MAD

The Caped Crusader receives similar treatment, from the classic Wally Wood drawn "Bat Boy and Rubin!" to "Bats-Man" the television show to the blockbuster "Battyman" movie and its "Buttman Returns" and "Buttman and Rubbin'" sequels. This collection comes courtesy of "the usual gang of super-idiots," and includes classic artwork by Mort Drucker, Sergio Aragones, Al Jafee, Angelo Torres, and Don Martin (these guys must have worked for nothing because this book is, by its own admission, priced "Cheap!). There are two sections in the volume that offer up the stories in full-color, but, of course, these are restricted to offerings from the comic book days of "Mad" (e.g., "Plastic Sam" and "Woman Wonder") and back covers (e.g, "Famous Artists' Paintings of Comic Book Characters").

There are other full-length movie parodies as well of the "X-Men" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movies, although I liked the "Upcoming Movies Based on Comic Books," which simply offered up quickies on "Human Torch Song Triology," "Hulk Fiction" and "JLA Confidential." Another favorite is the "Real-Life Superhoeres at Comic Book Conventions," which uses the names of familiar heroes from "The Amazing Spider-Man" to "Wonder Woman" to describe the fans who read such literature. So there is a nice mix of formats to these comic looks at the comic books as the world's greatest super heroes are "mercilessly mocked and ridiculed by the world's dumbest artists and writers." Of course, if you did not read the original comics or see these movies, then you will never ever get all of the jokes. But then that is the whole point of satire, right?

Six years ago, military officers Hope Evans and Ryder McGrath had a torrid love affair. However, she hoped that they would make it permanent. He was unable to override the guilt that he felt because he seemed to love Hope more than his recently deceased spouse. Eventually, Hope fled to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska where she became known as the Arctic Fox while Ryder was dubbed the Iceman.

She is presently stationed in Arizona and word is that he is coming for an installation visit. She hoped to avoid him, but her father, a retired General, insists she tell Ryder that strange happenings are occurring at the nearby dismantled missile site. When they meet, Ryder is not sure he can trust her since he knows he hurt her badly. Though his mission is to uncover who is behind missing airplane parts, he realizes that he cannot discount what she tells him. Together, they investigate and find their attraction ever stronger as love fully blossoms. However, they face a foe that will eradicate them to maintain the secrecy of a daring plot.

MAD ABOUT THE MAJOR is a powerful military romance that will leave readers on the edge of their seats trying to figure out what is going on at the Verde Vista dismantled missile site. The romantic intrigue story line seems so appropriate and feasible as it provides an intriguing what if scenario to the IFF treaty of 1981. The lead protagonists, Hope's father, and a chauvinistic officer add the necessary depth to turn Roz Denny Fox's novel into a twenty-one gun salute.

Harriet Klausner

Let me say that although the mystery in the story is sufficient, it's in the characters and in the reality of everyday life that the story comes alive. The author (who, btw, knows medieval history so well he plays with his inexperienced readers from time to time) is fascinated with the imbalance of power between the serfs and their masters: the nobles and the clergy. He describes with passion the abuse of power perpetrated by the not-so-noble knights on the submissive local serfs. The knights think themselves invulnerable as they believe they have the support of the most powerful family in the kingdom. Yet, their plotting leaves them with no real friends and their newly acquired castle is guarded by hired soldiers who have their own agenda in mind.

A girl is viciously murdered and the priest who had an affair with her is accused, but soon we find out he's not guilty of killing her and her death is somehow tied to another murder of a man whom she has never known, but who held some secrets of the lord of the castle. Into that complicated web of local gossip and vicious plotting for yet more power Sir Baldwin arrives. He's an ex-Templar, now married and for the first time since the destruction of his Order daring to be happy. He's been charged by the king with finding the truth. He's a worldly man, a little cynical from his experiences, yet a kind man despite his ruling manner. By the time he's figured out the depth of evil contained in the murder mystery the reader will believe the medieval times were indeed very dark. Yet, things are at their darkest just before sunrise. It's the good act that redeems the cruel man and there is no act that can't be redeemed. We see the men get up and live their simple lives in dignity because the justice was done just as our knight marches off on a pilgrimage to pay for his mistake.

I think Brother Cadfael would say "things are as they should be."