Book Description
Alfred of St. Ruan's Abbey is a monk and a scholar, a religious man whose vocation is beyond question. But Alfred is also, without a doubt, one of the fair folk, for though he is more than seventy years old by the Abbey's records, he seems to be only a youth.But Alfred is drawn from the haven of his monastery into his dangerous currents of politics when an ambassador from the kingdom of Rhiyana to Richard Coeur de Leon is wounded and Alfred himself is sent to complete the mission. There he encounters the Hounds of God, who believe that the fair folk have no souls, and must be purged from the Church and from the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Dry, and not nearly as fun as some of Ms. Tarr's other works
The Hound and the Falcon takes place in an alternate reality in which the kingdom of Rhiyana, somewhere in Europe alongside traditional countries, is inhabited by the faerie folk. The first part of this tome, The Isle of Glass, I read as a separate work. The latter two books bring Alf, our protagonist, first to Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, and then back to Rhiyana and Italy as his heritage is threatened.

This book was my nemesis for some time as it took me ages to finish. I was interested in the world Ms. Tarr created, but the story was quite dry and could not hold my attention for long.

My Favorite Book!
I won't give you a big overview of the book, other people have done that.Let me start by saying this is not a light, mindless read.It is deep, passionate and spiritual. It is full of love, beauty, suspence and history and much much more! Judith Tarr is a genius.She has given me a love for history that I didn't know that I had! This is one of my favorite books I just love it!

High quality medieval fantasy
The Hound and the Falcon by Judith Tarr is a stand-out in the genre of medieval fantasy novels. As a real live medievalist (rather than a Ren Fair nerd), I was very pleased to see how well-researched and accurate Tarr's work is. Every detail of the philosophical curriculum studied at the monastery in this novel was correct to the time period-very impressive!

These three short novels, bound together in one volume, tell the story of a medieval monk who is not quite human. In these alternate Middle Ages, the "Hounds of God" (thinly disguised Dominicans-do your Latin etymology, people!) seek out and destroy the elven population. The main character Alfred presents a fascinating conundrum, in that he is a devout Christian who believes in his faith, though his faith tells him that he, as an elf, has no soul. The first of these three stories focuses the most on Alfred's spiritual crisis, and thus I thought it was the best of the three. The other two continue with Alfred's story, but they are more like typical medieval fantasy adventures.

I recommend this volume to fans of medieval fantasy and of alternate histories, but if you're not into fantasy, I doubt this story would appeal much.

An Exquisite Fantasy!
I love this trilogy. I read it close to 10 years ago. I have just finished it the second time. I am just as enthralled as ever with this historical fantasy filled with enchantments and interlaced with tender romantic moments. I will always love Alfred, the innocent and beautiful elf monk, turned powerful elf lord after much struggles with his real true self. I will always appreciate Thea who loves him from the very beginning. Finally who could ever forget Alfred's encounter with Richard, the Lion Heart, Alfred's sorrows during the disastrous invasion of Constantinople and finally Alfred's torment in the last of the trilogy when he thought he has lost all those he loves. My only complaint is the seemingly rush writing towards the end. On the other end, it maybe I did not wish the tale of Alfred, Thea, their children and their elf kin to end. The Hound and the Falcon is definitely one of my favorites to be treasured always.

Magic and History
The monk Alfred has lived his entire life hidden away in the st.Ruans abbey. But even though the years go by brother Alf still looks no older than a boy. Wise though he may be, Alf is unable to face the truth about himself. He is one of the fair folk, an elf, kin to the elven-king. But when trouble comes to st. Ruans, elf-blood can be hidden no more. . .

The great thing about these books is the easy flow of the story. You open them, and before you know it youre battling alongside King Arthur, running through the burning streets of Constantinople or fleeing the Hounds of God. And all the time there are the marvelous details, the dialog, the people. These characters are so easy to fall in love with. Alfred is so scared, so confused you just wish you could reach out a hand and tell him everything will be alright. Beacuse you feel so close to these people, al the way through the books.

These are definately worth the read. ... Read more

Book Description
Since Egg flew off into the night more than a year before, Falcon fears she will never see her dragon again.Her mother wants to forget that Egg ever existed and her father never believed in dragons at all. But the magic finds Falcon again.First she leaps out of a plane after her younger brother, Toody.Then, blown to safety on a current of dragonsbreath, Falcon lands in an enchanted garden on Charles Street in New York City where she is greeted by the wonderfully peculiar Blinda Cholmondely.With the help of an ancient doggerel-spouting dragon named Dirus Horribilus, the rakish Saint George, and the astonishing Charles Street Witch, Falcon sets out to rescue Toody. In this rollicking tale of adventure and surprise, not only will Falcon see her beloved Egg again, she will also discover her own extraordinarily courageous self. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The magic is back
Falcon was a great character when she first appeared in 1995, in the magical "Falcon's Egg." At long last, she is back, with more magic than ever. This time Falcon is surrounded by a new collection of wacky, fascinating characters, most notably Blinda the Charles Street Witch and Dirus Horribilus the old dragon (with a digestive problem whose consequences make for one of the book's most hilarious scenes). This is a book a kid can get happily lost in, while soaking up Luli Gray's witty, sophisticated and lyrical storytelling.

I love Falcon.
In this second Falcon book, she has even more friends, and more dragons. If you like dragons and friendly witches and hilarious saints, you'll love this book. It's a great, great story!

Dragonsbreath rules!
The first Falcon book, "Falcon's Egg", was a great insight into what a child of separated parents goes through.Falcon has to take care of her brother Toody as her mother is unable to deal with raising her kids and so she bears much responsibility on her young shoulders.Finding Egg, and the adventures that follow, give her a powerful secret and something she could choose to care for.What she learns is that loving something sometimes means letting it go, and that there are people in your life who will share some of the weight of world with you if you let them.

In this book, the sequel, Falcon watches as Toody is swept out of a plane and she follows him as she tries to save him.From that moment on, these two enter a world that is both real and fantasy.There is more magic in this book than in the first, and it is sillier.But it is a very enjoyable silliness that contrasts with the seriousness of "Falcon's Egg".I particularly liked Dirius, the old dragon with a little gas problem (hilarious) and Belinda Chomondley, the Charles Street Witch.

Pedestrian
"Falcon and the Charles Street Witch" strains to be an especially interesting fantasy story, but fails to be so. I haven't read the first book, but didn't have much trouble understanding this one; its simplicity works hard against it.

A year has passed since the events of "Falcon's Egg," when Falcon let her dragon go free. Now her parents are in denial over Falcon's existance, and the two kids, Falcon and her brother, are visiting their father in Australia when Toody needs to use the bathroom. He ends up falling out of the plane, and Falcon is falling right behind him.

Somehow Falcon ends up alive and well on the ground. She befriends a nice little old lady named Cholmondely, who reveals that Falcon's dragon Egg was the one to save both Falcon and Toody by blowing them on her dragonsbreath. Toody is with Egg, safe and sound, but very, very far away. To find him, Falcon has to band together with an old dragon called Dirus Horribilus, Saint George, and Mrs. Cholmondely, the Charles Street Witch.

Given that the book starts off with the heroine falling out of a plane and landing safely on the ground due to a dragon's breath, I really could not expect too much from the plotline. I appreciate the necessity of fantasy elements, but this is a little much. It reads a bit like the adventure daydreams of a small child. The dragons don't help; Dirus speaks of doggerel, while Egg now speaks in misquoted Shakespeare, a plot twist that made me cringe. The descriptions of Egg, physically, made me cringe even more.

The characterizations are quite flat. Falcon is a generic heroine, without any outstanding characteristics or sympathetic emotions to make her accessible to the readers. Mrs. Cholmondely seems to exist solely for the convenience of the heroine; the author seems to want to make her quirky, but she only comes across as pretentious. Egg is an unexceptional dragon, more inclined toannoy than to intrigue. And Toody is a pretty ordinary little brother character; he's been written a thousand times before.

If readers are searching for a good early-readers fantasy, they should try Emily Rodda's "Rowan of Rin" series or T.A. Barron's "Tree Girl." This one fails to captivate.

Falcon is Back, Hurrah, Hurrah!
For those of us who have been waiting for the sequel to the enchanting, brave and serious Falcon's Egg, this book is water upon parched soil!Moving from the grounded and richly rendered Manhattan of the first book, the author takes us to a surreal (and parallel) universe of Australial aborigines, Scottish bagpipers, classics-misquoting dragons and, most strange of all: happy, friendly New Yorkers!
Falcon's Egg was a love letter to New York and a tribute to great children's book authors of the past, like E. Nesbitt.In Falcon and the Charles Street Witch, the author follows the lead of Lewis Carroll and whips up a story that is absurd, energetic, and often hilarious.I just hope these books keep coming, as Falcon is a character I want to know for a long time! ... Read more

Book Description

Product Description
Journey Back to an Age of Aces!All along the Western Front the Germans curse them "Verdamnt Der Rot Falker!"They were Barry Rand, Yank ace and his giant Senagalese aide, Sika. Their blood-red ship was a patched-up crate of salvaged wreckage-their drome a hidden tarmac in theVosges Mountains. Yet from Paris to Berlin they were known as the most deadly pair of hellcats that ever blazed a death trail through Boche skies!This exciting second volume of the collected adventures of The Red Falcon by Robert J. Hogan includes the following gripping air-war tales: S.O.S. Patrol, The Falcon Twins, Black Buzzards, The Headless Pilot, and The Invisible Patrol (with guest appearances by Smoke Wade and The Sky Devil).Also included is David Saunders' in-depth look at the life and art of Popular Publication's master aviation artist, Frederick Blakeslee. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Love Those Flying Aces
Oh yes, if you like flying stories and stories about the old war, this is definitely for you. And if you remember G-8 then you should know Robert J. Hogan for he wrote those stories and also wrote the stories in this book . This is a great book, lots of flying and lots of action and I also suggest you try Volume 1 of this series. This is an excellent company reprinting these stories, look them up on Amazon for they also have other books available, not many, but all excellent. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A great, very interesting, read!
When I first became interested in falconry, I, like most people, wanted to learn everything I could on the subject. This book covers several aspects of falconry, such as the history and the raptors used in it, and moves on to many personal stories. This is NOT a "how-to" book.Bodio has delivered a wonderfully entertaining and quite creatively written book that I highly recommend to any aspiring or long-time falconer. You won't be disappointed!
--Lauren

A Passion for Raptors
Stephen Bodio is one of my favorite writers--definitely my favorite nature writer--and this books captures the essence of the ancient sport of falconry. This is not a manual;it's an essay that helps to explain whyanyone would go through so much effort just to share in the privilege ofhunting in partnership with a wild animal. (No other modern sport allowsone to do this.)This is a book that can be read and enjoyed by anyone,falconer or not, but the falconer will appreciate some of the insightsBodio has--for instance, when he describes the infamous goshawk. Irecommend this to anyone who wants to learn what falconry is, or who isseriously considering taking up hawks. It is fun, it is informative, and itwill stay with you for a long time.

Wonderful overview
Mr. Bodio has written an outstanding overview of modern falconry. He manages to convey what it is about falconry that makes falconers put up with the heartache of hunting with raptors. As a bonus, Mr. Bodio's writing is a joy to read. It is both funny and informative. This is definitely *not* a how-to book, but instead gives a good overview of what falconry is like, and what a prospective falconer can expect. ... Read more

Book Description
Part One Of Three Parts

Written on the brink of World War II, West's classic examination of the history, people, and politics of Yugoslavia illuminates a region that is once again the center of international concern.A magnificent blend of travel journal, cultural commentary and historical insight, it probes into the troubled history of the Balkans and the uneasy relationships among its ethnic groups.The landscape and people of Yugoslavia are brilliantly observed as Rebecca West untangles the tensions that rule the country's history as well as its daily life.

"A masterpieceas astonishing in its range, in the subtlety and power of its judgment, as it is brilliant in expression." (London Times) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Quickly builds intuition for financial derivatives
Tremendously valuable book for its selection and excellent treatment of many rarely addressed aspects of financial derivatives and the care with which intuition for these aspects is developed.

Financial mathematics exists at the intersection of many different fields, yielding many possible perspectives from which to teach and learn about this discipline.Many of these perspectives bog down in the rigor of their respective fields.Such approaches render it difficult to absorb and apply core concepts without spending a great deal of time in first learning topics such as advanced probability theory and stochastic calculus.

Dr. Crack's approach seems to be to develop the intuition as a framework for understanding further advanced study, should it be warranted by the reader.At the same time, he includes many aspects of the underlying science to help bridge the gap between the academic world and the world of trading.

For example, his derivation of the solution to the Black-Scholes equation and subsequent analysis of the components of the solution leaves the reader fully prepared to quickly and intelligently grasp the impact of changes in assumptions.This is in contrast to many treatments that seem to stop at the solution, leaving the reader feeling as though the Black-Scholes solution is simply a black-box with no intuitive connection to the real world.

Very clear explanation of Black-Scholes
I like the text because it gives many aspects of the Black-Scholes model that I have not found elsewhere.One may feel that Black-Scholes is an "old" model, but it is the genesis of option pricing and understanding its intuition is the key to understanding more complex models.In addition, the text is very readable, but I think even more satisfying if the reader already has some options background.

Nonpareil
Crack's two books, Basic Black-Scholes and Heard On The Street,
are masterpieces of condensed ,focused instruction for those who need to know. There is also an atmosphere of scintillating competence projected on the reader. Some of the anecdotes in Heard On The Street are hilarious; add to this the requirement that you must keep your wits about you at all times when reading
these primers and overall you get a feeling of a happy learning experience. Remarkable.

A great source for intuition on options
I was generally familiar with options pricing and read this book after the Hull's book on derivatives.I felt that this text definitely provided a lot of good intuition and different perspectives that I have not see anywhere else.

This text helped me systemize my knowledge of options and develop a more intuitive feel for their behavior. Definitely, a good addition to the classics on option pricing.

Great Introduction to Option Pricing
This is an excellent introduction to option pricing, with a great deal of both analytical and practical information.While there is a lot of mathematics (obviously), the logical progression of topics and easy to read text make it quite accessible.Intuition and reasoning are used in conjunction with the mathematics to help make somewhat abstract ideas more concrete.Although the focus of the text is on option pricing, several other facets of finance are explored to help illuminate general pricing/investment strategies.This is an easy to follow book with justifications at every step of the way - great for students as well as investors interested in option trading. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Medieval Hack & Slash novel
Great action story,reminiscient of Conan,of a European knight and his band of mercenaries returning from the Crusades and seeking vengeance on those that betrayed them to the Saracens.A great read,but the series was never finished.Mark Ramsay is the pen name for author Jon Maddox Roberts,writer of the SPQR series,among others.Will this series ever be finished?Will Draco ever avenge his father?

Great medieval adventure
A great action novel; fast-paced with a fun two-layer plot, but what I really love about it is its detail of medieval warfare and life in general. Characters are about as deep as you'd expect in an action book, but the thing as a whole is really picturesque. I'm looking forward to the sequels. ... Read more

Book Description
Few films have had the impact or retained the popularity of The Maltese Falcon. An unexpected hit upon its release in 1941, it helped establish the careers of John Huston and Humphrey Bogart while also helping both to transform the detective genre of movies and to create film noir. This volume includes an introduction by its editor and a shot-by-shot continuity of the film, as well as essays on its production, on literary and film traditions it drew upon, and on its reputation and influence over the last half century. Included are reviews from the time of the film's original release, the enthusiastic French response in 1946 that helped define film noir, and a close formal anaylsis of the film.In addition, the volume contains a comparison of this version to earlier film versions of the Dashiell Hammett novel, and helpful explorations of cultural, historical, and psychoanalytic issues. Like Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon has attained iconic status; this volume will contribute to the pleasure its many fans find in viewing the film again and again.William Luhr is a professor of English at St. Peter's College in New Jersey. He is the author of Raymond Chandler and Film and co-author of Blake Edwards and other books. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Ms. Ray does it again!
Francis Ray is one of my favorite authors.Great stories, and great characters.I love to curl up with a glass wine and enjoy a great evening with Francis Ray's characters. A must buy!

Francis Ray Rules
Francis Ray always captures me with her writing. Sometimes I find it may start a little slow, but once she gets rolling the story always flows. And these three stories were full of romance and steamy intimacy. All I can say is thank God I'm not single or I'd be lookin' for a man after each one of her novels. Keep 'em coming Francis!

First story - ok the rest good
Only hers - 3 stars; ok Shannon was a weeping willow wimp, Matt a brooding idiot. The best characters were Daniel Falcon and the ranch staff.
The Heart of the Falcon-3.5 stars- Daniel supposedly a man of integrity behaved abominably at first but I suppose he came good in the end. Madelyn well I suppose she loved him,if it was me from the time he denied the baby he wouldn't see me for dust. Best characters- John Henry Falcon and Felician Falcon. Kane and Matthew acted like hypocrites and as if their sister was a small child not a 24 year old woman.
Break every rule - best story 5 stars! Love story handled well, with good emphasis on characterisation rather then the physical sex which is different but nice.

"Whatta Novel"
Here's my review: "Only Hers" (3 stars), this book was o.k. Octavia was my favorite character because she was so down to earth, Cleve made you just want to hug him. The main characters, Shannon and Matt really got on my nerves, with Matt's bullying, and Shannon crying every other paragraph. "Heart Of The Falcon" (3 stars), this book was so funny to me. Daniel was hilarious...and I don't mean this in a good way. Mr. Big-time Businessman strutting around Texas, people fearing him saying..."You don't want to cross Daniel Falcon", but at the same time singing his praises like he's a god or something. The way Ms. Ray describes how Daniel dresses, with his Stetson hat, tight pants, and cowboy boots and his hair in a ponytail....I bet he looked like I don't know what. Madelyn's pregnant at the drop of a hat, hoping and praying that Daniel will love her. Ms. Ray what are you doing to the women in these stories. Give the ladies backbones PLEASE!!!! The only interesting characters in this novel were Daniel's parents John Henry and Felicia, Higgins(Felicia's driver), and Madelyn's parents Bill and Grace. I liked how Kane and Matt took Daniel off to the side for a "talk". The ending pissed me off because all Daniel had to do was get mushy, tell Madelyn all the things she wanted to hear, she cries, excepts his ring and BOOM! they get married, after everything he's said and done to her, especially denying that he was the father of their baby. "Break Every Rule" (5 stars), this book I really liked. Trent and Dominique were nothing like Shannon and Matt, and Daniel and Madelyn. Trent was all that without being a bully, Dominique had a "BACKBONE", and the storyline got right to the point without being boring. I liked how Trent was nice and respectful and looked out for Janice. Trent's background should have been dealt with more. All the characters were a joy to read, from Trent all the way down to Isaac. To me all 569 pages of this book should have been "Break Every Rule".

I can't wait to read more
I had heard alot about the "Falcon" series and how good it was so when I cam across the opportunity to buy 3 at once I jumped at the chance.Needless to say I am just as hooked just like a fish to a hook on this family tale.It is so much fun to read, it has excitement and the tastest relationships you ever want to read about.Now I am not a mushy kind of person but I found that Francis Ray's stories keep me coming back for more.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
THE LEGEND

In the 18th Dynasty of Egypt, there was born a love that could never be broken - that of a young queen and a great warrior. And while the warrior's duty to combat the infidel was strict, and though his beloved was the wife of pharaoh, the two would be separated only by death. And then only for a time.

THE LOVERS

Elizabeth Summers came to the dig at Akhetaten in 1892. Great things were being discovered! English archaeologists had made huge advances and Egypt's fantastic history was being laid bare. But Elizabeth was not destined to simply study history - she was to be a part of it. Swept away by desert raiders, the pale beauty found herself in the arms of a great sheikh. And while Elizabeth didn't know whether she was the reincarnation of an ancient queen, she realized that in this man's arms she had found her destiny. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Great New Author
I really enjoyed this book by Bonnie Vanak....it is original and the characters are so different.The heroine in this novel is an adventureous out to discover treasure in a foreign land, the hero is of an ancient tribe bound to protect the treasure. When the hero sets out to protect the tomb of his ancestors and the characters meet,the chemistry is explosive. To protect the integrity of the tomb, he kidnaps our heroine who is being blackmailed into excavating more than she should.The passion between the two is hotter than the surrounding desert and of course, they can't resist each other. Ms. Vanak will be on my must read list from now on.

Delightful read!
I just finished this book, and now I'm off to look for other books by Bonnie Vanak.This is the first Egyptian historical I've read, and I want more!

Mystically Exciting
Setting - Egypt 1892-American Elizabeth Summers has always wanted to be accepted as an archaeologist. She travels to Egypt with two purposes in mind - one to meet with her Uncle on an archaeological dig and the other to find a cure for her sick grandmother.Elizabeth had found an old papyrus that told of a special artifact, the Almha, that contained special writings for a cure. Unfortunately, being a woman, she would only be assigned the mundane tasks of cataloguing the findings.

Sheik Jabari and his desert warriors were honor bound to keep the Almha safe from infidels and routinely send warriors to the dig to monitor their activities.Duringa raid to frighten off the workers Jabari is first introduced to Elizabeth who has just arrived. Jabari overcome at seeing thisbeautiful, blond, and brave woman among the diggers soon decides, that because he understands English better, he is best suited to discover what is going on. He goes undercover pretending to be a worker and also to discover just what it is about Elizabeth that attracts him.

With what appears to be a mystical connection to the long dead queen who originally hid the Almha, Elizabeth realizes where the artifact is hidden and attempts to unearth it.Jabari, discovering her about to unearth the Almha, and rather than kill her on the spot, as tradition would dictate, abducts her so that the artifact remains hidden and brings her to his harem. Although, there exists a strong attraction between Elizabeth and Jabari to begin with, when he sees a dove shaped birthmark on her, he believes that she is the reincarnation of Queen Kiya, whom the ancient prophecy claims that one day she would return. He knows that for the good of his people he must marry her - but more than that - for himself as she's captured his heart.

This is a fast-paced tale that hooks the reader from the first chapter when Jabari sees Elizabeth among the excavators. The story is fast-paced and loaded with action and stimulating dialog, and a plethora of interesting and colorful secondary characters.The love developed between the lead protaganists is wonderfully and sensually done and the mystical reincarnation aspect is a unique touch that simply adds more enjoyment to this wonderful love story as East meets West. Tension and suspense leading up to the conclusion in the final chapters will leave you fully satisfied with this fabulous read and leave you yearning for more and looking forward to the next tale in this series.

Hot and sensual paranormal romance
In 1892, Elizabeth Summers travels to the Egyptian desert to join her uncle on an archeological dig in the ancient city of Akhetaten. She desperately wants to find the Almha, a large gold disk supposedly buried in the ancient city; it purportedly possesses strong powers and ancient remedies. She needs the disk to hopefully find a cure for her grandmother's tuberculosis; however, her uncle wants it for an entirely different reason. Despite her vast knowledge of the Egypt's 18th Dynasty, her uncle will only allow her to assist in the cataloging of the dig site's discoveries. Possessing a papyrus she found in her grandmother's attic and strange images/memories she does not understand, Elizabeth sets out on a secret dig where she not only locates the Almha but meets her destiny in fulfilling an ancient prophecy.

Jabari bin Tarik Hassid, Sheik of the Kahmsin warriors, is a descendant of a long line of warriors sworn to guard the Almha from discovery and destroy any efforts to unearth the disk. Posing as a field worker (Asim) to spy on the "infidels", Jabari soon finds he cannot deny the strong attraction he feels for Elizabeth. When she unearths the Almha, he cannot find the strength to follow his tribe's tradition and destroy her, so he spirits her away to his harem to spare her life. Overcome by his lust he sets out to seduce her only to find out she is not only his fated bride but possibly the answer to his tribe's prayers.

I highly recommend reading this enchanting love story full of romance, sensuality and adventure. Bonnie Vanack demonstrates a true skill in making her characters not only human but humorous as well. I really enjoyed the plot, found it well-paced and the dialogue between Jabari and Elizabeth had me chuckling at the idiosyncrasies of Middle Eastern men and "modern" British women. The secondary characters, Uncle Nahid, Nkosi (Jabari's grandfather), Badra (a member of Jabari's harem) and Nazim (Jabari's best friend) not only made the story well rounded but added another key piece to this wonderful tale. I can't wait to read Nazim's story, "For A Warrior's Heart", currently in the works based on Bonnie's website. Happy reading!

A romance you'll dig!
The Falcon and the Dove tells the story of Jabari, a warrior sheikh, and Elizabeth, an American archeologist, who, at the turn of the 19th century, play out a love story that began during the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. Weaving fact and fiction, author Bonnie Vanak takes readers on an exciting journey into a foreign land and time to offer the familiar thrill of romance fiction. And she does it with strong characters, snappy dialog, a sense of humor and, of course, lots of steamy romance.
Although the hero and heroine have much ground to cover to find each other (and like each other!)it's a trip well worth taking. ... Read more

Book Description
Here are forests of petrified wood, veins of brilliantturquoise, and troves of facet-grade garnet, peridot, and amethyst-inall, more than 640 mineral species that make Arizona a rockhound'sparadise.In Rockhounding Arizona, formerly The Rockhound's Guide toArizona, expert rockhound Gerry Blair describes more than seventy ofthe state's best rockhounding areas, from jasper hunting in thehistoric mining district near Bagdad to searching for gold in theSuperstition Mountains and digging for turquoise at the foot of theHieroglyphic Range. This guidebook covers popular and commercial sitesas well as numerous little-known sites.It also describes where toview mineral specimens and prehistoric artifacts at Grand Canyon andPetrified Forest national parks, as well as on tribal lands. Brimmingwith advice on collecting and preparing gems and minerals, this handybook also includes maps and directions to each site and directories tomuseums, rock shops, and major public land areas. For the beginner,Rockhounding Arizona offers a complete introduction to thismany-faceted hobby.For the expert, it is an outstanding guide andsource-book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Questionable value here
Of the 75 sites in the book, the author states 30 of them are inaccessible to collecting!The sites are either "closed", on reservations, or require a club membership to visit.

Out of 11 other sites in the book assumed to be open to collecting that I visited, 6 were closed - mostly "No Trespassing" signs and locked gates.

The remaining 5 sites were not very good collecting sites...

There is not much in the way of practical collecting sites in this book.

The problem with "look inside"

You can't tell by the "look inside" which book you are actually buying. I have the prior edition, and this looks like a spruced up cover and no updated content. I found the maps useful, but again, most areas have been closed or restricted, so you have to join a local club.My gripe is that look inside feature is a waste and a tease and should have a bit more content, like 1 page showing the description and the map style.

Don't let the new title fool you ....
I was hugely disappointed to find that this book, "Rockhounding Arizona", by Gerry Blair (ISBN #1-56044-389-8, 1992 by Falcon Publishing) is simply a title and ISBN # change for the original book, "The Rockhound's Guide to Arizona" by the same author (ISBN #1-56044-161-5, 1992 by Falcon Press Publishing).

Amazon references a 1995 date for this book, but the inside cover reflects the copyright date of 1992.

I thought I would find updated information from the original guide, but instead found a replica of the book I already possessed, with an different picture on the cover and a different title.Very disappointing.

Too many off-limits sites
While an excellent reference for what can be found where, this is not a good reference for what the public can actually get their hands on.Many of the (most interesting!) locations were listed as being closed to the public.In fact, 10 of the first 12 sites listed in the book are closed to collecting or have highly restricted access.This book says "You can look but you can't touch!".The book does get less restrictive towards the middle and end.There are definitely better books out there, including Minerals of Arizona by Neil Bearce and Gem Trails of Arizona by James Mitchell.

Great sites and good directions
I tried five of the sites in the book and found the sites with little trouble based on the directions given. At each of the sites I found the mineral described in the book (often in great quantity). The bookrecommends tools to use at each site. An excellent book! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The Jade Phoenix enters the pantheon of legendary warriors
Falcon Guard completes The Legend of the Jade Phoenix Trilogy, the story of the remarkable Jade Falcon warrior Aidan Pryde.He earned the bloodname of Pryde in Bloodname, but as this novel opens he has never been able to rid himself of the taint surrounding his name.He was a trueborn warrior, but he earned his warrior status in a second, illegal Trial staged by his training commander Ter Roshak, posing as a freeborn to do it.Although he later declared his true identity, earned the right to keep his warrior status, and went on to win a Bloodname against incredible odds, he still had not distanced himself from his scandalous history.Even now that the long-awaited assault on the Inner Sphere has begun, his command has been relegated to mop-up actions far from the front lines of battle he yearns to fight in.Until now, that is.

He has been given command of the Falcon Guard, a throwaway group of old warriors and insubordinate, troublesome fighters marked by a disgraceful defeat on the planet Twycross, but it still represents a chance to fight on the front lines for the glory of the Clans against the Inner Sphere planets - and to show how effective a commander he can be.With his loyal freeborn friend Horse by his side, he calls upon Joanna, the Falconer who trained him and with whom he has had a long and complicated history, to whip the misfits into shape.Among his new charges is his own daughter - although he does not know he has a daughter or, as a trueborn warrior born of artificial genetic manipulation, really even understand the concept of parenthood.

The battlefield of Tukayyid will determine the outcome of the Inner Sphere invasion; victory opens the way for the invasion of Terra itself, but defeat establishes a 15-year period during which the Clan can do nothing to advance their forces.For Aidan Pryde, it is the chance to achieve the honor he has always sought, to remove forevermore the taint attached to his name, his career, and his genetic heritage.Thurston brings the field of battle to vivid life in these pages, offering readers a thrilling look at a massive engagement of Battlemechs and warriors in a fight for victory, pride, and heritage.It's a thrilling, satisfying conclusion to a classic Battletech storyline.

Battletech Falcon Guard
I thought the book is a great piece of literature.It was my first book in the series of Battletech.After reading this I was sort of disappointed by the other stories I read later on in the series.The book contains lotsof action which is usually intriguing in these kind of political books.Itwas the best book to start with.I was sort of saddened by the ending. This is a book that is special and stands out, so buy this book and readit.

Arguably the best battletech book ever
I had this one special ordered.This masterpiecie gracefully dictates the struggles and fights at Turdyyad, and has the highest position in my personal library.Adian Pryde is one of my favorite characters inliturature,and whenever I think of clan Jade falcon, I see the cover ofFalcon Gaurd, with Adian's Timberwolf stomping across the tatteredbattleground of turkyadd, lasers blazing, and missiles flaring. This is anextremely epic novel, and I will forever cherish it.

The Spirit of the Clan Warriors
This book is probably the best I have read about the spirit of the Falcon Warriors in the War at Tukayyid. Dishonoured in the eyes of his fellow MechWarriors and assigned to the lowly Falcon Guards, Star Colonel Aidan Pryde rises once again as the Jade Pheonix to bring his Clan and the Falcon Guards to glory on Tukayyid. The fighting scenes depicted in here are well written and should be a book not to be missed by a loyal Jade Falcon fan. ... Read more

Book Description
The name says it all. California-based Falcon-Studios, the source of living porn legends like Ken Ryker, Mike Branson and Jeremy Penn, is the largest producer of gay pornography and erotica. Bruno Gmünder Verlag now presents the first and only photo book featuring Falcon photographs. "Legends, The Men of Falcon" presents 136 high-gloss images of Falcon´s hottest American heroes. Size does matter! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A VERY HOT BOOK
This book has so many HOT FALCON models in it -- you have to pick it up a few times ...

Summary
The name Falcon is a byword for quality photographs. Falcon Studios has produced superstars Ken Ryker, Mike Branson and Jeremy Penn - stars who are legendary. This all-color postcard book is a compilation of some of the best Falcon photos.American heroes in stunning quality. ... Read more