Audiobook Books

The Silmarillion is Tolkien's original background story for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This book does not read like a typical novel though, and really is for the serious Tolkien fan. It's a mythology, and a wonderfully developed one at that. Here we have the history of Middle-Earth going back to the First Age. It's a tale of creation and long ago origins, the elves and dwarves, Morgoth the Dark Lord, the forging of the Nine rings and the creation of the One Ring that is the basis for the story, The Lord of the Rings.

I've enjoyed this book so much that I've read it 3 times and now plan on continuing with Morgoth's Ring, the first of 2 books considered to be the second Silmarillion. I'm very impressed with the amount of time and effort Tolkien went into creating such a fantasic world as Middle-Earth, not just the history, but the languages as well. Very impressive. 5 stars.

I am a teenage girl who recently discovered Tolkien, and in the past year I have read The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales, and finally The Silmarillion. I loved the first two, but reading the last left me completely blown away.

It's definitely not for everyone, though. There probably aren't that many people my age who would enjoy it, and the beginning was a little bit slow. But once I got past the creation stories and the first couple of chapters (which you shouldn't skip over, no matter how boring you might find them) I was completely sucked in.

I have to say that I enjoyed this book more than the Lord of the Rings. I still love LOTR, but there are some differences that make the Silmarillion better, in my opinion. The main one has to do with elves. After reading LOTR, I liked elves well enough, but I thought they were rather boring and disliked the way they all seemed so perfect and good.

Then I read the Silmarillion, and my whole perspective on the entire race changed completely. The book is chock full of brave elves, heroic elves, wise elves, rebellious elves, angry elves, flawed elves, suicidal elves, insane elves, greedy elves, elves who kill each other, the list goes on and on. What makes it even better is that plenty of them have more than one of these qualities. I admire some of them, and feel sorry for some, and others I just hate their guts. It makes for a very interesting book.

The other difference is that Lord of the Rings lacks female characters. The only ones that come to mind right now are Arwen, Eowyn, and Goldberry, one of whom has practically nothing to do with the plot. But the Silmarillion is full of fascinating and resourceful (as well as determined) female characters - Idril, Haleth, Yavanna, Emeldir, Luthien, and others.

The one tale that I didn't enjoy (the creation stories were interesting, just a little slow) was the tale of the Children of Hurin. I just wasn't interested in it at all. The fact that I really dislike the main character probably has something to do with this. But this by no means dimishishess the awesomeness of the book. The tale of Beren and Luthien was one of the best, as well as the story (which continues throughout the book) of the Sons of Feanor, who are some of the least boring and perfect elves ever.

You probably shouldn't read this if you prefer books with plenty of dialogue (something the Silmarillion is rather short on) or if you have a really hard time keeping lots of names (some of which are only used a few times, or are very similar to others) straight. The name thing does become less confusing once you read things over a few times. The family trees in the back are also helpful.

This is certainly one of the best things I have ever read, and I reccomend it to everyone, even though not everyone will like it.

I used this book for a college class and it served me well. I got it in great shape for a good price too!

This is not a literary review. This review is about the MASS-MARKET PAPERBACK printing/edition.

I have the version with a gray/silver cover... WASTE OF MONEY. This is a wonderful companion for the Lord of the Rings, but this printing is terrible. It's tiny, stiff, and cheap. The paper is yellowish with tiny, poorly printed font.

If you love LOTR and Tolkien, then buy this book -- just DON'T buy the mass-market paperback, keep looking for a better version.

i absolutely love the book, so i figured why not try the audiobook for my holidays. Martin Shaw reads the book brilliantly. And it really helps you focus on the imagination of the book because he does the hardwork for you.
I would strongly recommend knowing the book before listening to this collection though, as if you don't know the names and maps etc, you just wont keep up with martin (not that he's too fast, but rather Tolkien constantly creates new characters and locations chapter after chapter).
The only downside to the CD collection is that it is in a great box, but has 13 normal-sized CD cases in there, each with no sleeve.
It would be better if either the cases had sleeves or they came in slimmer cases or sleeves, thus reducing the size of the box.

all in all. a great buy

I never thought I could learn a language by CD. However, Pimsleur proved me wrong. If you have 20 minutes a day, and ears, then you can do it. The courses they sell give you enough language to travel and do basic conversation comfortably and fluently. They also sell advanced lessons that are well worth the investment once you complete this first level. Barnes and Knoble also has Pimsleur courses, so check it out. I studied the Spanish lessons, and gave this set to several Latin friends. They loved it.

I read this about 5 years ago (or so). I have 5 kids- 2 boys and I run a boys club at our kids school (club is for boys ages 5-15).

This book lacks a lot. It's really just poorly named. It should be entitled, "Being a parent in today's world," or something like that.

I can't say what other book I would recommend, but I'll just say that this book didn't offer much real substance on HOW to bring up boys.

How do you deal with boys of different temperments? How do you teach different virtues to boys (diligence, purity, courage, etc.)? What should you do as a Mom? or as a Dad? What is different about raising 5 year olds from 15 year olds?

This book really just makes the case for WHY you need to be a good parent.

I enjoy Dr. Dobson- and I used to listen to him religiously. The only reason I stopped was because I discovered talk radio.

But despite the respect I have for Dr. Dobson, I don't recommend this book.

For every parent with boys, this book is a must read! Dr. James Dobson brilliantly discusses the challenges boys face in this world and how we as parents should deal with and handle our boys. The future of our young men is so important, and Dr. James Dobson educates the reader on how to help grow our boys into strong, respectful, spiritual men.

I was gifted with this book and after 20 pages I could not take it anymore. I love and respect the person that gave it to me...but it insulted my intelligence so much that I finally just put it in the heap (where it belongs).

It is totally UN-informative on raising a young man in today's world, and instead filled with Dobson's perverse and vitriolic disgust with anyone who is a not a squeaky clean Christian (which of course we know Dobson must be!!!) It's basically a gay-bashing and/or single parenting-bashing treatise.

Stay away from the fire and brimstone and seek out some real, intelligent dialogue on being a father, dad, mentor to today's young men.

Sadly, James Dodson has continued to provide his biased and denegrading perspective toward people outside his narrow and 'conservative' perspective. It's too bad God's unconditional love he claims to call upon does not extend to his beliefs in raising, mentoring, and bring up healthy boys.

As a new dad, I found this book to be an extremely helpful resource. Dobson covers numerous relevant topics and provides fresh, practical ideas. I will certainly be coming back to this book over the ensuing years as my son grows. Highly recommended for dads, moms and grandparents.

This book is captivating and impossible to put down even now as I approach age 30. As a girl I found it spellbinding, the kind of book that makes your own world and time dissolve around you and casts directly in the life and time of the characters. It is far to rare that an author can weave that kind of story. Elizabeth George Speare certainly has that gift. Don't hesitate to buy this for the children in your life. Also by E. G. Speare be sure and check out The Witch of Blackbird Pond and one of my all-time favorites, Calico Captive. Enjoy and keep a clock nearby as you're surely going to lose track of time while reading this book.

The voice reading Sign of the Beaver was pleasant and easy to listen to. Since I was not listening to the whole book in one sitting, it was difficult to find where on the CD I left off. It would be more efficient to have the track for each chapter labeled on the CD.

This is a great book about a boy who forms a friendship with and Indian boy named Attean, and in fact with his entire family. I found it a pleasure to read, because it offered a different historical perspective than most books that come from the white man's perspective. While Matt was white, most of the book is filled with his interactions with the Indian people. We get a glimpse of how they lived, and how very practical it was as opposed to the white man's way of life. It was more in tune with the land, for sure.

I'm getting off track, but I was very touched by the story. Matt is essentially invited to join the Beaver tribe by Attean and his grandfather, and Attean calls him his brother. The warm acceptance that grew between the two boys was heartwarming, and toward the end it brought tears to my eyes, but not due to sadness; instead due to the love the two boys shared.

As a fourth grade educator, I would never introduce this book to my students as anything else other than an example of popular culture that perpetuates stereotypes of Native Americans. Attean and other Native American characters speak in broken English, giving the reader the impression that these characters are inferior to their White counterparts. The terminology used is highly offensive (squaw)for both Native people and for women. The relationship that Attean has with girls in his tribe as well as with animals is unrealistic and down right inaccurate. Joseph Bruchac and Michael Dorris are two authors which do an excellent job of writing from the Native American perspective.

I have used Sign of the Beaver as a read aloud just about every year I have taught! I teach 4th grade, and have always had great reviews from my students. The text and vocabulary are advanced for some fourth graders, so it is a terrific way to expand their vocabulary and knowledge without having frustrated readers. I have collected a class set over the years, allowing every child to read along. I highly recommend this book!

The book touches both elements of spirituality and the unique relationships between dogs and humans. It does this while telling a 4-star tale of intrigue and unexpected relationships. I think if you're open to the first two concepts, this book is off the charts. If not, it's "merely" above average.

As a dog lover, I'm always fascinated by Koontz' views of human-canine relationships. In this book, he goes beyond the norm, explaining how the 2 species "grow" each other. Anyone who has had a dog touch them and improve their life in all aspects should read this. I think it adds more depth to those experiences.

If you're involved in special relationships with dog lovers, this may also be a great book for you. I think it is difficult for folks who aren't dog lovers to understand us. This book may help them.

At the very worst, it's a great read.

This storyline was uninteresting and I simply could not finish but I know when I don't like something and this fits in that catagory. The dog and his owner seem detached enough to pull me away from the story. Life Expectancy was far more interesting and had the gravity to pull me into the storyline which ended up quite enjoyable leaving you with word of wisdom.

Although a good quick read, I just couldn't get into this one? Dean has entertained me more in other books, but if you can relate to dogs and the love people have for them you can probably get into this page turner on an entirely different level.

I love the characters, especially "Piggy's" Mom. The descriptions and character development tugged at my emotions which really let me be pulled into the ending of this book. Your heart will drag you page by page as you put this twisted puzzle together.

Normally, I really like Dean Koontz stories. Some take a few chapters to get into, others just sweep you along from the start.

However, with this book I felt that it was switching between a compelling story, a story that was a little too 'coincidental' to mesh with the rest, and a lecture about the virtues of dogs and the evils of people.

The main characters weren't especially reachable. Whether through their secrecy or their psychosis, they remain too remote to be terribly invested in. And the ending seemed a bit of a cop-out.

It had several really good moments and used foreshadowing extremely well, but isn't something I'd read again.

Every Dean Koontz book is a great Dean Koontz book. I love them all!

What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon! I read my first M H Clark in the late 1970's and she's still able to keep me enticed. Thanks, Mary.

For many years, MHC was the only mystery author I would read. Her plots are usually interesting and unique. I was very excited to read this book because the idea/plot sounded interesting. (I still think the idea could make a great movie or something too.) But she introduced entirely too many characters. Every chapter I found myself remembering a new character and what his/her occupation was, etc. I did have to flip back to earlier chapters quite frequently to try and remember different names and it got increasingly frustrating.

Her suspects are also becoming very predictable. I knew, while reading each chapter that had suspicious clues about someone, that he/she didn't do it. It's always the people who don't get mentioned that much that did it. She needs to set up more suspicion around everyone so the ending is shocking.

Does anybody know of any other well known mystery authors to try? I'm putting MHC books away for awhile.

Not the thriller I was thinking it would be. OK plot, but I had it figured out in the first few chapters. It is ok, but not a page turner.

Clearly the best book she's ever written.

The premise is based on a true-life story. A promising college grad disappears, but his family receives a phone call from him each Mother's Day.

I've ready many of Mary Higgins Clark's books over the years, and I always enjoy her work. I enjoyed this one too, but it was a surprise, in the way the book was more than what I expected.

Mary Higgins Clark is moving beyond her role as a popular writer into something more. The array of well-developed characters and fascinating multiple story lines converged into an excellent read. The stories about these complex characters give the reader much to contemplate.

I would expect this successful author to crank out another interesting formula-style mystery. I was surprised how she is continuing to evolve and mature as a writer.

Absolutely excellent.

I remember how much I enjoyed Mary Higgins Clark 's very first books. They were fun, light suspenseful novels that delivered a wallop. Now her books are all pure formula. It is so sad. Pretty heroine, handsome men. The characters are so unreal and one dimensional that I just can't take it seriously.

Her plots always sound interesting and this one was no exception. It was also based on a true story which gave me even more incentive to give yet another book by her a try. But it reads like maybe her last ten novels have. More is put into the description of hairstyles and clothing than plot. Also the main characters are always upper class, well groomed. There is just no reality.

I thought I would skim through this to get to the end but I read half and honestly didn't care at all. This is not the sign of a good writer. I am an avid reader and love psychological suspense. The book was just boring formula.

Obviously MHC has the large audience she needs that wants just what she delivers. She need not exert much effort. They continue to pick up this fluff and it does serve a purpose if this audience is made happy. But literature it is not. And now I have finally learned my lesson. No matter how good the plot sounds the formula will be the same.

If you want a well developed suspenseful psychological novel certainly look elsewhere.

My son received this book/cd as a gift when he was 4. Each Halloween season, he wants to read the book/listen to the story daily. We've enjoyed the story so much, we shared it with my son's class. All the kids (and teachers too) love it!

My book arrived in great condition and in a timely manner. I will continue to use amazon for all of my book purchases.

A cute book that re-enforces how important it is that we recognizes the positive differences in each of us. As a parent of a bi-racial child, I used the book to open the discussion of how each of us are different and special in our own way.

I use this book with my class every year. We talk about times when they feel like "square pumpkins." The CD has the book read aloud and the song. My kids sing the song and read the book to younger kids in our school. It's sweet, fun and has a great lesson. So worth the money. I'd love a class set.

I actually bought this book before I even had kids. Now that I have a son, every October we read it every day to celebrate the month of Halloween. I even bought the plush Spookley. This book is one of my favorites.

Although I had already watched both movie adaptation, I wanted to read this book. It was well worth it. Anyone who gave this novel one star is being dishonest, and I doubt they read the book. If someone didn't enjoy the story they should not give it one star unless the writing it self was poor, and Dune is written well. That is why it won both sci-fi awards for best novel.

I really like how more indepth the book is, which is always the case vs a movie adaptation. You learn so much about the characters, their motivations, etc, that the movies do not show.

If you have not seen the movies, then the book is going to blow you away. if you like this sort of thing. The last line almost made me cry, and only one book has ever made me cry, and that was Swan's Song. Where the red fern grows came close.

Seasoned readers might sympathise about this being my 2nd Sci-Fi experience - Lord of the Rings was the first. Tough acts to follow, and 35 years later I'm still trying.... Dune is breath-taking for the sheer feat of imagination. The combination of medievalism and high-tech is particularly well wrought, as is the polico-economics of spice and water.

Its a total immersion experience and one that's hard to let go at the end.

Dune truely is one of the absolute finest fantasy (and sci-fi) novels ever and subsequently has become a role model for many science fiction works that came after including George Lucas' Star Wars. The complex plot throughout is stunning, how Herbert creates a fantasy world that is so flawless down to every little detail shows how much dedication he took in writing it.
The only problem with Dune is--the writing isn't as smooth and easy to read as it should to make this a true masterpiece. Herbert might be capable of creating a plot around his entirely fictional world flawlessly, but Dune is not a fast easy read. Unlike writers like Kurt Vonnegut for example you find large parts of this book are far too wordy, making it at times a slow, and other times, occasionally Dull. Plot events don't just flow from one part to the other. Herbert also has a strange habbit of throwing in far too many obscure vocabulary words into characters dialogue. In descriptions this is actually a blessing, but in all seriousness, who talks like they're reading out of a thesarus in conversation? With better writing this book would be totally flawless. Because of the writing the plot is occasionally cumbersome and jagged, but the ideas behind it are so stunning that the read is certainly worthwhile. Rest assured...if you have ANY bypassing interest in this genre check this out.

I read Dune before and was very confused by the story at first. Maybe that happened because I read much too quickly. Then I recently re-read it and was immediatly drawn into Herbert's world. His creation truly is epic. It's obvious to see how it has gained so much attention. Herbert creates a world filled with political strife, internal problems and real mental dilemmas, particularly in Paul Atreides as He delves deeper into the Muad'dib persona and continues on throughout the later books.

Dune is a great read for sci-fi fans and anyone who enjoys a riveting tale of adventure and loyalty.

PARTY ON, DUDES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everybody else has already grokked "Dune" to the high heavens, and it definitely deserves all such praise. Here I just want to mention a few thoughts I have about "Dune" that should add to its lustre and help explain (but not explain away) its runaway success.

1) "Dune" is extraordinarily well-written on a literary level. Most sentences have the look of having been polished to a high sheen. Not that they necessarily were... point is, there's no "filler" here at all. Every word is in its place. The richness of detail is overwhelming, especially sensory detail. The narrative is well constructed, there is masterful use of 3rd-person omniscient narrator, and the plot unfolds at exactly the right pace.

2) Frank Herbert never wrote anything as good before or since. Not even close. The "Dune" sequels? No way. They don't even feel like they take place in the same universe, although the same terms, organizations, characters, etc... are still there. Why? Because starting with "Dune Messiah", Herbert's writing lost that hallucinogenic vividness. Speaking of which...

3) "Dune" is the only fiction book I've ever read that has the power to raise my awareness every time I read it. This comes from two sources. The first is something I mentioned above - the extraordinary sensual richness of the writing. The second is that Herbert is describing human beings with extraordinary powers of perception. Somehow, Herbert hit on a manner of describing human beings with psychedelic levels of awareness which is vivid, authentic, and subjectively-congruent enough to actually bring this level of consciousness out of the person who is reading his work. To read any part of "Dune" is to have your senses immediately sharpened. You don't just read about the Bene Gesserit "voice" -- you actually sense its power within you. You don't just read about the psychedelic power of the "spice" -- you actually consume the spice yourself as you read, and feel its power. You don't just read about "plans within plans" and intricate Machiavellian strategies -- you actually gain access to this level of strategic intuition within yourself. You don't just read about the knife-fights -- you actually feel your muscles and nerves becoming more subtly attuned and your reflexes sharpen as you read.

I don't know quite how Herbert managed to pull this off... but pull it off he did, and it's wonderful.

These CD's helped me realize that the knowledgeable people who are striving to write material to help the rest of us improve our marriages have the real life experiences and situations to back it up. Their wives are extremely honest in telling us the dumb things their husbands did as well. Because of their honesty, I could relate to what they were saying and I paid better attention to their advice. They have some great stories and good advice on how I can use the 7 Habits in my marriage. It is a good reminder that the 7 Habits work in all varieties of relationships. I would recommend this to anyone who is serious about improving their their skills in dealing with relationships.

This gives great advice to whom appreciates motivation. I liked the details that were given. Though alot is common sense, I think we all need a reminder from time to time. The Authors aren't out to make money, they are really genuine.

J. Canfield and M.V. Hansen have done it again! I bought this audio-book for a friend who has poor-eyesight, but loves to read. Also, he is fighting some personal issues right now. It's a Christmas present, so we'll know soon enough how happy he is to get it.

I know for a fact it's wonderful! I accidentally ran across "Dare to Win" in the library five years ago. I find myself reading it once or twice a year--not because I didn't get it the first time, but because as with all things "practice makes perfect". But really, what an inspiring message!! I generally read this one in the morning with coffee...sets the tone for the whole day:

I can do anything. As soon as I start doing it. I am somebody, even if it feels like nobody else thinks so. Happiness is a state of mind, not a situation. You are only a victim of the things you choose to be a victim of. Doesn't that sound like a great way to start the day?

(PS: You really DO only need to get through one day at a time...or when it gets really bad, just commit to one more hour--over and over and over again!

Life starts to get interesting when you get into the driver's seat instead of cowering in the backseat, or pulling that sullen teenager act in the co-pilot's seat...grow up and LIVE!)

While Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen are described as motivators, it might be as accurate to describe then as rejuvenaters, resusitators, reinvigorators, all the boosts that a person needs to be happy and successful. Cheerleaders might also be an apt description as they're sure you can do it, and they make that clear in "A Healthy Dose of Motivation," which they read with all the vigor and charisma that marks their personal appearances.

These two gentlemen, as most know, are the authors of the incredibly successful Chicken Soup series, so they're more than familiar with the subject of fulfillment. Quite often, personal stories of those who have succeeded are the basis for their books, along with suggestions and clearly defined steps.

"A Healthy Dose of Motivation" consists of two texts from their repertoire: "The Aladdin Factor" and ""Dare To Win."

"The Aladdin Factor" deals with the importance of asking for what you want, and how to tolerate rejection. The destructive pattern of limiting yourself is featured in "Dare to Win," plus advice on how to rid yourself of self-destructive behavior.

Think you can't? Give a listen to "A Healthy Dose of Motivation," and you may discover that you can.

- Gail Cooke

Listening to these two program was very inspirational, heart-warming and motivational. Some of the anecdotes provided really brought tears to my eyes and touched me deeply. They really brought home to me that anything, ANYTHING is possible. I just started my own business five months ago and have faced many challenges. I bought the CD because of its title, I really needed "A Healthy Dose of Motivation" to keep going in my business. I got what I paid for, I feel very motivated and inspired to keep going despite any obstacles and with my renewed postive energy my business is growing in leaps and bounds! A great investment.