Customer Reviews (3)

May be Herbert's greatest work
I really don't understand how this work could have been so poorly received. The entire Voidship seriesis one of the most provocative and deeply moving works of science fiction that I have ever read. I actually found this series far more provocative than the Dune series. I don't know how much is Herbert and how much is Ransom, but this is an incredible collaboration. It is a long inquiry into the nature of existence, consiousness, and humanity. It is also a great story. It a truly original, unique work.

More Voidship
Unlike Dune, this series has been out of print for some time. Shame! No one does it better than Herbert but Dune-Mania has left too much of his best work unread and unknown. Dune was a masterpiece, no question. But the series devolved into action novels - the work of creating his universe did not have to be re-done so the rest was just what happens next (and as Brian continues the series, what happened before). The Voidship series is different. Beginning with Destination: Void, which establishes the premise, each novel must reestablish the world in which it is set. Each set of characters has very new hurdles and new forms of intelligent life(? at least self-awareness) to deal with, each with their own world view. A good marketing bet would be to reintroduce these novels in paperback, capitalizing on the popularity of the Dune series. Let the new generation of sf readers discover the other worlds of Frank Herbert. This review refers to the series - Destination: Void, The Jesus Incident, The Lazarus Effect, and The Ascension Factor

Ascension Factor -- Frank Herbert's other sci-fi world
This is not a story of empire, such as in his great classic series, "Dune;but rather, Herbert and Ransom tell the story of an ill-fatedinterstellar colonial expedition gone horribly wrong.I am looking for ahard copy of this work because I believe that the general theme of themega-hit Strategy software game, "Alpha Centauri" is inspired bysome of the vicious alien creatures described in Herbert's story of theadaptation of humanity to a brutal alien world.Characterization is a lotdeeper than most sci-fi, and the "run around the fortress" sceneis something I've remembered for more than two decades since I last readthe book. In our world of animated feature films, this would make anincredible movie. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

The Jesus Indicent
By far, the best science fiction/fantasy book I have ever read. I have kept a copy of this one for the past twenty years to pass it on to my own kids. Fast paced, yet intellectually stimulating, The Jesus Incident makes you think about the meaning of life, and the enrichment that is possible, even through hardship and confusion. Those people that start with certainty end with doubt. Those that start with doubt end with certainty. Magic is part of life, and we are magical beings. The book encourages one to look at the awe, wonder, and sacredness of all things in life. Spirit Journeys: Freeing the Soul in this Life and Beyond, Healing Thoughts: Applying Therapeutic Shamanism in Your Daily Life

Jesus Incident by Frank Herbert
I bought it for my son in law who lives in Canada. My main concern was the shape of the book.It was in very good shape and the book arrived in a timely manner shipped to Canada.

I would buy again from Amazon!

Scales were never balanced
i couldn't help but feel sorry for the obvious villains of this work.ever since introducing them to the scene they never seemed to pose any sort of threat to the kind of god-like powers Herbert always instills to his good guys.much like in the Dune series where the omnipotent kwisatz haderach foils any atttempts at his downfall the kelp-hugging poet and his hippie-esque eco-renegades are always
saved by the deus-ex machima that is the writers quill.
i thought that the characters were wonderfully defined as opposed to another reviewer they just simply lacked the true tools of power
to truly tip the scales.all in all once again herbert almost annoyingly has his villains plot and scheme to no avail and the good guys live happily ever after.

Love it!
Just wanted to add my 2 cents - I think Frank Herbert and Bill Ransom did a fantastic job on this book.The Jesus Incident is my favorite.There are many different issues in the book including environmental issues and moral/ethical issues to name just a couple.Are clones "human"?Are "humans" better than clones?Do clones have "human" rights? How do you define intelligence?Is it possible for what appears to be ocean plant life to be intelligent?The authors entwine all these issues, including the question of whether or not Ship is God, into a wonderful sci-fi world and a great story.Wish they'd make a movie out of this one!

More gas than a hylighter
This is an extremely dull book.I found myself falling asleep consistently when reading the first 100 pages.I even started the book over to ensure that I "got it".What I "got" was a book that foundered more or less completely.This is the least focused Herbert book I have ever read.Maybe we can blame it on Bill Ransom.

Second book in the Pandora series (1st book is Destination: Void), characters living on Ship, Colony and Redoubt on Pandora.

Morgan Oakes, Chaplain/Psychiatrist, in charge.Second in command Jesus Lewis, living on the Pandoran surface.Trying to destroy the electrokelp and hylighters, seemingly sentient inhabitants of Pandora.Ship brings Raja Flattery out of hibernation and assigns poet Kerro Panille to groundside.Raja changes last name to Thomas.They, along with Waela TaoLini, will conduct a new round of interaction with the kelp/electrokelp.They do so and are rescued by the hylighters.Kerro establishes close communication with the hylighters, learning in the process that the electrokelp and the hylighters are the same consciousness, also known as the Avata.

Thomas is prompted by Ship to engage Pandorans to figure out the correct way to "WorShip".This was the original charge from a newly conscious Ship in Destination: Void, that humans learn how to properly WorShip.Ship states that it will destroy humanity if this task is not completed quickly.

Colony is destroyed - how is never explained as far as I can tell.Redoubt is destroyed.Ship leaves, taking Lewis and Oakes.Apparently, the proper way to WorShip, to "find our own humanity and live up to it" (p. 412), is uncovered in time to stop the destruction of humanity.

Throw in there a time traveling expedition by Hali Ekel to Golgotha to see the crucifixion of Jesus.Why?To understand "holy violence".Okay, but why?

Avata, a female child, is born from the coupling of Waela and Kerro.Purpose? To give "them [Pandora's inhabitants] the new worship and weaving them into a single organism."Do what?

I was fairly excited about the interactions with the kelp, as the communication betweentwo different sentient groups (kelp and humans) is pretty meaty science fiction fare.This interaction was pretty sketchy, though.The interaction did produce Kerro's bridging communication with the hylighters/kelp/Avata.I'm still not sure what all this is supposed to mean.

The characters in this book were just uninteresting.Oakes, Lewis, Ferry and Murdoch, collectively the "bad" guys, were flat, flat, flat.Kerro Panille, the poet with the ability to communicate directly with Ship (a rare ability), was cloaked in so much fluffy nonsense that I'm still not sure what all happened with him.

On Herbert's trademark quotations that start each new chapter, I am usually a fan, but I stopped reading them in this book because they were inane.

The book just spent too long to portray too little.Pretty simple actually.

This isn't the greatest review (pretty sketchy), but it covers the main highlights of the book.My advice, if you are interested in the Pandora series (which I still am even after this book), is to read this review and move on to the next book, The Lazarus Effect. ... Read more

Product Description
Final issue, with 25 all-new stories. ... Read more

Product Description
"Nobody who knows Bill Deasy's wonderful music will be surprised to find that this book is filled with soul. Deasy quietly explores the ties that bind, and the evolution of a heart that everyone will recognize, and root for" -- Jane McCafferty, author of "One Heart" --- Ransom Seaborn is an astonishing literary debut in the spirit of Jay Gatsby and Holden Caulfield. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

A love story on many levels
This is a love story on many levels which I enjoyed thoroughly and would recommend wholeheartedly. It only started to annoy me in the last third when I began to fear that it would turn into a depressive cheat. When it didn't, and that wasn't a sure thing until the very end, I was relieved, and impressed at the artistic manipulation. And reassured that I'd invested my time wisely.

It starts slow. I lost interest several times, put it down, and forgot about it. But I kept remembering and coming back. Partly it was the religion. You don't find much good writing these days that takes belief seriously. I suppose most fans will be about the writer's age and familiar with his music. I'm quite a bit older, and I'd never heard of him, only his book. But it doesn't require a generational hook. It even reminded me, in surprise flashes, of my own college days, in the dim, distant, ancient past. Now I'll look into his music.

Ransom Seaborn
Great page turner.Nice heartfelt story.I have passed this book along to serveral of my friends and have not gotten it back yet. Can't wait for sophmore book from this author.

Great Book - If you liked Catcher in the Rye..buy this
Friend told me about this book.Won some sort of award so gave it a try.Well worth it.Deasy is a great writer.

A book to cherish, beautifully designed cover and all
I read about RANSOM SEABORN on the POD-dy Mouth blog when Bill Deasy's book won the 2006 Needle Award. I've yet to hear who's picked up this title to reprint, but I hope it gets the marketing and promotional dollars it deserves. RANSOM SEABORN was a perfect rainy-weekend read for me; a welcome return to college days; a reminder of what it was like to drive so many small-town roads when you're young and in search of so many answers. I trusted Bill Deasy the songwriter would weave a lyrical tale, and I was right. Ransom and Fin will live for a long time in the memories of those who read this deceptively brief story of love, life, and...ultimately...faith in what makes it all so real.

Pleasantly Surprised
I saw this in the "local" section of my neighborhood Borders bookstore, and bought it on a whim. I knew the name as a local musician, so I thought I'd give it a read. It sat on my desk for 6-8 months. Man, if I'd known how good it was, I would have cracked it immediately...

This book worked for me in that it painted a picture of something I had never experienced--a freshman year. I went to college at 31. As a result of being older than the typical student, I felt a bit like an outsider. This helped pull me into the book and it's characters.

If you havn't read a novel in a while, I highly recommend this one. It's not very long, it's enjoyable to read and it's filled with humanity and grace.

An excellent first work. ... Read more

Product Description
Senator Bill Haig was distraught at the apparent kidnapping of his wife Estelle. Fearful that any attempt to find and rescue her could lead to her death, he sent Tom Berg out in secret to try and locate her. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Ransom vs Price
I purchased this after reading a book by Evelyn Anthony called The Persian PRICE, and I am wondering if this product, The Persian Ransom, is a British edition of The Persian Price.The Persian Ransom begins differently and there are some things in "Price" that are left out of "Ransom."I wonder if Ms. Anthony added to the book later.That being said, both versions are marvelous and deserve a lot more than two
stars.Some readers I know were disappointed at the ending but I don't think it could have ended any other way.Some of the characters, namely Eileen, Peters and Madeliene, love in spite of themselves and are strangely out of character in this.It is ironic because it isn't what one would expect from people in their situation.You don't expect terrorists to love "in the conventional sense."This book is definitely dated but one of my favorites.

An outdated thriller
Logan Field has an enviable position at the top of Imperial Oil. A big contract with the Shah in Teheran, with some financiers in Japan and the Imshan refinery project are supposed to make the West's oil secure and make Imperial Oil millions of dollars. But the Russians want the Imshan refinery for themselves and so back the Syrians who back some Palestinian terrorists who kidnap Field's wife. What will be Filed's priority: the oil business, his mistress or his wife?
The novel is read by Bill Wallis for BBC Audiobooks and his performance is excellent. ... Read more