First of all, please ignore the hokey cover of this book. The publishing house tried to have their cake and eat it too -- they wanted the "thrill of abduction" on the cover, thus the woman being carried off -- but they also couldn't make it seem "scary" or realistic so the lady and her pretty-boy abductor are grinning like fools at each other. It just comes off as a bit forced and surreal.

Once you get inside, you will see there are three selections in this book: "Redbird" by Diana Palmer, "The Bluest Eyes in Texas" by Joan Johnston, and "The Bounty" by Rebecca Brandewyne.

I enjoyed "Redbird" the most because the characters and the situation they found themselves in were believable. The author did not gloss over the possible consequences of the kidnapping, and instead worked with it. I also believed that the two would actually want to be together and make their marriage work by the end. Finally, I really liked the hero, a must for me to truly enjoy a romance story. While he could be rash, he is really a big lovable bear, with the nice twist of not being a ladykiller in his behavior. He is a good mix of Alpha and Beta characteristics.

"The Bluest Eyes in Texas" was OK, but it was over-the-top cliched with Ranger Burr Covington being obsessed with the social-economic differences between him and the governor's daughter, Lindsey Major, and especially with her blue eyes. I realize it's the title, but Johnston relied on the "blue eyes" theme to the point of annoyance. Considering the abruptness of the ending and the fact that I didn't believe for one minute Covington would have really proposed that soon, she could have deleted half of the references to "blue eyes" and saved the words for more character development and a better ending.

I liked "Bounty" the least. While it has the hottest sex scenes, I simply did not like Rafer Starr. He is a cliched Alpha-bad boy character. He sees "strong" Hayley Harper and immediately wants to "tame" her down, like some sort of house pet. This story also relied far too heavily on sexual chemistry and simply did not make me believe the characters were compatible for anything more than a roll in the hay by the time the story ended.

I felt that Palmer ("Redbird") did the best with the short format the authors were restricted to, and made the most of the space she had to create a more realistic romance. "The Bluest Eyes in Texas" would have benefited from more space to make the story less one-dimensional and allow for a richer, fuller maturation of the characters' relationship and especially a better ending. "The Bounty" would have not been any better with more space, just longer. Rafer Starr is simply not a likable character. His attitude is, "Sure honey, we can have a partnership. As long as I'm always in charge and you let me take care of you!"

The Bluest Eyes in Texas leaves a lot to be desired - Too much repetition about the lavender eyes.
The characters of Burr Covington and fellons were great and Lindsay Major was not too bad but......
The plot of the story is not too bad but then again not enough.
Is not one of her better stories -- would not care to read again.
Alright to read once. Ho, hum, back to bed hopping!

The Bounty is a great story about strong characters.
Haley Harper is a stong woman, except when it comes to her hormones. She is after the bounty.
Rafer Starr, of Shooting Starr, Incorporated, is a renowned bounty hunter. Admired even by Haley's dad, a bounty hunter in his own right.

The bounty on Dolan Pike is 25,000 dollars. Haley needs this bounty to keep her one woman organization going. She certainly is not going to brook any interference from Starr.

Except, wouldn't you know, Starr turns the tables on her and abducts her. Therein lies a great short story. Haley is not given much choice except to work with Starr. Of course, the hormones kick in and the attraction escalates.

If she is pushing 40, how many kids does she think she can have?
Both want children but whoa, they sure better hurry up.
Any chance of finding out in a later story??????????

Definitely recommended if you like kick butt action.

This book doesn't even rate 1 star. The author obviously knows nothing about golf or the types of games that can be played. I'm really surprised that any publisher would even publish this trivial attempt. I felt that the purchase of this book was a complete waste of money

Great book. I don't know what James M. Herschel's problem is, because this book has given me a bunch of new ways to take money from my golfing buddies! Highly recommended -- the best betting games collection available.

This book outlines numerous games which puts a little twist on your golf outings with buddies. Not only do you get your 4-some games, but other formats as well. Best guide to golf games of any other book I've read, plus a touch of humor.

Another great book by Joan Johnston! I just loved Colt to pieces! I was so glad to read about Jenny and Colt. Thank heavens, after all those years, she ended up with the right guy! You ached for Colt and his feelings for Jenny. It was hard to put this book down. The various characters in the book reach out and grab you too. Easy to see that books can follow about Jenny's brother, Randy with Faith and Colt's big brother Jack and Hope! At least we HOPE so. The Whitelaw's are such an exceptional family, by reading the books, you can be a part of the family, at least for awhile. And, Joan usually brings in some imperfection which is unusual, but more normal than the drop-dead gorgeous heroine! This is a reality check that many readers can relate to. Thanks Joan for entertaining us so well with another great read!

The story line was very good and have always enjoyed the Whitelaw's stories. It shows that live is not always easy and happy, but when two people really love each other, they can face anything. I am anxious for the next storries of Randy, Faith, Hope and Jake.

Another great book in her Hawk's Way series. Go out and find the others. You won't regret it. :)

I can't stress this enough - you can't expect to read this book alone and be entertained, you must read the later books in the Tales of the Jedi series. Alone, this book lacks action and focuses more on the beginnings of the exciting events that would take place later. If you're looking for early Nomi Sunrider, Ulic Qel-Droma, or especially Exar Kun stories, this is as early as they come. Otherwise, don't read this unless you plan to spend plenty of money on the other titles in the series.

Knights of the Old Republic is the first story published in the Tales of the Jedi storyline. Written by Tom Veitch, the guy who also did the Dark Empire comics, the characters and situations herein are pretty much taken from the backstory he created for his prior Star Wars jaunt. Overall this is a pretty good comic, and it paves the path for what will be one of the most exciting epics in Dark Horse's Star Wars publishing run. Knights of the Old Republic is not one story, but two that will tie together in later Tales of the Jedi books. The art is a mixed bag (more on that later), but the stories told are vintage Star Wars.

The first chapter, 'Ulic Qel-Droma and the Beast Wars of Onderon,' tells the story of several young Jedi given their first task by their Master - a diplomatic/peacekeeping mission to a world that is petitioning to join the Republic. Ulic Qel-Droma is a rash, brash Jedi who despite his impulsiveness is a skilled Jedi and strong in the Force. His companions are his brother Cay and the Twi'lek Tott Doneeta, neither of whom are as good with a lightsaber as Ulic, but both of whom are more cautious. There are no real surprises in this story - there is of course the obligatory brush with the Dark Side and lots of fight scenes, but it does serve very well to introduce these characters, their skills and personalities. Chris Gossett's art is very good here, but the coloring seems somewhat dull.

The second chapter, 'The Saga of Nomi Sunrider,' is a much better story even if the art stinks. Nomi is a Force-sensitive woman who is too timid to be a Jedi, although her husband, Andur, has followed that path. While they are en route to deliver some adegan crystals to Andur's future master, some thugs who want the expensive crystals kill Andur. Nomi, without thinking, takes Andur's lightsaber, kills the thugs, and then proceeds to deliver the crystals to Master Thon. For months she is reluctant to learn the ways of the Force, and absolutely refuses to touch a lightsaber, but when the Hutt whose hoodlums she killed shows up looking for vengeance, she has no choice but to take up arms. This story was much more enjoyable than Ulic's, and all around much better. The art, however, is pretty weak and ugly.

While these stories are not terribly exciting as standalones, when looked at in the context of the rest of the series they are a worthy introductory chapter with lots of lightsaber fights, a few new Force techniques, brash students, wise masters, cruel enemies, and decent artwork. Recommended.

Unreal. Amazing. Jedi!!!
And so, with a few bucks to burn, I picked up this holy tome all those years ago. I was fascinated. Never before have I cared about a set of characters so much, save for Han and Chewie. This sets the stage for the next four volumes. The main characters here are Ulic Qel-Droma, Jedi Knight, and Nomi Sunrider, who inadvertently follows the path of the Jedi. Their paths interconnect eventually, and the story unfolds. This a rare set of comics that can actually be classified as a saga. Later volumes introduce Exar Kun, a name you may know from Kevin J. Anderson's Jedi Academy trilogy.

I am a psychiatric nurse and have read many books written by service-users about depression but I've never read one that was not depressing. This one is't - what a super book!

I don't read much. This was good and said what I feel like sometimes and it made me feel better about it.

Mind-Blowing! and humbling! - an amazing but very readable book

I own parrots, I have friends who own parrots, and I have a brother who breeds parrots. I feel I can knowledgably say that this is not a good guide to parrots. It is full of mistakes both in the text and in the illustrations. I was very disappointed when I went through this book and, fortunately, I did not buy it but got it through the library. If you want info about this group of birds buy the standard, Forshaw's Parrots of the World, and just realize that the information about ranges and scientific names might be out-of-date but overall this is the better book by far. It deserves no stars.

This is got to be one of the best guide books I have ever seen featuring over 350 different species of parrots on our planet. Being the bird lover that I am, and that includes domestic as well as wild birds, I own almost every book out there on birds, and I really love this edition by Tony Juniper & Mike Parr. It should really be called an encyclopedia because there is just so much information in these almost 600 pages. The 88 superb color illustrations of all the species by 5 different artists are so beautiful & true to life. As you already know by reading the editorial & other reviews, this book includes range maps of the species locations, their vocalizations, life expectancies, and much more fascinating information.

Remember, this is not a book about parrots in captivity, its information about birds in the wild. If you don't own a parrot and are thinking about one, this book is a definite help in learning about all the different species that are out there. The more knowledge you have the better it will be when you do decide to pick out that perfect companion parrot for yourself & family. Owning a companion parrot is a lifetime commitment that shouldn't be taken lightly. I know I researched many months before I found the perfect parrot for us. The love you receive in return from your parrot will amaze you. I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. Highly recommended!

This is the first book I bought on Parrots and it is the only I would ever need to learn about the different types of Parrots in the world. It contains information and pictures on every type of Parrot from the African Grey to the rare Kakapo. I only wish they had an indication on the price range of each bird on the market for those who breed and sell. I would definitely recommend this book to the serious Parrot collector. A definite must on a Parrot lover's bookshelf and worth every dollar.

Considered on purely military grounds, the heroes of Nazi Germany's armed forces were as remarkable as the best fighting men anywhere. Fighter aces such as Adolf Galland, panzer commanders such as Michael Wittmann, generals such as Erwin Rommell, all enjoyed the unfeigned respect of friend and foe alike. The soldierly virtues of boldness, duty, martial skill, and dash transcended national and ideological boundaries.

The most highly decorated man on the German side during World War II was Hans-Ulrich Rudel, stuka pilot, and this picture biography is a 277 page long valentine to him. He comes across as quite an alpha male in these pages. His lust for life brought him success in his military career, and his postwar mountaineering and sporting competitions.

Now, if you're here, you probably already know the background of Rudel's weapon of choice, the Junkers Ju-87 Stuka divebomber. By the time the war started it was already obsolescent, beginning to be outclassed by fighters entering service with the Western allies. But in the early going it was the very outward and visible sign of Nazi hyper-aggression. The black crooked-wing craft even looked somewhat like a flying swastika. The whine of its propeller and the screech of its dive siren triggered terror in its victims. Though the Stuka was soon driven from the skies of the Western front, it served in the East as a most capable ground attack airplane right up to the very end of the war. Rudel's Stuka was equipped with 3.7 cm flak cannons, to make it a feared _panzerknacker_, or tank buster.

This book relates in minute detail Rudel's many accomplishments. He and his squadron single-handedly beat back a Soviet armored assault. He rescued the crew of a downed Stuka from under the noses of the advancing Red Army. He was himself downed behind enemy lines and got back to his base in a masterpiece of evasion and escape. He even lost part of a leg and kept flying, was officially grounded and kept flying clandestinely. He finished the war with upwards of 2,500 combat missions, 500 tank kills, and one sunk battleship to his credit--an amazing feat given that he flew a slow, out-of-date aircraft in a theater where the enemy enjoyed air superiority from about 1944 onwards. Thank God his side lost, but the man deserved all the praise he got.

The latter third of the book deals with his postwar career as an adventurer masquerading as an industrial salesman. While "alive and well and living in Argentina" he schmoozed with the Perons, climbed the world's highest volcano three times, and got in some high-diving--all this with one leg, remember. Curiously, the book makes no mention and includes no pictures of Rudel's funeral, though the German edition of this translation was published four years after his death. It also does not discuss his continued Nazi sympathies, and his recurring embarrassment of the West German government with his right-wing activities after the war. But be charitable: he was the greatest combat pilot ever, and should be respected as such

This book details Hans Ulric Rudels personal views and experiences as a stuka pilot during World War II. It is based on his recollections as he had his Pilot Log stolen from him by Americans after he surrendered.

An exceptional man, who never gave up under the direst of circumstances. During the war he sunk a Battleship, destroyed around 500 tanks, shot down around 20 fighter planes and evaded capture behind enemy lines.

He shows us how one man can always make a difference.

I HAVE A PAPERBACK OF THIS BOOK WHICH PUBLISHED BY BALLANTINE BOOKS N.Y. IT IS A GREAT HISTORY OF NOT ONLY HANS RUDEL BUT ALSO WW2 EASTERN FRONT.

Titus Bass, variously a cattle rustler, a trapper, a doting husband and father, and a man with a serious "rep" in and around the 1840s Rocky Mountains, is one of those heroes that transmogrifies from book to book, sequel to sequel. Unfortunately for those of us dummies who start reading the series in the middle, there's a lot of old war stories that just don't make sense. Half of this book cannot be read unless you know the prior goings-on. Too bad, because the other half could stand on its own. In this free-standing half, we have the story of Titus (aka "Scratch") joining up with his trapper buds (and some not so buds) to steal horses from the Mexicans in California. There's much excitement in this endeavor, and no little killing. Following which there's a boring interlude in which Scratch makes his way through the mountains back to his wife and kids. They all set out for Taos, NM, although you have to be privy to earlier books to have the slightest idea why (characters from earlier books pop in and out constantly, with no other introduction to speak of, except little footnotes which Mr. Johnston is kind enough to supply, indicating which of his prequels will reference the individual). In Taos, a real hair-raising scenario ends the book, based on history, apparently. The killing which takes place there makes the American Psycho look like Peter Pan. Thus, the good, the bad, and the many passages you can skip. Diximus.

Howdy folks. James Drury here. You might remember me from the Virginian. I don't read many of Terry Johnston's books, but I read this one and I want to leave you some of my thoughts. First, it's a shame to have Terry Johnston gone. He left us way too young, and cancer got another one. I do enjoy Johnston's stuff, but I have to say it's a little rough for my tastes. I read all of Kirby Jonas's novels on audio tape, and Kirby has a similar flair to Johnston as far as historical authenticity but without the bite of graphic violence, too much cussing, and other things just better left to the imagination. I know I sound like I'm slamming an author who was well-loved by many and always will be. I don't mean to slam him, and I do recommend this and all of his books if you are strong of stomach. For a milder, but still authentic taste of the West, read Kirby Jonas's books or listen to me read them on audio. Thanks for hearing me out.

Titus Bass strikes again! If you've read the other books in this series, I'm sure you already ache to follow Titus on another adventure, so pick this up.

Johnston is a great writer, easily on a par with Elmer Kelton or Kirby Jonas or Louis L'Amour. Well worth the read!

Although I am a big fan and avid reader of all Joan Johnston's books, this one seemed to lack the pizzaz of the previous three Blackthorne-Creed novels. However if you are as addicted to Ms. Johnston's books as I am then it is still worth the time to sit and read it. Although slow at some points it is still enjoyable.

This is my 1st book by JJ to read- the 1st of the Blackthornes and Creeds lasaga and I really enjoyed it. I am now in the process of looking for the other 3. I never was lost by not reading the other books first. The author did a great job of filling in what had taken place previously so I felt up on what was going on. There were several sub-characters and their stories but I didn't feel like they were taking away from the main characters. The story was great up to the end. I highly recommend it.

Now a little about the story itself... Luke Creed finds out during his first visit back at his mom's place that his old high school sweetheart, Amy Hazeltine Nash, is back in town. What a surprise since they have not seen each other since their break up 12 years ago. Both married others, had children, and are now back "licking wounds" from torn apart marriages. They are also both attorneys and are soon to find out that they are on opposing sides of a lawsuit. But Luke doesn't feel good about the pharmaceutical company's new drug that his firm is representing. There have been several deaths of children that have taken the drug (coincidental or cover-up?) and the fact that his oldest daughter is taking the drug complicates the matter even more. Just seeing Amy brings back all sorts of feelings and memories- Luke knows he has never gotten over his love for her and now that she is back and single during a stressful time of his life complicates things that much more but he is not going to throw-away a second chance for happiness. Now he just has to convince Amy of taking that second chance. Things get serious and even deadly for some as information is uncovered about the new drug for diabetes. A page turner for me... I hope you give it a try.

This is the 4th Joan Johnston book that I have read--the present day creed/blackthorne stories--and once again i was not disappointed. This book was as good as the others in terms of telling the ongoing saga/story line and keeping my interest in terms of romance, mystery, murder, and family relationships. I would recommend reading the cowboy, the texan, and the loner first, but she provides enough background to give you the family history as she tells luke's story.

And I expected great what with Catholic guilt and hockey and comic writing all in one novel. There are some very funny moments -- for example, a devastating take on tap dancing and the poor starving children of -- in this case -- Latin America. The memories of the Canadiens and the other original NHL teams before expansion, and the frigid days and nights of street hockey are exactly right. Plus, Uncle Reginald and Draper Doyle are consistently engaging and give the book most of its considerable energy, although it stretches credulity that a nine year old boy should so completely recall over several detailed pages a dream absolutely crucial to the novel's climatic moments. Bigger problems: Draper's mother is too peripheral, as ethereal as the ghost father, and Aunt Phil and Uncle Seymour are so unremittingly mean-spirited that they become more parody than human. Finally, the twist as Draper Doyle begins to recall the lost week of his father's death is unexpectedly nasty, and leaves this novel uneasily perched between the comic and terrible personal discovery. Still, while The Divine Ryans is not a must read, it is the work of an author with talent clearly under development.

I picked this book up mainly for the name and intriguing cover (yes, you can pick a book by the cover!). Inside was a look into a child's life, reminding me of Angela's Ashes... this poor child suffered at the hands of his relatives and lineage. I probably wouldn't read it again, but I will pass it along to my friends who read.

I found this book quite intriging. In the spirit of "American Beauty", it is a tale about a dysfuntional family. It is told as almost a bitter sweet memoir of a real person's childhood in Newfoundland in the 1960's. You learn to dislike and like the different characters in the childs eyes and see how his divine family has truely fallen from grace. The characters in the book that should be the most devout and true are the most ignorant and irritating, these people being the preist and nun in the family. The leader of their Irish-Catholic, you could almost say cult, is the aunt of Draper Doyle (the young child). She is the most nauseating character I have yet to come across. She is filled with Hipocrisy and all the things that she is against. She also threatens the safty of Draper Doyle's newly widowed mother. Their entire future depends on Draper Doyle's recognization of his nightmares which cause him unbelievable embarassment in the face of his relative. His only refuge from his devout aunts and uncles is his uncle reginald who is one of the most endearing and genuinly funny characters I have come across. This book is fantasticly written (unlike this review, I have need of spell check) and keeps your attention from one paragraph to the next which is always a Divine thing in a book.