Product Description
Kristine Kathryn Rusch,Jody Lynn Nye, P. N. Elrod, Andre Norton, Gary A. Braunbeck, Josepha Sherman, Michelle West and other tale-spinners stir up a witch's brew of original new stories that prove that cats aren't the only suitable familiars. There are dogs, and humans, and even insects that can handle the job!

Edited by Denise Little. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Little by Little !
I ordered this book and read most of it in the hope that I would learn something about Familiars . In the interval between ordering and receiving my sixth sense made me begin to have doubts about Ms Little . Had she flown about the battlements of an old castle in the form of an Owl? Had she entertained A Hyrax or a Feral Cat as a house guest ? Had she ever had a pet Bat living behind a picture in the living room ? Was she acquainted with the properties of Henbane and twylight sleep and did she number Hecate among her close friends? The kindest thing , I thought was to suggest that Ms Little Knew as much about Familiars as I know about Conveyancing or Futures Trading , and let it go at that !

15 tales of familiars ranging from toys to cats to humans
Braunbeck, Gary A.: "Modoc Rising" The narrator's friendship with his 27-year-old nephew Carson is cemented by a shared love of comics. But Carson lately has turned up with _MODOC: Land of the First Beast_, which seems to be giving him messages from elsewhere. Then as mass die-offs of many animal species strike worldwide, the Down's-syndrome-afflicted Carson goes missing...

Elrod, P.N.: "Dog Spelled Backward" Sasha (who with Megan, her sister, is a terrier/miniature-Doberman cross) knew she'd inherit Mighty Mite's pack leader role when the elderly Pomeranian abandoned her arthritic body. But none of the 3 realized how much their human "mom" would grieve, being unable to perceive the Mite's spirit. The *dogs* have the out-of-body experiences and so on, not the human; they protect her from Otherside vampiric things that would feed on her misery - things that take squirrel-shape. :)

Gilman, Laura Anne: The unnamed narrator gives a "Catseye" view of the abuser married to a lady with a healer's touch. 'He thought she was alone. That was his worst mistake.'

Helfers, John: Sevronai and his apprentice have had hard times, as the aging Sevronai's control over his spellcasting has deteriorated (rain spells that won't stop, for instance). When "Thieves in the Night" - a pack of little forstchen - steal the last of the travellers' food, Sevronai gives chase only to be caught by their master, a hedge-wizard who tired of his role as wildlife-protector.

Jocks, Von: (The title of "This Dog Watched" is taken from an Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem about her dog.) The narrator consults a psychic about his English Lit problems - who says 'no WAY' as soon as she consults her crystal ball. Madame Eglantine says he has issues from a life as a *dog* - but there are technical problems with past-life regression to something that can't talk.

McCay, Bill: "Alliance" Setting: Egypt (but not that of McCay's StarGate novels; see also _A Constellation of Cats_). Tanit, village healer, finds it odd that only young children are afflicted with fever, and that the new deity establishing a cult in the area should declare cats anathema. Narrative alternates between Tanit and Bast, a stray whose feline senses give her a different perspective on the problem.

Norton, Andre: "The Familiar" From Fossi the familiar's point of view, who has been passing as a child's toy handed down from mother to daughter for generations - and who considers the current human charge, Jeseca [sic] to be the familiar. Fossi, unfortunately, has lazily waiting for Jeseca to grow up a little before trying to educate her; now they may both pay, as they flee enemy soldiers invading their native city.

Nye, Jody Lynn: "And So, Ad Infinitum" Mira is a weekend witch: a middle-aged mom whose 'pet' cat Zoomer doubles as her familiar. Zoomer seems pretty normal - obsessed with his favourite food, testing mattresses, acquiring fleas. However, he's good at his job, and she wouldn't dream of trying to contact great-aunt Violet on the other side to complete her family history without him.

Rabe, Jean: "On the Scent of the Witch" John Bradstreet is the only *real* witch in Massachusetts, let alone Salem. Against the modern trend of witches in fiction, he's actually guilty of many of the evils Cotton Mather attributes to witches - playing with others' lives for fun and profit, using his elderly dog to manipulate children with an eye to future immortality. Good characterization; he doesn't see himself as evil, but isn't about to put his neck on the line to save those falsely accused of his crimes.

Resnick, Laura: "First Familiars" - a series of memos between Socks the Cat and his infernal masters; he just can't make headway with the Clintons. Then Socks receives a *dog* as backup. (Socks complains to his union rep.) He even tangles with the IRS ("your threat to send me back to the Fifth Circle for my failure to file a tax return while I was *there* for 180 years is so depraved that even the Dark Powers are impressed.")

Rusch, Kristine Kathryn: Winston, a timid, underpowered wizard, is "Searching for the Familiar" after his cat falls victim to a rash of familiar-kidnappings. His advantage is that one of his friends is a cop, who needs no magic to investigate kidnappings.

Sherman, Josepha: "Swordplay" Marko, as his father's second - and second-best - son, has been nicknamed 'Luckless' so long he believes it, but he's determined to tackle the dragon who crippled his father and killed his older brother. In a fit of self-pitying sarcasm, he 'conjures' a spirit into his sword - Stacie, a Valley-girl who simultaneously cast her own 'spell'. She'll cooperate, but has her own opinions to contribute.

Sizemore, Susan: "Goodness Had Nothing to Do with It" Told in an unusual style: all dialogue, without even 'he said/she said', and only 4 characters: Marcie and Kim opening their new phone-psychic business, an undercover cop seeking a missing person, and Mae - who hadn't known until she first saw a mirror that this time she'd reincarnated as a ratlike Chihuahua rather than a white Persian. :)

Stuckart, Diane A.S.: "Business as Usual" Jane Riverspoon is no magician, even as a saleswoman, having inherited a corner office from the late unlamented Tiffany Glass only under a lottery system. Nevertheless, a rat shows up to act as her mentor: the reincarnated Tiffany, required to compensate for not having helped others in life. (Tiffany, far from being remorseful, resents the situation, and Jane's phobic about rats.)

West, Michelle: "Legacy" occupies a full quarter of the book. Callie unexpectedly gains a familiar during a weird glitch in a online role-playing game in this near-future: a tiny dragon, apparently the same helper program that once served as familiar to one of the system's founders. ('Legacy' here has several senses, including the computer sense, as the game progresses on many levels.)

powerful witch�s brew anthology
Based on the most unscientific survey, most readers within a mean plus or minus three standard deviations will state unequivocally that a familiar is a magical cat that is a companion to a witch.Obviously tales like Bell, Book, and Candle conjure up felines as companions to the Kim Novaks of the world.However, the fifteen contributors to this anthology demonstrate a wider girth of sidekicks to include the expected cats (including former White House resident Socks), dogs (feels at first like heresy, but it works), people (not just husbands), and insects (don't ask).Each tale as far as this reviewer understands is new, but what this reader knows is that each contribution is well written, remains within the theme, and provides fans with a powerful witch's brew anthology.Now let me take a closer look at my menagerie (dogs and cats not my spouse silly) who obviously have bewitched me as they can do no wrong (that's how one perceives exclusion of the husband).

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description
Banished from the world of humans after being framed, elven prince Ardagh struggles to find a place for himself and is called upon to defend Ireland against the evil magic of an Anglo-Saxon menace. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A great read
This, like the previous book in the series, is a great read.Sherman has a gift for weaving historical information with fantasy and keeping it interesting.Her characters are well developed and easy to relate to.Herstory is fast paced, engaging and fun.I hope a third book will follow.

The end?
I enjoyed this book and The Shattered Oath immensely. I hope there is going to be a third installment soon!

I love elf books!
I am a great fan of Highflight's SERRAted Edge series, and other assorted 'elf' books, including Sherman's 'Son of Darkness'. I have bought both 'The Shattered Oath' and 'Forging the runes', and found them to be aninteresting change from the urban settings of others I have read. There isa lot of history casually woven in. Book II sees Ardagh once again tryingto figure out his place in an entirely human court, helped by the fact thatsome of his friends now know what he is. But when King Aedh proposes he actas an Ambassador to another court, Ardagh lands in trouble once again -right in the middle of a blood-drinking sorceror's bid for power. Better,we get to see Ardagh try at being part of an ordinary, human relationship.My only question is, what happened to Book III? It does say 'Prince of theSidhe Trilogy'. ... Read more

Product Description
The Arctic, the far, frozen north, can be a very dangerous place for people to visit. The Arctic is almost always bitter cold, with temperatures that can go far below -50°F and be in total darkness for four months out of a year. Terrible storms sweep across the ice and snow, and great crevasses, perilous openings in the ice, can swallow the unlucky traveler. By the early 1900s, many expeditions had tried to reach the farthest point north, the North Pole, but all of them had failed. Many explorers had died. Tales spread that no one could reach the North Pole. They warned that the land was cursed. But in the early twentieth century, two men decided to brave the Arctic again. They were Americans Robert Peary and Matthew Henson. And they were determined to do what no one had ever done. They were going to reach the North Pole. ... Read more

Product Description
Harley-Davidson motorcycles are world-famous.Big and powerful, they are loved by riders around the world.It seems as though theyve been around forever.But at the beginning of the twentieth century, there were no motorcycles.Two young men, Arthur Harley and William Davidson, decided to start a company to build them.But they had almost no money.Their first factory was a shed that was so small and light four men could pick it up and move it.How did they turn that tiny beginning into a world-famous company?How did the Harley-Davidson motorcycle become so important?Its a fascinating story. ... Read more

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A clever and beautiful woman uses her wits to get her husband out of Prince Vladimir's prison. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great primerWOW
The best in a down to earth read Book on the subjectI have gained much.the shipping was great the price was great I rate this as a 10 on the subject of Geothermalthank you John Morin Brownville, Maine ... Read more

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Provides information and advice on using the Internet safely, discussing privacy concerns, viruses, shopping online, netiquette, and more. ... Read more

Product Description
Percinet, half-human son of a queen of Faerie, falls in love with a mortal, the daughter of a medieval count, and leaves his realm of magic to defend her against her cruel stepmother, a secret sorceress. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Wow
I remember reading this when I was fairly young (somewhere between 8 and 12), and when I was 17, I went to my local library to try to find it.They didn't even have it in the computer.(Small town)I am so thrilled that I didn't imagine reading this, because it was one of the most amazing books I have ever read.I absolutely devoured this book.It just sucks you in, and totally captivates you.If you like fairy tales, this book will delight you.

The best book
This is the greatest book, even if your not into mystical fantasy the romance and action is great.

Fantasy to survive with
A book which draws you in and holds you there. You don't just understand, you ARE the characters. The style is the in the ancient folktale style, which is fitting for the characterization. I was fourteen when I first read this book, and since then it has become my "teddy bear" book, brought with me everywere. It gives you a way out of your mundane reality.

So Sweet and Simple
For years I'd seen this book in the shelves of the public library, but I'd never given it more than a glance.But just recently I was browsing the shelves, after having found what I was looking for, and chanced upon Child of Faerie, Child of Earth. I read the inside cover for probably the 5th time in the past 3 years, thinking maybe I ought to read it, and see if it was any good.

So I checked it out, brought it home, and began to read... and I couldn't put it down!The story is so simple, and yet so enthralling all at once.I immediately liked Percinet, the green-eyed elf with a sweet sense of humor and such persistence. Me being the addictive reader that I am, finished the book in a day.I loved it not as one loves a flowering orchid awash in dew, but as one sees a white daisy in a field, and loves it for its simplicity and purity.If ever I am in a bad mood, I shall pick up this book and read my worries away.

I recommend it to any avid reader, any hopeless romantic, any believer of Faeries, any lover of adventures, any magically talented soul, anyone who enjoys a story, pure and lovely.Any reader, any age, will love this book.I did.Even as I was in the midst of A Clockwork Orange, Julius Caesar, and so many dark and serious and sorrowful books, Child of Faerie, Child of Earth was my beam of hopeful light, my life-saving beacon. It is a book like no other.

Beautiful Story
This story was wonderful, I only wish I had gotten a copy of my own! It is a great spin off of the Greek tale of Cupid and Psyche. This is one of myfavorite stories ever. ... Read more

Product Description
Hauberin, ruler of a Faerie princedom and the target of numerous plots, must search the world where his mother was born--a world where faeries are killed--for the key that will prevent a dying foe's curse. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great book, fugly cover
Young Prince Hauberin is a half-elven prince of Fairie. Despised by his cousin for his human blood, he faces the scorn of his people with a wry sense of humor and a quick wit. After being cursed, Hauberin is forced to go on a quest to discover the origins of his human lineage. Together with his friend Li who is a wind elemental, he travels to the human realm to the ancient castle of his forefather.

This was an entertaining book. I really liked Prince Hauberin, he was charming, entertaining and well constructed. His friend Li was also quite intriguing. I liked the way that Faerie was visualized and the various creatures therein.

On the negative side, the romance between Hauberin and Mathilde did nothing for me. It seemed a bit tacked on. I also found the ending a little trite with all elements falling a little too neatly into place. Finally, I found the villain and the battle with him unsatisfying because of his ability to posses his victims. I was never quite sure who he was fighting and what he was fighting. If a book deserved a sequel though, it would be this one.

One final note. The fugly cover of this book just does not do this novel justice. Sweet's art makes every character look wizened. He doesn't even get the hair color right. :Sighs: I guess the publishers will continue to completely disregard the benefits of an appealing cover in favor of hiring the same cheap painter hack who draws everyone the same.

There's potential, but it's not realized
There were some interesting ideas in this book, but I thought that it fell far short of its potential. The writing was mediocre at best, the characterization bland, and there were too many plot holes to make it a really enjoyable read. I was also annoyed by the way that Sherman seemed to discard most of the faerie "lore" that has become accepted in the world at large (and by this I mean like folk-tales, not rules set forth by other fantasy writers) but she didn't really create her own either. I spent most of the book confused about the societies of the faerie creatures.

The potential for a good story was there, but the ideas, characters, and world needed to be better developed for it to work well. I would only recommend this book to Sherman fans

Just fun to read and re-read
This book isn't necessarily a classic, one that all people should read, but when I picked it up I enjoyed every minute. I've re-read it twice since then and enjoyed it just as much the second or third time. That's a hardthing to find in a book and Josepha Sherman does a good job. If you likefantasy, especially the Mercedes Lackey and Ann Marston type, I think youwill like this. I also like the book King's son, Magic's son by Sherman. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduces the rodeo as a sport, exploring its origins, people, animals, events, scoring, and involvement of children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

You're Welcome to the Rodeo!
I like this book called "Welcome to the Rodeo! (Rodeo)" by author Josepha Sherman & my favorite picture is page 10 with a cowboy roping a calf.

This book Introduces the rodeo as a sport, exploring its origins, people, animals, events, scoring, & involvement children.

What does the word rodeo mean?
What is a piggin' string?
Why did steer wrestling used to be called "bulldogging?"

Rodeo is my favorite & any one I can go to is The Calgary Stampede, Aspen Colorado, Montana, Texas, Wyoming, Florida where the Kissimmee rodeo is & Nevada in Las, Vegas at The National Finals Rodeo.

The National Finals Rodeo is in Las Vegas, Nevada & it is every December.

I think this book reminds me of Rodeo: American Original CD, Black Beauty book by author Anna Sewell & Adapted by Eleanor G. Vance & Illustrated by Susan Jeffers, Home Alone 3. video & book, Rodeo Action 1: Rodeo Bloopers on DVD & Big Comfy Couch: Picky Eaters/Naptime for Molly video.

I loved this book & enjoyed it!!

Well, this also reminds me of a DVD called "City Slickers" starring Billy Crystal & on video, too.

I loved it!! ... Read more

Product Description
Explores the origins and development of bronc riding as a rodeo event, discussing the rules, the training, the judging, and the animal and human stars. ... Read more

Book Description
From the myths and legends of the ancient world to the verfied historical records of modern times, these inspiring volumes provide a window onto the past, enabling the reader to understand previous eras and the men and women who created them.

A fascinating visual guide to the history and lives of America's native peoples from early times to the present day, encompassing unique tribal traditions, practices, and beliefs. ... Read more

Product Description
He loved to laugh. He loved to make up silly songs to make his students laugh, too. But he also loved to think, and find out the answers to scientific puzzles. It didn’t matter if the questions were asked by a seven year old boy or a famous scientist. J. J. Thomson thought that they were all worth answering.Of course, there was one little problem with his research: J. J. was brilliant, but he was also clumsy. Test tubes broke in his hands and experiments refused to work. Once a beaker even exploded in his face, nearly blinding him. But all those accidents didn’t stop him. He was a terrific professor. All his students loved him, and learned from him. And if J. J. had to build his own equipment so that he could examine the atom, then he would do it. And when he did, he would discover something about the atom that no one else had ever expected. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Bill Gates-Interesting
I first bought this book for a book report. I thaught since i lovecomputers, i should write one on bill gates. I thaught that the author dida good job on this book. I liked this book alot. Very Interesting! ... Read more

Product Description
Explores the origins and development of steer wrestling as a rodeo event, discussing the rules, the training for wrestling and roping steers, the animals involved and judging of the events. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wrestling Steers
The book Steer Wrestling by author Josepha Sherman and in this book it is about Steer Wrestling.

The cowboy jumps off his horse, grabs the horns and wrestles it down and it is a rodeo event. ... Read more