If you're looking for an exciting story with an interesting plot, very appealing characters, and lots of action, Betty Sullivan LaPierre's new "Hawkman" series might be just what you're looking for. The first book, THE ENEMY STALKS, is the story of Hawkman, a former government agent forced into retirement by a disastrous mission which left him with sight in only one eye. Now, with a new identity, he is haunted by the knowledge that the Agency mole that destroyed not only his career but also his wife is still at large and still a threat. He has no idea just how potent that threat is until his shadowy past violently intrudes into his life. Hawkman's past also threatens Hawkman's friend and neighbor Jennifer Morgan.

From the time that a stranger tries to kill Hawkman until the end of the book, there's plenty of action, adventure, twists and turns. The threats escalate from phone calls and prowlers to bombs and night crawling assassins. It is a pleasure watching Jennifer grow and change during the course of the book. Although admittedly intrigued by Hawkman, she harbors some doubts about him and his past. She has trouble accepting that violence and danger have not only entered her life, but now threaten it. As the book goes on, she realizes that she must confront this danger with a strength she never knew she had. Jennifer and Hawkman must also confront the fact that, unexpectedly, they are very attracted to each other. Both still hurting from the deaths of their spouses, they come to realize that their relationship is very important to them.

LaPierre has crafted a credible, swiftly moving story. She lulls you into a false sense of security with lovely scenes set in the northern California mountain country, then whisks that security away with breathless chases and deadly gunfire. As soon as one question is answered another one pops up to push the action along even more. Who is after Hawkman and why he's being targeted are only part of the puzzle.

Woven throughout the book is LaPierre's obvious love of the outdoors. Her descriptions of Copco Lake are lush and inviting: she makes you want to take off down one of the deserted trails and hike into the mountains. You can sense Hawkman's bond with the injured birds that he cares for as well as his satisfaction in being able to release them again. Equally engaging are the characters that LaPierre has created. They're real and interesting - people you'd like to meet, or have as your neighbors.

I look forward to the next book in the "Hawkman" series - I have to admit that this one was hard to walk away from. It really drew me in and made me care. I hope that we get a better understanding of Hawkman in future installments, a deeper look into his character and his thoughts.

THE ENEMY STALKS is the first in the series of the Hawkman books. In this story, Ms. La Pierre introduces you to the most intriguing characters that you could ever dream of meeting.

Jim Anderson retired from The Agency after his wife, and unborn child were killed in a car bombing. He went into seclusion, at Copco Lake, in the Pacific Northwest, under an assumed name, Tom Casey. Soon after moving there, he captured an injured hawk, nursed it back to health, and the people of the area started calling him The Hawk Man, a name that seemed to stick.

Jennifer Morgan, a young widow, is also living at Copco Lake. She is living a very quiet life in the community, writing wild life stories, and trying to adopt a ten-year-old boy, who desperately needs a home. That is until she meets Hawkman. Her life then turns into anything but quiet.

Someone does not want Jennifer to have anything to do with Hawkman. And that same someone is determined to make sure that Hawkman doesn't live much longer. In trying to eliminate Hawkman, he uses Jennifer as a means to get to his target.

I have to say that I am a big fan of Ms. LaPierre. Her books are absolutely wonderful, and THE ENEMY STALKS just goes to prove my point. Ms. LaPierre has written an incredible, fast moving, story. A story, that keeps you on the edge of your seat. At the same time she has woven this story around the most beautiful scenery. You feel you can not only see the gorgeous sites, but also smell the fresh air, the trees, and actually hear the Canadian geese, as they make their way across the clear blue skies of the Northwest.

Her characters are not only exciting, but also very real, and show many facets to their personalities. Hawkman may be a dangerous man, but he seems everything but that when he is caring for an injured owl, or pulling porcupine quills from a dog that got a little to close for comfort. Ms. LaPierre's characters are all real and interesting. They all soon become old friends who you can't wait to see again, and again.

I absolutely loved THE ENEMY STALKS, and I can't wait to open the sequel, DOUBLE TROUBLE. My only complaint about Ms. LaPierre's books is the fact that she can't write them fast enough for me. I always read that last page, close that book and want more. She is absolutely fantastic, and I can't get enough of her work. And you won't be able to either.

Fly with Betty La Pierre to a secluded lake setting and meet her charismatic hero Hawkman. A retired intelligence operative, he's still in the line of fire. And Jennifer, his new romantic interest, insists on sharing his dangerous company. This story will enthrall you up to its climactic end. Can't wait to read the future sequels emerging from Ms. La Pierre's IMac!

This author knows how to use words in the way God intended. He paints the pictures from his imagination allowing the reader to just step in to his world. What a bold and scary journey he takes you on. I would recommend this book to anyone but especially to teens who I think might relate to the stories and possibly learn a little about life while enjoying a great book.

For its perfections and its imperfections, One Hour is a great book. The stories in this collection are far different from anything readers will find on the shelves of bookstores in this country today. Combining the real and the unreal, One Hour takes you from late nite raves to ecclectic coffe houses, from Atlanta to New Orleans, from adulthood to childhood. One Hour deals with issues of now, yet it does so in a way that the words of this collection will surely be remembered and discussed for generations to come. A movement of the HOUR is sure to commence.

I just finished reading One Hour by Todd Sullivan. This is the best book of short stories I have ever read. One Hour is definitely a best seller.The book was great. I didn't want to stop reading the stories until I came to the end of each one. Todd Sullivan is a great writer with a successful writing career before him.I especially enjoyed The Great Escape Artist. The first page of the story grabbed my attention. I thought the beginning was great and made me read until I finished the story. When I got to the end of the story, all I thought was WOW!Todd is extremely good at getting you involved with the characters . You don't want to stop reading until you know what happened to Lore.I recommend this book to anyone who want to read interesting new stories with an unexpected twist at the end.He is a gifted writer who can develope stories to make you want to keep reading until you get to the end.I will be looking for his next book.

This is an important book for women to read. It explores how our seemingly-secure middle class lifestyles may be shattered by a job loss or a serious accident or illness. The authors explain how credit card debt makes families particularly at risk. The most disturbing chapter to me was the description of what happens to women following divorce. The authors show that a divorced woman has a 300% greater chance of filing for bankruptcy than her married sister. Can it be, as the authors say, that a woman's economic success is still largely dependent on marrying--and staying married?

This book made me think about social class mobility in a different way. The authors study middle class people on their way down. They show how people with good educations and in decent jobs can have their lives turned upside down by a layoff, a job transfer, an illness, an accident, or a divorce. According to the authors, more than a million families each year are going to the bankruptcy courts for protection.

The book is well-written, lively and sometimes witty. A good, but disturbing, read.

This book is a follow-up to the authors' classic study of the bankruptcy issue As We Forgive Our Debtors. In this book, the authors look at the reasons debtors file for bankruptcy. Among the many interesting findings, the authors note the increased numbers of homeowners filing for bankruptcy. Not only are they filing because of other huge debts, but often they are resorting to bankruptcy BECAUSE of homeownership. Some resort to Chapter 13 in order to get caught up on mortgage payments, while others try desperately to hang on when it might have been more advisable to surrender the house. In short, homeownership is not seen so much as an asset as a liability.

The authors devote much of their book to the increased amount of credit card debt consumers in general and bankrupt debtors in particular carry and why this has happened. This is especially timely, as Congress seems well on the way of passing so-called bankruptcy "reform" that would benefit credit card companies to the detriment of debtors by forcing more of the latter into Chapter 13 or denying them bankruptcy access altogether.

This is a very readable, very well-researched book by three of the top experts on bankruptcy law in the United States.

These people truly understand the bankrupt debtor. Few do. If either of the bankruptcy reform bills pass in their current form America is in trouble. You see, people need a fresh start. Current reform will push people into Chapter 13 and force people to live within IRS standards. Unfortunately, when people think of a bankrupt person they think "deadbeat." That's not true. And by reading this book its obvious that these authors understand that. What needs to happen is you tweak the Chapter 7 guidelines, but put more emphasis on giving people an incentive to file Chapter 13. (i.e., bankruptcy removed in 3 to 5 years when discharged!) This book is very well written and full of non-biased information like all of the other so-called "studies" published by people and companies who want bankruptcy reform.

I would have given 5 stars for its stunning photos and valuable information about Maui. But I do find some short comings in this book. This book is extremely good if you buy it well before the trip, say at least a week. It is an excellent resource guide for planning your vacation in Maui and its pictures definitely get you in vacation mood.

But the book is quite inconvenient to use when you are actually in the trip driving around Maui looking for those hard to find beaches and waterfalls mentioned in the book. What is missing in this book is a separate map that sumarizes all the recomended places with mile marker and a simple comparison rating for various activities - snorkeling, swimming, diving etc. A pull out map similar to the 1st page in a larger scale would be nice.

Just to be fair, this book is worth over 4.5 rating and it is well worth the money.

Richard Sullivan has done it again! His new Maui/Molokai book is filled with breathtaking photography and informative text arranged in a format that is fun and visually appealing. Many travel books are primarily narrative with a smattering of pictures. They can be tedious to read. Not this or the Oahu book. No need to take copious notes or highlight sections because the thoughtful format does it all for you. This book is designed with the traveler in mind. Each of the two islands is systematically broken down into manageable portions. Photographs, maps, and activites corresponding to each section of the island are provided in an eye-catching format. Beach lovers will find the comprehensive guide to beaches very helpful. This writer just returned from Maui and can attest to the accuracy of the information. You truly will be doing yourself a disservice if you don't consult this book for your next trip to Maui/Molokai. Like Maui, it is "no ka oi."

Just like the Oahu edition, this Maui and Molokai driving guide can't be beat. The author shows you beautiful, full color photos of places you can visit, with detailed driving directions on how to get there. His maps will even show you the exact spot where he took the photos. The secrets of where to go to escape the crowds that visit Maui are contained in this book. If you thought you would never want to visit Molokai, this book will change your mind. The beauty of Molokai is revealed on page after page. The book enticed us to visit Molokai on our last trip to the islands, and we were not disappointed. I can only hope Richard Sullivan will write books on discovering Kauai and the Big Island in the near future.

Actresses like Jessica Lange, Ann Bancroft, Shirle y MacLaine, Meryl Streep and Diane Kenton should be lining up at Faith Sullivan's door! Sullivan's newest novel, What a Woman Must Do, is heart-wrenching rich in character, relationships, forgiveness, the bittersweet blessings of love, longing and inevitable loss lovingly told against the background of a small prairie town in the 1950s. In language as simple and heartfelt as a Gramma Moses painting, Sullivan gently lifts the dotted Swiss priscilla curtains on a household of three women at three different pivotal points in their lives over three summer days in 1952. We get to know them, we instanly believe in them, and in short order we care about them deeply. This is a deeply moving, and satisfying book

A wonderful tale of three generations of women living in Harvester, Minnesota, where Faith Sullivan's first two books also took place.

Kate is 59 and has cared first for her niece Celia and now her niece's child Bess after Celia and her husband are killed. A simple woman she now looks back on her life as a farmer's wife and wonders how they lost the fdarm and life has managed to slip through her fingers.

Her cousin Harriet is 39 and looking for love. Rejecting her farming family to live in a more advantageous community for work, Harriet moved in with Kate providing ming a real source of comfort to both Kate and Bess. But Harriet no longer wants to be a career woman and has fallen for a local farmer and doesn't quite know what to do.

Finally there's Bess on the precipice of adult life and about to leave for college. Although she is tired of her small world, she also has ambivalent feelings about leaving home. And when a marrid man begins paying attention to her, she is really caught in a dangerous web of lies and guilt. And when Harriet announces that she soon will be soon marrying, both Kate and Bess's lives are turned upside down.

This book is well written in a lovely and slow moving manner. It reminds one of other novels set in farming communities like My Antonia by Willa Cather and more recently Plainsong by Kent Haruf. I found both the plot and characters reaching put to me me from the beginning to end and continue to think about them even now. Looking forard now to reading Faith Sullivan's other books.

Faith Sullivan takes us back to Harvester, Minnesota in her new book. This time we get to meet a new cast of characters, three women of three different generations who are all coming to important turning points in their lives. Kate, Harriet and Bess are all captivating, well-realized and wonderful. Sullivan is a talented writer. I hope we see more from her soon! I can't wait to buy the next book!

Alex McNight, the former Detroit cop who lives a reclusive life in Paradise, Michingan, is back in "North of Nowhere," by Steve Hamilton. McNight has kept to himself a great deal lately. His good friend, Jackie Connery, proprietor of the Glasgow Inn, decides that Alex needs to get out more. Jackie invites Alex to play poker at the home of Win Vargas, a very wealthy man with a great many secrets. The evening ends disastrously, when Vargas's home is invaded by masked men who rob Vargas and vandalize his prized collection of artifacts.

Subsequently, several of Alex's friends who sat in on the poker game are arrested for being involved in the home invasion and Alex decides to do a little investigating of his own. He crosses paths with his old partner, private investigator Leon Purdell, who now works for Vargas. He also has words with his old nemesis, Police Chief Roy Maven, who hates Alex and would welcome any opportunity to arrest him.

In the course of his investigation, Alex gets beaten and shot at, but he is determined to get to the bottom of the strange goings-on around him. Who is really behind the robbery of Vargas's home and why are Alex's friends being framed?

Steve Hamilton has a relaxed prose style that is easy to take, and "North of Nowhere" moves along quickly. I have always liked Alex, who is down to earth and businesslike in his approach to life. He is not superhuman or driven, as are so many heroes in mystery-thrillers these days.

Unfortunately, by the time Alex gets to the bottom of who staged the robbery, lives have been lost and friendships have been irrevocably shattered. In "North of Nowhere," Steve Hamilton demonstrates how greed and selfishness often blind people to what truly matters in life. It is a sad lesson that is often learned the hard way.

Hamilton's description of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is, as usual, colorful, and the dialogue is natural and fast moving. Sadly, the mystery in "North of Nowhere" is not particularly compelling and the ending is anti-climactic and a little bit flat. However, "North of Nowhere" does have its moments and it is always pleasant to be in the company of the formidable ex-cop and loyal friend, Alex McNight.

In Steve Hamilton's fourth novel, "North of Nowhere", reluctant PI Alex McKnight continues to become entangled in problems not of his making that compel him back into the detective game. Fate leads Alex to a poker game that ends up in a robbery.

While robbery, Canadian organized crime, loan sharking and smuggling engulf Michigan's UP, the ultimate story is about McKnight helping his pal Jackie...human frailties and passions are central to the story.

Mr. Hamilton's poetic hard-edged prose rings true as lead after lead never add up for McKnight.

The intricate plot has plenty of twists to keep you guessing...nothing is straight forward as events spin out of control.

The cast that supports McKnight is powerful and grows in each installment.

So whether you prefer plot over characters, or vice versa, this series will hook you.

Ah, summer in Paradise...that's Paradise, Michigan, on the upper peninsula. This is the very best time of the year on Lake Superior, yet a suddenly introspective Alex McKnight is holed up in his cabin reading detective novels and taking a good look at his life. As his 49th birthday approaches, he takes stock of all his failures...his marriage, an unimpressive baseball career that never went past the minors, a stint with the Detroit police department that ended abruptly with a bullet that's still lodged in his chest and a dead partner, and his very short attempt at private detecting. Not a lot here to be proud of; not a lot of reasons to get up in the morning and join the human race. But an unexpected invitation to a poker game from friend Jackie Connery, proprietor of his favorite watering hole, the Glasgow Inn, changes all that. What starts out as a simple high stakes card game in an expensive home on the lake, turns ugly when three masked men break in, hold the players at gunpoint, and rob the owner's hidden safe. This night sets off a chain reaction of murder, greed, kidnapping, secrets, lies, and revenge, and as Alex is pushed out of his funk and back into action, he finds the true meaning of loyalty and friendship..... Steve Hamilton is back with the fourth installment of his marvelous Alex McKnight novels, and this is a series that just gets better with each new book. His well paced, intricate story line is entertaining and intriguing, and filled with subtle twists, and vivid, riveting scenes. His terrific cast of well defined, original characters come alive on the page, and inhabit a spectacular north woods setting full of atmosphere. But it's Mr Hamilton's crisp, intelligent writing that really makes this novel sparkle, and his witty and irreverent dialogue is unrivaled and stands alone in a class by itself. If you're new to Alex McKnight and Paradise, start at the beginning with A Cold Day In Paradise, and read them all. If you're already a fan, North Of Nowhere is another suspenseful and compelling mystery, you don't want to miss.

After reading & enjoying The Cape Ann, I was pleasantly surprised to find that The Empress of One is another great story. It may be helpful to read The Cape Ann first as you get a better understanding of one of the characters, Lark, and her mother, but it is not essential. It is interesting to read The Empress of One, and glaze over some of the same incidents from The Cape Ann from a different perspective.

Sullivan's writing is wonderful. She has a great ability to take you back to the old days of small town life, when everybody knew everyone and day to day life was more community centered. The Empress of One is the coming of age story of Sally, a little girl who grows up with a mother who is deemed "crazy", but as we know today would be described as clinically depressed. It's both interesting and sad to see how society back in the day, dealt with some heavy issues, such as mental illness, compared to the strides we've made today. Sullivan will have you so familiar with the quaintness of Harvester and it's townfolk, you'll feel like it's your own home town as well. My only complaint is that she did leave a lot of unanswered questions and loose ends. If she ties those up in another novel, there won't be any complaints~

Faith Sullivan does a wonderful job of describing the main character's development from early childhood up to adulthood. I felt as if I knew the main character (Sally) inside and out. The author also has a way of making you feel as if you know all of the other characters deeply as well. I can't wait to read her earlier book, The Cape Ann, which includes the same characters but with the emphasis on the life of another girl (Lark). A fabulous vacation (ie. relaxing!) read.

I don't agree that this novel is too long at all! From the very beginning to the last page, I was caught up in the story of Sally Wheeler and how her life was affected by her severely depressed mother, though during the time of WWII and post-war America, she was considered certifiably crazy.

This isn't a sequel to "The Cape Ann," per se, as much as a parallel story that shows some of the events from that book from another point of view and then focuses on Sally's life. As in "The Cape Ann," there are other storylines that are nearly as compelling as the main one, including Katherine Albers' relationship with her father, Mr. Davis and the Motley's acting troupe, and Lark's return at the end.

When Stella's depression really starts to make a turn for the worse and she is institutionalized, Sally is branded as the daughter of the crazy woman and it is interesting to see how this affects her in her relationships (especially with her boyfriend Cole and her father) and her view of herself. Her obvious longing for the mother she never really had and the love/hate tug-of-war that goes on inside her are believable and poignant.

If you didn't want "The Cape Ann" to end and are wondering what became of Sally, Lark, and Beverly, then you will want to read this novel to tie up some loose ends. I only hope that Faith Sullivan will continue the trend with Beverly's story, and maybe even Katherine's.

If you're even remotely interested in the Sabbat then you should seriously consider getting this guide, as the core rulebook *barely* touches upon anything more other than Sabbat being "perceived as mindless savages and bloodthirsty fiends." This book is vital for players of Sabbat characters (and Sabbat-using Storytellers), even moreso than the Guide to the Camarilla is vital for players of Camarilla characters since much about the Camarilla is already covered in the core rulebook (but the Camarilla guide is still a nice book to have).

Just about everything about the Sabbat is discussed in depth, like initiation, ritae and war tactics. Factions in the Sabbat are covered as well as individual political positions. A specifically-Sabbat method of character creation is presented and Sabbat-appropriate Abilities and derangements are also present. Many Sabbat character templates are listed, which are all extremely helpful (and pretty interesting). There are advanced Discipline entries, usually for ranks 6-9, as well as types of Disciplines not featured in the core rulebook.

New shades of vampirism are presented here (though due to their awkwardness / susceptibility to abuse, not all are recommended as being playable): the twisted Blood Brothers, the ominous Harbingers of Skulls, the bizarre Kiasyd and the vengeful Salubri antitribu, as well as the gruff Panders, the Sabbat's own brand of Caitiff (who seem to have more status in their sect than the Camarilla Caitiff have in their own). Also, there are all the Camarilla clans' antitribu - excluding the Tremere antitribu (who do get a mention, however), for pretty permanent reasons.

A really, really nice section takes up the burden of making Sabbat Chronicles something more than dice roll hack n' slash or rampant abuse of mortals and runs with it. It also talks about giving Sabbat characters greater meaning to their unlives than "the Camarilla hate you, so you must kill them" or any equivalent plot. I don't think it succeeds as much as it had probably hoped to, unfortunately - a lot of it borders on contradiction.

(On a side note, some of the art is very *explicit,* but not much. There's really only one picture that came close to challenging my will power to not disgorge my last meal. I certainly can't say the stuff illustrated therein isn't *appropriate* for a sect like the Sabbat.)

Before I read this book, I knew very little about the Sabbat. From what little I could gather from various websites, it appeared to be a formalized gathering of anarchists, antitribu, Tzimisce, Lasombra, and other malcontents who chose to set themselves up as an opposition sect to the Camarilla. Masquerade? BAH! Kine are food. Allow your hunger to run rampant through the streets of the mortal world. Who cares? Gehenna is approaching and we must prepare ourselves for the coming battle. Ok. This book is much more than that. It outlines a much more involved code, rituals, and sociology. The Vaulderie and Vinculum bonds that result from it ... illustrate a genuine sense of vampiric camaraderie that may be imposed in the beginning, but that allows for disparate individuals to coalesce into efficient operatives dedicated to a mutual cause and immediate goal. In many ways the Sabbat is portrayed as a coalition of Cainite revolutionaries espousing understandably "human" traits, such as strength, loyalty, cooperation, and in some ways .... equity and order. They just approach things from a different perspective than the Camarilla. I agree with other reviewers who state that this book will provide more depth and dimension to the Sabbat, and if you roleplay and wish to start a Sword of Caine character - this is a resource you absolutely must acquire!

I love the Sabbat now. I've always found an attraction to the Lasombra but never the Sabbat as a whole. This book changed my perception. The Sabbat isn't a group of mindless killers as the Camarilla makes them seem, they are Crusaders against the ancient ones who would destroy them.

The books intro "Smart Moneys on Vegas" is very nice and is probubly my favorite opening fiction. It captures the mood of the Sabbat and keeps you moving through the introducion area that explains the Sabbat structure and internal strife.

The book moves to the numerous Anti-Tribes of the Sabbat and even special bloodlines that previous reviewers mentioned. One that didn't fit in to me though was a group called the Kiasyd, they are like Faeries but Vampires also... I don't see where they fit into the Sabbat or any sect for that matter.

The discipline section was medicore. Nothing to new, or ground breaking. Especially considering the neutral disciplines like Auspex are in Guide to the Camarilla. The path section is rather interesting, especially since it drills in that many sabbat aren't on paths and stick to humanity, most people can't take pathes dangers.

The section detailing Sabbat tactics for taking cities is amazing and a story based around a siege would be amazing. The tactics are varied especially due to Sabbat disciplines and considering that they already are good at fighting makes me wonder how the Sabbat could ever lose.

This book was very good all in all but my one complaint is that it really doesn't say much about what a Sabbat city really does when it isn't crusading? They weed each other out? Well, this book is still worth the price. It's information is invaluable.

I bought the third edition of this book hoping it would be something my ten year old son could refer to if he has questions he is embarassed to talk about. The book is very factual without being overly clinical, but some of the topics discussed at lenght are more suited for older teens. The exhaustive list of slang names for male and female body parts really isn't necessary -- adolescent boys seem to do well in that department all by themselves! I also feel that the chapter "Girls and Puberty" has far more detail than a pre-teen boy needs or can handle. The book would be much better if it were presented in a loose-leaf format so I could give my son the sections he is able to handle at his age. I also wonder why the author has removed chapters on the important topics of birth control and STD's, which she says were in her previous edition. The book will certainly help me in my talks with my son, but I'm still looking for the right book for him to read on his own.

Ms. Madaras does a pretty good job talking about the changes that boys go through during puberty. I think this book is good for pre teens and their parents. I also like her idea of introducing the topics of AIDS and STD's to this group. But the book does not serve older adolescents as well--the age group of 12-21. I know of a book by the Goldsteins--"Boys into Men: Staying Healthy Through the Teen Years" that is non judgemental, thoughtful and sensitive to the issues of adolescent boys. Dr. Goldstein is a physician who specializes in the care of adolescents. The Goldstein book goes into detail not only on growth and development, puberty, sexuality and nutrition, but also it addresses sensitive issues including behavior, mental and emotional health issues, gay adolescents, chronic conditions, understanding and taking charge of a teen's health care and many other issues. The book is really informative on sports medicine, outdoor issues and travel medical issues. The Goldstein book for the older adolescent, and the Madaras book for the preteen are a knockout combination in my view.

He said it explained a lot about some things he just didn't feel like asking me or his father about. I am glad I got it for him. He feels much more comfortable with his pre-teen body now.

This was a wonderful production from the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, Canada.

The cast is very strong, and benefits from being actors, as opposed to singers. The weakest link in the cast (and I think any one will agree with me) is Henry Ingram as Nanki-Poo, who is not an actor, just a singer. He's not the young, handsome type that one would like to see in the role, nor is he even all that funny. Marie Baron as Yum-Yum is high spirited, bubbly, and funny. Also exceedinly comical is Richard McMillan's Pooh-Bah, who steals the show. Eric Donkin is a perfect Ko-Ko, of the D'Oyly Care breed. Pish-Tush (Allen Stewart-Coates) is generally a non-descript, but is of strong voice and personality here, and is left to be fairly memorable. Karen Wood is PERFECT for the adorable Pitti-Sing, and is cute and charming to boot! My least favorite presence in the cast, though, is Gidon Saks as The Mikado of Japan himself. Now, I love over the top performances, as you can tell from my praise of McMillan, but this one crosses the lines of what's bearable. I feel that a strong Mikado, next to being highly comical, should at least be somewhat intimidating. Saks just plays the Mikado as a big goofy man, that strikes fear into no one (except for the cast, for some strange reason).

The production was brilliantly and swiftly staged by Brian MacDonald, who keeps everything comical and at a swift pace.

(Incedentally, I did THE MIKADO myself this summer with the local G&S Society, a first-rate Summer Stock company. A Canadian tenor played Nanki-Poo, and he told me HORROR STORIES of what it was like for friends of his who have worked with Mr. MacDonald.)

This is the best out of the Stratford G&S series, since it's the beginning, and it was before MacDonald and musical director Carriere got too self-indulgent in what they thought they could do to Gilbert & Sullivan's work.

The two CBC documentaries included on the DVD are very informative. And I seriously doubt that it was really filmed live. The laughter and applause sounds canned, and you never ONCE see the audience. And from the way the camera moves, I think it was filmed in an empty theatre with the audience added later.

But this is still a first-rate production. Mnimalist and fast-paced, it is theatrically refershing, and a great introduction to G&S for any one!

While some Gilbert & Sullivan devotees may quibble with this Canadian version of their masterpiece, THE MIKADO, there's no denying this version's infectious energy and fun. This production by the Stratford Festival is awash with high-jinks antics, solid acting and a boldness rarely seen since the Kevin Kline/Linda Ronstadt version of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE. Director Brian Macdonald directs this production with a sure hand and a fine sense of humor. Eric Donkin makes for a solid and delightfully uptight Ko-Ko, while the tall and very lanky Richard McMillan steals the show as the self important Pooh-Bah. Marie Baron's Yum-Yum is a pure delight, and Karen Wood is a delightful Pitti-Sing. Gidon Saks makes for a rather hammy, but delightfully fierce, Mikado. Henry Ingram seems a little old for the youthful Nanki-Poo, but he definitely gets into the spirit of this wonderfully broad production. Some fans may not appreciate the "modern" Canadian references nor the very slight liberties in the score, but this is probably the one production that doesn't treat the immortal work like a museum piece. This is definitely the best version on DVD to date and one that I would definitely recommend.

The video/DVD is of a staged Canadian production, filmed from the proscenium-audience point of view with some close-ups, in full costume and makeup appropriate to the G&S script and score. The score is very well sung although the songs are dubbed, you have to pay special attention to notice this. The lip-sync is very, very good and since they don't have to worry about singing perfectly "live" with the camera, they can do more acting while mouthing their parts, and it all works very well. Some wonderfully stylized performances make it fun, expecially from Pooh Bah who is the tallest actor I've ever seen in a G&S opera! Folks who are addicted to perfect-score singing will notice some deviations (not bad ones, just different) but overall its well-done and includes encores that are usually performed of the most popular numbers at high speed for an appreciative audience. I recommend this version to Mikado-lovers.