Juegos De La Edad Tardia (Coleccion Andanzas)

Average customer rating:

A good follow up to Curse

Well crafted sequel, deserving of praise

Building up on "Mistwraith"

Great book--

slow but rewarding, despite overwriting
Ships of Merior (Wars of Light & Shadow, Vol. 1)
Janny Wurts
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Wurts, Janny | ( W ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Similar Items:

Warhost of Vastmark (Ships of Merior/Janny Wurts, Vol 2)

Curse of the Mistwraith (Wars of Light and Shadow)

Fugitive Prince (Wars of Light & Shadow)

Grand Conspiracy: The Wars of Light and Shadow (Alliance of Light, No 2)

Peril's Gate (Wars of Light and Shadow, Book 6)

ASIN: 0061054658

Amazon.com

"We look forward to the next three books of this epic." --Realms of Fantasy

Book Description

As the prophecy foretold, the art of power over light and darkwas channeled through two princes: And the fogs that hadsmothered Athera's skies were dispersed. But in defeat, theMistwraith set its two royal captors at odds under a powerfulcurse of vengeance. Now, locked in deadly enmity, the princes -- Lysaer, the Lord of Light, and Arithon, the Master of Shadow --hold the fates of nations and the balance of the world's mystical powers entangled in the throes of their blood feud.

Customer Reviews:

A good follow up to Curse.......2007-02-27

While I enjoyed Ships of Merior and found the transition from the first book to be smooth - there are definately some differences in this second in the series. They are what you would expect in that book one establishes the background and most of the primary characters and sets the stage for what's to come. Since I found myself drawn to the characters and thier plight I am now invested in what becomes of them and their worlds. The pace in Ships is a bit slower until towards the very end. Most of it is from Arithon's POV or someone who is observing Arithon. We get some nice and angsty Arithon and Elaira interaction and get to follow him through many transitions in his effort to avoid war with Lysear. The book is evenly paced but is not the page turner that I found the first book to be. I was able to read a chapter or two each night and put it down without that drive to just read, read, read - to hell with what time I have to get up and go to work in the morning, as I did with Curse.

The ONLY complaint that I have is that Lysear, to me, appears to be used by the author as a plot device for her undeniably favored character of Arithon. Yes - Arithon is complex and compelling, but I think Lysear could be also if the author stopped playing favorites. I tend, like a lot of people, to root for the underdog. It may appear on the surface of this story that Arithon is the underdog, but it did not read so to me. Lysear is simply used to make Arithon appear smarter, more compassionate and more powerful. Compared to Arithon in this book, Lysear is nothing more than a cardboard, cut-out character. I found this highly disappointing as in the first book both were explored a bit more equally - though Arithon does still manage to come across as the favorite.

That in itself is not enough for me to give up the series. I'm hoping that as the story progresses that Lysear's character will become as defined as Arithon's. And despite above comments - I do like Arithon. I feel for both of them and what this curse has done to them and the people caught in the middle. However, where as Arithon is written to be valiantly struggling against the curse and through the author you cannot help but feel for him - Lysear is written as more of a puppet and is given little compassion from Wurts.

It is an unbalance that slightly distracted from the story for me. Just a nagging little feeling that wouldn't let me enjoy this book as much as I would like to have. I am waiting patiently for the next book am hoping that the above will not continue to be an issue. For those interested, I shall leave a review for Warhost of Vastmark as well, when I'm done reading :)

Well crafted sequel, deserving of praise.......2006-04-18

I've long been a fan of Janny Wurts. She develops well constructed plots and evokes images of her worlds and characters with descriptions which make most authors pale by comparison. While many state that her prose is too wordy, Janny stands tall and easily defends this tactic - if she used different words, they would impart other meanings, and if she didn't use those words, then which ones should she use?

Ships of Merior is a worthy sequel to "Curse of the Mistwraith". Arithon inherits the title of Masterbard, and the origins of the Fellowship Of Seven are explained, all the while drawing Lysaer closer to war with his half-brother.

As a guitarist myself, it's nice to see someone with an understanding and appreciation of music bringing it to life in a book. In reality, I know of no other author which brings the true scope and power of a Masterbard to life. I've always thought that a bard should be able to evoke magic through music, yet Janny is the only one that I know of to attempt tackling this subject.

My copy was around 700 pages, so be warned - it's not for those who prefer shorter books. That being said, it's well worth the read...and the journey.

Building up on "Mistwraith".......2002-08-11

Wow! This book hooked me in and I could not put it down. Arithon's situation had me thinking for days and the morals in this book make you want to cry. Wurts' style is absolutly superb and in the last paragraph, I had to fight tears. This is one of the best series I have read in my life.

Great book--.......2001-05-28

I loved this book. I think that Arithon is much more interesting than Lysaer, who has become a pompous arse. Arithon's struggle to accommodate his loss of Mage sight is courageous, along with his determine to follow the MasterBard's wishes to go to his family and tell his story.

The Fellowship of Seven, although sneaky, are a lot of fun to read about. The way they are written about makes me able to see them while I read.

This is a great series--and although it did take me a while to get started--it is truly worth the effort, because the majority of the book moves very quickly.

slow but rewarding, despite overwriting.......2000-11-30

As is unfortunately typical for me, I read this series out of order; this comes from gaps in bookstores' stock and my own impatience. I first met Arithon and Lysaer in "Warhost of Vastmark," then read "Curse of the Mistwraith" and "Fugitive Prince," and began "Grand Conspiracy" before I finally found a copy of "Ships of Merior." It was a great relief to understand (at last!) the many back references.

"Ships of Merior" was originally the first part of a huge hardcover, with "Warhost of Vastmark" being the second half. I think this explains the slow pace of the book; it's not meant to stand on its own, even within the series; it's meant to set up "Warhost." We open a few years after the battle that ended "Curse." Arithon has been traveling with the Masterbard, while Lysaer has been living in Etarra. Dakar is sent to Arithon, and is unaware, for quite a long time, that he has found him; Arithon is nothing if not a master of disguise.

The story takes Arithon and Dakar (who can become tiresome in his drunkenness and hatred of Arithon) through several seemingly unconnected events, while Lysaer begins to take control of Tysan and gathers an army to destroy Arithon. Eventually, the brothers meet in yet another climactic battle, in which Arithon again uses guile and shadows to drive Lysaer back, at a great cost in lives. A strength of this series is the pain both brothers feel when others die in their personal war; all too often, common soldiers die and it is merely regretable, but Arithon feels each death like his own, and Lysaer (though becoming less likeable) is also tormented. Sadly, the Mistrwraith's curse twists his pain away from the obvious course -- peace -- into renewed determination to capture and kill his brother. Thus do the Wars of Light and Shadow (fortunately for us, unfortunately for the characters) continue.

The transitions between events are not always smooth, and some motivations are a bit sketchy. For example, Dakar distrusts Arithon because he misinterpreted Asandir's reasons for memory-blocking the Master of Shadows in "Curse," and because he doesn't know why Arithon used dark sorcery during the battle in Strakewood. This is not clarified well. Also, Wurts continues to overwrite. She rarely seems content with one adjective where she can fit two, or a simple sentence where she can twist it around.

Still, "Ships of Merior" does a wonderful job of showing the characters moving through their world. Elaira takes a larger role, Lysaer shoulders the burdens of a kingdom and a cause (at some cost to his original morals), and Arithon's prickly, difficult character is examined in greater depth; he has quickly become my favorite hero/anti-hero.

Average customer rating:

Frustrating...but good.

Stunning, addictive

a good 2nd half

More Tightly Focused Than Previous Two Books

It keeps getting better
Warhost of Vastmark (Ships of Merior/Janny Wurts, Vol 2)
Janny Wurts
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Similar Items:

Ships of Merior (Wars of Light & Shadow, Vol. 1)

Fugitive Prince (Wars of Light & Shadow)

Curse of the Mistwraith (Wars of Light and Shadow)

Grand Conspiracy: The Wars of Light and Shadow (Alliance of Light, No 2)

Peril's Gate (Wars of Light and Shadow, Book 6)

ASIN: 0061056677

Book Description

The Mistwraith's curse of vengeance has locked two princes into an ever deeper pattern of enmity. Since the deception and betrayal which ended Ships of Merior, their struggle has widened to encompass the fates of the world.

Lysaer, Prince of Light--committed to serving justice, deeply bitter over the total destruction of his fleet, he lacks the means to transport his vast warhost, but swears he will still capture Arithon, defenseless in his shipyard at the seaside village of Merior...

Arithon, Master of Shadow--set back since the fire which has damaged the vessels he built to escape into freedom, he has no choice but to attempt the impossible: to so one ship launched before Lysaer's warhost can corner him, or to raise up a counterforce and meet on a field at a ruinous cost in bloodshed.

Customer Reviews:

Frustrating...but good........2007-04-06

With a hundred pages left in this book and in the midst of an admittedly well-written battle scene I must admit to having to put this book down and being unable to pick it back up for weeks. One particular thread of the storyline is frustrating me to no end and I'm finding that it decidedly detracts from my enjoyment of the book (and series) as a whole. It could very well be that it bothers only me and someone else wouldn't bat an eye at my particular qualm.

I loved the first book. It intrigued me, it hooked and absorbed me and then it left me upset and heartbroken that the brothers that had become friends were once again enemies. I think that is why i'm having such a hard time now. Wurts treatment of Lysear I find extremely hard to read. He is supposed to be the villain and I guess he is -but the dynamics are just hard to swallow (for me). His own goodness and sense of justice is used against him - making him appear as a misguided tyrant - which essentially, I guess he is. It just bothers me okay :) I liked him. Spoiler alert****** Wurts, through Arithon, takes away two very important people from Lysear in this book - one by death and the other in a very different manner. Arithon is always given the upper hand and to top it all off he has the Fellowship sorcerers on his side.

And I do like Arithon too. He is very compelling and has some great moments in this book (often at Lysears expense - hence my conflicting frustration). Wurts gives deeper insight into Arithon from not just his POV but from many around him. Wurts expects us I believe to root for Arithon and I do up to a certain point. It's hard to root for Lysear as that means destruction and death, which ends up happening anyways - if to a lesser degree. But what's hard to read is how desh-their's curse is twisting Lysear who has no means to fight it and is made out the villian, while Arithon is set up as the conflicted martyr and hero and is given so much more compassion from the author (unintended pun there).

That said - I will of course continue to read as I just can't help myself. The plight of these two brothers and all drawn into their cursed emnity is too compelling to just give up the remainder of the series. One of the best parts of this book for me was the eventual and grudging respect that Dakar formed for Arithon. He truly is Arithon's man now - but it was a long and reluctant journey for him. Dakar's character runs hot and cold for me - you like him for a minute and then you don't - but he appears to have greatly matured from when we first met him in 'Mistwraith.' Over all - the book is well written and continues the story seamlessly. Worth reading for sure.

Stunning, addictive.......2006-05-12

This is the third installment of a broad epic involving the plight of two half-brothers, Arithon and Lysaer, princes by birth, who are twisted by curse to fight each other.

The prior two books were a little ponderous, the first in particular due to its 700-800 page length. While this one weighed in at 520 pages, the pages seemed to fly. Perhaps this is in part due to the fact that Wurts has already explained their pasts and can focus purely on the plot at hand.

This book brings Lysaer, twisted by the curse of the mistwraith in to false belief that his is a just cause, to summon an army of three kingdoms, 40,000 strong, to defeat his half-brother, Arithon. While that is the main focus of the book (and the final scenes when the armies draw close is truly gripping), in the background plays the development of friendship, trust and understanding between Arithon and Dakar The Mad Prophet. At times, Dakar's emnity of Arithon has almost cost the prince his life, so it's both intriguing and brilliant to watch the erosion of this hatred transform into tepid acceptance to, ultimately, a freely given friendship.

Seeded further still in the background is the laced danger posed by the entities which comprised of the Mistwraith, residing on another world and seeking access to Athera, the world on which these novels take place. It will be interesting to see how Wurts evolves this threat in future installments.

This is the best so far of the three books, and I thoroughly recommend it (although I'd advise reading the first two, as it would make more sense).

a good 2nd half.......2001-07-30

I really can see how this book is the second half of "Ships of Merior"--it flows perfectly and sets up the stage for what will hopefully be a terrific final showdown in the next few books. I came to understand a little bit more about both prince's characters, although I still believe that Arithon is the hero and Lysaer is an over-zealous prig. But that's just me. Read this one RIGHT after "ships".

More Tightly Focused Than Previous Two Books.......2000-07-28

After perusing sales rankings and reviews, it would appear that this series has not garnered the audience of some of its peers, such as Jordan's "Wheel of Time," Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire," Hobb's "Liveship Traders," Kerr's "Deverry and Westlands Cycle," Goodkind's "Sword of Truth," or even Feist's "Riftwar Saga." While popularity is not necessary evidence of worth, I suspect, as previous reviewers have noted, both for this work, as well as the preceding volumes, that the author's at times over-exuberant use of language in her writing has contributed as much as anything else to keeping a larger audience at a distance. This is unfortunate, as this ongoing tale, particularly as witnessed by the stirring and tautly rendered battle scenes in this book, has much to offer.

Wurt's strengths are evocative characterizations, complex and multi-layered plotlines and magical realms, and, when not engaged in over-embellishment, vivid and energetic descriptive detail. Unfortunately it is true that the tale at times gets bogged down or muddied by a profuse use of language, and this becomes variously a strength as well as the series' greatest detriment. Nonetheless, I believe there is far more of value going on here than should be dismissed simply because of a difficulty with language.

Perhaps it is because I have become inured to Wurt's tendency to overwork her prose, but it seemed as if in this book she had lightened the flourish of her pen. In any event, for those that have become engaged in the world of Athera, there is much that takes place in this volume, and in a more compressed fashion than in the previous two books. A major revelation occurs, and several of the main characters face trials that will permanently alter their lives. The events build to tension that should keep you reading, and the suspense is handled deftly, keeping the imaginary nerves taut. In many ways I feel this is the best book yet of the series. Highly recommended if you can work past the densely worded use of narrative.

It keeps getting better.......2000-06-15

This series has so spoiled me that I no longer am satisfied with much else! The characters are completely compelling, and Wurts continues to deliver suprise endings -- just when you think she can't possibly let something happen ... it does.

The Ships of Merior (The Wars of Light and Shadows, 2)

Average customer rating:

The Ships of Merior (The Wars of Light and Shadows, 2)

Manufacturer: Harper Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H89TDO

Ships Of Merior - Volume Ii, Wars Of Light And Shadow

Average customer rating:

Ships Of Merior - Volume Ii, Wars Of Light And Shadow
Janny Wurts
Manufacturer: Harper-prism
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O622VK

Ships of Merior Volume 2 Wars of Light & Sha

Average customer rating:

Ships of Merior Volume 2 Wars of Light & Sha
Janny Wurts
Manufacturer: HARPERCOLLINS @ PUBLISHERS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q15CN8

Warhost of Vastmark (Ships of Merior/Janny Wurts, Vol 2)

Average customer rating:

Warhost of Vastmark (Ships of Merior/Janny Wurts, Vol 2)
Janny Wurts
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OF0I76

Average customer rating:

The Ships of Merior
Janny Wurts
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M67Y06

Ships of Merior Vol. I MM : Ships of Merior V. I MM (Vol. 1) (Wars of Light & Shadow Ser.)

Average customer rating:

Ships of Merior Vol. I MM : Ships of Merior V. I MM (Vol. 1) (Wars of Light & Shadow Ser.)
Janny Wurts
Manufacturer: EOS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEWDB6

Average customer rating:

Mick's dark vision of the basic cussedness of Mankind.

Citizen Phaid (The Song of Phaid the Gambler, Part 2)
Mick Farren
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Phaid the Gambler (Song of Phaid the Gambler, Part 1)

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The Feelies

ASIN: 0441106021

Customer Reviews:

Mick's dark vision of the basic cussedness of Mankind........1999-02-26

Set in the far far future, this is more of Mick's dim vision of the inherent cussedness of Mankind as a species. Told from the (semi-biographical?)perspective of a professional gambler, this is a highly entertaining 2-part tale of misadventures in the far future Earth of isolated cities and decadent magnificence. Basically a travelogue wrapped around a convincing and entertaining plot-line, Mick offers the reader a peerless trip down a parallel, possible future. Mick seldom disappoints, and I buy his books on strength that HE wrote it, and I have always been richly entertained, and this is no exception. We want more MICK! We want more MICK! We want more MICK!
Visit Mick's webpage
http://www.thanatosoft.freeserve.co.uk/

Average customer rating:

PHAID THE GAMBLER - and - CITIZEN PHAID
Mick Farren
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N5JHHY

Book Description

9 of the most interesting and important Egyptian legends in hieroglyphic texts with literal translations on facing pages. Included are The Legend of the Creation, The Legend of the Destruction of Mankind, The Legend of Isis and Osiris, and more, enhanced with 19 illustrations from Egyptian art.

Customer Reviews:

All This Boring Intellectual Stuff! Classic Egyptology!.......2007-01-28

Gimme back my Marvel Comics! Who wants all this stuff with all words and no color comic panels? Yech! They expect me to read all these paragraphs!!! Come on, if you don't know anything about the subject material, stick with Captain Marvel and reading boxes of Cheerios. This is one of the modern world's greatest Egyptologists presenting nine of the greatest myths of ancient Egypt, translated directly from the hieroglyphs. It doesn't get much better than this. No, you won't see any color glossies of Harrison Ford, and they do use long words made up of even six, seven, sometimes eight characters. And some of the sentences even contain as many as ten words! Or more! All in a row! But this is the real stuff, primary source material. Written thousands of years ago. True what the ancient Egyptians had to say probably doesn't quite compare to visceral, heady thrills of the adventures of Captain Marvel. But for the rest of the literate and educated world, this is required reading if you're seriously interested in ancient Egypt and their mythology.

in regards to the previous review.......2002-07-29

I haven't read much of this book but just by paging through it it appears that the majority of the book is translations of hieroglyphic texts, accompanied by the hieroglyphics, so the previous review should probably be taken with a grain of salt.

garbage.......2000-09-17

This book basically tells you alot of boring stuff. It takes the fun out of Ancient Eygpt. It talks alot of who discovered what and when, more then anything else, atleast that's what I saw. I stopped reading it after it went on and on about people discovering the stuff. I mean, sure, we'd like to know who discovered it, but we would like to learn more about what they discovered, and what it means etc. This book is probably the worst I have ever gotten.

Book Description

Venture into the great outdoors, spread a blanket, and arrange a marvelous feast—it's a snap with Picnics. Especially with the arrival of warm weather, picnicking is a great way to take advantage of clear skies. Just find the perfect spot for your fresh-air repast, and Barbara Scott-Goodman will take care of the menu. Snacking before a concert in the park? Tempt your palate with Smoked Salmon Caper Spread, Tomato, and Dill Sandwiches. Tailgating before the big game? Serve hearty Marinated Steak and Roasted Red Onion Sandwiches. Planning a day at the lake with the neighborhood kids? Knock their socks off with Perfect Picnic Brownies. Whatever the outdoor occasion, the 30 wonderful recipes in Picnics, from appetizers through dessert, will make it a splash.

Customer Reviews:

PICNICS:ELEGANT RECIPES FOR ALFRESCO DINING.......2003-08-26

This book has an excellent collection of portable and tasty recipes. They lend themselves just as easily to a summer dinner inside if it's too hot outside! The author offers menu selections to help you choose compatible dishes. It's a wonderful book!

Delightfu!.......2000-06-12

Reading this lovely artful book summons images of culinary delights and outdoor beauty. The themed menus are lucious. The art, stunning. This is a book that I will buy numerous copies of for friends. It is simply lovely to look at and provides tasty recipes. LOVE IT.

Great Little Book.......2000-02-11

The recipes are interesting and easy with sample menus. This would be a great book to put into a gift picnic basket and then give it to a friend. I'm looking forward to trying the grilled chicken kabobs with peach salsa. The herbed green beans with mozzarella and prosciutto look great, too.

Book Description

In Diamonds: Famous and Fatal, Leo Kendall gathers both well-known and obscure facts and stories about diamonds, and interweaves these tales with the general history of the diamond. While the stories themselves are fabulous and strange, the history of the diamond is one of glittering allure and dark mystery. Everyone has heard the enigmatic stories of the Koh-i-Noor and Hope diamonds. But few know the bloody history of the "Moon of the Mountains," or the role that diamonds played in financing the intrigues of the royal houses of Europe and Russia. How many have heard the tale of the largest planned jewel robbery in history, in which many of the world's finest and most famous diamonds disappeared forever?

The beauty, rarity, and lore of the diamond is the material of this remarkable book. Bizarre beliefs and events characterize the history of diamonds giving them a weighty impact on social history. The physical, spiritual, and emotional invincibility of the diamond is fully captured in this illustrated volume, making it a fascinating read.

Customer Reviews:

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER.......2006-03-09

The history of the famous diamonds is just fascinating. This book is very thorough and Mr. Kendall really gave me an education. From ancient India to present day, from the Maharaja's to Louis XV to Victoria to Elizabeth Taylor, powerful people have aways coveted rare diamonds. The story of the Louis XV's French Blue is probably the most famous, but all of these stories are interesting, really a fun book to read. If you have any interest in diamond's or just interesting history in general then I believe you will not be disappointed in this wonderful book...it's hard to believe what people will do to possess something noone else has.

Major diamond finds of the centuries are chronicled.......2001-09-09

In Diamonds Famous & Fatal: The History, Mystery & Lore Of The World's Most Precious Gem, Leo Kendall shares his fascination for the ways in which diamonds have influenced the history of the world. All the major diamond finds of the centuries are chronicled, examined, and described. A wealth of anecdotal and historical stories of outstanding diamonds are dramatically recounted and range from the Koh-i-Noor (dating back to at least 1526 and which affected the course of the Mogul Empire and finally ending up a part of the British Crown Jewels) to Henry VIII's diamond collar, the collection of Louis XVI, the Romanov gems, and more. Here also are the stories of such luminaries in diamond history as Cecil Rhodes and such diamond mines as the DeBeers. If you have an interest in the history, legend and lore of diamonds, the give a careful reading to Leo Kendall's Diamonds Famous & Fatal!

Average customer rating:

A wealth of ideas

Too few finished pieces pictured

500 interesting cross stitch blocks

500 Cross-Stitch Blocks
Anna Davidson
Manufacturer: Sterling/Chapelle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cross-Stitch | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1402738277

Book Description

Bright, versatile, and simple to sew, these 500 embroidered designs fit together beautifully to form an array of fabulous patterns. Choose from a wide variety of themes and then have fun arranging them. Some have beads and sizzling colors. Others are small and enchanting, perfect for giving novices enough confidence to move on to more ambitious stitchery. The creative possibilities are limitless.

Customer Reviews:

A wealth of ideas.......2003-05-02

This book has something for everyone. There is a wide range of themes and since the designs are generally small they have a number of uses alone (keyfobs, bookmarks, placemats, ornaments, etc) or they can be combined with other designs for larger works.

The charts are very easy to read - they are large and are charted using both symbols and colored squares so you can get a sense of the color of the finished piece while still being able to easily tell which thread you should use for each stitch.

I do agree with another reviewer that the lack of pictures of the finished pieces is unfortunate but it does not prevent me from recommending this book (but it did 'knock off' one star).

Too few finished pieces pictured.......2003-04-16

Not being one of those who can visualize a finished piece from a chart, this book was a disappointment to me. Only a handful of the charts are made up, but what projects are stitched, are very nice, indeed. I just would have preferred to see more finished pieces.

500 interesting cross stitch blocks.......2002-04-15

This book will send your cross stitching mind awhirl with ideas. The book is based loosely on mosaic tiles. For experienced stitchers, it has some designs I've not seen in other books. For beginning stitchers, the designs aren't difficult to stitch, but not enough color pictures of finished work to show how to put blocks together into a design. You will need some graph paper to make the best use of this book. The layout of this book is beautifully done with each two page spread color themed. My current favorites are the fleur-de-lis pillow and English garden designs. Happy Stitching!

Average customer rating:

500 Cross-Stitch Blocks
Anna Davidson
Manufacturer: Sterling Publishing Company, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MHO9J4

Book Description

John Woo, Hollywood's hottest action film director, the man behind the scenes of Face/Off, Broken Arrow, The Killer, and the upcoming sequel to Mission Impossible, has made a remarkable transition from his Hong Kong roots to his current American success.

Customer Reviews:

good, but not definative.......2000-11-10

Think of this book as a really extensive magazine article. If you're looking for some behind-the-scenes information on the second half of John Woo's career, look no further. However, if you're a film student looking for a complete in-depth critique of John Woo as an artist and director from both a technical and biographical perspective, this book will leave you a little hungry.

John Woo Biography.......2000-08-16

This book, though very informative, is taken from so many other already available sources that it reads more like some student's book report. The most inaccurate passage being that Jeff in "The Killer" wears white gloves like Jeff in "Le Samourai". I own "The Killer" and do not remember seeing him wearing gloves. Also, Christopher Heard claims that some scenes from "The Killer" match "Le Samourai" shot for shot. That is completely untrue. Obviously Mr. Heard has not done his homework and thoroughly researched his subject matter. All in all, it is an interesting read if you are unfamiliar from where some of the material is plagerized.

Pure hackwork at its worst.......2000-06-25

And for the author to come onto this site to defend his malodorous slapped together quickie bio is contemptible. Heard, the author, "takes offense" and makes claims of having spoken extensively with mssrs. Woo and Chow, and yet these "talks" are not included in the book. All we get are the same story beats featured in mainstream magazines such as People and Time. Anyone who buys this odious ripoff will, in fact, receive nothing but quotes featured in articles posted on www.chowyunfat.com, or www.johnwoo.com, or bullet in the web or any number of other sites available by typing the words 'John Woo' into any search engine. Available for free, mind you. Christopher Heard, unfortunately, is a hack who did not put in the necessary legwork, and who now feels the need to attack his critics and defend his own deficiencies as a writer and "reporter." For all the "authoritative posturing," where is the interview with Kenneth Tsang, who has starred in almost every post ABT Woo work (including Chow's American debut The Replacement Killers)? the detailed examination of Woo's work (how the two-gun stance was swiped specifically from The Shootist and Taxi Driver)? details about his gun-happy works before 1986's A Better Tomorrow? Why didn't Ti Lung become Woo's leading man? why Chow? and who is Ti Lung anyway? and what about the many other projects Woo was supposed to do once he got to America? Band of Assassins? Full Circle? Tears of the Sun? Metal Machine? the sequel to Hard Boiled? Who wrote these? How did they come to Woo's attention? Christoper Heard doesn't know any of this because he didn't know what questions to ask Woo (or Chow). He focused solely on the well known movies, as opposed to the person behind the typewriter and camera. Where was the discussion about how Woo (and later Chow's) work suffered once they reached America? Why is this happening? These answers are not in this "book." This slapped together quickie's contents can be found, free of charge, on the aforementioned sites, where ironically, amateur webmasters offer more answers than this so-called biography. Don't bother with Heard's hackwork. He didn't bother trying to write a real book; he slapped other peoples' quotes together and called it his own work.

Pure hackwork at its worst.......2000-06-25

A quality book.......2000-06-03

For weeks I have heard about this book from friends, publications, as well as the internet. Being a John Woo fan, I planned to purchase the title from the first time I heard it was coming out. So when I recently saw it sitting on a shelf of a book store, I immediately purchased it. It was read and completed within a few hours. Not because the book is very short, but because it was so interesting to read for me.
For John Woo fans, this is a book that definately should be looked into. From the monent I started chapter one I did not want to put the book down. To see how my favorite director came to be the man he is was very interesting, and though I had already known much of the information contained in the book from previous visits to the internet, I did not mind reading about them again.
I, like the author of the book, started my admiration of John Woo after first viewing a Better Tomorrow movie (the first film, in my case). I was browsing a store, looking for an action film to watch for the evening when I saw the Better Tomorrow DVD, sitting there, with Chow Yun Fat smiling on the cover. I bought it, went home, and watched it. Within that week I had the Better Tommorrow trilogy all on DVD, as well as a half dozen other films by John Woo and/or Tsui Hark. That is how I became a fan. So when I started this John Woo book, and learned that the author became a fan in a similiar fashion, I think it made the book a little more enjoyable to read and relate to.
For those who are more of the "casual fan" or John Woo, who have simply viewed a few of his movies and don't know much about him, this is a good book to begin learning. The writing is clear, easy to read, and really seems to be written by a real big John Woo fan. Though I would have appreciated some pictures and the asian names included in the filmography section, this book is good enough such that you won't care about those details as you read through the chapters discussing the times of one of the greatest action directors ever.

Ten Thousand Bullets: The Cinematic Journey of John Woo

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Ten Thousand Bullets: The Cinematic Journey of John Woo
Christopher Heard
Manufacturer: Lone Eagle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KYE3OU

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