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- Major Castillo returns to rescue THE HOSTAGE
- An Entertaining Read
- Not a complete waste of time
- The good guys wear white hats!
- A true understanding of SF Attitude.
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Hostage, The: A Presidential Agent Novel (Presidential Agent)
W.E.B. Griffin
Manufacturer: Brilliance Audio on CD Unabridged
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By Order of the President
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The Traitor: A Tommy Carmellini Novel
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RETREAT, HELL!
ASIN: 159737119X
Release Date: 2006-01-03 |
Book Description
By Order of the President, the first novel in Griffin's crackling new Presidential Agent series, won immediate acclaim from critics and fans alike. “True virtuosity,” praised the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Cutting-edge,” agreed Publishers Weekly. “The end leaves readers standing on the tarmac waiting for Castillo and his newly minted band of can-do compatriots to touch down and carry them away again on a new adventure.”
Charley Castillo works with the Department of Homeland Security, but more and more is the man to whom the President turns when he needs an investigation done discreetly. And no situation demands discretion more than the one before them now.
An American diplomat's wife is kidnapped in Argentina, and her husband murdered before her eyes. Her children will be next, she is told, if she doesn't tell them where her brother is - a brother, as it turns out, who may know quite a bit about the burgeoning UN/Iraq oil-for-food scandal. There is an awful lot of money flying around, and an awful lot of hands are reaching up to grab it - and some of those hands don't mind shedding as much blood as it takes.
Before the investigation is over . . . It might even be Castillo's blood.
Customer Reviews:
Major Castillo returns to rescue THE HOSTAGE.......2007-08-18
From the mind of prolific author W. E. B. Griffin comes The Hostage, the second installment of his "Presidential Agent" series.
United States Army Major Charlie Castillo, the special aide to the Secretary of Homeland Security, is once again placed in harm's way as he operates under direct presidential orders. Taking place nearly a year after the events in the first book, By Order of the President, Castillo is sent to Argentina where an embassy official's wife has been taken hostage until she can reveal the whereabouts of her brother, a diplomat from the United Nations who is involved in the Iraqi food-for-oil scandal.
In his previous assignment detailed in the first novel, Castillo's presidential-level authority has caused some strife in his relationships with Central Intelligence and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. When he assembles his team in Buenos Aires, it is members of both these organizations he must rely upon for assistance in bringing about the solution to the problem. Under orders, Castillo identity must remain out of the public eye, but when both the CIA and the FBI are looking to dirty his good name with the President, Castillo is not only facing down the kidnappers, but elements of his own team as well.
Griffin's ability to craft a believable story within the area of military and politics is well-established. He has five other series of novels, covering the Army (Brotherhood of War), the Marine Corps (The Corps), and the men and woman of the Philadelphia Police Department (Badge of Honor). The Hostage continues to prove his prowess in the genre of political and war-based thrillers. Although his previous series often used a historical backdrop, such as the eras of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, this series marks the first time he has ventured into a contemporary setting... and he does not disappoint.
With his skill, Griffin immediately interests the reader in the plight of his characters, and he does not stop with one or two. He immerses the reader into a world where tens of thousands of people work every day, and he has no trouble involving a cast of hundreds to define that scope. Rather than diluting the story with such a cast, each character fits seamlessly into his narrative. From Major Castillo to the President of the United States, every character possesses a depth that compels the reader to not only read the action, but learn more about the people involved.
The perspective of Griffin's narrative is nearly monopolized by his protagonist, Castillo. However, the inherent conflict within the novel is placed against the world-view defined through the magnifying glass of all the characters involved. In this, the author maintains a level of realism to the story by introducing facets of personality and circumstance that make it a complex tale of deception, wit, and sometimes unmitigated guile.
The Hostage is swift, exciting, and a highly enjoyable read, providing a fascinating insight into the world of intelligence and international politics that only Griffin and his peers can manage.
An Entertaining Read.......2007-07-27
I enjoyed the CD Audio version of this book.
However I agree with one reviewer that much of the dialogue does have to do with hotel and flight arrangements. Nevertheless I enjoyed it.
I think that readers need to read the predeccessor to this novel. otherwise like me they may wonder why Charlie is given so much power and favor.
Not a complete waste of time.......2007-07-02
I was ready to put this down quite soon as it seemed to suffer the same weaknesses as the later Clancy books: tedious details of no consequence to the plot, extremely sloppy storytelling, embarrassing love stories, and unfunny macho language. But I found this to stop somewhere around page 650, and from then on the book had some of the charms of the early Clancy books: interesting background related to current events, historical background that connects history to current events, almost no love stories (albeit because the girlfriend gets shot, but anything is better than cringing our toes at the two agreeing to say "wiener schnitzel" for "I love you" when they are on a non-secure line), and action involving garrotes and guns. If you are good at skimming you will finish this in a very short time as you scan the page for information moving the plot along. Otherwise, you will quickly learn, or, of course, give up.
This book has the potential of 3 or 4 stars if the 70% fat is cut away. Further value could be had if the myopic, anti-European posturing was balanced some. Actually, a major character does provide the counter arguments, but the author does everything to antagonize him so the effect is lost. This is a shame, as we could otherwise have had the quite compelling core story happen alongside a debate about the role of the U.N., the European, and especially the French reaction to the Iraq war, as well as other acutely important topics. Opting for a one-sided view makes this work an example of opportunities missed. As examples of getting it right, apart from Hunt for Red October and other cool-to-the-core clancy books, I suggest anything by Martin Cruz Smith or Jan Guillou. Both authors portay the world not in black and white, but in credible greys.
The good guys wear white hats!.......2007-05-08
After having completed the entire inital Brotherhood of War series of books I felt like I was losing my best friends, the characters were that compelling. Since then I have eagerly awaited each Griffin novel. The Hostage is no exception. Filled with details that only comes from indepth research each story keeps you entranced. But what makes these Griffin's books so absorbing is the fact that there is little doubt as to who the good guys are and who are the baddies. Don't get me wrong, the characters are not thin. Human interest wrapped up in a good ole manly story.
It doesn't get any better!
A true understanding of SF Attitude........2007-04-12
Griffin's understanding of the Special Forces community comes through 5x5. His Communications NCO's can handle the most advanced and technically sophisticated equipment around, and one of them is cross trained as a Medic which is not uncommon on an SF A Team. He is one of the few authors who really understands the difference between the Special Forces and the other Special Operations troops, and he treats them all with the dignity that they deserve. The only thing that tends to bother me with his writing is that the officers tend to get the majority of the glory. In my own experience it was the NCO's that actually got things done. I have known some officers that held my respect beyond what the manual said I should give them and Griffin mentions one of them often. General Don A Starry is still a man that I would gladly follow, again. The plot moves well and kept my interest till the end, it also made me wonder what next.
Book Description
The power-mad dwarf-sorcerer Zinixo had driven Emshandar V from his throne. He had shattered the ancient Protocol that kept tenuous peace among Pandemia's warlocks. And his conquest had only begun.
Somehow the deposed Imperor had escaped his clutches -- so far -- but Shandie would soon be found. Then the Impire would be Zinixo's alone. Outlying countries would fall beneath his fist. And at long last, he could wreak fabulous revenge upon Rap of Krasnegar. For Zinixo wielded the greatest magic ever imagined: an army of slave-sorcerers bound to serve his every whim -- to the death.
No one could stop him: Shandie had scarcely an ally in the world; Rap's magical powers were a shadow of their former strength; and there was hardly a free sorcerer to be found in all Pandemia. Where could any resistance effort find even...A Handful of Men?
From the Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
A perfectly absolute waste of a series!.......2007-04-16
This is book two of Dave Duncan's 4-book series, "A Handful of Men", a sequel series to his wonderful, "A Man of His Word Series". I really enjoyed the first series and the way that it ended, but when I read this series, I was disgusted! Mr. Duncan changed for the worse. The first three books probably deserve 2-3 stars each, but book four, "The Living God", is SO bad, that it lowers the entire series's level. Don't start reading this series, I promise you that you will be disappointed in the end.
Number six in a wonderful series of eight books.......2006-11-07
"Upland Outlaws" is the second volume of "A handful of men" which is itself the second of two marvellous fantasy quartets. (Hence this is the sixth of eight books if you take the two quartets together.)
"A handful of men" is a direct sequel to Duncan's quartet "A man of his word" and began with "The Cutting Edge, which is set about 15 years after the last book of the previous quartet, "Emperor and Clown". The Upland Outlaws follows on from "The Cutting Edge".
The full sequence of eight books is:
A MAN OF HIS WORD
1) The Magic Casement
2) Faery Lands Forlorn
3) Perilous Seas
4) Emperor and Clown
A HANDFUL OF MEN
5) The Cutting Edge
6) Upland Outlaws
7) The Stricken Field
8) The Living God
Each quartet is a full and self-contained story, but in my opinion the eight books work best when read in sequence.
The titles of the four volumes of "A handful of men" are taken from Masefield's poem, "Tomorrow." The lines which inspire the titles are
"Oh yesterday the cutting edge drank thirstily and deep,
the upland outlaws ringed us in and herded us as sheep,
they drove us from the stricken field and bayed us into keep,
But tomorow by the living God, we'll try the game again!"
At the start of "Upland Outlaws", Emshandir V has been effectively deposed as Imperor, but hardly anyone knows it. The dwarf sorceror, Zinixio, has formed a coalition of wizards known as "The Covin" and is challenging the balance of power between the races of men and the makers of magic. When the previous Imperor died, Emshandir just managed to get himself proclaimed as the new ruler, but then had to flee his own capital as the covin took control.
Now the real Emshandir is on the run with Rap while a fake Emshandir, who is Zinixio's puppet, is on the throne. The world faces a terrible disaster - can Rap and Emshandir stay free from the Covin long enough to prevent it?
Waste of a series.......2004-02-22
While I loved the light touch and deft humor of the first series (Man of His Word), this series has a much darker and heavier tone. Duncan pulls it off in the first book (Cutting Edge), introducing more nuanced characters than the first series.
But he goes completely off the rails in this book (and its successors). First of all, the first 20-30 pages are almost an exact retelling the of end of the first book. Next, he bounces us from character group to character group never allowing the reader to get involved in anyone new. Characters that we knew in the first series act in strange ways. And finally, the series takes dark turns and with the lack of sympathetic new characters, the turns are fairly pointless.
Superb.......2003-01-07
I picked this up, from a local bookstore's sale rack. I did not realize that it was the second installment in a quintet, until I finished reading it. Mr. Duncan does such an excellent job of writing that the story can nearly stand alone, and in the context of the series the book gains even more depth and vision.
I have since tracked down and purchased all of the novels in hardback, since I consider them an essential part of my fantasy collection. As I said in my review of the first book, this book is a shining example of the high fantasy genre, on par with, if not surpassing Tolkien.
Combining lively, likable characters, a grand and tangled plot, and a vivid world this book is superb.
This is what a book should be like.......1999-01-17
This is the sequel to Dave Duncan's superb novel "Cutting Edge". One of DD specialities is preventing a second or third book in a series from being stricken by the notorious "sequel - syndrom". He keeps up with the high standard he set in "The Cutting Edge". He really must have thought about the story thoroughly before he wrote it, because there are no logical flaws in it as in some other sequels (by other authors, of course). I hope all of his future books will be of the same quality as this one. If you enjoy fantasy, humour, intelligent writing and fun this is the one for you.
Average customer rating:
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Upland Outlaws
Dave Duncan
Manufacturer: Del Rey/Ballantine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OP9CU0 |
Book Description
For the millions of couples who want to have a baby, heres the perfect resource to help maximize their chances for a natural conception and get pregnant on their own timetable. Written by an Ob-Gyn and fertility specialist, this book draws on all the latest information and technology to show how careful planning, diet, exercise, frequency, and timing of intercourse can influence a womans chances for conception. In clear, accessible language, Dr. Christopher Williams reviews the male and female reproductive system, discusses when to stop birth control, dispels myths and rumors about fertility, and explains how to predict ovulation.
Customer Reviews:
Fastest Way to Get Pregnant Naturally.......2007-08-26
This book is a brief but good overview of the critical highlights of conceiving a child. I recommend the book. It does highlight the need for preconceptual care and other issues people don't think of before trying to have a baby.
Basic.......2007-01-19
While it has a lot of info....I feel that the info in the back of the book should be in the front and vice versa. It was a little basic.
Informative & Helpful!.......2006-11-10
This book really fills a need. It gives basic (as well as detailed) information that can help you achieve preganancy quicker and with less stress!
Great first TTC book to read..........2006-08-26
My husband and I are looking to start a family in the next 5-6 months. I just finished reading this book and found it to be very informative, especially for someone who is just taking the first steps at learning how to optimally prepare for trying to conceive. It is written in simplistic language (which could seem overly simplified and repetitive to those who were already familiar with the information but was absolutely perfect for me, who just wanted to soak up all the information I could and fully understand what steps to take to promote pregnancy in the timeframe we are hoping for). I think it is perfect to read about 4-6 months prior to trying or if you have been having difficulty in conceiving, as the author does take a significant amount ot time explaining possible causes and alternatives.
Awesome book--pulls no punches.......2006-08-03
I really like the way Dr. Williams gives straighforward advice and also doesn't condemn or judge. I feel much more hopeful after reading this book!
Book Description
Dr. Christopher Williams's successful guide to conception, updated to reflect the fast-changing science of fertilityEach year a new group of couples decides they're ready to have a baby. One thing they all share: the desire to have a healthy baby as quickly as possible. They've done their thinking, they've made their plans, and they want to get pregnant NOW. Fortunately for them, renowned fertility specialist Christopher Williams, M.D., has updated his popular guide, The Fastest Way to Get Pregnant Naturally (nearly 43,000 copies sold), to include all the later findings. Since the first edition was published in 2001, there have been significant changes in fertility research and recommendations to maximize the odds during each cycle. The revised edition includes:-An updated introduction -Revised and reader-friendly figures -Current statistics -An examination of new products -Up-to-date nutritional information -New developments in all studies covered in the original book -The latest resource and reading information -A new chapter preparing readers for the first appointment with a fertility doctorThis book continues to be a valuable and timely resource for couples ready to start their families.
Customer Reviews:
Not worth it.......2007-06-20
I checked out this book from the library to see if it was worth buying. I'm so glad I did not waste my money. This was the most basic information that I'm sure kids in grade school get in their Sex Ed classes. It was all pretty much common sense and I did not learn anything new.
Very Helpful.......2006-12-28
This book gives some great common-sense tips on getting pregnant.
Sure, we all know how its done and we've heard our share of old wives tales, but this is sound, practical advice from a fertility doctor on how to increase your chances of getting pregnant in the shortest amount of time (without fertility drugs). I had no idea that caffeine could affect a woman's fertility, even in moderate amounts! Also, he advises on common sense health information and how to best be prepared to carry a healthy pregnancy. I wouldn't call it required reading, but very informative and I am one of those people that likes to reseach things thoroughly before taking them on.
Product Description
3 Book Set ; How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby, the Fastest Way to Get Pregnant Naturally, Taking Charge of Your Fertility
Book Description
Supreme gentility and extraordinary fun were the hallmarks of London high society in the 1930s, and when The Savoy Cocktail Book was first published, it not only enriched the style of the time, it became part of it in the 1990s. The Savoy continues to evoke a world of timeless elegance, and this updated edition of The Savoy Cocktail Book presents some marvelous new concoctions. With 750 classic cocktails, the tradition of sophisticated soires can be recreated time and time again.
Customer Reviews:
The Savoy Cocktail by H. Craddock.......2004-07-23
The book (if you are able to find one) is great, but the seller is even better. I purchased my book from Lucky Seven Books. Always check with them first!
Great art and great drinks........2000-11-17
I highly recommend the book along with the Boston Museum of Fine Art hand tooled martini shaker. (on web) Take yourself back to the thirties with a couple of cool ones. Great drinks and the illustrations will suit the serious vintage buff. Fun to look at even if you are not drinking.....even better when you are.
My new bible.......2000-05-08
Whether you're a cocktail veteran, or just starting out, the Savoy Coctail Book is an absolute must-have companion to any bar. It's got loads of recipes for favorites like Manhattans and Rob Roys, and even a few new ones (Millenium cocktail), not to mention that nifty bookmark that's attached so that you don't lose your place while mixing. This is one page-turner I can't put down. Mmmmmm!
Average customer rating:
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The Savoy Cocktail Book
Savoy Hotel
Manufacturer: Constable and Robinson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0094662304 |
Books:
- Hush Money (Spenser Mysteries)
- I Had the Right to Remain Silent...But I Didn't Have the Ability
- J.D. Robb Collection 5: Seduction in Death, Reunion in Death, and Purity in Death (In Death)
- Jane and the Man of the Cloth: Being the Second Jane Austen Mystery
- Kansas Troubles (A Benni Harper Mystery)
- Last and First Men and Star Maker : Two Science Fiction Novels
- Leave the Grave Green
- Maigret A New-York / Maigret in New York (Inspector Maigret Mysteries)
- Mariner's Compass Quilts: Setting A New Course; New Process, New Patterns, New Projects
- Midwinter of the Spirit (A Merrily Watkins Mystery)
Books Index
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