The essential Conan is a collection of the first 25 issues of the Conan the Barbarian comics released by Marvel back in the early seventies. Although this book is in black and white, a format which seems to have gone out of style, this book often manages to capture the spirit of the original Conan stories. The plots aren't usually too dumb, and as the book advances the comics go from a bunch of individual stories to big story-arcs, making it more readable and giving it more of a sense of continuity.

While this book doesn't always stick to the Conan stories continuity-wise, for the most part it fits in, filling little gaps in between those stories. Also, several of howard's better stories are adapted to comic format here; Tower of the Elephant, Frost Giant's Daughter, and Rogues in the House to name a few. We get the first comics' appearance of Red Sonja as well.

Overall, this is a fun, quick read, and although it's only in B&W, for the sheer amount of materiel included herein it's definitely worth the cover price.

I remember when Barry Smith drew his first comic for Marvel Comics. It was an issue of the X-Men that we all thought was THE WORST DRAWN COMIC BOOK IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. It turned out that Smith, newly arrived from England, drew the issue on park benches in NYC. When the first issue of Conan the Barbarian arrived it was clear he was not that bad. By the time his run as artist on "Conan" ended it was even more clear he was something special and the fact that the illustrative style that had evolved in those two-year span was not feasible within the demands of producing monthly issues of a comic book was a depressing irony.

Barry Windsor-Smith has long been my favorite "comic book artist," and this collection traces his evolution as such quite admirably. Indeed, not other collection could better serve that purpose. A simple comparison of the covers from Conan #1 and Smith's swansong issue #24 ("The Song of Red Sonja") evidences the transformation from artist to illustrator. For that matter you can also consider Smith intermediary style (e.g., #13 "Web of the Spider-God"). This transformation is as impressive because of how quickly in took place while he was drawing Conan as it is for the artistic growth. But even in his work today you can see how it is grounded in the style he developed while working on this comic.

These reprinted stories are presented in black and white, which is certainly better than nothing, but I look forward to Smith's work being presented in color as it originally appeared. I notice this most particularly in the Epilogue to Conan #20, "The Black Hound of Vengeance," which was originally presented in muted tones of gray, blue and brown. Smith abandoned panels in an interesting change of pace that underscored the emotional impact of the sequence. Without color that impact is most decidedly lost. One of the things that is still discernable is the increase in the number of panels per page from issue to issue through Smith's tenure as he became more comfortable with using art rather than dialogue to advance parts of the story. The best example of this is the hanging sequence on page 14 of Conan #10.

From a writing stand point it should be noted that there is a nice balance between stories adapted from Robert E. Howard's Conan work and original stories by Roy Thomas. For the former "The Tower of the Elephant" (#4) is usually considered the high point. The appearance of Michael Moorcock's Elric in issues #14-15 seems a bit forced, while the Fafnir character (original a quick tribute to Fritz Leiber's famous pair of thieves) becomes a wonderfully integrated character into an ongoing story line.

Of the 25 issues included in this collection not all are drawn by Smith. Several issues are drawn by Gil Kane because Smith had missed a deadline or took a hiatus from working on Conan. Thomas' ability as a storyteller capable of crafting bigger and longer storylines would continue to grow, and while John Buscema's artwork on Conan was quite excellent (especially when inked by Ernie Chan), Barry Smith's work will always stand on a plateau. Jim Steranko cracked open the door on stylized illustration in color comics, but Barry Smith was the one who gets credit for busting all the way through.

I recommend this book highly. It is well-written and easily understood by the newcomer, yet sophisticated enough for someone with an earth science background. The photography is excellent, with some pictures being remarkable for their spectacular beauty. Both the photos and the superb diagrams follow the text closely.

I was especially impressed with Chapter 2, on the disappearance of the large wild animals, and with Chapter 3, on the development of solutions to the "cosmic problem", of Ice Age causation. Both show the development of science via the scientific method in an exemplary fashion.

The best chapter to me was Chapter 4, however, which discusses challenges to the proposed astronomical causation theory. while the currently fashionable "Atlantic Conveyor", isn't discussed in detail, only its recent novelty prevented this. It is noteworthy that this book has been quoted frequently in scientific abstracts.

The book won't make you a glaciologist or a paleontologist, but it will surely whet your interest and increase your knowledge in these fields. Any natural science library is well served by this book's inclusion.

This is a great book for overall view of the history behind "global warming". It is not too technical and sticks to fundamental facts about the eons of earth ice-ages and interglacial warm periods. It also has some great pictures to reinforce what is written.

Anne Edwards is terrific and this book is no exception. It tells the story Queen Mary, the grandmother of the current queen Elizabeth, who rose from a minor royal relative to the queen consort of England. The path was difficult and almost lost - like Catherine of Aragon, she was betrothed to the heir who died prematurely (Edward, the whispered would-be Jack the Ripper) but married his brother instead. One of the most interesting episodes in the book is when her son, Edward VIII, chose love over duty, devastating his mother who had raised him to chose duty to the country over all else.

For real royal watchers, one of the things that sets this work above others in the genre, is the details of the clothing and jewelry worn by Queen Mary and the other royals. Mary was apparently not shy about wearing jewels that befit her station and these details are revealed to the reader. For every royal wedding, funeral and other occasion, Edwards takes time to desribe the clothing worn by the principals. If you've bought People Magazine to see the fashions of Diana, you need to read this book. It's much better that People magazine. Photos (b&w) are included as well.

Queen Mary was the consort of King George V and the paternal grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II. She was a great influence on Queen Elizabeth II and the resemblance between Queen Mary and her famous granddaughter is uncanny. Queen Mary was the daughter of one of Queen Victoria's cousins, Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge. Queen Mary's father was the Duke of Teck (a morganatic son of the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Wuerttemberg - now part of modern Germany). Queen Mary was destined to marry Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (eldest son of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) but he died before any marriage could take place. Queen Victoria wanted this marriage badly. Queen Mary at this time was Her Serene Highness, Princess Victoria Mary of Teck. To have lost the heir to the throne of England was a great loss. Queen Victoria knew that this Princess was worth keeping and soon Prince Albert Victor's younger brother George was married off to his late brother's fiancee. They eventually became King George V and Queen Mary on the death of King Edward VII in 1910. The marriage was a success and for Princess Victoria Mary of Teck it was a great rise from Serene Highness to Royal Highness and eventually Queen Consort. Queen Mary herself had a very interesting early family life. Her brothers were interesting characters as well as her parents. One of her brothers married King George V's cousin HRH Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone while another caused Queen Mary much embarrassment with his gambling and other dubious activities. Queen Mary came from German stock and it is interesting to read about her German relatives. Her own married life is of much interest and of course her children are well known. She was the granddaughter-in-law of Queen Victoria, the daughter-in-law of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, the wife of George V and the mother of King Edward VIII and King George VI. Her life spanned a most turbulent period and she was a solid rock in the life of the British Royal family, providing a sense of security to the British Monarchy particularly during the abdication crisis. This is a very well researched book. It is well worth the read.

When I received this book recently as a door prize for the Shades of Romance Online Writer's Conference, I was elated. A new book! A new author. And a historical at that. (I have a soft spot for a good historical.)

Well, I wasn't disappointed. Linda Windsor transported me to medieval Ireland with ease, burrowing her way into my favorite author's closet as well. Fiery Riona, the main character has the heart of a nun and temper of warrior. When Kieran, her handsome, but unbelieving foster brother arrives home with news of their brother's death and his deathbed wish for them to marry, well, Riona has all the men running for cover.

Before she can fully vent her anger though, there's a murder in the abbey and Kieran is the main suspect. With the three orphans she plans to adopt and a mouthful of prayers, Riona sets out to rescue Kieran and herself.

It's a bouncy ride through the Irish hillside full of the wonder of Christ's love. Don't miss it!

Action, adventure, history, and lots of romance! What more could a reader want? Riona delivers on all counts. Linda Windsor's second book in her Fires of Gleannmara series will win her new fans, and delight her loyal ones. Do not miss this one.

Since he wrote these stories during the several years he spent in Brattleboro, VT, we of the North Country have a particular affinity for Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Books. The most familiar are the Mowgli tales, basis for the very good Disney movie. Mowgli is an Indian infant who is lost in the jungle after Shere Khan (the tiger) kills his family. Bagheera (the black panther) places him with a wolf family that has a newborn litter. Mowgli's new "parents" and Bagheera and Baloo (the brown bear) sponsor him for membership in the Wolf Pack and, much to Shere Khan's chagrin, he is admitted. Mowgli is raised according to Jungle Law, but all the while Shere Khan is plotting his revenge and ingratiating himself with the younger wolves. Eventually, he leads a rebellion against Akela, the pack's aging leader and attacks Mowgli, who beats him away with a burning firebrand. In these and the several other Mowgli stories--there are some prequels--Kipling strikes a nice balance between anthropomorphizing the animals and understanding Mowgli's natural superiority.

Also appearing in this collection is a story I've loved since I first saw the Classic Cartoon version--Rikki Tikki Tavi. It tells the story of an intrepid young mongoose and his life or death battle to protect an Indian villa from a couple of particularly unpleasant cobras. Rikki Tikki Tavi has always seemed to me to be one of the great heroes in all of literature.

These are great stories for young and old. For folks who worry about Kipling's potentially imperialist, racist or racialist overtones (see review), rest assured, these tales are free of such themes. They offer an excellent opportunity to introduce kids to the work of a true master storyteller.

GRADE: A

This was probably one of my most favorite books as a young child if not my favorite. The way Kipling shows the struggle of this young boy in the jungle is amazing. He fails to leave out any detail and throughout the whole story your totally caught up in it without one point of boredom. I recommend this to any parent looking for a good book to read to their children or to have their kids read. Kipling is a great author and after doing a report on him and reading some of his other works I recommend those as well, especially A White Man's Burden. If your looking for books by a author who mixes fiction with truth, action and adventure with tales that bring in more serious aspects Kipling is the author for you.

The story of Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves in the jungles of 19th century India, charmed me when I was young no less than it does today. Kipling wrote this to celebrate his love of India and it's wild animals as well as to show again some of his frequent themes of honor, loyalty, and perserverance. While his writing may seem 'dated' to some, to others the truths he includes rise above politics and 'current correctness'. Baloo the Bear, Shere Khan the Tiger, Bagheera the Panther, Kaa the Python were all childhood friends of mine, and reading these Jungle Book stories to your own children today will result in their exposure to such old fashioned concepts as sticking by your friends in adversity, helping your family, relying on yourself. Good lessons then, good lessons now. Mowgli learns the value of 'good manners' early on, learns that 'all play and no work' leads to unexpected troubles, learns that thoughtless actions can have devasting consequences. By showing Mowgli in an often dangerous 'all animal' world, we see reflections of modern human problems presented in a more subtle light. Kipling leads children down the jungle path into adventures beyond their day to day imagining and along the way, he weaves subtle points in and out of the stories, he shows the value of 'doing for yourself', of 'learning who to trust'. All of this in a tale of childhood adventure that's never been equaled. The book is over 100 years old now, and there are terms & concepts from the age of Empire that aren't 'correct' today. Parents can edit as needed as they read bedtime stories, but I've found that children learn early on that the world changes, and that some ideas that were popular long ago did not prove to be correct. Explaining this, too, is a part of parenting. Some of our current popular ideas may not stand the test of time, but I suspect that 100 years from now parents will still read the Jungle Book to their children. And the children will still be charmed, thrilled and instructed in valuable life-lessons.

Barry Windsor-Smith's artwork is in a class all its own - not to say that it's technically perfect, but he is definitely an original in the field of fantastic art. It's art that he's good at, and it's art that his fans should receive -

- which is why this book is such a disappointment. Sure, it features his artwork, but you'd better be prepared for an abundance of text detailing BWS's paranormal experiences and otherworldly beliefs. I guess if he published this himself, he can do whatever he wants, but shame on him for taking his fans for granted like this. I had hoped to see art all over the inside of this book, with BRIEF accompanying text on his methods, inspirations, etc. Instead, I'm treated to a narrative on a subject which, while it may have influenced his work, is far too personal. It comes across as obscure and alienating.

I'll complain about the presentation of the artwork, too: I could have done a better job arranging the layout of this book. You don't center an image between two pages when moving it to either side will enable the image to be viewed completely. Think about it!

In closing, if you must buy this book, just look at the art. Spare yourself the pain and skip the text.

Barry has been here able to write about himself and to present his wonderful works in an unique and philosphical context. I suggest it for every open-minded individual entity.

I was in love with BWS's art from the first time I saw it featured on a Weapon X cover. I enjoyed the mix of fine art, illustration, and comic book art that this book contains, and the "one image per page with a reason for it" is all well and good for some artistis, but the spontenaity of the design is very much in the same feeling as his work. A worthy read!

When rating Shakespeare, I am rating it against other Shakespeare; otherwise, the consistent 4-5 stars wouldn't tell you much. So if you want to know how this book rates against the general selection of books in the world, I suppose it might rate four stars; it certainly rates three. The language, as usual in Shakespeare, is beautiful. Still, it's far from Shakespeare's best.

For one thing, this is one of those cases, not uncommon in Shakespeare's comedies, in which the play has suffered a great deal by the changes in the language since Shakespeare's time; it loses a great deal of the humor inherent in a play when the reader needs to keep checking the footnotes to see what's happening, and this play, particularly the first half of it, virtually can't be read without constant reference to the notes; even with them, there's frequently a question as to what's being said. At least in the edition that I read (the Dover Thrift edition) the notes frequently admit that there's some question as to the meaning of the lines, and there is mention of different changes in them in different folios.

But beyond this, as an overweight, balding, middle-aged libertine, I object to the concept that Falstaff is ridiculous just because he is in fact unwilling to concede that it is impossible that a woman could want him. Granted, he's NOT particularly attractive, but that has more to do with his greed, his callousness, and his perfect willingness to use people for his own ends, to say nothing of his utter lack of subtlety.

Is it truly so funny that an older, overweight man might attempt to find a dalliance? So funny that the very fact that he does so leaves him open to being played for the fool? Remember, it isn't as though he refused to take "no" for an answer; he never GOT a "no". He was consistently led on, only to be tormented for his audacity. Nor is he making passes at a nubile young girl; the target of his amorous approaches is clearly herself middle-aged; after all, she is the MOTHER of a nubile young marriageable girl. And given the fact that she is married to an obnoxious, possessive, bullying and suspicious husband, it is not at all unreasonable for Falstaff to think that she might be unhappy enough in her marriage to accept a dalliance with someone else.

If laughing at fat old men who have the audacity not to spend the last twenty years of their lives with sufficient dignity to make it seem as if they were dead already is your idea of a good time, you should love this play. I'll pass.

i've just finished reading/watching all of shakespeare's comedies and mww is one of the funnier ones. it is a lighthearted look at marital jealousy and features one of shakespeare's great fools, falstaff (of henry iv fame). the out-and-out funniest shakepearean play is still "taming of the shrew", imho, but mwv runs well ahead of the laggards, and certainly well ahead of such better known plays as "twelfth night" and "as you like it".

Shakespeare, considering he wrote this little gem of a comedy in a mere 14 days for the Virgin Queen, pulls off a play that proves both witty and fun. Unequivocally, The Merry Wives of Windsor makes for a more enjoyable play if seen live. Nonetheless, reading it is the 2nd best thing.

Sir John Falstaff is once again such a fool - but a lovable and hilarious one at that. Having read Henry V - where Falstaff ostensibly had met his end - I was pleased to see him so alive(pardon the pun) in this short, albeit clever play. It is no surprise that The Merry Wives of Windsor enjoyed such a long and successful stage run during Shakespeare's day and continues to be one of his most popularly staged plays. Recommended as a fun break from the more serious and murderous Shakespearean tragedies.

"Why, then the world's mine oyster,
Which I with sword will open." - Pistol

This is the finest book I have ever read. I first read it about 8 years ago, and read it again a few years later. Nothing else he has written comes close to eclipsing the brilliance of this work. What is the secret of this masterpiece? The secret is... almost every sentence written has greater meaning and greater significance than the simple words that form them. The text is oozing with innuendo, suggestion and ambiguity. The characters are vivid and almost walk of the pages. This book induced one of my favourite quotes, ascribed to Ricky: "Ideals are like the stars. We cannot reach them, but we are enriched by their presence" Well, I was enriched by this masterpiece.

This book is so much more than just another espionage thriller. It is really a character study of the central figure and a very satisfying psychological investigation into the anticedents of a spy's character. Magnus Pym was the perfect spy because of the way he was raised; specifically, the way he learned to perceive the world as he came to understand his father - a con man of great charm (based on Le Carre's own father) who always acted as though truth was whatever he wanted it to be at the moment. Maybe the title actually refers to the father and not to Pym. Perhaps?

Le Carre's use of language is always a pleasure, and here it is put to excellent use in recreating the world of Pym's past. The main plot of finding the missing Pym becomes less important than the subplots - often involving past events - and the overall structure of the novel is less driven by unknown outcomes than is a typical 'spy' story.

One is left with a great sense of sadness after finishing this book but no disappointment. Very original and very satisfying.

A Perfect Spy shocks, provokes, weaves a story of Magnus as he plots the ultimate betrayal. When I say the story is woven, I mean it. The structure is similar to The English Patient, where the story skips back an forth in time and amoung characters. I rate this book highly, much as I had done with other Le Carre books. A perfect Spy, however is not another Spy novel, indeed the suspence is not as central to the plot but the character development is truly epic. Magnus Pym becomes a close relation throughout the narrative, all the good, bad, ugly, and even sometimes boring. A Perfect Spy is a gripping portrait of a twisted life, and the injury of the life a spy.

A Perfect Spy is an unreal, yet believable journey in the life of a Spy. I highly recommend this book, if like me, you enjoy a non-linear story.

This is the hardest kind of review to write, I find. The first of the Dudley Pope "Ramage" series is not bad as an adventure-at-sea novel, but it is not great either. It is fun, but not amazingly exciting. Pope is knowledgable, but heavy-handed. So the book rates 3 stars.

First some background. I have read the Horatio Hornblower & Aubrey/Maturin series, as well as a couple books by Kent, "Two Years Before the Mast", and scattered other bits of nautical lore and adventure. I enjoy the genre as a whole. Thus at a friend's suggestion I picked up "Ramage".

The action in this book can get pretty heavy, but often to the point of strained credulity. As this is a historical novel, I don't really expect to see sections that strike me as "What an AMAZING bit of luck!" every 20-30 pages, but that does happen here. Ramage begins his career (at least as far as the book is concerned) by coming back to consciousness after being knocked about by an explosion. Luckily he has not noticable concussion... He is the only officer left on board his ship. Luckily he can find the captain's secret orders... Luckily they directly involve skills he has... And somehow he is able to convince his heavily battered crew that he is NOT abandoning them by leaving the ship in the ship's boats. This is only the opening sequence, so I am not giving much away here.

His adventures take a much more believable turn on land and the pace really picks up; unfortunately things drag later during a courtmartial scene. I want to get involved with the adventures and the excitement, but I keep thinking, "How much blind luck can one fellow have?"

Another disappointing aspect of the book revolves around the nautical lore. It is always tricky as to how much to include in a given book and how to present it. Patrick O'Brian was the great master of being able to spoon bits of knowledge of sailing vessels to his audience without making it seem like a long lecture. Unfortunately Pope is much more heavy-handed in his approach. When he wants to explain something about the management of ships, he very obviously places a non-naval person in the scene and then proceeds to have Ramage give a mini-lecture. This is not only clunky in execution, it becomes woefully predictable. The only time this didn't happen, Ramage thought all the steps out in his head, sort of like a Shakespearean soliloquy on naval maneuvers.

Ramage himself is a rather nice character, with some little quirks, an interesting background, and rather too much luck. Gianna, his lady love, is a standard head strong young woman who comes to love the hero. Jackson, Ramage's American sidekick, is also rather nice, but a little too Johnny-on-the-spot, as if all he is at times is an extension of Ramage's luck.

Pope knows the period very well. He knows the sea, the commanders, the action, and the politics. As this was his freshman effort I have every hope that the later books become less heavy-handed. In the end "Ramage" is not a bad book, but it is not a great book of the genre either.

This was Pope's first novel (of ultimately nearly 20) about Lord Ramage, a character who seems based [like O'Brien's Lucky Jack Aubrey] somewhat on the real Lord Cochran. It gets off to a hurtling start as Ramage comes to in the midst of total chaos, on a sinking ship littered with dead and wounded, and is told he's in command. He completes the mission his sunk ship was on, to rescue some Italian nobles, and meets the Great Love of his life, the georgeous Gianna. Back at the base, he's court-martialled and it looks grim... but the novel switches from courtroom drama to another rousing naval operation as Ramage rescues the officers and crew of a wrecked British Navy ship. If you entered Age-of-Sail fiction by way of O'Brien, this will be pretty thin gruel, but it is pretty much up to the Forester/Kent/Woodman/ Lambdin mark, and quite enjoyable. I was certainly motivated by reading it to eventually read the other novels in the Ramage series.

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Review of the Ramage series of novels:

This is first of a series of nine books. All of these are fictional novels based on British Admiralty records of the Napoleonic era. Written in the best tradition of Forester and O'Brien, these books will capture our imagination. And if you haven't read the Hornblower series by Forester, or the Aubrey/Maturin series by O'Brien, try them also. All of these are excellent books that you will treasure and reread. I particularly like these books by Pope. I recommend that you buy them all at once and read them in order. You will be glad you did.

If you enjoy reading accurate descriptions of naval maneuvers in the age of sail, or simply a good adventure yarn, Dudley Pope delivers. Pope conveys how the best of the best, handle emergency situations. He portrays these situations with realism and authenticity.

Review of this book:

In this novel, Ramage awakes after receiving an injury in battle to find himself in command of the rapidly sinking Sibella. The pace is fast and furious as he struggles to complete the Sibella's mission and save his crew. As any Captain who has lost his ship, this book concludes with Ramage facing a daunting courts martial board with the deck stacked against him.

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Conrad B. Senior

There is something unusual in this book in terms of plot and the idiosyncrasies of the characters involved. The main character, Aryeh Alexander, is a small boy, intellectually gifted, who is surrounded by eccentric individuals: a neurotic mother, a loving father obsessed by Ancient Mesopotamia, a cantor and his sister both victims of the holocaust, and an ill-fated girl destined to die at an early age. Aryeh is involved in the misfortunes of all characters as an outsider, an a spectator. When reaching his coming of age, he secluded himself from the rest of the world in order to settle the confusion in his mind, life, and world. The author is master of a clear, beautiful, and poetic prose. The reader is left with the impression that this novel might represent the beginning of a future literary production with an overall more embracng depth and weight.

The Euphrates River, in historical contexts, conjures up Mesopotamia, the origins of Judaism and all that. Unfortunately, this book only conjured up a disfunctional family in North America and barely even scraped the surface of the many ways in which an author could use the symbolic nature of the longing for Eden and paradise. The only paradise for the main character was the time he sequestered himself in his bedroom, unable be openly gay with his family. I kept waiting for the Euphrates part and was terribly disappointed to finally hear about it as a hypothetical journey of a relative's inner longings. Oh, well. The Jewish-gay literary scene is fantastic, and more needs to be written, but not more ho-hum faux Portnoy-esque novels.

exquisite rhythmic prose takes one along a journey of a child's growth spiritually and in reality a delicious read