I'm a big fan and have followed the du Pre series since its beginning, but I can't help feeling disappointed in this one. It was seriously flawed. At first, I couldn't tell what was wrong with the cult portrayed, except that they dared move to Montana - even later, the cultists weren't really filled in, it was hard to tell just who they were or what they were like - the dialogue was often hard to follow - and the end was extremely unsatisfying; it left too many unanswered questions.

I remember reading an interview with novelist Robert B. Parker in which he said that his first draft was pretty much what got published, and I couldn't help feeling like the same was true here, and what it needed was another polish. In fact, it needed a whole new ending.

Don't get me wrong - I'll read every one of these that Mr. Bowen cares to write, they are that rewarding - but if you're curious and want to try one, don't start here.

The ongoing saga of Gabriel DuPre and his extended family/network of friends is superbly continued in this 10th installment from Peter Bowen. Each book has dealt with a different issue of current western life. Badlands centers around extremist fringe groups in the west, in this instance a religious group called Children of Yahweh (with a strong nod to Waco).

All the familiar faces are present in this book - FBI agents Harvey Weasel Fat, Pidgeon, and Ripper - shaman Bennetsee and his apprentice Pelon - and of course DuPre and Madeleine and DuPre's precocious granddaughter Pallas who is intent on marrying Ripper when she gets to be 16 in 4 or 5 years. Bowen is able to weave his characters into his plot with grace, hilarity and verve. However, if you are a new reader, it would be better to start with an earlier book. The patterns of action between the characters have been set in the earlier books and are often just tangentially referred to in this book, making it difficult for the new reader to fully grasp why events occur the way they do. For example, DuPre and Bennetsee have a most unusual relationship and their interaction, crucial to the plot, is only hazily revealed. I am still not sure if Bennetsee ever really physically appears in Badlands.

Another problem with this book for the first-time Bowen reader is that the mystery is not a mystery and there is no real resolution. The reader is presented with a cult taking over a large tract of land edging on the badlands of Montana. This cult is eventually found to have possibly stolen a large quantity of weapons from a military depot but this is only part of the threat to DuPre and his friends. It also comes out, in the last 20 pages of the book, that the cult is experimenting with viral diseases. At the end of the book the reader is unsatisfactorily left with an unidentified cult head, key leaders of the group who are either killed or missing, and the cult still occupying the land. While this may reflect a current sense of national disquiet (and seems pervasive in today's news stories), it is difficult on the mystery reader who likes things tied up and labelled at the end of a story. This lack of real ending is the reason I give the book a less than stellar five-stars.

But - long-time readers of Bowen will have few problems with the ending and no difficulties with the character interrelationships. The richness of characters is the driving force behind this series and this book does not disappoint. DuPre and Madeleine have once again graced our lives with their annual return - we can only hope for more.

In Toussaint, Montana, the townsfolk host a going away party for a family who owned a ranch for over a century, but forced to sell to the well funded The Host of Yahwah. A white priest leads the cult and decrees his followers will be picked up by alien spaceships just before the world is destroyed.

Gabriel DuPre learns through his FBI contacts that seven men who left the cult were all killed on the same day at the same time in various places around the country by female members. Gabriel tries to help a woman trying to escape but when she sees that members of the cult are about to capture her, she kills herself in front of her children. When Gabriel sneaks into the compound and sets fire to an ammunitions dump, the resulting explosions are enough to get the FBI involved. The FBI surrounds the compound but nobody wants another Waco so the Federal agents are prepared to wait them out until Gabriel comes up with an idea to break the back of the resistance.

The tenth installment in this series is refreshingly original due in large part to the protagonist who though a grandfather fourteen times over, lives life to the fullest. He is not afraid to take chances and puts his life on the line to try and get some information on the cult that can be used by the FBI. In BADLANDS the federal agents are the good guys who act with restraint while the cult members pursue their sinister agenda. Peter Bowen does for Montana what Tory Hillerman does for New Mexico.

Harriet Klausner

This is a terrible book. It is full of anachronisms. For example, did members of the aristocracy, ca. 1815 talk of traveling "first class"? Did they not have their own coaches? And would they speak of a "feeding frenzy?" The heroine of the story would be more likeable--as well a more believable-- as a well-educated, well bred young lady of her times if she did not talk of her mother as a "harridan" to others, or describe her as selfish and greedy. Ditto for Penelope, the girl who ditched the hero after slapping her father--in public, no less. While the heroine can be remarkably vitriolic to her mother, she seems to have no backbone when it comes to refusing to attend events she professes to abhors. And what happened to grooms and maids who were supposed to accompany young ladies everywhere? I could go on, but I've already wasted enough time reading the book.

Angela Warren is a wonderful character who is not only beautiful but intelligent as well and not at all inclined towards the shallowness of society and the London Season. It does not matter that she calls her mother a "harridan" she is only speaking the truth. Lady Forley is not only a Harridan but a whole bunch of other things that would make the term of harridan seem very tame! She is a most "unatural" mother who cares only for money and titles and what "society" thinks. Angela is put upon and harrassed constantly to make an excellent match with Society's darling, Lord Gabriel Atwater, who makes her uneasy and bores her to tears with his insincere compliments and constant fawning.

The one man who does attract her, as well as infuriate and confuse,is the handsome and mysterious Devall Blackthorne who is a social outcast. He not only publicly jilted his sweet and innocent fiance it is rumored that he has killed two men and cuckolded another; resuting in that poor mans death! But Angela thinks there is more to the man, she does not know why, but she trusts him. She is sure that she see's something more in his eyes.

Devall Blackthorne can't stop thinking of Angela Warren. She is so unlike other society misses, besides being a little older she is intelligent too, and unafraid of speaking her mind to him. But if she is so different; why is she pursuing an offer from Gabriel Atwater? (his stomach twists at the thought) is she just like all other women after all, only after a title and fortune? She confuses and infuriates him and Devall, despite all his defences finds himself falling in love for the first time. But after the reputation he has built for himself how could he, in good concience offer for her, and subject her to such obvious disdain and ostracism from society? Can he redeem himself enough so that he and Angela can both find happiness?

I love books in which the hero is a tortured soul, and needs to find the one woman who can heal him. Devall Blackthorne is such a man and Angela Warren is the perfect woman to help him find himself. This is a wonderful story with great characters despite some minor (very,very minor) little things that a previous viewer mentioned.

Angela Warren has an ideal suitor -- handsome, titled, wealthy, and the darling of society. So why do her eyes keep straying to the Marquess of Blackthorn? He is a man ostracized for any number of real (or possibly imaginary) crimes, a man who prompts parents to lock their innocent daughters away. Yet the shivers he inspires arise from passion rather than fear. Can he really be as black as rumor reports? Can an innocent find happiness with a scoundrel of the first water?

His wonderful illustrations for this book are seductive and might well convince young children to try and fly! I can imagine the danger involved should a young child take this book to heart. I would be less reluctant to highly recommend this book if it weren't squarley aimed at impressonable young children.

This early book by Lane Smith gives insight into what was to come later with The Stinky Cheese Man and The Happy Hocky Family. A classic!

Lane Smith is a ridiculously talented illustrator and writer. Each book I have read by him is endlessly witty and intelligent, while being no less asthetically pleasing. What an asset to children's literature he is!

WHY NOT INCLUDE EXCERPTS OF THIS BOOK, IF YOU ARE SO PROUD OF IT!

You know how they say you'll live an extra year each time you laugh? If that statement is true, one who reads this book will never die! This humorous book will have you laughing on end. If you're looking for a chuckle, you have got to check out "No Sleeping On Pavement."

This is an very enjoyable book about what most of us would really love to do - slowly travel around America well off the beaten track of the Interstate Highways. Mr Eyrich has a charming way of describing the interesting people and places he encounters usually with humorous pictures attached. It is both a valuable reflection on the off-track America most of miss in our journeys on airplanes as well as an excellent guide for all travelers looking for something not found in the typical tour book.

Of little value. Very little new here.

If you have to make any speeches, if you have to present to big or small groups at work or school (and who doesn't nowadays?) read this book.

Especially if you're a white knuckle speaker...

Geoffrey Lane is a communicator extraordinaire - because he's absolutely excellent at it AND he can teach you how too. This is really accessible, usable stuff, all integrated into a totally sensible & totally up-to-the-minute program.

The Nu Audience? You really want to know who they are before you open your mouth ... but there's no mystery in finding out ... once you know how. Geoffrey Lane shows you how in an easy, makes-sense way you can use for any speaking situation...including media appearances.

If a video on these techniques comes out - get it. If Geoffrey Lane comes to your town doing his NuSpeak workshop - take it.

This book's title, "NuSpeak", describes well, the main message Mr. Lane is relaying to his readers. That message says that anyone who is presenting or communicating to today's audiences, whether that audience is comprised of one person or one thousand persons or more, MUST be authentic in their expression. Anything less is ineffective. Mr. Lane teaches the reader how to access their own authenticity and gives them the tools to express it. All speakers, from the typically terrified to the polished professional, will benefit greatly from this fresh, state-of-the-art approach. I have been a seminar leader and public speaker for about six years and Mr. Lane's teaching has changed my experience at the front of the room. I now interact with my audiences, rather than simply spew information AT them like some kind of choreographed automaton, and they enjoy gaining the information! It doesn't get better than that! Thank you NuSpeak.

The problem I have with CIW is the certification itself was not developed based on industry standards for professionalism. The courseware is a poor way to prepare for the exam since the mapping is poor. This book is similar to the courseware. The CIW examcram is probably the best. If you want to pass the exam spend your money on the exam prep software which does a better job of covering exam items. I've used MeasureUp and it was quite good

I'm a CIW instructor. I've been using Prosoft courseware in my classes for two years, and have never been pleased with it -- especially the Foundations courseware. This book is written by the same people and it's just as bad. Dry as a bone and full of inane information that none of my students have ever been asked on an exam. This biggest challenge on the Foundations exam for most of my students is the Networking Fundamentals portion and while this book does cover the needed material, it doesn't do a very good job of breaking down some of the most complicated concepts -- such as the OSI model. I encourage my students to get supplemental materials that enhance the material covered in the courseware -- not rehash it.

I found this to be a good book to work with for the CIW Foundations exam. I used this book and the dummies book on the same subject. I purchased this book based on a friend's recommendation of Sybex and my using their book for my Network + exam last year.

This book filled out the information I had read in the dummies book in a well written, understandable format. The sample tests on the CD are mostly the questions from the book, but like all sybex titles I have seen, the 2 CD only tests were a good challenge to see exactly how much I really did understand.

If you are thinking of taking the CIW test, this is a good book to use as a resource.

book is backwards, writers early years are at the end of the boo

I loved reading this book, even without chapter headings and even with dubious captions (I cannot point these out, as I am not an expert.) I do, however, live in the Sulphur Springs Valley, and have some knowledge of the Chiricahua Mountains where the Rucker Ranch was located. Gray's memories of the tall grass and red clover that filled our valley before it was overgrazed by the cattle consortiums, his stories of life as a cowboy and its dangers from Apaches and outlaws cannot, in my opinion, be replaced by technically correct second-hand histories however accurate. This is like sitting on the veranda listening to your grandfather spinning tales of cattle drives, Apache raids, and trips to Tombstone, with glimpses of the characters we have grown up knowing. His view of them is personal and reflects his preception and experience. As primary history, I recommend this most colorful account. Read it with a salt shaker if you must, but enjoy it as an authentic memoir of his life and times.

This is a superb book, well indexed, footnoted, etc. The notes in other reviews about misinformed captions and lack of chapters is bogus. The historic memoir had no chapter headings. The photo captions are absolutely accurate. Mr. Rogers has done western history a marvelous service by his obviously through research that has provided the readers of the Gray Memoir with valuble insights into the people, events and places that Gray wrote about... Enjoy!!! When is Rogers going to bring out another book? This and his Crimes and Misdeeds: Headlines from Arizona's Past are wonderful reads.

While not as dense and complicated as lots of the other Doctor Who books, this is an interesting mystery set in the late 19th century which begins with Compassion pulling off something that is quite strange and would not be something you'd expect a TARDIS to be able to do! Then she, along with the Doctor and Fitz, are forced to take refuge at Banquo Manor, posing as guests who are scheduled to arrive to witness a scientific demonstration. As the drama at Banquo Manor unfolds, things go from dark to horrific. The most interesting aspect of this story is that it is told from the viewpoints of two of the guests at Banquo, alternating between them from chapter to chapter. We see some events described twice, from two different points of view, and both are ultimately befuddled by the Doctor's involvement.

BANQUO LEGACY is fantastic. It's dripping with atmosphere, it has a cracking plot, and it feels miles away from being "just another runaround". This is such a relief after so many forgettable books (there's been so many of them before this, that I can't even remember when the last memorable book was) to have something that's just flat-out good.

The book is split into two memoirs. One is written by a solicitor who is being paid to be an impartial witness to a scientific experiment. The other is written by a police inspector who is called to the scene after everything goes fatally wrong. Set in the 19th Century, the story feels very much at home in the culture of the original mad scientists and the stories of the intellectuals of the time. The real authors of the book, Andy Lane and Justin Richards, set the stage wonderfully, with every detail fitting perfectly into the Victorian mystery novel that they've created.

There are some wonderful themes running through this book; the most satisfying and well executed would be the reflections upon seeing an objective reality from two differing, subjective standpoints. This is most obvious in the narrative, as the overall story is told from the point of view of two different people. This leads to a handful of overlapping scenes where certain details and events are described twice with slight differences in their recollection; it's an effect that's pulled off very nicely. This theme also extends into the experiment that they are observing, which is based upon the placing of thoughts and experiences from one mind directly into another. It crops up in one or two other places (most notable the sections involving Compassion) and is quite rewarding to the reader once one figures out what is going on.

The only real problems with this book are that the authors were so skillful at creating a late 19th Century atmosphere that the references to Time Lords, TARDISes and other anachronisms seem very much out of place. Perhaps there would have been a better way to incorporate these elements into the story without their metaphorical seams showing. Despite these minor details, this is quite an enjoyable book and comes as a breath of fresh air. Don't skip this one.

After suffering from an Artron energy inhibiting device Compassion is near death and must take refuge in someone else's body to recuperate whilst the Doctor has lost the ability to regenerate while the inhibitor is active. They are thrust into a situation involving an experiment gone wrong, the walking dead and a timelord agent that has lain in wait for the Doctor to arrive for 100 years. Set in 1898 the novel is told from two different accounts written in a diary/report format from an inspector from Scotland Yard and a Solicitor. This format of writing has given the book an incredible amount of realism with the aspect of the time period it is set in and the style of writing is very reminiscent of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Plus the scenes involving being stalked by the living dead are incredibly reminiscent of Michael Myers from the Halloween series - SPOOKY!!! This is definitely in the top ten of Dr. Who novels written to date. WELL RECOMMENDED!!!

I would not recommend this book to most dog owners. I was immediately turned off by it from the first page:

"Most Stafford owners are quick to answer no [to the question 'Is that a Pit Bull?'], and then take the time to say the name of the breed over and over, slowly and carefully, to make sure there is no misunderstanding. They may go on to try to explain what a Pit Bull actually is: 'bigger,' 'longer legs,' 'cropped ears,' 'vicious,' 'trained to fight.'"

In my opinion it's terribly irresponsible that she would defend the Stafford whilst demonizing the Pit Bull.

Also, pictured on the back cover of the book is an American Staffordshire Bull Terrier, not a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

a decent book on the breed, but has a reference in it that the pit bull is vicious. to me it seems the author doesnt know to much about the pit bull. statement like that get the bull terrier in more of a bad rap.

Amongst the limited number of books available on this particular breed, most of which I own, this one stands out. Not only is it lavishly illustrated with superior quality photographs of Staffs, supplies, other recommended books and how-to-photos (say, clean the puppy's ears), but the contents is detailed enough, to the point, useful and informative. As I was reading the book what also came through was the Author's affection for this breed. Other books on the subject, either boring or too matter-of-factly, have fallen short of affording me such a bonus.

Life in the Fast Lane was repetitive and self-serving. There was nothing new about the years with Ferrari. This Irvine fan was quite disappointed.

A nice glimpse into the world of Eddie Irvine, although it never gets intimate. This is a narrative. Eddie, and some of his friends and family, tell little stories about his life and particularly the '99 season.

Not particularly well written, it's people talking about Eddie and his interests and his thoughts on life. And the reader has to have some knowledge on F1. Disappointingly, not much detail or explanations are given about the year's events.

Example: Not one conversation is recorded or recalled with Michael Shumacher. Just general impressions about his talented teammate. I wanted more.

I gave it 3 stars (not less) because I'm a hardcore F1 and Eddie fan.

Eddie Irvine was very close to the championship title. This book, the 2nd about him, tell you about how he was very close to winning the championship, including what actually happen when he outbrake Schumacher before the crash in Silverstone...a priceless book for fans and collectors alike...better than Schumacher's book...