Interesting idea but..

This is the first Gaiman book I've read and though I quite enjoyed it it reminded me too much of another book I read years ago called Roofworld by Christopher Fowler. Only difference was that Fowler's novel was about another world existing ABOVE London whereas Gaiman's alternate society lies beneath London's streets. Definitely a similar premise though; off-beat and frightening characters and inbuilt quasi-religious mythology. Would give Gaiman another go (have bought Stardust) but this one is not a book I'd rave about.

Do not judge this book, or 4th edition in general, by first impressions

Physical Aspects:<br /><br />When you extract H1 from its wrapping, you get a card folder containing a thick book, 3 double-sided poster-sized miniature scale maps and a thin book. The books are a little flimsy, not having card covers, and in my copy the ink tends to smudge a bit. This is not true of all copies of H1, apparently, and may be down to a particular print run. The maps are a bit lower in quality than some I've seen, but that's not a major complaint. Also, you should know that some of them duplicate maps that have appeared in previous products.<br /><br />The thick book contains several pages of fast-play rules, but mostly the adventure itself. Encounters are laid out very well in a format which means you never have to turn the page during combat. This is a great advance in DMing from the days where stats were at the back of the book and you had to continually flip pages!<br /><br />The thin book contains some fast-play rules aimed at the players and some pregenerated characters.<br /><br />First impressions, then, are: why have they wasted a fair bit of space on rules when there was only a couple of weeks between publishing this and the rule books? I will never look at the thin book again. Also, why are the pregenerated characters in a book at all, rather than on individual sheets? I don't fancy cutting up my book. This could have been thought through better.<br /><br />First impressions, however, are a little deceptive, and once you're past these things it starts to get a lot better.<br /><br />There is a lot of play potential in this book. My group has played it now for three weeks and we've only just got to the main section. My estimate would be that there's something like thirty hours play here. It's heavily combat-oriented and could have highlighted D&D 4th edition's non-combat stuff a little more, but that's understandable considering its introductory nature. It does at least have some sort of developing plot! The encounters are mostly very varied and interesting, making good use of environment. For example, there's one room where the adventurers will need to be moving up and down ladders and crossing planks during the fight.<br /><br />It's when you start playing that you realise how good 4th edition is. It plays absolutely wonderfully. To some extent, then, this is a review of 4th edition as much as Keep on the Shadowfell. But the adventure is written to take advantage of the new rules, and it does so very well. Simply put: this is really, really fun! Last Tuesday my group ran through one of the early encounters. It took two and a half hours, but during that time everyone was engaged with the play and everyone had a blast.<br /><br />On that encounter, one thing to be aware of is that although it looks like in 4th edition adventurers are going to have an easier time, there is still a risk of a party wipeout. Players who play as individuals rather than as a team are going to find it very difficult. 4th edition strongly encourages team play.<br /><br />I compare H1 with the Sunless Citadel, the first 3rd edition adventure from Wizards. H1 is in my opinion considerably superior. It contains more role-playing elements; it contains more variation and interest in encounters; it contains a much more engaging story; it's much easier to run, and most importantly, it's more fun.<br /><br />To summarise: physically, it could have been a little better and I think Wizards should note some of the comments that have been made. Including the fast-play rules was plain daft. However, the adventure itself, and 4th edition, are great fun, and I would not hesitate to recommend this product.

Gets better as it goes along

I've already read this entire series. I was in America a couple of years ago and bought all six books in two volumes. You'll be pleased to that whilst it is not in the same league as the Abhorsen trilogy, it does improve as Garth Nix reveals more of the back story about the Sunstones and the Spiritshadows and the past of the Castle of Seven. The characters develop more and you actually begin to care about them and what happens to them. I recommend that even if you're unsure about this one, stick with it, they do get much better

It almnost won me over...........only almost

Being someone who had read the Batman comics of the 60s and also a fan of Tim Burton's first two Batman films and of the animated series,I had resisted trying Miller's Batman as I had only browsed the Graphic novel in the past,however I decided to see what the fuss was about and bought it.I have to say that although it is an excellent read in itself I have one or two reservations about it and though this probably 'IS' Batman as Bob Kane intended,his depiction of Superman is sacriligeous and the moronic Mutants just got on my nerves,in the end as a Batman affectionardo I have to say that it belongs in the bin.due to poor reviews of the sequel 'THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN ' I won't be buying it.

Great book can't wait to order the next one!

This is a really great book, if you loved Bitten, you'll love this. When I first started reading it I thought it was a little too much like bitten, but it didn't take me long to get completely absorbed. I finished the book in under two days and wish I'd ordered the second one at the same time! Happy reading.

Brilliant

George R R Martin is at least mostly a genius. His plots are excellent - complex, slightly confusing and thoroughly engaging - made even more so by the juggling act he performs in having the story told from between six and ten characters' points of view. This is something I love - you get to the end of a chapter, feel let down by having to leave one character's journey only to find yourself smack bang in the middle of a story you didn't want to leave three chapters before. <br /><br />But perhaps the best thing about Martin's writing is his unwillingness to do what is expected. No, it's not that what he writes is necessarily unexpected (although it sometimes is), it's that he doesn't write what you want to happen. Throughout the series, he is perfectly willing to write what happens regardless of any attachments, expectations or hopes his readers may have. And it is in this book that it comes to a head. The emotional reaction I associate most with Martin's writing is one which occurs usually once in each book, but uncomfortably more often than that here - is a gut wrenching sense of disbelief. An almost physical reaction of disappointment or surprise. Martin doesn't really deal in emotional impact in any other ways - other than these moments of disbelief the plot is exciting and free-flowing, and provokes a real interest in the characters and their stories.<br /><br />A thoroughly recommended read. But make sure you start at the beginning...

Enchanted as Enchanted can be!

See what happens when three children, Jo, and his two sisters, Bessie and Fannie, discover their very own Enchanted Wood, and meet new friends Silky the Fairy, Moon-Face and the Saucepan Man who all live in the magical Faraway Tree. Their real adventures begin when they all climb up and discover the most thrilling and peculiar! Lands that exist beyond the clouds at the top of the tree which some are good and some rather confusing and some plain dreadful. I like most of the Lands and characters like the angry pixie, Mr Watizname and Dame Washalot.<br />The characters are funny and some of the lands are very exciting like the land of snow and ice where there are evil snowman and even Santa Claus. <br />

Fanrtastic story, but buy the original!

Dame Slap, who had me under the bed covers quivering with joyful fear, as my Mum read this to me at bedtime is now called DAME SNAP! This cannot be forgiven, and sums up what is wrong with the world today. This version is too PC, if you read the original to your children you can explain how things have changed over time. The use of language can be discussed (ie the word"queer" instead of strange) and even Golliwogs can be introduced into the evenings discussion. Enid was so talented, I have only just realised how prolific she was. By the 1939 version...it is great!

Obvious...but thats not a bad thing

This has all the makings of a traditional semi-fantasy trilogy: Castles, soldiers, magicians, forests and poison. The fact that I was so gripped by this that i read it in 5 hours proves that its a good, well written book (also not difficlut to read). Its only with hindsight that I start to think its got elements of many other fantasy novels, mainly Trudi Canavan's Black Magician trilogy (lone girl forced into training in role she doesn't want falls in love with her superior) but we'll have to see how it goes - and I absolutely want to read the next books.<br />If you want the details - Yelena is about to be hanged for a murder that she did commit, but Valek the Commander's right hand man gives her an alternative fate. Become a poison taster for the Commander. Not a bad deal except for the certain death. Cue many adventures and lots of running round castles and forests.<br />All in all its a good book, a little predictable, but still very entertaining!

A prince among men.

Machiavelli's realisation of the true nature of men as"...fickle,lying,cowards..." leads him in his brilliantly astute work to illuminate the realities of government and life in general.
Disregarding all political theorie's and ideaoligies machiavelli refreshingly deals with how things are and not how they should.
While on first glance machiavellis work would seem almost evil in its implications as it has been labeled countless times, a deeper look would show it to be more humane and considerate of human wellbeing then any half baked political ideology (communism, Republicanism,democracy etc). His assertion that the ends justifies the means is a good demonstration of this as Machiavelli demonstrates through historical analogies the truth of life in general: for people to prosper others have to suffer. In truthfully explaining this and insisting it be done quickly and totaly for it to be over and done with machiavelli shows a level of compasion far greater than any bleeding hearted liberal vegaterian (the most likely to be opposed to his assertions)
His work while being what many would labels as deeply cinical is niether cinical nor idealogical but an honest assesment of life in general as well as politics, which cannot help but uplift those of the same frame of mind with the comfort of nowing that the realisation that the world is a very unhappy place is not theres alone.
But if you truly believe in the hollywood view of the world in which love is blind and happy endings happen for every one than don't read this book (ignorance is bliss).

A fresh breath of air

What more can I say? From the first line of text I was captivated and it never disappointed. <br />Highly original, at times hilarious, sometimes deeply moving, always thoughtful.<br /><br />Perhaps not the best Military SF I've ever read, but certainly one of the most enjoyable SF books I had the pleasure of reading for the last 30 years.<br /><br />John Scalzi is a better Heinlein.

Very enjoyable book with big possibilities for the series

I bought this book based on an Amazon recomendation and reading the customer reviews. Now this doesn't knock you off your feet like"Dark Lover" does but it is a promising start to a paranormal series. Yes there are Black Daggerhood similarities in this book but if you read it and judge it own it's merits, there is definately something here. After reading this I immediately orders books 2 & 3 in the series and am thouroughly enjoying them.<br /><br />Where I found these characters differed from the BDB boys, was that they felt more modern. I think this is because their history is not based around a religious head (like the Scribe Virgin) and they a species left that were left to evolve independantly from their creators (flesh and blood beings). If you read it you'll understand what I mean when I say it gives these characters a much larger scope for having a very dark side...<br /><br />Give the series a chance - it grows into its own as it goes on...

It's a good book though small flaws noticed

I found this book to be very clear in its discussions and explanations of 'difficult' physics.<br /><br />My only quibble is precognition - I have experienced precognition several times and I don't<br />agree with the author that it is impossible.

This Author is Very Promising

Rachel you are an amazing writer. If you like kitties I suggest you read this, great take on were cats.<br /><br />The story grips you from start to finish. You find yourself trying to add up the mystery ,with the characters. It's a great read, with lots of humour and action to get the heart racing.<br /><br />I recommend anyone to read this book, can't wait for the rest.

Heavens to Percy!

This is book four of the Percy Jackson series, with only one more installment to come. Readers from around ten years old will be thrilled by the adventures of the teenaged hero who just happens to be the son of Poseidon, God of the Sea, and all his friends, most of whom are the children of the Olympians from Greek Mythology. <br /><br />In my opinion, it would be better if you read the series in order, and the three previous books are: <br /><br />The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) <br />The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2) <br />The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 3) <br /><br /><br />In"The Battle of the Labyrinth", Percy and three friends set off on a quest through the treacherous labyrinth, in search of the inventor Daedalus, hoping that he will help them to defeat the army being assembled by Luke, son of Hermes. The thing is - Luke is just the messenger, and the evil he's about to unleash can bring down Olympus itself. <br /><br />Although still clueless about girls and relationships, Percy starts developing and unleashing his powers, and surprises even himself when he attempts to repeat Hercules' great stable cleansing project. Other demi-gods also come into their own in book four, and a mortal girl proves to be just the ticket, and in the nick of time too. In a related sub-story, the search for Pan reaches an exhilarating climax. <br /><br />Packed with monsters of all persuasions, gods and demi-gods, rescues, battles and side trips to Alcatraz and Mount St. Helens, this is by far the most exciting book of the series so far. <br /><br />Amazingly imaginative, thrilling and funny, this series by Rick Riordan continues to be a front runner in children's fiction, and I recommend it without reservation. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Amanda Richards

hot, gripping, amazing

Total page turner unable to put it down, this is one story i would love to se a sequal to.<br /><br />absolutely amazing, read in 24 hrs just coulden't put it down.<br /><br />

slightly disappointing

After reading, and really enjoying the first three in this series, I was quite excited when I realised the fourth book was out, but after reading it, whilst it is still a good book, I don't think it is up to the same standard as the previous three. There is less of a focus on the characters in my opinion, and the plot is not exciting enough, up till the last quarter of the book, to carry this off. All in all, still worth a read if you enjoyed the first three, but don't expect great things from it.

If you had the choice you would live in this book

Beautiful. I have read Neverwhere and thought it was great however this tale is sadly too short as I could have read on for years! I am no pen-man so you will just have to read it - it will only take a day or so as not a beefy-book - you will not regret it if you like escapism from your stories!

Boys don't cry!

The fine art captures the superb action, and as much gritty realism as you can fit in a superhero graphic. A world seen when the rose tinted glasses have been lost. A fantastic idea which has been well crafted, and will leave you drooling for more.

Good outwits Evil

It's Dirty Work, but somebody has to do it - burglary, that is, and who better than a naive hobbit with an adventurous streak in him somewhere. Clever Gandalf tricks him into leaving his comfortable life in Hobbiton for an epic journey, involving hunger, thirst and peril in the Wild. En route he meets fantastic characters and stumbles across a ring which confers invisibility. Using his ring as a crutch, he rescues the Dwarves and masterminds the recovery of their treasure, testing his ingenuity to the utmost. Well, what would YOU do, if somebody dared you?<br />Incidentally, make sure you read the book with original Art Deco style pictures by Tolkien himself.