When JayJay Benning picked up a book in a bookstore, she thought the book was a travel guide to a small principality in Italy called Glenraven. Glenraven had supposedly been sealed off from the world and was for the first time opening it's borders to a few select individuals. Since she needed some time away from her husband, JayJay thought that Glenraven sounded perfect. After getting her friend Sophie to agree to come with her, they started on their trip. When the book starts rewriting itself before their eyes, seemingly talking to them, they realize that they're not where they thought they were. The people of Glenraven needed was a couple of heros to save them from a thousand year old ruler that feeds on the souls of Glenraveners to keep herself alive. JayJay and Sophie are not quiet what they had in mind. The pain of the Glenraveners can clearly be felt, and Sophie and JayJay's misery with their husbands is palpable. This book was touching, interesting, and well written.

i love marion zimmer bradly and really enjoy her writing style and glenraven was no exception. while this book may not be for hard core fantasy fanatics this is really a very entertainable book with witty, charming characters that often had me laughing and thinking "that's just what i'd say."

jayjay is a woman watching her third marriage fall apart when she finds a fodor's guide to glenraven, supposedly a small country in europe, and decides that's just the place for her much needed get away. her friend sophie who is still reeling from her daughter's death asks to come along. but glenraven is no small, obscure country in europe, it's another world that's dying because its thousand year old watchmistress is sucking the land dry. these unlikely heroes are like your best friend from high school and you find yourself smiling often throughout this work.

it's not a fantasy epic but instead a light hearted read that's just pretty damn good and begs to be read. there is a sequel which i am currently on which follows the same pattern of witty characters. i would definetly advise anyone to give this book a try for something alittle light and fun.

...What they got were Sophie, a woman who stopped living when her daughter died, and Jayjay, a woman who just left her third husband. The Machnan had poured all of their magic into creating an artifact that would call to someone who would be able to free them from Aidris Akalan, the evil Watchmistress who ate the magic of other people to stay eternally youthful and immortal. The artifact took the unlikely guise of a guidebook in a bookstore. When Jayjay picked it up, she thought it would be the perfect place to get away/hide until she could face the fact that she would be getting divorced for the third time by the time she was thirty-five years old. Sophie unexpectedly found herself wanting to go along too. But when they arrive at Glenraven, nothing is at it seems. Can they trust their tour guide or is he setting a trap so he can rob them? In trying to evade their "pursuers" they walk right into their enemies and stumble across a hidden revolution among the Alfkindir, the long-lived race that Aidris Akalan comes from. Matthiall is the leader of the revolution, but he is betrayed by one of the warrags, a wolf/dog hybrid that is unlike anything Jayjay and Sophie have seen before. As they flee Aidris' palace with Matthiall, they run into the other monsters, including the Watchers, the demons that Aidris Akalan has called forth out of the Rift to keep her immortal. When the ancient race of the Aregen get involved, things become even more complicated...

This is not really deep fantasy, but it is a very good light fantasy. The characters are well-drawn and the reader can empathize with them as they struggle to accomplish something that they didn't even know that they were supposed to accomplish. None of the creatures/people in the book are what they seem and this makes for some interesting plot twists as unexpected events are always happening. The idea of a Glenraven was quite fun as it is portrayed as another small European country that has gone overlooked for hundreds of years. Everything is still in a medieval setting and they are very insulated. This is just a fun, quick read that has a nice, happy ending. A great break from some of the heavier fantasy that is out there right now.

This book is from the ether. Really great cookbooks draw you into a world that you had not understood before. Many people who love the Marcella Hazan book love it because it includes the comfort foods of Italy they are familiar with, but also has tons of wonderful, varied surprises. This book is kind of similar. There are recipes that you will realize are the province of the vegetarian and are very appealing, and then there are new things to be discovered that will make you feel, upon their discovery, almost ashamed. The first recipe I prepared was for the White Bean and Tomato Soup with Parsley Sauce. I just about lost my mind. I had only recently started using the mortar and pestle for prepping garlic and this recipe made use of that technique to stunning effect. With a piece of crusty bread, it is as fulfilling as anything you are going to find to eat with animal parts in it.

I also like DM's 1400 recipe book but this one is more exciting as a cookbook, the other more encyclopedic. The soups section is especially amazing. I've made almost all of them now. Also, as some people may know, many cookbooks have blunt wrong recipes. I haven't had any recipes miss yet from this book.

I just got this book a week ago, and made my first dinner with it last night. I made the Mushroom Lasagne, and the Peach and Blueberry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream. All three dishes we superb. One of my non-vegetarian friends summed it up nicely by asking "Who needs meat?"

If you enjoy a finely crafted meal, and do not mind the time involved in creating it, get this book. It provides a lot of background information on various ingredients, and provides pretty good how-to instructions.

Things to know: Everything in this book is from scratch. For example, the Vanilla Ice Cream calls for 2 vanilla beans, not vanilla extract. All of the pasta dishes assume you will be making your own pasta, so get a pasta machine (the pasta turns out great with regular flour, no need for semolina. I did add an extra 2.5 Tbsp water to the intial pasta recipe, too dry otherwise). The soup recipes usually require a stock to be prepared in advance. While this increases the prep time, nothing can compare to the taste and quality of fresh ingredients.

I have a weakness for buying cookbooks and probably have far too many. Whenever I go to make a meal (7+ times a week) I think that I should use some of the untouched cookbooks with glossy photos, but inevitably I return to the Greens. Even though I eat meat, I don't notice that this is a vegetarian cookbook. With the advent of more varied produce sections in most grocery stores, you owe it to yourself to get this book and use it. You will be eating healthy without even realizing it! There are some wonderful pizza recipes (including homemade crust that is fun to make) and an intriguing spinach soup with Indian spices. The restaurant in San Francisco is also definitely worth a visit; the tempting menu vies with the stunning view of the bridge for your attention.

The ship has crashed, there's no seeming way off the desolate planet, but still it looks like there's dissention in the ranks. The overly pastoral-minded colonists view this planet as just as good as the one they were on their way to and the spacers just want to GO! The female characters are a little too motherly for my tastes (all overly-feminine acting), but that was the times. Written the year I was born it was, nonetheless, a quite enjoyable read.

This book, chronologically the first in the Darkover series, is more science fiction oriented than the others. It tells a fascinating story of the survivors of a shipwreck on the planet Darkover. The crew faces the problems of dealing with new lifeforms and their effects on humans and meet with the mysterious Ghost Wind, a strange force which affects their emotional states. Very short ( an evening's read) as novels go, it is a good introduction to Bradley, her Darkover series and would serve as a good intro to science fiction in general.

I started with the later books of the series and always wondered how the humans came across their matrixes. Then I found this book. It was great, it filled in a lot of details. Like what really happened in Darkover's beginning, not just the myths that you read about in the later stories. If you've never read MZB before, start with this one. If you have read her before, read this anyways.

Marion Meade's "Stealing Heaven" is a wonderful and touching account of the love affair between Peter Abelard, one of the most significant thinkers of his age, and Heloise, who in a different time period, might well have been considered the same.

A book like this has to be written as a novel. The events are too far in the distant past, and too many details have been lost, for much else. As such, it is well written and beautifully presented. It engages the reader, and captures the "feel" of 12th century France.

This being said, the book is not without its flaws. The focus is almost entirely on Heloise and her personal sacrifices -- and there were two persons in this relationship. In one sense, Abelard suffered far greater loss, both personally and professionally than did Heloise. This is not adequately displayed in the novel. Meade makes numerous negative speculations about Abelard's motives and feelings which really can't fairly be made. Essentially, Meade tends to look at the characters from a post-modern feminist viewpoint -- which is fine, as long as the reader is aware of what she is doing, and that her (Meade's) philosophical presuppositons were not those inherent in 12th century France!

Somewhat disturbing was Meade's suggestion that Abelard was (or had been) engaged in homosexual relations with one or more of his students prior to his involvment with Heloise. This is a rather serious (and unsubstantiated) charge which, in the eyes of many, would detract from his character, but which is not borne out by the available historical evidence.

I recommend this book with caution. If you are looking for an entertaining historical novel about some extremely colorful characters, you will enjoy this book. But you need to realize that there is a good deal of fiction mixed in with fact -- and it is not always easy to discern the difference.

This is an absolutely wonderful book which has a slightly different take on the legendary Abelard & Heloise love story because it's written from her point of view. She is an intelligent, compelling and passionate woman who touched me deeply. The book is written in lovely language and provides wonderful descriptions of medieval France--you feel like you are running the streets of Paris with Heloise in her youth...and you stay with her through all the trials of her lost love, betrayals, lost and found faith and overall an incredible compassion for humanity. It is a great book because it shows Heloise in both her private and public selves and traces her life to eventual redemption. Fascinating and moving...I wept and smiled at the end.

I was thrilled to find the book. I had seen the movie and was fascinated by the story of Heloise and Abelard, but I was not prepared for the richness of this book. It covers the politics of the day (and the politics of the church), the history of impending war, and, with great passion, the forbidden love between two of history's greatest minds. The story of Heloise's life building her convent was fascinating. This book will remain close at hand for re-reads whenever I need a fix of great storytelling.

Like sex and psychology, we all know something about death. As a forensic pathologist, Baden is an expert. He shares his expertise and fascination with cause and mode of death in this enthralling book. As a frequent expert-witness in his field, Baden has mastered the art of expressing his science in easy-to-understand terms, without patronising the reader. His passion for his subject spills onto the page like so many bodily fluids seeping inextricably into the text.

Our authors revel in the gruesome and grotesque subspecialties of forensic pathology. The reader is invited to the Blood School where practising crime investigators go to learn about the ballistics of blood splatter. The course includes esoteric experiments where participants find themselves blowing mouthfuls of blood at each other to demonstrate what evidence may result. The squeamish among you may have your stomachs turned by a weekend trip to a leading forensic entomologist's ranch, where pigs are slaughtered and then, later, are re-examined for evidence of insect activity: this science helps to estimate the time since death of a corpse. As a source of many clues, heads warrant a chapter of their very own: the skull may be subject to facial reconstruction; dental histories can lead to identification of the deceased; DNA and evidence of drug use or poisoning can be extracted from hairs from the scalp.

All of these stories are told with zeal, but also with an underlying gravity. Our authors take the scientific processes of collecting and preserving evidence seriously - experience tells them that any evidence may turn out to be essential in the examination an unnatural death. Vitally, it is truth that the investigator seeks here - regardless whether he has been employed by the prosecution or defence for a case.

Baden and Roach take a potentially interesting subject and make it fascinating - and highly readable. The breadth of fields studied in the search of truth, and subsequently justice, is broad and continues to evolve. I wonder what form evidence will be found in next? Baden and Roach are surely qualified to tell us.

This is what you get when you mix a brilliant and principled scientist with a passionately curious and witty writer. Dr. Baden and Ms. Roach educate and entertain the reader, yet never let you forget that these are the stories of real people, victims and their families who deserve justice. How science can serve up justice in many new and old cases and why it has failed, or been prevented from doing so in others, makes for some very good story-telling. I was fascinated to learn about "Blood School" in Corning, New York and the eccentric, fun-loving forensic entomologist who teaches the relationship between corpses and bugs on his farm in Indiana. There is new information on the Nicole Brown/Ronald Goldman and the Jon Benet Ramsey murder cases, as well as details about Princess Diana's death, but the writing is never exploitive or sensational, just an honest review of mistakes made and lessons learned. Anyone whose work brings them this close to deep and devastating tragedy on a daily basis could be forgiven if they exhibited a "scientific detachment" or even a degree of dark humor about the work. I was however impressed throughout with what I would describe as Dr. Baden's "scientific attachment" and non-waivering respect in handling and describing the remains of victims. There is welcome dark comic relief mixed into Ms. Roach's descriptions of the aformentioned Blood School, Bug School and the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences in Reno, Nevada which will let you in on a secret passion of Wayne Newton's that I promise will surprise and amuse. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, was educated by it and comforted by the dedication to justice of the authors and their colleagues in this fascinating profession.

"The new tools of forensic science are only as incisive as those who use them, which is why forensic pathology is in many ways as much an art as a science." Dr. Michael Baden was chief forensic pathologist for the investigation by the Congressional Select Committee on Assassinations into the deaths of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Herb MacDonnell teaches a course on bloodstain evidence. He wields a hatchet, casting off drops of blood in the direction of his thrust and backswing (p.37). He is the world's leading authority on blood pattern analysis. He tells his students to save their homework for future reference. They didn't read about it in a book, this is firsthand knowledge (p.56).

Page 62 tells the story of a couple who went wandering into the woods; the girlfriend never returned. When a hand was found, the boyfriend was indicted and tried for murder. Fortunately for him, she showed up at the trial with both hands intact!

Some people are born with large arteries, which gives an advantage in longevity over people with narrow ones. This does not correlate with physical height (p.107). There is no study to see if this size is hereditary, or is the result of chance.

Since 90% of what we eat moves out of the stomach in 2 to 3 hours, time of death is estimated from the last meal (p.109).

After the Nicole Brown Simpson - Ron Goldman murders were discovered the medical examiner wasn't notified until ten hours later. By then critical evidence had vanished forever. Pages 150-153 discuss this topic. The low-velocity blood droplets on Nicole's back could have come from the killer, but were lost. A medical examiner doesn't know what he is looking for until he finds it.

Certain bugs can tell us when and where someone was killed, and they do it with an accuracy that no man-made system will ever reproduce (p.162). Traffic deaths in NY resulting from people swatting at bees in their cars will disappear in winter and reappear in summer (p.163).

Since the late 18th century when Paul Revere identified the body of Dr. Joseph Warren (killed on Bunker Hill), teeth have been used to identify bodies (p.212). Dental insurance has generated millions of X-rays and a database of identification for forensic odontologists. Pages 220-225 tell how faces are recreated from skulls, a technique that originated in 1960s Russia.

English police are compiling the largest computer database of ear prints, and plan to use them like fingerprints in identification. This is a modernization of the Bertillon System, which measured specific parts of the body (p.224). Lip prints are also unique to each individual.

Chapter Ten discusses the obverse side of this science. What if the forensic scientist cheats and lies about the evidence? Fingerprints can be created, a glove and blood evidence planted, etc. This shows the need for an assigned forensic scientist, like a Public Defender, for the indicted. Or an independent crime lab that can be trusted by both Prosecution and Defense. "Man prefers to believe what he wants to be true" said Francis Bacon. "Emotion in numerous, often imperceptible ways pervades and infects our understanding" (p.231). Forensic scientists, as humans, can be motivated by greed, stress, naivete, ambition, fear, money, or just following orders ("a team player"). Dr. Baden recommends using medical examiners in all counties of all states, who should all be forensic pathologists (p.235). This sounds true, but what if the low bidder chosen is like Fred Zain or Ralph Erdmann? All rules do not ensure equal results. Bad science can contaminate evidence by creating an assumption of guilt. The real perpetrator will escape, and prosecution will claim the accused was "let off on a technicality"! As Randall Dale Adams, who spent twelve years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. "Forensic Animation" is used to recreate an event for viewing by a jury; but it is only as reliable as its assumptions. It can be manipulated as easily as any other evidence (p.246).

A 1996 DOJ report said DNA evidence excluded 25% of those charged in rape and rape-and-murder cases! And other crimes do not involce DNA evidence. Prosecutors conceal evidence of innocence, or present knowingly false evidence, in many cases.

This is a very readable and educational book. The first sentence of the second paragraph on p.167 has a misspelled word.

It's too late for me to read HEARTLIGHT first because I didn't find out that it existed until after I'd read GHOSTLIGHT, WITCHLIGHT, and GRAVELIGHT. I've never gotten around to reading my copy of MISTS OF AVALON, so I won't be making comparisons. My previous acquaintance with Ms. Bradley's writing was with her earlier Darkover novels. Yes, Truth is almost as annoying as The X-Files' Scully when it comes to denying the existence of magic. Yes, Truth often acts about as dim-witted as many gothic romance heroines were back when heroines were expected to be innocent and helpless. Yes, there were times when I wanted to reach into the book and shake her and scream out the obvious truths she was missing, but... This was still a gripping novel. I didn't suspect the whole truth about Thorne Blackburn's fate. I loved the house and its grounds. The occult trappings were very interesting. The characters came alive for me and I found myself impatiently waiting for each new twist to be revealed. One final note: My compliments to Carol Russo and Mark Hess. I LOVE a cover that accurately portrays the characters and surroundings in the book. Don't let its beautiful serenity fool you. This book is far from serene.

I really loved this book! The characters felt like real people to me that I wanted more, more, more of them after the last page. I admit, at first I didn't like lead character Truth Jourdemayne because of how coldly rational she seems at times, but the circumstances surrounding her were interesting from the start. Those same circumstances kept me reading until the revelations popped up one by one. And it was worth it to stick with the novel 'til the very end!

As for the 4 stars instead of five in my rating of this story, I only gave it that much because it's quite unlike THE MISTS OF AVALON (which I REALLY, REALLY loved!) by the same author. Now that book in its epic grandiosity is a five-star read. This is something like 4 and 3/4.

Marion Zimmer Bradley sure knew how to give readers their money's worth. Too bad she's no longer with us...

What can I say- I loved this book! It was one of those books I just couldn't put down. Marion Zimmer Bradley's detailed descriptions make you feel that you're really there. The characterizations are so deep and realistic, and the plot is a definite page turner. This was the first Bradley novel I had read and it has inspired me to read many more. Though the events of the story are definitly not the kind of thing that tends to happen every day the book portrays them so realisticly that you almost belive that they could. I would make a definite recommendation of this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels or books that are intensly descriptive.

I read this book on the recommendation of a neighbor, and while it did not enchant me like The Mists of Avalon, I still loved it. It is in no way light or joy-filled, but its very darkness is what makes The Fall of Atlantis so compelling. Bradley's characters suffer deeply, and the reader suffers along beside them. Even their final triumph is so tinged with sorrow, that it is impossible to say whether this book ends happily or not. The Fall of Atlantis is a novel of depth, of humanity's weaknesses. In reading it, we are shown that light is forever twined with darkness; the one is just a shade of the other.

I have owned the Fall of Atlantis for a long time now and everytime I pick it up Bradley never fails to draw me once more into the intricate depth of the story that lays down the heritage of her exquisite Avalon novels. The heartache and pain that the characters in her book go through (from Domaris to Deoris, from Micon to Demira), constantly has your emotions at a boil.

Bradley has a gifted ability to weave intrigue and magic into the complex web of her stories and the Fall of Atlantis is a clear expression of her talent. Every detail concerning the Atlanteans is so perfectly thought out that the reader is easily immersed in this strange, spell-bound realm and its tragic destruction.

The women again figure prominently in this story and through their loves and losses, their actions and consequences, we see again their femininity is laced with a strength and determination that inarguably turns them into the heroines of an epic saga. Despite the dark overtone of the plot, the Fall of Atlantis is a enthralling, enduring story that captivates from the first page to the last.

I think "The Fall of Atlantis" was a very dramatic, emotional book. The first pages seem very good yet not superb, while at the end, you cannot put this book down. Marion Zimmer Bradley's imagination in this book is captivating. The world she created impressed me because it was so much like fantasy (with all the Magicians, Adepts, and Laws), yet so realistic. Domaris and Deoris are two excellent characters; they captured my attention from the start. The other main characters in the book also impressed me, especially Rajasta, Riveda, and Micon. When I put this book down, I thought: "Another one of Zimmer Bradley's excellent works!"

Eric Schlosser writes about FOOD POLITICS, "If you eat, you should read this book." But while Schlosser revealed to a mass public the disturbing business of fast food, Marion Nestle takes on most of the food industry, and not without consequences (you can view a letter she received from a lawyer representing the sugar industry on the website for this book).

She argues that basic nutrition science is simple. Yet there is mass confusion about what to eat and what effects foods have. And the reason for all of this misinformation is that it benefits food producers to have an innocent flock of customers who are left uncertain of how to judge what is healthy from what is not. She clearly explains what means the food industry uses to influence policies to their benefit, often at the expense of public health. And she gives detailed examples that illustrate the extent to which some companies and industries go to sell their products.

While her suggestions for reform may be somewhat wanting, her descriptions of how decisions about food get made on political levels is masterfully researched and she is always respectful of science. While those people with vested interests in certain industries may label her a communist, she is merely critiquing a history of policies and marketing strategies that have, to be sure, provided us with an abundant food supply, but have also led to increased obesity and high rates of chronic diseases.

For what it's worth, potential readers of Nestle's book should note that the first three "reader reviews" of this book are pretty obviously cranked out by some food industry PR campaign. To begin with, they were all submitted on the same date, February 22 -- "reader reviews" of a book that isn't even scheduled to go on sale until March 4! For another thing, they all hit on the same food industry "message points": that critics are "nagging nannies" whipping up "hysteria" on behalf of "greedy trial lawyers," etc. February 22 is also the date that noted industry flack Steven Milloy of the "Junk Science Home Page" (...) wrote a review trashing Nestle's book. Milloy is a former tobacco lobbyist and front man for a group created by Philip Morris, which has been diversifying its tobacco holdings in recent years by buying up companies that make many of the fatty, sugar-laden foods that Nestle is warning about. (...)

I haven't even had a chance yet to read Nestle's book myself, but it irritates me to see the food industry's PR machine spew out the usual (...) every time someone writes something they don't like. If they hate her this much, it's probably a pretty good book.

Nutrition expert Marion Nestle's "Food Politics" explains how the formula for a healthy diet hasn't changed. She advises that one should eat more plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and less meat, dairy and sweets. But this message collides with the interests of the food-industrial complex, which makes the bulk of its profits by selling relatively expensive processed foods. The book examines how corporations have successfully fought the health message by using a number of overt and covert tactics to further their objectives at the public's expense.

In fact, this business success story has resulted in a generation of Americans who are significantly overweight compared with their predecessors. Nestle shows that public relations and government lobbying result in obfuscation and mixed messages about the relative values of certain foods; this generally confuses Americans and makes it difficult to get the "eat less" message. Interestingly, she reveals that the amount of sweets and snack foods consumed are in almost exact proportion to the advertising dollars spent promoting these foods, suggesting that limits on advertising junk food to children might be a reasonable first step in addressing this problem.

But Nestle is particularly critical of the criminally poor quality of the nation's public school lunch program and the "pouring rights" contracts struck with soft drink companies by cash-starved school districts. Our country's apparent unwilingness to provide nutritious meals to our schoolchildren is shameful, and Nestle should be congratulated for bringing the situation to light.

Other noteworthy sections of the book address the deregulation of dietary supplements and the invention of "techno-foods", ie foods that have been fortified with vitamins, minerals or herbal ingredients. The overall picture is one of regulators on the defensive and huckster capitalism run rampant. While it was disturbing but not too surprising to learn about relatively obscure supplement makers making absurd claims for products that have little scientifically proven value, it was somewhat amusing to see a reprint of a short-lived advertisement for Heinz ketchup that promoted its supposed cancer-fighting properties. It appears there are no limits to what kinds of food products might be similarly reinvented by marketers in their quest for higher profits.

In the closing chapter, Nestle proposes a number of useful solutions. Her ideas are reasonable and display a maturity gained through many years spent in government and academia. In an environment where food choices and information surrounding food products are increasingly difficult to understand, let's hope that this book inspires us all to demand greater accountability from the food companies that feed us. Highly recommended!

Dear readers and fans of Mrs. Bradley, I'm writing from far Italy only to let you know that my heart beat 1000 times faster when I saw that in the bookshop there was a new book of this wonderful writer "the shadow Matrix". You may pardon my opinion, but to really appreciate this work I'd suggest to first read the entire "saga" chronologically, beginning with (you will excuse me if the titles are not perfectly correct, but I'm used to the Italian ones) "The heritage of Hastur", followed by "Sharra's Exile", "Return on Darkover", "The exile's song", and then "Shadow matrix", in order to understand the "historical" facts and the characters better. The thrilling adventures of beautiful and intelligent Marguerida and of intrepid and handsome Mikhail really captured my mind...the more I read the more I wanted to read about their story. When I arrived at the end of "The Shadow Matrix" I was so sad (perhaps I'd better say hungry), because I didn't know if there was a follow-up (let's call it like this)...you can perhaps imagine my joy when I discovered that in fact there is one, "The traitor's sun". But unfortunately is has not been translated in my language yet, and I'd be really thankful if somebody could help me. To those who write that Mrs. Bradley's masterpieces are honeyd or like "Barbara Cartland's" romances (I once read one and I found it really empty), well, I respect their opinion, but let me add that no other author (and I really read a lot) made me fly on the wings of fantasy and made me enter in this world of romance, magic, love, chivalry as if I was a character myself... I just wanted to let you know this little thought of a passionate and faithful reader from far Italy. (hope you'll excuse my English mistakes) If there is someone who would enjoy sharing my feelings and thoughts through e-mail, I'll be glade to chat a little..... ciao ciao

Marion Zimmer Bradley has done it again!! In this novel she has continued the story of Margaret Alton and Mikhail Lanart-Hastur in such a way that one does not wish to put the book down once they start it. Margaret is a strong, mindful character along the lines of Rohana Ardias (The Shattered Chain). And Mikhail is the perfect replacement of the elder Regis Hastur. Their fight for their love and life is the corner stone of this entry in the Darkover series. I do suggest that you read the previous entry in order to get a better understanding of the story line. But each novel stands on it's own merit. Marion Zimmer Bradley's ability to bring old favorites and new ones into the story is surpassed by no one. In this one you get reaquanted with such characters as Varzil the Good and Ashara Alton, as well as the always infuriating and funny Lady Javanne. Regis Hastur and Lewis Alton lend their strong characters to this novel as well. Though the focus is on the younger generation, as in life, the old is replaced by the new. Well done Ms. Bradley!!! I look forward to the next installment of this series.

The Rebirth of Darkover, which started in EXILE`S SONG (1996), continues in this exciting and wonderful sequel. Margaret Alton and her lover Mikhail Lanart-Hastur not only have to fight for their love, but they also have to defeat a dangerous enemy from the past: Ashara Alton, Margaret's nemesis. Be sure to expect a wonderful story with lots of swashbuckling and romance. This book is really hard to put down. I recommend it to everybody, who has read (and liked) one of the previous Darkover novels), but be sure to read EXILE`S SONG first.

It's good to have read the other reviews before writing this one, because a couple of them confirmed what I had suspected -- that some references were to books that I haven't read yet. Although much of the action in HEARTLIGHT takes place before GHOSTLIGHT, WITCHLIGHT, and GRAVELIGHT, part takes place after these, so it should be read last. (Alternatively, you could start with HEARTLIGHT and save chapter 24 through the end of until after you've read the other three.) This book didn't seem overlong to me. I started late yesterday morning and continued reading even though I didn't finish until after midnight and I had to fight off the effects of three nights of too-little sleep. I wanted to learn more about the mysterious Colin MacLauren who was alluded to in the other volumes. I liked seeing younger versions of characters I'd met already, even though I felt a bit as I did when I saw "The Phantom Menace" after having seeing the three "Star Wars" movies that were made first although they take place later -- sorry because I knew the sad outcomes for some of those characters. MacLauren's various battles with Evil didn't make me feel that they were too repetitious. I would expect someone in his line of work to have to go through more than one such battle in his lifetime. I think there's enough variation in the details. In a way, it's a shame that this book came out before the shambles that is the final USA Presidential election of the 20th century -- it's fun to speculate how that might have been worked in with the other historical events and overall plot. Random comments: (Chapter one) 1956 was the 6th decade of the 20th century, not the 5th. This is a common mistake that I shared until reading about various decades of life in my library's medical journals forced me to work it out. Your first decade of life is from zero [birth] through age 10. Your second is from ages 11 through 20, and so on. It's the same with each century. By the same reasoning, the first century AD was from zero through 100, the second from 101 through 200, and so on. The 20th century is called that because it began in 1901 and will end on 31 December 2000. That is why this book is correct in stating that the real turn of the millennium is 2,000, not 1999. (Chapter 4) I'm not sure if it's true, but I read somewhere that President Kennedy screwed up his German and actually told the people of Berlin that he was a [jelly?] doughnut. Given Toller's secret, I don't feel at all bad about what Colin does to him. In fact, I thought our hero's guilty feelings were excessive. Simon's dreadful accident didn't seem so horrifying after finding out what he had done earlier. (Chapter 16) If MacLauren's birthday is February 2nd, then he was born on Candlemas, the old celebration of the purification of the Virgin Mary -- any symbolic significance? I thought that "elide" into all the other late-night emergency calls of Colin's life bit was a typo for "slide", but the word is real. (Chapter 18) As I recently learned, the real McCoy is spelled "Wedgwood", not "Wedgewood," so that heirloom plate may not have been so valuable. (Chapter 19) MacLauren's guilt seems even more senseless after reading his self reminders about persons of the Light who turn to the Dark. Chapters 22 and 23 are a real treat for the Lovecraft fan. Also, the description of the old Lattimer house delighted me because it made me think of Jackson's Hill house. I assume that the old TV Show Barnabas Sally named the cat for was Barnabas Collins of "Dark Shadows". The one aspect of MacLauren's beliefs that I found truly offensive was that before we are reborn, each of us choses the suffering we deal with in our current lives. To me that sounds like the ultimate in "blame the victim" mentality. However, I acknowledge that my viewpoint might be different if I were a true believer in reincarnation. HEARTLIGHT is not a book for those seeking easy entertainment, but I think readers looking for something to sink their mental teeth into will find it very rewarding.

As many have pointed out, this book tours several of MZB's previous series...the Dark Satanic, Inheritor, etc., and the Light series...but the part I truly found best about (both Heartlight and Ghostlight) is that you find out more of the Fate of all the major characters of the Fall of Atlantis (2 books, which I read in a compendium). It was very touching for me to find out what finally became of Riveda....and to know that he became friends with Domaris, if not Deoris.

HEARTLIGHT is the fourth occult/gothic novel in Bradley's LIGHT sequence (following GHOSTLIGHT, 1995; WITCHLIGHT, 1996 and last year's GRAVELIGHT. This latest (and obviously) final installment not only picks up characters from these three books, but it also picks up characters and storylines from Bradley's previous gothics DARK SATANIC (1972), THE INHERITOR (1984) and WITCH HILL (1990) and adds new details and new perspectives to the old stories. In HEARTLIGHT Colin McLaren must battle against Toller Hasloch, who tries to destroy the American spirit by means of Black (Nazi) magick in order to establish a Fourth Reich. The book spans four decades from the 1960s to the 1990s and chronicles not only Colin's battle against Hasloch, but also his attempts to rescue people who got in trouble with supernatural and evil powers. I can really recommend this book to every reader who has enjoyed one of Mrs. Bradley's previous gothics. HEARTLIGHT combines strong characterization wit! ! h a moving and involving story (being German Bradley's description of the fall of the Berlin Wall REALLY touched me). And although some stories will be familiar to readers, be sure not to miss this great novel of the eternal fight between LIGHT and DARKNESS. And by the way don't believe everything that you've read in the review from KIRKUS REVIEW. You better find out for yourself.