Dead as a Doornail (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 5)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Not Free SF Reader
  • Not the best one in the series
  • Meets and Exceeds the Fun Factor in Reading!
  • A SHIFTER IN THE FAMILY...............
  • In a real (?) world ..... vampires
Dead as a Doornail (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 5)
Charlaine Harris
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Dark FantasyDark Fantasy | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
VampiresVampires | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Harris, CharlaineHarris, Charlaine | ( H ) | Authors, A-Z | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0441013333

Book Description

When Sookie's brother Jason's eyes start to change, she knows he's about to turn into a were-panther for the first time. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population-and Jason's new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now, Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who's behind the attacks, unless the killer decides to find her first.

Download Description

When Sookie's brother Jason's eyes start to change, she knows he's about to turn into a were-panther for the first time. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population-and Jason's new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now, Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who's behind the attacks, unless the killer decides to find her first.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-25

Lightweight, disposable, but enjoyable almost mystery about a telepathic waitress with a taste for highly exotic boys. Definitely something you can read while doing two other things at the same time. The female protagonist comes across as a pretty normal woman, stuck in a waitress job at a garden variety American standard bar/burger joint, that is quite recognisable.

3 out of 5 stars Not the best one in the series.......2007-09-21

I loved the previous books in the series, but I don't think this one measures up to the rest. First, I think the subplot with Charles Twining was kind of silly and unnecessary (and confusing). Second, I am getting tired of Sookie hopping from one guy to the next -- first it's Bill, then Eric, then Sam, then Alcide. My head is spinning. I was disappointed that Harris made Alcide kind of a wimpy jerk in this book, because I really liked him in the last book. Also, how long will Bill have to grovel for Sookie's forgiveness? Yes, he was unfaithful, but he has explained why he had to go back to his former lover. It's obvious that Sookie and Bill should be together, so just let her forgive him and move on with it!

5 out of 5 stars Meets and Exceeds the Fun Factor in Reading!.......2007-09-09

I've been reading the "Southern Vampire" novels for a while now. Charlaine Harris has created a host of memorable characters for this series: Sookie Stackhouse - telepathic barmaid; Bill - Civil War era vampire; Eric - once a Viking raider, now a tall, blonde vampire with killer good looks; Alcide - a sexy Cajun Werewolf. There's more, but you'll have to read the books to learn about them.

Her novels in this vein (forgive the pun!) are like a weird cross of romance novel, horror novel AND mystery novel. Whatever it is, it works. Poor Sookie finds herself romantically and politically enmeshed in the supernatural world inhabited by her friends and lovers. She's guaranteed to land in the middle of something bad every time she steps out the door. Brought to the brink of death at least twice in every book, she's lucky her friends are nearby to save her, or, is she? Sookie, when not deeply involved in a liason with one of these sexy guys (if she overlooks the fact that they're either dead or grow lots of hair at the oddest times)she's landing in the pooh because of them.

Humor abounds. The heroine of the series is plucky and peevish by turns. Lots of great R rated sex runs rampant across the pages. You'll find yourself looking forward to each reunion with the cast of players and wondering "What will happen next?"

The "Southern Vampire" novels meet every standard for a darn good read - not too heavy, not too light. Try one, you'll want them all.

5 out of 5 stars A SHIFTER IN THE FAMILY......................2007-08-19

Sookie has embraced every aspect of the paranormal; from her own ability to read the minds of humans, to vampire love interests and friends and a boss who is a shapeshifter. But when her own brother Jason begins to change into a were-panther for the first time, she is most concerned with his ability to accept what amounts to a complete life change. Her concern for Jason is heightened when it becomes clear that there is a sniper loose in the area that is targeting the shapeshifting community. And that same community has become most suspicious of its newest member...Jason himself. Can Sookie find the culprit before the culprit finds Sookie?
Fans of the series will not be disappointed, as Ms. Harris continues to create winning pageturners.


DYB

5 out of 5 stars In a real (?) world ..... vampires.......2007-08-15

Charlaine Harris' vampires are like potato chips ... you can't have just one! I picked up number six in the series "Definitely Dead" and couldn't stop.
Dead as a Doornail: A Stan Kraychik Mystery (Stan Kraychik Mysteries)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • uncutjoey@aol.com
  • Another entertaining read for us Stan Kraychik fans.
  • Liked it very much and I follow the series.
Dead as a Doornail: A Stan Kraychik Mystery (Stan Kraychik Mysteries)
Grant Michaels
Manufacturer: Stonewall Inn Mysteries
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GayGay | Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Gay & Lesbian | Subjects | Books
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GeneralGeneral | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
SeriesSeries | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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  5. Love You To Death (Stan Kraychik Mysteries) Love You To Death (Stan Kraychik Mysteries)

ASIN: 0312206445

Book Description

Newly wealthy ex-hairdresser Stan Kraychik buys the last unrenovated brownstone in Boston's fabulously chic South End only to have the renovations held up by a freak April snowstorm-and the murder of the young, attractive contractor. Because the victim bears some resemblance to Stan himself, the police think he might have been the intended target and want to leave town while they look for the killer. Instead Stan begins to snoop around on his own, discovering a web of secrets and jealousies that someone has killed to protect-and the contractor's murder is only the beginning.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars uncutjoey@aol.com.......1999-03-29

I have always enjoyed Michaels books, but this last one was not one of his better efforts. It was boring next to his other novels. I wish he would bring back Branco & Nicole in a big way. These are great characters that I miss. The book is a good read, but not as much as his older ones.

4 out of 5 stars Another entertaining read for us Stan Kraychik fans........1998-05-14

Although I am a fan of Grant Michaels' Kraychik series, I must admit that this one (Dead As A Doornail) left me a little hammered. The writing was filled with its wonderful wit and bite, but I felt the actual mystery was a bit befuddled. The characters were not as interesting as in past novels, and the "whodunit" was kind of a "who cares." This is not said to discourage the established Kraychik fan. Rather, to alert those about to join the club to read the earlier novels first (and in order) before picking up this title. All in all, it is a good read. But I hope Grant Michaels finds the spark from the first three titles and makes another bonfire.

5 out of 5 stars Liked it very much and I follow the series........1998-04-25

Being from the Boston area and having gone to college in Boston, I could identify with all the places and the storyline. I especially like the guessing who did it. I have enjoyed all of Grant Michaels' books. I am eagerly awaiting the next one.
Dead As Doornails
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • "Our friends suffer from our expectations"
  • Writers and Their Milieu Recalled Well
Dead As Doornails
Anthony Cronin
Manufacturer: Lilliput Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

AuthorsAuthors | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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GeneralGeneral | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
CulturalCultural | Anthropology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1901866424

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars "Our friends suffer from our expectations".......2004-12-14

My subject line quotes Cronin, and serves as a summary of his devastating portrayal of the sadness beneath the frolicking attributed and appropriated by Brendan Behan for much of this narrative. Reading this in tandem with John Ryan's "Remembering How We Stood," it's instructive to find how much the two memoirs of bohemian, post-war Dublin overlap yet each keeps its own particular focus separate even as they cover so many similar events: Behan's self-promotion, Kavanagh's libel litigation, and Flann O'Brien's insular inspiration. The Scots painters "The Roberts" receive greater detail here than in Ryan, as he knows them in London and follows their troubled relationship further. Likewise, Cronin provides a pre-fame Behan in all his exasperating energy as the two bum about France. Ryan keeps his attention on the Dublin setting from which he witnessed the literati's coming and going; Cronin brings in the Continent and Britain to widen the perspective, often offering greater detail if no less a careful analysis than Ryan. As a fellow writer, Cronin--unlike the publican/editor of Envoy Ryan--was seen by Kavanagh especially as competition, and this intensity adds dynamism to Cronin's descriptions of his conniving compatriots.

Certainly there is humor, but more profoundly, melancholy. Drink, sexual repression and expression, and the limitations of what Ireland could offer talented writers in this repressed era makes for cautionary tales about how short-lived fame can be and how crippling it can be for those whose lives outlast their genius. Cronin's briefer, later encounters with his subjects after they have fallen from the heights gain poignancy even as he refuses to sentimentalise his (former) friends, since they too often all too easily refuse to take blame for their own fate.

When I read about Julian Mclaren-Ross, I figured this minor figure was popular in the Edwardian period; when Cronin reveals that this once-recognised author was then--deep in decline--only in his forties, it only underscored the brevity of renown and the long slide afterwards so many must endure from the creative ranks. Cronin writes precisely, without cliche, self-pity, or cruelty. Along with Ryan, Cronin's non-autobiographical (!) memoir marks a celebration and an epitaph for 1945-55, more or less, among a coterie who sabotaged their own potential--even as they tried to achieve more than their society dared allow for them.

(Cronin's fictionalisation, Life of Riley, on this period is also worth reading, as are his incisive biographies of Flann O'Brien and--a figure curiously absent from Dead as Doornails even in an aside--Samuel Beckett.)

3 out of 5 stars Writers and Their Milieu Recalled Well.......2000-09-03

Cronin gives the reader an enjoyable, sometimes amusing, portrayal of three of of Ireland's greatest modern writers: Brendan Behan, Patrick Kavanagh and Flann O'Brien. His descriptions of pre-fame Brendan Behan are excellent. They show the young and adventurous Behan as he was before fame, drink, and self-parody overtook him. It was somewhat disappointing that Flann O'Brien, author of skilled and imaginative works (At-Swim-Two-Birds, The Third Policeman) was himself an alcoholic with, nonetheless, a bourgeois, sometimes puritanical personality. All these writers (and others everywhere)tended to be petty, egoistic, and hyper-critical, especially about their contemporaries' work. But this does not make them uninteresting, and one should always separate art from artist.
Charlaine Harris Southern Vampire Collection[1-6][sookie Stackhouse] (southern vampire, 1-6[dead until dark/club dead/living dead in dallas/dead as a doornail/dead to the world/definitely dead)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Charlaine Harris Southern Vampire Collection[1-6][sookie Stackhouse] (southern vampire, 1-6[dead until dark/club dead/living dead in dallas/dead as a doornail/dead to the world/definitely dead)
    charlaine harris
    Manufacturer: ace
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback
    ASIN: B000WNAVDG

    Product Description

    the outstanding sookie stackhouse southern vampire series by charlaine harris!!!
    Dead as a Doornail.
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Dead as a Doornail.
      Grant. Michaels
      Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
      ASIN: B000OTC6XG

      Touched By Venom : Book One of the Dragon Temple Saga (Dragon Temple Saga)
      Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
      • Venomously Bad
      • dark fantasy -- icky & depressing
      • not pern
      • And this is why authors avoid writing fantasy...
      • I'm completely astonished!
      Touched By Venom : Book One of the Dragon Temple Saga (Dragon Temple Saga)
      Janine Cross
      Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
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      4. Dragon Champion: The Age of Fire (Book One) Dragon Champion: The Age of Fire (Book One)
      5. Magic Study Magic Study

      ASIN: B000GG4G2G

      Book Description

      Like her half-breed mother, young Zarq Darquel can't always hold her tongue. A peasant on a large dragon estate, she goes unnoticed by the Dragon Temple-until she captures the attention of a dragonmaster. Her clan is plunged into destitution, her sister Waivia sold into slavery, and her mother lost to madness. Desperate to find Waivia, Zarq and her delirious mother flee. Zarq then develops a taste for the highly addictive venom of the dragons she has been taught to revere-and with it, she imbibes their memories and a glimpse of a plot for social revolution. But to achieve it, she must defy not just sexual taboos and patriarchal society, but the Emperor who rules her nation.

      Customer Reviews:

      1 out of 5 stars Venomously Bad .......2007-03-02

      This is not the most horrible book I've ever read, by any means. But it's sure as heck on the top ten list of things that I wish I had never read.

      First of all, though the author is not a completely terrible writer, she has some cumbersome words and phrases that got me to raise an eyebrow.
      However, these have been discussed quite enough, in my opinion, so I'm not going to get into this. I'm going to review a different, and what I feel to be equally questionable, aspect of the book.

      She seems to have inserted some hot-button social issues into her book without doing research on at least one of them, namely female mutilation. The darkness of these issues doesn't bother me at all. Neither, in fact, does her use of them in her book. In fact, if she'd managed to pull it off, I might be recommending this story all over the place. However, she proves her utter ignorance of them to anyone who knows anything about a woman's body, and the way it works. Since Cross seems to know so little about the issues she brings up in her work, I have to question why she felt the need to bring them up. The only conclusion I can come to is that she wanted to score points with literary critics. I find it rather offensive that she felt the need to essentially trivialize someone else's real-life plight in such a manner. Then to do what appears to be absolutely no research on the subject? Pathetic.

      If you want dark fantasy, you can do so much better than this.

      2 out of 5 stars dark fantasy -- icky & depressing.......2006-11-07

      "Touched By Venom" has the best cover art I've seen in a long time. Wow! Whoever did that cover deserves a raise, because they are more responsible for sales than anyone else, including the author.

      This novel follows the maturation of a young girl, Z, who grows up in a mideval society -- with dragons added. It portrays a totalitarian society through the eyes of someone near the bottom of the socio-economic ladder. The story chronicles depressing and horrible events in Z's life from 9 years to adulthood. Many of these events are beyond "R" rating and well into "X", and not for consentual sex. The back cover is very misleading -- Z doesn't team up with her mom & spend the book trying to rescue her sister -- rather, the mom & sister suffer their own horrid events, which hurt the girl in turn. Expect no happy events, ever.

      To be fair, the writing style was fairly good -- I disagree with other reviewers on this point. The only real complaint I have with the writing style is an occasional glarring inconsistency between how characters are summarized upon first appearance (e.g., Z's opinion of them) and how said characters act in the book. Z's mother, for example.

      The mood & gestalt are somewhat similar to "Nightlife" by Rob Thurman, Anne Bishop's "Black Jewels" novels, and Charles Dickens' writings (not "A Christmas Carol", but his other more depressing look at life in England). So, if you liked those, you'll probably enjoy this book. Not recommended for teens or sensitive readers.

      5 out of 5 stars not pern.......2006-08-24

      This book is not your easy going happy go lucky fantasy.
      That said it is a good book well worth the read.

      4 out of 5 stars And this is why authors avoid writing fantasy..........2006-08-22

      Looking at the reviews below me, I see why your average author avoids fantasy like a plague. Lets say that you want to write a book with fantastic elements. The focus of your book will be a character. Bad things will happen to her, and some good things, and she will suffer, and be blown about by fate, but she won't go fight a dark lord, or save the world, or discover a fabled relic. The book won't be humorous, or easy reading, or lighthearted fun.

      That's what this book is - a serious exploration of a human condition. The society is repressive, but not a parallel to any historical society. It's unique. The world is not threatened by evil - just greed and inadequacy. The main character is brutally mutalated - by people who are neither particularly hatable, nor hated by the character. Nothing is black and white, easy to understand, fun to think about. It's heavy reading, interesting stuff.

      Support fantasy that is more than bad rewrites of Tolkien! Read this book!

      Actual nitpicks with the book: The character remains focused on the now for the entire book, which means that when plot points resurface, we are left feeling a little adrift, especially at the strength of the character's reaction. Even a few introspective scenes would not have been amiss. I know why the author did it (to avoid dragging the reader out of the narrative flow) but I feel there were natural break points that could have been exploited, and were not. This is enough to keep it off five stars, for me.

      5 out of 5 stars I'm completely astonished!.......2006-08-05

      I thought both of the books Cross has written were amazing. I think she brings into view issues that our own world faces in a fantasy books made for ADULTS not children. I think many people are afraid of what Cross mentions in her books (sex trafficing, segregation and unequality). A lot of the things that goes on in her books are still going on in other countries. I think that we are blinded by our privledge of having good lives and turn our heads away from anything we think is trying to tell us the truth, which is also shown in her books. I think she is a fantastic authoress and I couldn't imagine why anyone other than a child would be repulsed. Probably because I don't think children kow the inhumanities people can inflict on other people. Anything mentioned in her books aren't near as revolting as some things that happen in real life and I think partially to understand her you have to endure hardships. I think the people who give her bad reviews are spoiled and are sheltered to the truth of life. Life is hard and to understand hardship you have had to go through hardship. I say bravo Cross...bravo!

      Chronospace
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • "Chron"ically bad
      • Solid, tiem travel story
      • Pretty good.
      • Very, Very Disappointing
      • Fast paced time travel novel
      Chronospace
      Allen Steele
      Manufacturer: Ace
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
      Steele, AllenSteele, Allen | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
      AdventureAdventure | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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      ASIN: 0441009069

      Amazon.com

      Two-time Hugo-winner Allen Steele wraps his time-traveling novel Chronospace around a pair of pretty interesting ideas: that UFOs are terrestrial in origin, but simply traveling to us from a different time; and that science fiction--and speculative nonfiction--can play a potent, and often unexpected, role in scientific progress.

      One of Steele's two Hugos went to a 1997 novella published in Asimov's, "...Where Angels Fear to Tread," and that piece makes up the middle chapters of Chronospace, the story of operatives from the 24th-century Chronospace Research Centre who sneak into Nazi Germany and onto the Hindenburg in hopes of witnessing its fiery end firsthand. The only problem is, the famous zeppelin lands safely on that early summer evening in 1937, and the time travelers have to figure out what went wrong. Because, as they soon learn, their actions might have (have had? will have?) devastating consequences for the entire human race.

      Steele has made good use of his already engaging novella, fleshing out what happened before, during, and after the original work, especially concerning present-day NASA scientist David Murphy, who--funny, that--has just been called to task by his superiors for writing a piece in Analog entitled "How to Travel Through Time (And Not Get Caught)." With well-researched detail concerning the Hindenburg and convincingly fabricated logistics surrounding wormhole-powered time travel, Chronospace further proves Steele's mastery of intelligent, readable hard SF. --Paul Hughes

      Book Description

      When two 24th-century chrononauts travel back in time, they inadvertently disrupt the voyage of the Hinden-burg-causing it to land successfully. Now, lost in a parallel universe, their mistake will be felt by every single human being.

      "The master of science fiction intrigue." (The Washington Post)

      Download Description

      It was a dangerous and complex mission for the crew of the time ship Oberon: investigate the truth behind the destruction of the Hindenburg by extracting two of its passengers and replacing them with two 24th-century chrononauts. Franc Lu and his partner Lea completed the transatlantic voyage on the ill-fated airship without a hitch?or so they thought. But on May 6th, 1936, at precisely 7:25 P.M., Franc and Lea disembarked along with the other passengers in Lakehurst, New Jersey. No Hindenburg disaster had occurred?only something much worse? A rift in chronospace? The creation of an alternate world-line? Now, the crew of the Oberon is lost somewhere in time?in a parallel universe that they themselves somehow created. Where the repercussions of their mistake will be felt by every single human being?

      Customer Reviews:

      1 out of 5 stars "Chron"ically bad.......2005-01-29

      A really bad "Sliders" episode -- no, worse: really bad "Sliders" fanfiction. The present-day protagonist is a dweeb scientist whose nerdy predilections, presumably shared by the author, we have to hear far too much about. The obtrusively pan-ethnic time travelers are boring ciphers whose language, interactions and perspective give no indication that they're from 300 years in the future. They're also crazy-dumb: When they realize they've created an alternate timeline and then go into that timeline's future to get back to their century, they're shocked to see it drastically changed until someone says, "Wait a minute -- this is the alternate timeline's future!" And their missions seem completely lame and pointless -- checking out the Anasazi people for no important reason, traveling on the Hindenberg to investigate just what happened when it turned out to be just what they thought had happened. Everybody's in high-ranking, prestigious positions -- astrophysicists, NASA brass, military men, chrononauts -- yet they come off as staggeringly underqualified, ham-handed know-nothings. I won't even talk about the didactic lizard-angels.

      4 out of 5 stars Solid, tiem travel story.......2003-03-02

      I, like many other lovers of the sci-fi genre, thoroughly enjoy time travel stories. Maybe it's the idea of visiting the future or (more likely) returning to the past to witness/change the course of history.

      Kage Baker, in her "Company" books, solved the problem inherent in all time travel novels - how to handle changes in the past as they affect the future. She posited that one could not change RECORDED history but could affect else (neat trick). Apparently Mr. Steele does not follow that approach and in a way this is the logical path. There are really two tales here. The first involves the Hindenberg and how its success (or failure) affected world events. The second, more realized line, involves the creation of time travel.

      Parts of the tale were excellent - particularly the parts that occurred in Tennessee, my home state. I have been to the very lake described in the book and those awkward meetings between future and present folks are the stuff of time travel novels. What the story lacked was polish. It dragged at times, read clumsily at others, and character development was stillborn. All that aside, the author has created a good yarn that was worth the price.

      4 out of 5 stars Pretty good........2002-12-28

      Not the smartest or most challenging piece of sci-fi but it's a good read anyway.

      2 out of 5 stars Very, Very Disappointing.......2002-06-24

      Being a time-travel stories fanatic (just check out my previous reviews if you doubt that), I was really intrigued when I heard about Chronospace. In fact, I dedicated an entire day to just sit at home and read it (I haven't done this in years!). Imagine, UFOs are really not extraterrestrial vehicles but are actually time machines used by historians from the future who want to study the past. Sounds good, even if somewhat unoriginal, no? Well, the entire book was a mixture of good ideas, but the end product was bad. It's as if the author couldn't make up his mind what he wanted to write about. Time Travel, aliens, paradoxes: these all sound like good ingredients, but SOMEHOW Mr. Steele has managed to get it very, very wrong.
      The plot: Franc Lu, a 24th century historian, is being sent back in time to view what happened on the Hindenburg: witness first hand the destruction and what caused it. But somehow, he makes some changes, causing history to diverge and a paradox to be created. A parallel storyline tells about David Zachary Murphy, a scientist working for NASA at the end of the 20th century. David came up with the (correct) theory that UFOs are really time machine. How do both these threads join together? Just barely, and not in an interesting way. Read the book if you want to find out.
      To summarize: I DON'T recommend this book. There are far better time travel stories, which cover very similar ideas in a superior way. (check out Joshua Dann's books if you want a glimpse). The reason I'm not giving this book one star is because it did capture my attention for about a third of the book, I was still convinced it might turn out to be a decent one, until this hope shattered.

      5 out of 5 stars Fast paced time travel novel.......2002-04-03

      A fast-paced time travel novel, you will not be dissapointed ! one of the better novels written by the author in recent years.
      Chronospace
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Chronospace
        Allen M. Steele
        Manufacturer: Ace Books
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Mass Market Paperback
        ASIN: B000U5ZF1Y

        1,000 Mexican Recipes
        Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
        • Muy bueno!
        • No cumin, please!!!
        • Ole !
        • Outstanding collection
        • Great Bargain
        1,000 Mexican Recipes
        Marge Poore
        Manufacturer: Wiley
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover

        GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
        MexicanMexican | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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        ASIN: 0764564870

        Book Description

        Mexican cooking is made wonderfully accessible with this comprehensie yet personal cookbook. Offering 1,000 recipes for traditional fare from all the regions of Mexico, as well as dishes inspired by the nueva cocina of today's top Mexican chefs, this cookbook covers what home cooks need and want to know about Mexican cooking. Throughout, the author shares the cultural and culinary heritage of the people and food of Mexico from her perspective as a traveler and impassioned enthusiast of the country.

        Home cooks will delight in the mouthwatering recipes such as Corn with Chipotle Butter, Chicken Quesadillas, Pork Chops with Poblano Chile Sauce, and Mexican Coffee Flan. There are two dozen kinds of salsa and more than 45 delicious chicken dishes, plus much more -- enough exciting choices to fill weeknight dinner and special occasion menus for years!

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars Muy bueno!.......2007-08-25

        For someone seeking a good compendium of Mexican recipes that go beyond the standards and are authentic in nature, I'm not sure a better book could be found. This is not for the "Taco Bell" fans. 1,000 does seem overwhelming and does not allow for photos (which I always like to see in cookbooks), but there would be little reason to need a second cookbook for this type of cuisine.

        My only complaints are that there should be a better guide to the "hotness" of a recipes (as you might see on a menu for example) and there's little guide to variations on recipes (such as more or less pepper and how it might effect the taste of the dish). Also, I expect for many some of the ingredients may be hard to come by (although in some instances an alternative is listed), in which case many of the recipes in the book may be useless.

        2 out of 5 stars No cumin, please!!!.......2007-07-25

        It's a very common misconception that cumin is a spice used a lot in Mexican food. That is not the case; only in certain recipes cumin is used, and they are a minority. Probably Americans have confused the spices from Mexican and Asian cooking. Practically every recipe in this book asks for cumin. I'm shocked.

        5 out of 5 stars Ole !.......2007-05-18

        This is not only a great cookbook, but educational and entertaining as well. Recipes contain excellent directions, and the history and rationale behind many of the dishes. I may have to order another copy, because I can see this one getting worn out in time.

        5 out of 5 stars Outstanding collection.......2006-08-18

        This was my first Mexican cookbook. My husband and I love Mexican food, and I decided to see whether I could learn how to make some of the tasty dishes myself as opposed to buying pre-packaged mixes and salsas in a jar. 1000 Mexican Recipes was a fortunate choice! I learned the basics in the first chapters, and this gave me the confidence to try the main dishes. Wow! I was amazed at the difference it made to use some fresh ingredients and cook them properly for best results.

        The book has no pictures, so it's not a "coffee table book." Instead, it is a no nonsense guide to Mexican cooking that has very, very clear instructions and explanations. After trying some of these recipes I felt confident to add some creative touches of my own.

        I really recommend 1000 Mexican Recipes for the cook who wants to learn the techniques and ingredients of Mexican cuisine. It may not sit on my coffee table, but it is on a bookshelf right next to my kitchen....and it's getting dog-eared!

        4 out of 5 stars Great Bargain.......2006-08-10

        For the price I would recommend this book for the many, many recipes it contains alone. Good reference book for Mexican cooking at home.

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