The Crossroad (Amish Country Crossroads #2)

Book Description

A Captivating Tale Set in the Heart of Amish Country!

After the dramatic conclusion to his discovery of a long-lost postcard, journalist Philip Bradley simply cannot forget the Amish people he met while on assignment in Pennsylvania particularly Rachel Yoder and her young daughter, Annie. Rachel's cheerful outlook, in spite of her blindness, and her appealing, uncomplicated lifestyle beckon Philip amid the high-paced existence of his New York career.

Philip's newfound knowledge of the true reason for Rachel's loss of sight spurs him on to uncover what he can about the possibility for a cure. In Lancaster County, Rachel has her own ideas about the way her vision might be restored, and it doesn't include the local healer and his black box. Now, Rachel firmly believes the God she serves is the only One who can grant her sight, but as the memories of the trauma she suffered begin to resurface, Rachel questions whether she can bear the agonizing road to recovery.

Drawn back to Lancaster County over the Christmas holidays, Philip struggles with the vast gulf separating him from the beautiful Plain woman. Rachel has suffered unbearable heartache; will his growing affection for her only bring more of the same? Or must Philip and Rachel sacrifice a future together for the sake of all they know and love?

Customer Reviews:

The Crossroad .......2007-08-23

This was a great book well written. I could not put it down I read the whole book in one day. I Love Beverly Lewis books. I had read one and I am hooked I am now in the process of trying to get all of her books to read.

Sequel to the postcard.......2005-09-09

The sequel of the Post Card. From an ordinary post card to a life of two people who are from different worlds. Read to see how they are brought together.

A fitting end indeed.......2005-05-14

This book is the perfect sequel (and conclusion) to the story of Rachel Yoder and Philip Bradley.
It left no end untied, no strings hanging, and basically ended on a very high note.
What more can I say? Read it!

Blindness Mended by Love.......2004-10-31

An amazing read and a real page turner. Philip has to return to New York and the hustle and the bustle. Rachel learning to cope with her blindness and her mother's urging to visit with the local healer and his black box.

Philip while home begins to research about Rachel's self-inflicted blindness and how to bring her eyesight back.

He returns to Lancaster county for Christmas to see if he can help Rachel regain her sight. And to see if the feelings he has for her are reciprocated. Trying to bridge the gap that has separated them is no easy task but Philip is willing to try anything. Among the people he tries to live but finds it very hard.

Rachel's parents aren't much help either. Trying to keep their daughter safe from outsiders they practically shun him.

Philip and Rachel are relucent to see where these feelings could lead them and unsure of how their two worlds could mesh together. Neither share with each other what is in their hearts. Until a visit with a friend shows Philip that he need to tell Rachel everything he feels for her.

Very enjoyable read.......2002-11-17

This pair of books about a traditional Amish family and a modern man was an enjoyable read.(The Postcard and The Crossroads) Lots of human interest, a little mystery, and insight into another culture.

Ties That Bind: The Story of an Afro-Cherokee Family in Slavery and Freedom (American Crossroads)

Average customer rating:

Revealing Little Known History
Very Informative
Outstanding scholarship and storytelling!

Ties That Bind: The Story of an Afro-Cherokee Family in Slavery and Freedom (American Crossroads)
Tiya Miles
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520250028

Book Description

This beautifully written book tells the haunting saga of a quintessentially American family. It is the story of Shoe Boots, a famed Cherokee warrior and successful farmer, and Doll, an African slave he acquired in the late 1790s. Over the next thirty years, Shoe Boots and Doll lived together as master and slave and also as lifelong partners who, with their children and grandchildren, experienced key events in American history--including slavery, the Creek War, the founding of the Cherokee Nation and subsequent removal of Native Americans along the Trail of Tears, and the Civil War. This is the gripping story of their lives, in slavery and in freedom.
Meticulously crafted from historical and literary sources, Ties That Bind vividly portrays the members of the Shoeboots family. Doll emerges as an especially poignant character, whose life is mostly known through the records of things done to her--her purchase, her marriage, the loss of her children--but also through her moving petition to the federal government for the pension owed to her as Shoe Boots's widow. A sensitive rendition of the hard realities of black slavery within Native American nations, the book provides the fullest picture we have of the myriad complexities, ironies, and tensions among African Americans, Native Americans, and whites in the first half of the nineteenth century.

Customer Reviews:

Revealing Little Known History.......2007-01-04

This book provides excellent insight into a little known part of American history. Few people realize that some American Indian tribes (particularly the "Five Civilized Tribes") practiced slavery and this text delves into the complex relationships resulting from it. The impact of the practice has repercussions still felt today. Most importantly, it reveals the rarely addressed interaction between African-Americans and Native Americans dating back to the earliest history of the United States.

Very Informative.......2005-04-15

I recently finished reading Tiya Miles' book. Several things impressed me regarding this work; the first one is the topic. I was surprised to learn that at one time Native Americans owned slaves! I am a college educated retired teacher and I believe this is something I should have learned somewhere in my education. I was also impressed with the research that was used as a basis for Ms. Miles' writing. A reader of her work has more than ample supply of resources to use for further reading. I also believe this book should be required reading for any American history curriculum at the college level.

Outstanding scholarship and storytelling!.......2005-03-29

First, let me say how much I enjoyed this book. It is a work of tremendous research informed by a mature mind which deeply understands the roles of history and story in creating self-identity.

I was alerted to its existence by Ilene Shepard Smiddy, author of DAUGHTER OF SHILOH, also a splendid narrative/adventure retelling a part of the Shoeboots story, but centering on Clarinda Allington and her children.

Dr. Miles provides us with a helpful family tree in the front of the book, and inside there are maps that help orient the story. The historical asides and reflections using Toni Morrison's BELOVED are treasures. Inside too are several illustrations and pictures, including one of a Shoeboots descendant. The text is divided into logical chapters. The notes are easy to follow and delicious to read, and they are followed by a full bibliography and a comprehensive index.

I would like to see the notes expanded to include the family of Napoleon Bonaparte, perhaps a grandson of Shoeboots, or of one of the Shoeboots, and who entered the mainstream population in Kentucky as a free black.

As Dr. Miles points out, there was more than one individual who was referred to as the Boot or Shoeboots (and other nicknames, in both English and Cherokee), and I suspect that this was a concept name involving the crow or the rooster--the hero of a Cherokee parable. It is fascinating to read about here, and her arguments are engaging. Highly recommended reading!

Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar (Valdemar Anthologies)

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Overall excellent
insert title here
only some of them
Misty does it again!
Going out on a high note.

Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar (Valdemar Anthologies)
Mercedes Lackey
Manufacturer: DAW
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0756403251

Book Description

An original short fiction anthology set in Mercedes Lackey's bestselling world of Valdemar-featuring heroic Heralds and their horselike companions-and including an all-new novella by Lackey herself, as well as stories by masters such as Mickey Zucker Reichert, Judith Tarr, Tanya Huff, and others.

Customer Reviews:

Overall excellent.......2007-08-26

Unlike the current trend in anthologies to have novella length stories (see Winter Moon for instance) this is a collection of shorts which overall is very good. The worst of the stories would rate a 3 stars (much better than average) and the best 4 1/2 stars (just short of outstanding).

Like the quality of the stories their relation to Vaqldimar varies. Some could have as well been set in Venice, LA or NY (and some of these were very good too). Overall and excellent read.

insert title here.......2007-03-11

A solid anthology from respected writers. Primarily for fans of Lackey's series' set on Velgarth, or fans of the contributing authors. An essential addition to any Lackey fan's collection.

only some of them.......2006-06-25

(Transmutation by Larry Dixon, All Ages of man by Tanya Huff, Landscape of the Imagination by Lackey)

I chose to read 3 of the stories in this anthology - by authors I know I like. The idea behind this anthology was for other writers (mostly fantasy) to pen stories of Lackey's world of Valdemar. I read Dixon's TRANSMUTATION, Huff's ALL AGES OF MAN, and Lackey's own LANDSCAPE OF THE IMAGINATION. All were wonderful fits for Valdemar - bringing back pleasant memories of stories read long ago.

Misty does it again!.......2006-02-25

I've been reading Mercedes Lackey for over 20years now. She never fails to disapoint.
The Valdemar series has proven to be my favorite (even though it's so hard to choose, they are all great). This is the third book of short stories in the Valdemar Universe. It's great to see another perspective into a well-written world.
I highly recommend this to any fan of Misty's.

Going out on a high note. .......2006-01-27

Misty--if I may so call her--has said that she does not foresee writing any more Valdemar stories. I am sorry, for I have enjoyed them greatly. However, the last few have not been up to her usual high standards, so perhaps it is for the best.

Thanks, Misty.

All the stories were good-although, of course, some better than others. There were a few which really didn't seem to be Valdemar stories at all; they were good stories, but the bits that were distinctly Valdemar seemed to have just been stuck on, as though the author was anticipating later scraping the serial numbers off. Still, all-in-all, well worth it.

Ten Thousand Charms (Crossroads of Grace #1)

Average customer rating:

great book!
This book is great!
Fantastic!
Lovely somewhat steamy story
Excellent!!

Ten Thousand Charms (Crossroads of Grace #1)
Allison Pittman
Manufacturer: Multnomah Fiction
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1590525752
Release Date: 2006-05-01

Book Description

Unfit for Love?

Pregnant—by a man who will never know or care. Gloria, born into a life of prostitution, sees only one solution: get rid of the child. But then she meets John William MacGregan, a miner, left with a newborn daughter and no one to care for her when his wife died during childbirth. So John and Gloria strike a deal. Gloria will care for Kate, and John will eventually raise her son. There is no offer of, nor seeking for, a hand in marriage. When John leaves the mines to seek his fortune in the new Oregon Territory , Gloria, Kate, and baby Danny must go with him. Yanked away from a life of prostitution, Gloria must finally face the pain that has always plagued her, and her longings for a home, a family, and a life free from shame. Ten Thousand Charms is a beautiful tale of an empty heart floundering…and falling straight into the arms of Christ.

A woman with no future.

A man with no hope.

A God who knows the key to their deepest need lies in each other…

Wyoming Territories, 1860. Gloria is in trouble. A mining camp is a merciless place when you’re young, pregnant…and a prostitute. No matter. Life will not defeat her.

John William McGregan is in despair. His beloved wife died in childbirth. And while John is a resourceful man, raising an infant daughter on his own seems impossible.

Thrown together by a seemingly cruel fate, Gloria and John William make a pact: She will nurse his daughter; he will raise her son. Neither asks for marriage. They are joined by necessity, nothing more.

But after a move to the new Oregon territory, facing John William’s faith day after day, and receiving an older woman’s motherly mentoring, Gloria longs for something more. For the love she’s been denied all her life. If only that life hadn’t made her unfit, not only for John William…but for God.

Then tragedy strikes—making even the resolute John William question his faith. Terrified, Gloria turns to the One she has never been able to trust. But can even God save what now means more to Gloria than life itself: her newfound family?

READER’S GUIDE INCLUDED

“If you took Fran cine River 's classic Redeeming Love and merged it with Janette Oke's quaint prairie style, you could almost envision the masterpiece Allison Pittman has created with her poignant tale of God's redemptive power. If you're in need of a fresh touch of God's grace, Ten Thousand Charms is the story for you.”

Janice Thompson, author of Hurricane

“Are you thirsty, weary, or heavy laden? Come—rest and let Allison Pittman take you to another place and time where you will find joy resting in the arms of Jesus.”

Lauren L. Briggs, author of The Art of Helping, What to Say and Do When Someone is Hurting, Making the Blue Plate Special, and The Joy of Family Legacies

{include James Scott Bell endorsement on front cover}

“Ten Thousand Charms is a terrific debut for writer Allison Pittman, a tale of love and redemption that grabs you and won’t let go. It will leave you like it left me—anxious to see this author’s future work.”

James Scott Bell, bestselling author of Presumed Guilty

Story Behind the Book

“Having grown up watching reruns of Gunsmoke , I knew all about Miss Kitty and the prostitute-with-a-heart-of-gold cliché. But when I looked at those women, I couldn’t imagine their hearts full of gold. Their hearts were just empty. That’s when Gloria was conceived. The story itself came about much later, when at church we sang ‘Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy.’ The chorus promises, ‘In the arms of my dear Savior there are ten thousand charms.’ This was the gold Gloria’s heart needed. I wanted to write a story about a woman who falls into the arms of Christ, not even really knowing that she is seeking Him.” —Allison K. Pittman

Customer Reviews:

great book!.......2007-09-13

I like finding first books by new authors and Allison Pittman has done a great job in this book capturing my attention from the beginning. She has created characters that come together to make you feel like you are living on the pages with them and experiencing all the hope, tragedy and redemption as their story unfolds. I will definately be watching for Allison's future books!

This book is great!.......2007-05-25

This book is awesome!!! When I picked it up, it looked like the typical Christian romance novel (which I love, but can get kind of repetitive), but I was very impressed with this book--I couldn't put it down. I just found out that the second one is out, and I can't wait to read it!!!

Fantastic! .......2007-05-11

I absolutely loved this book! Very well-written, poignant and filled to the brim with God's grace and forgiveness. This is a story that will stick with anyone who reads it for quite some time. I can certainly see why this book is up for a Rita award. Highly recommend!!

Lovely somewhat steamy story.......2007-04-16

This book what GREAT! The charactors were totally believable and I ACTUALLY was abale to stay focused! I have adult ADD and this is the 1st book I have read from cover to cover on my own free will. I normally get bored in anything I try to read, but I could not put this book down! After reading the book I checked out the author info and I was amazed to find that she teaches HS in my community. That alone was amazing! Buy the book! I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!

Excellent!!.......2007-01-21

I loved the book!I read it within a day,i could not make myself stop.Great plot,well developed characters,awesome writing.Perfect!

Speak Through the Wind (Crossroads of Grace #2)

Average customer rating:

Loved this one too!
Grips the heart
Even better than the first!
Highly Incompatible
Speak Through the ~ Reviewed

Speak Through the Wind (Crossroads of Grace #2)
Allison Pittman
Manufacturer: Multnomah Fiction
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1590526252
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Book Description

After a lifetime of mistakes…can Kassandra ever be forgiven?
New York City, 1841

When Reverend Joseph plucks a gravely wounded child from the mean streets of Manhattan’s rough Five Points District, he intends to give her a real home. And though Kassandra flourishes in the preacher’s house, learning Bible verses at his knee and going to school, as a young teenager she makes the first of many devastating decisions, running away from the only haven she’s ever known.

What follows is a waking nightmare: life in a tiny room above a brothel, the loss of a child, a lover’s rejection, and finally, life as a prostitute. As circumstances lead her further and further from the reverend’s secure home, an ashamed Kassandra is certain that neither God, nor Joseph, will ever forgive her.

Feeling as though she has nothing left to lose and nowhere to go, Kassandra leaves behind her hopes of redemption and heads west to California, where she is transformed into the woman known as Sadie. Unfortunately, nothing in her life is pointing to a happy ending, and Sadie is forced to grapple with the question: Once you’ve passed the point of no return, can you ever go back?

Customer Reviews:

Loved this one too!.......2007-09-13

This book is a page turner from the beginning. I read it in 2 days, just couldn't put it down as the story of a young girl rescued off the streets and raised in the home of a loving and godly pastor makes the choice to leave and follow a charming young man into a life of sin and poverty. We have all had times in our life when our choices were less than godly and faced the consequences of those choices. Your heart will break for Kassandra (the main character) as she faces many consequences of her poor choices. The story line ends a bit quicker than I had hoped, I needed more closure on her ending but am hoping to have my questions answered in Pittman's 3rd book. Overall an exciting and heart pumping read!!

Grips the heart .......2007-07-14

A child of the streets, and abandoned by her mother, Kassandra is barely getting by. When she is struck down by a carriage driven by the Reverend Joseph Hartmann, it is the beginning of a new life for her. He takes her into his home and treats her like a daughter. For the first time, she has a safe, warm place to sleep and plenty to eat. Then she meets red-haired Ben Connor, full of mischief and talking to her of love. He persuades her to move in with him, and from that day on she is caught in a devasting downward spiral, until she is sure God will never forgive her.

Set in Five Points District of Manhattan in 1841, this is a riveting story of one woman whose life is a series of mistakes and bad decisions, until she turns back to God for the love and forgiveness she so badly needs. Beautifully written, with compelling characters and a strong message of faith, this is a book you will remember long after you finish reading the last page.

Even better than the first!.......2007-05-19

"Speak Through the Wind", is an utterly fantastic novel, from start to finish. I very rarely give out a rating of five stars, but I don't hesitate for a second to give Allison Pittman's second novel all of the credit that it deserves!

While her first novel, "Ten Thousand Charms", was an enjoyable book that I passed on to others, I still wondered what Pittman could possibly write about 1800's prostitutes in the West in her second book that wouldn't be repetitive. However, I was completely shocked when from the first page, I was hooked on Kassandra and her colorful story. I was delighted to find that Pittman didn't shy away from subject matter that is usually taboo in Christian novels - she told her main character's story so vividly and realistically, not skirting the issues any more than necessary, that there was no way you couldn't fall in love with Kassandra. Pittman's characters were three-dimensional, with REAL sins, and lived lives that could have ACTUALLY happened, unlike the characters in most Christian novels who seem to live softened, dumbed-down versions of what life is really like. I cried with heartfelt anguish, and rejoiced at Kassandra's triumphs; I identified with her rationalizations of sin and running from God, and I saw a little of myself in her. The novel reads like an epic movie, touches your heart like a classic, and can move your soul in way that can only be orchestrated by God.

My only complaint was that it seemed to wrap up rather quickly. The resolution to Kassandra's story came about rather abruptly, although I suppose it had been brewing for most of the novel. I wanted the story to go on forever, and I wanted those last couple of chapters to draw on longer, so I could better savor the ending! "Speak Through the Wind" is one of the BEST books I have read in a very long time, and possibly one of the best books I have EVER read.

Grade: A+

Highly Incompatible.......2007-04-29

While "Speak Through The Wind" is beautifully written, wonderfully moving, and a testament to God's love, it suffers from the following: It is highly incompatible with mascara (waterproof or otherwise), getting one's children to school ahead of the tardy bell, and putting dinner on the table. Simply could not put it down.

Speak Through the ~ Reviewed.......2007-04-21

With great attention to detail, Allison Pittman shows the misery of the historic Five Points District during the 1840s and gives unique views into the underhanded and terrible ways people often employed to survive the overwhelming poverty. Kassandra's journey will draw you in. Complete with realistic, flawed characters, Speak through the Wind is The Prodigal Son retold. It offers hope to anyone who feels themself beyond hope. I hope for a sequel!

S. Dionne Moore [...]
Reviewer for Novel Reviews [...]

Farewell to Salonica: City at the Crossroads

Average customer rating:

Salonica Remembered
A superbly written memoir

Farewell to Salonica: City at the Crossroads
Leon Sciaky
Manufacturer: Paul Dry Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1589880021

Book Description

At the crossroads of East and West, Salonica (now Thessaloniki) was an oasis in a swirl of conflicting powers and interests, a vibrant world of varied peoples. Until 1912, the city was an economic center of the Ottoman Empire and a cultural hub of Sephardic Jews. Leon Sciaky recreates his magical childhood at the turn of the 20th century in the midst of this polyglot world.

Customer Reviews:

Salonica Remembered.......2005-08-02

I discovered this book by reading Mazower's book. This was a pure delight to read. The author brought me back to a Thessaloniki I had learned about in Mazower, but added the warm, personal details of family life and interaction among the groups which made up Salonica in the early 20th century. I didn't want the book to end. I was surprised to learn that it had been published quite a while ago and that the author's child added an epilogue. I wish I had read it before and wandered the streets to find some of the landmarks.

A superbly written memoir.......2003-07-17

Farewell To Salonica: City At The Crossroads is the autobiography of Leon Sciaky and tells of his having grown up in Salonica (now called Thessaloniki), in Greece. A remarkable view of a place where Sephardic Jews, Greeks, Turks, Macedonians, Albanians, and Bulgarians all met, traded, and went about their daily lives. A superbly written memoir, Farewell to Salonica is a heartfelt, highly recommended testimony to a memorable city and a cultural mecca.

Average customer rating:

Short Story Theory at a Crossroads
Susan Lohafer
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0807115460

Ghost of a Chance (Crossroads Adventure : in the World of Pier Anthony's Xanth)

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Ghost of a Chance (Crossroads Adventure : in the World of Pier Anthony's Xanth)
Jody Lynn Nye
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0812564502

Crossroads Caf? Photo Stories A: English Learning Program

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Crossroads Caf? Photo Stories A: English Learning Program
K. Lynn Savage , Patricia Mooney Gonzalez , Anna Cuomo , Mary McMullin , Elizabeth Minicz , Lydia Omari , and Kathryn Powell
Manufacturer: Heinle & Heinle Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0838466087

Book Description

Crossroads Caf? is an exciting video program about real people working and living in the U.S.! Colorful Photo Stories and Worktexts make Crossroads Caf? an ideal program for practicing listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills, as well as learning about U.S. culture and workplace competencies.

Crossroads of Destiny: Science Fiction Stories

Average customer rating:

More Piper Returns to Print!
Yet More re-packaging for Piper
Into the Maze of Alternate Universes.

Crossroads of Destiny: Science Fiction Stories
H. Beam Piper
Manufacturer: Wildside Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1557429529
Release Date: 2007-02-08

Book Description

This new collection of H. Beam Piper's classic short stories includes: "Crossroads of Destiny," "The Return," "He Walked Around the Horses," "The Mercenaries," and "Time and Time Again."

Customer Reviews:

More Piper Returns to Print!.......2007-07-19

With the transition of much of H. Beam Piper's work into the public domain publishers like Wildside Press have finally begun to bring Piper's work back into print and for that fans of Piper owe them a debt of gratitude. This is a particularly good collection that highlights the breadth of Piper's writing with five stories that are not specifically tied either to Beam's Paratime yarns or to his Terrohuman Future History. Both the title story and "He Walked Around the Horses" are yarns that illustrate the parallel worlds idea upon which Piper's Paratime setting is based without any appearances by the Paratime Police who are central to the yarns contained in The Complete Paratime. "Time and Time Again" is Piper's first published story about a man who is apparently killed in World War III only to "reawaken" in the body of his thirteen year old self with full knowledge of the future! "The Return," co-authored with John J. McGuire, chronicles the encounter of survivors of a nuclear war with an isolated community that has chosen a rather intriguing pre-war fictional character as their moral compass. And finally, "The Mercenaries," about an extra-national band of "scientists for hire" is one of Piper's most interesting stories that is as compelling today as it was when it first appeared in print over half a century ago.

Also recommended by Piper are Uller Uprising, Time Crime, Four-Day Planet, Little Fuzzy, Space Viking, and Junkyard Planet.

Yet More re-packaging for Piper.......2007-06-29

Dead man publishing? Again, all these stories are in the (more carefully themed) Ace collections from the 80's. In this case we have stories from _Empire_, _Paratime_, & _Worlds of H. Beam Piper_.

btw, I'm not trying to be pedantic, I just hate re-packaging that means ya wind up with the same story in every bloody collection ya buy! Or have to buy a copy of a novel you already have to get the one that is bundled with it that you can't find. Or...

Into the Maze of Alternate Universes........2006-11-21

H Beam Piper (1904-1964) is a typical sci-fi and fantasy writer of the '50s & early '60s, not very successful yet with an interesting production of short stories and some novels in his late years.
He mainly wrote about alternate universes that are in touch & mingling with our present one. Time displacement (not exactly time travel, at least in these five stories) is another axis of his production.

With "Crossroads of Destiny" the reader get in touch with five tales written between 1947 and 1959.
The author makes side references among the tales creating the illusion of a larger backdrop that encompasses all of them (including the various universes!)

"Time & Time Again" (1947) is his first published account and establishes one of his trademark issues: at some point into the future an atomic war is fought. Here the hero is displaced to his previous thirteen year's old self and from there an interesting drama emerges, very compact and neatly solved and is one of the best of this collection. A very similar scenario is fully developed in Ken Grimwood's opus "Replay" which I strongly recommend.

"He walked Around the Horses" (1948) is a treat for all history buffs, an alternate Napoleonic Europe without Napoleon is deluged over a baffled British diplomat of the time.

"The Mercenaries" (1950) is the weakest IMHO of the series.

"The Return" (1954) shows a post-holocaust scenery with some delicious details referring to well known character. This one has the full taste of those years' sci-fi short stories that were published in "Galaxy", "Mas Alla" or "Astounding Science Fiction.

Finally "Crossroads of Destiny" (1959) exhibit an interesting anecdote evolving around a strange character and a stranger dollar-bill. Here the reader may perceive Beam Piper evolution as a writer.

This book is a very good starting point to appreciate the author's style and themes.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

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