This is an original and well-written science fiction novel that jumps back and forth from Ancient Greece to the far future. Not only is it a richly imagined story of the future, but it also provides you with a refreshing insight into the main characters of Homer's Iliad.

Simmons combines chariots and spaceships, robots and Greek Gods, Earth and Mars, the moons of Jupiter and prehistoric Indiana, into an epic tale of mankind, past and future. This novel (and hopefully its sequel) should stand the test of time as one of the classic science fiction novels of this generation.

The comparisons to Spencer are obvious. Even the storyline here is familiar. But despite all that, the book is a fun, fast-paced, enjoyable crime novel. Cole is an easy-to-like wisecracking hero with a heart of gold. Pike is the cold, matter of fact, partner that you can always rely on. In this novel, Cole and Pike are hired by an egotistical and pompous movie director to locate his ex-wife and son. Finding her isn't much trouble, but then Cole decides to help her and learns that she is in a terrible predicament. Cole and Pike eventually run into the NY mob, and from there the story blisters towards a satisfying (and very violent) conclusion. I highly recommend this for fans of the hard-boiled PI genre.

Furtado is a superb musical talent. She has a strong, original voice that makes all of her songs a pleasure to listen to. I can't understand why she is not getting more play time on the radio.

This album is a little more folk, and a little less pop, and overall I think it is better than her first. There is a lively exuberance to her songs that make you happy. Anyone who enjoys real music will enjoy this album!

If you are feeling down and are looking for a book to pick you up, this is NOT the one. It is a grim and depressing story about the harsh realities of inner city life. Sex, drugs and racism are all a part of this story. Pelecanos portrays two characters, Quinn and Strange, who are trying to do the right thing in a place where right and wrong do not seem to matter much. Both characters are complex and flawed, and amongst the most interesting in all of crime fiction.

The book is well written, and expertly plotted. The conclusion may not satisfy you, but it is memorable if not haunting. Hell to Pay is a top-notch crime novel and I highly recommend it.

I thought the premise was great but overall I was a disappointed. Perhaps I expected too much, but the book seemed cartoonish, reminding of an R-rated Scooby episode, the ending notwithstanding. The story is original and Laymon does a good job depicting the rural 60's setting. The characters are interesting, but their actions are sometimes puzzling and not believable. At times the teenagers acted like 10-year-old kids. If you are a big fan of vampire novels I think you should read this, but otherwise I can't recommend it.

The second Cornwell novel I have read, and I thought it was spectacular! A couple years after the setting of Sharpe's Tiger, Sharpe is now a Sergeant with aspirations of moving up into the ranks of the commissioned. The characters and setting are brilliant. The depiction of the battle is suspenseful and detailed without being boring. Not only will you be entertained, but also you will learn some history and about some famous historical characters. A superbly told tale that leaves you immensely satisfied. I can't wait to read on in this series. Highly recommended for anyone who likes history or adventure.

Andrews has written a solid, entertaining, if unoriginal, "tough cop" police procedural set in Washington, DC. He does a good job in depicting DC, and his plot is intricate and fast paced. But his characters lack color and intensity (as compared to the characters created by George Pelecanos or Michael Connelly, for example). Overall, I put this one in the middle of the pack.

Connelly is on top form in this installment of the Harry Bosch series. Angelï¿s Flight, a suspenseful tale of murder and police corruption in Los Angeles, a city on the brink of imploding, is one of Connellyï¿s best. As usual, the characterizations are superb. Bosch and gang are memorable in the pursuit of a murderer that could be from their own ranks and the depiction of LA is atmospheric and grimly realistic. I highly recommend this for fans of crime fiction.

This was a moderately amusing first novel by G.M. Ford. It was entertaining and fast paced, but it felt a little too much like a "made for TV" movie. There are some funny scenes, but I thought a lot of it was just silly.

You will get a pretty good sense of Seattle and suburbs, and Waterman is an interesting PI. But there isn't enough here to have me rush out and get the next in the series. There is too much better stuff out there. I recommend this only if you are an avid reader of the "hard-boiled PI" genre.

This was a superb novel and easily one of the best works of fantasy I have read in many years. Game of Thrones is a massive epic story set in an imaginary world that resembles Europe in the middle ages. The story centers on key members of the prominent "houses" (a.k.a. clans) that are competing for power. It is a story of intrigue, suspense, adventure, romance, murder mystery, and coming of age, all rolled into one great absorbing novel. There are heroes you will love, enemies you will hate, and a host of others in between.

A warning: at over 800 pages this book (the first of several to come) is a big investment. It is not fast reading; there are numerous characters to keep track of, and the scope of the novel is huge. Thankfully, Martin gives us a helpful appendix that lists the major families and their members. In the first few hundred pages I found myself flipping back to the appendix regularly. But it does not take long to become familiar with the players, and your investment soon pays off. I am completely hooked, and I can't wait to read the rest of this magnificent and complex tale. I highly recommend this for all readers of fiction.