Book Description
Meg Landry expected it to be a day like any other -- her asthmatic eight-year-old son would step off the bus, home from school. But on this day, the boy on the bus doesn't seem to be Meg's son. Though he shares Charlie's copper hair, tea-brown eyes, and slight frame, there is something profoundly, if indefinably, different about him. In the wake of Meg's quiet alarm, her far-flung family returns home, and unease sets in. Neither Charlie's father nor Charlie's rebellious teenage sister can help Meg settle the question of the boy. They look to her for certainty -- after all, shouldn't a mother know her own child?
Deborah Schupack has crafted an extraordinary tale of a mother's love for her son and the mystery that may ultimately rip them apart. Tense and atmospheric, this debut offers a rare combination of intellectual sophistication and gripping suspense.
Customer Reviews:
Terrible!.......2006-08-23
This book is terrible! No story, no sympathetic characters, no ending. If anything,
this should have been a short story.
Didn't finish it.......2006-07-02
It's unusual for me not to finish a book, but after reading the first chapter twice, I had to admit I just "didn't get it". At least after reading some of the other similar reviews, I'm comforted by the fact that it wasn't only me who had this problem. I felt like I came into the book in the middle of the story; possibly that was intentional, but I was more confused than intrigued, and I just didn't feel like putting in the effort required to figure it out. I admit I skimmed through it, looking for clues, and even read the ending, but still decided to give it up. It just wasn't for me.
One "Missing" Child, One Very Naked Emperor.......2004-12-14
Deborah Schupack's first effort, the novel "The Boy on the Bus," is one of those painfully self-indulgent and pointless "artistic works" which plague the bookshelves from time to time. Beginning with an interesting premise -- a mother's creeping certainty that this boy on the bus is a close approximation of, but is not truly, her son -- Schupack takes us on a 215 page slog through a quagmire of psychological pretension which ultimately, as Shakespeare put it, signifies nothing.
Stewing in her analytical juices, dragging the reader through page after tedious page of perversely drawn analogy and pretentiously clever asides, Schupack forgot the single most important aspect of telling a story: It needs to have a bloody point! Hints are dropped all over the place, each one capable of leading to a satisfying explanation and a powerful resolution to the facts in evidence; alas, Schupack seems not to have known what she wanted her book to be when it grew up.
This is the second problem with this work: It's about a hundred or more pages too long. If the story actually had a point and an ending, it could be quite reasonably condensed into an hour-long episode of "The Outer Limits" (meaning about 44 minutes of screen time). What I'm most reminded of is the cover of an issue of "Writer's Digest" (a magazine which, some 20 years ago, was worth reading and taking seriously), whereupon a sad-faced lady had "a short story, small, little cash worth," while her happy-faced twin had "a novel, big, worth a lot of money." There are times when the essence of a story simply cannot support more than about 20,000 words of expression.
If you enjoy precious authors such as Paul Auster or Richard Brautigan -- you know, the stuff whose fans look down your nose at you if you "just don't get it" -- then this book is for you. Enjoy the complete absence of plot, the rambling attempt at overly-intellectual self-importance through time-wasting obfuscation, and pat yourself on the back for "getting it."
Conversely, if you want a good story, look elsewhere. For the "things are not what they seem" genre, try "Harvest Home" by Thomas Tryon, Dean Koontz's "False Memory," or classics like Ira Levin's "The Stepford Wives." For explorations into the alienation of the modern family, no one has yet topped "Ordinary People." And for a rollicking good tale of children, spend a little time with newcomer M. Bradley Davis, whose "Hand in the Mirror" will provide an abundance of thought-provoking ideas set amid the vast and fertile genre of science fiction.
I hope that, should Ms. Schupack have another offering in the wings, she ensures that it is a whole boy, on the right bus, and that both actually go somewhere.
Unusually Creative, also Tedious.......2004-10-12
This story has an intriguing premise and makes several layers of reading possible, literal and metaphorical. Looking at the other reader reviews, I am amazed by the fact that nobody else understood that there IS in fact a clear ending to the story. Just re-read all the passages in the book pertaining to the bus driver, Sandy, with very special attention to detail. It's all quite obvious.
Unfortunately, I found this story's third person narrative, however unusual, to be repetitive and there seems to be little new said between pages 100 and 180. This is unfortunate, since several of the characterizations and descriptions are crisp and unforgettable. Read this book only if you are a very fast reader.
Poisonous.......2004-06-11
We have finally come to the day when the dustjackets of books are better than the books themselves. Fiction has become a yawning chasm filled with raving blurbs, but empty promises. Such is the case in yet another promising, but ultimately throwaway, book "The Boy on the Bus."
It is one thing for a writer to have an interesting idea. It is quite another to write a book with characters the reader can care about or that possesses an ending that does justice to the author's writing skill.
What we get in "The Boy on the Bus" is the tale of Vermont housewife Meg, now in her thirteenth year of postpartum depression. Her pseudo-husband is an aloof architect who has chosen to entomb himself across the border in Canada, his erstwhile building project forcing him to be conveniently away. Their daughter Katie had enough of this arrangement and begged off for boarding school.
That leaves Charlie, the feeble, asthmatic son, who one school bus ride later comes home to a mother who does not recognize him as hers. He's some new, improved doppelganger who appears to have shed his asthma and paleness, leaving Meg with no ability to rescue him like she has always done. Her shock at seeing this boy who has replaced her son serves as the basis of the story, a tale that verges on the Twilight Zone.
If only it were that good. But author Deborah Schupack has created a world where not a single sympathetic character exists. In fact, you want to shake everyone in this book and tell them to snap out of it. I found myself just detesting the characters, hoping that at least the narrative would take me to some curious place that proved satisfying.
This, too, was too much to ask. The novel ends with no answers, no character development, nothing for the reader to hold onto. The wispy concept of parents watching their children grow faster than can be mentally absorbed holds a modicum of interest, but is so paper-thin as to bring no satisfaction to the reader.
And this is a shame because Schupack is a good writer. Some of her images are startling (though others seem a bit forced), but she can keep the reader involved. Her double meanings and confused imagery that later resolves to be less than imagined are well done. But with such disagreeable characters we care nothing about, a plot that ends with a whimper, and a message that could have been delivered in so many more thought-provoking ways, there is nothing to be learned here. Only vitriol and grief exist.
Skip "The Boy on the Bus" and find something better for your soul.
Book Description
Mercedes Lackey's nationally best-selling Valdemar series has become a legend in the annals of fantasy fiction. Now, for the first time, DAW presents a complete, authorized reader's guide to her endlessly rich and dazzling fantasy world...
"Compulsive reading." (Locus)
Download Description
With over twenty novels published and millions of copies in print, Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series has won the hearts of countless readers. In response to overwhelming demand on the part of her many fans, veteran editors John Helfers and Denise Little now present THE VALDEMAR COMPANION. With the help and guidance of Mercedes Lackey, Helfers and Little have compiled a reader's guide to Mercedes Lackey's best-selling world of Valdemar. Included in this comprehensive work is an ll-original Mercedes Lackey Valdemar novella, as well as an essay by Lackey about Valdemar, and extensive interviews with the author and her publisher.
With an overview of the history of Valdemar, detailed essays on the various races and kingdoms, a substantial concordance containing entries on every major character, device and setting, and including articles on on the magical races and creatures, a chapter on the diverse Valdemar fan clubs, and a section devoted to the songs of Valdemar, along with beautifully detailed maps, THE VALDEMAR COMPANION is everything any Valdemar fan could wish for.
Customer Reviews:
As thorough a reference as you're going to find.......2005-10-04
This is, without a doubt, the most thorough reference you're going to find on Velgarth, the world where Valdemar exists. There's a novella about an ordinary Herald (rather than the 'extraordinary' ones that Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon tend to write about in their epic trilogies) and how he's trained, and how the field trials go.
There's also a fairly complete concordance of names and concepts; however, there's no index-by-topic to it (for example, I would have preferred to see a reference of characters by time period, various idioms of speech, different phrases associated with the various types of speech, and so on), which means you pretty much already have to know what you're looking for to find it.
A spoiler-free synopsis of all the books published up until this book's printing is also in there, designed to jog readers' memory as opposed to give away the whole plot in one parcel. (You'll have to read them all. Which is good, since they're on the whole well-written and well-thought-out.)
Information on Queen's Own, the official Valdemar fan club, is also included.
On the whole, I would suggest this for any fan of the series -- though people who aren't already fans will not get much out of it.
Useful, if not exceptional.......2005-08-15
I picked this book up in a bargin bin, and I've actually found it fairly useful.
As a casual fan of the series, I don't have an exhaustive mental index of who's who, where's where, and what's what. This book has been useful as a quick reminder to keep things straight, especially as things in the most recent books seem to slide away from earlier details.
I thought the included novella was cute if somewhat incomplete given Lackey's usual eye for details.
For me this was well worth the bargin price, and perhaps even worth the cost of a paperback, although I don't know that I'd have thought it worth the original hardback price.
A *must have* !.......2003-12-05
A definite 'must have' for anyone who has enjoyed the Valdemar series. It gives wonderful behind-the-scene tidbits, ties all the stories together, and whets your appetite for more. The maps could be more numerous, but the astonishing detail of those provided almost makes up for it.
The 'travelers guide' is a very enjoyable read, and it is worth buying the book just for that.
I have taken to buying Misty's books in hardcover now - it is well worth the extra money to have larger print and a hardier binding that will withstand repeated reading.
Disappointment.......2003-02-25
After much hesitation, I finally picked up The Valdemar Companion with a Christmas gift certificate. If you have read and enjoyed the Valdemar series, please DO NOT bother with this book. The novella was dull and tried to cram the training of a Herald (from age 12 to 20) in less than forty pages, a task which the author used to devote an entire trilogy. While perhaps, this 'average' Herald doesn't have enough importance to rate a series, I would have preferred to read a well developed story, with some character development rather than trite anecdotes. The interviews, travel section, and music section read as though they were slapped together in a hurry, if you really want to know about this series, ask someone who has read them instead. The music section listed only the ballad titles, I would have appreciated a re-print of the lyrics (which are found in the last book of the Arrow's, Oath, and Magic trilogies). Finally, the concordance, (a glossary of people and things) was incomplete at best, and inaccurate at worst. Minor walk on characters were given as much space as major players, there was no organization or cross reference of Heralds with their companions.
As a fan of the author I have been disapointed with her latest books (although I do recommend Exile's Honor, its probably the best released in the last five years) The concordance is not worth your money
Lots of good info but..........2002-10-08
The Valdemar Companion has many details that would excite any fans of Misty. From the new short story about an "ordinary" herald, interviews with Mercedes and the editor Betsy, a discussion of how the works become music, a description of the online Valdemar where you can become a Herald, the "traveler's guide" where you get a better picture of the landscape, the summaries of all the Velgarth books up to Take a Thief, a discography of all the albums, and a concordance of virtually every character in her books, up to Take a Thief.
Even with all this wonderful information, I wanted more... Other than the wonderful cover art of Vanyel, the only artwork in the Valdemar Companion was the detailed maps of Velgarth. This from the series that would have a picture of the characters every chapter. I wanted more on the myths and legends of Velgarth and how it shaped that world. Perhaps even descriptions of all the different beings in Velgarth (with pictures) like the Companions, gryphons, kree, firecats, bondbirds, etc. Ha! Even a list of Shin'a'in proverbs! In short, I wanted more details of Velgarth, how it was put together, to learn all the details that makes it unique that you can't glean from the novels.
For those who have not read all her books, there will be spoilers. And for those of us who have read all her books, it's nice to have as a reference as you are rereading her books. Though, is it worth the price of a hardback? I suppose it depends on how great your need to have a complete collection...
All in all, I would have preferred if the Companion came out a little later (maybe after Exile's Honor so it could have included any info from that), with more thought on what the readers want.
Average customer rating:
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Land of the Golden Clouds
Archie Weller
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin Pty., Limited (Australia)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Epic
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1864483385 |
Book Description
Set in Australia 3,000 years into the future, an unlikely band of travelers from different tribes and civilizations transverse a vast, irradiated continent. They journey together in a final attempt to defeat a common enemy, but come to learn that victory will only be theirs once they conquer their own prejudices. The story is woven from the tribes' oral stories and histories and is a quest in the spirit of Lord of the Rings and Watership Down.
Book Description
To age with the sun and moon and be renewed by spring and summer, to conserve the seeds of growth in autumn and winter and to be nourished by the eternal breath of the Tao—these are the goals of the Taoist alchemists, the masters of the arts of health, longevity, and immortality. This book is a translation of a concise Taoist alchemical manual known as the Dragon-Tiger Classic, along with its two most important commentaries. The classic, written in ancient times by an unknown author and published during the fifteenth century BCE, is regarded by contemporary Taoist practitioners as the most complete guide to spiritual transformation. It covers the three forms of Taoist practice: External alchemy, concerned with the ingestion of minerals, herbs, and other substances to attain health, longevity, and immortality Sexual alchemy, in which the practitioner uses the energy of a sexual partner to cultivate his or her own energy Internal alchemy, the practice of meditation, calisthenics, and yogic postures to cultivate mind and body An extensive introduction by the translator and the inclusion of two commentaries by traditional Chinese authors aid the reader in understanding this concise, symbolic text.
Book Description
This book demonstrates the decorative value of baking gingerbread.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful ideas.......2001-09-24
Even though this is a small book, almost all the designs in it are wonderful. Not complicated at all, with great looking results.
It holds patterns for a train, a crown, some smaller candy-decorated houses, a log cabin, decorated cookie ornaments and Noah's Ark. Everything is illustrated with beautiful pictures. All could easily be made with children as well.
It holds three recipes for gingerbread and Lebkuchen and has various tips to offer on making your projects work.
I gladly recommend it!!
Book Description
Comprehensive book on tribal and rustic floor covers in Iran. Exceptional illustrations numerous background images and maps showing the location of each group of floor covers. It explores the creativity and skill that these flatweaves embody, making them works of art.
Average customer rating:
- Gorgeous, but no hint where to buy needed materials
- Wonderful Vellum!
|
Crafting with Vellum & Parchment: New & Exciting Paper Projects
Marie Browning
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
| Baby-3
| Ages 4-8
| Ages 9-12
| Animals
| Arts & Music
| Books on Cassette
| Books on CD
| Authors & Illustrators, A-Z
| Computers
| Educational
| History & Historical Fiction
| Issues
| Literature
| Obsessions
| People & Places
| Popular Characters
| Reference & Nonfiction
| Religions
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Series
| Sports & Activities
General
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Papercrafts
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0806929715 |
Book Description
Beautifully strong, yet with smooth and translucent surfaces, vellum and parchment have long been the papers of choice for wedding invitations and flyleaves in books. Their fine qualities also work wonderfully for crafting and really stand up to intricate piercing, cutting, and folding. A well-respected artist and designer presents a variety of techniques from image transfers and stamping to embossing and flower pressing for a dimensional look; the elegant and classic projects include cards, containers, lanterns, and other decorations. Edge notepaper with borders inspired by antique lace and make lampshades that glow warmly under the light, cornucopia sachets, framed nature prints, window and woven cards, three-panel luminarias, a foldout book, and incandescent star ornaments. The design possibilities are practically unlimited!
Customer Reviews:
Gorgeous, but no hint where to buy needed materials.......2002-07-03
Although most authors who seem to dabble in multiple crafts just long enough to sell books on each subject, I am admittedly partial to Marie Browning, who always adds innovative and elegant touches to everything she does -- and buy each of her books as soon as they're written. This book is equally wonderful. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because it doesn't give any hint where to buy any of the materials -- which sure aren't available anywhere near me. Likewise, some of her descriptions are very skimpy if you're going to have to search for the item(s). Nevertheless, the gorgeous photographs and clear directives make this well worth the purchase price. Although I'm not sure what a Japanese lantern is (and even the many-paged instructions didn't make that clear), the variety is extensive (from sachets to lampshades, boxes, picture frames, picture mats, cards, and a zillion things in between), and everything shown is gorgeous.
Wonderful Vellum!.......2001-11-04
This book has beautiful, clear, detailed photos of crafting with vellum & parchment! I've tried Peragammo in the past which was difficult for me to understand. This book clarifies essentially the same concepts magnificently! This book is a real assest to the paper/rubberstamper crafter who wants to expand creativeness!
Average customer rating:
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London Living
Lisa Lovatt-Smith
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Residential
| Building Types & Styles
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Interior Design
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Style
| Interior Design
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Style
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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New York Living
ASIN: 0823028364 |
Average customer rating:
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London Living Style
Rizzoli
Manufacturer: Rizzoli
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Residential
| Building Types & Styles
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Interior Design
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Professional Reference
| Interior Design
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Decorating
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Decoration & Ornament
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Professional Reference
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0847812804
Release Date: 1990-10-15 |
Average customer rating:
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Logo And Trademark Collection.
Pie Books
Manufacturer: P I E Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
| Airbrush
| Animation
| Books
| Calligraphy
| Clip Art
| Commercial
| Graphic Arts
| Lithography
| Pop Culture
| Printmaking
| Silk Screen & Batik
| Typography
General
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
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General
| Reference
| Subjects
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All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 4894443198 |
Average customer rating:
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Logos and Trademark Collection
Books Nippan , and
Ag Publishers Editorial
Manufacturer: Books Nippan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Commercial
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Arts
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
All Japanese Books
| Japanese
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 4900781142 |
Customer Reviews:
Must have for any LOGO Designer!!!.......2005-08-30
This is just one of those books that is a must have in any logo designers collection. A great range and variety of logos, great inspiring book, and just another awesome book that Graphis puts out on the market....
(...)
Average customer rating:
- Michael Scott, charlatan, or man ahead of his time
|
Enquiry Into the Life and Legend of Michael Scot
J. Wood Brown
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
New Age
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| New Age
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0766165604 |
Book Description
1897. This work is the result of exhaustive research into the life of Michael Scot, the Scottish translator and astrologer. At the court of Emperor Frederick II, Scot worked with other scholars on the translation of Aristotle's works and Averroes' commentaries. He penned many original works dealing with astrology, the occult sciences and alchemy, and through these works became known as a wizard. He was the subject of popular legends wherein he possessed a demon horse and a demon ship.
Customer Reviews:
Michael Scott, charlatan, or man ahead of his time.......2005-09-04
Although he was put in the Inferno by Dante, as an evil sorcerer, is this justified? You can draw your own conclusions as this informative in depth work describes the life, deeds and exploits of this controversial figure. Was he in fact a phony or a far seeing individual like Giordano Bruno and other men of great vision, who were victims of the religious prejudices of the time? This work will give as concise unbiased information as was ever written about Michael Scott
Books:
- The Collected Works of Phillis Wheatley (Schomburg Library of Nineteenth Century Black Women Writers)
- The Cormac McCarthy Value Collection: All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, Cities of the Plain
- The Distance from the Heart of Things
- The Eye of Cybele
- The Far Side of Nowhere
- The First Desire: A Novel
- The Funeral Makers
- The Amphora Project
- The Human Case:29 Stories
- The Island Walkers: A Novel
Books Index
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