Book Description
It is the crowning day of twenty-five-year-old Bess Tudor's life as she returns from exile to become England's queen. But even as her magnificent procession wends its way to Westminster Palace, a shot rings out, muffled by the jostling crowd.
Within moments of becoming England's ruler, Elizabeth learns of the brutal murder of a highborn lady of the court, the sister of one of her dearest friends. Elizabeth cannot refuse her friend's request to find the killer -- especially since the prime suspect is too close to the crown -- and her friends -- to overlook.
Elizabeth must be circumspect. Trust can be deadly. So she summons her small band of loyal retainers and plunges into a cauldron of conflicting loyalties and deadly intrigue.
From the pomp, pageantry, and insidious gossip of the court to the lethal tidal pools swirling under London Bridge, the passionate young queen must seize the reins of her empire -- and find a killer determined to destroy the crown itself....
Customer Reviews:
My favorite of the series.......2006-09-11
This is the best of the series i have read so far, everything works here. So if you have read the first one definately pick it up, its better then the first even.
Gee I wonder how historically accurate this is?.......2002-11-13
Historically accurate? I'm guessing not much. Fun? Oh, yes.
This book is about my hero, Queen Elizabeth I. It takes place shortly after her coronation. The new queen finds herself with a mystery to solve and then goes about solving it in a very un-Elizabeth way.
I've never been much of a fan of mysteries, but I got this one from the library (they were selling it for a dollar) and found it was better than most. Great for anyone who likes mysteries or Elizabeth I (but not worth as much on the second reading.)
An Elizabethan Mystery.......2001-08-26
The second of a (so far) three volume mystery series, The Tidal Poole seems well researched with lots of details suggesting the Elizabethan era. But the characters including Good Queen Bess (a young GQB) are one dimensional and less than compelling. Although I like the subgenre of historical mysteries as a rule, this is one of the weaker series. The fault, I suppose, lies in Harper's portrayal of Elizabeth herself. Her temper, easily aroused passions, and inconsistent relationships with her key courtiers become off-putting and unbelievable. She must have watched the old Bette Davis movie a lot. Too bad. I really wanted to like this...
Fun book - if a bit outlandish.......2001-05-10
I just have a hard time imagining Elizabeth I wanting ANYONE to call her Bess, especially servants. You have to suspend reason to enjoy these books - but once you do, you get a nice mystery. The culprit isn't that hard to figure out in this book - but you keep reading to find out why they did it and how "Bess" and her band of slueths gets it all worked out. One thing that I do believe Harper does do convincingly is how she portrays Elizabeth and Dudley. Of course, we'll never know what really went on, but it reads true to me. Worth reading.
THE TIDAL POOLE.......2001-02-19
This is one of the worst books I have ever read. The Tidal Poole is so impossibly crowded with character references/relationships the reader is lucky to recognize and become invested in any one, let alone the (30? 40?) you are asked to keep in order.
But it's worse than that -- this is a poorly crafted novel from the standpoint of both the dialogue and the use of modern day slang which -- even if it was in use during the reign of Elizabeth I -- sounds out of place. The "voice" of Elizabeth is the voice of . . . a woman in her 50's, not her mid-20's. Others have mentioned that the premise of the book is, itself, ludicrous: That Elizabeth I could even be suffered to tolerate let alone physically examine the rotting corpse of a murder victim is a tall order. I tell you even now I have no idea, really, who did what in this 5:15 pm subway car of a book.
I read this book only because it was on the heels of Kate Ross' "Julian Kestrel" series, a series so exquisitely written, and the character development so real, I hungered for another historical murder mystery. Drop this implausible, forgettable and poorly crafted story, and start a journey with deliciously crafted characters. Pick up Kate Ross' "Cut to the Quick" and then proceed in chronological order to best appreciate Julian's development and unpeel him, one layer at a time (er, his character too, heh heh). The dialogue, and slang, is so fast-paced and authentic that you develop an ear for each of the characters and know intuitively which one is speaking just by the "color" of their voice. Really, really good writing. I'd love to see Kate Ross' novels adapted to a PBS series, they are so colorful.
Skye
Average customer rating:
- Conan goes to Vietnam
- Refreshingly different
|
Conan The Hero (Conan)
Leonard Carpenter
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Carpenter, Leonard | ( C ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Historical | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
( C ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books | Card, Orson Scott | Cherryh, C.J.
Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Historical | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
-
Conan and the Amazon (Conan)
-
Conan and the Grim Grey God (Conan)
-
Conan The Gladiator (Conan)
-
Conan and the Death Lord of Thanza (Conan)
-
Conan and the Gods of the Mountain (Conan)
ASIN: 0812519078 |
Book Description
In the steaming jungles of Venji, Conan of Cimmeria fights in a war seemingly without end, a war against drug-crazed raiders who strike without warning and vanish like smoke, a war against the implacable wizard, Mojourna. Yet his enemies are not only those he can see.The intrigues of the powerful court eunuchs reach south from Imperial Aghrapur, and the plottings of generals who would sit on the throne, and even the conjurings of his own mind, will be turned against him.Only one man could survive. Only one man could triumph. Only Conan the Hero
Customer Reviews:
Conan goes to Vietnam.......2004-06-05
Yep, the mighty Cimmerian is a grunt in the 'Nam. As is often the case, Conan has hired his sword, this time to the king of Turan. I forget which one. He's waaaay down south in a largely mercenary army, fighting in a jungle war of attrition alongside other guys who are there because their lives were otherwise hopeless. There's an incompetent officer corps, a very television-like sorcery that lets the king and his cronies micomanage the battles ineptly. There's bad guy special forces types. The serious soldiers get hamstrung by leadership. There's north and south locals, the southerners are friendly but corrupt, the northerners are guerillas who fight and slip away. At one point Conan even goes mech-infantry in a war elephant convoy that gets ambushed and wiped out because the leadership insists on using technology and tactics that are spectacularly illl-suited to the terrain. Oh, and the whole thing is actually being fought over control of a drug trade.
Just about every single Vietnam war cliche is here, prominently featuring Conan. Occasional ally and drinking buddy Juma makes an appearance, but even that isn't enough to save this book. This was a first for me: I quit reading it halfway through. The cliches are overdone, the story is drenched in misery and hopelessness, and it just doesn't feel right. I like unorthodox Conan, but this is Conan in name only. The character's just poorly handled. Carpenter has written a couple of my all-time favorite Conan pastiches, but this book just flat out blows. Try Conan the Valorous, also by Carpenter. FAR better untraditional material: Conan Goes To Cimmeria. This one, sadly, is just wretched.
Refreshingly different.......2000-11-25
This book was fairly different from the other Conan books I have read because in those ones Conan was pretty much all by himself and minding his own business, eventually getting caught up in the action. However, in this story, Conan already has a friend (Juma) and is already involved in a conflict. I thought the setting was a nice change, too, from the standard grassy hills. I probably would've given this book 5 stars, but I think it goes downhill once Conan makes it to the capital. It seems like the author is trying to fit too much into the last chapters and I have to say I was very disappointed by the end. It was a bad surprise. I would recommend this book, however, maybe not very highly, but it is a good book.
Product Description
Robert E. Howard's Swashbuckling Anti-Hero !1979 to presentCreated by ROBERT E. HOWARD, Conan the Barbarian is arguably the most popular, fan-favorite sword and sorcery character of all time.Here is a collection of 25 different comic books representing various series starring Conan The Barbarian from 1979 to present.
Average customer rating:
|
Conan the Hero
Steve Perry
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Perry, Steve | ( P ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 5550923750 |
Book Description
Greg Critser's brilliantly incisive Generation Rx shows how shockingly little we know about the prescription drugs we take and the hazards they may pose to our health. Americans are prescribed more drugs today than ever before, and the pharmaceutical industry has gained tremendous financial power and political clout. Drawing on exclusive access to the strategists, scientists, and current and former heads of GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, Merck, and other drug giants, Critser chronicles the transformation of big pharma from onetime lumbering medical conglomerate to media-savvy consumer enterprise. He also reveals the direct and indirect consequences for our health, among them increased incidence of damage to major organs, unprecedented medication use by the very young and very old, and the emergence of polypharmacy, in which various drugs taken together can unleash unanticipated, and often deadly, effects.
Generation Rx urges all of us to think about the price we pay, as a society and with our own bodies, for our chronic use of prescription drugs.
Customer Reviews:
Articulate and Insightful.......2006-09-26
Here, as in his FAT LAND, Critser performs a public service in the best possible format. Major issues like the growth of the drug culture are usually presented with more technical detail than the non-specialist can stand or with lurid alarmism. Here Critser condenses huge amounts of data and first hand research in a prose that is both lucid and interesting. In a country where every other ad is for a drug, each citizen should read this exciting volume.
The Rx syndrome:.......2006-03-16
GenerationRx is extremely informative and a fine introduction to the manner in which prescription drugs have moved to the fore through media advertising. Chapters seem endless but persistence is well worth the effort. The second half of the book becomes increasingly practical. The concluding advice and the listed web sites are well worth the investment.
Much Better Books Are Available!.......2006-01-11
Generation Rx" begins by musing over an article in the House and Home section of the New York Times reporting the rise in popularity of "triple-wide" medicine cabinets - taller, wider, and deeper. Cause of this phenomena - the average number of prescriptions/person was 7/year in '93, 11 in '00, and 12 in '04 - despite enormous uncertainty about their benefits and safety. (There are an estimated 106,000 deaths/year from serious adverse drug reactions from just those properly diagnosed and taken. Drug-induced liver disease is the most common cause of acute liver failure - more than viral hepatitis.)
A major source of this growth is the increased amount spent to advertise prescription drugs to consumer - from $2 million in '80 to $4.4 billion in '04. Protecting these investments and sales is an additional one-half billion/year spent lobbying by pharmaceutical firms.
So much for the interesting part. The vast bulk of "Generation Rx" is a rambling series of anecdotes guaranteed to put the reader to sleep. I instead would recommend "The Truth About Drug Companies," and "Overdosed America" - both written by eminent physicians.
A History and Critique of Pharma "Tribal Marketing".......2005-12-24
Greg Crister, in his new book, Generation Rx: How Prescription Drugs Are Altering American Lives, Minds, and Bodies, puts forth the notion that "big pharma" has created a nation of pharmaceutical tribes, each with its own unique beliefs, taboos, and brand loyalties. According to Crister, there are 3 such tribes:
1. Tribe of High-Performance Youth: children and adolescents who are medicated for depression, attention deficit disorder, and a range of other psychological and behavioral problems mostly because of "their parents' completely under-standable wish that they perform well in a society of ever increasing demands to perform well, nay, superbly."
2. Tribe of Productivity and Comfort (MiddleYears): those of us at the middle-to-late points in our careers as parents and/or earners who are preprogrammed to consume drugs like Lipitor, Viagra, Prozac, and Prilosec, to "shore up our ability to produce more and better and to relieve discomfit, including the discomfit of having to watch what and how much we eat and drink and of sitting on our duff."
3. Tribe of High-Performance Aging: seniors who take drugs "not only to alleviate the discomfit of aging, but also to extend their lives."
Crister credits Pat Kelly, president of U.S. Pharmaceuticals for Pfizer, for inspiring the idea of consumer tribalism-pharma's need to sell lifestyle, not things. "By conjuring brand tribalism-an intense, interactive, and information-driven promotion of a product and the values it is made to seem to embody-a company can not only gain new customers, but also hold on to the old ones," says Crister.
According to Crister, before big pharmaceutical companies could create these tribes to consume their drugs, they had to become "unbound" from government restrictions. Crister devotes about 100 pages-38% of the book-to a history of how direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising became legal is the U.S.
I found this to be the most interesting part of the book because of the first-hand accounts of people who played critical roles in making DTC advertising possible. Some of these "DTC pioneers" are still part of the pharmaceutical advertising scene today. Also, I know some of these people personally, which makes reading the story all the more interesting. Crister's account-which I have no reason to believe is inaccurate (the book is chuck full of references)-gave me insight into the backgrounds of these pioneers and how they got to where they are today.
Crister seems to have had unusual access to the principals-including pharmaceutical executives-involved. He peppers his story with many quotes and colorful phrases based on these interviews. Although I am happy that these people's stories have been told in their own words, some of these words have been used to make Crister's case against the industry.
There are a few juicy anti-DTC quotes from pharma execs in the book. Although the execs made these statements prior to DTC becoming legals, twenty-five years later and with eight years of DTC experience, the industry is still confronted by critics regarding DTC's cost, educational effectiveness, and ability to present risk information. For a review of these issues, see my article, "DTC Pros and Cons Presented at FDA Hearing," in Pharma Marketing News (www.pharmamarketingnews.com).
Crister, of course, has an axe to grind with the pharmaceutical industry and offers up the same criticisms of pharma marketing practices as did many other critics before him. His distinction, however, is the colorful and amusing language he uses. Here's a sampling in no particular logical order:
* On blockbuster drugs: "By late 2004, blockbusterism, the jumbo golden Rx goose, seemed to have laid its last egg."
* On CME: "The Demi Moore of this lap dance is CME."
* On Gen-X marketing: "The synergy marketers boogied at full tilt." I am still not sure what he means by that.
* On the liver: "the canary in the mineshaft of Generation Rx."
* On patients as consumers: "a person with medical needs" these days acts "as if he is not going to the doctor but rather to the mall." Crister's main reform idea is that patients should stop thinking of themselves as consumers and that we all should cut down our own use of prescription drugs. Not a bad suggestion, but utter radicalism to some pharmaceutical marketers.
* On the Pharmaceutical Marketing Congress: "the world's fair of pharmaceutical marketing."
* On Pat Kelly, president of U.S. Pharmaceuticals for Pfizer: "unquestionably, the definitive lead guitar player in the rocking world of modern drug marketing."
* On physician detailing: "more of a pharmaceutical lap dance than, like, and old-fashioned sales call." For more on the relation of sex and sales reps, see Pharma Marketing Blog ("Sexy Reps Sell Rx"; www.pharmamarketingblog.com).
* On polypharmacy: "in that regard most drug companies have been as responsible as a thirsty sailor in port after a year at sea." He said "thirsty," but I am sure he meant "horny."
Aside from the seminal events described above, Crister also recounts the history of many other "firsts" in DTC, including the first DTC ad that mentioned a drug by name and, afterward, the first non-branded, help-seeking ad that was designed to "drive patients to their doctors." I'll leave it up to you to read the book if you want to learn more about these events.
I will also leave it up to you to read the book for Crister's solutions, which appear to be the usual ones suggested by other critics. Crister does suggest something unique: get a healthy life in order to "pharmaproof" yourself.
rather disappointed.......2005-11-26
I give Mr. Critser credit for his writing ability as well as his ability to make and sustain an argument. The book flows like crazy. But that's also where the book breaks down for me. It is a long argument, rather than a painstaking work of investigation. I kept thinking that the author went into this with an axe to grind or some other kind of vendetta, and this book was the result. I also felt at times that he was trying to sensationalize his points, i.e. draw a more inflammatory conclusion than was warranted from the evidence he had at his disposal.
Some people may consider it worth reading simply because it's so well written; this will be especially true for the growing numbers of Americans who share Mr. Critser's cynical perspectives on the drug industry. No doubt they'll root him along as he moves from chapter to chapter. For me, I can't justify more than the two stars I've given it.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Washington Monthly, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1753 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Ill informed: how drug companies convince Americans they're sicker than they are.(On Political Books)(Generation Rx: How Prescription Drugs Are Altering American Lives, Minds, and Bodies)(Book Review)
Author: Shannon Brownlee
Publication:
Washington Monthly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 37
Issue: 12
Page: 39(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Customer Reviews:
Create Christmas Magic!.......2005-10-29
Want to create Christmas Magic? Want magical memories your family will treasure for a lifetime? Then remind yourself of what it felt like to be a child - to believe in your heart in the wonder and magic of Santa Claus! Nothing can rekindle that spirit like creating a fun, festive and yummy-licious Gingerbread House with the whole family pitching in! You'll have so much fun and so many laughs it's sure to become a great Christmas tradition in your home - just like it is in ours! And this great little book has everything you need to have a ginger-iffic time! Pick up a copy - you'll be happy you did!
Fantastic!.......2002-01-06
Words can't describe how helpful I have found this book. It is both full of tips and tricks that really work, and has lots of pictures for ideas. Its a great book for someone who doesn't know alot about gingerbread houses, it gives clear information, and its one of the best values I've seen as well.
"Tis the Season.......2001-12-11
Special baking is high on my list at this time of year as it is for many others. Just discovered a wonderful find in Cargas' "Gingerbread Houses"book. May others be so fortunate to obtain or be given this delightful, easy-to-follow, friendly "how to bake and build memories" as the sub-title so warmly suggests.
Lovely!.......2000-11-17
This is an excellent book for beginners and experienced alike. It has a colorful layout with great photos. There are many original houses which I have not seen elsewhere. Cargas includes many wonderful tips and shortcuts and has a fun children's section including advice on how to throw a gingerbread making party which proved a huge success with my children. It makes a great gift!
The Perfect Gingerbread Book!.......2000-11-08
This Gingerbread book is the best I've seen. If you are a beginner you will have no problems succeeding with your first gingerbread houses. If you are a master, you will find that the detail and suggestions for expanding your craft are all in one book. As an "experienced gingerbread" architect, I am pleased to have all the photos of good ideas. That way I can take someone else's idea and add my own personal touch. As a family, we are at the point now where it doesn't feel like Christmas until we've built our houses. The new ideas are a must! One night last year when my house was all constructed, I got so in to it that I stayed up until 2:00am to finish it. You need a book like this which is long on ideas...have fun!
Books:
- The Tolls of Death (Knights Templar series)
- The Wheelman
- The Witness at the Wedding (Fethering Mysteries)
- Those Who Walk in Darkness
- Thus Was Adonis Murdered
- Tony Hillerman: The Leaphorn and Chee Audio Trilogy: Skinwalkers, A Thief of Time & Coyote Waits CD (Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee Novels)
- Urn Burial (A Phryne Fisher Mystery)
- Vineyard Shadows: A Martha's Vineyard Mystery
- Vintage Murder (A Roderick Alleyn Mystery)
- We'll Meet Again (First World Hardcover)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- No Easy Answers: The Learning Disabled Child at Home and at School
- Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box
- Evolution And Ethics: Human Morality In Biological And Religious Perspective
- Dynamical Systems: Examples of Complex Behaviour
- Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
- History: Fiction or Science
- Fun Nosework for Dogs
- The Way of the Carpenter: Tools and Japanese Architecture
- Ecological Aesthetics: Art in Environmental Design: Theory and Practice
- The Genizah At The House Of Shepher
The Poyson Garden (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 1)
The Twylight Tower (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 3)
The Thorne Maze (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 5)
The Queene's Cure (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 4)
The Queene's Christmas: An Elizabeth I Mystery
