Average customer rating:
- Another Good Early Spenser
- Less rhetoric, more action makes for much more enjoyable read
- Private Eye Soliloquy Goes to International Rap. King Kong is Blond. Straw-Topped Gorilla Spews Blood of Carnage.
- Excellent early Spenser. Reveals his first name!
- [Judas Goat] Spenser as a Charles Bronson type
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The Judas Goat
Robert Parker
Manufacturer: Dell
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ASIN: 0440141966
Release Date: 1992-06-01 |
Book Description
Spenser has gone to London -- and not to see the Queen. He's gone to track down a bunch of bombers who've blown away his client's wife and kids. His job is to catch them. Or kill them. His client isn't choosy.
But there are nine killers to one Spenser -- long odds. Hawk helps balance the equation. The rest depends on a wild plan. Spenser will get one of the terrorists to play Judas Goat -- to lead him to others. Trouble is, he hasn't counted on her being very blond, very beautiful and very dangerous.
"Spenser is Boston's answer to James Bond...with a little Sam Spade and Nero Wolfe thrown in...Irreverent, witty, worldly...makes for fast, amusing reading." (Pittsburgh Press)
Customer Reviews:
Another Good Early Spenser.......2007-09-10
THE JUDAS GOAT is the fifth Spenser novel, and it's the first book where Spenser and his friend Hawk work as a team in solving a case. Some people consider this the best Spenser book of all time. Although I wouldn't go that far, it's still a very enjoyable read.
The plot of THE JUDAS GOAT is unique, because it involves Spenser chasing after terrorists in Europe. This sounds more exciting than it really is, because much of the book is devoted to Spenser shadowing the terrorists instead of confronting them. The terrorists also have surprisingly bland personalities -- I didn't really feel they were very strong villains for the most part.
Still, this book has great dialogue (mostly between Spenser and Hawk) and some great action scenes once things get rolling. I think the major reason to read THE JUDAS GOAT is to enjoy the fun Spenser/Hawk chemistry, which makes them one of the great teams in crime fiction. Their partnership became somewhat stale in the later Spenser books, but it's really fresh and exciting in this early novel.
Three and a half stars.
Less rhetoric, more action makes for much more enjoyable read.......2007-05-28
Although I'm one who doesn't mind a more cerebral book, typically, I found the first few books in the Spenser series to be a bit overfull of rhetoric and therefore lacking in the essential action necessary in a PI novel. Not "The Judas Goat." Here the action takes us across the pond to London, Holland and Amsterdam, then back to Montreal where Spenser - with the help of Hawk (I was so happy to see him again!) - foils an attempt to kill one or more participants in the Olympic games.
I have noticed a trend in the Spenser books so far; the descriptions on the back covers (at least on the newly released reprints in mass markets paperback) have very little to do with what actually goes on in the books. From the description on the back of this one, I expected there would be an affair between Spenser and the woman involved with the terrorists, but that wasn't the case (not that she didn't make a move). Although I am not one who likes stories spoiled by overly descriptive descriptions, I do like a small blurb on a book that is ACCURATE so I know basically what a story is about before I buy it. Just a thought in passing.
This was the first of the Spenser novels that I really could sink my teeth into; not that I didn't like the first few, but this was the first one I REALLY loved. I am going to enjoy getting through the rest of the massive pile I have awaiting my attention!
Private Eye Soliloquy Goes to International Rap. King Kong is Blond. Straw-Topped Gorilla Spews Blood of Carnage. .......2006-10-11
In THE JUDAS GOAT Spenser made the TRANSITION from lone-and-lonely Private Eye to team player and dialogue master. Since Robert B. Parker is admittedly a guy who thrives on baseball, and since Hawk is the perfect rap partner to call forth Spenser's soul, the transition was obvious yet seamless. To me this shift almost felt as if it were written in the stars, maybe even on The Players' cards.
Yep, here it is, the beginning of Parker's famous rap/jazz dialogue, with Spenser and Hawk tossing brand-new (talking) "baseballs" back-and-forth, carrying them through to home plate conclusions. The pair of Black-and-White-Knights culminated this particular plot conversation at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, doing an award-winning street-scuffle with a whale-of-a-man named Zachary. You'll wanna see that event. You won't be able to read it because the words become vision. You'll see it.
To me, the point of departure was clear, the point at which the dialogue rhythm picked up its signature beat. The grand overture occurred halfway into this plot. I've marked the page. The movement seemed to emerge from Hawk's ebony hues and blues, and Spenser's playful counterpoint. This # 5 book in the Spenser sequence is the first one in which Hawk and Spenser worked together in a true duet, which allowed Spenser to contrast himself to Hawk, expanding the awareness of their common bonds, and filling in some of the dots of the drawn lines separating each man's code.
Hawk does have a code, with basically one main rule, and it's expressed succinctly (of course) by him in this novel. The key in that rule is "word." But, Hawk's words expressing it can't be beat. You'll want to read (and reread) them, from him, within this plot.
The first half of this book was so different from the last half I was surprised the binding didn't split. As the story took flight with Spenser preparing to go to London accompanied by enough fire power to do the job, as he was preparing to understand and follow the rules for passing those accouterments through airport security, I was carried along nicely, with heightened awareness of the contrast between then and now. Ironically, this plot, taking place in 1976 (probably conceived and composed a year or so prior to the 1978 copyright), dealt with terrorism and international travel, giving an uncanny prelude to today's necessity of intensified caution.
Parker gave just enough daily detail of Spenser's travel routines, airport machinations, plane ride, and settling into London. Spenser didn't have an easy time getting a lead onto the trail on the 9 amateur terrorists who blew up his wheel-chair bound client and family, but the super sleuth spent the delay prior to "connect" as a frustrated but true tourist. I was impressed by the effective simplicity of the technique Spenser used to accomplish his link, and how he played it out.
The Judas Goat theme was well executed, yet that theme and a few others Parker touched on (including the James Bond mystique) each applied tangy twists on well-seated stereotypes. As terrorists freely and guiltlessly blew up innocent people, Parker set gentle, prose-tweaking-bombs under stereotypes, including some of the cultural icons we've come to relish and revere. Yet, Parker didn't diminish or desecrate those icons; he toyed with them with such subtle humor it sometimes slid right by me (except in the case of the Kidney Pie, which he did not treat with kid gloves).
In this plot Parker developed yet another intriguing female psychological type, Katherine Caldwell (who had at least 4 other alias's), into an interesting character with both warm and cold blood, as he slithered around another stereotype. I understand why Parker did what he did for this woman, in the conclusion of the plot. It was necessary for me to carefully reread the words in his explanation, about this soul-broken James Bond lady (and her comparison to Hawk), to get to the core of Spenser's reasoning. I don't know how to explain this without giving away too much. I also enjoyed the way Spenser skirted around Kathie's ambiguous sexuality, which provided yet another twist in the established P.I. mystique.
Given the abundance of licorice twists in this plot, I wondered if Parker weren't a master at breaking those Rubitz Cube games. I wouldn't be surprised to discover he has designed a few. On the other hand, Robert B. translates their essence so exquisitely into fiction, maybe he wouldn't have energy left to engineer physical puzzle cubes.
Okay. NOW we come to the Olympic scuffle scene in the plot culmination, in which Spenser and Hawk confronted the head terrorist and side-kick (Zachary). The fight scene with Zachary, Spenser, and Hawk was awesome, even for a reader like me who generally seeks the types of mysteries which don't engage in down-home-brutal graphics.
As I began reading along into that scene I wondered how Parker would deal with that essential physical battle, and was thankful that I'd read enough of his novels to know he doesn't overdo (or under do) the detail, and that Spenser fights with enough finesse that his prose doesn't require ten pages of gore, of fists, foot kicks, and bat tricks transforming humans into immobilized pulp. Just as I had that smug thought, however, the scene descended into basic pulp.
Somehow, I admired that grit and gore scene?
Maybe it was the fact that Spenser and Hawk were described from a never-lost mental-perspective of a potent and clear intent to come through the gauntlet intact, with the villain (who was one of the best characterizations of a true bad brut I've read) exactly where he had earned himself to be.
Whatever it was which caused me to read those scenes with appreciation for the gut-level-fighting craft, without flinching, without closing the book and tossing it into the coal stove; whatever it was, I was impressed enough to attempt to describe it as bait, then hand over the book to my husband to read through the fight, from the part where Zachary arrived and Spenser spotted him. Of course I took covert glances at my husband's face as he read (at the breakfast table). It was interesting to me that in several passages he grinned or laughed out loud. That response allowed me to realize that Parker's humor was part of what kept the fight detail from overwhelming my squeamishness and losing me, even as I could easily see why grittier souls could be pleasantly entertained by the humorless type of physically painful intensity which I avoid.
Parker's various skills as an author are so subtly intricate, I often miss the literary finesse until I begin writing a review, working to zero-in on exactly what caused my ability to be in the story at a solid level of anticipatory engrossment.
I reread the fight scene after Tom (my husband) had read it. I was looking for what parts made him laugh, and easily found them.
You done good, Parker. Again.
A straw gorilla, indeed. No, he was more of a cross between the bad side of Frankenstein, and The Hulk, with a blond crew cut.
Linda Shelnutt
Excellent early Spenser. Reveals his first name!.......2006-03-05
This is one of my favorites of the Spenser novels. Brisk pacing, realistic handling of weapons and tactics, and a very clear depiction of the difference between Hawk's and Spenser's approaches to difficult situations.
Bonus: Parker reveals Spenser's first name! I find it odd that few people seem to have noticed this. Pay close attention to Spenser's parting dinner conversation with Susan; she says his first name plain as day. (It's my brother's first name as well, so I approve).
Update: As a commenter pointed out, the sequence I thought revealed Spenser's first name was in fact a game in which Susan and Spenser banter as Marshal Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty. Chalk up my misunderstanding to a lifetime spent without watching a single episode of Gunsmoke.
[Judas Goat] Spenser as a Charles Bronson type.......2005-05-26
The Judas Goat is lively and engaging and doesn't get hung up on character development. Spenser goes to Europe to hunt down terrorists. There is no "detecting," and the banter between him and his girlfriend Susan Silverman is mercifully limited.
I came back to this book after reading several of the more recent Spenser novels and really appreciated "Judas Goat"'s brisk pacing and straightforward action.
Product Description
376 pages. "Recent revelations about illegal domestic spying by the Bush administration are nothing new . . . Its just the tip of a deep, dirty iceberg . . . Now for the first time, the shocking never-beforetold story of the infiltration and subversion of the American nationalist movement. The eye-opening account of the long-term effort to destroy the patriot movement from within . . . This is the amazing story of how federal intelligence agencies, such as the CIA and the FBIin league with private spy organizations such as the ADLhave been manipulated by the alien force of international political Zionism and its ideological twin, Trotskyite communism."
Customer Reviews:
A fascinating historical analysis of the infiltration and subversion of the American patriotic movement!.......2006-10-24
Michael Collins Piper has done an outstanding job once again in presenting an in-depth expose of the elements within this country who are destroying this great nation in the interests of a cabal that has global hegemony as its goal. The book examines the origins and the modi operandi of the traitors within our borders who have promoted themselves as patriotic Americans but in actuality have functioned as dupes for those nefarious characters who wish to destroy the constitutional foundations of our republic and to establish a "tyranny of the plutocrats". Many of the individuals whom I admired growing up in this country whom the popular media portrayed as being exemplary, America first patriots were not really loyal to this nation according to the research conducted by Piper. Money and greed can corrupt anyone, and principles are the first to be sacrificed when seeking fame and recognition.
Piper has done a thorough and precise analysis of the historical trends over the past sixty years and the groups that have tried to manipulate and to profit from the outcomes of significant events such as World War II, the Middle East conflict, the social revolutions of the 60's in America, and this so called "war on terror". The author does not seek to blame any ethnicity or political group for hijacking patriotism and promoting "globalism" to benefit only the super rich. He is genuinely pro-American and wants to revert to the essence of the republic that was founded out of rebellion from colonial bondage. Piper makes noteworthy references to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and their warnings against foreign intervention and alliances for this nation, which they foresaw as bringing substantial complications to this nation.
This well written and documented book should be a must read for social science (political science, history, economics, etc.) students. The impending dangers facing this country has to be understood by those who are searching for valid and logical explanations to the causes of the political and economic problems in this society. True patriots will also be astounded by the factual information presented in the text. While Michael Collins Piper may not be invited to any book signing ceremonies at Barnes and Noble, his book is priceless in the attempt to inform and to educate the masses in the tradition of his other great works such as FINAL JUDGMENT, THE HIGH PRIESTS OF WAR, and NEW JERUSALEM.
One of The Most Remarkable Books .......2006-10-24
For those who have followed patriotic and nationalist movements and leaders in the U.S. and have been disturbed by the turn events have taken, this book unveils an enormous of amount of information about the various individuals who have acted as Judas Goats in the opinion of the author. These people have in a variety of ways been co-opted by what Piper calls the "Enemy Within." Actually, Piper usually refers to the Judas Goats themselves as the "Enemy Within."
I have to say Piper is right on the money, pretty much all the time. The degree to which the Judas Goats are culpable individually is difficult to gauge. In most cases he cites I would say they are quite guilty.
I have seen before my very eyes the Neocons seize control of the Republican Party and the conservative movement. It's astonishing that this group which represents the antithesis of conservatism has somehow inveigled itself in groups and institutions where it has no legitimate place. Midge Decter heading the Philadelphia Society, for example.
This book, however, reveals the deep corruption of the Right has been going on long before the Neocons ever dreamed of "leaving" Trotskyism and socialism. Robert Welch is a most interesting example of a conservative who appears to have been bought off by this lobby. In some cases, I am not very certain if the movement leaders were co-opted with financial enticements or whether something else was involved, such as just plain blindness to the situation, a real possibility considering how concentrated media power is here in the U.S., not to mention huge parts of the rest of the Western world.
This should be required reading by all patriotic Americans, especially those in positions of power and influence, such as journalists, Army, Navy, and Air Force brass and police officers who love their own country and its Constitution more than they fear the infiltrating enemy (the one that attacked the USS Liberty and didn't warn us about the likely attacks on the Marine barracks in Lebanon, not to mention one that intervenes in our politics to such an extent that it dominates our foreign policy in the Middle East). Afterall, America belongs to Americans, not Israelis and Israeli loyalists, as much as the latter two groups seem to think otherwise.
This book is a cornucopia of information and should be of great use to anyone who sees the struggle now is between basically the Zionist and Zionist-oriented international elites, their pathetic fellow travellers, and the poor folks who have been fooled into doing their bidding (people who are actually fighting against their own interests) and the rest of us who get to suffer from the Zionist and Zionist-oriented elites' unending quest for ever greater wealth, power, and "status."
Product Description
Rare Collection. One Book with Three Stories.
Average customer rating:
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The Judas Goat
John Whitlatch
Manufacturer: Pocket Books. NY,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000QOBSO2 |
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Judas Goat
Paul Mackin
ProductGroup: Book
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ASIN: 0973946512 |
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- Not Free SF Reader
- A good read, for anybody
- brilliant and unique
- Not Brust's best, but enjoyable
- Nothing like his series books, but clearly his writing style
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Agyar
Steven Brust
Manufacturer: Orb Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Dark Fantasy | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0765310236 |
Book Description
Born over a century ago, Agyar was once a frivolous young man, before he found im-mor-tality in a woman's blood-red lips. Now he roams from woman to woman and decade to decade, finding himself at last in an Ohio college town, where he must choose between the seductions of salvation and of destruction.
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
A fairly mundane vampire tale, as one of these supernaturally afflicted types meanders his way around an American university town, trying to work out what to do, as do other characters in the book, whether academic types, or other denizens.
Some of the law enforcement types do become involved when death turns up.
A good read, for anybody.......2007-02-19
I picked this book up for my girlfriend 2 Christmas' ago. I try to get her to read 'Sci-fi/fantasy' since it is typically the genre I read, in hopes of having a little in house book club. She burned through this book fairly quickly and recommended I read this. So I gave it a try.
The story unfolds easily, without a quickly draws you in, and Agyar (the title character) is a very interesting and realistic character. If you are a Die Hard vampire junkie, this probably isn't for you. You will not find the overly brooding, standard fare that pervades most of the genre. It is a love story told through the memoirs of Agyar as he is going through his life, which happens to be the life of a vampire integrating with the world. Because the book is told through these memoirs, the story unfolds in a very subtle way. He tells of things and events and we don't realize the extent of what is actually occurring until later. But the writing keeps you interested. Keeps you going page after page.
Recommended for anyone looking to try something a little different, to broaden your horizons.
brilliant and unique.......2006-05-26
Though it has been many years since I read this book it stands out in my mind as one of the better books I've read.
Steven Brust has declared this to be one of his best works and I have to agree. I am a great fan of the Vampire genre and Brust's approach to it is refreshing for not relying on any of the tired cliches.
Brust presents his vampire in a 'realistic' way and does it so slickly I was a good way into my first reading of the book before I realized the protagonist was a vampire.
If you love Brust or love the genre, this is a great read. If you want a horror novel, you won't find it, but you will find a fresh take.
Not Brust's best, but enjoyable.......2006-05-19
Steven Brust isn't afraid to take chances with his writing. Not all of those efforts work, but they're all *interesting.* His "500 Years After" is a pastiche of The Three Musketeers, set in a fantasy universe, for example, and it has all the charm (and the wordiness, which I find irritating) of Dumas' books. I might not like the end results, but I sure like the way in which he *tried.*
Brust took chances here too, with mixed results. Mostly positive, mind you -- this book kept my attention through a long plane flight, after I'd given up on another novel -- but you are unlikely to slam your fist on the table and say, "DAMN that's amazing!"
As someone else remarked, the less you know about this book, the better. It would be best if someone handed it to you without a cover, so that you had no preconceptions... but if you're here, you already figured out that Brust is telling a vampire story without labeling it as such. The main character complains dispassionately about losing his passion for life (and the difficulty of deconstructing that sentence should give you an idea of how rough a job Brust gave himself). He's haunted, in more than one way, and in that regard he'll remind you of Brust's best-known character, Vlad (whom I'm just a little in love with). But Agyar is not Vlad, and we don't have the comic relief of Vlad's familiar ("Can I eat him, boss? Can I?").
I liked this story, however, largely because Brust's writing is as strong as I've come to expect. He can take a largely predictable story and turn it into something better: believeable characters doing plausible things.
I wouldn't recommend this as the first Brust book that someone pick up. I started with Yendi, more than 20 years ago, and it's the one I press into friends' hands.
In short: I liked this. I'm not blown away by it, but I admire what he tried to do, and I read it in one sitting.
Nothing like his series books, but clearly his writing style.......2006-01-25
Brust is perhaps best known for his Dragaeran series. This book is not part of any series, and in fact is mainly in a contemporary urban setting in the Midwest. It's almost a classic vampire story plot-line, except that vampires and drinking blood are never mentioned.
BunRab's Standard Vampire Classification: well, this is a pretty standard vampire. Vampire books can fall into several genres, and Brust is best known as a fantasy author, but this book actually contains relatively little fantasy, other than the existence of vampires in the first place. Our vampire has pretty much the minimum standard vampire powers: long-lived, can't enter a house unless invited, vulnerable to sunlight although it doesn't kill him instantly, drinks blood, can bend people to his will. No turning into a bat. Our vampire doesn't have a "day job" - his entire existence is pretty much being a vampire for the sake of being a vampire, and he resents that, too. Does he stand as a metaphor for sex? Yes and no - he is that, just as Stoker's vampire was, representing metaphorically the deflowering of young women and all that, but there are some twists to it, and he does seem to have some purpose besides representing sexual activity. Are there other supernatural characters? Sort of, and I'll leave that for you to discover. Does the place where the story takes place have any depth to it? While not as thoroughly described as some cities, there is a "there" there to this town, with a university, businesses besides the ones our characters work at (an awful lot of coffee shops, among other things!), and some scenery. The university setting allows Brust to get in some sly digs at academe; other than that, I can't say that the book contains much humor. It's not either farce nor horror. It doesn't seem as if it will be part of a series. I mention all these items in order for you to compare the book to vampire novels you've already read, and decide whether this is your cup of tea, since the attitudes and actions of and in vampire novels vary wildly and widely.
So if you're expecting, say, the humor of Tanya Huff, this isn't it. If you're expecting the sexual content of Laurell Hamilton, this isn't it either. There is sexual activity here, but it's not detailed nor is it a major plot element. What there is, is Brust's usual very good writing, telling a story that happens to be about a vampire, from the vampire's point of view, which is a little bit limited.
Some of the unusual points to this story: Jack's technophobia, except for his sudden obsession with the typewriter; what happens when Jack eats solid food; Jack's poetry, which includes, among other things, a perfectly competent and readable sonnet.
The downside: there's not a whole lot of plot going on.
Summary: if you like Brust's writing, you'll enjoy the book; if you're looking mainly for sheer horror in a vampire story, you won't find much of it here. Certainly if you are intent on absorbing the vampire genre, you won't want to leave this out, and it won't be a waste of your time to read it - it just won't be the best vampire novel you've read to date, and may come as a letdown because of that.
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Agyar
Steven Brust
Manufacturer: Tor Books
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ASIN: B000OTGXCG |
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- this one time? At a ren faire?
- Fantastic Urban Fantasy Novel
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- Not as good as the SERRAted Edge series
- Knight of Ghosts and Shadows
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Knight of Ghosts & Shadows (Bedlam's Bard, Bk. 1)
Mercedes Lackey , and
Ellen Guon
Manufacturer: Baen
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ASIN: 0671698850 |
Customer Reviews:
this one time? At a ren faire?.......2007-02-07
If I'd written this review as a teen, I probably would have given the book four stars. As it is, I've gotten older and more cynical. The book has three main characters: Korendil, a "young" elf of 200 years or so, Beth, a musician and witch; and Eric, a flautist who discovers that he has magic powers and is the only one who can save L.A. (and the world) from the forces of evil. Through music. There are good elves, but also bad elves with their own agenda. As other reviewers have pointed out, there could definitely be more character development, but all in all, it's an entertaining read.
Fantastic Urban Fantasy Novel.......2004-12-03
One of my most favored memories and my introduction into the genre of Urban Fantasy. Mercedes Lackey and Ellen Guon weave a wonderful web of Elves in the modern day world. The character development is extremely well done, but the plot is left a littl thread-bare in places. Not to worry though, as it seems that this novel is more about exploring the characters than it is about exploring a setting in a story. The characters of Eric, Beth, and Kory are well worked, and their feelings on all sorts of subjects is explored in great detail. This is one of my favorite all-time books. Give it a whirl!
Real Life History.......2004-02-02
Anyone who performed or vended at either "Big Faire", which is what Californians call the two nine week long every summer Rennaisance Faires, one Northern, one Southern, will recognize this book as a fantasy utilizing what happened when Southern Faire's site for years was bulldozed and the Faire had to move. Not surprising as Lackey herself has connections to the Faire folk.
Other than that, the book itself is interesting, not the least because it broke Lackey's invariable pattern of doing trilogies. Knight of Ghosts and Shadows is actually the second book in a "trilogy", if you want to call it that, book one being bowery Boyz I beleiv, about a healer witch in a modern day city slum who does not return until the second half of book three, summoned to tourney....and of course Lackety then continued on with a second "trilogy" on bard eric's life alone after she managed to get rid of the other two main characters in Knight of Ghosts and Shadows. Rather funny, it was...first, a tripod was the strongest thing in nature, and then POOF, the beginning of the first book in the second "trilogy" disposes thoroughly of the idea.
It could be read as an object lesson in ignoring conditions you yourself set up in writing, I suppose, as well as a historical reference.
The book itself is decent, as is its antecendent and sequel, I'd just advice not to read these three and the second three after Lackey breaks up her threesome. Pick one or the other, instead.
Not as good as the SERRAted Edge series.......2001-01-27
I'm a fan of Mercedes Lackey from a long time back so when I saw this book at the bookstore, I immediately snatched it up. It's the story of a melancholy street-busker, Eric Banyon, and how his talents with the flute earn him the love of the warrior elf Korendil and the witch/rockstar Beth, and also the eternal gratitude of the elves in California for creating a new home for them after their's is bulldozed. That's it. It's a pretty good story but it's definitely got some flaws.
First of all, Korendil is an extremely flat character. He just stands there in his armor and smiles. Throughout the book, Mercedes lackey flips from person to person to tell the story from several points of view but Kory hardly speaks at all.
As for the flipping view points, I did like that we got to hear the opinions of the main bad girl, Ria, but all that flipping around got confusing. I found myself flipping around more than once trying to find out what was happening.
One final caveat: there is a very small, miniscule amount of homosexuality in this book. In fact, compared to Ms. Lackey's Magic's Price, Promise, Pawn series this is nothing. But, if this kind of thing offends you, don't read the book.
The thing I loved most was the magical music, literally. Anyone with a passion for music should read this book. Hearing the sounds she matched the music to made me want to go downstairs and play the piano.
If you love the idea of magic and music together, buy this book. Those parts made my heart soar!
If you liked this book, the SERRAted Edge series is ten times better. It is very similar to this book but the characters are more interesting, in my opinion. It is also by Mercedes Lackey and she recently re-released the four books of the series into two volumes.
Mercedes Lackey rocks!
Knight of Ghosts and Shadows.......2000-06-11
This book was very enjoyable, another well-done work of Mercedes Lackey's. The characters were all very interesting and well developed. Sometimes Banyon's tendency to run away from problems got annoying, but this "flaw" in his character only made him seem more real to me. Beth and Korendil were great additions to the story as well, though I coudn't exactly call the latter realistic. The classic story of hope lost, found, lost and found a couple more times, then, triumph over the ultimate evil. This book has definitely gone on my favorite's list.
Book Description
Raconteur, bon vivant, troubleshooter for the decaying Terran Empire, Dominic Falndry doesn't crave further danger in the service of galactic unity.
But duty calls, so it's back to the spaceways for the most elegant Special Agent is a hundred star systems--straight into the well-laid plans of his lifelong enemy Aycharaych.
Win or lose, though, the long night of human civilization is coming and Flandry knows it. How many more battles can he stand to win in a losing cause? And how many planets will die meanwhile?
Customer Reviews:
Maybe this will help.......2006-01-06
from the back cover of the 1975 Signet edition
The Terran Empire was crumbling -
And it required the remarkable talents of Sir Dominic Flandry, bon vivant and universal troubleshooter, to put the pieces back together. A hint of trouble and the purchase of an aristocratic slave girl sent Flandry on a quick flight to Diomedes aboard his well-equipped spacer, Hooligan. As he suspected, there was a deadly plan for galaxy-wide insurrection and civil war that could blast the tottering Empire into its component planets. Time was running out, and only Dominic Flandry, half a universe away, had the knowledge to prevent an explosion which could spark the beginning of the end for Terran civilization...
Dominic Flandry grows up.......2003-06-23
In "A Knight of Ghosts and Shadows," Poul Anderson did the nearly impossible and unthinkable before this book. He managed to get Dominic Flandry to grow up.
Before this book, Flandry, while a brilliant secret agent for the Terran Empire, always was a bit juvenile, and reveled in it. He figured that if he was going to die soon anyway (as secret agents rarely live long lives), why not make the best of it? So, he slept with many lissome women, ate lots of good food, and drank lots of great liquor along the way.
His other attributes, of loyalty, self-sacrifice, intelligence, a certain type of shifty honesty unusual in a secret agent -- well, they always were underplayed, partly because Flandry was an interstellar James Bond and that might not have been "sexy," and partly because Flandry looked at them as bad qualities.
Well, no wonder. The Terran Empire was in decay, and only people like him were holding it together, before the advent of this book. At the start of this book, Hans Molitor has seized the throne -- with Flandry's blessing, as at least he was a strong military man, and as he was better than any of the other contenders for the throne. And trouble's brewing all over the Empire . . . .
Without the trouble, there's no way Flandry would have been able to go off on his own. He's now in his 40s, and although he's still an international bon vivant, he's not the same man he used to be. He's found out he has a son, Dominic Hazeltine, by Persis D'Io (the dancer in "Ensign Flandry), and he's starting to perhaps slow down a bit in his travels.
But his mind is as keen as ever, so when an exotic, aristocratic slave girl from Dennitza shows up, his interest is piqued. The more he finds out, the more upset he gets. Then, he flits off with her, to find out the truth -- which is more shattering than he ever expected.
He does run into Aycharaych again, but it's almost more of an afterthought. Because before this book is done, his life stands in ruin, and about all he has left is his honor, pride, and a job well done -- rather than the life he'd briefly glimpsed in the eyes of Kossara, the Dennitzan slave girl (who never should have been sold for slavery).
As he destroys Aycharaych, he realizes that nothing, but nothing, can bring back love -- and wonders what's next for him. These are astonishingly adult thoughts for Flandry, and extremely moving.
This book deserves over five stars because of how moving and heart-wrenching it is for Flandry to go through all this. I truly believed in his pain, while enjoying his witty repartee with Chives (his Shalmuan body-servant/cook/batman/everything), Kossara, and son Dominic. Flandry is no intellectual lightweight, and he really does have a heart. Excellent book; truly one of Anderson's best (and I've read most of his output).
Btw, "A Stone in Heaven" is also another great book about Flandry in his age -- I recommend that one, too, extremely highly.
Flandry faces his final betrayal, and his greatest foe........1996-09-12
Anderson's recurring hero, Dominic Flandry, is like Horatio Hornblower, shown at different points of his career. In this, he is middle-aged, with a grown son...and in his final battle with a mind-reading foe from an elder race he has fought many times before. It is their final battle, and in it Flandry is not only betrayed, but goes through a self-betrayal of many of the principles he believes in. In this one, Flandry ceases to be a pleasure-loving, decadent Simon Templer, and instead shows true depth of character, and indeed, true tragedy, on several fronts. Easily the best of all the Flandry books, which is high praise indeed
Book Description
It's a country that boasts more three-star restaurants per capita than any other nation--including France. It's a country where home cooks--and everyone, it seems, is a great home cook--spend copious amounts of time thinking about, shopping for, preparing, discussing, and celebrating food. With its French foundation, hearty influences from Germany and Holland, herbs straight out of a Medieval garden, and condiments and spices from the height of Flemish culture, Belgian cuisine is elegant comfort food at its best--slow-cooked, honest, bourgeois, nostalgic. It's the Sunday meal and a continental dinner party, family picnics and that antidote to a winter's day.
In 250 delicious recipes, here is the best of Belgian cuisine. Veal Stew with Dumplings, Mushrooms, and Carrots. Potato and Leek Stoemp. Smoked Trout Mousse with Watercress Sauce. Braised Partridge with Cabbage and Abbey Beer. Gratin of Belgian Endives. Flemish Carrot Soup. Steak-Frites. Belgian Steamed Mussels. Belgian Steamed Mussels. Cognac Scented Flemish Waffles. And desserts, some using the best chocolate on earth: Belgian Chocolate Ganache Tart, Lace Cookies from Brugge, Almond Cake with Fresh Fruit Topping, Little Chocolate Nut Cakes.
As Belgians explain it, since one has to eat three times a day, why not make a feast of every meal? 57,000 copies in print.
Customer Reviews:
The Best Belgian Cookbook Ever!.......2007-02-18
I use this cookbook lots. The recipes are not complicated and very easy to follow instructions. The dishes we've made so far are all great. My grandfather was Belgian so it inspired me to try the cooking, so glad I did!
Authentic.......2006-04-26
I am a Belgian living in the US and I bought this book in 1996. I vouched for it being authentic and still representative of how people cook today. Even busy families know that sitting together at the table at the end of the day is a great way to unwind and to strengthen the body and mind. They value the time to listen to each other while eating slowly (no tv or other distractions). My friends and family in Belgium may sometimes bring ready made food (excellent quality is available there) but all know how to cook, do it often, and enjoy the process as a way to relax and nurture the family.
People can keep up because they know that every meal does not need to have many courses. For example, I went to a restaurant-brasserie recently in Brussels where one of the day's specials was a plate of asparagus: 6 big, flavorful white asparagus with a mousseline, chopped hardboiled eggs & parsley sauce, with bread and a glass of good wine it was a satisfying and delicious meal.
So, some of the recipes in the book are for special occasions or for the weekend, the smaller dish can be used as weekday meals when time is scarce.
I use this book often and all recipes work as described, are easy to follow, and include all the information that is needed for a successful outcome - unlike too many cookbooks with attractive pictures but missing information.
I have two friends over for lunch tomorrow and I am going to serve the waterzooi of scallops with garlic bread - quick and easy to prepare ahead of time, always delicious.
A little taste of Belgium.......2006-02-01
I purchased this book for a Belgian-themed party I was hosting, and was not disappointed. Although it was a bit sparse on quick, easy to put together party foods, it had enough recipes that I still had a tough time choosing which to make. Everything was delicious, and well-described in the book. My guests were impressed. Nothing I chose to make was any more difficult than Ms. Van Waerebeek led me to believe.
My advice is to buy this book for adventurous, Belgian-themed dinners, or if you enjoy reading about a real person who had ethnic cooking techniques passed down through her family. It is just right its descriptions, the author gives great, brief backgrounds to help you decide if you're interested in making each recipe. It's clear she is very familiar with the cuisine.
If you have an interest in this type of cooking, you can't go wrong with this book!
Great recipes (but quibbles about the rose-colored glasses!).......2005-10-31
As an American living in Flanders for many years I can vouch for the authenticity of the recipes and the quality of the results. There's a lot of good stuff in here, and it's well worth the purchase. I would only urge you not to read this book as a travel guide! The author must have been away from the country for quite a long time and her cultural information is pretty dated, or she is looking back with rose-colored glasses. For example, for all the romanticizing about Belgian home cooking I don't know anyone under retirement age who actually cooks much - the women are all working just like everywhere else in the world nowadays and most of this stuff gets bought in stores, not made at home. It's telling that she describes learning to cook at the shoulder of her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, but that she herself is a professional cook - about the only job where people have time to prepare time-consuming dishes anymore, including in Belgium.
Also, much to my astonishment she describes Belgium's beautiful coastal villages - a month ago coastal development was voted by readers of 'De Morgen' newspaper as the worst blight of many blights on the Belgian landscape perpetrated by builders and a lack of city planning - a long wall of concrete apartment blocks overlooking the sea that is so ugly it has to be seen to be believed. The beaches are nice, but only with your back to the towns. Similarly she goes on about Belgians' love of vegetables...being from California I can only laugh at this one. Hardly anything interesting is grown in this climate - if you like green beans, cauliflower, endive and leeks you're in major luck, but once you've had them a million times you realize why people drink so much beer here - it puts you out of your misery.
The reality of today's home cooking is that it's meat and potatoes, with some boiled winter vegetables. Belgian cooking has moved to traiteurs and restaurants, and with all those people working and not cooking, incomes have improved, and they eat out for both the classics and for upscale cuisine. Restaurants are amazing - the quality is incredible for the price. So this book may describe a bygone era, but still characterizes the culinary heritage very well. It's comfort food for all those dark, rainy days.
I love this cookbook!.......2005-09-17
I love this cookbook! The recipes are wonderful as well as the cultural tidbits. I was an exchange student in Belgium and whenever I feel "homesick" for my home away from home, the recipes in this book are the cure!
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