The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, Book 5)

Book Description

Ten thousand years ago, humans and fairies fought a great battle for the magical island of Ireland. When it became clear to the fairy families that they could never win, they decided to move their civilization underground and keep themselves hidden from the humans. All the fairy families agreed on this, except the eighth family, the demons. The demons planned to lift their small island out of time until they had regrouped and were ready to wage war on the humans once more. However, the time spell went wrong, and the island of Hybras was catapulted into Limbo, where it has remained for ten thousand years. Now the tainted time spell is deteriorating and demons are being sucked back into the present space and time. The fairy council is concerned about this and is monitoring any materializations. But when the spells deterioration accelerates, the materializations become unpredictable. Even the fairy scientists cannot figure out where the next demon will pop up. But someone can. Artemis Fowl, teenage criminal mastermind, has solved temporal equations that no normal human should be intelligent enough to understand. So when a confused and frightened demon pops up in a Sicilian theater, Artemis Fowl is there to meet him. Unfortunately, he is not the only one. A second, mysterious party has also solved the temporal equations, and has managed to abduct the demon before Artemis can secure him. Once again, Artemis will have to pair up with his old comrade, Captain Holly Short, to track down the missing demon and rescue him, before the time spell dissolves completely and the lost demon colony returns violently to Earth.

Customer Reviews:

Another enjoyable Artemis adventure.......2007-09-26

I found certain aspects somewhat predictable, but it's nice that Artemis has met another genius to contend with. Can't wait for the next one!

The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer.......2007-09-10

As usual Eoin Colfer takes us into the world of the Elves with our No1 criminal Artemis Fowl.But is the young lady who appears in this book to be his nemesis or love interest.You wont find out till the end.

Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony.......2007-08-31

I enjoyed this book as much as the other books. I couldn't put the book down. I would recommend this book to anyone to read.

Keep them coming!.......2007-08-23

This last adventure was just as intriguing as the other ones, yet the climax really surprised me. I genuinely recommend this book, as well as the rest of the Artemis' series. To be honest, I started reading them a couple of years ago, to cover the space between Harry Potter's books. After the second one, I just got fascinated with the plot and the characters. Harry, you do have quite and adversary there!

a next one?.......2007-08-15

is there really gonna be another? i felt like he finished with this one...

the first and this one are definitely the best in the saga

amazing franchise a must read

you will never put it down, mark my words

Average customer rating:

Just as great as the rest
Another Great Read!
A top pick for prior fans.
An already exciting and at times scary adventure
Definitely recommend

Lady Friday (The Keys To The Kingdom)
Garth Nix
Manufacturer: Scholastic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439700884

Book Description

Four of the seven Trustees have been defeated and their Keys taken, but for Arthur, the week is still getting worse. Suzy Blue and Fred Gold Numbers have been captured by the Piper, and his New Nithling army still controls most of the Great Maze. Superior Saturday is causing trouble wherever she can, including turning off all the elevators in the House and blocking the Front Door. Amidst all this trouble, Arthur must weigh an offer from Lady Friday that is either a cunning trap for the Rightful Heir or a golden opportunity he must seize - before he's beaten to it!

Customer Reviews:

Just as great as the rest.......2007-07-03

I am a HUGE fan of Garth Nix's works. The books, expecially in this series, capture my attention every time to where I feel like I can't put them down until I read the very last punctuation mark. Lady Friday followed along with the other books, and I cannot wait for the next two to finish out the series!

Another Great Read!.......2007-06-17

This was yet another great book in this series. I was so disappointed when I got finish with it in less than 12 hours. I cannot believe I have to wait another year for Superior Saturday and then another for Lord Sunday!

A top pick for prior fans........2007-06-10

Garth Nix's latest ' The Keys to the Kingdom' addition is LADY FRIDAY, telling of Arthur Penhaligon, whose friends have been captured by the Pipe in a world where the army controls most of the Great Maze. Pitted against the ruthless Lady Friday, Arthur finds himself in a race to win control of the House and assume his role as a rightful heir - or lose everything - in this fifth book of the series, recommended as a top pick for prior fans.

An already exciting and at times scary adventure.......2007-06-01

On the fifth day, there was fear...

Leaf wakes up in a hospital ward and realizes something strange is going on. There are several people with her, but they all appear to be sound asleep, and there are no medical items. Leaf remembers that Lady Friday was a nurse at the tent hospital, but it's not until a frightened hospital cleaner tries to save Leaf from being detected that Leaf becomes aware of the danger that she --- along with her Aunt Mango and several other sleepers --- is in.

Meanwhile, Arthur wakes up from a nightmare in the Citadel. The last battle has left him shaken, but he appears to have defeated the Piper for now. Unfortunately, the New Nithling army has control of the Great Maze, while Superior Saturday causes trouble by cutting off the telephone lines and controlling the elevators of the House. To make matters worse, the Dame Primus, since gaining the Fourth Part of the Will, has unwonted, barely-concealed moments of rage. Arthur isn't sure he can trust her, but he has no choice. He is trying to figure out what happened to his family in the week that has passed on Earth, as well as locate his friends who have been captured --- or worse --- by the Piper.

Then, a messenger from Lady Friday arrives bearing a letter and a gift. Lady Friday has apparently abdicated her position and will turn it over to whoever can find the Fifth Part of the Will and the Fifth Key. For Arthur, this means he has to go against the Piper and Superior Saturday and possibly gain control over them. However, the week hasn't been going well for Arthur, and it gets worse when he is unexpectedly transferred to somewhere within the House, with no known way of getting back to the Great Maze or to the Secondary Realms.

While Arthur tries to make his way to Lady Friday's Scriptorium, he encounters some familiar enemies and meets a few new characters, including the Paper Pushers, who have an unusual but interesting line of work. Arthur has more work cut out for him, but when Leaf discovers Lady Friday's real motive --- "experiencing" --- the day is further seeped in the fear of the unknown.

LADY FRIDAY, the fifth book in Garth Nix's The Keys to the Kingdom series, adds another dimension to an already exciting and at times scary adventure that will have readers looking forward to the weekend.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle

Definitely recommend.......2007-05-10

My 10-year-old loves this series, although for that age, I would recommend it for advanced readers. Also, start with book one in the series. The storyline is creative and complex and would be difficult to follow for anyone coming in mid-series.

Average customer rating:

Pendragon rocks!
Great Book
Very good!
review by A Tran
Pendragon book

The Pilgrims of Rayne (Pendragon)
D. J. MacHale
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1416914161
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Book Description

When Bobby Pendragon first arrives on the tropical world of Ibara, he finds

paradise. As he works to uncover clues about the turning point this seemingly

idyllic territory will soon face, all he can determine is that the people of

Ibara are blissfully happy. It's not long before Bobby discovers, however, that

they are also blissfully...oblivious.

The leaders of Ibara are keeping a devastating secret from their people, one

that gives Saint Dane all the opportunity he needs to launch his final assault

on Halla.

While Bobby struggles to learn the truth in time to thwart Saint Dane, Courtney

Chetwynde desperately searches for Mark Diamond. On the heels of a shocking

tragedy, Mark has disappeared. Worse, he seems to be under Saint Dane's

influence. It's up to Courtney to find Mark and stop him from making a grave

mistake that could change the future of all existence.

Customer Reviews:

Pendragon rocks!.......2007-09-20

Another exciting chapter of the Pendragon adventure, the Pilgrims of Rayne continues to follow Bobby Pendragon, now a 17 year old boy, as he attempts to save another territory from being thrown into utter chaos by the very evil Saint Dane. As with the previous books, the twists and turns never stop! At times, what is revealed was so surprising that I had to stop and take a breather! The tone of this book shifts from the other books in that Bobby is starting to realize that his mission is about all of Halla, not just one territory. Things start to blend and shift. Victory is not as clear-cut as it was before for Bobby, and neither is defeat. And the motivations behind Saint Dane's evil acts are revealed more. Plus more time travel fun!

D.J. McHale is the master of surprise, white-knuckle suspense, as well as laugh out loud fun. This is possibly the best adventure series of all time, for both kids and adults. In my opinion, it is even better than Harry Potter. Grab all of his books today!

Great Book.......2007-08-31

This is a great addition to the Pendragon series. I highly recomend reading the first books first.

Very good!.......2007-08-17

Ok, this is book 8 and I can see major events unfolding but I'm a little frustrated as to where this whole thing is going. The territories are all mixed and there are indications of a huge grand scheme. I would like more glimpses into the grand scheme. We can go to 1000 territories and have adventures but it gets a little boring after a while when the stories don't culminate into meaning. I think it's time we enter more into Saint Dane's world and experience that a bit.

review by A Tran.......2007-08-12

You have got to read this book! When you think something will happen, the story does something totally different. I have read the whole series and I love it. It has a sense of adventure when Bobby goes to the different territories. Plus you never know what will happen. The author also uses what happens in the previous books as an effect of something a character in the story might do in another book. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction or action books. Also the author builds the energy in the story then lets it all out towards the end. Unlike other authors who build until the middle of the story, then the rest is boring.

Pendragon book.......2007-07-30

Even though there was some difficulty recieving this book the seller handeled it promptly and with Grace.
Outstanding

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

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

grisly portrait of future history
An awesome adventure and scifi Nam experience
Good hard sci-fi
War in space is hell
Silly, boring, waste of time!

The Forever War
Joe Haldeman
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060510862
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Amazon.com

In the 1970s Joe Haldeman approached more than a dozen different publishers before he finally found one interested in The Forever War. The book went on to win both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, although a large chunk of the story had been cut out before it saw publication. Now Haldeman and Avon Books have released the definitive version of The Forever War, published for the first time as Haldeman originally intended. The book tells the timeless story of war, in this case a conflict between humanity and the alien Taurans. Humans first bumped heads with the Taurans when we began using collapsars to travel the stars. Although the collapsars provide nearly instantaneous travel across vast distances, the relativistic speeds associated with the process means that time passes slower for those aboard ship. For William Mandella, a physics student drafted as a soldier, that means more than 27 years will have passed between his first encounter with the Taurans and his homecoming, though he himself will have aged only a year. When Mandella finds that he can't adjust to Earth after being gone so long from home, he reenlists, only to find himself shuttled endlessly from battle to battle as the centuries pass. --Craig E. Engler

Book Description

Private William Mandella is a hero in spite of himself -- a reluctant conscript drafted into an elite military unit, and propelled through space and time to fight in a distant thousand-year conflict. He never wanted to go to war, but the leaders on Earth have drawn a line in the interstellar sand -- despite the fact that their fierce alien enemy is unknowable, unconquerable, and very far away. So Mandella will perform his duties without rancor and even rise up through the military's ranks . . . if he survives. But the true test of his mettle will come when he returns to Earth. Because of the time dilation caused by space travel the loyal soldier is aging months, while his home planet is aging centuries -- and the difference will prove the saying: you never can go home. . .

Customer Reviews:

grisly portrait of future history.......2007-09-27

Ah, there's nothing even more refreshing that reading a story with grit, grim and blood to contrast the other utopia inspired books out there. This is a grisly picture of how the space flight will be inspired by militaristic expansion and war with another space-faring alien race.

The characterization of the soldiers and the experiences the war dragged them through was a vivid portrait of how war focused the human race can be. The technology and language explored in the future of this history was interesting to look at, as it was well written. No parts in this book were dragging, boring, timid, lethargic or withheld. Near perfection from Haldeman!

An awesome adventure and scifi Nam experience.......2007-08-15

This book is cool. Get a look into how much a country and a person can change during war. The earth Mandala returns to after each combat tour mirrors what it must have been like to return to the U.S. from Nam after so much social change in the 60s. The bureaucratic shenanigans do not change in the future, and in the end, nobody thanks the soldier for defending them from nothing. The joke's on you. I was somewhat disappointed in the ending, but on the other hand, I was impressed with the ending before the ending. A fun, recommended read.

Good hard sci-fi.......2007-07-27

A great thought experiment about the "relativity" of war. I hadn't ever thought about how the great distances involved in an interstellar war would affect those fighting in it.

Obviously, Halderman's own experience in Vietnam seeps through in his judgment about the utility of war, but good stuff nevertheless.

War in space is hell.......2007-07-25

In 1997 Humans are at war with an unkown species named Taurans. Private Mandella is conscripted by the World government. But the need to travel large interstellar distances at close to the speed of light, means that though Mandella's military service last's only four years of his life, more than thousand years of actual time has passed, leaving the military as his only link to his past life; as the earth's culture, custom's and even language profoundly change during his tour of duty.

'The Forever War' is a very good novel from the Hard school of Sci-fi. Haldeman, a veteran himself, convincingly describes what a future military might look like from weapons to bureaucracy. He also has very interesting ideas on what a future war in space might look like. There are some very exciting battle sequences and insightful ideas on how space might shape future tactics and strategies. The crux of the novel is that although Mandella hates the war, and knows that his odds of surviving are not high, the military and the friendships formed there are the only thing he has, as the effects of relativity have robbed him of any connection he had to Earth.

'The Forever War' is often touted by reviewers as an 'answer' to Heinlein's excellent 'Starship Troopers'. I have to disagree- this review is not the place to get into it, but 'Starship Troopers' has to be the most misunderstood novel in Science Fiction. They are both great books and I recommend both highly.

Silly, boring, waste of time! .......2007-07-14

Don't bother with this book. I forced myself to read halfway through this book before resigning to the fact that this book is just plain 'silliness' wrapped up in sci-fi technobabble and hippy-love politics.

The main characters are 'elite' conscripts (what conscripts have ever been elite?) simply because their IQ rates >150. They smoke weed whenever they like in service, the female conscripts are legally obliged to have sex with male conscripts as part of the 'perks' of the service and have assigned random sex every night (which they rush to with open legs, of course, in sci-fi land...)

The story is very slow to develop and even by halfway through the book hasn't even really started.

This book would probably appeal to teenage boys with military-sexual-alien fantasies.

For a mature good sci-fi military book try Lee Stephen's Dawn of Destiny.
Note that 'The Forever War' has 11 ratings of 1 at the time of my writing this review, and Dawn of Destiny has all 5-star ratings.

Sir Thursday (The Keys To The Kingdom, Book 4)

Average customer rating:

Don't Care For War But Still A Gr8 Book
Great Story!
"It is Clearly the Latest Move of the Morrow Days Against You, Arthur, and Against Us..."
The balance shifts
The balance shifts

Sir Thursday (The Keys To The Kingdom, Book 4)
Garth Nix
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0439436575

Book Description

On the fourth day there was war... Following their adventures in the Border Sea, Arthur and Leaf head for home. But only Leaf gets through the Front Door. Arthur is blocked because someone . . . or something . . . has assumed his identity and is taking over his life. Before Arthur can take action, he is drafted by Sir Thursday and forced to join the Glorious Army of the Architect. While Leaf tries to banish Arthur's doppleganger on earth, Arthur must survive his basic training, avoid getting posted to the Front and work out how he can free Part Four of the Will....

Customer Reviews:

Don't Care For War But Still A Gr8 Book.......2007-07-06

When I first saw that it was about war it kinda turned me off but I still read it anyway b/c I love this series. It wasn't so bad. It's my least favorite of the series though

Great Story!.......2007-04-05

Apparently this series is aimed at a pre-adolescent reader; I am not in that category and yet I am unable to put these books down. The Keys To The Kingdom is a well written and compelling story!

"It is Clearly the Latest Move of the Morrow Days Against You, Arthur, and Against Us...".......2007-03-17

By now the basic premise of Garth Nix's seven-part "The Keys to the Kingdom" series is well established. Arthur Penhaligon has been thrown into an extraordinary world: the epicenter of the universe, known as "the House". Ruled by the treacherous Morrow Days (named after the days of the week and each personifying one of the seven deadly sins: Mister Monday/sloth; Grim Tuesday/greed; Drowned Wednesday/gluttony and now Sir Thursday who appears to be pride), Arthur has been given the task of reassembling the missing pieces of the Will that will strip these characters of their power and return it to the Rightful Heir - himself!

Perhaps a bit more exposition is needed: the Will is the written word of the creator of this world; a mysterious female-deity known as the Architect. Each piece of the Will takes the form of an animal before each is enveloped into Dame Primus; the embodiment of the Will itself. She grows stronger as Arthur returns each part of herself, and armed with the keys of the Morrow Days, the two stand a chance against the awesome power that each Morrow Day wields. So far Arthur has been successful, though the reluctant hero is getting nervous about his chances of returning home to his ordinary life, not to mention the dangers posed to his own world thanks to the upheavals taking place in the House.

In particular, Arthur is terrified about "the Skinless Boy", the doppelganger that has taken his place in the real world and who has the power to infect those about him with a grey mould that renders them his mindless servants. Sending his friend Leaf (her parents were hippies) back home to attempt to find the source of the Skinless Boy's power and destroy it, Arthur turns his attention to matters in the House. He has unknowingly been drafted into the Glorious Army of Sir Thursday, who has arrogantly released several thousand Nithlings (creatures made from Nothingness) into his province, the Great Maze, in order to train his troops. Feeling that it is the best hiding place for Arthur, Dame Primus encourages him to enlist so that he might seize the opportunity to get close find the forth piece of the Will. Moving between the two plots is the irrepressible Suzy Turquoise Blue, easily Nix's most vivacious character.

Garth Nix spent a few years in the Australian Army Reserve, which explains why so much of the routine and regulations of army life is so vividly captured in Arthur's stint as a soldier. Long hours of tedious training, yelling drill sergeants, heavy marches through difficult terrain, endless inspections, being shuffled from officer to officer, and then the heat and confusion of battle itself - it's enough to put you off war for good.

Arthur is gradually growing up as the stories go on, willingly taking more and more responsibility on his young shoulders as his emotional investment in the House and its inhabitants grow (not to mention the symbiotic effect it has on his own world). Even if it means loosing his own humanity and becoming a Denizen of the House, Arthur is now fully committed to his cause, foregoing a way out at what seems like a great personal cost. Likewise, pieces of the master-plan at work behind the Morrow Days are beginning to show - could it be that the Days of the Week are not behind some of the chaos? Arthur finds himself relying more and more on himself to find his own path through the turmoil of the political intrigue. At one stage he finds himself caught between three morally ambiguous characters: the self-righteous Will, the tyrannical Sir Thursday and the mysterious Piper that considers himself the Rightful Heir. Event the Architect herself - supposedly the creator of the universe - is thrown into some doubt in this installment. How Arthur wades through these murky waters makes for challenging and thought-provoking reading.

Unfortunately, much of the story feels a bit like padding. Arthur gets "cleaned between the ears", that is, his memory is wiped, but this somewhat clichéd amnesia-device adds little to the plot itself save as a minor inconvenience that he soon overcomes. Likewise, although the action-sequences of Leaf attempting to thwart the designs of the Skinless Boy are tense and fast-paced, it is ultimately a subplot that has no real bearing on the central thread of the story. Garth Nix's vivid imagination is firmly intact when it comes to atmosphere - particularly in his portrayal of the Great Maze as a moveable checkerboard, with each square covered in a different terrain - but although I enjoyed this installment better than "Drowned Wednesday", it still doesn't quite live up to the intense imaginative tour-de-force of "Mister Monday" and "Grim Tuesday." Nevertheless, I'll be on the lookout for "Lady Friday!"

The balance shifts.......2007-03-14

In this forth installment of The Keys To The Kingdom Arthur once again plans to battle imposible odds to gain the keys to the house.(read the other books first;)Matters are comlicated when he is drafted into the house army. This is a good book so dont take my word READ IT!!!

The balance shifts.......2007-03-13

Dingoes At Dinnertime (Magic Tree House 20, paper)

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MY BOY LOVES READING
Amorrea's review
David's review
Angela's review
Dingoes at Dinnertime

Dingoes At Dinnertime (Magic Tree House 20, paper)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679890661
Release Date: 2000-03-14

Amazon.com

"A feeling of dread came over Jack.

'What if...' he said. 'What if...'

In the distance, a tree suddenly burst into flames.

'We're looking at a wildfire!' he said."

On a magical mission from the mysterious tree house near their home in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, Jack and his sister Annie find themselves in the wilds of Australia during a drought. Things heat up pretty quickly for this adventuresome pair, as what initially appears to be a campfire turns into something a lot more frightening. Meanwhile, one exotic animal after another crosses their paths, from koalas to kookaburras to kangaroos. In previous episodes of the Magic Tree House series, Jack and Annie found three of the four gifts they must receive in order to free an enchanted dog from a spell. Now they must track down "a gift from a kangaroo." But can they find this gift before the forest--and all its furry and feathered residents--burns up?

This enormously popular series by award-winning author Mary Pope Osborne is full of thrills and enchantment. She manages to infuse each easy-to-read chapter book with heaps of historical, cultural, and geographical information, without ever missing a beat. (Ages 6 to 10) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Jack and Annie are whisked down under to the land of Australia, where they save a baby kangaroo, a koala, and other animals from a raging wildfire.

Customer Reviews:

MY BOY LOVES READING.......2007-01-07

My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!

Amorrea's review.......2006-05-31

Jack and Annie are helping Teddy get all four presents. They're going to Australia to find the last present. They go on all kinds of adventures like helping a little kangaroo get back to its mother. Will Jack and Annie help the little kangaroo find its mother? If you want to know, you'll have to read Dingoes At Dinnertime. I like this book. It's good because I like the Dingoes because they remind me of my dog Paco.

David's review.......2006-05-20

Jack and Annie are trying to get the last present to free Teddy from the spell .Can they get the last present? My favorite part was
When Teddy helped Jack and Annie to get out of the wild fire.
I really liked this book you should too!

Angela's review.......2006-05-19

Dingoes at Dinnertime is a great book! It's so mysterious. It left me with a lot of questions. On the first page I got hooked. Jack and Annie have to find a present. Will they? Read to find out.

Dingoes at Dinnertime.......2006-05-19

I like this book a lot. It is my first adventure book. Jack and Annie have to take care of a koala and a baby kangaroo. Jack and Annie find their way into a wildfire. When the wildfire is put out by rain, Jack and Annie get the last gift from the mother kangaroo. The book is a just right book. It's so great you will want to read more magic tree house books. I hope you like it, too. It's only ten chapters. I was surprised at the end. To find out... what happens at the end, you'll have to read Dingoes at Dinnertime.

Grim Tuesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

This Book Deserves 7 Stars!
If you thought Monday was bad.....
A Grim Outing ...
Exciting part two!
the drive behind the story too similar to Mister Monday

Grim Tuesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 2)
Garth Nix
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0439436559

Book Description

Arthur doesn't think he will ever have to return to the strange house that nearly killed him on Monday -- the house that contains an entire world. But Tuesday brings new challenges -- in the form of an enemy named Grim Tuesday, who threatens the well-being of both Arthur's family and his world. Arthur must retrieve the Second Key from Grim Tuesday in order to save everything -- an adventure that will include stealing a Sunship, surviving a very weird work camp, befriending a bearlike spirit, fighting the voidlike Nithlings, and traveling to the scary Far Reaches for the ultimate showdown.

Customer Reviews:

This Book Deserves 7 Stars!.......2007-07-19

Possibly my favorite book of the Keys to the Kingdom series Grim Tuesday has a lot of twists and suspense. My heart raced from page 2 (not saying page 1 wasn't interesting, it just reminds you of Mister Monday and introduces Grim Tuesday. I couldn't even guess what was going to happen by the end of the story but once I got there I was still in shock. It seemed short to me but nevertheless still a great read

If you thought Monday was bad............2007-07-16

This is the second book in Garth Nix's engaging fantasy series Keys to the Kingdom, although it is billed as children's literature, it contains many sophistocated allusions that most kids probably wouldn't get (and some adults might not get either), and is extremely well written and highly recommended for anybody who likes fantasy, be warned however that it is not typical fantasy, it is sometimes very dark (this book is particularly dark and dreary).

After Arthur defeated Mister Monday and cured the Sleepy Plague which threatened to ravage his town and possibly his whole world, he thought he'd get 6 years off to grow up and relax before having to deal with the fantastical realm of the House again, unfortunately the greedy and corrupt Trustee of the Architect, Grim Tuesday has other ideas, he has sent two of his twisted warped Grotestques to Arthur's world where they have proceeded to commence the ruining of Arthur's family's finances and the finances of a good portion of the rest of the world, in order to stop them, Arthur must find a way back into the House, and once there survive Grim Tuesday's horrible Pit, which he has dug in his greed to mine Nothing, which can be made into everything. Along the way he teams up with various characters, new and old, including the irrepressible and irreverent Suzy Blue, and one of Grim Tuesday's many indentured Denizens, a former Theasureus named Japeth, who has a bad habit of talking, well like a theasureus which provides a certain amount of comic relief in the despair of the Pit. He also must convince the sullen stubborn Second Part of the Will to co-operate with him and beat Grim Tuesday in a contest of artistry in order to obtain the Second Key to the Kingdom of Reality and, most importantly as far as Arthur is concerned, save his family and his world from a new Great Depression and get back home.

All and all this is a great book, although not quite as interesting as the first one, perhaps because the first one had more mystery in it, in this one Arthur knows what is going on.

A Grim Outing ..........2007-06-17

Garth Nix continues his Keys to the Kingdom fantasy series in "Grim Tuesday", Arthur Penhaligon's second foray into the mysterious House. This time, the universe is threatened by the greedy Grim Tuesday, who commands the lower house and the dangerous Nothing mine. While this book is defenitely not as rich or compelling as "Mister Monday", tweens wil still be entertained by Nix's creative universe and enjoyable characters.

Grim Tuesday wants his money. And he also wants to rule the whole of the lower House. But to do this, he will need the second key from Arthur Penhaligon. Arthur, who has just returned from the House to find his town still in disaray, just wants to relax. But when Grim Tuesday sends two of his servants to warn Arthur to pay Monday's old debts by handing over the first key, Arthur must decide on whether to oblige to Grim Tuesday's wishes or venture into the House and Grim Tuesday's Nothing mine to retrieve the second key and save the world. Does it sound cliched yet?

The plot definitely lags a bit and resembles the first too much. While the characters are entertaining and there are some original inventions here and there, I really felt like I was on the sidelines watching insteading of actually being part of the story and adventure as I was in "Mister Monday". Throughout the book, I actually felt like Garth Nix was "down-smarting" the plot in order to make it readable for a younger audience. Nix mostly writes for teens, and I would like to let him know that you can still write compelling, rich fantasy for a younger audience and still make it fun without becoming paper-thin and a little silly. Becuase that's what "Grim Tuesday" felt like; a silly, repetive fantasy. This is however only the second outing in the series, and I can only wonder if Nix made the improvements.

"Grim Tuesday" defenitely is not as good as its predecesor. But, despite its thin plotting, the overall story is still entertaining enough to attract the attention of readers and keep them interested in the series. The second book in a popular series usually always lags a bit, so let's hope "Drowned Wednesday" improves over "Grim Tuesday"'s faults and returns to the techniques that made "Mister Monday" so original and enjoyable.

Exciting part two!.......2006-11-05

In this second part of the Keys to the Kingdom series, the protagonist, Arthur, faces a much darker enemy than in part one. It forces him to descend into the lowest part of The House, where there is no light and the continuous rain contains all-dissolving Nothing. Arthur needs all of his resources, his courage and his friends to make his way out of this hell hole. You'll be begging your Mother for a sic-day off school to finish it!!

the drive behind the story too similar to Mister Monday.......2006-10-08

After _Mister Monday_, I was hoping the author would take _Grim Tuesday_ a step further and really draw the readers into the story. I wanted to know more about the House and the Will, and see Arthur and Suzy really grow as characters. Unfortunately, none of those things happened. Arthur and Suzy seem exactly the same as before, the drive behind the story is exactly the same (Arthur needs to get the Keys in order to save his family), and that made the story very predictable and boring. Disappointing.

Granted, the drive behind every story in this series will have to be similar, because Arthur is the heir apparent and must eventually inherit all the keys to the kingdom. But it's the author's job to keep his readers interested, so he must give us new and exciting aspects to the House, the Will, and the characters in each book. Unfortunately, he didn't do that here.

This also had a rushed-out-the-door feel to it. The writing was clumsy in places, with a lot of telling instead of showing. It felt as if the author were laying the groundwork for further stories. If so, then the best thing to do would be to keep the important pieces, cut the rest, and add it to the real story.

The most intriguing part was the end, where we see how Arthur will meet Wednesday. Wednesday sounds like an intriguing and dangerous character, much more so than Tuesday. It's too bad Tuesday couldn't have been as well.

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Not Living Up To Expectations
Awesome!
THE BEST
revealing
Pendragon: A Journey through Time and Space

The Reality Bug (Pendragon Series #4)
D. J. MacHale
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743437349

Amazon.com

Fifteen-year-old Bobby Pendragon has visited the alternate dimension of Denduron (The Merchant of Death), explored the endangered underworld territory of Cloral (The Lost City of Faar), and traveled back in time on his own planet Earth to uncover the evil plot of the fiendish Saint Dane--the evil force behind all these interworld exploits (The Never War). Now he "flumes" (a kind of time/space travel) into the territory of Veelox expecting to wage another battle against evil... only to find all is peaceful. He quickly discovers the peace is due to the fact that most of the citizens of Veelox have become addicted to Lifelight, a virtual reality lifestyle. Unfortunately, what once seemed so safe and enjoyable has taken a frightening twist, and Bobby must rely on a Veelox Traveler named Aja to help him find a solution--and save the territory. His antagonistic relationship with the brilliant Aja grates on his nerves as she spits out cryptic words of wisdom: "Salvation here can be found in only one place: the imagination. If you can't understand that, you might as well flume out right now."

Fans of D.J. MacHale's Pendragon series will enjoy this latest entry, and look forward to the forthcoming fifth title. The attraction of the series is not so much great writing or character development as fast-paced action and edge-of-seat danger. (Ages 9 to 12) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

VIRTUAL REALITY?

The territory of Veelox has achieved perfect harmony. Fifteen-year-old Bobby Pendragon arrives on this territory in pursuit of the evil Saint Dane, but all is peaceful on Veelox -- because it's deserted. The inhabitants have discovered a way to enter their own personal dream worlds, where they can be whoever they want, wherever they want. Their bodies lie in stasis while their minds escape to this dream realm.

Fresh from his battle with Saint Dane in 1937 Earth, Bobby is confident that they can defeat whatever Saint Dane has planned for this world. But once Bobby enters the virtual world will he be able to resist the lure of the ultimate in escapism?

Customer Reviews:

Not Living Up To Expectations.......2007-02-27

This book was pretty good especially the amazing detail of all of the crazy things such as lifelight. However, thats just as always (especially the things on Cloral.) Although it was detailed I really wasnt as " i cant wait to read this book whn i get home" as i was with the others. Its definatley worthy of a 4 star but nothing more because it kind of lagged in certain spots like with lifelight the same thing keeps happening. But as i said earlier, its worthy of a 4 star but nothing compared to the others; I hope book is going to be good and all the rest (especially book 8.)

Awesome!.......2007-01-29

This book seemed just a tad bit dreary as far as the world goes but nonetheless it was a totally great read!

THE BEST.......2006-08-23

in my opinion, this is the best installment in the pendragon series. i read it all in a few days. thats amazing becuz i'm one of the slowest readers in my class. :P this is an amazing book with the imagery, amusing metaphors and such. i won't say much for i fear i will ruin the ending, but i can say that this will be an excellent collection to your books. PENDRAGON RULES!

revealing.......2006-07-15

The fourth book in the series has the same idea as the first three but has a wicked, sudden ending. It gets you ready to begin the fifth book as soon as you've finished.

But what makes this book better is that a lot more is revealed in this book than in the others. It kinda refreshes the series to keep as in depth as it has been. Satisfying fantasy read.

Pendragon: A Journey through Time and Space.......2006-04-17

The Pendragon series is a group of journals written by Bobby Pendragon. Bobby sends his journals back home through a special ring that he wears. Bobby's friends, Courtney and Mark safeguard his journals at home. Bobby used to consider himself as normal, but not anymore. Ever since Bobby's uncle told Bobby that he had a special ability to travel through time and space, Bobby hasn't known what to think. The special ability he has lets him travel to different territories, which are like different dimensions or worlds. There are ten territories, and each one is different. When the ten travelers reach a territory, they find that it is at a turning point. The territory could either fall into chaos or advance on. There is only one traveler from each territory, and all of them must work together to save all the territories. The travelers want to save every place from absolute destruction. The only traveler who wants chaos for the territories is the villain, Saint Dane. He can wants to control them all.

This book takes place in a territory called Veelox. Veelox is a very advanced civilization. There are no wars on Veelox, because almost everyone is living in their own virtual reality, which is a lot like a very long, perfect, dream. They call these times they spend in the chambers 'jumps'. Pendragon was told by Veelox's traveler, Aja, that everything was fine. As it turned out, Aja wanted the challenge for herself. Pendragon soon found that Velox was in trouble and wondered what he could do to help. The entire territory would be doomed if people choose to keep living in virtual reality, because the food supply was almost gone. Aja showed him a disc containing a virus, her life's work, that would make people's jumps less than perfect. This would make things more like reality, which would cause people to exit their jumps and return to reality. The virus worked as planned, that is, until the virus became too powerful. The jumps soon turned into nightmares. The injuries and death sustained during the jump, became reality. As it turns out Saint Dane manipulated Aja into making the virus with it's flaws. Once again it's up to Pendragon to save the entire universe, and the only way he can do it is to go into the virtual reality chamber. This book would be enjoyed by lovers of science fiction, but I do suggest that you read the previous books in the series so you can better understand the special traveler terms.

Average customer rating:

1634: The Cannon Law
Unworthy of a thrilling series
Cannon has damp powder this time
Shows Promise.
Keeping up the good work

1635: Cannon Law (Ring of Fire)
Eric Flint , and Andrew Dennis
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1416509380

Book Description

Rome, 1635, and Grantville's diplomatic team, headed by Sharon Nichols, are making scant headway now it has become politically inexpedient for Pope Urban VIII to talk to them any more. Sharon doesn't mind, she has a wedding to plan. Frank Stone has moved to Rome and is attempting to bring about the revolution one pizza at a time. Cardinal Borja is gathering votes to bring the Church's reformers to a halt in their tracks, on the orders of the King of Spain. Meanwhile, trouble is brewing in the streets, shadowy agitators are stirring up trouble and Spain's armies are massed across the border in the Kingdom of Naples, Cardinal Barberini wants the pamphleteers to stop slandering him and it looks like it's going to be a long, hot summer. Except that Cardinal Borja has more ambitions than his masters in Madrid know about, and has the assistance of Spain's most notorious secret agent to bring about his sinister designs.

Customer Reviews:

1634: The Cannon Law.......2007-09-20

Once you accept the premise in the first volume of this fun series (1632), following the many characters and how they affect history as we know it is fascinating and believeable. No wonder there are three volumes for 1634. How long can the authors keep this up? For a while more, I hope.

Unworthy of a thrilling series.......2007-08-04

If you can avoid this book, do so. It is boring, unreasonable, and doesn't even end well. I like this series in general, but this book stays in Rome the whole time, and swaps all the interesting plot implications for some characterization and mediocre action. Even if you have the rest of this series, this one isn't worth your time--if you can't avoid it, mine's selling cheap in the used book section.

Cannon has damp powder this time.......2007-06-08

This one telegraphs its sluggish route thru various Olde Historical Names one can cheerfully Google, to produce the slowest read in the 1632 Miniverse. I'm a pleased owner/re-reader of all other books & Gazettes, up to this one. Euterpe or the Essen Steel series would make better reads. Here's hoping The First Team does better on The Next Great '32 Novel!!

Shows Promise........2007-05-19

I really enjoyed 1632, I thought 1633 was a bit marginal, and 1634 The Galileo Affair to be honest was garbage. So I promised myself I would get these out of the library instead of buying them until I was satisfied Flint was back on form. He is almost there, and I have great hopes of The Baltic War. The main problem with this book is its wordiness. It consists of little more than people discussing diplomacy until about page 300, although the is the odd brawl. The last hundred or so pages are reasonably exciting, but I almost gave up before then. Luckily the diplomacy is reasonably interesting, and the historical research is okay. Unfortunately you have to get past sentences like, "He had done no more than skirt around the possibilities with the Count- Duke Olivares back in Madrid, discussing in generalities what might be done to bring a clearly difficult papacy to heel and remove a potential problem in the way of the strategy that Madrid was evolving to play Spain back in her rightful place as the chief is power in Christendom." This is probably the worst example, but what on earth were the editors doing. One or two of the characters are also beginning to wear a little thin. But the book still has some of the advantages of the original. The people are ordinary but placed in an extraordinary position, they're not geniuses or billionaires, they're not saving the human race, but trying to make the best of the situation they're in. They make ordinary everyday mistakes facing difficult problems. If the Baltic War has fewer words and more action, I'll be back to buying them.

Keeping up the good work.......2007-05-18

This book is a continuation of the series that started with Ring of Fire and has continued on through several volumes. If you liked Ring of Fire you will love this book. It both continues the tradition and is definitely setting up a major change in the lives of the people from the twentieth century. Along with the companion book 1634: The Baltic War, it is showing a new side of the leader of the Grantville group. Look out afficianados, things are about to get really interesting in seventeenth century Germany.

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