Customer Reviews (1)

Not modern, but informative
Though out of print at this time, I bought this book a couple of years ago and think it deserves a review here.The fact is, there are no really modern books about the game, books that give an idea about modern/electronic play and innovations, but this short text has a solid historical overview.Like several other books currently available, it is from a British perspective and dates from the late 1970's.Unlike several others, it doesn't pretend to teach you how to win, at least not past the anecdotal story at the beginning from some past champion. As we all know, improving at darts is simply a matter of practice.This book, though, has information about various past styles of dartboard and a refreshingly nonconformist chapter on the history of the game.One gets the impression that the author would not be happy with the current state of darts as a coin-op/Americanized bar game!Worth a look if you know what to expect. ... Read more

Product Description
Jarred, recently come of age, is leaving the sun-scorched desert village that has always been his home. He sets out with a band of friends to see the mighty and beautiful kingdom of the north and to seek out the truth about his father, who came to the village a stranger and departed when Jarred was ten, never to return. After the travellers are set upon in a ravine and several of their number sustain injuries, they seek shelter in the Marsh of Slievmordhu - a cool green world of dazzling beauty as different from their homeland as night and day. Here, Jarred meets Lilith, and in a single moment he realizes that his life can never be the same again. But neither of the young lovers is aware how closely linked their fates - and their past - really are. During a visit to Cathair Rua, the Red City, Jarred stumbles across the secret of the Iron Tree, and with it an unbearable truth about his father's identity...'Dart-Thornton's "Bitterbynde" trilogy - each book and all three together - deserves to win every fantasy award there is' - Tanith Lee. 'Hobbit-fanciers will find much to delight them' - "The Times". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

'A' level english submission
Previously to this book I'd only read Tolkien and CS Lewis fantasy, as well as Potter, so after reading the blurb on the back was quite intrigued and bought the book.

I wish I hadn't, it was a waste of time to read. The reviewers that gave it a low star rating are all correct, and yes the prose is drudgy and repetitive, very much like an 'A' level student creative writing piece, or even maybe that's too harsh on 'A' level students.

There are so many better fantasy books out there, please don't waste your time. Try Robin Hobb if you want to read a female fantasy writer....

Just dreadful
I am usually the sort of reader who will slog on and finish a book because there might be something wonderful half-way through that was hidden at the beginning.Maybe that was true of The Iron Tree, but I could not stomach reading it long enough to find out.The writing, which others have described as "lyrical" is just dreadful.We actually had a laugh reading the particularly disasterous sections out loud.As a fan of Tolkien and Lewis, I find comparisons between this tripe and their writing faintly insulting.

Little plot and dislikable characters
I read the Bitterbynde series some years ago and adored it - however, when I first saw The Iron Tree come out in shops I thought the synopsis on the back sounded rather dull and avoided it. Now, having finally read it, I have to say that my first instincts were correct. This book was terrible.

Not everything was bad. I love Dart-Thornton's writing style; the way in which it is so lyrical, poetic, and full of description. Other reviews have complained that the language sounds unnatural, but I completely disagree. The language was the high point of this book, along with the fantastic snippets of folklore to be found every so often (which was the only thing that kept me reading until the end).

Where it fell down was the plot (or rather, lack of it) and characters. It begins promisingly, with a family curse that the lovelorn characters must try and overcome. However, we really only see a few pages devoted to the curse throughout the book. Most of the rest of it is taken up with the two main leads swooning over each other in ridiculous detail.

One of them, Jarred (the man), is perfect in every way. And I do mean *every* way. This is not a good thing. After reading countless tales of how he outwitted, out-shot, out-performed, out-fought, out-handsomed and out-'everythinged' every other character in the book, I found myself wondering how any reader could possibly stand him for more than a few sentences at a time. It was rammed down my throat over and over how glorious Jarrad's every action was to the point where I had to put the book down in disgust many times. The worst of it was that he didn't even come across as a nice person. Throughout the book, he was well aware of his superiority and made sure that others didn't forget it, if any of them even so much as dared to try and compete. He lied, he was patronising to his friends and lover, he even beat up jealous rivals on occasion when he had an insanely unfair advantage, and in every case the readers are supposed to think he's the bees' knees. In one scene, he enters a shop to ask for information and ends up acting like the patronising customer from hell just because he dispproves of what's being sold. As readers we're supposed to cheer him on, but I have to say I was heartily sympathising with the poor shopkeeper, hoping he would get swindled for his arrogance!

The other main character, Lilith (the girl), is a doormat. It is she who is afflicted by the curse, but the male characters walk all over her to such an extent that she does nothing but sit back and wait for them to fix her problems. Her involvement in the story, despite being a major plot link, is basically limited to pining after Jarred and the unborn children she desperately longs for. It's her curse, but Jarrad is the one who does all the work trying to fix it. In contrast to Jarred, who is good at everything, Lilith has only her incredible beauty to fall back on. She doesn't seem to have much of a job or any life ambitions (short of Jarred), or much of a brain. But then, neither do most of the other female characters in this book (and *they* all want Jarred, too). In short, a feminist's nightmare.

What with Jarred's being good at everything and Lilith's pining over her lover/children taking up the vast majority of the book, there is very little room for actual storytelling. Once the leads have an excuse to get married, they do so (at the half-way point), and the promising adventure I was hanging on for suddenly vanished into countless pages of happily married life. There was a little more plot at the end, but even this felt contrived and designed to show off Jarrad's superiority.

It's a real shame, because I loved the Bitterbynde, which was lacking neither in characterisation or plot, but this book was a chore to complete.

The Beginning seduces you, the Middle lulls you, the the End doesn't disappoint you.
I tend to gravitate towards Sci-fi fantasy (Margret Weiss, Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan, etc.) so when I found this book in a bargain book store, I thought it looked really promising.I'll admit that the Iron Tree was a lot slower pace than I'm use too, but in the end, I enjoyed then book. My only hint is DON"T READ THE PRELOUDE!It ruins the ending. Other than that, the love story was sweet and the author hints at a lot more to come.I plan on buying the other books in the trilogy, but only from the bargain bins.

Drags on and on
This book seemed promising. I admit I was a bit skeptical when I first picked it up in the bookstore, but it seemed like a decent read for the vacation I was about to embark on.

I ended up buying a new book the first day of vacation. The author spends the first 100 pages of the book providing detailed settings that we don't care about, implying that we cannot possibly imagine anything as wonderful as she did, and the rest of the book boring us with her one act main character.

It's supposedly a love story, although how it claims to be so is beyond me. Love stories are supposed to drag the reader in and have them swooning with joy at the first union. The character development in this book is so dry and so incomplete (due in part, I'm sure, to the authors fascination with unnecessary details) that you don't really care what happens to the characters.

Do not spend your time nor your money on this book; it would be a waste of both when it could be sent to much better books. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good information with a weird layout.
This book is full of good information but the layout of the text is kinda strange. some of the information is repeated under several different topics throughout the book. The book reminds me more of a collection of notes, tips and observations made by the author over a period of many years and just kinda grouped together in no particular order. I plan to use this more as a reference guide in the future, I'm not sure if this was the authors intent but the way the book is indexed and all the topics numbered...It is simple to find just the topic your currently interested in.
Overall, the information is helpful and easy to find but I view it more as a troubleshooting reference guide than a typical sit down and read cover to cover type of publication.

how to play winning darts
extremely comprehensive, a good solid informational read.anyone who is serious about darts... needs to read this book.

darts
I read on a website one time that there are three basic rules to becoming a good dart player, i've stuck to these rules and it has definatley has improved my game 1)PRACTICE 2)PRACTICE 3)PRACTICE , now get off your computer and get to it! ... Read more

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Product Description
These spectacularly colored frogs are native to Neotropical rain forests in many parts of the world. They lose their toxicity when kept in captivity. Titles in the growing Reptile and Amphibian Keeper’s Guides series present useful facts and expert guidance to owners of snakes, lizards, frogs, and other amphibians. Readers are advised on all aspects of ownership, from selecting good specimens and determining sex to breeding, feeding, providing correct housing, and health care. Animals are described as they exist in their natural environment, and advice is given on ways of mirroring aspects of nature to help animals thrive in captivity. Books are heavily illustrated with color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A great beginner book for those who like Poison Dart Frogs.
A wonderful book that gives the beginner a place to start from in their search for knowledge of Poison Dart Frogs.Sure there are plenty of other books that are more in depth than this one, but they usually cost a lot more and this book packs quite a bit in it for it's size!This book will help those who are thinking about trying to keep Poison Dart Frogs and it is a "no nonsense" book so it will tell you that these frogs require more "work" than others.This is helpful because most people will "impulse buy" pets without thinking about how diificult it might to care for them.Also, this book is a great introduction to learning about these frogs in the wild.Overall, you can't go wrong with buying this book and it won't "break the bank" for those who can't afford a more in depth book on these frogs.

Dart Frogs
A very basic book. Not as current as some others, but a good firstbook to read if you are considering going into the dart frog keeping hobby. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

No. 16 in Action, still good reference.
This In Action title goes back to the mid 70's when the series was just getting started and the aircraft was just beginning to retire from front line service. It hasbeen out of print for a long time with no sign of an updated replacement from Squadron/Signal. With that in mind, it's still a valuable book because there has never been much in print about this aircraft (and what there was is also long OOP). The book itself is typical early Squad/Sig. Lots of b&w photographs with some history and first-hand piloting accounts thrown in for good measure. (Now, would someone PLEASE write the definitive history!) This one is definitely 4 to 5 stars. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Antique and obsolete music styles
If you want to play like people did in 16th century France or Italy,
this book might be useful, but to the
hip-hop or rock performer of today it is clearly of no real use.
As to jazz performance arts it has nothing to say to the performer.
So if you are interested in historical or classical music, this book might help you understand
old scores and how to use them,
but since most don't get paid for playing pretty much dead music,
it is an out of date music book that even classical players really don't need.

An influential and still very informative treatise on performance practice and style
While this book is out of print and was originally published more than fifty years ago, it is still vastly relevant to anyone trying to think about making music from earlier times.Yes, much great work has been done and performance practice is much more informed for the average musician than it was in the 1950s.However, the issues raised in this book are still quite relevant to anyone who wants to do more than receive a music tradition or learn to play music by another's lights.

He begins with a clear statement of the problem.It includes not only issues of notation, but of editorship, instrumentation, and changes of style over the centuries.He next takes us into the problems editors face in getting a good score to the performer and what a performer should expect from a score.

The next chapter is a very critical one on sonorities.This deals not only with instrumentation over the centuries (changes in instruments, obsolete instruments, but of vocal style, ensemble sizes and composition.Another chapter deals with extemporization, which was not only accepted but expected of performers until some time in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.Thank heavens it is coming back as part of informed performance practice.

Then Dart provides a series of chapters on style.He begins with considerations about 18th century style.This makes sense because it was the 19th century Romantic style that was the living style in the mid-20th century (along with certain then avant-garde practices).He then heads backwards to the 17th and 16th centuries and ends with a consideration of the Renaissance.Dart offers some helpful conclusions, a section of musical examples, glossary, suggestions for further reading (this would now be out of date, but still interesting), and an index.

Since used copies of this are readily available inexpensively, I urge all interested in music to pick up a copy and read this short and informative book.If used copies come in short supply in the United States, simply go to amazon.co.uk and there are many copies there as well. ... Read more

Product Description
Leading intellectuals reimagine the city as a site of ceaseless change and motion.The metropolis is a site of endless making and unmaking. From the attempt to imagine a ‘city-symphony’ to the cinematic tradition that runs from Walter Ruttmann to Terence Davies, Restless Cities traces the idiosyncratic character of the metropolitan city from the nineteenth century to the twenty-first-century megalopolis. With explorations of phenomena including nightwalking, urbicide, property, commuting and recycling, this wide-ranging new book identifies and traces the patterns that have defined everyday life in the modern city and its effect on us as individuals. Bringing together some of the most significant cultural writers of our time, Restless Cities is an illuminating, revelatory journey to the heart of our metropolitan world. ... Read more

Product Description
When three separate couples seek the advice of a psychologist to help them with the dilemmas of having babies in ways unique to the 1990s, they form a parenting group they whimsically nickname ""The Stork Club."" Reprint. PW. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Emotional, Striking, and Endearing.
I just LOVED this book. I read it when I was pregnant with my daughter, and I was so wrapped in the different stories of the characters in this book. I simply could not put it down.

Very Interesting Story
I was very caught up in the different lives of the Characters in The Stork Club which is a therapy group that is for people with children in non-traditional homes. Each individual and couple has a different story and the author takes you through each one. You are told how they made the decision that brought them to The Stork Club. A very modern and interesting story.

Emotional and very good!!!
This book is a very emotional and somewhat sad story. It focuses on peoplewho want or have children and is very cute and sad in some parts. Agoodrainy day book to curl up with. ... Read more

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Life on the professional darts circuit. ... Read more

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Cecilia Dart-Thornton returns to the world of Tir in The Well of Tears, the second title in The Crowthistle Chronicles.The maiden Jewel is the center of her parents+ joy; she has grown up surrounded by love and peace in abundance.When her parents are suddenly killed, Jewel+s world shatters and she and her uncle must flee from the only home she has ever known. Jewel learns that her parents were caught in a tragic prophecy and had hidden in the marshland for years to protect their secret-that Jewel is the last of the line of the dreaded sorcerer Janus Jaravhor. In her veins flows the key that will unlock the Dome of Strang. King Uabhar, now knows of her existence, will stop at nothing to find her.Pain and loss follow and Jewel must soon make her way alone. Rescued by a traveling band of magicians who control the heavens, she is accepted into their tightly knit community. And not just accepted, but loved. Arran, the son of the Storm Lord beholds her and his heart is lost.Arran will do much to win Jewel+s love and he sets out on a grand adventure that could win him his heart+s desire-or doom his own people.As a bonus feature included in this book will be the world-wide release of an interactive CD-ROM by the makers of the pioneering graphics adventure game MYST. This cd will allow readers to visually enter Cecilia Dart-Thorton+s captivating world of Tir, with incredible graphics and additional materials on the characters, customs, and landscapes of this fabulous land and people. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

I wish I had just checked it out...
instead of buying it!I re-read parts of Book One, The Iron Tree, so I would be "up to date" on this sequel.I must admit that I didn't like the main character, Jewel, at all.I don't see why whatshisname (the guy that married her) liked her either.The book began to drag when they started their journeying together, and I must admit I started out skipping pages, then whole chapters, then all the way to the end to at least see how it turned out.I didn't feel any of the fascination that I had with The Iron Tree.

Of course with all that skipping I may have missed something vital that could have resulted in a better feeling about the book.

Could not even finish this book
I am a huge fan of CDT, but this book is just STUPID. You really see how much trouble she has with plotting in this sequel that fails for so many reasons.

I love the way she weaves all the fantasy into the story, but the plot here is so boring and has all been done before, ie the search for the fountain of youth...PLEASE!

Characters come and go and we are left with the god-like Jewel with her saphire eyes and some other guy who's name escapes me. I could not get interested in their travels or care much really for either of them as they were impervious to harm and seemingly invincible. Other characters were so insignificant they are justlittle blips in the story and you end up getting confused with who is who and why they are there and what's the point and so on.

I just had to stop reading it as i was bored to tears. I love her detailed descriptions of things, but this time it just annoyed me and i was skimming over them to hurry up and see if there would be some sort of plot at the end of them.

Maybe it would have got better, but after about 350 pages of nothing much happening at all I realise i'm glad i just borrowed this one rather than buying it.

fabulous coming of age fantasy
In Slievmordhu, Jewel lives a wonderful life showered with love from her family until King Maolmordha's troopers kill her parents.Unbeknownst to Jewel, her savior, Step-Uncle Eoin feels remorse for causing this tragedy all because he was jealous of her father Jarred for being married to the woman he loved Lilith.Knowing he placed his beloved niece in danger, Eoin takes her on a perilous journey through the Great Marsh praying he can get her to safety in the nearby kingdom of Narngalis.He has yet to tell her that he revealed to the king's minion that she and her father were the last descendents of the feared sorcerer Janus, making her a pawn to open the Dome of Strang where the wizard's powerful secrets lie.

Eleven days looking over their shoulders, the wayfarers struggle until they clear the marsh.However, deadly unseelie wights capture Eoin.Jewel seeks refuge at High Darioneth where she meets the weathermasters and the Storm Lord Avalloc Maelstronnar-Stormbringer.She soon learns that Eoin is dead and finds solace with the people of High Darioneth until she learns that no one guards the Dome of Strang so decides it is time to learn about her roots.

THE WELL OF TEARS, the second entry in the Crowthistle Chronicles (see THE IRON TREE starring Jarred and Lilith), is a fabulous coming of age fantasy starring a wonderful heroine whose world is destroyed by the betrayal of a loved one.Eoin is an intriguing character though his time in the tale is short as the audience feels his ignominy of what he wrought.The story line is character driven with Jewel the focus of a fine fantasy quest to find out what truly flows in her blood.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Product Description
Funny, feisty Lily Benjamin has it all-as a top television comedy writer she juggles her demanding job, single motherhood, and a satisfying romance with a well-respected doctor. But suddenly her life is turned upside down. Her relationships grow lackluster, her housekeeper ups and quits...and,tragically, her mentor and boss dies-leaving her at the mercy of her new boss. Charlie Roth, known as the God of Jokes, is heartless, hilarious, and off-the-wall crazy...and with terrible problems of his own.

But when a new tragedy strikes Lily's life, Charlie's coldhearted exterior melts away, revealing the sensitive spirit of a man who understands heartache as no one else can...who helps Lily and her son rebuild their lives...and makes her believe that love can happen when you least expect it.Amazon.com Review
Told with the same compassion and humor that drew readers toher bestselling book, Beaches, Iris Rainer Dart's When IFall in Love is the story of one woman's search for true beautyand strength in today's cruel world. Lily Benjamin may have a greatjob as a comedy writer and a sweet cardiologist fiancé, but when her15-year old son Bryan's spinal cord is severed by a gun shot, she canfind no solace in humor or medicine. Bryan thinks life as a paraplegicwill be dismal, and Lily can't muster any optimism either. When hernew boss Charlie Roth shows little patience for her, Lily isdumbstruck. Charlie's attitude strikes her as particularly cruel andinsensitive, considering his own disfigurement from cerebral palsy.

Even worse, however, is Charlie's new interest in Bryan. Determined togive Bryan and herself appropriate time to grieve, the last thing Lilywants is to have Charlie storming into the hospital and confrontingthem with his warped opinions on cartoon cripples. But as Bryan reactsto Charlie's offbeat humor, Lily slowly realizes that Charlie connectswith Bryan in a way no one else can. Through Charlie's guidance,humor, and love, both Lily and Bryan gain a new perspective onlife. As Lily reflects on her feelings for Bryan, Charlie, and herfiancé, Mark, she struggles to learn that, "It is only with the heartthat one can see. What is essential is invisible to the eye."

Tackling the sensitive issues of disability and self-image, Dart'smixture of down-to-earth dialogue and realistic character developmentkeeps the After-School-Special-Syndrome at arm's length. Our heroeshave human flaws, and--with the exception of a minor wife-beatingcharacter--our villains are sympathetic. The evolution of Lily's ownattitudes and outlook is genuine, and readers will enjoy strongsecondary characters as well as some heartfelt humor in thisunexpected love story.--Nancy R.E. O'Brien ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Not sure, but certainly not her greatest. . .
After having read Beaches (a movie I disliked but a book I absolutely loved) and Some Kind of Miracle (which I enjoyed even more than Beaches), I was really curious to read one of Rainer Dart's other books.

And frankly, even though I've had a few hours to reflect upon finishing it, I'm still not quite sure what I think of When I Fall in Love. The only thing I can say with some certainty is that I don't like it anywhere near as much as I liked the other novels I mentioned above.

Reading this book - although one of the quickest and easiest I've read - was a journey of back and forth. I loved the very beginning. Then it got difficult to read for a bit. Then it started picking up again as it neared the end. But given such back and forth emotions, I'm really not sure what that says about the book overall.

Admittedly, the story was a little too sugary for my taste, especially the ending. I remember adoring the language and the characters in her previous novels, and during this one, it just didn't feel the same. I'm not sure if it was the constant use of jokes that got in my way, but I just didn't feel too much for the characters, except Bryan and, to some extent, Charlie too. Lily's life changes and realizations on love just seemed to come on so quickly; perhaps that made it seem a little unreal and a lot mushy. Or maybe it's because I still feel I'm tossing around the same life questions in my head now that I was over ten years ago so it seems unreal that such moments of clarity exist!

I certainly didn't dislike the book. I'd say that I liked it for what it was - quick, simple, and touching at times. But, it definitely came in below my expectations given my adoration for Rainer Dart's other work, and I can quite confidently say I probably won't read this book again.

Lastly, and a nit-pick I must readily admit in advance, it completely threw me for a loop that in the beginning scenes with Kimberly, the author alternated the use of her name with Kim in every other line. Perhaps given my name I am too close to this complaint, but while the two names are often (oh so often) alternated back and forth, it just seemed silly to see it change every other line.

What the hell?
I really wanted to like this book, but how could I?Here's an excerpt from Chapter 7, pg. 51:

"In one swift move that came so quickly [Lily] wasn't prepared, [Charlie] seized her and, holding her tightly around the ankles, thrust the rest of her out the window.As she shrieked in terror four stories above the parking lot, he held her out there upside down.She could see the cars below and among them a group of people who had stopped to look as the blood rushed to her face."

There's curmudgeonly but lovable, and then there's violent and abusive.This is the latter.

Neither her colleagues (who witness the thing) nor the onlookers from the parking lot nor her family suggests that she should call the police.Later, Charlie gives Lily a gift to apologize.Somehow, this gift is supposed to show that he's an observant and thoughtful guy--not that he's building a relationship based on a cycle of abuse and apology.I was half expecting the end to be a thriller wherein he is revealed to be a homicidal maniac, but no such luck.What the hell?!

Kept me laughing and crying-one of the best reads ever!
The whole story line with Lily and Charlie and Mark kept me focused on what would happen even when I knew I had to put the book down, but I simply couldn't bring myself to do it.
The part when Lily sends Charlie the video of "I love you's" and he starts bawling like a baby.I just love it when men get emotional in novels like these.When Mark is out of the picture, and Charlie is free to profess his love for Lily, the way he proposes made my heart swell three times its size.
This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves pure romance without the huge hunky jerks who always get the girl in the end, and finally can have a true hero winning out.
Now get off the computer, get to your nearest bookstore, and buy this book!

MARVELOUSLY,ENTERTAINING READ
Sometimes, a reader needs to pick a book because the blurp makes it sound enjoyable, and she needs enjoyable.Sometimes a reader chooses it for the romance and laughter, something she is craving that day.And somtimes, when the reader gets into the book, she realizes that yes, it is romantic; yes it is pleasurable; yes it makes her laugh out loud at times; but, unexpectedly, it makes her think, and that is a wonderful gift she hadn't expected.She finds the words to be magic carpets that transcend time and space, and for a full day she is immersed in the lives of Lily, Byran, and Charlie.She learns about handicaps, emotional and physcial; she learns about beating the odds; she learns about love penetrating prejudice.Her heart is full; her eyes are wet; her beliefs are buoyed; she has read a deftly written book in one sitting and she is most grateful to the author.She thanks Iris Rainer Dart profusely in her review and she encourages others.........If you need to feel uplifted by life again, treat yourself to "When I Fall In Love." The carpet ride awaits!!

I know wherof I speak
Altho I am not a person with a disability, I have been around disabled people my lifetime (I'm 42).I found Dart's treatment of this subject to be incredibly right on.People fear disability, and tend to treat anyone disabled with kid gloves, as if they are saints and imbecils, both.Lily does all the stereotypes of the freaked out "non-disabled" mom, the son goes through typical grief stages, and so on.I don't want to give away the whole story as is my wont.

I loved the interplay of the characters, and I fell for the unlikely (in fiction) love-interest, Charlie Roth.Go for the book-- it is well done! ... Read more

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Twenty-five Dart Games and How to Play Them. PLUS: Basics of the Game, Practice Routines, Electronic (Soft Tip) Darts, Keeping Score, and much more... ... Read more

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Weapons glitter, men's voices are raised in battle-song and bright banners crack and flap in a sharp breeze; armies of steel and bronze are marching to war as the ruthless king of the southern realm executes his plan to seize dominion over the Four Kingdoms. With Tir's most powerful protectors slain by treachery and the defenders scattered, it appears nothing can stand in the tyrant's way. Asr thiel, summoner of storms, called 'Weatherwitch' by her wayward, eldritch companion, aids the defenders as best she can, but the invading armies are pushing further north and it seems that all is lost...Until a new peril unexpectedly looms; a far more dangerous and deadly menace that threatens not merely the balance of power, but the entire human race..."Dart-Thornton conjures up her world of Tir in the luminous, yet hard-edged manner of Jack Vance and Mary Gentle." - "Washington Post". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Stunning conclusion to a great series!
Dart-Thornton's Crowthistle Chronicles charts three great love stories in three generations. Lilith and Jarred share the most poignant love (in THE IRON TREE), Jewel and Arran have the most epic pairing (beginning in THE WELL OF TEARS, and hovering in the background of WEATHERWITCH), and in this concluding novel, FALLOWBLADE, Asrathiel becomes caught up in the most surprising, tempestuous, and mythic romance of the series. Is she flirting with evil or has she found her immortal beloved?

Dart-Thornton's writing is mellifluous, but sharp and honed as the blade of the novel's enchanted sword, when it needs to be. Her skill in magical world-creation is just as powerfully displayed in this series as it was in the Bitterbynde trilogy. Perhaps I felt even more enchanted by this series and experienced even more of the celebrated longing for the world of faerie.

I admire the author's research and her careful documentation of her sources for certain incidents, faerie language, and some of the novel's themes. This makes fascinating reading, especially for anyone contemplating writing fantasy, and it lays bare her process in a helpful way that doesn't diminish any of this author's gramarye. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

For most a tough read in the US.
I enjoyed the book quite a bit and play in a few dart leagues. Why did I only gave it a three? I followed darts in England for quite awhile since I lived in New Zealand a few years. In the US no one knows who any of these players are except the most die hard dart players. At league one night I asked 10 people who John Lowe and Eric Bristow where only.... 1 knew. Like I said I liked the book but most here wouldn't have much of an interest. Hopefully that will change as the sport grows.

A Great Introduction to the World of Professional Darts
People sometimes wonder about my interest in professional darts.Although the sport is huge in England and Europe, those of us in the states are just beginning to take note. My wife and I go to the Las Vegas Classic each July to watch the best players in the world -- and we went to London for the 2008 World Championships. A match between Phil "the Power" Taylor and Raymond Van Barneveld is one of the classic sporting events for its drama, entertainment, and atmosphere.So that brings us to Sid Waddell.Waddell has made a career of calling the action on British TV -- American fans such as myself must generally be content to listen to the audio stream or watch the snippets that are sometimes shown on sports networks here long after the event is over. ButWadell makes it worthwhile.Who could come up with lines like, "His face is sagging with tension" or "Even Hypotenuse would have trouble working out these angles." So if you are at all curious,this book is a must-read.And if you read it, I can honestly say that you will never look at a dartboard the same way again.

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Product Description
Some of the world's greatest treasures are hidden away and have not been seen publicly for decades, sometimes for centuries. Others have been destroyed. They are not stolen property. They are simply private property, and no matter their public significance, the public has no claims on them. A capricious owner of Leonardo da Vinci's notebook would be perfectly within his rights to throw it in the fireplace, as James Joyce's grandson did with letters from the author's daughter, or Warren Harding's widow did with her husband's Teapot Dome papers. This is a book about such rights and why they are wrong.
Some incidents are famous. A great artist's mural is demolished because the rich man who commissioned it is offended by its political implications. One of America's most famous collections is closed to virtually every notable person in the art world, whose requests for visits produce only a postcard from the owner saying "go to Blazes." Scholars who seek access to the Dead Sea Scrolls, monopolized and secreted by a handful of individuals for nearly forty years, are dismissed as "slime," "fleas," "gang-snatchers," and "manure," and told, "You will not see these things in your lifetime."
Playing Darts with a Rembrandt explores abuses of ownership of cultural treasures in a wide range of settings, including material of historic and scientific interest, as well as art and antiquities. It examines the claims made on behalf of the public for preservation, protection, and access to important artifacts, balancing those claims against proprietary and privacy interests, and discusses the proper role of institutions such as museums and libraries that act as repositories. Acknowledging the complexities that sometimes arise (such as the claims of history against the desire of a great figure's family to withhold private letters), Playing Darts with a Rembrandt proposes a new species of qualified ownership: to own an object of great public importance is to become a "fortunate, if provisional, trustee, having no right to deprive others who value the objects as much as they do themselves."
The fascinating stories that comprise the bulk of the book, ranging from dinosaur excavations and the Dead Sea Scrolls to the fate of presidential papers and the secrets held by the Library of Congress, will be of interest to a wide range of general readers. The extensive discussion of collectors, and their role, should commend the book to those in the art world, as well as to those professionally associated with museums, libraries, and archives. While written in a readable and untechnical way, it should also be of interest to those in the legal community who are interested in the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of our property system.
"Sax turns his attention from public rights to conserve land and water to protection of cultural treasures. As always, he sees both sides of the argument and comes to reasoned and wise conclusions, balancing private and public interests. His prose is lucid, and his examples are both instructive and entertaining. An invaluable book for anyone interested in the preservation of our cultural resources." --I. Michael Heyman, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution
Joseph L. Sax is Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley. He was formerly the counselor to the Secretary of the Interior and Professor of Law, the University of Michigan Law School.
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Customer Reviews (1)

Wonderful diversity of examples!
This is an engrossing read--it contains dozens of fascinating stories that show that copyright law is worth getting passionate about. Anyone who works in the museum or special collections field and needs to justify their work to the general public should read this book. It is a wonderful defense of the importance of institutions and public access to cultural treasures large and small. ... Read more