Science Fiction Books

I preordered this book, I had read the previous three last summer and even though I am a little older (29) than the target audience I still enjoyed the story. That said, I just shook my head in disbelief a lot during this book. I don't mean to sound cynical, but I just don't understand Bella sometimes. It is like she has no ambition but to be with Edward. The story had promise with the baby and all, but the ending was just too neat and tidy. I would have read this even if I had seen bad reviews on it, just so I knew the author's vision of the end. But to me, well I prefer Jacob. I know Meyer is Mormon and I did get a greater sense of her faith in this book, it showed through more often in some of Bella's choices. Which is fine, I am just saying it was more noticeable.

i liked the book, but is was deffintly not my favorite. i think it could have been much better. especially after reading the first three and the host

Ok, so let's just first state that I can't believe I'm doing this...but seeing as I am completely obsessed, let's stress obsessed, with the Twilight Saga I feel I must with all the haters out there. I just keep reading review after review of Breaking Dawn, and people, let it go.

Spoiler alert.

What I loved about BD:
I was very happy with the ending. I mean, it's a book, so who cares if she gets it all. Duh, it's called escapism. I can understand from a literary viewpoint it was a cop out and may be anticlimactic to some that she got Edward, a baby, immorality, Jacob and all her family (Cullen's included) intact. It was exactly what I wanted for her - all of it. If Edward had died or she left him for Jacob, I would have died and then tossed my books. Everyone is all up in arms about how the books have all been about sacrifice and what she'd do for Edward and their love. But, I am pretty sure she did make one sacrifice, umm, her soul. And she did choose Jacob before she knew he'd still be her BFF. And she did choose to be a vampire before she knew she'd be a mature newborn and not have to leave Charlie.

I thought the wedding and honeymoon were endearing. I was just glad they finally made love. We have been waiting three books for that. I totally disagree with people saying Edward became prissy. I think being a husband and father suits him...his overreacting and devotion are made for that.

I loved, even though I cried reading that part, that Edward loved Bella more than the baby or himself. If he had to choose, it was obvious he'd pick her over the baby. It was gut wrenching to read that he would put her wants for a child above his needs, desires and opinions of marriage. It was just another time Edward showed his undying devotion for Bella and anything to make her happy.

What surprised me about BD:
The gore of the birth and subsequent stabbing in the heart with a venom filled syringe. I had been anticipating the act would be more romantic (but didn't we all), but maybe that's why SM took this route.

Sperm? I am confused on why they have that one body fluid, but whatev.

Renesmee is a crazy name, but who cares. Like the names in Harry Potter aren't crazy.

I was most surprised that I liked Book 2 at all. I mean, enough with Jacob. But, his commentary/viewpoint and chapter titles were great. And I think the shape shifter twist is cooler than werewolves anyway...

I very slightly lost touch with Bella after she became a vampire. It didn't make me put it down or anything, but I just noticed that her story seemed less urgent now. Less dire. She had Edward and immortality - lucky. Her human nature helped me to identity with her, I'm sure SM's point with that. Edward seemed less dangerous and mysterious after her change, but no less devoted. She was now equal to him in a certain aspect and that lessened the star crossed lover edge. But, her lack of catching on kinda always kept me one step from her too - I mean she really believed him when he said he didn't want her anymore, she thought he went to Italy because he felt guilty, she thought he didn't want her to become a vampire for selfish reasons.

The action with the Volturi. I thought the purely mental action at the end was a change from the previous three. Why does every book have to end with some giant fight for conflict. It was suspenseful, shouldn't that be enough? And who cares if she has a power now...didn't anyone else see that coming?

So, in conclusion, who cares that she traded her soul for EVERY single thing she ever wanted. With the ending of the saga, I wanted to be able to always think of them together forever out there somewhere happy and that's what I got. I mean how can we expect a reality based outcome of this saga when one of the main characters is so amazing perfect: physically (the eyes, the muscles, the hair, the smile, the voice), intelligent with two medical degrees, musical, a good dresser, drives a Volvo, good dancer, good cook, polite, fiercely loyal, compassionate, virtuous, completely devoted to her protection, needs and wants both as a human (he saved her multiple times, made sure she ate and slept, watched her sleep, even had sex with her as a human at her request) and vampire....jez, mankind or should I say womankind everywhere is ruined.

That's my two cents. I'm off to reread Twilight now...

I absolutely loved the book, but I came to a conclusion to why some people felt disappointed with it. Since, I started late in reading the saga and all four was already out. I didn't have to wait it out like most people did, anticipating, waiting, assuming, and reading spoilers. They ruined it for themselves. I even hesitated to read the first book, but had to know for myself why people loved it so much especially with the movie coming out, I knew i had to read it before I watch it. Hopefully the movie is exactly what I imagine everything in my head coming to life, well the screen! lol
Overall, I read all four books within four days because I was so intrigued with it that I had to finish it, all of it (the saga). I love details and Meyer is extremely detailed, I can't explain myself without saying everything I believe is needed to be said, to be understood!
Anyways, some people believe she was "imprinting" (lol) bad morals onto young girls, I'm 20 years old, I did not once try to put Bella's life into mine. It was more of a fantasy world that I knew did not exist even though, it would be awesome to have an "Edward" of mine, but it is all for fun and the love of books that bring you to another world. I'm a picky reader, I can only read books that intrigue me to a point I'm stuck and I can't stop! I love it. I loved the way Meyer writes and everything it has to do with the Twilight series, I definitely did not want it to end! To my excitement, I found out about Midnight Sun, Edwards version of twilight with his view and thoughts. YES! I got to understand him even more, but I am not going to ruin it for myself with spoilers, well except for the unedited chapter 1 that could be found on Stephenie Meyer's website, I couldn't help myself even though i roughly knew what to expect. Also some people complained, in Twilight, Bella was too obsessed with Edward, but since it was her narrative I'm sure I would have done the same, but now we get Edwards version which I'm sure he is as much obsessed with her as she is with him.
So people feel a little disappointed because they ruined it for themselves. All I can say is, have fun! books are meant for the imagination where anything could happen, good or bad. So chill out people and read and get lost in this magnificent world in which Meyer has blessed ourself to created for us to share her love for Bella and Edward too!

I can't understand how anyone could be disappointed!!
Just like Edward said, I got EVERYTHING I wanted and so much more I never thought to ask!
Stephenie is brilliant in her storytelling and what's so wrong with a PERFECT happily ever after anyway? Who wants to feel depressed after reading a book? Thinking back, the ending for New Moon and Eclipse both were bittersweet endings to me and I was sincerely hoping that the final book was going to be the perfect happy ending and it was! I have already re-read all the books (which I've never done before with any other books) This will definitely be a re-read for me for many years to come. Thank you Stephenie for the most awesome conclusion to a brilliant series that I hate to say goodbye to!

This book is not a lot of things: linguistically complex, rich in description, full of well-developed characters. Lovers of vampire lore will find that it is not particularly dark or detailed - Meyer seems more interested in the way being a vampire might affect your relationships than any other aspect of the myth. On the other hand, it's very fun to read.

This book might not meet any definition of masterpiece: it would be fair to call the narrative simplistic and the style is meant for teenagers, and it's meant to entertain, not to challenge. The plot is not hard to follow or hard to predict. The characters are fairly one-dimensional, especially the minor characters such as the mother and father and the "ordinary" friends at school.

And yet, this is one of the literary confections I have most enjoyed in recent years. The metaphor for teenage love is apt: what teenager has not fallen recklessly for someone who clearly might hurt her? What teenager doesn't seem, at times, ravenous for destruction and a risk to himself and those he loves the most? As metaphors for different kinds of transformation, vampires and werewolves are very powerful.

It's light reading, to be sure, five hundred pages of Meyer's book fly by faster than fifty of a Jane Austen novel I recently read. More story could have been condensed into the pages, but to what end? I enjoyed how she lingered indulgently on moments that are meant to be satisfying and titillating.

Is this about inspiring young women? Does it need to be? The protagonist of this book is caught up in the events around her: rather than seeking adventure, she finds she has attracted it. She rises to the occasion in a believable way for a teenager, but she's not meant to be exceptionally gifted. She's good at biology and she's a loner, but she's not a hero figure. Her talent if any, is balancing two realities - something many children from divorced families know how to do well.

And that should be enough. There is something very pleasurable about the idea that you might be whisked away from ordinary life by coincidence or destiny. Having a heroine who is outspoken or remarkable shouldn't be a requirement for young adult reading. Some characters get to stumble into great lives, just like in adult fiction.

The character of Edward is more extraordinary and more noteworthy both - and for good reason - the revelation of his existence and the unraveling of his mystery are the real drivers of the plot. Full of self-restraint, he harkens back to characters in 19th-century novels. He is in control and represents the ideal of a man who can act for selfless reasons even while racked with selfish desires.

Is this an exaggeration? Of course. But it's a brilliant insight into a teenage (and adult) fantasy: to have a lover both young (seventeen) and mature (he's been alive for a lot longer); someone who is passionately in love with you and yet must express himself in the quaintest, most innocent ways. It may be ground well-covered, but it's ground that has been well-covered for a reason: it's a very appealing fantasy. Meyer picked an excellent and evocative premise when she chose the idea of a teenage vampire in love with a human girl, and she deserves credit for making the most of that premise.

With all this having been said, I feel obligated to note, I am a reader of romance novels and a lover of romantic comedies who enjoys stories that strike an emotional nerve and fulfill a fanstasy even if they do so at expense of realism, artistic vision, or meaningful depth. I know that it matters more, in some cases, how well a story meets my expectations for it than how well it is written. Great prose can also disappoint you with an usatisfying ending and still be worth reading. Really masterful prose can lack a beginning or ending and still be worth reading. But sometimes as readers, we'll trade a certain amount of quality for a happy ending.

As a fulfillment of a fantasy of being considered mysterious by someone mysterious, being drawn into a world that is unique and apart from the banal, being singled out as special - this book is magnificent.

When I first heard of the book Twilight, I read the plot and found myself not as interested so I let it go. Before long, I heard the movie was coming out and I knew I had to get myself to read the book before seeing the movie, knowing I would end up watching it.
So when my book finally came in the mail, it took me awhile to actually sit down and get myself to read it knowing that I mostly knew the outline of the story because it was a bit obvious with the movie coming out and all.
When I started it went pretty good, I read a few chapters without stopping and I was able to put the book down. When I decided I wanted to start again, I couldn't stop reading it.
I had to know what was going through Bella's mind as she fell in love with the vampire, Edward. I could imagine what they look looked like, every scene, and every detail. I loved how detail oriented she was, like myself I can't help, but explain every detail because it only added to the importance of the story! I was so intrigued with every word and scene, I found it very hard to put down the book, but I had to sleep being in college summer school and all, plus work! I was already half way through the book and decided to buy New Moon the second book to the saga, hoping it would come before i finished.
Then it hit me when I continued to read, I was going to finish this book today, in a short few hours. I wanted to stop so I would be able to continue with New Moon, but knowing myself, once intrigued by a book, there was NO stopping and that was exactly what happened, I couldn't believe it, I finished it all in approximately a day, a new recored for such a big book. I was upset, I had to wait for my next book to be shipped, so I canceled my book and got the ebook (reading it this way was hard because its not as easy to lounge around with a laptop on your lap and according to my friends it was harder for them to concentrate looking at a bright screen, but I was fine and brave through it) and I also found myself not being able to stop and I had to get Eclipse (3rd book) and Breaking Dawn (4th book) ebook style.
So in other words, I LOVED all four books, some a little less, but nonetheless extremely satisfied with Stephenie Meyer and her imagination. I was an immediate fan for LIFE for Bella and Edward! Also I could understand why some people found the last book disappointing because they had to wait and anticipated and assume what would happen, but because I read all 4 in four days ( I know, I'm crazy =]) I knew exactly where she was going at and know finding myself wanting to re-read every book, but maybe the old fashion way, on paper!
For people who felt she was giving young girls a wrong impression, I got none and I'm 20 years old, I knew this was fantasy and imagined myself within that fantasy and not relating to the real world about the ideas, except I wouldn't mine finding myself a vampire like Edward, but we all know this isn't true and just for fun. So live a little and just let yourself get lost in this world. (well try not to be like me, I'm sure it's not healthy to read all 4 books in short periods of time since they are long!) I never write book reviews, and I found it within myself, that I MUST back up Stephenie Meyer and all her fans, and I'm glad I did. Hate all you want (bad reviewers, 1 star? come on!), but I am utterly in LOVE with this WHOLE saga and world!

When I originally heard about this series, I was like cool another Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But instead there is this insipid girl risking her life for so called love. The casual way she risk her life is misleading and dangerous, I was totally underwhelmed. I literally read the book out of stubborness and boredom but I was repulsed by the simpleness of Bella. To me it seems to encourage suicide.

All the fuss over this book was really making me curious to read it for myself. Romance is not my thing, but my curiosity wouldn't let me ignore the buzz. Killing some time as I was waiting to be seated at Olive Garden, I walked to a Borders Books in the same shopping center. In front of the store was a table dedicated to Twilight and the sequels. I gave in to my curiosity and decided to buy it. As I waited in the car for the restaurants pager to go off I started reading. Turned out my pager was dead so I got about 100 pages in. I guess I read close to another 50 later on that night. At this point I was totally baffled why this book was so successful. My journal entry for that day read "She is far from being the best writer in the world as some people are claiming. The whole premise is kind of silly. I'm not sure how much longer the book can go on before it is ridiculous."

Having just finished the book I agree with myself. The book is very cliché and predictable. Bella's name should be Mary Sue. I definitely feel the authors self insertion. Why doesn't Bella have any aspirations or dreams for her future? She acts like a house wife in the making. For being the main character her development is rather shallow. Besides being infatuated with Edward the only hobby she has is reading. How many times do we need a stock character that can't see her own beauty, has a man think for her, in love at first sight, pursued a male who has a secret, or is a damsel in distress? Young girls are swooning over Edward. Is he really someone you want a young girl to swoon over? He stalks and breaks in to watch Bella sleep. What 100+ person would even want to be around a teenager let alone date one? Supposedly he has hunted and eaten people, but he is 100+ year old virgin because he wouldn't have sex with someone he didn't love. Not to mention that he claimed he could accidently crush the person. Wouldn't he rather crush someone he had a one night stand with then a loved one? He could have a snack after too.

One thing that stood out when I was only 150 pages in was how everyone was depicted as beautiful. Pretty much the only people who weren't, the old lady in the book store and Bella's almost rapist. By using the Amazon search inside feature I found that she refers to how beautiful everyone is 50 times. That's a lot considering how thin the plot is. In a nutshell the book is, I hate the rain and Edward is a hot vampire. Eyes are also over mentioned. The word appears 293 times. Most of the sentences in the book start with "I..." It's like reading a diary of ditsy teeny bopper.

Up to page 375 there is hardly any action. This action ends on page 451. With 498 pages you think there would be more the 47 pages of something happening. This book should not have gone over the 200 page mark. Even with trimming off 300 pages there would still be a lot of filler.

Fans tell those who aren't drooling over the books to not take the book so seriously or to not suspect much from a young adult book. Have these fans not heard of C.S Lewis? Why can only Twilighties write a serious review? People read reviews to learn the good and the bad points. Not to mention criticism helps a writer grow.

Even though this was definitely not my favorite book my curiosity will drive me to read the rest of the series. I don't think the book is worthy of the fuss it gets, but there is something about it that makes me want to see how the story will unfold.

I wanted to like this book. For one thing, it came highly recommended by reputable reader-friends (sorry guys, nothing personal). It took me a good 200 pages to even realize that I didn't like it, but as the pages slipped by, so did this book's potential to tell a convincing, complex and emotionally-gripping story.

I didn't mind the slow start. Bella Swan's teenage over-reaction that "the world is going to end, or at least suck for a while" when she moves from Phoenix to Forks, WA was a familiar yet believable theme for a young adult book. I forgave her silly name and her paralyzing (literally) clumsiness. For a while.

Then Bella discovers the attractive, standoffish, teenage vampire clique. Don't get me wrong, I knew there would be vampires. I had hoped they would bring some intrigue, interesting character interaction, and a few creative supernatural twists to the mix. I was wrong: Edward, the main vampire/love interest must be the most blatant example of author-male fantasy insertion in a story I have ever read--the way his beauty is praised ad-nauseum, as is his ability to out-play/perform/karate/run etc. every mortal/immortal on the planet in any game/sport/musical instrument/hand-to-hand combat/race etc. certainly attests to that. Edward and his (almost) equally Hollywood Hot family are less creatures of the night, and more a blend of Greek god and barbie doll whose baseball games are confused for thunderstorms by us mortals. They are also apparently perpetual high school students, moving to schools every few years to keep anyone from catching on. Is this consistent with Meyer's view of noble "vegetarian" vampires who only want to alleviate the mortal misery of their weak human neighbors? With Dr. Carlisle the one notable exception, I can't quite suspend my disbelief that a hundred years would NOT be enough time to fake your age, get into law school, med school, the foreign service branch of the state department...(or at least use certain inherent skills to become pool boys or tennis instructors).

All this was mildly irritating, but what really brought the star-count down for me was that this book had so much potential to challenge my perception of the world, to make me think. I kept reading because I expected there to be a twist...not a "gotcha" moment, but one where the characters grow too big for the box they've been placed in, where they become bold and try to deal with their issues. I wanted to Bella to challenge the emotionally manipulative hold Edward has on her. I wanted Edward to fail at something and discover humility, and even have to rely on Bella for a change. I wanted Bella and Edward to discover that there are consequences for misinterpreting an attraction based scent/beauty for one based on communication, compromise, and time. I kept reading, sure that something complex and meaningful would happen...

I hope I don't spoil anything when I say that the characters start off in the shallow end, and end up in the pool parking lot. When the action finally started at around pg 400, all I could think of was what one of the robots on Mystery Science Theater 3000 sarcastically remarked during a B-movie that was being thoroughly panned: "And the reason this part works so well is that we care about the characters!" If a random "bad guy" is suddenly going to appear at the end of a book and try to kill one of the main characters for no apparent reason, I want to at least care about them!

Finally, a brief note on the writing itself. I thought some of the mood-setting description was pretty well done, and honestly didn't notice anything truly jarring until after the appearance of Edward. Suddenly, cliches like "a carved statue", "an Adonis", "his angel face" surface at least every page or so, as do numerous purple descriptions of eye color meant to substitute for character depth. Over-dramatic facial expressions abound, especially in the more intimate moments: grimaced, shuddered, gaped, glared. And finally, the awkward dialog tags. Characters "demand", "chuckle", "mutter bleakly", but never "say" anything unless they say it "harshly", "quietly" or "tenderly". The line '"Yes", she agreed' made me laugh out loud. All these "little" things, once I started noticing them, made the character's actions seem even more inconsequential and ridiculous.

Bottom line: obviously this isn't literature, but neither is it a thought-provoking or even "fun" frivolous read. There just isn't any substance there to care about, no challenge, just a pretty boy and a "good-smelling" girl who needs to be rescued half a dozen times. Some other reviews have compared this book to fan-fiction, and I think that's a fair assessment. I've written overwrought fan-fiction in my time, complete with the "seagreen eyes" and "nymphlike shoulders" but that doesn't mean everyone's wish-fullfillment fantasy needs to blow into a doorstop of a book.

For a more convincing and complex approach to the violence and passion inflicted by one man's uncanny sense of smell, try Patrick Suskind's book Perfume.

Excellent Book, Excellent Pages. The pages are so soft and gentle on the rear. I bought 10 of this book and am using them as tiolet accessories. Page 200 is extra soft and I would recommend it to others

This is an excellent book, full of factoids that are even today being confirmed by "Barry" and his campaign.

The Best part is what the libs can't stand, the stunning analysis of his voting record, (which is not a lie as the votes are recorded) something which the MSM should be doing, but isn't. Gun Control, Abortion, Foreign affairs and several other topics are laid out for the reader to gain insight into a person who seeks the highest office in the land, but who is thoroughly out of his depth and has a very twisted socialist perspective. Excellent footnotes.

So many people bashing the book, one just has to ask; If Mr. Corsi's book is full of lies, why hasn't Mr. Obama threatened to sue? And how did it pass the scrutiny of the publishers lawyers? Read it yourself and make up your own mind!

I plan to read this book, so why have I given it five stars prior to reading it? Because I wanted to mimic the left wing fascists who hate the book who also haven't read it. The difference is I will read it. Maybe the left wing fascists who hate the book will host a book burning party with their politically correct friends.

One star simply because the author is using slander to combat a candidate rather than the truth.

What saddens me is that the once great Republican party is now filled with people like this -- notice the large numbers of five stars for a book that has already been discredited. They can't stand Obama (I'm undecided myself) and are willing to sacrifice truth, honor and good virtue in order to win. What a sad commentary for the average American -- stuck between ineffective Democrats and immoral Republicans. Where is an old-fashioned honorable, don't spend what you don't have, conservative to go?

The Twilight Saga is a must read! But make sure you don't have any pressing immediate issues to attend to because you will simply neglect everything but the books. Amazing! I could not put them down and each one was better then the next. This book tugs at your heart strings a bit - but so worth it. Stephanie Meyer does not dissapoint and I hope that she continues to write such thriling, entertaining and intense literature. 5 Stars!!!

I am not sure if the author was intending to make Bella like this or it just happened as she was writing...

I did enjoy the first two books and was enjoying the third one till Bella started being so ANNOYING... The author did eliminate the beauty of the book and turned Bella into a cheap selfish girl... I mean come on if this book is read by teens look at the message its delivering to them, there are many reading this book and obssessed by it...

I am not a Teen yet I love every now and then to read fantasy books and let my mind drift away... but reading this book all I saw was images of Bella making out with whoever passes her way... Its good that she didnt make out with Victoria... I dont know what happened but after all the smooching and shudderring that bella felt every time she touched someone, I start to wonder if this was a Fantasy book or a Sexual Fantasy Book...

There is a thin line between love and physical touch... and that is where the author lost it... I cant see Bella except like a self manipulating girl who wants to have everything... The author forgot that her target audience were mainly teens and she removed morals and ethics from the story...

I was really disappointed and decided to take a break before I read Book 4... Yet I cannot deny that the author has her way with words which makes you keep reading even if you dont like what you see...

PS: Read The host if you get the chance its a good book...

I absolutely love this series & the book was in somewhat acceptable condition when I received it.
However that's not what was promised. I purchased the book NEW & when I received it, the cover was completely scratched up.
I thought it could have been something in the mailing, but it was well-protected in the box. So I don't know why Amazon would send me a NEW book that LOOKED incredibly tatterd.
The series itself is fantastic!

Bella finds herself struggling between decisions. Edward or Jacob? Mortal or Immortal? Again, Bella pulls you in with her as she settles on her fate.

There are three back-stories in this third installment that are interesting; however, does not make it reader-friendly as a re-read, but still the story-line makes it almost unnoticable.

Wonderful story. The series should have ended here.

Each book just gets better and better......if you plan to read, you MUST start with Twilight, then New Moon, then Eclipse. Breaking Dawn is the 4th - will be released in Aug.

GREAT BOOKS for any age!

I thought it was a very very good book...for it's time! Don't get me wrong, yes, it was a great book! Everyone should read this!! I just thought it was a long long long long read, for such a so so ending. If you haven't read this, please give it a try, I just didn't think it lived up to the "Best Graphic Novel"

I'm not going to make this long but basically I saw the trailer for the movie and was blown away. When I found out it was based on "the greatest graphic novel of all time" I knew I just had to get a copy. I'm not much of a comic person but the artwork is impressive. The story has interesting characters, the ending is VERY unpredictable. Other than that, if you're like me and you read lots of novels, short stories, and movie scripts don't expect to be knocked off your feet.

I hope the movie does well for everyone involved. The special effects will have everyone running to see it. After the first two weeks of release we'll see how well it does. If you're like me, a person who had never even heard of the Watchmen before, read the book and post what you think.

Not bad but not "incredible" either.

Watchmen is not only an amazing comic, but an amazing novel as well. Originally a 12 part comic book series, the graphic novel "Watchmen" is a must read for comic book fans and fans of drama novels. If you think this is a common superhero novel, think again. The group of heroes this book tells about have no super-powers, except for one. This book deconstructs the basic superhero archetype and gives us human superheroes. Characters like the Nite Owl and Rorschach suffer from all kinds of problems that everyday human beings go through. "Watchmen" is a very human story. Now, the story is set in an alternate 1985 and it deals with the death of one of the heroes and the finding out of who did it while in the meantime, America is ever closer to a nuclear war with Russia. They are many flashbacks that tell the back story of the main characters and these flashbacks relate to the current story. In addition, there are many twists and moments that will have you on the edge of your seat. The book has a very cinematic quality to it and Dave Gibbons art is iconic while Alan Moore's story telling is legendary. Never before have I been so immersed in a comic book before. Once you pick this one up, you can't put it down. Reading it once does no justice, you have to (and you will) read again and again. I have read hundreds and hundreds of novels in my life and "Watchmen" is one of the best and most important novels I have ever read. You can relate to the characters and their situations so much; you forget that you're reading a comic. All in all, if you've never read a graphic novel, start here. "Watchmen" is a must read and a must buy for comic fans, or drama fans. Now that the movie is coming, this book will fly off the shelves. Buy it, read it, love it, read it again.

I was given this book by younger friends, with a certain amount of trepidation on their part. They need not have worried, for this is a fantastic piece of work, beautifully-drawn, consistently intriguing. Want to know what super-heroes are REALLY like? This will get you inside their minds ... and his super-heroes are orders of magnitude more interesting than Batman, Superman, et al.

The most acclaimed graphic novel of all-time, this collects the seminal twelve-issue "Watchmen" 1986-1987 DC Comics mini-series written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons. This self-contained, marginally fictional universe is mostly set in mid-1980s New York City during a fifth Nixon term and heightened cold war tensions. The main characters are ex-superheroes (based on old Charlton Comics characters but unique to this series) that have been banned by the US government and now seem to be mysteriously disappearing. Besides the nearly omnipotent blue giant Dr. Manhattan, these heroes are mostly simple masked vigilantes without superpowers. Fictional primary source material (magazine articles, book excerpts, letters, etc.) appears between each issue to provide further background on the characters.
Since a new hardcover edition is coming out in November 2008, Amazon is currently selling this 400-plus page TPB for only $11 - one of the best deals I've ever seen them offer. There's enough in this regular edition to render any "deluxe editions" superfluous. I'll see and probably enjoy the March 2009 movie but there's no way that all of the rewarding intricacies of this story will make it to the big screen. Read this first!

Stephenie Meyer's second in the series continues to develop the characters we love.

Another 5 stars for the series.

The story picks right up where Twilight left off (well a few months have past between stories) But a most perplexing injury makes Bella the popular girl at the party of fasting vampires. Oh no! Does a rift form between Bella and Edward?

....A great follow up in the series....

I am in love with this series & I haven't read anything better since Harry Potter! I found that these stories were so pure & innocent in the sense of romance as opposed to some trashy, shallow romance novel.
It took quite the imagination to create this world of vampires & mortals & I would give Meyer more than two thumbs up if I had more than two thumbs!

I am not exactly sure why Stephenie's books are so riveting - there is just something about the way she tells the story - simply amazing!
This book is pretty much a downer of a book, yet I continued to turn the pages at a rapid pace, waiting for what I could only hope would eventually happen, and I was not disappointed!
As I stated in my review of Twilight, I do not believe these books would be half as good, written by a man. Stephenie is somehow able to pour the intensity of her character's emotions directly into the written word, where you yourself end up directly feeling the agonizing pain or extreme joy, as if you yourself knew these characters personally.

If you have not yet decided to read this series, I highly recommend that you do so!!

In this book, I noticed that Bella's emotions became my emotions, obviously connecting with her from Twilight, and carried forward in this stellar sequel. Depressing, riveting, and exciting!

Just as good as Twilight.

As a 39 year old Mother of two young boys, this is NOT my typical type of book to read. I've never been one for horror, mystery or science fiction. I don't generally read books aimed at young adults (except Harry Potter). Too many adults I knew raved about these books and finally I couldn't ignore their recommendations. I bought the first and second book in the series, thinking that if I didn't like them I wouldn't have invested too much money or time. Well, I'm hooked and now I've purchased the other two as well. These books are pure entertainment and a great way to escape at the end of my busy days. To any adult that may be thinking that these books are not for them...give Twilight a try, you won't be disappointed!

Yes, this is a marvelous tale of compassion and dedication. But there are reasons to fear that it's sadly misdirected and may not accomplish all that it might.

The problem lies in the basic mission of the Central Asia Institute as stated on their website (ikat dot org): "To Promote and support community-based education, especially for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan." That's backed up by the picture at the top of that web page, which has what appears to be four girls and a single boy reading books, the boy appearing smaller, more withdrawn, and slightly separated from the girls. The girls belong to a group. He is an outsider. The cover of this book displays an even greater bias. It shows three girls and no boys.

Educating girls is good. Educating boys is good. But educating girls in preference to boys is a prescription for disaster, particularly in that culture and at this time in history. Why? Because in that volatile, ideologically driven culture, it creates the danger that education will become something that girls do and boys don't. Boys will seek meaning elsewhere, particularly in drugs and violence, both easily available in that region. The more Western the education being given to girls, the more anti-Western these boys will become. And if I had to state which side would win, it would be those angry young men. Size, strength, and violence trump all else. These schools may meet with less opposition than they would have met had they laid special stress on educating boys instead. Greg Mortenson's foes may know something he doesn't.

Last year, a friend talked to me about programs in Africa that help women set up small businesses. When I asked him what that would mean for all the now-unnecessary young men, deprived of any role in family life, he had no answer. When I pointed out to him that a few thousand angry young men could reduce the typical African country to absolute chaos, nullifying all the good those programs for women might accomplish, he still had no answer.

Not amount of politically correct dogma can erase one important fact. If you want to establish a healthy, stable society, you need devote much greater effort to turning boys into the right sort of men than you do teaching girls to be women. Feminist may rage, but biology drives what girls become. Culture determines whether boys become dedicated fathers or angry, sexual predators.

If they truly want to "fight terrorism and build nations one school at at time," Greg Mortenson and his Central Asia Institute need to reverse their emphasis, taking on the far more difficulty task of training and educating boys to be men. Otherwise, I fear much of their effort may be in vain and even counterproductive.

--Michael W. Perry

Greg is an inspiration. I hope to take the message of his book and contribute in someway myself. At a time when I disagree so whole-heartedly with the way our government is conducting itself, it is nice to find someone like Greg to give us hope. Would these "evil terrorists" as George W. would call them, even exist if they had an opportunity to have a balanced education. Something we American's take for granted. The heroics come not form being proud, having to puff out our chest and show that we are something. No, heroics is true compassion, it is a humble man like Greg and all of those who support him. This is a book that everyone should read.

This is an amazing book. As many other reviewers have said, it may even change your life. Greg Mortensen's story is a real page-turner and in the end I think you will say something like: "Wow. I had no idea. In the face of incredible obstacles, one person with a heart can have a huge impact."

Read this book. Give a copy to a friend.

The book is excellent and vividly written. My Great Books Club is studying it in October and both the author and Greg Mortenson are coming to give programs in Rockford, IL this fall. I hope to catch them both. And Amazon - thank you for all the great service and no screw-ups all these years! Marion Wilke

Everyone should read this inspirational book that takes readers into the heart of a foreign land most will never set foot upon. I am amazed at the challenges that Greg Mortensen faced, yet still he forged onward despite obstacle after obstacle. Unable to summit the world's second highest peak in the Himalaya, Mortensen stumbles upon a village called Korphe in his descent after almost losing his life on K2. Befriended by these humble, loyal people, Mortensen vows to build a school for this village. This promise turns into decades, and a lifetime, of revolutionizing Pakistan and Afghanistan's educational systems.

If anyone questions the heroism in Mortensen and the slew of financial supporters in the United States and the core group in Pakistan, it is evidenced by the thousands of school children that would never have received the education that they were afforded if not by the Central Asia Institute (CAI). The most phenomenal aspect of this book is that it successfully illustrates how consequential are the negative stereotypes Westerners have of Islamic culture. Relin and Mortensen beautifully illustrate the peaceloving men and women of this region and how poverty and ignorance are more responsible for the dilemmas of religious extremism far more than anything else. Though this book most certainly does not primarily serve as a critique on the US's role in Iraq, the book keenly and sadly sheds light on America's major missteps and failures in the war through the personal testimonies of the people he meets. Mortensen and the CIA's efforts to bring books to Pakistan and Afghanistan- rather than bombs- was a major effort of bravery, courage, and determination and one that hauntingly illustrates the unnecessary loss of human life.

Before you read any book, please find out first who is behind it. This is very sad!!!Please give your money to a non-profit instead.

Wow, what happened to the days when people read a book before they reviewed it?

I originally ordered "The Obama Nation" by Jerome Corsi, but after hearing the controversy around that book and several of its minor inaccuracies I decided to purchase this book as well to give me a more accurate portrayal of Obama. I am very impressed with this book. Freddoso has done extensive research on this topic, which can be seen in the over 740 footnotes contained in this book. The book points out facts about Obama that the media has conveniently decided to ignore, such as Obama's dirty Chicago politics (kicking all other candidates off the ballot based on technicalities so he would be the only option), his radical influences (Rev. Wright, Willaim Ayers, Tony Rezko, Frank Marshall Davis, Saul Alinsky), and his controversial stance on abortion (killing a bill that even NARAL went neutral on). This book exposes Obama for what he is and what he plans to do.

For those who would like to learn more about Obama, this is a great book. He does the research and documents actual events in Obama's career, uses quotes from Obama's own books and interviews, etc. A lot of the people saying this book is full of lies don't give any details of what exactly the lies are, or provide documentation.

The fact is that there have been lies both about Obama and McCain. However, it's hard to say that something is a lie when there is a paper trail that backs it up. The reason this book is credible is that it uses references from the time when Obama wasn't on the national stage - and many of the references come from liberal-leaning journals.

If Obama supporters want to argue against this book by pointing out actual facts that belie the evidence presented, that is one thing. Simply calling the author names or saying the book is full of lies doesn't cut it for me. Many of the facts cited in this book are taken from Obama's own autobiographies and interviews. I have read "the Audacity of Hope" and found some troubling sections. When I pointed these out to a few people who support Obama, they said those were lies. But they were in Obama's own book!

At any rate, this book meets a high criteria for research and so it can't merely be dismissed as a smear.

David Freddoso's The Case Against Barack Obama is the perfect antidote to the media's unhealthy obsession with, what has to be, the most overrated candidate for the presidency in history. Unlike in Jerome Corsi's The Obama Nation, Freddoso's analysis is not so much about the senator's life as it is about the specifics of his political career. It's a concise work and he ventures into fewer gray areas than Corsi does. However, in my opinion, both publications are excellent and essential for those who wish to understand the reality of Barack Obama rather than the dream. Thanks to the press's refusal to examine him closely, conservative samizdat sources are all we have as a means to fully identity the man who was not there.

Freddoso's first chapter places Obama solidly within the travesty and corruption that is the Chicago political system. What the author proves is not that the Democratic nominee is corrupt but that he is the exact opposite of a reformer. He had a chance to initiate "change" and "hope" in Chicago by backing bipartisan efforts to vote out the Stroger machine, but Obama refused to do so. In the Illinois Senate he managed to vote "Present" 130 times and this is in keeping with his history. He always neglects to demonstrate the courage of his convictions or even make them publicly known (which was true of his performance at the Saddleback Church the other night). He takes no chances.

During the primaries he was politics as usual. Before the Iowa Caucuses, he gave 30 grand to the state's Senate Majority and House Truman funds. In New Hampshire he donated 9 thousand to both of the state's Congressmen and 15 grand to committees for the reelecting of Democrats. He garnered his support the old-fashioned way...he distributed patronage. Well, there's nothing wrong with that legally, but his career clashes with the notion that he is somehow a reformer. By reneging on his pledge to take public financing, he's indicated that there is nothing new about him. He plays to his advantage at all times.

Freddoso showcases that fact that Obama's appeal, at its core, is a bag of air: as an orator he "is cotton candy." Freddoso cites sources who dub him "a kind of human Rorschach test" and that the Obamanauts love him for who they think he'll be rather than what he is. Personally, I enjoyed "Obamessiah" (Chapter 4) the most as it illustrates just how irrational the devotion of his fans is. The man is running a "theological campaign." The author makes the same point here that Corsi does which is that any criticism of him gets morphed into a "smear" or becomes a symbol of the "old politics." For anyone who wonders how Obama got this far or what he's really about, The Case Against Barack Obama should be required reading.

The book "The Case Against Barack Obama: The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media's Favorite Candidate" should be required reading for every intelligent American voter.

This book has some interesting information in it, but I don't think it is written especially well. I had trouble staying interested in the book. It is not the kind of book that you have trouble putting down! However, there is some interesting info. in it.

When you get right down to it, that's exactly what this is. Any excuse not to elect the best man for the job in years.

Very ionformative and non-partisan. Makes you wish that the American public would wake up and throw them all out of office!

This book sat on my desk for a month before I had a chance to read it, and I would have been better off skipping it all together. The sole purpose of this diatribe is to spread fear just before the election in November. The supposed "facts" are scatological, misleading, disingenuous and outright fabrications. "Fleeced" is a means to rip Obama by instilling fear in the electorate that he is essentially an evil man with an immoral agenda. This is how the far rightwing ideologues behaved in the last two presidential elections, and it worked so why change now and try to speak the truth instead. I could list dozens of outright misleading claims, but I'll mention one a an example. True that Americans are disappointed that Congress has not achieved much since the 2006 election, but the fault is not with the Democrats as Morris would have you believe. The House has passed a number of significant bills that were sent on to the Senate and then died. But there are 50 Dems, 1 independant and 49 Republicans in a body that requires three-quarters to approve a bill. The Republicans (As they did when they ruled during Clinton's last years) continually block every single bill resulting in no bills being passed. Morris simply ignores that fact because it doesn't support his claim. This book is filled with such bizarre "facts" that simply don't stand up to investigation. This book serves as nothing more than a political agenda to continue spreading fear in the belief it will work again - and it very well may.

This book is a lie from its front cover to the back - it is nothing more than a desperate neo-conservative effort to hold onto the free ride they have had on the backs of middle-class Americans since Reagan began his systematic destruction of protections that were put in place to avoid exactly the debacle we find ourselves in now. Big oil, deregulation of all markets, corporations defining themselves as individuals, banks getting into the buying and selling of mortgages as though they were chips in a casino instead of people's lives, bail-out of multi-billion dollar corporations by the taxpayer who gets no breaks at all, but must simply tighten his belt as he watches his income dwindle, jobs go overseas, cheap goods force small businesses out, etc., etc., etc.

He claims the Dems want to raise taxes - maybe they do - on the wealthiest individuals and corporations who up to now have been paying NOTHING and reaping huge rewards. And how do you think our infrastructure is supported? Emergency services, police, firemen, flood control, roads, bridges, the elderly, disabled, children, schools. That is part of what our tax dollars are supposed to support, not bail-outs, not corporate jets, not corrupt contractors and especially not illegal wars brought about by the indisputable lies of an administration bought and paid for by big oil and multi-billion dollar interests who have no agenda other than their own pocketbooks.

Yeah, go ahead, by this big red lie. It supports the raping of America.