the backward numbering the pages and chapters to the edgy themes contained therein, we can be certain about this: there is no topic too sacred.

A few of the "twists" toward the end didn't live up to the set-up for me, but it's not much of a let down when the book is still so much more interesting than the rest of what's out there these days.

Average customer rating:

A REALLY good read
Where Updike's Flowers Grow
From Church To The Movies And Back In Four Generations
Religion more powerful than the movies?
Loss of faith

In the Beauty of the Lilies
John Updike
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0679446400
Release Date: 1996-01-16

Amazon.com

When Clarence Wilmot, a Presbyterian clergyman, loses his faith and becomes an encyclopedia salesman, he opens the saga of one American family's twentieth-century relationship with God and all things religious.

Book Description

Faith ultimately bursts into flame as Updike's major new novel, charting the lives of one family through four generations, shows readers an America whose dream of perfection is translated into an obsession with God and the Moving Picture. Paterson, New Jersey, 1910: When a Presbyterian minister suddenly loses his faith and leaves the pulpit to become a salesman, he becomes a movie addict as well.

Customer Reviews:

A REALLY good read.......2007-02-11

This book is beautifully written and well researched by both Mr Updike and his staff.

John Updike is an artist, he creates pictures with words the way a painter creates pictures with brushes and colors. A painter sees a leaf in a certain light, grabs a piece of paper and tries to capture it using brush strokes and a variety of different colors. John Updike sees a leaf then captures it perfectly with his descriptive words. He uses words the way a painter uses his pallet, shading and coloring, with strong emphasis here and a light touch there the pictures come to life, dazzlingly. One reads a passage then gazes off into the distance visualizing what he has written, soaking up the ambience, the atmosphere of the piece, hearing the noises, smelling the smells, feeling the chill or the warmth, feeling the thrill as of galloping hooves when the story picks up pace. Its all there in this book.

Passages such as:-

"What had been a picture postcard in Basingstoke, where the hemlock boughs were bent low over the sidewalks and the chickadees hopped in the tracery of grapevines and Locust Street chimed from end to end with the scraping of snow shovels, was in New York an icy ashy slush the traffic churned with broken chains and angry claxons. Yet there was for Essie also something secretive and radiant about the storm's aftermath here, like light and cool morning air sneaking in across the windowsill. Spots of pure snow were still tucked in on fire escapes. Dirty plowed snow was mountainously heaped along the curbs, burying the trash cans, and people had worn a narrow wobbling path like a forest trail, carrying their expensive parcels and wearing their expensive clothes."

and :-

"The next morning, in the heavy dew, Luke told the children to stay in the Temple and went out, into swale in the lower right hand meadow where a thicket of little gamble oaks grew, with an M-16 he had fitted with a telescopic sight. When, at seven thirty, the orange yellow school bus came along the macadamized road, Luke from about a hundred fifty yards away shot out the two tires on his side. It was a crisp November morning, with the foretaste of winter in the wind and the sky overhead as blue as lupine and the leaves of the little oaks turning a papery khaki color. In his telescopic sight with the rifle steadied on a low branch, he could see beautifully. He could see the bus driver, a plump bleached blond in an ochre suede jacket roll down her window to look at her front tire; he could see the glint on the chrome edge of her side mirror. He could see as he swept the rifle in a gentle arc, the little faces cramming up against the windows in curiosity. The windows made their faces look dirty. Their mouths were open making a shrill noise he couldn't hear. When he took out the back tire and swept the sight back, the faces had all disappeared - ducked down, he guessed- so he took out a few of the windows for good measure."

make the book worth reading.

The tone of the book is cynical. Mr. Updike is 75yrs old this year, he is scratching the surface of American life with the advantage of age. I do not agree entirely with his point of view (or Nietzsche`s) "God is dead." To my mind there is a higher power whatever its name or gender, something greater than ourselves and that power can be positive, (good) or negative, (bad). Something that was there before the big bang and overrides everything with the law of checks and balances whatever we creatures do here on this extraordinary planet or in space.

The message of the book is that religion is stardust like the movies, both are fake. He is telling us to be aware there is no Wizard of Oz. Clarence rejected one fantasy but clung to another. Clark, his great grandson, at the end of the book was cognizant of both.

The book is arranged to be read in 4 sittings with its long paragraphs sometimes stretching two or three pages; it is hard to find a natural break to put the book down and indeed if you do put the book down for a few days it is difficult to remember the characters when you pick it up again. The book is divided like The Bible, it is a book of books, but lacking in chapter and verse. It would have been easier to read if each book had had chapters. The author did not want the reader to put the book down until the end of each individual book. Also a helpful addition for the reader would have been a map of the family tree at the front for easy reference.

Another nit I am picking (albeit a minor one) is that beautiful as the writing is, some of the similes grate. For instance:-

"....while stretched out at full length on heliotrope sheets in a dress of scarlet satin slit it seemed, all the way up her immense white thigh, like a white caddy fender without a fin."

What? `Like a slash in a crimson curtain hiding a bordello,' might have been more apt.

Or

"Essie felt armored in pretense, formless and safe behind her face like the rich filling of a stiff chocolate."

Or

"The numbered side streets were like rows and rows of books that some day she would read."

I somehow imagined the author struggling with these, it broke the spell a little.

Finally, I doubt whether the words "fantastic" and "stunning" were used as common adjectives in the fifties, it would more likely have been "wonderful" or "marvelous."

Altogether, minor nits; but together they have lost the book a star.

Where Updike's Flowers Grow.......2007-01-29

The plot of "In the Beauty of the Lilies" is as ambitious as the title itself, and in the hands of a lesser author, I daresay the story would've run out of steam by page 30. But this is Updike, an author who could write riveting and gorgeous VCR instruction manuals.

The book's scope is grand. It follows in intricate detail the pulses and patterns of an entire family through four generations, giving us not just a powerful look at the evolution of the family, but of the country in which they live. The balance between the two is delicate, but Updike's sparkling prose never loses its focus. Although the details of America's growing pains are ever-present and, even more important, amazingly done, they never overshadow the story of the Wilmot clan, never seem tacked on just for authenticity's sake.

Likewise, Updike's story itself, although it focuses on four individuals from the same clan, effectively utilizes two contrasting symbols that could very easily have become heavy-handed icons: religion and the movies. In fact, the book begins with two simultaneous incidents: a starlet passing out from heat exhaustion in the middle of filming a movie scene, and a pastor -- Clarence Wilmot -- losing his faith in God with equal suddeness. From here, Updike strolls through eighty years like a seasoned tour guide, showing us the bits and pieces that matter as this Wilmot family struggles to find its faith again in a world ever more obsessed with the superficial and unreal.

The book loses some steam in the second part, during the story of Teddy, Clarence's clawless son. This section functions most obviously as a chrysalis, giving the story (and the country) time to mature into something bigger. Updike's compelling writing keeps Teddy's rather uneventful tale from devolving into something mundane, although there are points where it is a bit redundant.

He moves from here, though, into the life of Teddy's daughter, Essie, within whom the book finds its strongest thematic purchase. Bred with a "private God" and an insatiable desire for filmdom's fame, Essie grows into a famous film actress who, amazingly, gets everything she prays for, although she doesn't necessarily pray for everything she gets.

One of the latter things is a son, Clark, who headlines the final part of the book, a tale overtly inspired by the Branch Davidian disaster. In spite of the glaring similarities, the story itself is still well-told (if not, in some parts, a tad hazy) and bristling with import.

Updike's message is not as clear as his vibrant words, but it is certainly as accessible. Flowing through his smooth, well-pieced narrative is a liquid-crystal meaning, a well-stated (never obvious) point about where true faith goes, if it ever goes anywhere at all. It certainly isn't a cliched coincidence that the book's most cinematic (and melodramatic) moment is also its most truly soulful. And for a book with this much spirit (see the last line of Clarence's section), this much tenderness (see the last line of Teddy's section), and this much brutal urgency (see the last line of Essie's section), well, that's saying quite a lot.

From Church To The Movies And Back In Four Generations.......2006-03-19

Among Updike's best works. This is the story of one family thru four generations, from a Presbyterian minister of the early twentieth-century, who loses his faith in God and substitutes that with a fascination for motion pictures, thru his son, a local postmaster, to that man's daughter, an actress who becomes a Hollywood superstar, and finally into the modern era when the actress' son gains heroic infamy for his actions as a radical participant in a cult stand-off reminiscent of the Branch Davidian disaster of 1993. I loved the depth with which Updike infused the passing of time, how he slid era into era and made the inhabitants of each generation seem so in place and representative of their age. This is the kind of book that draws in the curious and converts them to believers in how strong a novel can be as conveyer of a message. However, if there is one weakness here in this tale, it is the way Alma, the main character in the third generation, achieved international fame, and yet Updike seemed to rush thru her rise and merely told of it without letting us feel its culmination. He simply stated that it had come to pass, she was famous, she had starred opposite this major star and that one, but it never felt right, somehow. I don't blame Updike for this, exactly, and think this also serves to point out the weakness of the written word when it is used to describe a visual medium, as was that case. I was also a little saddened by how this novel ended, and felt it was a needlessly dim conclusion to nine decades of involvement with a number of deep-souled men and women. I rated four stars instead of five for this reason and for the facts mentioned in the rise-to-fame section, but In the Beauty of the Lilies was a wonderful book that packed a lot into its pages and I really enjoyed it. It serves to reinforce that John Updike is an American master.

Religion more powerful than the movies?.......2006-03-01

The back cover of this book enthusiastically describes it as the story of the 20th century in the US "seen through the prism of the movies." But I'd argue that the movies definitely take second place to religion as the driving force of American culture in Updike's view--and that certainly hasn't changed since this novel was written. "In the Beauty of the Lilies" is the story of religion in the life of a family--first for the brooding minister Clarence, who suddenly loses all faith on a totally ordinary summer afternoon at home. Clarence's son Teddy, the most "ordinary" character in the book, will never forgive God for abandoning his father and for the consequences his family suffered as a result. The third generation is Alma, formerly Essie, a movie star in the age of glamour, with her touching faith in a child-like father God watching over things. But God lets her son Clark wander off into the territory of false religion with catastrophic results.

I liked this book a lot--Updike's erudite writing is always a pleasure, and his insights into our so-called godless society, where religion permeates everything, were very astute. The "Teddy" story was a bit slow moving, perhaps deliberately, for it is followed by the meteoric rise--and fall--of his daughter's career. As for the story of Clark, we know what's coming, and we read on with growing dread towards the inevitable conclusion. An extra bonus was the very realistic rendering of Paterson NJ in the early 20th century and the painful silk workers' strike. Updike based this section of the book on the fine research of Steve Golin, a historian I know well. This novel is well worth your while.

Loss of faith.......2005-02-16

This books moves from a great grandfather's loss of faith in Paterson, New Jersey, to a Waco-like incident. Unfortunately the Presbyterian minister, Clarence Wilmot, is much more lifelike than the subsequent characters living in Delaware and New York City, among other places, upon whom the author expends a considerable number of words and much labor.

Clarence Wilmot explained that he would be with the members of his church only for the length of his call. He had come to believe there was no God. At Fourth Presbyterian glass windows presented a sextet of Protestant martyrs, Wycliff, Huss, Calvin, Knox, Cromwell, and Bunyan. A dying parishner told Clarence there had not been enough damnation from the pulpit. Clarence had a wife and three children. He thought that if he resigned the ministry there would be jobs. He thought it would be hypocrisy to remain in the pulpit. When Clarence tried to give his resignation, the church leaders offered an August vacation at Ocean Grove. After he was demitted he fell on the social scale. Previously he had failed to grasp such a consequence of his actions. Three years later he was selling encyclopedias door to door. His son Jared returned from World War One with a limp arm. Younger son Teddy survived the influenza epidemic.

Following Clarence's death, Teddy and his mother moved to Delaware. Teddy obtained work in a bottle cap factory and later became a postman. He had his wife Emily had two children, Esther and Danny. In the nineteen fifties Esther moved to New York City to jump start her career as an actress and model. Eventually she did become successful in the movies, and it was her son Clark who joined a peculiar sect.

This intergenerational novel certainly has its moments of rollicking good spirits. The portrayal of members of the family with a myriad of interests and competencies is energetic.

Dark Moon Defender (A Novel of the Twelve Houses)

Average customer rating:

Disappointing romance
Shinn's New Series
Best of the Saga of the Twelve Houses so far
Excellent!
Emotionally strong fantasy adventure

Dark Moon Defender (A Novel of the Twelve Houses)
Sharon Shinn
Manufacturer: Ace Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0441014305

Book Description

In this story of hidden magic and forbidden love, the King's Rider Justin befriends Ellynor, a young novice at a convent-only to discover that she is a mystic being manipulated by the fanatical Daughters of the Pale Moon into hunting down and killing other mystics.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing romance.......2007-06-08

I was reluctant to pick up this installment after reading reviews that little of the main storyline significantly progressed, and especially knowing that the six main characters would be separated. Fortunately, Shinn provided enough tidbits on the doings of our favorite characters, notably concerning Senneth and Tayse that my curiosity on their lives was satisfied. However, as much I've always harbored a soft spot for Justin, I just couldn't care too much about his romance with Ellynor. I cannot even say I disliked her character; in fact reading her portions I found her a sympathetic, lively personality. I didn't even think she was overly feminine. I simply found their relationship completely uninteresting and boring. Maybe it was overly predictable and their "suspicions" of one another's secrets didn't seem all that long lasting to me. Their romance was not only unlikely but it didn't convince me the way the previous novels had. As I said, I was pretty disappointed since Justin was my favorite barring Cammon. I just hope that Cammon's turn at forbidden romance brings something fresh. But I would keep reading just to see how the war turns out.

Shinn's New Series.......2007-05-13

All three books are good, altho' I liked the first and the third more than the second. The third books lets us see the growth of one of the characters and the expansion of his relationship with his world and the people he meets. I really liked it and am anxiously awaiting the next volume of this extended adventure of the small group of comrades.

Best of the Saga of the Twelve Houses so far.......2007-05-03

Dark Moon Defender is the third book in the Saga of the Twelve Houses. The second book in the Saga, The Thirteenth House, was such a disappointment to me that I've been anxious for the next installment to redeem the series. After months of waiting for the local library system to get the third book, it finally arrived. Like a chug of hearty soup after taking a swig of milk gone bad, the bad taste left by the last book was washed away and replaced with something truly satisfying. In short, I liked it.

Justin has been sent to spy on the Lumanen Convent, the stronghold of a group of religious fanatics bent on overthrowing the government of Gillengaria and eradicating all those endowed with magical abilities, the mystics. While performing his clandestine duties he falls in love with Ellynor, a convent novice who could only love him in return if she abandoned religious and family bonds. The situation is further complicated when Ellynor is exposed as a mystic and must fight for her life.

Once again, Ms. Shinn successfully weaves deeper themes into the story without allowing them to dominate the story. This episode emphasizes the true self, the essence of who we are regardless of our setting or our position in life. Neither Justin nor Ellynor are living as their heart would lead them - Justin is cloaked in his clandestine role, while Ellynor's path in life has been chosen for her. In spite of the apparent incompatibility of their stations, and even though they both know the other is keeping secrets, they come to trust each other. Each senses who the other is at the core. Their confidence in each other's true character is what allows their relationship to blossom and eventually grow into complete devotion.

It's interesting to me that I liked this book so much. It has so many of the same characteristics I didn't appreciate in the previous book. Like episode two, the main story line is an undercover romance between two people that would be wise to avoid a relationship. Not only that, but the one thing that saved the second book is nearly absent in this one, namely the advancement of the overall saga (well, that's not quite true - there are some potentially significant alliances forged between various groups, but you can only guess at the future importance of those alliances). With so much in common with the previous book you might expect a similar reading experience, yet in this case I really liked the result.

Can't wait for book four...

Excellent!.......2007-03-16

The book was in excellent condition and it got here quickly. It was also cheaper than I could find in stores, even with shipping!

Emotionally strong fantasy adventure.......2007-01-22

Fanatic followers of the moon goddess are actively hunting down and murdering mystics, and the King and his Riders can do little to stop them. The people have no particular use for mystics and the priestess of the moon goddess has been preaching against them convincingly. King's rider Justin is sent to investigate the monastery where the Daughters of the Pale Mother are headquartered. Still, actually getting information about the cult will be difficult.

Ellynor dreams of finding a middle way between the constraining rules of her culture and independence. When her cousin falls for an inappropriate man, Ellynor joins her in becoming novices with the Daughters of the Pale Mother. But while Ellynor has plenty of respect for all goddesses, her primary faith centers on another goddess, the Black Mother, Goddess of Night. When she is accosted by a drunk nobleman, Justin rescues her--and the two begin a relationship that is forbidden both by the rules of the Daughters and even more by the rules of Ellynor's culture and family. Since Justin is not from her people, her relatives are bound to rescue her, whether she wants it or not. And they won't stop until either they, or Justin, are dead. For Ellynor, who loves her family, neither is acceptable.

Author Sharon Shinn creates a compelling fantasy world. Aside from his loyal Riders, the King is weak and has no male heir. The nobles are restless and looking for an excuse to rebel--and the King's support for the hated mystics gives them just that. Conflict with Ellynor's clan just might be the final blow to the hopes of the mystics and of the King.

Shinn does a nice job describing the magic. Ellynor's powers, in particular, and the mythology of the Black Mother, are compelling and emotionally strong, as is Ellynor's impossible dilemma of falling for the wrong man.

I would have liked DARK MOON DEFENDER to have taken a bit higher-level look at the political situation and the ramifications of Justin's and Ellynor's decisions. Making the King's opponents a bit more three-dimensional and sympathetic would have helped, I think, make the story even stronger. From a romance perspective, I thought that the resolution to Ellynor's dilemma was telegraphed too obviously, and delivered with almost anti-climactic ease. That said, however, DARM MOON DEFENDER is a hard book to put down, delivers both exciting action and a high emotional charge, and is set in a wonderfully strong world. Shinn's writing sucked me into the story and made me care about the characters.

DARK MOON DEFENDER is a fantasy story, but it will appeal very strongly to romance readers as well as the romance plays at the very center of this novel.

Average customer rating:

Not so good....
Red is for Remembrance
the best
Left me Speechless
a great end to a great series

Red Is for Remembrance
Laurie Faria Stolarz
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0738707600

Book Description

Since Jacob's disappearance, Stacey has been trying to move on with her life. With a full scholarship, she begins classes at Beacon University, which her best friend Amber is also attending. But Stacey still misses Jacob and can't quite accept that she'll never see him again.

The president of Beacon introduces Stacey to his fourteen-year-old daughter Portia, who is struggling with her own nightmares that foretell murder. The two become friends as Stacey helps the young girl cope with her frightening premonitions. They work together to find the boy in Portia's dreams - locating him in a cult-like community. Despite their innocent goal to live peacefully without technology and material goods, there's a dark side to this community. And one of the members, Shell, looks remarkably like someone Stacey used to know . . .

Customer Reviews:

Not so good...........2007-05-10

This series is amazing. The first three books were all page turners. I couldn't put them down until I was finished. However, this book is sadly lacking the caliber the other books in the series possessed. The ending was predictable from the beginning, and the outcome was bittersweet.

Some people believe that after Silver is for Secrets, the series should have been over. However, the author didn't really finish the series there. An ending to Stacey Brown's story was required. The attempt to close all the doors left open, though, was unenjoyable. I give the series, overall, a 4 star rating, but this last book is definately not on the same level as the rest.

Red is for Remembrance.......2007-01-16

My teen aged daughter enjoys this book. I bought her the entire series for Christmas 06. She has enjoyed reading this book over and over. Apparently, these are the type of books that young teens are unable to put down until they complete the entire text. I find it inspiring that she has found a series that entices her to read that often. I was also impressed at the length of time it took to receive the product. The only drawback is that it had the title on the exterior of the envelop. Difficult for gift giving if she gets the mail.

the best.......2006-08-06

hi I am 12 yrs. old, i have read the three books before this one. and i love them all. i think that silver is for secrets was so sad i have read them all 3 time each. i kinda wish theree was a 5th one even thouhg i noe there wont be

Left me Speechless.......2006-07-27

These books are amazing.... All of them. Red is for Remembrance left me happy, sad, thankful... What an amazing author. She brought me into Stacey Brown's life and now I feel like I have to continue living it. I hope one day I'll be as good of an author as she is. This series left me speechless.

a great end to a great series.......2006-07-13

Okay so Stacy is dreaming again, only this time no bodily fluids (anyone else disappointed?). In her dream a girl is telling her to help or "he will die." Convinced this will bring her to Jacob, she agrees to help the president at her school whose daughter is having nightmares and is on the brink of being institutionalized.
At the same time a guy named Shell is at a campground in the middle of nowhere with no memory of his past or anything other than the camp. The camp works much like a cult, the leader is all powerful, they are shut out of the outside world and forced to "love" other members. He knows there's something else out there, or should I say someONE else, but he just cant remember.
All of our favorite charactors are back: Amber, Drea, PJ, and Chad, along with some fun new charactors, my favorite being Janie the Christian roomate who is against witchcraft but not sex outside of marriage.

Average customer rating:

feel-good funny thriller
Who would've thought?
Excellent, enthralling work - classic Koontz! - but a little repetitive
What will you find behind the door that is one door away from Heaven?
Charming story

One Door Away from Heaven
Dean Koontz
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0553801376
Release Date: 2001-12-26

Amazon.com

Dean Koontz virtually invented the cross-genre novel, and in One Door Away from Heaven he mixes an action thriller with post-X-Files alien paranoia to remarkable effect. Micky Bellsong is a young woman at a crisis point in her life, using a stay at her Aunt Geneva's to sort things out. Then the precocious and deformed Leilani Klonk walks into her life, telling stories of her stepfather and drugged-up mother, who believe aliens will beam the girl into their mothership and heal her deformities before her 10th birthday. But tales of the stepfather's vicious past, including his hand in several murders, leave Micky believing that a far more terrible fate awaits her friend. So when the parents take off with Leilani, Micky pursues.

As is typical with a Koontz novel, nothing turns out to be what it seems, and the meticulously crafted plot tightens like a noose with every turn of the page. His characters are exceptionally drawn, driving the novel forward with realism and warmth. Micky is one of his more attractive young heroines, but the real star is Leilani, a mature young girl whose plucky nature and sparkling dialogue instantly make her Koontz's most memorable creation. She embodies his belief that despite violence, pain, and suffering, there is always goodness to be found in every person and situation. Koontz has once again proven why he is one of the premier novelists of his generation. --Jonathan Weir, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

Hailed as “America’s most popular suspense novelist” (Rolling Stone) Dean Koontz has entered a rich new phase of his writing career that is yielding his most imaginative, meaningful, and popular work yet.

At the height of his powers as a literary craftsman, he has won the acclaim of critics as well as the allegiance of millions of fans the world over, transforming the greatest fears and hopes of our time into masterworks of dazzling originality and emotional resonance.

Now, with the stunning depth and virtuosity of his storytelling, he brings to readers one of his most gripping and richly imagined novels to date—an intoxicating story of adventure and suspense, mystery and revelation, told with humor, heart, and high art.

One Door Away From Heaven

In a dusty trailer park on the far edge of the California dream, Michelina Bellsong contemplates the choices she has made. At twenty-eight, she wants to change the direction of her troubled life but can’t find her way—until a new family settles into the rental trailer next door and she meets the young girl who will lead her on a remarkable quest that will change Micky herself and everything she knows—or thinks she knows—forever.

Despite the brace she must wear on her deformed left leg, and her withered left hand, nine-year-old Leilani Klonk radiates a buoyant and indomitable spirit that inspires Micky. Beneath Leilani’s effervescence, however, Micky comes to sense a quiet desperation that the girl dares not express.

Leilani’s mother is little more than a child herself. And the girl’s stepfather, Preston Maddoc, is educated but threatening. He has moved the family from place to place as he fanatically investigates UFO sightings, striving to make contact, claiming to have had a vision that by Leilani’s tenth birthday aliens will either heal her or take her away to a better life on their world.

Slowly, ever more troubling details emerge in Leilani’s conversations with Micky. Most chilling is Micky’s discovery that Leilani had an older brother, also disabled, who vanished after Maddoc took him into the woods one night and is now “gone to the stars.”

Leilani’s tenth birthday is approaching. Micky is convinced the girl will be dead by that day. While the child-protection bureaucracy gives Micky the runaround, the Maddoc family slips away into the night. Micky sets out across America to track and find them, alone and afraid but for the first time living for something bigger than herself.

She finds herself pitted against an adversary, Preston Maddoc, as fearsome as he is cunning. The passion and disregard for danger with which Micky pursues her quest bring to her side a burned-out detective who joins her on a journey of incredible peril and startling discoveries, a journey through terrible darkness to unexpected light.

One Door Away From Heaven is an incandescent mix of suspense and humor, fear and wonder, a story of redemption and timeless wisdom that will have readers cheering. Filled with tragedy and joy, with terror and hope, it solidifies Dean Koontz’s reputation as one of the foremost storytellers of our time. This is Dean Koontz at his very best—and it doesn’t get any better than that.

Customer Reviews:

feel-good funny thriller.......2007-07-31

I've just finished this yesterday and I can agree on some of the points made by disappointed reviewers - but if they like Koontz's writing on the whole I recommend they try this book again in a year or so. I say this because five years ago I would not have paid a dime for anything that wasn't totally scary. I did get into it and enjoyed it (already passed it on to my husband and promised to two friends after that) maybe because I'm having a hard time finding a writer with a original story line any more. That said: Curtis is a hilarious, if transparent, mystery that you know will win but live on the edge reading his story. Leilani is all the goodness we wish we could find in ourselves. Yeah, she talks too smart but how else would the story get across? Micky is like watching the smart but dumb girl in a sitcom, likeable even if you don't like her. And Aunti Jen is a pistol - wish I had one like her!

Who would've thought? .......2007-07-31

Usually when you pick up a Dean Koontz, you fasten your seatbelt, and hang on for the ride that you love so much! He really packed a lot into almost 700 pages. Who would've thought, that for some this would be so significant? I never would've thought that it would strike a nerve, but it did. After actually bringing myself to care about the characters, Koontz had me hooked once again.

What would a crippled little girl, like Leilani Klonk, have in common with the girl next door, Micky Bellsong? Micky lives with her Aunt Gen, and is simply trying to find a job. Leilani lives with her mom, Old Sinsemilla, who is constantly high. Leilani also lives with a leg brace, because she is indeed deformed. But all three are broken lives, with shattered hopes and dreams, in some way or another. In another part of this country, you'll find a boy who goes by the name of Curtis Hammond. He has nothing in this life, except a dog, who will prove a faithful companion. Then you have an ex-detective, Noah. He just wants to be left alone, or so he thinks. OH YEAH! You also have a man named Preston Maddoc, Leilani's (so called) step-father. Leilani refers to him as Dr. Doom! He's a sick, twisted individual. Is Leilani's life in danger? Chances are, yes. And through the tales of adventure that Koontz will weave, Micky is on a mission.

In this day and age, who would figure that Koontz might have such an impact? I didn't. But upon reading these precious pages, I saw what he was hitting on. Folks who fought for the life of Terri Schiavo will know instantly. And Terri Schiavo wasn't even an issue in our media when this was first published! That's pretty scary. And it had a lot more meaning for me this time than just a good story. Koontz hit the nail on the head with this. The title is more than appropriate. Like it or not, this is the world we live in. Koontz just happened to have a clue this time. Or he just knew all too well and we didn't get it! Hey, like it or lump it, it happens to be stuff like this that brings me back to Dean Koontz. He has something to say. We just need to pay attention. Pay a little closer attention with this one. This isn't our Creation we're messing with. And the God who made it, loved us enough to bring us here in the first place. And He's loved us, no matter how screwed up we are, or will be from here on out. Now take a deep breath before you start this, and then you may crack that opening page. Well done, Dean Koontz!

Excellent, enthralling work - classic Koontz! - but a little repetitive.......2007-05-26

This is one of Koontz's better works. My wife and I listened to the audio version on our cross-country trek from Michigan to Las Vegas, and we were rapt by the intriguing storyline and life-like characters. The lead characters are female - a twenty-something drifter with a good heart, and a disabled little girl with intelligence beyond her years. The little girl, in particular, is memorable. On the downside, several of Koontz's crutches come into play: The little girl's stepfather is a vilified academic; a sadistic atheist (as all atheists in Koontz's books are). The girl and her mother are remarkably similar to a young Chyna Shepard and her drugged-out mom from Intensity. Koontz's novels are almost always enjoyable, but the repetition of characters, themes, and worst of all, stereotypes, is annoying and detrimental to their quality. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in some entertaining light reading.

What will you find behind the door that is one door away from Heaven?.......2007-04-21

Ok, I'm going to be blunt. I honestly don't see what some of you guys' problems are. In all honesty this is probably my most favorite of Koontz's novels, and I've been reading his works now for about fourteen years, ever since I was thirteen. Sure it features yet anoter dog in a major role, but I've always liked that. I like the slightly different form it takes here. But let's get on to the story.
Michelina Bellsong is a twenty-eight-year-old woman who's come to stay with her aging aunt until she can sort out her life. But when a purky nine-year-old girl and her parents move into the trailer next to Mickey's aunt's, Mickey's life takes an unexpected turn. Leilani Clonk has a deformed hand and leg, but her spirit more than compensates. She is possessed of an often sarcastic brand of humor and an aversion to holding in what's on her mind. When she visits Mickey and her aunt for dinnner, she spins what they initially believe to be a tall tale about her serial murderer stepfather and drug-addicted mother who has chosen to name herself after a particularly potent type of Marijuana. But after observing Leilani's mother firsthand, Mickey grows concerned, particularly after hearing the story of Leilani's vanished brother, whom she believes to be buried in a lonely grave somewhere in Montana.
Meanwhile, far away from all these events, a boy flees for his life following the brutal murder of his mother. Forced by circumstance into acts of thievery, he fights desperately to survive. But this is no ordinary boy. He possesses astonishing abilities, including the ability to communicate with animals. Shortly after his escape from his mother's killers, the boy acquires a canine companion, the former pet of a brutally murdered Colorado family.
Mickey, meanwhile, embarks on a mission to find out as much as she can about Lelani's supposed serial killer stepfather. The information she discovers via computers in the local library is more alarming than even Leilani's tale had at first made it seem, and Mickey begins to realize how little time is left to the girl, particularly when she and her parents suddenly vacate the trailer and hit the road in a souped-up motor home with a Hawaiian motif.
In desperation, Mickey and her aunt enlist the aid of a burned-out former police officer and private investigator known to have a particular weakness for cases involving endangered children. Though initially reluctant to become involved in what he recognizes as a dangerous situation, both legally and physically, the detective nevertheless can't ignore the thought of a child in danger, and he hits the road in a desperate race to find Mickey before she can put herself in danger.
Meanwhile, the motherless boy finds himself rescued from a potentially dangerous situation by a pair of charming, seductive twin sisters complete with their own stylish motor home, a fascination with Extraterestrials, and, as the boy soon discovers, the ability and determination to defend themselves and their friends from any foe.
As is usually the case in Koontz's novels, all these diverse characters eventually come together, and this book is no exception. The story culminates in a violent confrontation with a villain whose evil is of amuch more disturbing nature than the average psycho. I was particularly surprised when the true nature of the motherless boy was made clear. Again, this is perhaps my most favorite of Koontz's books. It took a second read to remind me just why that was.

Charming story.......2007-02-08

But hair-raising at the same time. It's quite simple, really. If you loved E.T. you will love this book. I loved E.T. I still do. And I loved this book.

I have to sit and shake my head in wonder when I see a reviewer use the phrases "patently ridiculous" and "unbelievably disfunctional" when describing events or characters in a work of fiction. This just shows me that the person has an imagination dysfunction. Then there's the idiot who rails at Mr Koontz for being too religious and of course tying him to the right wing immediately. Seriously, people.

This book contains perhaps the most complete characters Dean Koontz has ever created, with Curtis being the most interesting. His meeting with the waitress in the diner has stuck in my mind. And the story of Leilani will curl your hair. Readers who find her story incredible do not live in the real world.

The only Dean Koontz book I've read which I enjoyed more than this one was "The Taking," but this one is almost just as good. Don't be afraid to buy it.

Don't stop what you're doing, Mr Koontz. Nobody out there is saying what you're saying and in such a manner as to make it entertaining as well. You've come a long way from "Whispers." And keep the dogs!!

Average customer rating:

This book scared the hell out of me!
[Un]Truely a Horror Story
AGAIN THE HORROR BOOK OF A LIFETIME!!!
Sure it's a work of fiction, but this first visit to Long Island is scary!
A Tremendously Scary Read!

The Amityville Horror
Jay Anson
Manufacturer: Pocket Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1416507698

Customer Reviews:

This book scared the hell out of me!.......2007-09-02

Very well written! I love thrillers and this is the best that I've read so far. Anson desribes the accounts so vividly that I was disturbed for days after finishing the book. I would recommend this to anyone who isn't prone to nightmares.

[Un]Truely a Horror Story.......2007-08-22

I have actually only recently finished this book. I have to say that I stayed up until 3am last Snday morning reading it. I couldn't put it down!

Although, as far as I can remember, this story has been disproven, I still found it a scary read and somewhere in the back of my mind there was a part of me that kept telling me it was real.

In part I put that down to the author, who relates the story in such a way that it is completely believable. His prose style is such that it adds a air of "menace" to the story which leaves the reader wanting to know what happened.

If you've seen the film(s) and think you know the story, think again. the films do not do the story justice and there are more scares in the book that in the films.

If you have an interest in the "goings-on" at 112 Ocean Avenue, then buy this book and read. It may not change your mind, but it's an entertaining read, none the less.

AGAIN THE HORROR BOOK OF A LIFETIME!!!.......2007-08-17

If you think you have heard or learned al