Fourth-market Books

I'm reading my Freddie Forsyth novels in sequence. This is his fifth thriller, and it maintains the even standard of excellence he established with his first and seminal work The Day of the Jackal.

Like Forsyth's other novels, The Fourth Protocol really seizes your attention, and like the other novels again, it does so gradually, like the slow crushing motion of a car compressor. The technique is the same. It is the detail that creates the clear images and the authenticity, and really you are inside what seems like a terrifying documentary. After this decade's developments in international terrorism one realises how far ahead of the game Forsyth is here with his portable nuclear plot.

What really works for him, as he delves into the inter-related layers of the secret services in both the UK and Russia, is how the reader is drawn to speculate about who is on our side and who is not. What are the key characters' motives and loyalties? The other technique, which is typically Forsyth, is the amazing number of minor variables that all have a seemingly telling impact on the possible outcome of the plot. The suspense ratchets up and it's beautifully resolved.

This novel lacks a little of the crunch and thud of one or two others, but the spell is woven just as well. You will the central character, Preston, to win. It may be the Fourth Protocol but it is Forsyth's Fifth Success. It falls short only in one regard, and that is the lack of sub-plots to add personal depth to the central characters. Again, this one is female-'lite'. It's a minor quibble for being so well entertained but women read thrillers too! Highly recommended!

A spy thriller set in the Philby, Burgess and Maclean era of MI5.

Here, a thief happens to discover secret documents outlining a plot to get a very hard left pro-Soviet government elected in the United Kingdom.

With Philby involved, not just by your usual democracy, either, of course, so, fun and games for an MI5 agent who has been involved in investigating this far left sort of thing.

The title of the novel refers to a nuclear treaty.

I read this one for thrills in the summer of 1985 when I was in chemsitry grad school. I found alot of things clever in that book. The part about the former Soviets smuggling in an atomic bomb piece by piece into a British port and then letting a man with a MS in Physics put it together and blow up an American air base in England to get the US nuclear weapons out of Europe was also nifty. The national news now speculates that terrorists would simply load an atom bomb onto a shipping container, put it on an ocean liner and blow it up in a major port like New York.
Back then I was also into shortwave radio and had read an article in POPULAR COMMUNICATIONS about Cuban pirate numbers stations and the possible use of what they called a "one time pad" to decipher the coded number messsages really intrigued me. I had even logged a few pirates like that myself. I could hear some strange generator motor sound in the background! I even figured out how to count from one to nine in Spanish for awhile! But in thie book, Forsythe explained that the Soviets had sent compressed recorded messages in little chirp sounds coming from Radio Moscow on the top of the hour, The agent suppsedly recorded the message on a special tape recorder that played back the message at a much slower rate that the spy could understand. I had even wrote info for a resume back then on the back of some legal pad paper with those five number groups on them that my ex-wife had taken to a resume service for me; and she claimed she had met some older man in a fancy business suit in the lobby of the resume service when she came to pick it up! Was she messing with my head or was this for real?
I know from Shotwave that the EC had wanted a nuclear free Europe as well.They did not like those Cruise and Pershing II missiles there, either.

This is really good. I am not much of a reader of thrillers, and the last one I remember really, really enjoying was Day of the Jackal, which I read about 30 years ago, or whenever it was new. This book was a tremendous cause celebre at the time and caused the word "jackal" meaning a professional political assassin to enter the popular language.

I read Forsyth's next couple of books, and they were OK, but not exceptional. And then I read no more Forsyth until I picked this up in the Desoto County Public Library and was hardly able to put in down for the whole of the weekend.

There are lots of writers of spy thrillers, but I think what makes Forsyth exceptional is the detail he goes into to describe how you might do something, like maybe disabling a burglar alarm, or famously (in Day of the Jackal), how to get a false British passport. This book is meticulously researched in terms of various criminal techniques, physical locations, structures of intelligence services, and even contains clear instructions on how to build your own small nuclear weapon. (Please do not try this at home; it may be injurious to your health.) I'm not sure how true all of this stuff is, but it seems as plausible as hell to me, and fact and fiction are so cleverly blended that you really can't tell where one starts and the other stops.

What strikes me now, reading in 2005, is how much new technologies like cell phones and Internet communications have changed everything. I really doubt that spies still have to have secret radios hidden in the attic, or that their signals are triangulated by vast monitoring stations, so to some extent the story is already dated.

But the threads of the story are wonderfully told and spun together to reach a lip-biting climax.

I highly recommend this book. It would be ideal for airport reading and to pass the time on an intercontinental flight, but don't try it for bedtime reading, or you will be up all night.

My rating scale:

***** A not-to-be missed classic of the genre.

**** Excellent work, the artist at his best.

*** A good buy if you like the work of this artist.

** Some good bits, but not worth going out of your way for.

* Awful, not recommended at all.

The year is 1987. The place, London. Someone in the British Defense Ministry is funneling top secret military information to the Soviet Union. John Preston, a British intelligence agent of considerable skill, is handed the rather daunting task of finding out who is doing it and why.

Meanwhile, in Moscow, a diabolical plot is being hatched to bring Communist rule to the British Isles using the most nefarious of tactics.

Frederick Forsyth masterfully interweaves these two storylines using a narrative style that is detailed to the nth degree. The Fourth Protocal is highly suspenseful and filled with unexpected plot twists. Moreover, Forsyth dares to employ the unusual and somewhat risky technique of using a real life historical figure as one of the main characters....in this case the notorious double agent Kim Philby.

The Fourth Protocol is an extremely engaging, well crafted and meticulously researched cold war thriller that does not disappoint. It ranks right up there among the genre's finest.

I am totally satisfied with the purchase of this dictionary, I would
refer anyone to get one

Great words but the plot is bad. I bought this book for my daughters\'s use in school. Good dictionary for a college English class and required by the teacher.

Perfect for high school students who need a small size to carry around and store in their lockers.

Excellent dictionary that isn't too big or heavy to carry. Print is easy to read without a magnifier. A great all-around dictionary for anyone!

I am taking a writing course and Roget's Thesaurus helps me to find just the right words for my stories.

Fantastic book - explains a lot. It was written by two people who have FMS and work in healthcare. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about this condition.

Taking Charge of Fibromyalgia: Everything You Need to Know to Manage Fibromyalgia, Fifth Edition is a well written book and very informative, although there are places which could be slightly less technical and more for the everyday reader. I found myself checking a few medical terms on the internet to be sure I understood what it was trying to explain.

I particularly enjoyed the information provided concerning supplements and nutrition. I am very interested in working with my health care professional while complementing medical treatments/advice with doing what I can holistically/nutritionally to alleviate symptoms and problems.

I will say the section concerning dealing with your family about your condition borders on the ridiculous and seems to be better advice for patients with either a terminal disease or something degenerative and totally disabling. While fibromyalgia is not curable and it has times when it flares and you feel miserable, it is not completely debilitating and I don't know of anyone who has died from fibro. I know a bunch of people whom the disease has impacted their lives in some manner requiring some adjustment during a flare period but these book sounds like it is helping you prepare you family for constant vegetative state coma care.

Plus if I used some of the recommended things to tell my husband - he would hurt himself laughing. He knows I hurt - some days more than others. He knows I tire more easily during a flare. But I just can't see telling him it is ok to grieve the loss of a healthy me.

You can really understand this book! I have 3 other books on this illness. I would have given it 5 stars if I didn't have this "fibro-fog" so may understanding is not at my best.

This is a very informative book for anyone newly diagnosed with fibromyalgia. It does not use a lot of complicated and confusing medical jargon. Instead, it is easy to understand and offers a wide range of potential treatments for this often misunderstood illness.

This book is easy to read, both text and the actual structure of the book for those with arthritis in your hands. It has a section regarding techniques different doctors are currently trying. This is a book that offers alot of information, both for the newly diagnosed and those just looking for that "kernal" of new information that just might help. I highly recommend this book. I wish I had found this book three years ago. I wouldn't have so many books gathering dust.

Provost Corviser leads a delegation of Shrewsbury's best men before Abbot Radolfus demanding a bigger share of the proceeds of St. Peter's Fair, an annual event sponsored by the Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul. The money is needed to repair the town after the ravages of the recent seige of the town by the forces of King Stephen. Abbot Radolfus demurs, saying he's bound by the ancient charters.

Philip Corviser, the Provost's son, leads a delegation of young men to request a voluntary contribution from the merchants at the fair. There he is smitten by the beauty of a merchant's niece, and also smitten by the merchant's bludgeon. A riot ensues.

When the dust settles, young Corviser is in gaol, the merchant is in the mortuary, and the neice, Emma, is in fear--but of what? Not to worry, Ivo Cobriere, a handsome young nobleman, stands ready to aid her. Misfortune continues to stalk poor Emma and another murder occurs. Deputy Sheriff Hugh Beringar and Brother Cadfael are sure that Emma knows more than she is telling.

Philip gets out of gaol, another killing occurs, Cadfael and Hugh unravel the mystery, and the saga ends in a stirring chase and rescue.

Ellis Peters' fourth Brother Cadfael mystery is set in the summer of 1139, in a Shrewsbury still recovering from the siege of town and castle by the army of King Stephen the previous summer. To speed the rebuilding of its defences, the townsfolk are eager for financial help from the abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which, being located just outside the town, came through the episode of the siege without harm. With the lucrative annual three-day St. Peter's fair fast approaching, the burghers of the town are anxious to secure a share of its profits - normally given over entirely to the abbey. The new abbot, however, is far from anxious to set a dangerous precedent by ceding away the abbey's dues.

Thus it is that merchants arriving from distant towns for the fair find themselves suddenly embroiled in a dispute between town and cloister - and embroiled rather too deeply for comfort as the town's youth escalate the situation out of hand. And so it is that Shrewsbury (and therefore Brother Cadfael, of course) suddenly finds itself with the mystery of another murder (and various other nefarious goings-on) to solve.

With her characteristic meticulous attention to period detail, Ellis Peters weaves an intricate web of deceit and intrigue into this far from obvious murder mystery. As usual, she balances the political manoeuvrings of the principal parties with the playing out of a separate romantic sub-plot. This serves to keep the reader (and, in this case, Cadfael too) guessing almost up to the very end as to the real drama running through the story and, of course, to the identity of the villain of the piece. Indeed, the reader is well into the nail-biting conclusion to the story before realising fully what has been going on.

Peters' writing style ensures that this book is as enjoyable as Brother Cadfael books ever are. Fans of the mediaeval sleuth may be somewhat disappointed to find that he actually has very little to do here beyond collating the pieces of others' findings but this does not really detract from the tale over all. If the Cadfael books are new to you, I would really recommend reading the first two volumes before any others to truly get the most from them. On the other hand, if you are not interested in reading the whole series but simply want an evocative tale of mediaeval England, then you need look no further than this.

St.Peter's fair is held annually on the section of land outside the monastery walls in Shrewsbury, but involves the monastery itself, with its guesthouses filled with the gentry and travelling merchants. When the body of wealthy merchant, Thomas of Bristol is discovered, stabbed, stripped and robbed, his niece Emma who was accompanying him, is put into the care of Aline, the wife of the deputy sheriff, Hugh Berengar. Brother Cadfael becomes the girl's protector as she moves around the town, determined to carry on her uncle's business, as he would have wished. Another merchant is murdered and Emma's belongings are searched as if the killer is looking for something in particular. The townspeople of Shrewsbury become very alarmed as this part of the country is still very much divided in its loyalties, with factions supporting King Stephen and others favouring Empress Maud. Cadfael is convinced that Emma knows more than she's admitting, but it's only when she is openly courted by a young nobleman, who would normally be considered too far above her in station, that her life is endangered. It's another fascinating story of life and death in 12th century England, with the detective monk, Cadfaek working his way methodiaclly through clues to a satisfactory solution.

Of the chronicles of Brother Cadfael that I have thus far read, "St. Peter's Fair" is the most "mystery-like." No cut and dried solution springs to mind as the plot unfolds. This one had me guessing for some time.

All the regular ingredients of the previous stories are here: Political wrangling, personal intrigue, a love story, and of course--a murder.

Cadfael once more is a treasure trove of wisdom. Some of his lines here are classic. Cadfael is a very noble, very humane, world-weary protagonist. Ellis Peter has truly created a detective for the ages in him.

In "St. Peter's Fair" Cadfael is up against one heck of a baffling case. He and Hugh Berengar (my favorite secondary character) team up to try and solve the murder of a visiting merchant. I have no desire to give the ending away. I will only say that "St. Peter's Fair" has the added bonus of a chase scene.

"St. Peter's Fair" is a worthy entry in this series. The more I read of Ellis Peters, the greater my respect for her becomes. I recommend this book highly.

Of the chronicles of Brother Cadfael that I have thus far read, "St. Peter's Fair" is the most "mystery-like." No cut and dried solution springs to mind as the plot unfolds. This one had me guessing for some time.

All the regular ingredients of the previous stories are here: Political wrangling, personal intrigue, a love story, and of course--a murder.

Cadfael once more is a treasure trove of wisdom. Some of his lines here are classic. Cadfael is a very noble, very humane, world-weary protagonist. Ellis Peter has truly created a detective for the ages in him.

In "St. Peter's Fair" Cadfael is up against one heck of a baffling case. He and Hugh Berengar (my favorite secondary character) team up to try and solve the murder of a visiting merchant. I have no desire to give the ending away. I will only say that "St. Peter's Fair" has the added bonus of a chase scene.

"St. Peter's Fair" is a worthy entry in this series. The more I read of Ellis Peters, the greater my respect for her becomes. I recommend this book highly.

It's great to stumble across a book as fun and engaging as Beth Saulnier's The Fourth Wall. I hadn't really ever heard of her before and after reading this novel, I don't know why. The Fourth Wall is an excellent crime/whodunit novel with a terrific heroine. Alex Bernier is a twenty-something reporter in upstate New York with a detective boyfriend and an uncanny knack of attracting trouble in the worst way. Three dead bodies show up in the novel and only one of them is clearly a murder case--but it just happens to have been dead for about 80 years. The various story lines are very well entertwined and the resolutions are all plausible and satisfying. This is an excellent escapism read, very entertaining. Enjoy.

I've just finished The Fourth Wall, and I've already finished the previous 2 Alex Bernier books. This one is Beth Saulnier's best one so far. Alex is caught up in not just one but three separate murder mysteries, all pretty much unrelated but Saulnier links it all up pretty well. The parts of the book about Alex's personal life adds spice to the story and insight to her character. I liked the way Saulnier began and ended this book, absolutely fantastic.

I loved this book for the references to the Ithaca/Binghamton area (where I live) but I had hard time figuring out who was saying what in the book!! There were whole pages where a conversation would take place between two characters where I couldn't tell what character was saying what line...sometimes I had to go back to where the conversation started and figure it out a few times!!

Other than that, Beth Saulnier truly writes with a Gen X appeal and I enjoyed reading about this 20 something gal reporter and her determination to get to the bottom of the issues.... She has such a great relationship with her co-workers and her boyfriend which is also a wonderful thing to read about. It's also a wild read because the author, through the character Alex Bernier is pretty much writing about herself.... Beth's (and Alex's) love of the Ithaca area shines through and I appreciate that, being a NY girl myself!!!

After reading this book, I longed for some more CNY references and got more by reading addtional books in the Alex Bernier mystery series!! (Four books in all so far!) Keep 'em coming!!

Okay, I am becoming something of a regular here. I just blew through all three books in the series and loved them all. This one- Fourth Wall- is a bit more thoughtful than the others, less scary, more creapy. And there is a real chilling moment at the end that is so very good. It took a few chapters for me to settle in to it but then suddenly I was at the end, ink on my fingers. I was not a big mystery fan before I picked these up, and maybe I still am not (I tend mostly to non-fiction and hate(!) Agatha Christie), but Beth Saulnier is onto something here with this character and I am glad to be along for the ride. She has a new one coming out soon- I already preordered it. What can I say? I'm hooked. Buy it so you can say you read her before she was famous.

Beth Saulnier reaches new heights of frustrating the hell out of her readers with this, the third novel in the Alex Bernier series. Even for those of us who aren't great devotees of the pop mystery genre, if you believe you're a smart, perceptive person you often believe you should be able to suss out what's really going on, solve the mystery before the narrator/protagonist does. But not Beth's books - God love her, she drives me CRAZY with legitimate misdirection and intricately detailed subplots. This time, despite completely missing whodunnit, I even thought I'd found some holes in her plotting - but she managed to plug them all closed for me. (...)

ISBN 0590934252 - Danziger's career spanned several decades, including my childhood, when I first discovered her. That history does increase my fondness for Amber Brown, but I'd decided to like this girl even before I realized who the author was.

Amber's heading into fourth grade without some very important people. Her best friend, Justin, has moved away and her father is living in Paris since her parents separated. Fourth grade is going to be hard enough but without a best friend it's going to be lonely too. Looming in the background is her mother's new boyfriend, Max - a man Amber hasn't met and has no interest in meeting any time soon. Right now, her primary focus is on finding a new best friend.

I'm really impressed that this book (and the other Amber Brown books, I assume) is so very realistic. Parents divorce and some, like Amber's, can remain civil, at least in front of the kids. Friends move away, and friends fight. Those things aren't happy, good things, but they're real and the way Amber and her friends and family deal with them sends a nice message to the young reader. It's also nice to see that Amber grows at a normal pace unlike some series where the main character stays 10 forever. Danziger's death has left a hole in children's literature but I, for one, am just glad Amber Brown lives on.

If you like Amber Brown, you will like this book. I haven't read many other A.B. books, infact, the only ones I can remember reading are Amber Brown Is Not A Crayon and You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber Brown. In this chapter book, Amber(the girl with the colorful name and the need to put her right shoe on first), must go forth to a new school year without her friend Justin for the first time in I *think* 6 years. It's tough making new friends and Hannah Burton is still a snob. And if that's not bad enough, Amber has to put up with her Mom's new boyfriend, whom she has never met and never wishes to. She is still fantasizing about her parents getting back together. However, at the end of the story, Amber concludes that she can't change things, but must learn to live with them. This book has it's moments. It's funny, it's fresh and it's way too short! :P Maybe it's just me. Cute.

my daughter read it and she really likes it. great book!!

Amber Brown Goes Fourth is a very good book. There are a lot of changes in Ambers' life but she is willing to accept them. For insance, her best friend named Justin moved away over the summer so Amber has to go on to fourth grade without him. She does make friends with Brandy. It is very interesting to watch their friendship grow.
I also liked the part where the boys from Amber's class have a fake burping contest. Amber and Brandy do not win, but they do get another one of the prizes. The connection that I made to Amber Brown Goes Fourth was from Amber to me. We are both happy and we have both had a friend move away.
Dejah from Stockbridge Central School grade 4

I think you should read that book . Her mom gots a friend and Amber don't like it at all. She's mad because Justin move away. The first day of school she knew she had a new best friend.That's why you need to read that book.

If you don't ask faster way to get your product your product come to you very slowly.

I received my book in the condition promised and fast. Would do business with again.

I am happy with my experience with Amazon. It has a user friendly website. I was able to receive my book in less than a week. The book is in good condition as described online.

There are many different versions of finance books that package a variety of subsets of what is known about financial instruments, how they are valued, the markets they trade in, and various relevant regulations. Of course textbooks tend to be written with specific courses in mind and select the material they present for a one or two term course on that topic.

This book has a somewhat unique combination because it covers rather comprehensively the institutions that make up our financial markets, what they do for a living, the instruments they trade, and how those instruments are structured, valued, and regulated. The book also provides an introduction to international markets.

Since Fabozzi and Modigliani cover such a broad ground they cannot provide the same depth as books that are more specialized in nature. However, this book is written very well. It is thoughtful in what it presents and clearly teaches the material it covers in a concise way without merely skimming over the topics. It is a terrific textbook and can make a good desk reference for any finance professional. I like it a lot and think it succeeds in its aims quite well.

The content of the book is fine, but I am puzzled by the authors' decision to publish yet another book on this topic while they have covered most of the topics in the book "Foundations of Financial Market." I ordered both, only to be disappointed to find this out the hard way. I call on, or even strongly demand, the authors to do the right thing to pull one of the books out of circulation, to avoid confusing the readers.

In school, we learned of academic honesty, don't so-called professors or acamdecians follow the same code?

Why go to a psychoanalyst when you can simple spend a pleasant evening with "The Box Garden" to the same effect? This is a home-coming story: all the ghosts of the past are met by an apparently weak fearful character, who finds she can meet each challenge, accept others, make confident choices and appreciate herself.

No, I have no desire for Charleen to get on Prozac quick! Or to smack her on the side of the head, as one reviewer here said. A shocking statement, indicating that a society can go backwards rather than forwards.

The low-tech 70's is kind-of fun to revisit. Now we have even more opportunities to come full circle with our relationships and our past. But do we? Charleen is solidly in the ordinary, dull, broken, world most of us live in daily. Yet at the same time she keeps seeing, and making choices, that place her in the transcendent world that heals and honors life. And she makes the experience seem almost easy, like watching a movie.

How did Shields make all these characters seem three-dimensional, real, not stereotypes? Lots of dialog? The narrator's sensitive awareness? Even her son Seth, who is always good, easy-going, seemed real to me: a lot of kids just adapt to the adults around them until they're adults.

And what about the broken-down, broken-apart people in our lives? The Watsons and the Gretas? The people who have dumped us, or whom we try to dump? Shield handles these people, who no doubt are all around all of us, with grace and hope.

I won't reveal too much about Brother Andrew. But I did feel the relationship with this character was not resolved. The novel could have expanded on Charleen's image of Brother Andrew versus reality. What was she looking for in Brother Andrew and how did she integrate that into herself? I wanted to hear more.

A beautiful and fun story that also points the way to how to live a better life. The trip across Canada was just another plus.

This is a very simple read and not very memorable. I found the kidnapping portion of the book to be a bit melodramatic and not fit in to the rest of the story. Good for a quick read during the holidays, but certainly nothing compared to The Stone Diaries.

Box Garden was a re-read for me, and I think I enjoyed it more the second time. Its protagonist, Charleen Forrest, is the sister of the suburban Mom and biographer/novelist who is the protagonist of two other Shields novels. Shields herself was a biographer/novelist and suburban mom. Shields is in top form in the Box Garden, piling on beautiful, original, totally apt metaphors, while capturing family scenes with economy and humor. Not only the biographer, but her husband and children show up in the Box Garden, and it would be a great first read for the lucky individual who is new to Carol Shields. In fact, I found the biographer's husband more alive in the Box Garden than in the other Shield's novels. Charleen is a woman with a teenage son who has yet to recover from her divorce of many years, a divorce which was not bitter, but entailed a great sense of loss and disillusionment. Charleen's mother, a totally repressed individual, is a great character, as well as the mother's new fiancee. The plot has something of a bizarre, but credible twist. My only complaint: Charleen's son is a little too well adjusted.

I enjoyed the book. I think it has a "mature chick lit" theme. I do find the comments in the reviews, about how now Charleen would be given Prozac and sent on her way, both insulting and untrue. It is insulting from the standpoint that most competent doctors do not believe medication treats social issues and existential angst. I find it untrue in that Charleen does not appear depressed or anxious; she seems to be redefining herself after her life has been turned upside down, and it takes going back to where she started to find out how far she has come, and how strong and independent she is now. The twists and turns weren't hard to figure out, but didn't seem forced or contrived. I enjoyed the novel. It isn't ritzy or racy, but a wonderful story of growth and acceptance.

Carol Shields's second novel, The Box Garden, quickly followed her first, Small Ceremonies, and features some of the same characters. But the books are not mirror images. They are both entertaining, insightful, humanistic--Shields cares deeply about her afflicted characters. Judith Gill, biographer, mother of two and happily married to Martin, narrated Small Ceremonies; younger sister and divorced poet Charlene Forrest tends The Box Garden. It is not surprising that two sisters can see the world so differently, but that Shields can make Judith and Charlene's disparate views of the same characters so authentic. Charlene is the quirkier. Within a few pages, she confesses a lack of courage. She is a published poet, at home with language, if not the world. Charlene is raising a son who is content with what the world and his mother offer. How did this happen, she muses? Charlene travels east from Vancouver to Toronto for her mother's wedding with her boyfriend, Eugene. The trip proves full of challenges and fulfillment, new friends and family reconnected, including Judith's clan. Charlene experiences a series of small epiphanies through these encounters. She allows herself escape from her small garden to a larger world, full of the unknown, but with hints of acceptance of life as it is. Shields's language is as rich as the assembled characters, which inlcude the mother of all negative mothers, defrocked priests and spiritual charlatans. Bring a pen and paper along for the read to jot down Shield's matchless discriptions of everyday life and families for future use.

The twists and surprises of this gross
pageturner allow us to sleep deeper and
deeper into some of the most horrific
nightmares of our lives--while perspiring lots of
sweat.

Danvers departs from his virtual reality Bin world to provide a political thriller set in South America and revolving around a plot to send Latinos to Mars. Romance entwines with an investigation of the plot which exposes many to danger and reveals the use of subliminal manipulation unprecedented in human activity. The focus on politics and social issues of Third World countries is realistic and involving.

This book raises many issues of web, identity, class etc and how from each perspective they get reported on (if at all - Is news moral ?to what values?, or a profit issue ?, would you willingly change\supress the news to appease the chinese leadership to get the contract ?, or prefer to be poor but independent).

I thought that this book was in the wrong section this is no guns thinking sf.

Being honest the issues seem more important than the story to the author and i thought that it lost the the plot (to connect the issues some additional bods turn up) in the middle of the book. But if you want to think and continue its worth the read. My first Danvers book and definety worth some more investigation.

The twists and surprises of this engrossing
pageturner allow us to penetrate deeper and
deeper into some of the most horrific
realities of our epoch--while having lots of
fun.
When I assigned it as a required text in my "Science Fiction,
Technology, and Society" course, most of the students loved it.

Anyone who is into UFOlogy will recognize the 1970s disinformation program that was the inspiration for this book, but I won't spoil it for those who aren't in the know.

In the near-future (twenty, twenty-five years), Virtual Reality news is all the new "sensation" - reporters are "observers," fitted with emotional sensor jacks that relay their feelings to the Internet as well as what they see and hear. The protagonist of the story witnesses the brutal slaying of Zapatista farmers, in full view of a military base which does nothing to stop it, and is initiated into the realm of the rebel when NewsReal refuses to transmit his recordings of the event.

Hooking-up with a disenfranchised debutante, the two become lovers and underground resistance members. Without a compass to guide them in the murky waters of illegal movements, they swiftly become compromised without knowing it. A powerful agenda is afoot, and the former reporter and subversive socialite inadvertently find themselves serving instead of fighting it.

But the fun still isn't over: no sooner do our heroes have a grasp on the situation, than an even more alarming development occurs.

Wonderful intrigue, likeable characters, and a complex and ever-changing plot keep this book moving steadily along. Its only real problem is a slow middle that delves too much on a not-very-believable future Texas, which is the only area of the book that suffers from excess science-fiction-itis. The "virtual reality" angle mercifully is never hit so hard over the head that it overpowers the drama of the piece, and the examination of artificial intelligence is quite interesting and well-done.

For the record, I'm still betting - author picture in the back of the book notwithstanding - that Dennis Danvers is really Dean Koontz.

I bought this book when I started subbing, and it had great info that I wouldn't have thought of, considering my background isn't in education. The classroom management section was to most valuable for me, although I found the whole book useful. I pack this in my sub tote everyday.

Although I consider this book a pioneer in it's field with excellent materials, it could use with some lesson extenders. How can you take a theme and expand it to 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or all day? Also, it needs some good sponge activities.

Like many, I because a substitute with no prior teaching experience. This book is a lifesaver! No other book I've read comes close to the down-to-earth advice it contains. I am a much better teacher because of it.

I have helped do some substituting in the local schools since 1998 and no other book is as comprehensive as this one for training substitutes. I've been to two different workshops on how to substitute, and each one highly recommended this book over ALL OTHERS!!

What it contains:
--How to be prepared for each day
--What to bring in your "bag of tricks" (every sub should have one to survive).
--How to act professional
--Classroom management (keeping it under control)
--Emergency procedures
--First Aid
--Legal Aspects
--Disabilities and Special Ed
--Giften and Talented
--Multiculturalism
--Brainstorming
--KWL
--Questions for Higher level Thinking
--Using Audoi-Visual materials Effectively
--FILL-IN ACTIVITIES--for when you need to fill in some spare time!
--Also independent activities for those who finish their assignments early.

You get the idea--this book HAS IT ALL.

--George Stancliffe

This book enabled me to become effective as a middle school substitute teacher. The activities alone saved me; the advice made me effective. It is a must for any substitute teacher.