Thomas Perry is a terrific writer, and I greatly enjoyed the first two entries in his Jane Whitefield series, but SHADOW WOMAN was a disappointment to me. The book suffers from long stretches of tedium and some serious lapses in plausibility. The two villains, supposedly ultracompetent supercriminals, seem amateurishly inept at times, and the good guys' narrow escapes often owe more to luck than skill. An awful lot of time is spent on Jane's marital problems, which might have been more interesting if we could figure out why she married this guy in the first place. Readers unfamiliar with the Jane Whitefield series would be better off reading VANISHING ACT and DANCE FOR THE DEAD, both of which are solid, five-star thrillers that show Perry at the top of his game.

Jane Whitefield is a refreshing new face in the world of mystery. She calls herself a guide, and Thomas Perry 'guides' us deeper into her character with every book. A must read!

In the first few pages, Jane disables a very large bad guy in an elevator. He grabs her ankle as she exits (He's 'lying down.'). She says to him, "Think about it. Do you really want me alone with you in that elevator?" He lets go.

I'm in love.

Nobody outsmarts, outfights, or outlasts bad guys like Seneca adventurer Jane Whitefield. The first three books in Perry's wonderful series--Vanishing Act, Dance for the Dead, and this one--are the only books that can stand comparison to Tony Hillerman's "Navajo mysteries." And in some ways, Perry is the better writer. Don't miss these books.

While most people consider the story of the Romanov's ended in the basement of the Ipateiv house on July 17, 1918, this wonderful description of the flight and plight of other members of the Romanov family held my attention continously. Unfortantely, because of my lack of familiarity of the uncles, aunts, cousins, children, grandparents, etc., etc., I kept returning to the concise family tree. The authors show a wide variety of activities of these relatives before and after the revolution and convey how some were "hanger-ons" and lived the life of royalty, while others kept the dream alive of returning to a czarist Russia. But all in all, I thoroughly enjoyed learning of the after affects of being driven out of Russia.

I am a relative newcomer concerning the history of the Romanov family, but this has changed now. This book is just incredibly fascinating, there are so many facts as well as samll anecdotes that it is just pure delight to read this well written and extremely well researched book. The book demonstrates the lavish lifestyle of the last Romanovs, describes all the relationships between the European royal families in the late 19th and early 20th century, and goes into every single detail of the relationships within the Romanov family. The second half of the book describes the hardships hte Romanovs had to endure under the Bolshevik regime and how all their lives changed so drastically after Tsar Nicholas II abdicated and the Bolsheviks came to power.

The only slightly negative thing which came to my mind while reading this book was the vast number of names in some parts of the book. It sometimes hapens that there are eight different names in one sentence, referring to three different generations from three different parts of the Romanov family.

But this still does not cloud the impression from reading this extremely informative book which is absolutely readable for non-historians who are just interested in this topic.

Having read all the available books on the Romanov family at the local library, I was shocked to actually find a book that was written within the last few years about the Russian royal family. It was fascinating to read how the grand dukes survived after the fall of the house of Romanov. It was very easy reading, well written and very informative as to the outcome of the extended family members. highly recommend!

Finally a book, from intermediate level to advanced users. However it's a pity that this book doesn't cover unlimited Maya version with cloth, fur and live Maya plugins. This book covers the basic features to improve you level skills in Maya. I also buy Maya fundamental 4 and that's the best choice you can make if your are a intermediate level. So don't hesitate if you're thinking about which book you should buy with a tigh budget.

It's still version 3, but it doesn't matter. Mastering Maya 3 is one of the best beginner/intermediate books you can buy. I used Maya 4 and now Maya 4.5 and have had only benefits using this book. It has helped me along from being a beginner to being very familiar and capable with the software. I've used and seen a lot of the other books out thee, but I haven't seen a better book that covers things in the depth and range that Mastering Maya does. It's not for people new to 3D, but if you have experience in another 3D package and are moving over to Maya, it is excellent.

This book is great for beginners. I can't really say anything about it's worth for professional artists and advanced Maya users, as I am but a mere beginner. Anyway, I downloaded the free trial version of Maya 4 and bought this book and I am now cranking away! I didn't know anything about 3D modeling before, although I have a CAD background.

The book is very well organized and each chapter (that I've worked through so far) has lots of examples of how to apply the techniques described in the book.

It is excellent with respect to teaching you how to do things in Maya, but it lacks in general 3D design principals, which is to be expected from a book with the word Mastering in its title.

Now, if I could just find some good books on basic techniques (ie. when to use NURBS over polygons), etc. I'd be set!

This is an adult version of the Arabian Nights tales that most kids grow up with. By adult I do not mean that it contains a lot of sexual material, however there is some, so this book is probably not appropriate for children. Stories like "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" and "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" are included in here, along with some more obscure stories like "The Hunchback's Tale". If you're interested in learning about stories from the middle east, this is the book for you.

I read an abridged version as a youngster many, many years ago, before I discovered and became passionate about Sir Richard F. Burton and his exploits, and have continued to reread the book throughout my life. Because I move around so much, and always give the book to good friends as a present, I find myself having to buy it again and again. Of course I don't mind at all! The tales always take me back to that first time I read them, and bring me forward as I read them into my own life. It's like a story within the story. I am looking forward to giving this book to my children as a present. It will be fantastic! I'll introduce them to Burton and let the book's magic capture their imaginations, just like it did me.

I have been searching for an Arabian Nights book for months. The only books I found were rewrites for children. Then I came across this masterpiece. While it was alittle hard to read at first (because of the old english used), I was soon drawn into the enchanting stories held within. This has all the classic "Nights" tales that we grew up with (Alladin, Ali Babba, Sinbad) plus many, many more! They will undoubtably grab you and draw you in. I highly recommend this to anyone! You won't be dissapointed!

I have always enjoyed reading Anne Perry's Victorian mysteries. Of course, I have enjoyed some more than others because like every writer Perry has moments when the story seems to elude her and the characters true nature and motive fail to interest the audience. Not so in The Whitechapel Conspiracy. Here Perry is in her element weaving a brilliant tale of death and betrayal.

Thomas and Charlotte Pitt are back in full force as an unstoppable team. Inspector Pitt runs afoul of a powerful secrete society when his testimony sends heroic solider John Adinett to the gallows for the murder of Martin Fetters, traveler and antiquarian.

Adinett has powerful friends, who in order to punish Pitt, strip him of his command of Bow Street Station and compel him to leave his family and go undercover,seeking anarchists, in the slum neighborhood of Spitalfields.

Although separated from his family, Pitt is not abandoned by them. His wife Charlotte, their maid Gracie, and Pitt's subordinate, Sergeant Tellman set out to prove Adinett's guilt and restore Pitt's honor.

Anne Perry weaves a tale of conspiricy that brings us face to face with powerful men who work within the government toward one end, the overthrow of the monarchy. Interwoven with this is a subplot that will delight Jack The Ripper fans and have them begging for more.

I enjoyed this book not just because it was well written and spellbinding, but also because it reminded me of a favorite movie of mine "Murder By Decree" set in the same time period.

I would have liked Charlotte's Aunt Vespasia to have been less "love struck" and more of her forcefull self, but then that would be perfection and that's asking the impossible.

As a great fan of Anne Perry, especially Thomas and Charlotte's adventures, I was pleasantly suprised with this novel. It is harrowingly realsitic, frightening, and yet ever socially and polotically oriented; adding a rich twist from the streets of bitter poverty, to the elegance and grace of the more fortunate elite.

Of all the mysteries in the series, "The Whitechapel Conspiracy" was, to me, the most suspensful, realistic, and enjoyable all around. I found the link to Jack the Ripper to be an interesting historical aspect, which added great flavor and suspense.
Likewise, I enjoyed the ever blooming relationship between Gracie and Tellman, and the wide expansion of growth Pitt experienced as the protagonist.

It seemed that the plot was somehow altered with every turn of the page, and the exciting, realistic social and polotical scenes throughout kept the story alive with action. I recommend this book to any fan of mystery, but especially those who have been with Thomas and Charlotte from the beginning, for their growth as characters is astounding and suprisingly captivating.

Anne Perry fans, rejoice! Reading this book was like running into an old friend and discovering the friendship still vibrant and alive. After some of Perry's recent, less-than-stellar efforts, this book showcases her mastery of the intricate plot, compelling characters, and flawless historical description (London 1892).

This book finds Superintendent Thomas Pitt paying the price for his discovery of a murder (and subsequent identification of the murderer, despite the lack of a motive) that was meant to look like an accident. Having foiled the malevolent Inner Circle (a secret society of powerful men who protect one another and scheme to control the country) once too often, Pitt finds himself demoted to working undercover in the slums of East End, separated from his family and embroiled in danger and revolution.

His wife, Charlotte, and their maid, Gracie, in an effort to restore Pitt's reputation, set out to discover the motive for murder, the one aspect of the case Pitt was unable to unearth. They enlist the help of Sergeant Tellman, loyal to Pitt and even more so to Gracie, to help them discover the truth. In the meantime, Pitt finds himself deeper and deeper in political intrigue, with no one to trust with what he discovers.

As the title suggests, the murders of Jack the Ripper come to play a role in the plot, as do the excesses of the monarchy, the recklessness of tabloid journalism, the virtues and evils of the status quo, and the price one is willing to pay for political gains. At its heart, this book asks, do the ends ever justify the means? It is to Perry's credit that she does not attempt a pat answer to this provocative question.

The increasing involvement of Gracie and Tellman in the Pitt series adds a welcome vibrancy to the otherwise stark tale. Watching these two stumble over their own feelings is a wonderful reminder that even in times of chaos and terror, the human heart dares to hope and dream. Perry has introduced and developed many side characters in this series over the years, but Gracie and Tellman are not only the most enjoyable, their involvement in solving the mystery adds a fresh and interesting element to the mix. I look forward to their continued involvement.

This is not so much a mystery as it is a political thriller, but mystery fans should enjoy it just the same. Perry provides a neat and credible solution to the Ripper murders, but cleverly leaves open the possibility that her solution is untrue. The story is told through varying perspectives--Pitt, Charlotte, Tellman, Gracie, Aunt Vespasia--as each person gathers information, but the solution to the mystery is never obvious.

My faith in Anne Perry is restored.

Everyone would prefer to write a book that sells lots of copies rather than just a few. Therefore Maass' topic is nearly irresistible, but the beginning novelist may not fully understand a lot of what this agent is saying. After all, what is the point of learning how to make the scope of a novel bigger until you've first figured out how to write what is referred to as a small novel? For those who need to learn how to plot, write dialogue, and develop intriguing and sympathetic characters, other books by authors such as Nancy Kress and Jack M. Bickham would be more immediately useful. If, however, you have conquered the basics (whether published or not) and want to learn what to do to move up to the next level, Writing the Breakout Novel is a fantastic book. From setting to character to plot to theme Maass shows examples drawn from a wide variety of breakout books to help writers learn the techniques for creating breakout quality stories. In the introduction, Maass states that he does not believe in magic. Books don't just mysteriously leap onto the best seller lists. He says, "I believe it is possible for a writer to understand, at least in part, the mechanics of the breakout novel and to apply these devices to his writing...Great novels result from their authors' refusal to settle for being 'good.'" Does Maass promise results for every reader of his book? No, but he does say, "Any author who can write a salable novel can also improve, and virtually all writers can write a breakout novel. How do I know? Because it happens all the time." If you'd like it to happen to you, this book can show you how.

Okay -- I'm tearing through this book like a lunatic and revising my current novel, VINCALIS THE AGITATOR (due from Warner-Aspect in March of 2002), simultaneously, and I cannot even begin to tell you how much I've learned.

I've cut chunks from VINCALIS, added new scenes, removed unnecessary characters, combined minor characters to create fewer but more important characters, added tension and conflict to EVERY page and EVERY scene, found dozens of ways to add new depth and resonance . . . the list goes on and on and on.

VINCALIS is bleeding, but bleeding good. Writing the Breakout Novel is not a book on how to create a formulaic bestseller -- it is a book on how to create the book you want to write, and make THAT book fly off the shelves. It is an absolute essential, as vital to the serious novelist as Maass's other writing book, The Career Novelist.

Writing the Breakout Novel, by Donald Maass. If I did stars, I'd give this one ten plus the rocket to get there.

Most "how-to" books for writers offer at least some tidbits of useful information for the starving writer; Maass' Breakout Novel is a feast. This is a book about how structure, character, plot and theme work together to produce a compelling story. These quintessential elements of storytelling are hard to learn and hard to teach. Thankfully, Maass' writing is lively and his lessons cleverly and memorably illustrated. You'll find yourself muttering again and again "right!" "of course!" and "I get it!" so read this book with pen in hand. I'll bet this month's royalty check you'll be underlining and turning down page corners in no time. That said, you may not need to come back to it often. What you learn from a first reading is likely to stay with you and influence your storytelling for a long time to come.

I saw the end of this book coming a mile away. Perry's books are all so DARK, it becomes easy to guess what horrible secret (incest, pedophilia, necrophilia, etc.) will be revealed. And WHY does Monk always wait until the trial is underway before he really starts investigating?! I think Perry's plots are becoming strangled by her own conventions as an author.

This was my first Anne Perry novel, and I thought it was brilliant! Her characters are real and imaginative, and their relationships fresh and interesting. I read it in two days, because I couldn't put it down. Although I had an inkling as to "whodunnit" before the end, the how and why were what was really fascinating. I highly recommend this book, and can't wait to start the William Monk series from the beginning. My only regret is that Perry seems to be such a prolific writer, that it will take me some time to get to them all.

Excellent! One of the best Anne Perry books I have read. When you think you have it figured out, finding you are wrong makes it that much more enjoyable. I highly recommend this book.

In this book, William Monk wakes in a hospital in Victorian London with no memory of who he is or even what he looks like. This devastatingly frightening condition is no match for Monk though; his deep-seated instincts, which made him a formidable police detective (as he learns is his profession), lead him to slowly figure out, little by little, who he is and allow him solve a brutal murder.

Anne Perry provides a good mystery with a twist. I really liked the way she provided insight into Monk's thought process, fear and confusion while trying to discover all he can about himself.

I gave this book four stars instead of five only because I guessed ahead of time a significant plot point; however, this book is still a four star novel because I was surprised by the ending and was very impressed and fascinated by the way Perry introduces her characters, lets us get one impression of each, and then provides more in-depth information and personality development.

This book will pull you right in!

William Monk awakens in a Victorian-era London hospital with amnesia. Over the course of this book, he returns to his job as a policeman, hoping that work will help him regain his memory as well as his detecting skills. What's fascinating is that not all he discovers about his life before the accident is flattering--including the fact that he may very well have been responsible for a serious crime. Over the course of Perry's new series--this book being the debut--Monk's past will at various times haunt, delight, and maybe even endanger him, and the people who come to be his allies don't always like him, but their loyalties to one another shine through. As with the Pitt mysteries, Anne Perry's trademark detail and eye-opening descriptions of what Victorian life was really like make this an entertaining way to read away a winter afternoon

Amnesia has probably occured in fiction more often than in fact. But rarely has it been handled better than is in this fascinating mystery, The Face of a Stranger. Imagine waking up not knowing who you are. Imagine having to pretend you haven't lost your memory because acknowledging it would mean the end of your job and probable poverty. Perry explores this fascinating territory in the character of William Monk, working class Victorian detective.

The characters are probably the strongest part of this novel. Monk is most interesting as snatches of his past are revealed to him -- not all of which are pleasant. Hester Latterly is introduced as the veteran of Crimean War nursing (think Florence Nightengale). Even the circle of friends and acquaintences of the victim span a variety of circumstances. The Crimean War also plays a significant role as England struggles to come to terms with its lost sons and prestige.

The unraveling of the mystery works quite well with an appropriate number of informative red herrings.

All things considered, a dandy read. The book is a bit on the dark and bleak side, but nothing so depressing that you wouldn't want it for a vacation read. I look forward to learning more about Monk in the next book in the series, A Dangerous Mourning.

Anne Perry--certainly the "queen of Victoriana"--thrusts her inimitable duo, William and Hester Monk--right in the middle of the American Civil War (it's 1861) in "Slaves of Obsession. And with her usual writing abilities, Perry treats her readers to another exciting episode in this series.

Extortion is the subject here, as Monk, former policeman and now working privately, is hired to track down a killer who has fled to America, and, combined with murder early on, this investigation begins to have so many aspects that it cannot be called "simple." Perry is good at this, however, and never seems to lose track of her goal. She is also good at incorporating history into her police procedurals and pulls no punches as she addresses the slavery issue, arms shipments, and medical practices of the time (Remember, Hester was a nurse during the British Crimean War and now renders aid on the Manassas battlefield!).

Perry, using her standard powers of description and episode, readily shows the carnage, the butchery of the battlefield in readily graphic depictions. Her descriptions, as usual, are not for the faint at heart. By the book's end, of course, Monk has sorted out the convoluted paths to justice and sensibility. American readers may praise "Slaves of Obsession" as one of her best, owing to the locale; regardless, this book shows a maturity that perhaps was there in, say, "Cater Street Hangman." ...

Anne Perry is an exqusite writer. Her prose is beautiful and she evokes the era of Victorian England in a wonderful and believable way. In the latest book of this series William Monk and his bride Hester are invited to dinner at the home of Donald Alberton, an arms dealer. An unpleasant scene occurs when Lyman Breeland, a passionate supporter of the Union discovers that Alberton has already promised a shipment of guns to Philo Trace, a southerner. Alberton's daughter, Merrit, is in love with Breeland and she argues with him for her father to support the anti-slavery stand. Alberton claims that he has promised the guns to Trace and cannot back out of the deal, despite his personal feelings about the war in America. Breeland and Merrit flee and one of the main characters is brutally murdered. Breeland's watch is found near the murder scene, which puts the suspicion squarely on him. The rest of the book shifts to American Civil War battlefields and then to a courtroom in England. The identity of the murderer is elusive and is twisted with personal and political motives. As always, Perry provides a very good read.

It's no wonder Anne Perry is a writer whose work I look for. Her main characters are so human, and so lovable. The way she incorporates history into the story, you can believe that the tale is an actual part of the true history. She is so talented and creative.

Slaves of Obsessions evolves with the guns needed for the Union and Confederate States of America to fight the Civil War. You will find a devoted family, the Albertons, in the center of it, complete with an idealist daughter passionate on the subject of slavery. There is a triple murder, the daughter disappears,and guns are stolen. Mrs. Alberton hires our heroes, William and Hester Monk, to find answers. The case takes them to the battlefields in America, the trial in England, with another hero, Oliver Rathbone, as the guy with the right questions. The story has Hester running for her husband's life, bringing the good guys to the rescue in the nick of time. And thank God, we do not want to be losing the Monks. There are more mysteries to solve.

On the whole, I thought it was a good read. I was a little disappointed that there was not enough focus on the MAX and the aliens themselves, which I felt would have made the book that much spicier. I also feel that too many pages were wasted on the twisted moralisations of the Lara character. There was a lot of action but,in my opinion, the author was not descriptive enough. I felt that Aliens: Genocide and Aliens vs Predator:Prey were better. For all those people who enjoy the Aliens/Predator genre I also recommend novels by Christopher Rowley and Iain Banks.

Berserker was a excellent book! It had a awesome story line, S.D Perry did a very good job writing this book. She keeps me into the book. I couldn't put the book down. I love how the Aliens bring in a memeber of the Berserker Team into the hive and send in the MAX. Like I said, this was a great book. A must buy book. Trust me this is worth buying.....

This book, to me, is one of the best books I have ever read. The plot is simple, destroy the bugs! And there is also emotion showed for the characters and then end of the book makes you think. I had never seen an alien movie, before I read this book, but I had played an alien game on my computer. After I got done reading this book, I went out and rented some alien movies. The way S.D. Perry describes the feelings, the noises, the aliens themselves and how they look was just amazing. I did things backwards...I played the game, read the book, THEN watched the movie. This book has action, some love issues, it had some sad parts and some really scary parts. I suggest that anyone who is reading this buy this book if your into the alien movies and such. I am only 14, 13 when I read this book, and it blew me away. I am going to buy more alien books by S.D Perry very soon. I couldn't get enough of this book. I would stay up till 3 AM just sitting in bed reading this book. All day in school I would read it when I got a chance. I give it a perfect score!