I am a mac user at work, I love macs. DragonDictate is awful on the mac compared to Naturally Speaking (same company) on windows. In fact I could not get it to work after a week emailing Nuance in office 2011 on Lion. The microphone would go inexplicably silent and things were just difficult. An alien experience on a mac. I do not like windows, but my daughter needs this software so Naturally Speaking is head shoulders above Dictate, in fact, dictate cannot even get off the floor.
I could not have read this book at a more appropriate time than during an election in Canada (May 2011). This book is a great read, whatever the color of your tie, and left me gasping for air on more than one occasion. The comedy is superb and has enough text with a serious note to keep it grounded, which makes the funny parts even more witty. I will definitely read his next book and have recommended this one to all my friends. If you like humor, intelligent writing, politics and ideas this is for you.
Robin Hobb is simply a fantastic writer. The vivid detail and rich character development in a compelling fantasy world always lifts me up and carries me away. Everything she has ever written has been a page turner, this is a page turner. She is one of my favorite writers out there at the moment and I hope she continues to produce books of this quality. Her three earlier trilogies are must reads, or rather must reccomends. I have bought siz copies of Assassins Apprentice as gifts for people I really like, who also like to read. The chances are, if you read this, or any of her other works, you will do the same.
