I came to love this book as a child, and I continue to enjoy it and benefit from it as a twentysomething adult. Understanding the root Greek and Roman stories can lead to a much fuller and richer understanding of Western culture, including literature, movies, art - even comic books and cartoons.

This a great collection of stories (with wonderful illustrations) for students and others interested in getting a sense of various myths and stories - large one like the search for the Golden Fleece, the Trojan War, the wanderings of Ulysses, the labors of Hercules, and smaller ones like King Midas, Orpheus, etc. This book recounts the stories, but it doesn't seek to interpret them. You'll have to dig deeper for that, and Hamilton helps you on your way by providing her sources.

If you enjoy this book, you may want to read the originals, such as Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Virgil's Aeneid, the Argonautika; the works of the Greek playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides; and other works like Ovid's Metamorphoses and some the Norse and northern European epics and sagas - Beowulf, the Prose Edda, etc.

This isn't a definitive reference or mythological encyclopedia; it's a starting place for a really wonderful trip. I encourage you to give it a try - and to give it as a gift to young people in your life.

Edith Hamilton's very popular 'Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes' is a very basic, very popular and very good text for the introduction of Greek and Roman mythology. This book by Hamilton, simply entitled 'Mythology' is an expansion of the material in the shorter book. Largely, however, it is a repetition of the same material.

In our Western culture, the term 'mythology' is most often equated with these tales, and Hamilton, first writing before World War II, has helped to reinforce that equation with the current generations of readers.

Those looking for the mythological stories of other cultures will be disappointed -- with the exception of a brief section on Norse mythology at the end (about five percent of the entire volume), it covers nothing outside the Greek and Roman pantheons. Of course, part of the difficulty of approaching mythology of other cultures is that, in many instances, it is not mythology to them; or, in the case of mythology, one needs a firmer grounding in the culture and religious aspects of that culture before the mythology becomes accessible.

Hamilton (raised, as I was astonished to discover, in Indiana, where I currently reside) studied at Bryn Mawr, and had a distinguished teacher career in addition to writing this useful text. Hamilton's writing is not complicated and very easy to follow -- this has made her texts selected often for high school and undergraduate courses in Greek and Roman mythology, more frequently perhaps than any other text produced in this century.

Hamilton begins the text with an essay giving an overview of what mythology is, and what the purpose of it was.

'Through it,' she wrote, 'we can retrace the path from civilised man who lives so far from nature, to man who lived in close companionship with nature; and the real interest of the myths is that they lead us back to a time when the world was young and people had a connection with the earth, with trees and seas and flowers and hills, unlike anything we ourselves can feel.'

She proceeds with a brief history of the development of Greek mythology, the origins of the stories lost in the mists of time. She tells of the influences of Greek thought on subsequent developments in thought and religion: 'Saint Paul said the invisible must be understood by the visible. That was not a Hebrew idea, it was Greek.' Unlike most religious constructs, the Greek mythological world tried to make sense of the greater life of the universe in terms that were very human indeed, with a minimum of mystery. 'The terrifying irrational has no place in classical mythology.'

This is not to say, of course, that there were not terrible stories and fantastic creatures -- indeed, the mythological stories are full of them -- Gorgons and hydras and chimaeras dire. But these are mostly metaphorical (and were understood as such), and primarily used for a hero to be made (this same idea has pervaded to the most recent Mission Impossible movie).

Hamilton proceeds after this essay to describe the members of the pantheon, the major and minor gods and goddesses, the ideas of creation, the heroes (human, semi-divine and divine), stories of love and devotion, justice and injustice, and, of course, of warfare, victory, defeat, and courage. Those heroes before the Trojan War, perhaps the Greek-mythological-equivalent of a world war, had battles and dire circumstances to fight and overcome. The Trojan War figured largely in the mythological frameworks of Greece and Rome -- all the gods and goddess were involved in this conflict, it seemed, as were many of the heroes of Greek mythology.

Hamilton, writing in a fairly conservative period of time, and in a fairly conservative culture, sanitised the mythological stories to a large extent. The Greeks were a very human and often rather bawdy bunch; the Romans were even moreso. Much of the sexuality in the mythological stories is omitted, save to demonstrate the less-desirable aspects. Quite often, undergraduates who study mythology are astonished to discover, if they had used Hamilton's text in an earlier high school setting, that there is a lot more sex and violence in the 'real' stories than they had been previously exposed to.

Of course, one of the primary aspects of the mythological tales was not to explain the cosmos or to build complex theological constructs (reason did these, often with help from the myths, but not using the myths as the basis), but rather the illustration of moral truths -- those of honesty, virtue, and courage as primarily valued in Greek and Roman society. Evil befalls those who do not lead a moral life; rewards come to those who do. Of course, there is a bit of whimsy in the cosmos -- bad things happen to good people, etc., even in ancient Greece. The fluctuating personalities of the gods (and the number of them) ultimately gives a satisfying explanation (if not a satisfying reason) why such things might occur.

Edith Hamilton's "Mythology" tell the "Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" of classical mythology and this volume, first written in 1942, is now a timeless classic itself. This was the first book of mythology that I ever read and it is still the best. When Hamilton retells the love story of Cupid and Psyche or the tragedy of Agamemnon and his children, she does so with a full sense of what it meant when first told by Apuleius or Aeschylus. These are not children's tales, but the heroic legends and religious beliefs of the ancient Greeks. Furthermore, the illustrations by Steele Savage have the elegance of wood block prints, which, for all I know, is exactly what they are. I appreciate Hamilton's choice to avoid relying on Ovid, for while the "Metamorphoses" is the most comprehensive ancient text dealing with the classical myths, Ovid is an unbeliever. For Hamilton the writings of Homer, Hesiod and Pindar are more abbreviated in terms of providing details for the myths, but at least they take the tales seriously.

Another strength of the book is how she organizes the myths in her seven parts: (1) Covers the complete pantheon of deities, including the lesser gods of Olympus and Earth and the later Roman additions, as well as the earliest heroes. (2) Retells the various tales of love, between mortals and the gods or each other, along with the Quest for the Golden Fleece and other early heroic adventures. (3) Focuses specifically on the greatest heroes, Perseus, Theseus and Hercules, with Atalanta thrown in the mix in a curious but understandable editorial decision by Hamilton. (4) Puts together Homer's Iliad and Virgil's Aeneid into a giant epic stretching from the Judgment of Paris to the founding of Roman, with the Odyssey and the tragedies of Euripides. (5) Tells about the great mythological families, namely the House of Atreus (Agamemnon), the Royal House of Thebes (Oedipus and Antigone), and the Royal House of Athens. (6) Covers all of the lesser myths, most notably Midas. (7) Goes off in a new direction, providing a very brief introduction to Norse mythology that seems woefully inadequate given the comprehensive compilation of classical mythology that precedes it.

I looked over other possibilities as a basic textbook for an introductory mythology course, but I keep coming back to this one. If you want analysis of these myths, then you certainly want to look elsewhere. But if you want a solid retelling of virtually every tale of classical mythology, then Edith Hamilton's volume is still at the top of the list.

That's right - I mean it. Not as engaging as the first, but this is through no fault of Hamiltons. This sad fact is true of most sequels. The first book was replete with countless examples of good versus evil and hard, shocking acts of violence and horror. This volume is not as hard hitting - but perhaps it shouldn't be. After all you can't manufacture identical responses from the reader again and again. Thus, this book is the expected progressment of the story of the Confederation doing what they can in preperation against the dead. More 'technical' or 'diplomatic' than the Reality Dysfunction's actiony themes. However, I expect this will change with the next volume titled 'Conflict'. I hope it does because so far I've been fairly bored with this volume compared to the audaciousness of the previous two. However, the 'dead-end' dead vs. living situation has so far proved to be a truely impressive plot situation. If Hamilton can somehow snap this dead-end away and into some sort of satisfying conclusion he'll go down as one of the best writers I've seen... And I mean that in a positive way. He's deliberately written such a bleak situation. Only the next three volumes will reveal if he does cleverly conclude this nightmare or if he will take 'the easy way out' and let the possessed triumph.

This book was great, don't get me wrong, but if you're committed to reading the entire series (ie you've read the Reality Dyfunction and want to see how it all ends eventually) do yourself a favor and start reading right after the Reality Dyfunction. I made that mistake and waited a few years in between (hey I do have other things to do) and attempting to dive in, at least in the beginning, can be rough going. Fortunately Hamilton does his best to bring readers up to speed on the run but he can't explain everything without bogging it all down in lengthy backwards exposition and so you've just got to figure it out as you go. On the book itself, it's just as good as the first two books, just in a different way. The Reality Dyfunction was good for the shock of its ideas, both for the complexity and gritty hardness of Hamilton's universe and the central concept of the dead coming back and taking over people (which could have turned into some cliched horror deal, but didn't). This book shows that the last one wasn't a fluke and he can actually develop all those ideas of the last novel into something workable. Thus, there aren't all out firefights and breakneck action here, mostly a retrenching as the characters gear up for the inevitable second conflict. We get to see how the possessed are trying to fortify their positions and how the living are trying to reclaim their worlds. Through it all there's an impressive knot of political and social machinations, as everyone tries to manipulate the crap out of everyone else. The characters are all still well defined and sometimes still surprising, which is good considering how much time you have to spend with some of them. There are lots of plots spinning around but don't fret, none of them are horribly complex and there's little overlap and Hamilton avoids the problems of some authors (ahem . . . Robert Jordan) by not giving his million characters all similar sounding names so you can't tell them apart. It's a quieter book that simmers with closed intensity, which will probably explode in the next book. Don't even think of starting this one without having read the Reality Dyfunction, it won't make any sense at all and you'll just be hurting yourself. But this is the next logical step after that book and a welcome one. And I don't know what everyone else thinks, but I liked the idea of Al Capone showing up, talk about adapting to yourself situation. Great stuff, and I've learned from my mistakes, I'm reading the second part of this as we speak. Review on that to come shortly, not that anyone is out there waiting. Pity.

OK, lets get some things straight. If you didn't like the first book then there's no real point in you reading this one. Because it's more of the same. If, like me though, you thought the first book was superb and you're gagging for more then this is an essential purchase.

This second instalement of the NIGHT'S DAWN trillogy is stunning. Hamilton weaves an excellent plot. Strands which were in the background in THE REALITY DYSFUNCTION are brought to the fore in this, and to some extent vice-versa. Consistent though is the same blend of amazing, visonary technology mixed with great, emotive characters breath-taking action and an intriguing plot. It's hard in places to keep track of the wealth of diverse characters in the book, which is why the list of characters and timeline at the back of the book prove paticularly usefull from time to time. That, really, is my only gripe.

Some peole have complained about the 'posession' side to the story. Well if you don't like it then there's no point continuing on to what will no doubt be a climactic final installment. Personally I think Hamillton has a great take on what at first seems to be a cliched idea. Instead of a means-to-an-end, the full extent - ie. social and religious consequences and power of this 'reality dysfunction' are explored in great depth. Individual and brilliantly concieved societies of humanity battle against a different form of darkness.

The scope remains breathtaking. From the personal strife of individuals on the smallest personal level, to the enginnering of entire planetry systems. Sentient organic constructs in space forty miles long are mind-bonded with individual human beings. Edenist ship captains, are literally *one* with thier ships. Planetry destruction plays against smatterings of romance... There is *so* much in the exotic, epic universe that has been created here.

In closing, this is a dangerous book. Dangerous because, well, I don't know how I am going to bridge the gap between finishing this book and October 1999 w! hich aparantly is when NIGHT'S DAWN PART III - 'THE NAKED GOD' will be published. This second part was sheer brilliance, instead of what could have so easily have been a real let-down after 'THE REALITY DYSFUNCTION'.

What can I compare it to? Ah, BABYLON 5 at it's best - epic space battles, multiple plot stands, great three-dimensional characters... Blend in even more exotic technology and you get on a par with this book.

In a word... AWESOME.

Steve Hamilton's "Cold Day in Paradise" was an excellent first novel, introducing us to the unusual hero, Alex McKnight.

However, this follow-up seems thrown together haphazardly. Although I hate to be picky, there is one disturbing error in this book. In the first novel, one of the main characters was EDWIN Fulton. In this book, the character's name mysteriously changes to EDMUND. Is this an author's faux pas or an editors? In any case, it is a shoddy booboo!

Also, in this book, Alex doesn't really do much of the private investigating at all, leaving it up to Leon Prudell, who emerges as more of an interesting character than McKnight. McKnight seems to be a whiny, pessimistic, self-pitying failure in this book, and his "devotion" to finding the missing Dorothy is rather tiresome and unmotivated.

The inclusion of the Russian Molinov and the scene in the ice cabin is way over board. The resolution, likewise, is too pat and contrived. Seems like McKnight should consider his choice of friends in the future, since in both books, they certainly aren't what they seem.

I do agree that Hamilton's descriptions of the frigid Michigan weather is stunning and evocative; unfortunately, the story and pacing in this one is tepid.

I also have a problem with Hamilton continuing to toy with us on McKnight's plans for revenge on his foes from the first book. Get with it, Hamilton. Stop manipulating and use your extraordinary writing abilities to deliver good reading.

This 2nd book by Steve Hamilton, with the return of ex-cop turned sometime p.i., Alex McKnight, was surprisingly good...since this was Hamilton's 2nd book I was not expecting alot (thought he might live on his laurels since he won the 1999 Edgar, well..you all know how it goes)However, you need not have read A Cold Day in Paradise to quickly become absorbed in this novel.. Quick plot, frantic at times,his descriptive tones of winters in the upper peninsula make you want to grab a blanket. I eagerly look forward to the next Alex McKnight tome, however I wish his books were better edited: spelling errors

Steve Hamilton returns with another of Alex McKnight's "adventures" in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. McKnight is abrasive and arrogant at times but has the most endearing quality about him -- he's a real good friend. The thing that sets Hamilton's books apart from all the other mystery/thrillers out there is the setting. His descriptions of the cold weather are unparelleled. In this book, Alex takes a ride on a snowmobile and "he isn't exactly the driver." He ends up in the hospital a few times but readers of this series know that you can't keep Alex McKnight down. In the first book, A Cold Day in Paradise, we learn of Alex' expertise in the field of baseball. In this book, he's a hockey goalie. Maybe he'll be a downhill skier in the next book. This is a quick read and a rewarding one. Hamilton is a terrific writer and doesn't lose you for one minute. He doesn't disappoint his fans with this second book.

Being a huge horror fan, I decided to try the Anita Blake series after a recommendation from a friend. I was not disappointed. The fast paced chapters and the originl ideas kept me turning pages. It was a quick three day read. However, the cover of the book claimed, "A heady mix of romance and horror". I saw the horror, but where's the romance? The only hint of romance happened on page 148... and the book is only 266 pages long! I expected some really steamy scenes, but I got none of that. My only other complaint is the random rules Laurell Hamilton seems to make up regarding the raising of zombies and ghouls to fit her storyline. But don't get me wrong, the danger and villains are plentiful. Instead of the standard ways in which to kill a vampire, characters use syringes to inject silver nitrate into the undead's bloodstream. This is something I really like. Putting a spin on the classic vampire mythology by incorporating today's technology. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series, "The Laughing Corpse".

The paralells between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Anita Blake series are virtually infinite. Both are tough, slim, short hot girls whose main goal in life is to free the world from the baddies. Both seem to have more than their fair share of relationships with some of these supernatural "baddies". Both of them love weapons. And both of them kick major .... while cracking tongue in cheek jokes.
I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And I love these books.
I read several reviews pertaining to the lack of sex in this first book. Well if you want sex, read on....the series soon becomes permeated with it. Ms. Hamilton seems to either give us too much or too little. Personally I prefer too little. I'm more on the ride for the action and plots, not the sex. If I want sexual satisfaction from a book I'll read a romance novel. This is not a romance novel.
In the same way Buffy the Vampire Slayer has become more and more "sexual", so do Hamilton's books. Since it is a series, some of the books are more for setting the scene and creating sexual tension than supplying a release for it. I would say on the whole though this series (taken as a whole) has something for everyone. Humour, Horror, and lust.
An easy writing style and a killer character make this book a must read for anyone who likes things along the line of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The Anita Blake series, which began with this novel, is an entertaining light read about an "animator" (someone who raises zombies from the dead for a living, for eg. to check the details of their will) who also is a legal vampire slayer - she's sent out with a court order to slay vampires who break the law. As you can guess, this series is set in an alternate reality where fantasy creatures exist and vampires have recently gained legal "human" status.

Anita herself has some interesting personal conflicts - she is a committed Christian who works with dark forces and kills a little too easily, and a very dainty and pretty-looking person who considers herself to be "tough as nails" (it makes it hard for the bad guys to take her seriously).

Each of the books is loosely based around a supernatural mystery and the ongoing story of Anita's life (she's 20-something at the start of this book). The writing is a little sloppy, but quite compelling, and the series steadily improves for the first few novels (the later ones get a little bogged down with Anita's issues).

First time author Steve Hamilton does a wonderful job of keeping you guessing in 'A Cold Day In Paradise'.

His flawed hero, Alex Mcknight a ex-policemen from Detroit, is tortured by a single event that changed his life forever. Alex's partner was killed by a madman who calls himself 'Rose'.

The problem is that Alex lived, with a bullet one inch from his heart. It's a reminder and a hollow pain that won't go away.

Alex tries to 'get away' to a small town in the upper Michigan Peninsula, to forget, and find some inner peace. He succeds for awile until a couple of murder's barring the unmistakable signature of 'Rose' appear in his quiet little town.

Has Rose come back?, how could this be?

Mr. Hamilton does a excellent job of weaving a fasinating mystery, the plot rarely slows, it's tight and as crisp as a artic breeze from Lake Superior.

Alex Mcknight is a very likable character, i particularly enjoyed the atmosphere Hamilton provided and the local people that Alex interacts with. They all come across very real..Highly Recomended

Steve Hamilton's award-winning debut is a very involving and well-written novel. The main character, Alex McKnight, is an interesting, if flawed, hero, one minute being Superman and the next Supersensitive. But he's likeable and he seems real.

The background of Alex's shootout with a madman named Rose is fascinating in that a bullet was left lodged in his heart, although his partner died in the onslaught.

Fourteen years later, McKnight is back home in the upper Michigan peninsula, running cabins his late father built, and becoming a reluctant PI assisting a smooth lawyer named Lane.

McKnight is then embroiled in a thick noir plot involving his somewhat best friend millionaire and his wife, whom McKnight once had an affair with.

The book moves at a very quick pace, and as it appears that the madman responsible for his injury is somehow murdering bookmakers, the plot thickens.

The denouement is unusually abrupt, but it certainly does smell of a sequel.

All in all, a very good read and I'm looking forward to reading the second entry in the Alex McKnight series, which I shall do as soon as I finish this review.

and winner of the Edgar Award, A COLD DAY N PARADISE, is truly outstanding in it's characters and story line. It was a book recommended to me by Amazon and they were right....I couldn't read it fast enough. It immediately gets into the story wih Alex McKnight as the retired cop turned private eye. The way in which the plot is developed, the introduction of the characters, the characters themselves and the insertions of McKnight remembering his past make a marvelous, intriguing package - tied together very, very expertly at the shocking and truly amazing ending. I have already puchased "WINTER OF THE WOLF MOON" , Hamilton's second novel and I will bet "dollars to donuts" that it will be just as suberbly written and even more suspenseful than the first. If you like intrigue, suspense,surprises, excellent character and plot development and an answer to the mystery that is at your fingertips but just out of your reach- read this: "A COLD DAY IN PARADISE'; and no matter how warm the summer weather is, keep a blanket handy because besides everything else this novel contains, it is chilling! Have a wonderful read!

I'm of two minds as to this work, at once wonderfully intuitive yet frustratingly superficial.

Brookhiser comes close to capturing a full personal portrait of Hamilton, our long-dead patriot. He might have come closer had he explored more minutely the cruch points in Hamilton's life -- e.g., how -- step-by-step -- did Hamilton end up on that fatal New Jersy dueling field with Burr. Moreover, had the author examined in more detail Hamilton's beliefs and maneuvering on the big national issues he fought over (granted, there were many), more insight into Hamilton, the man, might have emerged.

Further, I believe the author should have treated more analytically the economic arguments and implications of Hamilton's positions. Had he done so the reader might have enjoyed a better appreciation for Hamilton's significance in today's world. For example, did the fledgling U.S. national bank's issuance of money create inflation? Which economic consequences of Hamilton's national bank did the those opposed to its establishment fear? How independent was the national bank originally and how, operationally, did it create credit, and how has that role changed over time?

The book provides interesting insights into the complex personal and fraternal ties and enmities among the major players. I'm still not sure, however, to what degree Hamilton was motivated by familial/political concerns (he married into the powerful New York Schuyler clan) versus his ideological commitment. What was the nature of that commitment -- mere pragmatism?

This is a short biography of one of the most influential and troubled men in our early history. Brookhiser writes short biographies that gloss over and mention items that are not readily understood by those new to the subject. This volume is no exception. After reading this book, I felt I knew a great deal more about Hamilton; yet I still did not understand him. Much of Hamilton's life is not talked about, including more about his scandals and his personal (or not-so-personal) relationship with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. This book is a good primer for understanding the founder of the Federalist party, but more must be read to understand his very intriguing life.

In this well-written, level-headed book, Brookhiser gives Hamilton his just due as one of our nation's most important historical figures. As a born outsider, Hamilton comes across as one of the first "true Americans" in the modern sense of the word. As opposed to Thomas Jefferson, who when saying "my country" meant Virginia first and foremost, Hamilton held a much broader and deeper and significant view of what it means to be an American. It was this take on self-identity that helped forge a nation after the Revolutionary war - that stopped it from being torn asunder by ugly political infighting, shabby economics and blatant "anti-Tory" dispossession.

While Hamilton's passion was the key to his meteoric rise, it was also the seed of his undoing. In that famous duel with Aaron Burr in Weekhawken, NJ, a great life was extinguished from the world prematurely. Thanks to Brookhiser, it is brought out into the light once again, and, as every reader would agree, is surely worth reconsidering.

This is a wonderful book. Voigt skillfully balances themes of family tension, race relations, love and loss and death, separation and reconciliation in the story of Bullet's life. I highly recommend it, with or without the other Tillerman books.

Cynthia Voigt is one of the best writers we have today; the only reason she hasn't won Pulitzers and National Book Awards is that she writes for young adults, and most critics can't imagine any writer for that audience producing anything of literary merit. "The Runner" is the book I'd show anybody who ever put down young adult novels. By Cynthia Voigt's own estimation, "The Runner" is her best novel. She's right. I first read the novel five years ago; since then, I've taught it almost thirty times in that period of time, and it just keeps getting better. Every semester, some student points out some corner of the novel I'd missed. "The Runner" tackles serious subjects in a serious way: racism, war, growing up, friendship, principles, parental conflicts. Each and every one of these issues is dealt with thoroughly and seamlessly in the life of Bullet Tillerman, Dicey's uncle. My students love the rebellious Bullet; they are aghast when they realize he's a racist. They read with absolute fascination to find out what happens next. The novel's cast of characters are unique and original: Bullet's father and mother, his best friend Patrice, and his teammate Tamer are unforgettable. This is a novel that I think will come to be remembered as the best novel ever written for young adults, but even more, one of the finest novels of the last 50 years.

If you have read the begining of the Tillerman series you know the true end to this book, it also clarrifys many things about the first books in the series.

Of All of the Tillerman books this was by far my favorite. Through Bullet's quiet and reserved nature you learn new things about yourself and about how you trully view others. The story starts slow but as I neared the end of this book I could not put it down. Bullet, Abaigail and Tamer become so real to you as you read. I recommend this to anyone looking for a quick good read and for anyone who questions, as a teenager, how they view other races/classes.

An amazing novel for teens and adults alike...

Hamilton's novel of a soldier in a space army sent to other planets to loot their valuables(the economics of this being somewhat questionable, in my mind) paints a broad picture of interesting alien worlds. Alas, however, the book slows down in endless flashbacks to the main character's past--at first intriguing, but soon (especially once he leaves his home planet), you just want to get past them and get on with the main story.
The story contains intriguing technology, interesting worlds, but the ending disappoints. "Starship Troopers" becomes "By His Bootstraps". It's just one deus ex machina after another, until the end.
Hamilton, apparently a Brit, is not careful about using an excessive numbers of British expressions, with people who have no known British connection. He should be more careful. or else explain how English conquered the American language . . .
It's good reading, and I'll read more of his. But it could have been better.

I only started reading Hamilton last year. I love the way he creates a believeable universe in the future. My favorite aspect of Fallen Dragon is that for once he develops the universe and delivers a great read in one book. After spending over 4000 pages digesting the fantastic Reality Disfunction and the books that followed I am psyched to see him create an equally compeelling tale in under 700 hardcover pages.

Hamilton is coming into his own and is as good a writer in the "universe building" arena as there is.

This is a great read, you will root for the good guys, and the bad guys, it is hard to choose exactly which characters are in the right. Enjoy this book. You will find yourself turning pages quickly

I just about used up all my free time reading this book. I even sacrificed some sleeping time for it. The story is just so interesting. Lawrence Newton's quest for happiness was especially spell binding. Powerful issues in love, socioeconomics, idealogies, class, etc. swirl around this magnificent military sci-fi. As always, the worlds Hamilton's characters inhabit are rich and well-developed. Hamilton understands the social, political, technological, and economic realities of life. I have to applaud Hamilton for having no clear villains and heroes in this book. The warring sides simply have different goals and prefer different means in achieving what they want. All are convinced of the righteousness of their cause and think the others are crazy/misguided/brainwashed (Lawrence Newton, Denise Ebourn, Simon Roderick). I have read his Greg Mandel books and the Reality Disfunction Series. I eagerly await his next novels.

I bought this book because I am a very big fan of Laurell K. Hamilton, and preternatural romance in general. Her contribution to the anthology is found last, preceded by Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb, Susan Krinard and Maggie Shayne. Before purchasing this novel I was familiar with all the writers but one, Susan Krinard. Having never read anything of hers prior to her short story, "Kinsman", I was impressed. Albeit hard to follow in the begining it did have an interesting concept and the leading charecters were dynamic if not a little predictable. The authors I have already been introduced to did not dissapoint. J.D. Robb kicks it off with another Lieutenant Eve Dallas story. You do not need to be familiar with Eve and Roarke from the "In Death" series to enjoy this story. Eve is a strong and capable leading lady, one you are sure to enjoy. The story follows along the lines of a police mystery with a little drama, sci-fi and romance thrown in. A good read. Another of my favorite writers contributes to this colaboration. Maggie Shayne, writter of "Eternity" and "Infinity"(Some of my favorites), adds a story of magic and romance. Along the lines of her previous novels she takes us into the life of Puabi, an Imortal High Witch, who is reincarnated to fix an an ancient wrong. If you enjoyed this story, I highly recomened her other works. As I said earlier, I purchased this story for Anita and the boys. As I read the synopsis I came to realize that the story, "Magic Like Heat Across My Skin", is mearly a preview to her forthcoming book "Narcissus In Chains". I admit that I was grateful for the first few chapters featuring Anita since January of last year, but I was expecting an original short story apart from the new book. Besides that fact, I did enjoy the story, if not the atmosphere it took place in, a great deal, especially seeing Anita and the boys back together again. Narcissus will prove to be an interesting addition to the Anitaverse, if not a royal pain in the behind! I look forward to reading the conclusion to that dilemma in October(Ms. Hamilton, if you are reading this, please no delays!). Though I did enjoy this collection of stories I must issue a disclaimer to he public. If you are buying this book only for Ms. Hamilton's work, wait for "Narcissus In Chains" to come out. If not, enjoy the read.

I bought this book for "Interlude in Death," J.D. Robb's short story. It has a complete story, starting with murder at the Martian resort where the cops are gathering for a conference. Robb adds to the building of her characters with this short story and fills under a hundred pages to make the story complete.
I was introduced to Laurell Hamilton. This was a little disappointing at first since it was obviously an excerpt from her new novel but it was so great I want to read all the Anita Blake novels
Sue Krinard's story just might be the beginning of a romance series. This one was predictable, but very intriguing, not the best story but worth the read!
Maggie Shayne's story was the weakest of the four stories. I was not impressed with her style and the story had no interest for me at all.
All and all I enjoyed this book even through two were only excerpts. I never miss an Eve Dallas tale, short story of novel and I love to be introduced to new authors!

This anthology was much more than I had hoped for. Laurell K. Hamilton and J.D. Robb are my two favorite authors, but I've never read books by Krinard or Shayne before. I was almost surprised that I enjoyed all four stories.

J.D. Robb, aka Nora Roberts, contributed "Interlude in Death." This mystery/romance story follows her bestselling In Death series, as NYPD Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke, chases an esteemed *rogue ex-cop* at an intergalatic conference. The cop harbors a personal vendetta against Roarke because of his mysterious past. As always, Eve and Roarke catch the villain, and manages to find time to chill out together. All in all, the story stands well alone, and will prove satisfying whether you're a long-time Robb fan or a new reader to the series.

Susan Krinard's story "Kinsman" is a futuristic/romantic thriller. When her brother's ship disappears during a secret space mission, a young princess of a small planet asks a "Kinsman," (a member of a special human *race* that possess certain telepathic powers) for aid. Along their journey to find the missing prince and his crew, the two discover a conspiracy brewing among the Kinsman's own people. They also discover that they're falling in love. I find this the weakest of the four stories, mostly because there were a lot of names and species that I didn't really understand. Also, *alien* type of stories are just not my thing. Perhaps I'll try her next wolf novel, SECRET OF THE WOLF, of which there was a short excerpt in the anthology.

Maggie Shayne's "Immortality" continues her Witch series. Puabi is an Immortal High Dark Witch who finds, after 4,000 years of existence, that she doesn't want to continue her old, evil ways. After being rescued by an unsuspecting human man and getting stranded on his island, Puabi rediscovers the zest to her life, as she and Matthew grow ever closer. However, Puabi's powers are slowly but surely diminishing. And there is unknown danger on the island. Tied into all this is the memory of Gabriella, Matthew's dead wife, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Puabi, although the two women are polar opposites. The ending is very poignant, with a wonderful plot twist. I had no difficulty following the plot, although I am new to Shayne's Witch books. I really loved this story, and I'll definitely pick up her other books now. A short excerpt of Shayne's upcoming romantic suspense novel, THE GINGERBREAD MAN, is included in the anthology.

"Magic Like Heat Across My Skin" is a sizzling, six-chapter preview of Laurell K. Hamilton's long-awaited NARCISSUS IN CHAINS, the 10th book in her bestselling Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series. After six months of celibacy, our heroine comes back to St. Louis and finds out that her wereleopards have been kidnapped by a rival group of shapeshifters. To get them back, she seeks her old lover, the sexy vampire Jean-Claude, for help. Jean-Claude agrees, but only if Anita will take the *fourth-mark* so that she has a chance to fight and live. At the S&M club Narcissus in Chains, Anita, Jean-Claude, and Richard (Anita's werewolf lover) *marry the marks,* merging their energies and completing their triumvirate of power. Anita may be a vampire hunter, necromancer, lupa of Richard's pack, and Nimir-Ra of the wereleopards, but she is human nevertheless. The line between humans and monsters is all-too-thin sometimes, and by consumating the marks, Anita may have become irrevocably changed now. Also, the story tends to lean toward the "erotic" side of romance, which will no doubt create mixed feelings among Hamilton's loyal fans. I found Laurell's writing style a bit "off," but I still can't wait for NARCISSUS IN CHAINS in October!

Jane Hamilton is one of the top American authors out there today. Hamilton achieved both critical and commercial success with her first two novels "The Book of Ruth" and "A Map of the World." Much to her credit, she does not rest on her laurels and re-hash the characters or plot in her third outing, "The Short History of a Prince." In "Ruth," Hamilton's narrative reads almost as a thriller reaching a shocking conclusion while in "Map" a tragic event early on sends readers on a downward spiral through the rest of the novel. While there is plenty of angst in "Prince," it is a much more quiet and reflective novel. The protagonist tells his story during a life-altering year as a teenager as well as a grown man in the present day. That too is a change from Hamilton's previous work. Perhaps tagged as a "woman's" writer to date, Hamilton for the first time has a male lead character in Walter McCloud.

There is a lot to savor in "Prince." It is a coming-of-age story as Walter must cope with a death in the family while coming to grips with his own homosexuality. While Walter may be one of the most well-realized gay characters put into print, one small quibble is that he seems to fall into so many stereotypes (ballet dancer, opera/theater lover, works in a dollhouse shop, literature teacher). Also, "Prince" asks the age-old question "Can one ever go home again?" as Walter returns to his Midwest roots as an adult. The novel is not only about the struggle to let go of the past, but perhaps even more painfully so letting go of the dreams of the future.

If you are looking for well-developed characters and beautiful prose, there is no need to go any further than a Jane Hamilton novel.

After finishing The Short History of a Prince, I have been ruined for other novels for a long time. I still feel like I'm living Walter's life with him. I felt close to almost all of the characters. Jane Hamilton worked magic with that book.

I am usually the type of person who stops reading novels if they are not up to my standards, or if they bore me. I could not put this book down. I lost sleep over it.

For many of you who felt that the characters were not real enough for you, I have to say that I suspect that your comments and attitudes reveal your homophobia. I mean, if we all read literature with characters who were similar to ourselves, we wouldn't have much to read at all! It made my heart soar to experience the "coming of age" of a homosexual character, and to read about love between partners of the same sex.

My recommendation to everybody is to open your minds a bit, and allow yourselves to experience beauty.

I am convinced that Jane Hamilton is one of our finest living novelists. Her first two novels, The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World were magnificent. Her most recent book, The Short History of a Prince is in many respects her most ambitious. Her main character is Walter, a young man who must come to grips with his homosexuality and the fact that he is mediocre, at best, at ballet, the thing he loves the most. Hamilton tells the story in chapters which alternate between Walter's teenage years (at a time when his older brother, an "all-American" type, is dying of cancer) and his mid-thirties (when Walter has accepted his sexual orientation, but is still isolated from his family and alone). I must say that my usual reaction to "gay" themes in literature, and particularly scenes of physical love or affection, is that of many men, that of squeamishness. Hamilton, however, is such a strong writer that Walter as a character, his loneliness, and search for love (both physical and metaphysical) wholly won me over. This is a wonderful book, which I recommend to all readers of serious fiction.