Book Description
A short study presenting the position of the Society of Saint Pius X regarding the pope, and the objections others have made to this position.

Sedevacantism presents the origin and history of the sedevacantist movement and its various schools as well as a demonstration of the ultimately absurd consequences of its principles. It follows the prudential attitude of Archbishop Lefebvre by avoiding vain and futile polemics yet simultaneously refusing to shift the problem so far into the theoretical realm that no practical conclusions can be drawn. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Useful book on the world's most frustrating and vain Protestant sect
I am entirely in sympathy with the traditionalist stream in the thinking of sedevacantists. But then again.....

There is an old joke: Is the Pope Catholic? And an older answer: you can't be more Catholic than the Pope.

But the sedevacantists try.

Like the innumerable versions of the "two-seed-in-the-spirit-Baptists" there are lots of flavours of sedevacantism, but the vanilla argument usually runs along the lines of:
1) "pope" ....[sneer] .....(x) [x, pick one! It's a random variable!], wasn't Pope because he....
2) was a secret Freemason, or
2a) sacrificed babies, or....
2b) shhhhssssshhhh, wasn't really Italian, or...
2c) shhhhsssssss....wasn't from an Italian noble family, or....
2d) sshhhhhhhsss....wasn't from the *right* Italian noble family

and therefore could not validly be Pope so therefore we don't have to:
1) obey Catholic doctrine and the magisterium
2) obey the Pope
3) ever ever ever celebrate the Novus Ordo (the heresy Mass!)
4) pay any attention to Vatican II

So the sedevacantists are...(wait for it)...*MORE* Catholic than the Pope.

Their arguments left this Anglican convert scratching his head. And yep, I hate the Novus Ordo and would prefer the Latin Mass, but what ya gonna do?

The sedevacantists arguments is to go be protestants and to say they are Catholics.

This useful book presents the origin and history of the sedevacantist movement and its various whacked-out schools (it does miss some, and boy are these people fun to read about) and also gives a respectful and precise answer to the "ultimately absurd consequences of its principles."

Unlike my review and flippant tone, this book is a sober examination of the problem and response, treating these ape-sh---crazy people with charity and respect in an attempt to persuade them from their error. Me, I'd say "look out below! You've thrown away your fire insurance!"

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
A Tournament level adventure for 1 - 3 players ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Short but sweet
A slim collection of Bond short stories not published until after the author's death. Dealing as they do with greed, betrayal and conscience they are a worthy addition to any Bond aficionado's collection of stories about the man from `the Ministry of Defence'.

'Octopussy' is the study of a man in decline, as one Major Smythe, wracked by guilt over a wartime episode, gradually loses his will to live. With his secret almost mercifully exposed by a stranger, he makes his exit in the most bizarre manner since Dr No himself.

'The Property of a Lady' is a real curiosity with the final action set inside the main sale room of Sotheby's, of all places. Here Bond, aided by the suitably ice-cool Faberge expert, Mr Snowman, attempts to expose a pay-off to a Soviet spy involving a Faberge `Object of Vertu'.

'The Living Daylights' is a melancholy tale about a `hit' that has been assigned to Bond. It is deemed necessary in order to allow an agent, `272', to escape unhindered across from Soviet occupied East Berlin. Bond is cooped up in a small, musty apartment with the rather officious `Number 2' of West Berlin station and eventually falls foul of him when he hesitates at the last second as the identity of his target becomes clear. The two men make an interesting combination. In Bond we see a man still guided by humanity and in Captain Sender (Number 2) we see a man guided by nothing more than rules.

Three stories then to add to the already impressive litany of Bond adventures, and three stories that reveal more about the characters themselves than about any plot. As short stories they are unable to develop any kind of fast-paced, multi-faceted, globe-trotting battle between good and evil that make up the backbones of so many Bond adventures. However, in limiting themselves into looking into why people do the things they do and the consequences of actions they are no less interesting and thought provoking. ... Read more

Book Description
Three hundred and fifty-one men were executed by British Army firing-squads between September 1914 and November 1920. By far the greatest number were shot for desertion in the face of the enemy. Controversial even at the time, these executions of soldiers amid the horrors of the Western Front continue to haunt the history of war. This book provides a critical analysis of military law in the British army and other major armies during the First World War, with particular reference to the use of the death penalty. This study establishes a full cultural and legal framework for military discipline and compares British military law with French and German military law. It includes case studies of British troops on the Frontline. ... Read more

Book Description
Gerard Doyle’s masterful performance on audio sweeps you into the wondrous epic world created by Christopher Paolini. This special collection includes the first two audiobooks in the Inheritance cycle, Eragon and Eldest, for nearly 40 hours of listening pleasure.

Eragon (14 CDs):
Fifteen-year-old Eragon believes that he is merely a poor farm boy–until his destiny as a Dragon Rider is revealed. Gifted with only an ancient sword, a loyal dragon, and sage advice from an old storyteller, Eragon is soon swept into a dangerous tapestry of magic, glory, and power. Now his choices could save–or destroy–the Empire.

Eldest (20 CDs):
Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesmera, land of the elves, for further training in the skills of the Dragon Rider: magic and swordsmanship. Soon he is on the journey of a lifetime, his eyes open to awe-inspring new places and people, his days filled with fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and nothing is what it seems. Before long, Eragon doesn’t know whom he can trust. ... Read more

Book Description
"Media representation of and for the disabled has been recharged in recent years with the expansion of new media worldwide. Interactive digital communications--such as the Internet, new varieties of voice and text telephones, and digital broadcasting--have created a need for a more innovative understanding of new media and disability issues. This engaging analysis offers a global perspective on how people with disabilities are represented as users, consumers, viewers, or listeners of new media, by policymakers, corporations, programmers, and the disabled themselves." ... Read more

Book Description
This breakthrough book dares to name and explore a hidden blight in society: the routine, daily and oppressive treatment of people with disabilities. Drawing on a wide range of case studies from health and welfare, sport, biotechnology, deinstitutionalisation, political life, and the treatment of refugees, this thoughtful, lively and provocative work puts disability firmly on the agenda. A rare and timely audit, Disability in Australia: Exposing a social apartheid shows that disability is central to society, media and culture--a matter of human rights and justice that should concern us all. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Surpassing its popular prequel Eragon, this second volume in the Inheritance trilogy shows growing maturity and skill on the part of its very young author, who was only seventeen when the first volume was published in 2003. The story is solidly in the tradition (some might say derivative) of the classic heroic quest fantasy, with the predictable cast of dwarves, elves, and dragons--but also including some imaginatively creepy creatures of evil.

The land of Alagaesia is suffering under the Empire of the wicked Galbatorix, and Eragon and his dragon Saphira, last of the Riders, are the only hope. But Eragon is young and has much to learn, and so he is sent off to the elven forest city of Ellesmera, where he and Saphira are tutored in magic, battle skills, and the ancient language by the wise former Rider Oromis and his elderly dragon Glaedr. Meanwhile, back at Carvahall, Eragon's home, his cousin Roran is the target of a siege by the hideous Ra'zac, and he must lead the villagers on a desperate escape over the mountains. The two narratives move toward a massive battle with the forces of Galbatorix, where Eragon learns a shocking secret about his parentage and commits himself to saving his people.

The sheer size of the novel, as well as its many characters, places with difficult names, and its use of imaginary languages make this a challenging read, even for experienced fantasy readers. It is essential to have the plot threads of the first volume well in mind before beginning--the publisher has provided not only a map, but a helpful synopsis of the first book and a much-needed Language Guide. But no obstacles will deter the many fans of Eragon from diving headfirst into this highly-awaited fantasy. (Ages 12 and up) --Patty Campbell

Amazon.com
Here's a great big fantasy that you can pull over your head like a comfy old sweater and disappear into for a whole weekend. Christopher Paolini began Eragon when he was just 15, and the book shows the influence of Tolkien, of course, but also Terry Brooks, Anne McCaffrey, and perhaps even Wagner in its traditional quest structure and the generally agreed-upon nature of dwarves, elves, dragons, and heroic warfare with magic swords.

Eragon, a young farm boy, finds a marvelous blue stone in a mystical mountain place. Before he can trade it for food to get his family through the hard winter, it hatches a beautiful sapphire-blue dragon, a race thought to be extinct. Eragon bonds with the dragon, and when his family is killed by the marauding Ra'zac, he discovers that he is the last of the Dragon Riders, fated to play a decisive part in the coming war between the human but hidden Varden, dwarves, elves, the diabolical Shades and their neanderthal Urgalls, all pitted against and allied with each other and the evil King Galbatorix. Eragon and his dragon Saphira set out to find their role, growing in magic power and understanding of the complex political situation as they endure perilous travels and sudden battles, dire wounds, capture and escape.

In spite of the engrossing action, this is not a book for the casual fantasy reader. There are 65 names of people, horses, and dragons to be remembered and lots of pseudo-Celtic places, magic words, and phrases in the Ancient Language as well as the speech of the dwarfs and the Urgalls. But the maps and glossaries help, and by the end, readers will be utterly dedicated and eager for the next book, Eldest. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty CampbellBook Description
Fifteen-year-old Eragon believes that he is merely a poor farm boy - until his destiny as a Dragon Rider is revealed.Gifted with only an ancient sword, a loyal dragon, and sage advice from an old storyteller, Eragon is soon swept into a dangerous tapestry of magic, glory, and power.Now his choices could save - or destroy - the Empire.

"An authentic work of great talent." -- The New York Times Book Review

"Christopher Paolini make[s] literary magic with his precocious debut." -- People

"Unusual, powerful, fresh, and fluid." -- Booklist, Starred

"An auspicious beginning to both career and series." -- Publishers Weekly

A New York Times Bestseller

A USA Today Bestseller

A Book Sense BestsellerDownload Description

A New York Times Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller
A Wall Street Journal Bestseller
A Book Sense Bestseller

One boy... one dragon... A world of adventure

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.

Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

Visit Alagaesia.com to find out more about Eragon and the Inheritance Trilogy.

"Unusual, powerful, fresh, and fluid.... An impressive start to a writing career that's sure to flourish."
   BOOKLIST, STARRED REVIEW

"[A] solid, sweeping epic fantasy..."
   KIRKUS REVIEWS

"An auspicious beginning to both career and series."
   PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

"An authentic work of great talent."
   THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

"Christopher Paolini make[s] literary magic with his precocious debut."
   PEOPLE

Customer Reviews (2670)

Is this about a Dragon or a Thief???
I really can't say much that others have not already covered completely already.

I can see why people want to give all these 5 star reviews. They really have run across what could be a good story. Any avid fantasy reader can definitely see what authors "influenced" this one. The problem is, this author has basically pick-pocketed this good story from other's ideas, names and even plots. Then mix them up, rename(barely), piece them all back together and actually sell them here as an "original" work. Sorry but this just doesn't cut it for me.

Sure, I imagine at such a young age it probably is harder to come up with fresh ideas based on your life experiences. If he did that he would deserve all this 5 stars and praise. I think we have all heard the saying "IMITATION is a form of flattery" but I don't think this is what they meant.

I guess the idea was the target audience of this book most likely have not read a lot of the victim's works yet so it is easy to hide from them. I think I would have tried a little bit harder though. Just reading this book makes me feel dirty. I have this desire to keep checking the cover to see if it will peel back and reveal what certainly seems to be a really bad "tribute" to the other author's stories, without giving the credit.

Like many others I suggest reading the original works (Tolkien, McCaffrey, etc) instead of buying and supporting this type of publication.

A Game of Give and Take
Eragon in my opinion is not as good as Eldest ( the second book in the trilogy). However to understand Eldest you have to read Eragon. It's a game of give and take.
Eragon is a story about a Dragon Rider. Eragon has just found a dragon egg and has to flee or risk being arrested by the empire. Dragon Riders have unbeleivable amounts of Magic in them and are extremely powerful. Eragon now has the power to take down the Empire that rules his country and is corrupt. The Empire Killed many people and has sent many creatures into hiding. However will Eragon survive long enough to take down the empire and free his country. It is still unknown.

Thoughts on the Audiobook.
I'm a little less than halfway through this audiobook and am finding it difficult to finish. The narrator has the potential for doing a good job, but his more "creative" voices are practically intolerable, namely the voice for Saphira and also the werecat.

As far as the story goes, all I'm getting is a complete ripoff of Tolkein (elves sailing to the new land from somewhere else, dwarves, Urgals=Orcs), Anne McCaffrey, and Star Wars (if Brom isn't Ben Kenobi, then I'm a frog). There's practically no suspense or pull through the story, and - instead of REVEALING things - we're already given too much. A character shouldn't say, "Yeah, I'm not who I say I am, but I'm not going to TELL you my true identity right now," you're supposed to lead us to believe a character is who they are, and dramatically reveal their true identity.

Frankly, I'm extremely bored and it doesn't matter that he was 17. You can tell. I was writing stories over a hundred pages in middle school, but I'm aware they were exercises; not proper for publishing. Most people are too young at that age to have fully experienced the ideas and emotions they're trying to write about. Imagination can only take you so far, and then you end up emulating the authors you love and it's OBVIOUS.

Anyway, I might have enjoyed this had I not read much fantasy before, but I have... so I'm not.

It gets a big shrug of the shoulders from me.

hard to put down!
Now this is how a fantasy book should read! A lot has been made of Christopher Paolini's writing style and content in this book. Many people say Eragon is derivative, unoriginal, and borderline plagueristic. It's hard to ignore the obvious similarites with Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Earth Sea Sagas. But if nothing else, Eragon is a highly entertaining book to read. I can't say that about most fantasy books. For some reason everyone brags about the bigger name writers like Norton, Lackey, Eddings, and Brooks. But none of their books ever interested me nearly so much as Eragon. Other than Kevis Hendrickson's The Legend of Witch Bane or J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series, no other children's fantasy book has enthralled me like Eragon. It really is a good tale and will have you devouring every word until the final page.

Dragons, swords and evil kings.Oh my.
This book is one that my son wanted for his birthday.(Along with Eldest)I am one of those weirdo parents who feels I should know what my kids are reading.So, due to my book addiction, I grabbed if off the kid and tore in.

First, amazing a kid wrote it.I am not stunned but impressed.I have read some real crap from far more "accomplished" writers.I found the story well told, the characters brought to life and the balance of detail giving and that left to your imagination good.(Not a fan of seventeen pages of explaining something.)

I would recommend this book to most everyone.If you are into the magic thing, this one is for you.If you are looking for a book to share with a young reader, this is for you.If you are all stuck up about books and expecting each thing you read to be a masterpiece, well, read it anyway.Just don't gripe.:) ... Read more