See synopsis above.

After I read 'Amazonia' I put James Rollins on my must read list. I am so glad I did. In 'Ice Hunt' he takes adventure to a new level. The book's intense, the main subject very interesting (cryopreservation), and it reads like a combination of 007, Indiana Jones, and Dirk Pitt. A well rounded--and researched--adventure sure to please anyone with a taste for quality adventure.
I have to agree with the Amazon reviewer, though. The cover art gives it a somewhat hokey look (mass market?).

Most highly recommended.

I have just finished reading Ice Hunt and it was as exciting as all his previous ones. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants a good action packed adventure. Now only if Hollywood would take an interest in this or any of his previous novels; it would be great to see them on TV as a mini series.

More adventure from James Rollins! This time at the top of the world! Russians, Black ops teams, carnivorous predators, ex-wives...everything that sends a chill down the spine then freezes it in place in the lonely wilds of Alaska and the Polar Ice Cap. Fun from the opening line in chapter one ("Always respect Mother Nature...especially when she weighs four hundred pounds and is guarding her baby.") to the chilling final lines of the novel (and no, I'm NOT going to write it down here). Go buy the book! Really, I mean it! Click the "buy it now" feature! I dare ya!

I hardly ever buy nonfiction but seeing this at Borders I knew I had to have it. Lewis Carrol is one of the greatest writers of the nineteenth century, surpassing even Tolstoy,Dostoevsky,and Dickens. I have a complete collection of all of his works and enjoy them all(except for the math puzzles, math has never been my strongest point.) If you are a fan of Lewis Carroll then this is the book for you. Gorgous illustrations and photographs, an interesting and informative text, this is a wonderful little book to own. It is also informative if you are interested in Victorian England such as Iam (probably due to my Lewis Carroll fixation) There are also examples of Lewis Carrolls photography and pictures of the Liddle children. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the world of Alice and who is obsessed with Mr. Dodgson's books.

A small in size book, being about 5 x 6. It is printed on glossy paper with many photographs. It is an exceptional buy for the amount of money tendered. If you read anything by Mr. Carroll you have to have this book too. Mr. Carroll's work is a must for anyone writing anything. The simple truth is his writing means nothing as far as plot, but his style is brilliant.

Is there anyone out there that knows what the name of the writing style used by Mr. Carroll. For instance his characters are telling a story to someone small Mr. Carroll aims his text at a small animal. The small animal answers back in small type. When someone is running and talking, there are long drawn out sentences.

This book provides a well written description of the conditions and environment that led to the writing of the Alice books. The reader is immersed in Victorian culture both verbally and visually. The profusely illustrated book is a joy to read and informative as well. It fills the niche between biography and textual analysis.

Joel Birenbaum, president of the Lewis Carroll Society of North America

In this heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking account, Mindy Lewis describes her life journey, framed by her experiences as a teenage patient in a mental ward. Her story is honest and open. As a reader, I could identify with her pain and her experience, even though it is quite different from my own. Many of the feelings she describes are universal, which leads me to question society and its definition of insanity. Throughout her account, Mindy feels "different" and "individualistic", most likely as a result of her creativity and ability to visualize and approach life in a less constrained manner. As someone who does not have a similar life experience, I can still relate to those feelings.

The book is extremely well-written and vivid, with great attention to physical and emotional detail. The story moves quickly (over 30 years in 350 pages), with its main focus how the 27-months in the institution affected Mindy's life. However, the book also details Mindy's journey to understand her life, the world around her, her family, and how to create meaning from experience, going beyond "life inside".

I highly recommend this book.

mindy lewis is absolutely amazing. i was particular hooked on the first part of the book (there are 2 parts) which tells of her 'life inside' mental hospitals. completely spine chilling and a definite must read.

I'm a memoir junkie, and this is one of the most rewarding, carefully written memoirs I have ever read. Lewis insightfully describes each stage of her rich transition from searingly painful adolescence to self-actualized adulthood. I marvel at her narrative's double-voice: she accurately conveys both adolescent self-doubt and emotionally-attuned adult wisdom.
Readers who will particularly appreciate this book include lovers of well-wrought prose, and people who feel impaired by something in their past, and cautiously optimistic about their chances of getting over it and/or growing from it.

I reviewed this book for the Liguorian and was really impressed with it. First, I was amazed to find a Rabbi and a minister of the United Church of Christ collaborating on anything. That is so refreshing. Then, I was further shocked to find them teaching us about things like meditation. This book is destined to become a religious/spiritual classic! It offers sound and practical advice for learning to love yourself, your community, and your world. We should all read this book and apply the teachings of these two wise men.

The authors of this book, a rabbi and a minister, illumine the love, compassion and wisdom in Judaism and Christianity, and, in doing so, bring readers to the shared heart of these two religions. This compact volume traces the viewpoints explaining our confusion about God; invites us to mend our hearts with a life-supporting view of a caring and loving Creator; and awakens us to our spirits and contemporary ways to heal ourselves and become God's partners in mending the world.

The authors, writing with open hearts and incisive intellect, have created a magnificent work: one that honors the riches of the past and distills them into a guiding vision for the future.

Judith Pennington, author of The Voice of the Soul:
A Journey into Wisdom and the Physics of God

Collaboratively written by Lewis D. Solomon, a Jewish Rabbi, and Bruce G. Epperly, a minister of the United Church of Christ, Mending The World: Spiritual Hope For Ourselves And Our Planet is a wholesome, spiritual, and life-affirming treatise on how healing can be promoted among ourselves, our neighbors, and our planet. Presenting diverse tools for spiritual transformation (including prayer, meditation, imagination, and affirmation), Mending The World is a thoughtful and much needed contribution to human wisdom in these especially troubled and troubling times.

My Health Record will enable the non-specialist general reader to reduce risk and minimize the impact of medical conditions by providing health care workers, doctors, and medical professionals with a personal health history, avoid repeating unnecessary, unsuccessful, or duplicated immunizations and tests, prevent prescription based complications, and document changes in healthy insurance and primary health care providers. My Health Record is invaluable for anyone seeking an active role in their own health and well-being, and could very well be life protecting when dealing with medical emergencies.

"Very often patients are unaware or don't remember vital aspects of their own medical illnesses. I plan on using "My Health Record" for my own family's medical records."

"It is just the right size to carry along, whether traveling or just going to the doctor's office. Our audience often depends on others for assistance, and need a complete health record to which caregivers can refer. My Health Record does just that!"

In this volume, Skuld gets her own angel, there's a completely smitten broom, and Sayoko becomes an "all powerful" queen. Although I haven't read all the Oh My Goddess books, I still had fun with this. I would like to find some of the other books, so I can find out how Skuld became a part of the group (that's a volume I missed). Belldandy is still the nicest character in the series, and I loved Skuld. Sayoko definitely shines in this book, as well. Very recommended. The art is gorgeous and the story should improve any bad mood.

I must say, the artwork in OMG is to most manga what Crossgen is to American comics. Everything else is a good deal worse (well, DC has Jim Lee now, but other than that...). As far as stories go, OMG is decent enough. It's not completely engrossing, but it keeps you amused. The character development is good, too. In Queen Sayoko, there is a bit of transformation in Skuld's and Urd's appearance (particularly the hair). Still a long way away from what it is "at this point," (the graphic novels are a good deal behind the monthlies) past the Rind arc.

Everyone knows Sayoko thinks she is a queen...well, through a deal with the demon Mara, she now is one for real! The campus of Nekomi Tech goes under a major transformation, and everyone is brainwashed into worshipping Sayoko like the royalty that she thinks she is. The goddesses and Keiichi must stop her, but the brainwashing can affect them too. And the loyal subjects of Sayoko are not going to let her go down without a fight..

Dr. Peck...has assembled an engrossing account of the illnesses and injuries as gleaned from the journals of the captains and enlisted men...The best known medical compilation in book form is the widely cited "Only One Man Died:The Medical Aspects of the Lewis and Clark Expedition"...Or Perish in the Attempt is a major improvement in that it provides detailed differential diagnosis and critical commentary on treatments that Chuinard did not include...The strength of Peck's book is its delightful readability...a valuable analysis of the process by which the diverse personalities blended into a coherent team with all committed to succeed, a team whose members readily risked their lives for one another...Peck has a detailed analysis of Meriwether Lewis' death, carefully exploring the possibilities of suicide, murder, opiate addiction, and neurosyphillis...Or Perish in the Attempt is an excellent contribution to the Lewis and Clark medical canon and a must for medical Clarkies. It is a delightful and satisfying account of the journey."
JAMA, July 2, 2003

The story of Lewis and Clark is fascinating ' one of the original legendary American expeditions with extraordinary implications. The historical record and the many books available to us that interpret this journey into the unknown let us relive the excitement of exploration of the American frontier. However, until Or Perish in the Attempt by Dr. David Peck was written and published, only half of the legendary story of Lewis and Clark has been told. Now you can experience the 'rest of the story' through the eyes of an articulate, practicing modern physician who unveils the medical threat that the Corps of Discovery was under during the few years it took them to get to the Pacific northwest and back. Dr. Peck sets the foundation by first explaining the prevailing medical philosophy of the times by leading physicians, including Dr. B. Rush ' a leading advocate of blood letting. Then, we follow Lewis as he gets his guidance in person from Dr. Rush for the perceived medical threat and heads off up the Missouri with Clark and all their men, materials and supplies into the heart of darkness. While the Corps of Discovery went about their business meeting their basic survival and occasional life enhancement needs, Dr. Peck takes the story to a much deeper and scarier level. While Lewis and Clark and their men worried about Indians, snakes, bears around the bend, the medical threat loomed all around them in the form of mosquitoes carrying deadly malaria and all sorts of bugs and germs that the men ingested from drinking river water and eating inordinate amounts of meat from all kinds of critters that were available to them for life sustaining food. Dr. Peck shows that these guys were very rough and tough. However, they got sick and were often very sick along the way and didn't have an emergency room to run to for help. Everyone turned to Lewis for help as he handed out the Thunder Clappers and other drugs from his supplies. Dr. Peck takes these complex ideas and concepts from the medical world and breaks them down so we can understand them thoroughly. In so doing, the story of Lewis and Clark becomes more real than ever before. As a result, the reader comes away with a serious education about health care and the awesome power of the human body to heal itself ' if things are done correct. The ending of Or Perish in the Attempt was the high point of the book because Dr. Peck clearly shows why Lewis died shortly after returning from the expedition. That explanation alone is worth the price of admission. So, if you want to take a ride, then get in line for your E-Ticket on the Or Perish in the Attempt roller coaster ride by Dr. David Peck. This is a must read for anyone who thinks they already know the story of Lewis and Clark or for anyone who might think they know how to take care of themselves in the wilderness or their own backyard.

Dr. Peck has rewarded us all with his thorough research and clear explanations. Since first reading Ambrose's book, Undaunted Courage, two years ago, I have steadily digested everything that I could get my hands on that dealt with the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Last year, I remarked to a friend that someone needed to write a book that filled in the gaps that Dr. Chuinard left regarding the medical aspects of the journey. Fortunately, Dr. Peck has saved someone the toil.
I have only three criticisms of the book. First, some of the expressions may be a little too ecclectic for a non-medical person or the person who reads the book 100 years from now. Examples are the referring to phlebotomists as "vampires" and his reference to Pompey being born at 3 or 4 AM. Second, I am curious as to why Peck did not cover the Lewis & Clark's medical study done during the winter spent near St. Louis. Dr. Chuinard covered this extensively, but Dr. Peck does not mention it. Third, I disagree with the conclusion that Lewis committed suicide. Perhaps it is a matter of denial, but there are too many suspicious factors for me to conclude that Lewis killed himself.
When I picked this book up, my most pressing question about the author was regarding the way in which he dealt with Dr. Benjamin Rush. I have found (in 20 years of medical experience) that it is hard to judge the quality of care rendered a few years ago, and that 200 years is a nearly impossible breach of time. Dr. Peck has dealt with Dr. Rush honestly, and does not judge him by today's standard of care. Dr. Chuinard was too critical of Dr. Rush, and Dr. Peck has helped clear Dr. Rush's reputation: Dr. Rush was one of the soundest physicians that America would know before 1900. Dr. Rush helped bring the dawn from the "Dark Ages" of medicine.
Ambrose and Peck are the authors that every student of the Corps of Discovery should start with. Thank you, Dr. Peck.

How I wish I could give this book ten stars! If you're tired of hearing about the Mommy Wars and want to read about women who've somehow managed to balance work and motherhood, this is the book for you. Susan Lewis clearly is coming from the assumption that we all love our kids, and we all have unique gifts to present to the world, but unfortunately the reality is that we live in a culture that doesn't have a lot of respect for parenthood--or for women's choices, for that matter. You know how it goes--if you stay home with the kids, you're an underachiever; if you have a full time job, you're self-centered, if you work part-time so that you can be there for your kids, well you have to be screwing up both jobs then, right? :) Lewis interviewed ten women like herself, all of whom gave up full-time high-powered careers to spend time with their children. Some downshifted to part time, some switched to a less demanding career, some just gave up a career altogether. What these women have to say about the decisions they made really surprised me and inspired me, and often made me laugh. Lewis herself cracked me up with her descriptions of being available for monosyllabic teenage boys, or being humbled by her utter failure at baking a batch of brownies from a mix.
I also think this would be a great book for any young woman who wants to "have it all" to read. It really does give a realistic picture of both worlds, work and home, and helps you think think creatively, and sensibly (love how Lewis, before she got pregnant, thought that the first year of her baby's life would be a great time to sail around the world!). Yes, combining motherhood and career can be done, but as these women show, you've got to be creative, you've got to be true to your instincts, and you shouldn't give a hoot about whether you've got a glamorous enough self-description to impress people at cocktail parties!

If you are struggling with how to manage your career AND love your baby AND nurture your family, read this book! It's like talking to a best friend who understands who you were before you had a baby and what you feel now. I am still struggling with "what to do next"...this book empowered me to do what's best for me (not based on anyone else's "should do's").

Ms. Lewis has a great writing style...easy to read with thoughtful stories. I stay up late at night (or get up before the baby wakes up) just to get another chapter read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lewis tells us how women have coped with the biggest life altering experience of all...motherhood. I wish it was available when my first child was born. I felt so alone juggling to combine motherhood with a career. The anecdotes in the book are so funny because they are real. It feels like a chat with your closest friends telling you what was the "last straw" incident that forced them to make changes. What is most interesting about the book is the variety of solutions that women came up with. There are no right or wrong answers because every family is unique. Having the insight on what changes others have made will get you thinking creatively.

The Yagyu letter continues to gnaw at Yagyu Retsudo who gives ample proof in Volume 13 of the Lone Wolf & Cub saga, "The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West," that he will go to any length to get his revenge on Ogami Itto. In the five chapters of the manga epic included in this volume is the most shocking act of violence we have yet wetness in this bloody saga:

(64) "The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West" has Retsudo ruminating on how he has sent all of his legitimate sons to be slaughtered by Ogami Itto. But the old man has an illegitimate son and daughter, and horrible plans for them both.

(65) "'Marohoshi' Mamesho" is another one of the fascinating characters created by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima. This time around the title character is an old policeman from the capital on the verge of retirement who stumbles across Ogami Itto being commissioned for his next act of assassination. "Marohoshi" has spent his life protecting people and he is not going to let this ronin continue on the assassin's road.

(66) "Spoiling Daigoro" is an offbeat story where the family that hires Ogami Itto persuades him to let Daigoro stay with them while he goes off to do his job. They have a son who is a coward and a weakling with no friends, and the boy's father thinks that having Daigoro around might be good for Suzunosuke. Ogami Itto agrees and thinks go well for a while, but Suzunosuke soon grows tired of hearing his parents praise Daigoro day and night.

(67) "The Hojiro Yaguy" finds Retsudo's illegitimate son planning on using poison darts that can stop a charging horse to slay Lone Wolf. It looks like there is no way on earth Ogami Itto can escape, but, of course, he always has something up his sleeve. Warning: The ending of this one is unexpectedly brutual and shocking.

(68) "The Bird Catchers," is another episode where Lone Wolf and Cub are spectators for the most part as they come across a group of female falconers preserving a dying way of life. But what makes this tale of some significance, especially as the last one in this volume, is that in the eyes of his son, it seems Ogami Itto might have finally gone too far.

"The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West" is another superb collection of stories in the Lone Wolf & Cub saga. Koike and Kojima still manage to provide a new twist and turn in every volume while stringing us out as long as possible with both the short term mystery of the Yagyu letter and the long term quest of Ogami Itto to get his vengeance on the entire Yagyu clan. I read one episode a night right before bed and am almost always surprised to see what new direction each night's story might take. This has to be one of the ten greatest comic epics of all time.

The mystery of the Yagyu letter is apparently forgotten in the five Lone Wolf and Cub tales told in Volume 12, "Shattered Stones." However, one thing that really stood out in these stories is that since he was reunited with his father after they were separated by circumstances, Daigoro has been smiling a lot more:

(59) "Nameless, Penniless, Lifeless" is one of the most disturbing stories in the Lone Wolf and Cub saga. It begins with a woman putting on a sex show for peasants. But what is even more shocking is that the woman has lost her mind and that her husband, whose face is half scared by terrible burns, is the one who talks her into her displays. There is more here than meets the eye, as is often the case in these stories, and the way in which the truth is revealed might remind you of part of Shakespeare's "Hamlet."

(60) "Body Check" is another one of those tales in which Ogami Itto has to use his brains to put himself in a position to use his sword for his next assassination.

(61) "Shattered Stones" begins with one of the most different ways that Ogami Itto has met someone who wanted to hire him for an assassination. On top of that the rules of the assassination are quite different (again, I am reminded of a Western parallel in the novel "Sophie's Choice").

(62) "A Promise of Potatoes" is an amusing little change of pace story for this series. Daigoro is off by himself again, being beaten up by a group of kids, when he is rescued by a con artist who teaches the boy to sit by a bowl looking pitiful as a way of making money. But where there is Cub can Lone Wolf be far behind...

(63) "Wife Killer" is a wonderfully ironic title, which we learn is used to describe somebody who gives away the tricks of magicians, who are known as "hand wives." Noronji Hoya, the Princess of Magicians, who has been using a delighted Daigoro as her "assistant," is about the encounter the "wife killer," an old saki-sotted magician who travels with two thugs who extort money from magicians: pay up or have your secrets revealed. But Noronji Hoya has a better proposition: she will perform a trick and if the old man can reveal her secret she will kill herself; if not, then she will take the old man's eyes.

Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima are back to telling tales in which Ogami Itto is more often than not more of a spectator to the action in which other characters carry the stories. One of the testaments to the greatness of this manga epic is that the title character can be almost incidental to the story and it is still completely riveting. Here we are, not even halfway through this saga, and they are still coming up with new and intriguing variations on the basic themes they established early on. The fact that they can maintain this high level certainly justifies the exalted status Lone Wolf & Cub has in the international world of comics.

"Talisman of Hades" is a nice title, but "Thirteen Strings" is the one you are not going to forget of the four stories collected in Volume 11 of the "Lone Wolf & Cub" magna epic. We had been confronted with a major development in the story as Ogami Itto stole the Yagyu letter. All pretenses were dropped as Reshido Yagyu declared open war on Ogami Itto, but Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima were showing the same sort of audacious subterfuge as their heroic creation, for as Ogami and Reshido crossed blades, Daigoro lost is hold on his father's shoulders and literally fell over a cliff. Suddenly the mystery of the Yagyu letter has become secondary because father and son have become separated. Their search for one another continues in these stories and for the first time we see Ogami Itto express emotion for his son:

(55) "Talisman of Hades" finds Ogami Itto is now putting up pictures of a baby cart where once he had pasted the talismans of meifunado to invite clients of death and assassination. A group of young students on their way to an academy stumble upon the mystery of the signs and when they see the strange ronin slay a "priest" (another Yagyu assassin in disguise of course), they decide they must intervene, forcing Lone Wolf to teach them a valuable lesson.

(56) "Ailing Star" has Daigoro finding a place to stay with an old granny who lives under a rotted bridge in danger of collapse. The locals keep trying to convince the old lady to leave, but she refuses. "Ailing Star" forms an interesting counterpart to "Talisman of Hades" as Daigoro has his own little lesson to impart.

(57) "Thirteen Strings" is an 118-page story where Koike and Kojima come up with their own version of a Kurosawa film experience (the rain during the last acts of the story is a clue). When we come to end of this epic tale, surely "Thirteen Strings" will be one of the most memorable episodes. A runaway horse is about to trample a child in the road when Ogami Itto intervenes. The horsewoman turns out to be the Lady Kanae, Daughter of the Go-Jodai of Odawara Han, and a spoiled brat who fancies herself a samurai. Ogami also learns of a larger conflict between the Go-Jodai and the farmers. Drought has blighted the harvest for four years and the Go-Jodai has tightened the screws on the farmers, who "hire" Ogami to attend a meeting between the two sides (because if anything happens to Chosuke, the leader of the farmers, Lone Wolf will bring word back to the farmers). Go-Jodai has his own agenda for implementing fundamental agricultural reform. Meanwhile, his headstrong daughter seeks revenge on the ronin who has insulted her. But then the rains bring a sudden flood that changes absolutely everything. This is a memorable story of surprising depth, showing that Koike and Kojima are absolute masters of their craft.

(58) "A Poem for the Grave" has Ogami Itto seeking help in finding the secret of the Yagyu letter. This turns into another assassination job, which results in an encounter with another honorable soul who seeks to turn Lone Wolf from the Assassin's Road. The question is whether things might be different this time because of Ogami Itto's separation from Diagoro.

I am in awe of Koike and Kojima maintain this level of excellence through a story that is not even halfway over by this point in the telling of the tale. I continue to savor one story each night at bedtime so that I can think about how it fits into the big picture and the ebb and flow of the story. An absolute masterpiece, not just as a comic book, but as an epic narrative.

I have been reluctant to undertake the reviewing of this series for two reasons. For one thing, there are some 24 volumes, which mean a considerable commitment in reading and writing. Second, one of my favorite reviewers is also reading through the series, and it is no small effort to find ways to bring further insights to the reader.

Because I am also reading the Blade of the Immortal series, there is a natural tendency to compare these to manga, which are both similar, and quite different. Kazuo Koike is perhaps the more inventive writer. Since thus far the Lone Wolf series lacks the grand theme of revenge that knits Hiroaki Samura's work together, the Lone Wolf plots are limited to the individual stories. This is not a flaw at all, just an explanation of one of the key differences. Koike is a master of minimalist story telling, ironic devices, and plots that take surprising turns when least expected.

Both series have more than their fair share of violence, although Blade of the Immortal stands out for its depictions of fighting and dismemberment. Lone Wolf's violence is sudden and swift - less choreographed. Goseki Kojima, the artist also has a strong sense of the sweep and motion of a scene, while Samura's clean, balanced graphics produce a lighter, less congested style. Of course, the fact that Lone Wolf's page size is half that of Blade of the Immortal makes direct comparison more difficult.

There are several changes between the stories of volume one of this series and this second volume. For one thing, the tales are twice as long, allowing for better building of tension and plot, as well as more depictions of life in the world of Edo-period Japan. In addition, Daigoro, Lone Wolf's son (the cub of the series title) gets much better parts than he does in the first volume. He is no longer just a plot device, but a living character. Finally, there is an inner sense of the 'romance' and tragedy of a ronin seeking a life of honor.

That last two stories, 'The Gateless Barrier,' and 'Winter Flower' are perfect examples of the breadth of Koike's talent. Both are stories of murders that must be done, but one is a cautionary Buddhist tale, and the other is a finely honed recreation of the classic forms of Japanese tragic drama. Completely different from each other they are two strong arguments for pursuing this series.

There is an obvious shift in what is going on in "The Gateless Barrier," the second volume in the Lone Wolf and Cub epic. When I started this saga I decided I would read one story each night. In the first volume, "The Assassin's Road," there were nine stories, while "The Gateless Barrier" offers up only five tales as the stories take on more depth. You would think that the key story in this transition was "The Assassin's Road," the last story in the first volume and the one where we find out the backstory on Ogami Itto, the Kaishakunin executioner for the Shogun, who has turned Ronin. But there is nothing in this second volume that really follows up on that origin.

Instead, Lone Wolf continues to work as a hired assassin in four of these five stories. The change of pace tale is (12) "Tragic O-Sue," where it is actually young Diagoro who causes trouble; but even then everyone assumes this is just another one of those convoluted ploys used by Lone Wolf to assassin his impervious victim. Diagoro is certainly up to more in that episode in all the others to this point combined and I find some of it farfetched, but I also appreciate the twist on the standard story line.

There are subtler twists in the other stories from writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima as well as the Lone Wolf continues to earn his pay. In (10) "Red Cat" we see the familiar ploy of Ogami Itto allowing himself to be captured to gain access to his target, yet there is still a surprise ending. Then in (11) "The Coming of the Cold" finds the assassin acting in concert with others rather than going it alone to achieve his goal. I know (13) "The Gateless Barrier" is the key story in this volume, with its introspective look into the psyche of the main character, but once again the best story is the last one in the volume, (14) "Winter Flower."

Much is made of the cinematic artwork of Goseki Kojima, which makes a lot of sense because "Winter Flower" looks like an illustrated movie. In a brothel a samurai is killed while making love to a prostitute, while another prostitute commits seppuku immediately afterwards. The official investigating the deaths is troubled by what he finds, especially since it is clear the second prostitute was the daughter of a samurai, who allowed herself to live a degrading life and then killed herself. The reader knows who can make the connection between the two incidents, but the why remains the big mystery. I even appreciate the irony that this story, the best in the series to this point in the saga, is probably the one in which the Lone Wolf appears the least. It is tempting to read more than one story a night, but the road is long and patience is a necessity.

Kazuo Koike & Goseki Kojima began their "Kozure Okami" (Lone Wolf & Cub) in 1970, serialized in Manga Action. The result is one of the bloodiest, most vicious series in history. The Lone Wolf is an assassin for hire, charging 500 gold per job, and taking assignments only after hearing the reason for the hit. He started out as the Shogun's personal assassin, but was betrayed by the powers behind the Shogun. This is an adult comic, and will not appeal to everyone. But, if you like detailed artwork, sweeping stories, intense acton, and plot twists at every corner, Lone Wolf is for you.