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...but I wouldn't let him have it until I was done! Like my son, I am a big fan of the Gilda Joyce series. I read a lot of young adult fiction, and I have found the Gilda Joyce books to be not only highly entertaining but compelling in their exploration of 'tween experiences; how kids that age create such a vivid blend of imagination and reality to make sense of their emerging understanding of the adult world.

THE GHOST SONATA is my favorite Gilda to date. I almost never laugh out loud when reading, but the mix of humor and dread in the tarot reading scene at the airport put me over the edge with laughter. The humor throughout the book was wonderful. Wendy's competition rivals were so much fun. Her piano teacher was appealingly zany and a bit treacherous. And the competition judges and the rivalries that played out in their comments to the contestants were an absolute riot. Allison gives us an entertaining insider's view of the workings of a major piano competition. Having Gilda act as Wendy's page turner and the unexpected consequences this brings is an inspired bit of humor.

I also loved the central mystery, with Wendy being a ghost's chosen medium for his final, secret sonata. It's a rich metaphor for resolution to the guilt and grief associated with a tragic death. I also found the local color and texture of Oxford and the English countryside both amusing and touching. I particularly liked the scenes by the treacle well. Spooky and evocative. Allison drew the rich history of the places, especially with the associations to ALICE IN WONDERLAND, with such detail, yet always kept the tone and action appealingly spooky and light.

Wendy has always been my favorite character besides Gilda herself, so I was happy to have her point of view balanced with Gilda's. I loved the theme of a reasonable person having to confront and ultimately accept something unexpected and unexplainable. It's a parable of faith for my son to think about, since he is at the age where he is asking a lot of questions about faith and chance circumstances that can't easily be explained. I was intrigued by Wendy's personal journey to an adult understanding of artistic freedom and faith in her own abilities. Allison portrays Wendy's gradual moving away from pleasing her piano teacher and committing to her own artistic expression with realism and insight. I found this aspect of the novel particularly touching.

The fact that Jennifer Allison can bring togother so many serious themes - faith, love, death, redemption, adult regrets contrasting with young peoples' emerging identities of hope and confidence, not to mention a whole host of literary touchtones that adults will recognize - in such an entertaining story and fun cast of characters is, I feel, a rare accomplishment in literature for any age group. Kudos to Allison. My son can't wait to get started on THE GHOST SONATA, and I can't wait to talk to him about it.

Gilda Joyce- The Ghost Sonata is a wonderful mystery that makes you laugh. Gilda's friend Wendy Choy is invited to a national piano competition in Endland, and Gilda just has to go. And of corse, along the way, she bumps into a mystery. Wendy hears, creepy piano music at night, Gilda sees a ghost! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

The first two entries in this series were laugh out loud funny and didn't require any suspension of disbelief in ghosts -- the mysteries were perfectly explainable without any resort to the supernatural. The protagonist's obsession with ghostly explanations could easily be understood in terms of her desire to find a way to communicate with her dead father. In this third volume, there are no longer any rational explanations. The only solution to the mystery requires you to assume the involvement of an other-worldly spirit. Here, the author took the easy way out. I hope she returns to the real world in the next installment.

Yet this book can't get any better. Mystery, adventure, comedy... this book has it all! IF you're looking for a good read this is a way to go. It's about a girl named Gilda and her best friend Wendy. Wendy is chosen to go play in a piano competition in England. Gilda wants to come along and she finds a way to get there. As they go on the plane Gilda shows Wendy her reading of cards(like a fortune teller Gilda's into that she 's a "investigator") The reading turns out to be horrible and the tarot cards keep finding their way into Wendy's dorm room. The piano competition is tough, meanwhile Wendy thinks she going crazy. With a murder investigation near the end and a couple quirky mysteries 13 year old Gilda Joyce battles her way through the English world finding out that being an "investigator" can be scary sometimes!

Fourteen-year-old Gilda Joyce has a passion for fashion, and a flair for the offbeat; so when she learns that her best friend, and expert pianist, Gwendolyn "Wendy" Choy, has been chosen to be a finalist in a piano competition, that will be held in Oxford, England, Gilda couldn't be more thrilled. Oxford is full of ghost stories, and, as a psychic investigator, Gilda is determined to experience one first-hand; which is why she will do anything in her power to snag a seat on the red eye headed for the British destination. Unfortunately, money is tight, and, seeing as how she gave up piano lessons after a few weeks, she certainly can't try to make her way into the competition, so she does the next best thing...Gilda offers her services as an experienced page turner, and voila! She's out of school for a week, and encountering her next, and very first European, adventure. Packing her pink umbrella, spidery false eyelashes, countless stilettos, her mod outfit, cat's-eye glasses, go-go boots, and an assortment of hats, Gilda couldn't be more thrilled to set off. Unfortunately, her excitement isn't shared by the pianist of the hour - Wendy. For weeks, Wendy has been having disturbing nightmares that have made it near impossible for her to sleep, let alone concentrate on being the best pianist she can be. But winning the competition would mean prestige for her family, as well as a nice chunk of change that Gilda has already begun spending in her mind. But as much as Gilda craves a purse full of money that will purchase her heart's desires, she can't help but sympathize with her closest pal, and feel the need to solve the mystery of Wendy's nightmares. But since arriving in England, Wendy's nightmares have taken an even more bizarre turn. Suddenly, she begins hearing strange piano music playing in the middle of the night, and both she and Gilda have spotted a male ghost, of about their age, traipsing around Oxford. Gilda knows that it's up to her to do a little investigating. But Wendy wants to help. So, waving goodbye to the grueling practice sessions, and extremely stiff competition awaiting her, Wendy trots along by Gilda's side, only to stumble upon an assortment of spooky occurrences that seem to sprout up in every corner. And, to make matters worse, Wendy isn't the only contestant in the competition who has fallen victim to "hauntings." Suddenly, many of the contestants begin receiving creepy tarot cards depicting scary images that have instilled a killer case of the nerves in each and every one of them. Gilda is convinced that a haunting is at hand, and knows that it will take each and every fiber of her psychic investigator skills to crack the case wide open before it's too late. But in between her investigation, and frequent clothes-changing sessions, Gilda begins to find herself falling for a lanky, cute British boy - who happens to be Wendy's competition - and can't help herself from indulging in a little one-on-one time with the accented chap. But if she doesn't keep her mind focused on the task at hand, she may just find herself on a trip back to the States...alone.

I fell in love with Gilda Joyce when Jennifer Allison released GILDA JOYCE, PSYCHIC INVESTIGATOR, and since then, have been unable to resist the quirky sleuth. The fact that, in GILDA JOYCE, THE GHOST SONATA takes place in the fabulous Oxford, England, however, only makes me love it even more. Gilda Joyce is her typical off-the-wall self in this delightful new installment. Stocking up on pill-box hats, wellies, go-go boots, and a variety of crazy colored wigs, Gilda presents herself in the fashion of a modern-day HARRIET THE SPY. Her frequent outfit changes, and daydreams involving a English boy with a crooked smile are humorous. However, Gilda never forgets her friends, and manages to stay on top of her investigation, even with the distraction of a cute. Wendy Choy, on the other hand, is a little more serious, and a lot less fun that Gilda. While this is the first time that readers really get the chance to learn a lot more about Wendy, it's hard to say that you are able to come away with a better understanding of her personality, as she wasn't herself within the pages of GILDA JOYCE, THE GHOST SONATA. Even so, Wendy still leaves an impression, albeit a bland one. Julian, the British boy who has caught Gilda's eye, is probably one of the more intriguing characters within this installment, as he maintains an aloof, careless air about him that intrigues you; while, at the same time, managing to come off as a con artist, of sorts. His various tall tales, and two-timing ways make you loathe him and love him at the same time, and truly make you wish for a chance to learn more about him in the future. Allison has done a wonderful job of showcasing the pain and suffering, along with the joy and happiness that comes along with being in a competition; and also introduces pushy stage mothers that will make you laugh and cry simultaneously as they embarrass themselves, and their children, throughout the story. A haunting story that chills you to the bone!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

this is a really good book. It reminds me some of Heart Shaped Box, in the sense that it has the creepiness and the horror, but it also has myustery and some "love" scenes in it too.
The ending is fantasic and leads up to the next one just out, Lord of Bones.
I really like the characters and this book leaves you wanting more.

BloodAngel is the best. The story switches between 2 main characters, a warrior in a human boy disguise (he doesn't know) and a woman who is only one left on Earth who knows where and who the warrior is. Sometimes, the demon girl, who was sealed 700 years ago now break free, was mention. This is a must read for those who love horror/vampire books.

The book kept me turning the pages, and the characters were extremely imaginative and well-drawn. I give the book two stars for an original plot. But the ending ruined the book for me. It was too dreamlike and confusing - Zakriel?...out of nowhere, what was Del's secret?...what did Lucas & Jess have in common?... what was Ramsey turning into- Innat or something else?... what did the pact members actually DO when they got together... It all wrapped up too fast. I got that she's a necromancer, but whoopie. I wanted the characters' stories.
I read many books a month and I can only characterize this novel as having great potential in its creative premise, but lacking a good editor to help the author bring the end together in a satisfying manner, or perhaps just fledgling writing.

I'm not sure what made me pick up this book and decide to buy it. I felt an intense pull -- I absolutely had to read this book. My intuition was dead-on. Justine Musk writes very much like I do in my first novel in progress. She writes like she's dreaming while awake, hypnotic and sleepwalking, and I am drawn so deeply into her words that I think I am also dreaming. By the time I read the end, I realized that Bloodangel is a classic story set in a fresh new way -- the good vs evil with the powerful innocents caught in the middle kind of tale. Jess, Ramsey, and Kai are very likeable and very real. Asha is terrifying, as is the concept of what she wants to do to the world. I think the only thing I would improve is to make the book longer, get into more detail -- or hopefully have a sequel. Justine Musk is an author worth watching out for.

I search,usually in vain, for books like this. Dark, but not gory.
Fantasy, but good enough that I can suspend disbelief.
This really is the best I've read in a long time.
Smart, but not insolent. Not glib and too clever for it's own good.
The characters, at this point in what I hope and believe to be a new series, could stand some fleshing out. But that will come with the forth-coming books and I can hardly wait to get to know them better.

This is classic Koontz, I have read pretty much everything he has written and it is one of my favorites! It is the story of a psychic and his girlfriend trapped in his office building in the middle of the night by a serial killer called "The Butcher". The killer thinks the psychic will identify him and decides to to take him out and have a speacial little moment with his girlfriend. They actually made a T.V. movie about this book a while back.

It is a short book like most of his earlier stuff but it is fast paced and non-stop action. The villain is a mean and sick individual. The only thing i didnt like was the boring description of mountain climbing. Other than that, agreat book and I recommend it for anyone who likes the genre.

I had forgotten about this quickie little thriller by Koontz and just finished re-reading it today. This was a really fun book. Tha basic story involves a psychic who is assiting police in tracking down a serial killer known as "The Butcher" becoming the killer's next target. Once the Butcher realizes that the psychic is getting too close to uncovering his identity he decides the former mountain climber turned psychic must die.
"The Face of Fear" is a fun cat-and-mouse thriller that takes place in, and on the outside, of a towering skyscraper in downtown Manhattan. It's a very quick read, and Koontz doles out the suspense by the bucket loads. The characters are well drawn, and the villain is truly a vile creation, making the book that much more interesting. And while "The Face of Fear" isn't as horrific as "Phantoms", and maybe the characters aren't as well developed as in "Strangers", this is a great novel to introduce someone to Koontz's writing style. It's a guaranteed page-turner, which can be read in two or three lunch breaks. If you aren't familiar with this author, this is a great place to start.

This was my first Koontz book I've read Way Back When.
It kept me wanting to turn the pages, and thus begin a yearning for anything with the Koontz name on it.
He has excellent control over mood and pace; filled with excitement and daring thrills; lunging off of tall buildings and running ramped on staircases from a serial killer.
You haven't seen the face of fear until you're staring right at it...then it's too late.


--Joseph McGee, author of In the Wake of the Night, Phil's Place and Darkness Won't Rest: Phils Place II

This book was a part of my summer reading binge a few years ago. I made it a goal to read every book Dean Koontz had published (at the time). At first, I read this book super fast. My goal was quantity. When I was finished reading all the Koontz, however, I came back to this book, for whatever reason. I was literally drawn back to it. It kind of called to me really. The connection between killer and would-be psychic graham was expertly done.

This book is very haunting. The thrill of the chase, as it were, is made even more intense when would-be savior becomes the hunted.

How do you outwit someone with whom you inexplicably share a brain? How do you react/think and move before a person who seems to know your thoughts as soon as you do, if not before?

The Face of Fear takes you through this emotional conundrum from start to epic climax!!!

Having just finished reading "The Vision" when I picked up this novel, I was shocked to find that the main character once again has psychic powers which cause them to witness (experience) the murders of a serial killer as they occur. Not only that, the main characters in each story have also suffered a great trauma at some point in their life and the events that unfold within the stories force them to face the fears that have haunted them ever since. It's as though while writing the first book, he came up with what he thought was a better idea and started on it straight afterwards. "The Face of Fear" thankfully turned out to be quite a different book to "The Vision" though, being a far more action orientated, movie-like experience.

In "The Face of Fear", Graham Harris witnesses the murders of "The Butcher", as he rapes and slaughters women around New York City, through psychic visions. After it becomes apparent that Harris is able to give police information on the murders, "The Butcher" decides to go after him and his girlfriend Connie. What we end up with is a couple of hundred page climax where Graham and Connie are hunted from floor to floor of an office building, with occasional glimpses into the mind (or is that minds) of a murderer.

I enjoyed this book as much as any of the other Koontz books that I've read so far. His books are very plot driven and straight to the point. He never gets bogged down with long dialogues or character studies and instead chooses to focus on the action and the events that drive the plot forward. This can be seen as a good or a bad thing in my opinion. They're like Hollywood blockbusters where you leave your brain at the door. There are plot holes and bad decisions, yet you hardly have time to think about them as you turn the page to find out what happens next. Having read only 4 of his novels so far, I'm starting to tire of his formula though and hope that there are some added variations to my next choices.

Overall, "The Face of Fear" is a good, tense read and recommended for thriller / action fans. The ending is totally and terribly contrived and you'll know who the killer is early on, but that doesn't prohibit this book from successfully keeping you gripped and taking you on a suspense-filled ride.

This is yet another high caliber book that Mr. Koontz has read. It makes me wish when I had moved that I had kept my previous DK collection. :( *sniff* now im sad. oh well, i'll work to rebuild it.

This is my 2nd Koontz book and although the first one that I read (The Husband) wasn't my favorite book of all time it definitely had some gripping moments and good twists. This book was boring, horribly paced and the detail was so overwrought it was painful at times where I'm to the point of me mentally screaming "JUST GET ON WITH THE STORY!!" I don't mind details and painting a picture, but this was just unnecessarily descriptive to say the least. Did he really have to plot a way to get away from the coyotes for 2 or 3 chapters?

I can easily say that this was one of the worst books that I've read and I continued to read it in some hope that the 4 and 5 star reviewers knew of some revelation toward the end of the book that would represent a payoff. My payoff is to write this review and possibly warn someone to not read this book unless you have time to kill and nothing better to read.

This felt like a 75 page short story stretched out to an excruciatingly boring novel. I definitely will read more Koontz, but certainly not another Odd book. Odd Thomas a dull mix of Forrest Gump and Rain Man with the Sixth Sense thrown in for kicks. What a bore...

I don't believe I've ever given Koontz a five star rating before. I loved 'Lightning' and 'Phantoms', even newer books like 'The Husband'. This is above and beyond all of his previous works. I've been wanting to read John Saul's 'Nathaniel' for a while and have it right here but I also have 'Forever Odd' and I tell you as soon as I finished 'Odd Thomas' I put 'Nathaniel' back on the shelf and started 'Forever Odd'. I don't want to spoil this for anyone who hasn't read it yet but one thing separates this from other Koontz books, the heroes don't come out in a barrage of bullets into glory. Just amazing, can't wait to read the other 3 books

I've read around ten Dean Koontz books and, despite some of my problems with his writing style, I've obviously been entertained enough to come back for more, time and time again. Well, no more. This book compounded all of his lazy, unprofessional, and imbecilic writing "techniques" and slopped them into one short, but far too long, book -- probably the worst I've ever read in my entire life.

What shocks me, of course, is that so many people not only like this book -- they love it! I cannot for the life of me figure out what there is to love. Here's a "spoiler" for you: Nothing happens in this book! It is basically 302 pages of long lists of the contents of people's drawers, refrigerators, glove compartments, etc. It is written in the first person by Odd Thomas -- an immensely annoying and unrealistic character who only seems less so by the annoyance and unrealism of all of the other characters in the book.

Here's a shocker: Odd -- that's his name, by the way -- comes from a dysfunctional family. So does his girlfriend, "Stormy." Oh, and here's what makes Odd so odd: He can see dead people. Yes, only a few years after the Sixth Sense (a phrase that is used time and time again in this book), Koontz wrote a book where the character literally says "I see dead people." But don't worry, the dead people never do anything interesting.

My theory on why people like this book: They're stupid and the book is short. It's one of the few books they ever read, so they grow an emotional attachment to it. If your IQ is above that of Forest Gump's please pass on this book and move on with your life. There's nothing here for you to see.

Book 1 is my favorite Odd Thomas book, to-date. Awesome story with a memorable character. I thought about Odd long after I put the book down, and it definitely made me want to read more. I started on Forever Odd (book 2) the same evening.

Dean Koontz has created a very interesting character and some witty dialogue and humor. While it might not be as dark as most of his other works, Odd Thomas has an eerie foreshadowing that really works. You have to keep reading to find out what happens.

I must start book 4 soon...

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Divine Intervention and The River

Carey's meditation on heaven, hell, will, creation, and responsibility reaches its conclusion -- but not its end -- as Lucifer fights in Heaven for a second time.

This is not the end of the series, however. There will be one more trade collecting the final issues 70-75, hopefully coming out soon.

Lucifer remains one of the finest works in comics, well worth checking out for those of you who enjoy deeply philosophical writing combined with tremendous storytelling and art.

"Lucifer: Morningstar" is the latest trade paperback collection and brings the long-running series to its apocalyptic conclusion. The book collects issues #62 - 69 of the celebrated Vertigo comic series and the climax to the war in Heaven storyline that has been running over the course of the last few collections. When Lucifer first came out back in 2000 I was quite skeptical. DC had dealt with tales of Heaven & Hell with titles like Swamp Thing and Hellblazer before but here was Hell's ruler in his own title. Well darned if DC didn't pull it off and deliver a fallen angel who managed to gain the sympathy of the reader.

As the book opens, Lilith, the first woman, and the architect of Heaven, is leading her children, the Lilim against the forces of The Silver City. God has disappeared and Lilith means to destroy his throne, the Primum Mobile, to prevent God from returning home. Meanwhile Lucifer gathers his own forces that include Lilith's daughter Mazikeen, and the human woman Elaine, herself now a divine power and maker of her own form of creation.

Lucifer visits Hell's new ruler, Christopher Rudd, in the hopes of convincing him toaid Heaven in their battle with Lilith. This puts Rudd in a sticky situation. His own goal is to eliminate the division between Hell and Heaven and do away with this class system. Think of him as a 60's, hippie commune leader! Rudd wants change but he also doesn't want to see Heaven, and all creation destroyed as Lilith does.

One element I love is Mike Carey's inclusion of the Fenris Wolf as an ally of Lillith. The Fenris Wolf is a Norse myth and he, or it is included as the last remnant of a forgotten pantheon of Gods, who has survived by accident as a force of pure destruction. A clever mix of Christian and pagan beliefs!

The battle is of epic proportions...making things like Infinite Crisis seem like an afternoon tea party. This isn't a battle for the world, but for all creation. Carey's depiction of the Almighty is interesting and a bit humorous in a dry way. He's certainly no burning bush! The art is uniformly great throughout and features the talents of Colleen Doran, Peter Gross, Ryan Kelly, and Mike Kaluta. Kaluta's interlude piece is hilariously brilliant.

While the series does end the story doesn't. Many questions about the new order of Heaven, Hell, and the world itself are left unanswered for perhaps a later series. Carey's epic will remain one of the more talked about comics for many years to come and it will be interesting to see what he, or another writer, has in store for us in the future.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Mike Carey, Lucifer: A Dalliance with the Damned (Vertigo, 2002)

And now it all opens up. Well, at least, it opens up a whole lot of new cans of worms. All the threads from issues one and two tie themselves together, but in classic Sandman tradition, there are far more threads involved in this knot than we ever saw coming. That's one of the things that made Sandman so wonderful, and Carey continues on in the tradition: nothing exists solely to advance the plot, but every action a character takes, no matter how seemingly inconsequential, has an effect somewhere else. A lot like life, really. I'm really looking forward to volume 4 (which is sitting here waiting for me to read it, which will happen soon after I finish writing this). ****

I began this series after reading "Sandman", wherefrom Luficer is a spinoff. For a very long time, this is the first spinoffproduct that really works. Actually I think that Mike Carrey is pulling this off so well, that its allmost wrong to call this a spinoff. Lucifer is balancing own its own.

These Lucifer graphic novels are just reprints of the comic series by DC/Vertigo that ended a few months ago. Lucifer is the fallen angel, Satan if you will, who originated in The Sandmnan series. It features nudity and swearing, which are really pushing the limits in a still going comics industry that is famous around the world and known a lot amongst kids and teenagers. These are for mature readers because of that. I really like the idea of pushing boundaries in comics, enough to keep me interested as an adult in my mid 20s versus that virgin 11 year old reading Superman or Archie. I also read Ghost Rider and Batman, just because their costumes are dark and sinister. Comics drew some wrath by parents and moral groups- their almost modern near gothic outfits were really racey for the time. Death metal music has been called the musical equivalent of a comic book to aimlessly gloat over, or aimlessly brag about. These exist for a variety of literary tastes, and I would rather read freaking Lucifer than Superman any day. Glen Danzig and Verotik continue to sporadically turn out adult comics for mature readers much like Vertigo. Lucifer is not some fake super hero in spandex- he's a sypathetic lead character in an adult oriented comics series.

I have read the first three books of Mike Carey's Lucifer, and A Dalliance with the Damned is the best so far. (Can't wait for the next volumes).
This is a great fantasy-mythology series that involves angels, demons and biblical characters such as Michael, Eve, Lilith and, of course, Lucifer! Carey really knows to write, the drawing is great too.
I recommend you to read books 1 & 2 and Neil Gaiman's Sandman Season of Mists first. That's the way to get the whole thing. You won't be dissapointed.

An amazing tapestry of stories, some small, some large, but all full of deep insights. Chances are, you won't notice all of them in the first reading, because the stories are so gripping. But read everything a second time, and you may find a lot of points, that you overlooked.

The longest story 'A Dalliance with the Damned' is among other things a fine hellish version of 'Dangerous liaisons' (pleasure and pain and all that jazz ...) but how Carey pulls off the final twist in this setting is truly amazing.

Nevertheless my favorites are the free-standing stories 'The ancestral deed' (how would Adam and Eve behave if the creator had a different set of rules?) and 'The Thunder Sermon' where the dark side of the Lightbringer is shown in truly terrifying grandeur. Rebelling against God may be hard, but doing a better job, now that's a completely different story ...

I had been looking for this book for a long time and just happened to come across amazon. I found it! It was shipped very quickly!

My 5 and 3 year old absolutely LOVE this book. They have now memorized it and "read" it to me. It is a must-have for anyone looking for a good Halloween story. We have read it nightly for the past 2 months and the kids never get tired of it!

My 5 year old's entire Kindergarten class has wanted to hear this story over and over. The class was so enthralled by this wonderfully spooky little story with a big surprize at the end, that the teacher used the storyline as a Halloween craft project. The story is very quick to read, and so easy that a pre-schooler can have it memorized in no time. Your little ones will be thrilled when they can "read" it to you complete with the "scary" ending.
Perfect for 3 to 6 year olds.

It is a really cute book, but do not read it to very young kids or kids who have a propensity toward nighmares. The publishers would have you believe that this book is targeted for kids from 3 to 6 years old, but it is best suited for late 4s +. I read this to my 3 year old, not knowing the end was a pop-up picture of a goulish green ghost. It's given her nightmares.

I teach first grade and my students couldn't get enough of this book! It's very short, and just a tiny bit scary...especially in the dark! It's a cute story, one your kids will surely love!

Yet another great game->book translation by S.D. Perry. If you've enjoyed the other RE books you'll love this one as well.

This book was great even though it did not follow the game, exactly. nemesis was sweet in the book aswas really well written and kept he should be. This book my intrest from page one.

I really liked this book better than Caliban Cove or Zero Hour. This book introduces you to two new charaters Carlos Oliveira and Nicolai Ginovaef. The book starts with Carlos getting a call from his squad leader about going on a umbrella operation. Umbrella labeled it a chemical spill.Yeah right!!While Carlos is walking towards the Umbrella office to get briefed on the operation he meets the mysterious Mr. Trent who gives him some important information. Also Jill Valentine an X-S.T.A.R.S member is trying to get out of Raccoon. This book had some similarities to the Resident Evil Apocalypse movie which I also liked. The best part I think was the tidbit of information about Mr. Trent at the end. You find out what his motivation is for destroying Umbrella. All in all I rank it with The Umbrella Conspiracy and City of the dead two other S.D. Perry masterpieces. Well I have one more book to read Code: Veronica and I will be done with the series. I am feeling kinda of sad because these books were so good and I don't know what will take it's place.

The story is basically based on the third game "Nemesis" of the Resident Evil series which I am a fan of. This is my favorite of all of the RE books. It brings the game story life and I felt it all over again. I just wish they'd do it for "Dino Crisis" as well.

Once again, Racoon City is awash with zombies, mutants, bioengineered badies and surgically enhanced nasties. 'Nemesis', though the fifth book in the series, is never short for new and unexpected horrors as a courtesy of S. D. Perry's skilled imagination and writing style. It seems with Umbrella at the helm and Ms. Perry there to guide their unscrupulous activities in new and horrific directions there is a never ending way for mutagenic virus to wreak havoc. As expected, blood does flow and, as usual, the body count rises rapidily in a repetative but otherwise well paced and evenly told tale.