FI Books

This book is full of beautiful pictures with a wide variety to styles. I strongly recommend it.

As one of the foremost fantasy illustrators of the past twenty years Canadian born John Howe has done more to define the look of J.R.R. Tolkien's world than almost any other illustrator apart from Alan Lee. He captures in vibrant and dramatic images the grandeur and majesty of Middle Earth, in calendars and on book covers alike. But he is much more than just a visual interpreter of Tolkien's work, getting his big break in Time Life's: The Enchanted World series in the 1980s his art has graced the covers of some of the bestselling fantasy authors of today. He has illustrated books on mythology, legend and fairytale; he's even written and illustrated several enchanting children's books.

His magical art for the book: A Diversity of Dragons or his book on medieval armour with its complex and detailed illustrations has cemented his already well earned reputation. John Howe also occasionally tries his hand at science fiction illustration, but only when he gets the chance. Though of course and with good reason he is mainly famous for his work exploring fantasy, myth and legend, folklore and fairytales. This book is a stunning portfolio of some of the most significant and beautiful masterpieces that have marked his career thus far, and an exploration of what inspires him (like ravens or horse-shoe crabs) as an artist. With revealing commentary from some of the people he has collaborated with over the years this insightful volume explains why he is so sought after as a fantasy illustrator. There is even a fascinating chapter on his passion and hobby, creating medieval arms and armour for a re-enactment society in Switzerland, where he also lives. In recent years Mr. Howe has worked as a chief concept artist on Peter Jackson's epic film versions of The Lord of the Rings trilogy along with Alan Lee.

While many of the pictures are a bit on the small side and hence fail to do justice to his art, and I also think the text is a bit thin... one can't really complain. As one of my favourite modern illustrators I was very pleased when this long overdue book was finally published and would like to see a second portfolio of his work one day.

i recommend this book not only to fantasy art lovers but also to tokien fans, since most of the movie costumes and scenery were inspired by john howe's piantings

This book was purchased as a gift for my husband. Thanks for sending it so quickly and without any sort of damage.

This book shows how it should be done.

If you had to condense decades of brilliant art work into one volume this is about right.

It is obvious that the volume was put together with love. The paper and color are good, and the pictures (why most of us want to buy this book), are many, varied and quite often large.
** (Lesson for "Realms of Tolkien" editor: There are many double and single page spreads, with no white space!)

For the person who wants to know about John Howe, (not just his Tolkien work), there is quite a bit of information, although I would have liked to have seen and read more about the technical side of how he works.

There is quite a bit of his non-Tolkien work, which I found really interesting and just as good, (artistically) as his Tolkien stuff.

If you like the work of John Howe this is the book for you!

The only way to improve it would be to add another volume, (hint to the editor...).

Now if they could just do the same thing for Ted Nasmith...

To imply that Jon Foster is merely a 'Phil Hale' clone is incredulous. Quite frankly i'm offended for him, if he isn't already. While there may be some similarities between his and Phil's work, it is only natural seeing as though they were both under the instruction of the same teacher and worked in the same studio space for quite some time. Style aside, they both have substancially different handling of subject and composition, and Foster's personality undoubtably shows through in his paintings (which is quite differen't from Phil Hale's). He is also one of the few artists who can paint digitally while still maintaining the same quality and feel as solid paint. His work is an inspiration to all artists who have doubts that with enough hard work, perseverance, and (of course) talent that anything is possible.

Jon's work is marvelous, and frankly, to be labeled a Phil hale Copycat, is testament to the inability for the fellow below to look at the breadth, and skill with which Jon paints. Aside form the prevalence of Robots, which seems to be everywhere in sci-fi illustration these days ( I suppose it always has been) Jon's work is singularly unique and impressive. His painting style, while admittedly similar to Hale's, is defiantly his own, and the subject matter is approached at a delightfully off-kilter perspective. I highly reccomend this book to anyone interested in Science fiction and Fantasy art, as Jon Foster is one of the most talented, and insightful people working in the field today.

Jon's skills as a painter are good, but having asked him myself why he imitates Phil Hale, he just looked at me and said, well I don't, I used to paint in the same studio as his but I don't understand what you mean. The book is fun to look at, but why not just go to the source? The laman may not understand but Hales work is as far above Fosters as Frazetta's is Ken Kelly's. The thing that bothered me most about the book is that Fosters seems to have gotten lazy and is finishing decent traditional paintings off by going in and doing digitally what it seems it to difficult(i know, its just time consuming)with the paint.

I give this book two stars just to acknowledge the technical skill, but Foster's work disturbs me every time I see it, as a painter myself, nothing irks me more than a fawning painter who admires and copies another artist's style to the point of not really having a unique style of his own. Phil Hale is a better person than me beacuse I would have sued this guy by now. As an alternative I recommend ANYTHING with Phil Hale's work in it...a true master.

I've really enjoyed and admired Jon Foster's illustrations in the "SPECTRUM: The Best of Contemporary Fantastic Art" books and when I saw his illustrations of retro robots; sword, light saber and blaster wielding combatants and surreal horrors (paintings, some digitally manipulated; drawings and purely digital) had been collected by Cartouche Press I was delighted and couldn't wait to get a copy. His marvelous style utilizes energetic opposing diagonals and figures in high contrast lighting. His illustrations possess a muscular sense of movement and a moody almost gothic atmosphere. Many of the artist's sketchbook drawings are included in the book-always nice to see. Now for the bad news: the collection as a whole is, slightly, less impressive than the individual works. When seen as a group, a sense of illustrating by formula increases. Many works rely the old illustrators' stand-by of a figure, or figures, centerally posed in front of a two dimensional background and those vigorous diagonals become, possibly, a quick and easy solution to composition. Still, mighty impressive work and it definitely deserves 4 stars. I give this book 3 stars because of the production on the book itself. It's not a clothbound hardback book with a dust jacket. It has a laminated cardboard cover. I don't know how well it'll hold up over time. Also, the interior lay-out of the book is oddly arranged. There are pages crowded with many, many little reproductions, pages that have only one tiny reproduction on them and pages which have the images bleeding to one edge of the page or another. I found this confusing and irritating. All in all, a solid 4 stars for the artwork and a low 3 stars for the books production. Still, I DO recommend getting this book, because it presents the work of a a very talented illustrator's early work. He's only going to get better and then WATCH OUT!

I really enjoyed this book. Quick read. This is my 7th book in 2 months on the Kindle. I hope Amazon will get the next book "IMMUNE" out for the Kindle soon.

In 1945, top-secret Los Alamos Physicists theorized that testing the atomic bomb might ignite the Earth's atmosphere. Still, they proceeded with the test. I think you'll find this a frightening peek into what could happen should future top-secret technologies spin out of government control. Enjoy.

This book is great. Action packed and told at a pace that kept me turning the pages and left me wanting more. Secret government programs spinning out of control with mind bending consequences. Special Operations teams struggling to keep the lid on a situation which threatens to change what it means to be human. High tech thrills so real you feel like you've seen them yourself. In a note from the author he says the next book is under final edit so I'm anxious to get my hands on that. I'm just glad the series will continue.

Fast-moving story, lots of action, and short chapters make it easy to read and a lot of fun. I would have given more stars, but I thought the ending was abrupt and left too many (just about all) plot threads unresolved. I knew this was the first of a yet unfinished trilogy when I started it, but I hoped it would end with enough closure to feel satisfied. It didn't, at least for me. I recommend you wait until the trilogy is finished to start the book. I haven't been able to find any information, either here or on the author's website, about when to expect the next volume.

Excellent story and writer and difficult to put down. The only reason I didn't rank it 5 stars is having to wait for the next installment!

Overall: This is another highly enjoyable, quick read in the SPQR series by John Maddox Roberts.

Detailed: The title is a bit misleading which actually helps sets up the rest of the story. The pirate part of the book is more part of the historical back drop for the murder than a key plot element. As per the other SPQR books, this is a murder mystery using famous historic personages and repeeating characters from the other books.

The main character development is of Cleopatra instead of the major characters. There is clear foreshadowed of Cleopatra's role in upcoming books / future events which is done very well. Hermes is freed in act of kindness caused by the realization of how short life is by Decius. It is nicely done.

The religous elements of the story are interesting especially regarding the cult of Aphrodite. There is a clear implication that Decius and Julia will be parents in the next novel. It should be a very interesting twist to see Decius as a father.

Summary:
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Plot: 4 of 5 stars
Characters: 3 of 5 stars
Action: 3 of 5 stars

John Maddox Roberts is the pseudonym of Mark Ramsay, author of numerous works of science fiction and fantasy, in addition to his successful historical SPQR mystery series. He lives in New Mexico with his wife.

Anyone who is a fan of Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor or David Wishart will love the SPQR series of books by the author. Once again we have an addition to the ever growing number of amateur detectives patrolling the streets of ancient Rome, solving mysteries and crimes. Not all at the same time, I may add, in fact not even in the same centuries. Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger, a high-born bad boy, is the offering of the author and he is just as interesting, likeable and believable as the leading characters from the author's contemporaries.

Decius has managed to travel the length and breadth of the empire, mostly trying to escape from people who would like to beat his brains out or worse. Along the way he has had several adventures and been involved in solving more than one mystery.

Now he is newly elected to the prestigious, but lowly office of aedile, probably the lowest rung on the ladder of political ambition and what does he have to do? Seek out the corruption that is threatening to strangle Rome. Decius must put his fertile brain to work to clean up the streets of his beloved Rome before hidden powers destroy everything within the gates of is beautiful city.

The author is excellent, the book is very easy to read and flows from the first to the last page. I couldn't put it down.

John Maddox Roberts is the underrated, best writer of the Roman detective mystery genre. Flawless historicity is combined with excellent writing, humor, and interesting characters, who actually develop and mature as the series progresses. The Princess and the Pirates is one of his best, as our Decius finds himself in a perilous situation on Cyprus, and surprised to be helped by young Cleopatra. As Rome had just taken Cyprus from Egypt, her presence is not as surprising as it might seem. She is but one character to show maturation through this series, including Decius himself, his assistant/bodyguard Hermes, the former street gang leader Milo and his enemy Clodius's sister Clodia.

One nice thing about the SPQR series: despite taking place in the heavily left-right politicized times of Cicero and Julius Caesar, these books adhere to a mildly cynical view of both the aristocratic party and the so-called democratic(demogogic?) one. Decius has ties to leaders of both. Stephen Saylor and a few others imbue their books with first century B.C. leftist manifestos. I can't vote for consul, so leave the heavy-handed good side, bad side politics out. Just give me fun ancient Roman mysteries like the SPQR series.

SPQR IX commences just after Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger's aedile adventures with dodgy tradesmen with our senatorial sleuth setting off for Cyprus under a commission from the Senate to mop up an irritating case of piracy with minimal resources. With a growing air of authority our purple striper boards ship for the Mediterranean island with the grown up and ever faithful Hermes at his side and wife, Julia, making a more sedate journey with Titus Annius Milo a few weeks behind.
Freed from marital constraints, Decius makes the most of this change of scenery by arriving and, in true Julian style, swiftly commandeers three water laden hulks and a motley crew of ex-pirates and legionaries to sail his flotilla. After recruiting the fearsome Ariston to aid him in his chase he also deals with the governor, Silvanus, who eventually ends up murdered by being forced to choke to death on incense. There is also the exiled Gabinius whose imperium is non-existent but personal authority is immense. In addition to these two senior Roman officials, we are introduced to a supporting list of suspects with the poet Alpheus and the four representatives of the powerful equites factions, Marcus Junius Brutus of the Wine Merchants, Mamercus Sulpicius Naso of the Grain Exporters, Decimus Antonius of the Metal Brokers, and Malachi Josepides of the Textile Importers. Prominently in the cast is Sergilius Nobilior, chief of the Banker's Association and his voluptuous and somewhat promiscuous wife, Flavia.
However, the real task for Decius is to hunt down the pirate Spurius and he is given some unwanted assistance by the teenage Cleopatra who happens to be visiting Cyprus. Her political astuteness and immense resources coupled with girlish enthusiasm prove boon and bane to our hero as he finds himself on the receiving end of caulking sabotage, night espionage trips, attempted assassinations and insistent women before Julia and Milo turn up in good time to lend a much needed hand as he finally discovers who is behind the piracy, Silvanus' murder and a vast trading conspiracy.
Decius steps out of his trip to Cyprus with his auctoritas improved. He is no Julius Caesar (in fact he's delighted to make the acquaintance of an Ethiopian prince who's never heard of the great man) but his cogitative sleuthing makes him stand out amongst the senatorial crowd. Geniunely likable, always affable, hard but fair his results speak for themselves.
JMR's creation continues to improve and the SPQR series is vastly superior to the somewhat pulpy Children of Rome novels. Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger ranks right up there with Gordianus the Finder, Marcus Didius Falco and Marcus Valerius Corvinus and JMR should continue to write about him for as long as he can.
Buy it.

I have read many of JAK novels ... and it is a readable novel, however it is at times so chauvinist that you wonder that how is written by a woman. It becomes annoying at times...The female characters initially rejects the male dominant and pushy behavior and does not want to have a permanent relationship him. However... there is a change in the male character that makes her accept him and things take a turn. Also the pattern makes it a bit predictable.

Everyone thought Jessie Benedict's impending marriage to Sam Hatchard was a great arrangement-everyone that is, but Jessie herself. Was she the only one who could see that Hatchard, her powerful father's protege, had a scheming ulterior motive in marrying her? He was more than just the chip off the old workaholic block-he was positively lusting after Jessie's inheritance to build his own business empire!
Free-Spirited Jessie has plans for her own career as a detective-starting with the rescue of a teenage girl from a dangerous cult.
But when a break-in and an intimidating pairs her with the compellingly masculine entrepreneur. Hatch does make her heart beat deliciously fast, but she's not taking orders from any man. Imagine her surprise when he turns out to be not only a friend and ally, but a strong, temder lover who in the end, knows how to seal the deal with her resounding "I do!"
This is a fabulous book, I couldn't put it down until the end, a great read!

Out of all the Krentz books I've read over the years, this is the first one to fully grab me on all levels. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was a truly exceptional book, but it was thoroughly engaging. I was wary to read it, as I've found most of Krentz' books to just be lacking some...thing, but Sweet Fortune worked on all levels for me.

The romance was probably the best of any of Krentz I've read so far. I enjoyed Jessie and Hatch, they had great chemistry and depth. That's something I've sometimes found lacking with Krentz before. The characters would feel flat. But I was emotionally connected to them both. There was something about Hatch that I just really enjoyed. I loved the way he pursued Jessie. True, he was a bit macho and demanding, but it worked for the story. And I liked Jessie, but to a lesser degree. Sometimes I thought she was a bit...dumb, or maybe it's illogical. Whichever. And the supporting cast was wonderful, especially the computer geek and David.

The plot of the story was a big part of the book, but it wasn't an overwhelming one. It was more like it was just part of the flow of events. There was a certain level of suspense to it, but not so much as in a true-blue romantic suspense. It fit the story, though, and was interesting enough to keep the book moving along and add some meat to it.

Overall, a fairly good read. It kinda confirms what I'd heard - that Krentz is one of those authors who steadily writes a little less romance, and a little more suspense each year. This is one of her older books, and I can clearly see the difference between it and her newer ones. But anyway, a good book to read if you like those romance books where there's a heavy dose of romance and a medium-level side suspense plot.

Let me say at the start, I'm a big fan of Jayne Ann Krentz. I read all her books, under all her pseudonyms, and love 99.9% of her work.

From Krentz, I usually expect quirky heroines and endearing heros. Though they may spar at first, it's usually a fair give and take between the two, and a genuine affection quickly builds. It would seem the characters bring out the best in each other, and we love it when they're together. I usually smile a lot when I read a Krentz book, and I miss the characters when I finish.

Sweet Fortune must have been written by Krentz's evil twin. There is nothing endearing about "Hatch", our business-driven hero with no sense of humor and no warmth. And there are no witty verbal exchanges between the two. Our heroine, "Jessie", endures put-down after put-down without ever coming out on top, and seems to apologize on nearly every page. Hatch's character is always right, and unpleasantly smug. When Jessie inquires about his previous marriage, Hatch "puts up" with her questioning in a terribly condescending manner, because, we're led to believe, she is out-of-line in asking. And -- oh no! -- she apologizes for bringing it up. These are two people sleeping together, contemplating engagement, and he's behaving as if it's rude for her to ask if he had been married before. This is not a dark, brooding Duke from the Regency period that you might love to hate in the first few chapters. No, this is just a 20th/21st century know-it-all jerk that anyone with a shred of self-respect and an ounce of self-esteem would avoid.

I love a good dominant male in a romance novel... but the relationship in Sweet Fortune made me cringe. It was actually physically unpleasant to read this book.

Pick another Krentz book, that's my suggestion.

Jessie Benedict lived her childhood with a workaholic father that was never there. Oh, she was grandly provided for, but he always missed recitals, was never there for the school fairs. This shows as well in the man's two failed marriages, the ex-wives known affectionately as "the Moms" by Jessie and her half-sister. But there is a wolf on the prowl, one Jessie underestimates - Hatchard, her fathers right hand man, as far as Jessie is concerned,is a chip off the old block, so to speak. Another drive workaholic bent on filling her fathers shoes in business. He wants Vincent's business, but he might want his daughter more, but Jessie is far from convinced and is fighting the families assumption two will marry. Even "the Moms" assume this will happen.

Jessie spent her girlhood being disappointed and hiding that hurt, so she is determined her Father not do the same to her young half-sister, but she is more determined NOT to marry a man just like dear old Dad. Oh, she is wildly attracted to Hatch, but she fears her life would end with another series of being second place to the business that her father build. And she is quite set that history not repeat itself, not for her little sister, nor for her in marriage.

Being rebellious against her father, she has failed to turn out to be a business person and currently is determined to become a private investigator, by helping an old lady who is a psychic and rescuing a teenage girl from a dangerous cult. Much to her surprise, Hatch shows signs of being just a shade different than daddy. Instead of patting her on the head and ignoring her new 'business', he becomes a strong ally in helping Jessie handling her father to see the younger sister does not go through the same disappointments as Jessie to he helping smooth things for "the Moms" who always use to Jessie to run interference with Vincent, and he even supports and aids her investigations.

JAK gives you her quirky dysfunctional families that seem to function, you seen in so many of her books. The relationships are wonderful, warm and humorous, and Hatch and Jessie will steal a place in your heart.

A wonderful JAK gem!!

What "improvements" have been made for the "Collins Crime" edition? There are already major differences in punctuation, word choices, and scene breaks between the original Collins and Dodd Mead (THERE IS A TIDE) editions of this novel. There are further differences between the Dodd Mead editions republished by Random House/Avenel and the Dodd Mead editions republished by Simon & Shuster/Pocket. There are further additions still in the Signet, Bantam, Berkley, and Black Dog & Leventhal editions. For every publishing house putting out her works, there seem to be a new batch of editors altering Agatha Christie's words and the sound of her voice. What's the matter with these publishers? Whose voice do they think we want to hear when we sit down to a novel by Agatha Christie? And what will she sound like twenty years from now? It's frightening that her estate has failed to see the importance of guarding her words as she wrote them. Please tell me I'm not the only one here who senses that a crime has been committed.

Solid, lesser known Agatha Christie title has the author's usual hallmarks, namely clean writing and a complicated but clearly described solution to the crime (or, in this case, crimes). Added bonuses are a picturesque setting- a small isolated English village- and an unpredictable romantic subplot in addition to the unpredictable mystery.

Like virtually every Agatha Christie offering, "Taken at the Flood" is a fast, engaging reading experience, with not an iota of staleness despite its being around for decades.

Agatha Christie is such a master at her chosen genre, that mystery novels are continually judged against her extensive body of work. And well they should be. She keeps her readers guessing right up until the end, over and over again. She is still truly the Grande Dame of mystey fiction writers, and her work will be around for a long time to come. In this book we have Hercule Poirot visiting a small village called Warmsley Vale. He finds himself in a real tangled mess that concerns various members of a certain family that lives in this out-of-the-way spot. The ending is a real surprise, and we the readers have such fun getting there. No one can match Ms. Christie's cunning and ingenious plots, and this book does not disappoint.

This was a great book. The characters are really full of life and you really get inside their heads. The story opens in a London terrorized by the Blitz. Hercule Poirot hears a story told by the club bore, about a woman who's husband had died and now she was married to a millionaire. She herself is now a millionaire because he had died recently. Later, Poirot is encountered by Katherine Cloade, who is related to the millionaire. Then we are taken to the village of Warmsley Vale where we meet the members of the Cloade family, Adela Marchmont, Lynn Marchmont, Lionel Cloade, Katherine Cloade, Jeremy Cloade, Frances Cloade, and Rowley Cloade. They are all disgusted at one thing, that they haven't a penny to bless themselves with and Rosaleen Cloade and her brother David Hunter, whom they think are fortune hunters, have everything. But then, a man is murdered at a hotel, and the connection between him and the family seems to be getting greater and greater. The only downpoint of this novel is the fact that Agatha Christie seemed to have no enthusiasum in putting Hercule Poirot in the novel, as you will find happens often in most of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot novels. When Hercule Poirot does make his untimely appearance in Warmsley Vale, it is already a good deal through the book. All around, it's a great book.

While taking refuge in a London Club during an air raid Poirot tries to take his mind off the bombing going on outside by listening to the club bore tell yet another of his endless stories. Years later the subjects of the story and the bore re-enter Poirot's life as he tries to sort out past fictions from fact to solve more recent murders.

The Cloade family had always relied on Uncle Gordon and his money to make their lives more comfortable. In post war England life was most uncomfortable so they needed Uncle Gordon (and his money) more than ever. Unfortunately for them Uncle has married a much younger woman, then died before making provisions for any of them. Now they needed to ask his young wife and her bother (or IS he her brother?) for help...or did they?

Surprise twists happen every few pages making what is seemed certain suddenly uncertain - rather like the post war turmoil many of the characters were experiencing. In typical Christie fashion though, all the clues are there for the reader to ferret out before Poirot reveals all.

Please note that this book is also available as THERE IS A TIDE

By the end of "The Seeker" Maria had a vision of the alien ship that her friends had been searching for so many years. As events unfold in this book the search becomes even more urgent because Max has reached the age by which he must connect with the collective consciousness of his race- or die. The problem is, the teens are too far from "home" to do that without some crystals hidden on board the ship.
As the story develops the romances between Alex and Isabel and Maria/Michael also move along, not quite the way they did in the series. It also turns out that not only does their Adult alien friend have the ability to change his shape,as Nasedo did in the series, but that all of their race can do it- they can even shape shift their human friends and do so in their efforts to find the ship. Liz, posing as a guard, is the first to reach the secret hiding place where "Clean Slate" has the ship. Michael, Isabel and their friend enter the base, Isabel gets the crystals and Michael is captured. this sets up the storyline for book 5.

Good day to all those whom enjoy a Sci-fi young adult book's.
I have read and kept all 10 of the first series of ROSWELL. Of all favorites is this one The Watcher. Which I felt it showed unity amongest all four. I rate it as a 15 and beyond.

this book was absolutely fantasic! i loved the Maria/Michael storyline, they make a great couple! i didnt like isabel much in this book though because she was with Alex at the time and she was getting jealous about michael and maria. max is sick because he needs to make a connection and he's dying because he needs a crystal of some sort and liz cant stand seeing him suffer. I recommend this book fully!

Book #4 is a must read. The way Melinda Metz describes things makes you feel like you know the characters. I advise you not to finish this book until you have book #5, because waiting to find out what happens to Max and Micheal is agony.

This book is the best roswell book i've read so far............................ I've have 1-7 and i'm getting number 8 any day now... In this story Maria FINALLY tells Micheal she loves him. Max is dying and Liz is trying desperately to do anything to comfort him... and Alex and Izabel are going out.....But....... after Izabel and Liz and Maria go into Micheal's dream and see him with his arms around Izabel... Everything seems to change!

This is the preamble of the constitution illustrated by David Catrow, and it is so beautiful!

I haven't read this book in a long time, but I plan on picking it up on my next visit to the library!
I love the illustrations, so funny! The kids on the cover, too!
If you like this book, I suggest The Kennedy White House, 1961-1963!

This fun book helped me to reach my fifth grade class in a way their social studies text never would have! Catrow finds a way to take the elegant (and sometimes difficult to translate into kid-talk) language of the Preamble and not only make it simeple to understand, but really helps put the kids right in there.

He makes it clear that this is a document for all Americans, not only including kids, but maybe especially for kids.

His buddy 'Bubbs', is pictured throughout so even the less than interested can be drawn in by finding the dog...

So glad I found this!

This book has some amazingly beautiful and vividly colorful illustrations. I collect children's picture books, and find this one to be special. It's simple to read to your child, and the message is wonderful. There is a lot going on in each picture. The message is simple.

As a librarian, I recommend this book for everyone from 5 to 105. All right, this is actually a picture book that depicts some wonderful insights into our freedom and basic tenets of this great nation from a child's viewpoint. The hilarious illustrations by David Catrow will delight readers of all ages and will be fun for those who are not even studying the Constitution. For those students who are studying the Constitution, this book would be a great visual aid to memorizing the Preamble. I have not met a teenager who didn't enjoy a quick read in a great children's picture book. Teachers: Why not reduce your stressed out students and let them begin their studies with this light-hearted look into some very serious words? Buy a couple of copies and circulate them through the class. Everyone will love them. For the younger reader, ESL or special ed student there is one page explaining the basic meaning of these words and another page and a half explaining why anyone bothered to write the Constitution of the United States. It's ALL GREAT!

My husband hunts, and in the week he was gone I read A Wild Yearning, Once in a Blue Moon, and Keeper of the Dream. All of which are amazing, different and romantic in their own ways.. you shouldnt read one and not the others.. they are all a work of art!

Penelope Williamson is one of my favorite authors, and this one is a keeper! I loved the story and did not want it to end.

I enjoy Penelope's work immensely. She is one of those rare talents that will have you searching used book sales and doing interlibrary loans to find all her books. I won't summarize the entire plot of this book, but suffice it to say that it has an abused female, an intellectual yet buff hero, a mail order bride scenario, a capture by Indians, and a love triangle where the wife loves another man. It takes a talented writer to effectively mesh all those classic elements of romantic literature!

It was a bit long and I had a hard time getting into it the first chapter or so, it's a western romance based in Montana and I'm more into the historical romances set in England or Scottland etc., so I was skeptical about getting into this one. I absolutly LOVE her book Blue Moon and have read it about 50 times so I decided I had to give this one a chance - And I am glad I did! The first "western" novel I have ever loved and once I really got into this book it was so good I couldn't put it down. I have read it 3 times now and am sure I will read it again. 5 Stars!!!!

"A Wild Yearning" had a lot going for it, but there were just too many things that I didnt like about it. First of all, let me just say that I admire Penelope Willamson and have read quite a bit of her work. The heroine of "A Wild Yearning", Delia, was fantastic. She was completely outspoken and didnt hold in her feelings at all. I adored her. That being said, I couldnt warm to Ty. He was so arrogant. It drove me crazy the way he was so inconsisent with Delia. He was immature and selfish and he drove me insane. However,Ty's behavior I could have handled... To me, the biggest drawback of this book was its length. I dont have problem with a nice meaty read, but this book just wore out its welcome plain and simple. Too many obstacles were thrown in and it slowed the books pace and frustrated me to no end. All in all, this story was by no means bad, but it is not one that I will read again.

I have about 20 books in my room and this one is one of them and it's seriously the best I've ever read, regardless of genre.
I don't even write much screenplays these days but sometimes I still re-read some chapters and sitting there nodding "yup, that's so true".

The examples are so good, I thought that probebly a book like this would just make examples from boring drama movies and discard action as garbage, but the examples vary from Robocop to Beverly hills cop.

My favrouite chapter is about the Hero, finally I can explain for real why I don't like Harry Potter, becouse for me he is not a hero, and this chapter analyses what a hero is so I can make sure that in my screenplays ppl will actually hope that the hero will sucseed unlike in movies like Harry Potter where I'm hoping the evil wizard will kill his ass.

This book is amazing... I have Dona Cooper for class at the North Carolina School of the Arts and she is amazing. What a wealth of knowledge she has to share, and has shared in this text. A+++ Read!!!! A Must-Have for any screenwriter...

When writing for television and film some people may think that all you have to do is come up with an idea and write the screenplay. The reality is that there is a lot more to it according to Dona Cooper, the author of the best-selling book, Writing Screenplays for Television and Film. The major theme that she continuously uses throughout the book is the two-dimensional roller coaster theme. The roller coaster analogy is to help "capture the sense of thrust, power, build, and intensity that a good story experience must have." This book targets readers who are more advanced and are ready to market their screenplays as soon as everything is together versus a beginning writer who wants to learn the basic steps of writing a screenplay. The majority of this book is written with strong structure. She develops key concepts and backs the structure of the different types of roller coasters that can be incorporated in many story elements. She writes with the idea of not telling the reader first you need to do this step, instead she lets the reader explore the different possible directions they can take. Her advice allows the reader to develop their own way of writing and their own sequence of writing. Beginning writers may want to gear away from this book. For the more advanced writers this would be a great book to purchase.

You should definitely own a copy of this book. While it is not aimed at total beginners, intermediate and advanced writers will find it invaluable.

If only every book was as well written as this one.... This book is one of the best books on screenwriting I've ever read for one simple reason: Clarity. The material in this book is presented in a wonderful "reader friendly" streamlined structure. Full of useful information yet straight and to the point. A great read for the beginning screenwriter.