Crystal Morrison has spent a great deal of time researching her work, based on the listing of references. While I hope to follow up some of her references with my own readings, it will take years to do much of the exhaustive reading in her field. Suffice it to say that there are no clear cut villans to point the finger at. Gread seemed to motivate everyone in this New World Adventure. Isabel is shown to be a very small-minded and certainly ruthless person. Ferdinand had(if the research is true) alienated himself from his Jewish ancestry, not to mention Santangel,someone clearly omitted from any history book I have ever read(for the same reason that this review will probably not get published). My only disappointment was the ending. History will have to correct itself.

I found this book to be a real depiction of life in the sports and entertainment world. It is obvious that the authors included their personal experiences in this book. It really puts you in the shoes of the main characters.

I was married to a man in the NBA and a lot of what happens in the book, happens in real life. Many readers should understand that this is a fictional/entertaining view of life in the NBA and therefore some exaggeration can be expected in the book. I feel that any woman or man who is interested in dating a professional athlete should read this book and take as advice.

I really enjoyed this book! Not only did I find the plot to be incredibly engaging, but I also appreciated the authors' writing style. It was a welcome change from the sophomoric writing I've come across in many books I've read recently. I agree that a bit too much emphasis was placed on the physical appearance of the main characters and the labels they sported but I am inclined to believe that the authors were merely describing life as they've seen it. The one problem I had with the book concerns the fact that so many of the women were tall, thin and fair with straight or wavy hair. However, the more I thought about it the more I realized that the fault lies, not so much with the authors (who themselves are extremely light with long, flowing tresses), but with the players, who only seem to choose women who fit this description as their girlfriends and wives. All in all, I found Homecourt Advantage to be a very informative peek into the NBA experience. I'm just glad I'm not a part of it!

I enjoyed reading this book immensely. I have a radio book club and we're reviewing this book for this month. After I announced that Homecourt Advantage was our book of the month, a young lady who had already read it, called me excitedly and said I want to be on your panel to talk about the book, because I read it and it was "delicious." That's her description of any book that she really likes. And I couldn't agree with her more. Homecourt Advantage also shed some light on what it's like to be an athlete or entertainer's wife. I think most of us unfairly label even the wives as groupies. Homecourt Advantage proves that's absolutely not true. They were women who had it going on, just like their men. Independent and strong. I would love to have Rita or Crystal talk to our panel and also hear what they think about the book. Nevertheless, Thanks Crystal and Rita for putting together a fun, sensitive, informative and entertaining novel.

I found this book entertaining for most of its length, but ultimately, I was disappointed. Jane Heller clearly has some writing talent and an acerbic sense of humor. The humor in the book is, in fact, its strongest quality. But the trajectory of the basic story line in *Crystal Clear* is indeed crystal clear from about page fifty or so, so there is little real suspense the rest of the way through. There's a "whodunit" aspect to the story, but who the "culprit" is just doesn't seem particularly important, actually. The inevitable resolution of the protagonist's emotional inner conflicts is the actual center of Heller's narrative, and how things will turn out is abundantly clear almost from the beginning. The final portion of the book is very much in the vein of Danielle Steele, and that is NOT a compliment, folks. I would recommend the book to someone looking for a fluffy summer-by-the-pool read that includes some gentle but competently executed satire on the New Age movement. But what frustrates me is that it is very clear that Jane Heller could write something a lot more memorable than this.

CPA Crystal Goldstein decided that she needed to get away from her Manhattan job and her current life which seems to be falling apart. Her fiancé loks like he prefer returning to his former spouse rather than marrying Crystal. She cannot turn to her senior citizen dad for some TLC so, listening to her secretary, Crystal decides to cleanse her soul by vacationing in the Tranquillity Hotel in Sedona, Arizona.

When Crystal signs onto a tour group, she is shocked to learn her ex-spouse Terry, heads the group. Terry, whose irresponsible lifestyle broke the pair apart over two decades ago, wants a second chance with Crystal. However, before they can pursue any potential relationship, one of the guests, Amanda Reid, the self appointed New Age guru, vanishes. Even with the negative vibes emanating from the mysterious disappearance of Amanda, Crystal has reached a personal crossroads that requires decisions affecting the rest of her life.

Jane Heller clearly has lots of writing talent as witnessed by her previous novel, PRINCESS CHAMRING and this tale, CRYSTAL CLEAR. However, her current book is not crystal clear as to what the author intended as she seems to bounce around several genres without successfully blending them into a honed story line. Some people will be turned off by Crystal's acerbic wit that cannonballs many of the characters (personally, this reviewer enjoyed the sidebar humor of this New Yawkish-technique to overwhelm the country rube). Overall, CRYSTAL CLEAR is a good novel that could have been an excellent romantic comedy with who-done-it overtones if a blender and not a superconductor was used.

Harriet Klausner

This is one of the few books I've read that I have laughed out loud to. It's really a fun book and it introduced me to Jane Heller. I've since read all her books, and this remains my favorite.

It's a great summer read, combining mystery, humor, and romance. It's such an easy book to get into- you just immediately connect with the characters (as wacky as they are). If you are new to Jane Heller, or just looking for a mystery, check out this book. It won't keep you guessing, but it will make you laugh.

I enjoyed this book in the sense of learning about Saxon England. The authors clearly did hours of research into their subject matter, and the excellent background stories and descriptions are proof of their hard work. Unfortunately, what would otherwise be a really good book is marred by a really annoying love story. The outcome of the triangle formed by Aldyth, Gandulf, and Bedwyn is entirely too predictable. Also, there is way too much [explicitness] in the romance for my tastes; this one is not for the kids, folks. If it were a movie, it would probably be rated PG-13 for all of the [explicit] talk. The happy-ever-after situation at the end is sickeningly sweet; everything is just a little TOO perfect, even the children. I tried very hard to care about the main characters in this book, but it just didn't happen for me; I was much more interested in the secondary characters like Mother Rowena, Sirona, and Brother Ansgar. The book tries, it really does...it just doesn't make it.

I don't usually care far fantasy - I'm more into history and historical fiction. This book gives a picture of everyday people and everyday life in the time of the Norman conquest, with just a little fantasy thrown in to sweeten the pot. I could not put it down and read until the wee hours each night till I finished it, then wished I hadn't finished! I loved the details about healing with herbs and how the people managed to live thro the winter. It didn't dwell on just the wealthy. This is the kind of "history" that grabs my imagination.

...This story is the tale of Aldyth, goddaughter to the local healer/seeress, Sorina, and who has versed Aldyth well in the knowledge of herb lore and caring for the sick. There are many ills in the village, many caused by the vindictive and tyrannical ways of Lord Ralf, who runs the surrounding villages and even the nuns in the Abbey like slaves in the boondocks rather than peasants in a village.

Aldyth, like many villagers, puts up with Ralf's ways, in short because of their small band of Saxon resistence to the Norman invasion. The "Starlit Path", as it is known, is something of an Underground Railroad of second century Britain; helping fugitives from the Saxon/Norman battles to saftey overseas or in south England. Aldyth and Sirona are two helpers of this Path, as is the outlaw/rogue/dashing Bedwyn, a childhood friend of Aldyth's, who desperately pursues her in madness of love/lust, it is hard to tell some of the time.

Of course, a twist is thrown in the story as King William cracks down on outlaws and "runners", as the Saxon fugitives are known, causing holes in the Path and spies trying to collapse the last stronghold of Saxon resistence.

In the village, though, there is a new face, as the son of Lord Ralf- Gandulf- returns from France. Of course, this man- who is quiet, steady, and intense compared to the passionate, risk-taking, adventurous Bedwyn- falls head over heels in love with Aldyth. The brawling that takes place between Bedwy and Gandulf on May Eve is not so much idiotic as just plain amusing.

There are some lewd actions in the book, and, like me, you may not feel obliged to read them. I skipped over those pages, and the story picked up beautifully where it had before the...exchanges.

This book is a very satisfying read. The authors have most of their facts right, and even if you feel that in the first part of the book it is predictable, please, for the sake of a story well written, keep reading. Better the predictable book take an unpredictable turn then the unpredictable turn predictable.

A job well done, Naomi and Deborah Baltuck.

To all who love astrology I recommend Carolyn Reynold's wonderful book, The Book of Lovers. She is that rare combination of a great astrologer and a great writer - just as Linda was. And of course, all of Linda Goodman's books are fantastic and should be required reading. I do share some of the same concerns as others here - I have also been told that Linda's name is owned by a company, and that makes me very suspect. I would not trust anything else that came out posthumously with h er name on it, but I do recommend all other Goodman books, as well as Carolyn's books. I hope that Miss Reynolds will grace us with more of her astrological insights in the very near future. I think it's time to start looking at the resources we have in some of these new bright astrologers who will take over where Linda left off.

I was so happy to know Linda Goodman had put out another book, especially a book on interpreting in greater depths relationships. However I do have a few dispointments about this book: 1) I understand that Linda Goodman died in October 1995. This new book was released in 1998, so how much of this book is Linda Goodman and how much is not? 2) When interpreting one's moon signs and Ascendant signs and being born in the Southern Hemisphere, are these tables accurate for us or only people born in the northen hemisphere, in countries like America? If I was born in Australia, east coast do I have to add 12 to 14 hours? 3) After creating you and your partners chart, what is the interpretation for signs that are 30 degrees and 150 degrees apart in the chart. mention has only been made of Conjunct (0 degrees), Opposite (180 degrees), Sextile (60 degrees), Trine (120 degrees).

I believe that these are very important oversights in this book that can cause many misreadings and poor intrepretations of relationships readings. Without these items mentioned above then this book is a pointless read. Fill in the missing information and this book should stand beside Linda Goodmans other classics.

To those recent customer reviews who commented:If you are truly students of Linda Goodman andAstrology; then why use that big word "die" inyour comments? Unless you all believe it your-selves? Instead of "She left this incarnation into another dimension in time(which is irrel-evant anyway remember? You get it my friend?I second the other comment about how much isLinda Goodmans words and how much is yours... ..in the book? Will you tell us? Will you? .....Will you with all due respect:Ms CarolynReynolds(CoAuthor)By the way what makes you.....say it is her last book? Please tell me... including your Sun Sign...maybe Moon too? Youmight as well include your ascendant......Maybe I'll read "The Book of Lovers" sometime...As well as other books written by other Astrologers inspired by the Mind-Body-Soul... Spirit of a real Angel Astrologer-Avatar...Linda Goodman forever-after..................

I have been interested in alternative healing techniques for almost thirty years, and in the past three years I've come to focus increasingly on the human energy field and its role in healing, which has led me to investigate chakras, kundalini, and reiki. I'm therefore not a diehard sceptic, and I certainly don't believe that the only reality is the one that Western science thinks it has uncovered. However, I need a cogent basis for what I believe, and as I'm new to crystal healing, I was hoping that this book would provide one. Unfortunately, it doesn't. To be sure, it does contain clear and understandable information about what the author asserts are healing properties of crystals, but it mixes this information with allegations that crystals sometimes materialise out of thin air to those who need them (page 65), and claimes that there are higher life forms working in laboratories deep within the earth to create crystals that they then place in mines in South America just so we can discover them (page 120).

the book provides no basis for supposing that crystals can and do heal other than that the author says they do. I'm afraid that, for me, this is not convincing, and I finished the book feeling very dissatisfied,especially as I have bought the other two books in the triology (Crystal Healing, and Crystalline Transformations).

This is one of the first books I have read about Crystal healings and I hope they all aren't like this. The information on about the healing properties of the crystals is acurate. I found a lot of her other information odd. Such as when she states that a type of crystal is made in secret labritories by higher beings and then placed inside mineral mines. Very interesting thought but not very believable. I don't know why our earth as beautiful as she is can't make her own powerful light sorces with out labritories full of higher beings to do that for her.

Katrina Raphaell in this book gives the layman an outstanding , and informative description of the crystals, their properties, and how to use them. Her writing is clear and to the point and well executed. I truly believe that her information is channelled from a higher plane. I highly recommend it for those who are starting on the crystal path. Gail Fo

This is a terrific book that addresses some often overlooked issues. I refer to this book as I prepare to design every web site I do. It's an invaluable tool. One of my top books on web site design

You will see in one of the reviews that someone says that "Siegel's book is better". I strongly disagree. Siegel wrote a book called "Creating Killer Web Sites", which was concerned principally with the details of creating great web pages. WC&D contains very little of the technical details of how to create web pages (you can pick those details straight off the web and they will be more up to date than any book) but instead the author teaches how to create a web site that does something. She tells you how to focus on your audience and concentrate on serving them, rather than focussing on your own creative needs and serving yourself. I read the book and found that my site hits went from a couple of hundred to 12,000 a day. IMHO this book is a classic of web design, and unlike the many huge books on HTML tag usage, it will not go out of date.

Wow! How refreshing! But, more than refreshing, it was very informative. I am a newbie to the web design world. Crystal goes straight to the point on what needs to be done, what matters.

I read and used her latest book Universal Web Design w/ CD also. It was equally as good. She has a real talent to take complicated information and present in a way that takes the fear out of creating!

Thank you, Crystal!

Six gory murders, five ceremonial occasions, four Moonchildren, three lovers, two religious sects at odds, and one desert planet clinging to traditional ways make for lovely way to spend a few hours. I throughly enjoyed WRAPT IN CRYSTAL: Sharon Shinn is improving with each book she writes. Who wouldn't fall for her angst-ridden detective, Cowan Drake? Although this is better SciFi than mystery, it works well either way. A little more attention to plot twists and a little less attention to simplistic religious debate would have made this a five star book.

This is the first Sharon Shinn book I've ever read, but I've heard good things about her other books (Archangel, Jovah's Angel) so I decided to give it a try.

I liked the setting, but I do wish some things had been explained in a bit more detail, like the Moonchildren. I especially liked the use of words from "our" languages, altered to reflect the passage of time. It's a detail many "colony of earth" sci-fi writers ignore or bungle.

I can't say the mystery enthralled me, I figured the second biggest mystery about half-way through the book. The "whodunnit" part was weak, but this book is worth reading purely for the philosophy of the Triumphantes.

It's a believable world, and the characters are well-drawn. I don't regret buying it.

I stayed up all night to finish this book. Not only does she do action and romance well, but she manages to portray people with very different viewpoints in a sympathetic way. I usually don't like romance much, and I usually like more poetic prose -- but this author makes me feel comfortable and warm, using simple, readable prose to portray likeable characters. The only way I can describe the story is to say it is a science fiction space opera detective romance action novel with strong religious overtones. How's that for a combo?

Our hero is Drake, a pretty standard stereotypical "private dick" character who is the perfect leading man for a romance novel or action story. He's sort of a gentleman space marine with a keen mind and unearthly competence - the kind of guy that doesn't really exist, but that women dream of. Fortunately the women in the book and the plot are interesting enough that rather than be distracted by the uber-detective you will be constantly wondering which of the ladies he's going to end up with, and whodunnit. The book is fun and suprisingly intelligent while seeming very down-to-earth and accessible.

If like her angel stories, you'll like this book, too.

I bought the book for the web forms chapter and I found it to be too brief. There is no information about dynamic select statements or parameters as the data source for the reports, only static data sources. The author uses windows forms when he covers these topics.
I am still searching for a good crystal reports.net reference.

MCSD, MCDBA

I used Crystal Reports in my last job, although I just worked from some reports a friend gave me. I'm now in a position where I need to do my own report development with Crystal Reports in .Net so I bought this book for guidance, and I'm glad I did. The early chapters are fast paced, so you can get to grip with the basics with ease. The later chapters build on this and go into depth discussing formulas, logic and data handling, and I now feel very comfortable in my ability to write reports to impress! Thanks Wrox.

I have been developing applications using VB for the past 4 years and Crystal Reports has always been a point of frustration for me. I have tried to use the version that shipped with Visual Studio 6 and with poor functionality and no decent documentation (from Crystal or otherwise), I finally just gave in and bought Active Reports. When I started using .NET, I was happy to find Crystal Reports had been updated but still no manual and poor documentation. I was about to throw in the towel when I came across this book-- it provided the missing link and I am now integrating Crystal Reports into my applications and didn't have to buy any other software to do it. If I had a complaint, it would be that the chapter on data sources doesn't go into a lot of detail on ADO.NET, just how to use it with a report. So if you haven't worked with data sets before, you will probably need to read up on it [at their site] or other similiar sites or grab a book just on ADO.NET if you plan to use it extensively. All in all, it is the best book out there for every .NET developer who finds Crystal Reports as frustrating as I do sometimes!

A reference book is only as good as its index. This book has a poor index. Example: Do you know that you want to use the Switch command in a formula but need the syntax, an example, and a couple words of wisdom? Give up. It might be in there but I don't have time to read the whole book to find out. Guess I'll have to limp by with Crystal's HELP. Anyone know of a good Crystal book that helps a guy when building formulas? I want syntax and examples for each function. I would like each function in the index. Where it belongs. Please :)

I develop financial reporting applications for various companies using VB and VBA. Recently I have completed a financial reporting system completely within Access 2000 making extensive uses of Access's report objects.

Although the Access report object does its job well, it lacks a lot of power features, i.e., limited grouping capabilities, formula in text boxes is limited to a simply expression unless you make a call to UFD, then you would loss your object encapsulation, etc, The Data Report object is VB6 is still some what of a joke, but let not open this can of worms. Thus, I have chosen Crystals reports for my developing needs.

I find George Peck's Complete Reference series very helpful. The book has 800 pages to teach me every nuance of Crystal. This book does not teach me anything about VB coding nor does it contain a reference to the object model within the RDC or any of the other object models in Crystal. I didn't buy this book to learn how to code. The author noted in page 659 specifically that the book is not meant to teach you Visual Basic.

Overall, this book gets me up to speed quickly and it's a good reference source for my future needs. Personally, I don't find the crystal help files very helpful.

As a beginner, I have found this book to be very useful and it quickly has gotten me to the point that I need to be at. I can't confirm or deny that this is a complete reference, but I will say that if you're not comfortable with using Crystal Reports, at least start with this book more than any others. This is the one that actually gets your feel wet. As it does walk you through many basic things, it should probably have more of a beginner's title, or a tutorial title - The Complete Crystal Reports Learning Reference, something to that effect.