Where Darkness Lives

Customer Reviews:

ROBERT ROSS BOMBS ON THIS ONE..........2004-03-19

I LOVED PREVIOUS BOOKS BY ROSS, BUT THIS ONE HAD PREDICTABLE CHARACTERS AND A WEAK TO SAY THE LEAST PLOT. IN FACT, THE BOOK WASN'T IN THE LEAST HORRIFYING, UNLESS A TRULY WORTHLESS BOOK HORRIFIES YOU. IF I COULD SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK I WOULD HAVE TO COMMENT THAT THEY WERE, IGNORANT, IMMATURE, AND FRANKLY I WANTED TO SLAP SOME COMMON SENSE INTO THE GIRL. WHAT NITWIT TAKES OFF WITH A GUY SHE BARELY KNOWS TO AN ISOLATED HOUSE INHABITED BY GHOSTS WITH HILLBILLY MENTALITY THEN STICKS AROUND "CAUSE SHE WON'T LEAVE HER MAN"? THE PREMISE WOULD MAKE A GOOD OLD-FASHIONED TWANGY COUNTRY WESTERN TEARJERKER SONG, SAY CIRCA TAMMY WYNETTE. THERE IS USUALLY A NITWIT TO BE FOUND IN THOSE TOO. SOME WOMAN WHO'LL STICK AROUND EVEN THOUGH HER MAN HIT'S, BELITTLES, AND TRIES TO KILL HER... NEED I SAY MORE? JUST TO ADD THIS LAST BIT: THE WRITING IN THIS ONE ALSO MEANDERED AND DRUG ON AND ON TO THE DREARY END... I HAD THE FEELING THAT ROSS COULDN'T DECIDE WHERE HE WANTED TO TAKE THIS ONE. HIS HEART WAS DEFINATELY NOT IN IT. WHAT WAS HIS EDITOR THINKING? SO SAD FOR ROSS... HOPE THE NEXT ONE IS BETTER.

J.M.

Talk about mind games, this takes the cake!!!!.......2003-08-25

I hold Robert Ross personally responsible for me getting only three hours of sleep last night. This book is impossible to put down. The suspense rate is sky high. This is what I call a true mind meld.

I really love ghost stories. Poor Kate gets stuck in a countryside where she is unable to escape the evil forces that make her go crazy. Her husband, prince charming starts acting strange and nobody can figure out what is going on.

The only one on Kate's side is Erik, her best friend (an author on the paranormal) in New York. He has warned her from the beggining not to leave New York.

Kate's husband's late wife died under mysterious curcumstances. Then there are other parties involved who make Kate wonder 'Is she losing her sanity?' since there is a lot of lost time unaccounted for that Kate does not remember.

Also, the local townspeople don't accept Kate.

I will stop here as I feel the reader should find the answers for themselves.

Classic, melodramatic, gothic novel.......2003-06-12

I love the genre, so I am a little biased. It was fast, enjoyable read that I couldn't put down. I loved the setting and the plot ideas. True, it wasn't believable, but that is the nature of the gothic novel. I enjoyed the dramatic dialogue and I really like the ghosts.

But, I do have a couple of complaints. The plot was way to predictable. I kept turning the pages waiting for the twist, but I already knew all the secrets pretty much from the first third of the book. This didn't stop me from enjoying it though.

And the female character, Kate, really wasn't all that loveable.

To sum it up, if you love gothic ghost stories, it is a must read, but it is not the very best I have read.

Horrific-and not in a good way.......2003-06-03

First off, the dialogue is atrocious. This is not a period piece; however, Ross insists on making his characters sound like they are straight out of the 19th century. "It's been a long time since anything I've seen frightened me so." Ross needs to spend some time in the local diner honing his ear to realistic dialogue.

Second, the plot "twists" are too predictable. No surprises here.

Third, the characterizations are annoying. None of the main characters are worth caring about. The heroine is whiny and you just can't shake the feeling that if you met her, you'd smack her and tell her to act like a self-sufficient adult and not a dependent 5 year old.

Her husband fares no better. While Ross tries to make Russell appear as a gentle, tormented child turned brooding adult; Russell simply comes across as a weak-minded, self-centered jerk.

The only redeemable character is 98 year old Aunt Cecilia who isn't in the book nearly as often as she should be. The rest of the characters you hope will just be put out of their misery-and yours.

Save your money.

good old-fashioned gothic ghost story.......2002-07-08

Ever since Kate was a little girl, she saw ghosts but her parents never believed her and she finally learned to say nothing about the spirits who drifted in and out of her life.
When Russell came into the video store in New York City, it was a case of love at first sight. They married three months after they met but she never told him about her ghosts and he remained silent about his first wife.

Russell's twin sister Rosalind convinces him to move back to the family home in Wrightsbridge, Connecticut. When he broaches the plan to Kate, she eagerly agrees thinking that she will finally have a chance to write her novel. From the time they enter the door of Russell's ancestral home, he becomes distant and moody, a stranger to Kate. She believes the ghosts that inhabit the place are playing tricks with their minds. She intends to exorcise them, not realizing how powerful they are and that they mean her harm.

WHEN DARKNESS LIVES is a good old-fashioned gothic ghost story that is very scary. The audience really doesn't know if it is the ghosts or a human presence that is trying to hurt Kate. That makes the finale all the more satisfying. Robert Ross is the latest rising star in the horror galaxy. Bentley Little fans are going to love this book.

Harriet Klausner

Medalon (The Hythrun Chronicles: Demon Child Trilogy, Book 1)
Average customer rating:

Excellent

Decent story, poor aesthetics

(3.5 stars) Nice mytholgy, nice romance against the odds, funny Gods, way too much running and chasing!

Great!

Not bad
Medalon (The Hythrun Chronicles: Demon Child Trilogy, Book 1)
Jennifer Fallon
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0765348667
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Book Description

According to legend, the last king of the Harshini sired a half-human child, known as the Demon Child, born to destroy a god . . . The Sisterhood of the Blade rules Medalon with an iron fist--an iron fist within the steel gauntlet of the Defenders, elite warriors sworn to uphold the sisters and keep Medalon free of heathen influence.R'shiel, daughter of the First Sister of the Blade, has pulled against the short leash of her mother ever since she was a child. Her half-brother, Tarja, is the dutiful son who serves as a Captain in the Defenders. But when they run afoul of their mother's machinations, they must flee for their lives. They soon find themselves caught up in the rebellion against the Sisterhood, though they revile their fellow conspirators heathen belief in the Harshini--a fabled race of magical beings thought long extinct. But then Tarja amp; R'shiel encounter Brak, an Harshini outcast, who forces them to face the most shocking fact of all: the Demon Child, thought to be nothing more than legend, may have been loosed in Medalon.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-08-25

I'm not a fan of starting new series, so I was a little hesitant to start this one. (especially since the cover came across as a little too childish) It was only by a great recommendation that I picked this one up, and thank god, I absolutely loved it! After the first chapter you will be drawn in up until the very last book.

Decent story, poor aesthetics.......2007-08-01

It is always difficult to write a review of a fiction novel. You want to be thorough, but you don't want to give away the plot. I will focus, rather, on development and style.

The book tells the story of a young person who is unaware of her momentous heritage (the usual fantasy beginnings). Through various twists of Cruel Fate, she and her friends are cast from the Capital and have to adjust to their new lives.

Pros of the book:
1) It has an interesting socio-religious background. The main country is militantly atheistic and persecutes any kind of religious worship. Fallon (the author) very talentedly illustrates the implications of secular atheism without "preaching."

2) The story flows very well. The characters are well-developed and believable. They have their moments of heroism and pettiness.

Cons of the book:
1) The author assumes that her readers know as much about the history of Medalon as the author does, so she skips important introductions. I figured out what she was saying a few chapters later, but she could have at least explained who the Harshini were while she was talking about how important they were.

2) Overly gritty. There is a sado-masichistic scene that leaves one revolting. It added little to the story and could have been left out. True, this stuff does happen in real life. No one disputes that. However, including it in a story necessarily lowers the aesthetic value of a story. I felt like I had stayed up half the night reading this story for nothing. On the other hand, it did affect the plot-character development. The characters became more base and the plot became darker. While this makes for good postmodernism, it makes for poor aesthetics.

Conclusion:
Can I recommend the book? No. While it is better than 90% of the fantasy genre, it does not stir the reader to new heights nor inspire the reader to emulate the characters. It failed to live up to the "Tolkien test."

(3.5 stars) Nice mytholgy, nice romance against the odds, funny Gods, way too much running and chasing!.......2007-04-24

"Medalon" the first book in the demon child trilogy is a relatively simple fantasy that just appears complicated because of the many gods and political fractions involved. However most fantasy books are like this, as is the real world, so if you can remember what country the main people are from and what religion that different countries follow you'll be fine-if not, well there's a glossary in the back of the book.

The country of Medalon decided a couple hundred years ago to be an atheist nation run by women known as sisters of the blade who are businesswomen and politicians. To bring about this perfect nation they killed off most of the pagan people who worshiped Gods (a little linguistic lesson from a real pagan-the word Pagan means "from the fields" and is essentially a nice way of saying hick) and these semi immortal fairy people the Harshini. The Harshini then went into hiding and are in the present of this book presumed dead. There are a couple other countries, two of which are pagan and hold with the gods (who are real by the way) and one which is monotheistic and ruled by a God who apparently needs to be killed-or so the other gods think. But they won't do it and the Harshini can't kill so there is a prophecy that a demon child will be born who will be half Harshini and who will kill a God.

Meanwhile in the present day in Medalon, in the citadel of the sisters of the Blade political power changes are taking place. One sister is scheming to be in charge and her children, Tarja, and his half sister R'shiel rebel and run away, find out they're not really related at all (can you see where this is going?-yeah, somehow the author manages to make it not creepy because they're not brother and sister at all and he's ten years older so they didn't grow up together...it's actually kind of sweet) and organizing the pagans into a rebellion. Meanwhile one half Harshini is searching the world for the demon child alternately helped and annoyed by the gods (who are hilarious.)

This is a pretty decent book and I really enjoyed it, except for one really annoying thing. Tarja and R'shiel are constantly having to rescue each other. I mean CONSTANTLY! Like one of them would rescue the other and then it would fail and they'd be a in a worse situation and they have to start all over. It's like that for the entire book. It gets old. I mean there is some interesting stuff in the rescues and while waiting for them and in between them there's some romance and good mythology and political maneuvering and funny scenes with the Gods, but it doesn't really break even.

In the end, three point five stars. I'll definitely read the next one though, which will hopefully have less running and chasing!

Great!.......2006-07-23

Let me start off by saying that this is a great book. I usually go to the book store and paruse books by the art on the cover. I picked it up and started reading, and after a few pages I became hooked. This is one of those books where you really care what happens to the characters, the plotline is epic, and there are plenty of twists and turns. Though the plot is a bit generic; woman is 'chosen' to destroy a god, save the world, etc etc, that's pretty much a staple in every fantasy book i've ever read. It's the character interactions and situations that make fantasy books, and this one does very well.

Not bad.......2006-05-20

I received a free copy of this book at a science fiction convention. It is a fairly standard story about an orphan discovering her origins and maturing into her role on the world stage. As such the main character isn't terribly interesting, in fact, on several occasions I wanted to punt her into next week. The supporting cast is more interesting and the side plots intrigued me enough to read the second book. On the whole, I would say if I happened across this book in an airport gift shop, I would buy it.

Medalon (The Hythrun Chronicles: Demon Child Trilogy, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

I liked the Demon Child trilogy
Same scenes...different people

Medalon (The Hythrun Chronicles: Demon Child Trilogy, Book 1)
Jennifer Fallon
Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B000H2MEAU

Customer Reviews:

I liked the Demon Child trilogy.......2007-01-01

I liked this series of books. The reason I picked it is because it has a strong female lead. It turned out that several of the countries had matriarchal societies while another had a very patriarchal society. I enjoy it when an author puts a slightly different twist on the worlds they are creating. I think these books are worth reading!

Same scenes...different people.......2006-11-12

I can't say that I enjoyed this book all that much. The characters personalities were difficult to distinguish. There were far too many characters in this book. I found that the story line itself was repetitive and unoriginal. How many times can the two lead characters be captured, raped, beaten, tortured and threatened to be hanged in a single book? I mean, if they had been captured once or twice, at least the reader would expect them to learn from their mistakes when escaping in the future, but it didn't seem to be the case here. The story to me seemed to involve far too many subplots.
In all, the book is far too long and not very clearly written involving many characters that just complicate the story and confuse the reader. I wouldn't recommend this book.

Average customer rating:

Medalon

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0732264774

Set of 3 Books. Demon Child Trilogy: Volumes 1-3 By Jennifer Fallon - Medalon, Treason Keep, Harshini

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Set of 3 Books. Demon Child Trilogy: Volumes 1-3 By Jennifer Fallon - Medalon, Treason Keep, Harshini
Jennifer Fallon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000W93TRK

Product Description

Set of 3 Books. Demon Child Trilogy: Volumes 1-3 By Jennifer Fallon - Medalon, Treason Keep, Harshini.

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Medalon (Demon Child Trilogy)
Jennifer Fallon
Manufacturer: Orbit
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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MEDALON
Jennifer Fallon
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M7T8JA

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Medalon
Jennifer Fallon
Manufacturer: Sydney, Australia Voyager 2002.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J5IAJO

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Medalon Demon Child 1
Jennifer Fallon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 0356238784

Pridet rassvet: Roman-trilogiia ; Pover mne : povest ; Vozvrashchenie : rasskazy ; Medalon : poema ; Zhivi veroi, nadezhdoi, liuboviu : roman v proze i stikhakh

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Pridet rassvet: Roman-trilogiia ; Pover mne : povest ; Vozvrashchenie : rasskazy ; Medalon : poema ; Zhivi veroi, nadezhdoi, liuboviu : roman v proze i stikhakh
Vladimir Podaruev
Manufacturer: Zvezda
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: 5881871251

Book Description

Unorthodox scientists Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler decided to go into business, forming a company specialising in paranormal investigations. Now, along with Winston Zeddemore and their "pet" ghost Slimer, they protect the world from the supernatural — as the Ghostbusters!

In this first volume, collecting the Real Ghostbusters comic and based on the smash-hit cartoon, creators including Dan Abnett and artist Anthony Williams bring the zany fun of the cartoon series to the comics page!

With spooks on the loose - not to mention a bucket-load of ectoplasm — the Ghostbusters are busier than ever! But don't worry... they ain't afraid of no ghosts!

Real Ghostbusters: A Hard Day's Fright (Real Ghostbusters)
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Real Ghostbusters: A Hard Day's Fright (Real Ghostbusters)

Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: 1417726946

Book Description

In Sanctified Vision John J. O'Keefe and R. R. Reno explain the structure and logic of the early Church fathers' interpretations of the Bible. These interpretations are considered foundational to the development of Christianity as a religion and offer insight into how the early church fathers thought about Christian doctrine and practice. By analyzing selected portions of patristic exegesis, the authors illustrate specific reading techniques employed by the church fathers to expound the meaning they believed intrinsic to biblical texts.

This approach is organized around three basic analytic strategies: literal, typological, and allegorical. The literal strategy is an intensive and broad analysis that identifies particular word associations that intensify scriptural meaning. The typological strategy interprets distinct patterns of events within scripture and applies those patterns to other events in scripture and the history of the church. The allegorical approach to biblical reading, like the topological strategy, seeks patterns in the text, but these patterns are more diverse and represent larger themes or beliefs of the early church.

Within this analytic framework, the authors explain the larger structure of patristic exegesis and argue for the importance of this structure in the emergence of Christian orthodoxy.

Customer Reviews:

Fine overview, perhaps a little too polemical.......2006-12-12

A competent introductory book, but occasionally a little smug and reactionary. Appropriate for anyone interested in a quick overview of the early church, but perhaps less substantial than other texts. For a more nuanced work on patristic exegesis, see E. Clark's Reading Renunciation.

An informed explanation of the structure and logic of the early Christian interpretations of scripture in late antiquity.......2005-10-14

The collaborative work of John J. O'Keefe and R. R. Reno (both of whom are Associate Professors of Theology at Creighton University), Sanctified Vision: An Introduction To Early Christian Interpretation Of The Bible provides the reader with an informed explanation of the structure and logic of the early Christian interpretations of scripture in late antiquity. These interpretations are considered foundational to the development of Christianity as a religion, and offer insight into how these early leaders and theologians thought about doctrine and practice by analyzing selected portions of patristic exegesis to illustrate specific reading techniques used by them to expound the meaning they believed intrinsic to biblical texts. The approach utilized in Sanctified Vision is organized around three basis analytical strategies: literal, typological, and allegorical. Within this framework, Professors O'Keefe and Reno cogently argue for the importance of this analytic framework and structure in understanding the emergence of what was to become Christian theological orthodoxy. A work of impeccable scholarship and also available in a hardcover edition (0801880874, $45.00), Sanctified Vision will be of immense interest and value to students of Christian Theology, Christian History, and Biblical Studies.

Sanctified Vision: An Introduction to Early Christian Interpretation of The Bible.(Book review): An article from: First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life

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Sanctified Vision: An Introduction to Early Christian Interpretation of The Bible.(Book review): An article from: First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life
Joseph T. Lienhard
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life, published by Thomson Gale on January 1, 2007. The length of the article is 541 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Sanctified Vision: An Introduction to Early Christian Interpretation of The Bible.(Book review)
Author: Joseph T. Lienhard
Publication: First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Issue: 169 Page: 57(2)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Mextex: Traditional Tex-mex Taste
Average customer rating:

Traditional Mexican Food--and delicious!

Tasty/Simple Tex-Mex Recipes

One of the better ones, but still a ways to go

TEX MEX CLASSICS

A 'must' for gourmet club member culinary reference collections!

Mextex: Traditional Tex-mex Taste
Matt Martinez
Manufacturer: Bright Sky Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1931721696

Book Description

Since 1952, Matt's El Rancho has provided the Austin area with authentic Mexican food in a great family atmosphere. The recipes from the restaurant and those included in this cookbook have been handed down from generation to generation through Matt's family, who settled in this region long before any Anglo settlers moved in.

Matt is the first chef to reintroduce unique "prairie/range" style cooking since cowboys used a similar technique. His focus is on indigenous, high flavor, low fat foods with Mexican Texan roots. Matt has personally developed hundreds of recipes, spice combinations and operating procedures that ensure a unique, enjoyable experience time after time.

Using traditional methods and native ingredients, Matt Martinez, Jr. brings authentic Tex-Mex taste to your home kitchen. Some of the recipes included are Bob Armstrong Dip, Chiles Relleños, Casa Martinez Guacamole, Chili de Joya "Home Style" Hot Sauce, Avocado Soup, Carne Asada, and Shrimp Martinez. Is your mouth watering yet?

Customer Reviews:

Traditional Mexican Food--and delicious!.......2007-08-04

It was 1986 when Matt's El Rancho opened at its new location on South Lamar in Austin that I savored their wonderful food for the very first time. Surrounded by a sea of people waiting to be seated, we were greeted warmly by Matt, Sr. with his gracious smile and sincere welcome. When we finally got a table and ordered our food, the Chile Rellenos were to die for! Since leaving Austin a decade later--having made countless trips to Matt's through the years for a Mexican food "fix"--the challenge became bringing Matt's El Rancho to our own dinner table.

Thankfully, Matt Martinez, Jr. (Little Matt), has generously extended to homesick Texas expatriates, and to the world, the wonderful gift of his family's culinary heritage through his series of cookbooks. Mex Tex: Traditional Tex-Mex Taste is the latest and by far the best contribution of all. Unlike Matt's earlier efforts, Mex Tex is a rich and colorful tapestry of wonderful photographs that immediately transport the reader to the restaurant. It makes for an absolutely delightful dining-with-the-eyes experience. For those who've eaten often at Matt's, and treasure this family's vital contribution to "making Austin, Austin," the journey is enhanced greatly by many older photos and Matt's personal accounts, most notably the origin of "Bob Armstrong Dip."

While Matt's delightful array of recipes is absolutely wonderful, and quite accessible to virtually anyone with cooking experience, the larger contribution of Mex Tex should not be overlooked. Beginning with his first book, Matt Martinez's Culinary Frontier appearing ten years ago; to, Matt Makes a Run for the Border: Recipes and Tales from a Tex-Mex Chef; to Mex Tex, Matt Martinez, Jr. is clearly concerned to establish for all time the legitimacy of Mexican food made by himself and many generations of Tejanos (Texans of Mexican descent) as being "authentic" in every sense of the word.

This formidable challenge emerged in 1972 with the appearance of Diana Kennedy's, The Cuisines of Mexico. On the one hand, Kennedy did a good job of exploring much of the culinary picture and meaning and recipes of "Mexican food" as it exists in great variety within Mexico proper. Sadly, Kennedy, followed by legions of her admirers, has also been a mouthpiece of misinformation and misunderstanding regarding Mexican food as it has long been prepared by Texas Mexicans. Kennedy sought to convince the world (and with considerable success) that the Rio Grande River exerts a kind of magical demarcation, with the foods made south of it qualifying as "authentic," while food made to the north of it--tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc.--as somehow counterfeit. The most obvious result of these misguided efforts was the emergence of the term, "Tex-Mex"--perceived initially (and accurately) as nothing less than a slur, as though Tejanos were unworthy of their own noble ethnic heritage.

To his great credit, Matt Martinez, Jr. responded to this indignity, not with rancor and invective (at least not in print!), but by following Kennedy's lead in publishing cookbooks, in order to set the record straight. Without apology, Matt embraces the necessity of "Tex-Mex" by turning it into MEX TEX, so as to awaken the reader to the actual truth of the matter: Mexican Texas food, while differing in many respects from the "cuisines of Mexico," is genuine--and delicious!--in its own right. The proof (if such is necessary) is that "authentic" Texas-style Mexican food has never been more popular.

Unfortunately, it has been years since I have dined at Matt's El Rancho on South Lamar. And yet, because of his wonderful cookbooks--the best being Mex Tex--Matt Martinez, Jr. makes it possible for us to get our "Mexican Food fix" with great regularity. It is a cookbook no Mexican food junky should be without.

Tasty/Simple Tex-Mex Recipes.......2007-07-23

I go to Austin a lot and have eaten at Matt's restaurant there (and loved it). But I bought this book after a recommendation (and meal) from a friend -- and a great recommendation it was! There is wide variety in the book and only a few of the recipes are really complex. Most of it is amazingly simple, and much of it can be adapted into meals and recipes that you already use.

Two things to be aware of:
1) It does call for a lot of secondary recipes -- in other words you'll need to spend a little time making some sauces before you start exploring this book. Again, many of these sauces are quick/easy and will work well in other recipes you have.
2) The recipes in this book have a good amount of assumed knowledge about cooking. So the novice cook would have to spend extra time in the beginning getting familiar with the processes, etc.

For the right audience, this is the best way to explore Tex-Mex cooking that I know.

One of the better ones, but still a ways to go.......2007-07-06

Let me first say that if you're in Dallas or Austin, Texas then you must try one of Matt's restaurants as his contribution to Tex-Mex cuisine is notable. I think you'll find he offers some of the best of Tex-Mex in the great state of Texas.

This nicely bound hardcover cookbook has excellent color photos of many appetizers, drinks, sides, sauces, and main dishes accompanied with an interesting story about his family, the business, and the cultural complexity yet simplicity of this under-rated cuisine,but with some not so slight shortcomings.

While he does give you a glimpse of dishes and sides, et al., used in his different restaurants, I found my results, after carefully imitating the recipes, left something to be desired and wondered if he's "telling all" or holding back with a few secrets as my finished product didn't taste like what I find in excellent Tex-Mex establishes, namely his. Furthermore, there are a few spots where editing mistakes confuse the cooking method or times. Also, the nice, colorful pictures aren't always related to the adjacent recipes. Some examples of where I think the book could've excelled fall within his enchilada sauce section. I found this to be a mix of satisfaction and disappointment. This is arguably the most important aspect of the cuisine as it can make or break enchiladas, tamales, and other dishes that require some kind of sauce or gravy. His chile con carne proportions, in my view, produces a meaty chile rather than a gravy with chile meat. And the flavor was off. His original enchilada sauce (or what I would call gravy) is fine and maybe the best in the book but it doesn't look or taste like what he uses in his restaurants. Believe me when I write such comments because I carefully followed the recipes. Lastly, his refried bean recipe doesn't taste like what you have in his restaurants which makes be wonder if the rendered pork lard or pinto beans they use are somehow processed differently than what one can do at home or some method that wasn't added in what was provided; I cannot see how though.

On the other hand, his Tex-Mex spice and Bob Armstrong appear to be on target. There are many recipes I intend on trying and flavorings to use such as Black Magic, but the main thing I hope to try is a new and expanded version, with better attention and focus, on how to create this wonderful cuisine from your own kitchen.

All in all, I wasn't disappointed with this purchase but hope that Matt will provide a forum for question or answer regarding his revealed recipes and techniques and/or expand the topic with another volume.

John in Dallas

TEX MEX CLASSICS.......2007-06-27

Matt has been cooking great food in Austin for a long time. This cookbook is a great guide for anyone who isn't Puro Mexicano!

A 'must' for gourmet club member culinary reference collections!.......2007-02-04

A savory tour-de-force of authentic and profusely illustrated Tex-Mex cuisine, successful restauranteur whose family has been in the restaurant business from more than 80 years, Matt Martinez draws upon both his family's history and his own experience and expertise running the El Rancho restaurant in Austin, Texas, to compile and organize a fabulous compendium of delicious and "kitchen cook friendly" recipes that will provide any meal time occasion with that true Tex-Mex taste! From Chile Con Queso (and how to roast your own peppers for it), to Summer Sangria, Creamy Enchilada Sauce, 20-Minute Taco Meat, Tortilla Pizza, Huevous Rancheros, Mexican Coffee, Sweet Potato Eggnog with Dark Rum, and so much more, "Mex Tex" is a very highly recommended addition to family and community library cookbook collections - and a 'must' for gourmet club member culinary reference collections!

Perfume and Scent Bottle Collecting With Prices
Average customer rating:
Perfume and Scent Bottle Collecting With Prices
Jean Sloan
Manufacturer: Wallace-Homestead Book Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Bottles | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Collectible Miniature Perfume Bottles (Collectibles)

Perfume, Cologne, And Scent Bottles

The Wonderful World of Collecting Perfume Bottles: Identification & value guide

ASIN: 0870695444

Perfume and Scent Bottle Collecting With Prices
Average customer rating:
Perfume and Scent Bottle Collecting With Prices
Jean Sloan
Manufacturer: Wallace-Homestead Book Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OA31H0

Book Description

A delightful storybook about a little boy who believes in dragons. His grandmother makes him a special quilt so he can finally sleep. Whimsical watercolor drawings and quilt instructions with full size applique patterns are included. REVIEW: A reader from Frederick, MD says, "I read 'No Dragons On My Quilt' to my daughter about 12 years ago after borrowing it from a library. Of course we ordered our very own copy. Back then we got it in hardback. Our whole family loves the book so much that we tried to order an extra copy for my son a few years ago. We wanted copies for each child to be passed down to their own kids when they were grown. (It's that kind of book.)"

Customer Reviews:

Should Be Passed Down From Generation to Generation.......2003-04-17

I read "No Dragons On My Quilt" to my daughter about 12 years ago after borrowing it from a library. Of course we ordered our very own copy. Back then we got it in hardback. Our whole family loves the book so much that we tried to order an extra copy for my son a few years ago. We wanted copies for each child to be passed down to their own kids when they were grown. (It is that kind of book.) We were able to get the second copy only in paperback since it no longer comes in hardback. It is a great book about a child whose grandmother calms his fears by making him a quilt and by just being there for him. My children are 14 and 10 and will never stop wanting this book read to them. It is a classic.

Update 11/2003: My son's school is using the book for a unit on quilts in the first grade classes. They are working to construct a quilt that can have the squares velcroed on to a plain quilt. The media specialist will read the book to the kids and they will be able to put it together at the end.

Great idea for grandmother quilters - to be........1998-01-17

Don't know what baby quilt to make for that grandchild on the way? This book combines a story and a quilt that will last. Imagine having your grandchild read all about the quilt he/she is wrapped up in. I would love to see more books like this.

Book Description

Stylish and concise, this volume presents the work of six venerable names in modern design history. Featuring more than three hundred examples of their best work, yet still eminently portable, Six Chapters in Design is a charming model of economy. Each chapter begins with an essay by a fellow designer, or poet, or, in the case of Saul Bass, director Martin Scorsese, and closes with a biographical profile. Esteemed by designers around the world, these are the artists who created the identities of Warner, AT&T, IBM, ABC, UPS, and Westinghouse; film titles for The Shining and Cape Fear; posters; advertisements; and memorable images of every sort. Their work, nearly omnipresent in everyday life, has influenced an entire culture. This dynamic compendium is a smart resource for designers and artists working in any medium.

Customer Reviews:

Less was more.......2002-06-22

This book is exactly what I hoped it would be: a visual parade of the works of designers who are arguably considered superstars in graphic design.

The various graphics are seen applied to print (magazine/book/poster), signage, film and sculptural media.

The examples span several decades, from the early 40s to the mid-90s. The great thing about seeing superb design in the years before the 1980s is that design during that period was accomplished without the use of computers; as a result, greater emphasis was placed on composition, shape, typography, color and imagination. The result was design that was simple, bold and highly communicative. It's a far cry from the over-stimulated design that almost everyone with a computer is capable of producing -- and has.

The back of the book contains an index to the graphics with a descriptive label and the year in which each was produced. Each designer's section starts off with a few paragraphs of introductory text, and ends with a brief bio.

The graphics are displayed one per page, and speak for themselves. Designers should pay attention to the message in this body of work.

A good ,allthough basic, overview of the giants.......2001-04-14

I think this book is a fairly good inventory of design works by the giants. Some of the works displayed have dated and it seems there could have been better editorial choices. Nevertheless, i think its a good starter for the begginer, and is a fun way to kill an hour.The print quality is exellent, giving vivid colors, but the cover design is...well- a shame.

monolithic work in the palm of your hand!.......1999-09-29

Great works by the great designers, including my fav. Saul Bass's anatomy of a murder, it's simply a designers inspiration in carry size.Don't strain your eyes - it's picture only.

if your a visual person, this book is for you.......1999-03-22

i say this because theres absolutely no copy. color galore and histories of they're work are covered in full. have fun looking at the greats, i did.

Book Description

`George A Walker did not make it into An Engraver's Globe, and looking through this collection of his wood engravings I see again exactly why. An editor should not present as a fool one who has persisted in his folly to become wise if the wisdom cannot really be shown in the space available: better to omit than risk making him look silly. On the evidence of just a couple of works George Walker does look clumsy in a field where finesse is prized, perhaps to excess. But give him his head, as here, and you see an artist of sustained and wacky integrity half way between Posada and Krazy Kat. ...

`Is the work any good? Yes, of course it is. Of course, too, if you go for rough trade in wood engraving, you end where you began: some of this does look like beginner's work. But Walker does things with engraving I've not seen anyone else do: look at Raguwl, Angel of Vengeance. His images of people in cars are startlingly expressive: he can draw -- look at The Printer's hand and the break of light around him; has Walker bodged the ear here to prove he can't draw (so there!)? But he can and does. His small images have power and sometimes even humour and tenderness, even though he presents himself as an obsessive, the Mad Hatter of wood engraving.'

Customer Reviews:

Woodcut with a modern flair.......2007-02-01

Walker works in the oldest style of printmaking - it goes back to the middle ages in the West, with roots much farther back. While working with the traditional materials, his innovations in tools and imagery make this a very current body of work.

Woodcut, as the name implies, incises its image into the surface of a wooden block. The traditional craft uses knives and gouges to create imagery, normally working in the negative space around the inked imagery. It's never been a spontaneous medium. Even the apparent spontaneity in some Japanese woodcut is an illusion, painstakingly worked to create the illusion of free and easy drawing. Using modern power tools, Walker has achieved what others spent hundreds of years imitating: a woodcut style as loose and spontaneous as a drawing.

The result can be startling and delightful. I first noticed the freehand line in plate 6, "Raguel, angel of vengeance." That style really comes into its own in plates 42 and 43, though. The first, "Lovers", lets Walker use his loose and curving lines express the close and curving forms of the embracing couple. The second, "The Kiss", matches Walker's humanistic lines to the very human affection of the couple.

There's not a lot of text in this book: commentary on each of the 70+ featured images, plus a little about Walker's life and manner of working. That helps explain why his work is so little-known. Much of it has gone into handcrafted books of which only one or two hundred were ever printed, and into collections that rarely circulate outside the printmaking community. Even though the uniqueness of each impression is lost in reproducing the works for a wider audience, I'm very glad that he has made it available in this lovely edition. It's fascinating work, sure to be welcome in any library on prints and printmaking.

//wiredweird

Suspended patch antennas with electromagnetically coupled inverted microstrip feed for curcular polarization ([NASA contractor report])

Average customer rating:

Suspended patch antennas with electromagnetically coupled inverted microstrip feed for curcular polarization ([NASA contractor report])
Rainee N Simons
Manufacturer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Glenn Research Center
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006RS1QC

Customer Reviews:

fabulous.......2002-05-19

It was an excellent book; very informative. I read it over and over. Great pictures!

Basic Media Quotes.......2001-04-24

this Book puts different things He has said over the years kinda all Scattered out.it's cool reading Respect that He has gotten from different Artists&Groups in the Business.His Battle was Legendary with Sony.it Inspired Prince for better or Worse.but that isn't mentioned here.He deserves a full book that highlights His Talent&Career in full detail.interesting overview here though on His Artistic Challenges&Influences.

Collection of tabloid photos and random quotes. ABSURD!.......2000-03-23

This book is a complete absurd... It is nothing more than another attempt to cash-in on George Michael's recent situation by the people, who profit from gossips and heinous stories in the first place. This book is not official and using GM's name as one of the authors is simply criminal. Yes, it is a collection of quotes made by GM at various times, but... taken out of the content, they aim to work as yet another illustation of a weak and stupid pop-star, WHICH HE IS NOT. I believe that tabloid biz is the worst way (even prostitutes sell their own bodies as oppose to selling stories about other peoples' bodies) to make a living (and what a good living it must be), that is why I do not EVER buy tabloids. So, I am really angry that I was "tricked" into buying another version of a tabliod issue, conveniently called a "book by George Michael" himself. I DO NOT BLAME AMAZON.COM. AT LEAST, I COULD GET A REFUND, THANKS TO AMAZON.COM. It is the publishers, who should be ashamed of themselves!

If you want a collection of quotes . . . this one's for you........1999-10-06

I think the artist reveals more about himself through his music than this book reveals about him. The book is basically a collection of quotes made by the artist which have been printed over the years. There is not much information on the lawsuit with Sony either. Most of the material is dated. I would find a book written by the artist himself more interesting than a reproduction of tabloids. Maybe the title should read "In Their Own Words" since the quotes are derivative from the media.

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