Science Fiction Fantasy Books

My daughter has now read through Volume 5 of the series. She really enjoyed the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid", so I ran upon the Bone series when looking for other graphic novels. She enjoys the humor and has shared the books with her friends.

The only drawback off this TPB is its length - this comics is simplistic so you go through the book fast. But the story is great, characters are engaging and you have to wait for the next volume.
Note - this edition is colored and is really beautiful. Can't imaging it in any other quality.

This volume of the Bone adventures picks up where the first one left off, and is equally fun and interesting. It would be hard not to love the Bone series, with the wonderful characters and humorous situations. This is great stuff, and I highly recommend it to graphic novel lovers.

Again my son loves the Bone Series and it helps encourage him to read because he enjoys the books so much.

Wow! There is something truly amazing about the images and words of "Bone". At heart, it's a fairy tale, but one that appeals to the child in the adult and the adult in the child.

After reading Hard Contact, a fun book, I was excited to read Triple Zero. This book is the second of a trilogy and expands the storyline by introducing characters and concepts lightly touched on in Hard Contact.

Overall, the book was interesting for those who like to learn more about who Clone Troopers are and how they might be used in the Star Wars universe. Certainly we're introduced to Kal Skirata, the mentor so frequently hinted at in "Hard Contact". There is also an interesting perspective of the non-Jedi in this SW universe.

But at its core, this book is a failure for three main reasons:

1. The central plot of this book revolves around taking down a terrorist network on Corusant. But the author clearly did very little research into terrorist networks, military maneuvers, and generally how to write an anti-terror story. The entire story leads up to a central battle that takes up just a few pages. That's right, the entire book leads to a peak of something like 3 pages. We're to believe that this team of about 10 clones is this incredible fighting force, yet they go up against a team not much larger than their own with far, far less training and it's supposed to be "will anyone return home alive" material?

2. The core theme, that Kal Skirata loves his hand picked clone trooper "sons" is absolutely bashed on your head. Time and time and time again. The author has taken the easy way out and simply TOLD us that this is true, rather than showing us and assuming we can figure it out on our own. (If you've read "Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter", you'll recognize this massively repetitious plot device - hand it to the read on a silver platter rather than letting them figure out your character's personality on their own)

3. Several plot points build and build throughout the book, and like the key battle, unfold and finalize in a matter of a few paragraphs. One barked order and bam! problem solved. One quickie conversation and bam! problem solved.

Don't get me wrong - this was still a fun book to read. It had a enjoyable, if not poorly executed, build up to the conclusions. It's just that after 300+ pages, by the time resolutions came around, I was extremely let down. I could almost deal with the frequent plot holes that felt like pages were missing, but the biggest issue was that I just didn't get any sort of decent payoff at the end.

At the end of "Hard Contact", I was excited to keep reading about the team and learning more about who they were and where they came from. At the end of Triple Zero, I'm trying to decide whether to bother with the final book of the series.

I absolutely love this author's style of story telling when presenting the stories of the clone special forces. Her characters have depth and her unique professional experience reported in her bio really shows through when presenting the clones and Mando warriors as tight knit groups of professional soldiers living and fighting for each other. Her stories just have a realism to them that most authors who publish SW stories just don't have.

I could barely put this book down. If I didn't have to work I probably would have finished it in one day. I finished it in two. I am now starting the next book.

Before starting the Republic Commando series, I had been a fairly avid Star Wars fan, but had read none of the EU novels. I was pleasantly surprised by 'Hard Contact,' especially in terms of pace, characterization, and the realistic atmosphere Traviss created through her own military experiences and research. However, 'Triple Zero' maintains little of these qualities: it actually expanded on some nitpicky issues I had with the first, as well as adding a few more of its own.

My major issue with this novel is the writing, namely the tendency to tell instead of show thoughts and emotions, as well as the author's refusal to let her story carry her message, and instead insert her opinion into the narration itself. There is little question that the novel is meant to portray clones, and by extension Mandalorians, as noble people downtrodden by the bloated Republic and the ignorant "civvies." This idea is reiterated a few times every chapter, not just by characters, but by the narration itself. I found this jarring to the point of grating--Traviss's tight writing in 'Hard Contact' becomes unbearably preachy in this book, almost berating the reader for even considering that clones/Mandalorians are anything less than heroes of the galaxy. Kal Skirata, who intrigued me in the first book, is little more than a mouthpiece for this idea.

In terms of plot, one of the biggest disappointments of this book was the complete lack of pace in the romance between Etain and Darman--there is nothing but a couple lines of dialog leading up to "the big moment." Also, I certainly wouldn't expect an explicit sex scene in a YA book, but the fact that no true moment of intimacy between the two is ever shown caused me to care less about their relationship (which should be momentous).

I have other issues with the book as well, but these stood out most to me. Not to say the book is irredeemable, however--from what I hear, the RC series is leaps and bounds better than most EU novels, and if you are a fan of the clones or the Mandalorians (like I am), there's enough in here to keep you going.

I loved the first Republic commando book, it was fun, it was gritty, it was interesting. Unfortunately, I can't say any of those statments apply to this second book. The book is vague and confusing, halfway through the book you're still wondering what the point is, the entire thing was one dull, stupid spill of the authors uninteresting and overly repetetive thoughts.

Most of the book is taken up either worshipping the Mandolorians, hating the Jedi, or whining about 'the injustices' done to the clone army. The reason I have a problem with worshipping Mando's and hating Jedi is this. Mando's like to hide in their home planet and do tribal dances all their life, their existance is so utterly pointless to the Star Wars story, that it is basically impssible to be interested in the story. Yet at the same point the book hates on Jedi, why? Because they do not see the 'injustices' done to the main character's Mandolorian brothers, namely the clones. The entire book is one miniscule group whining about how the galaxy isn't paying attention to their problems. We're in the middle of a war here people, the last thing we need is a few whiny people screaming their uninteresting problems to the entire galaxy. The Mando's feel that the clones are being used, they have no rights or anything.

This is a Commando book, we don't want humane society complaints, we want the opposite, we want guns, explosions and shooting. I'm all for the value of human life, but why in a sci-fi "action" book (if you can call it that).

As I just hinted too, this book has a total of three action parts, not fifteen, like in the previous book, but three, three boring ones at that.
The book doesn't take place in a gritty jungle, it takes place in a nice clean city, where nothing interesting happens. All the characters do is, hang out in a bar, and complain about how the Jedi are 'evil'. The Jedi are trying to save everyone in the galaxy, you are trying to save, yourselves, and yourselves only. Which brings up another problem, everybody in this book is selfish, arrogant and emotional, I couldn't bring myself to like any of them, even the returning characters.

Overall, this entire book sucks, it sucks dog crud. If you liked the first book, don't read this one.

First of all i have a question about graystripe's drawing. Why does he have a mohawk? Besides that it was great, I was a little disapointed because you couldn't really see what Brightheart really looked like. But i think that was for the best because if you think about it, the real warriors books put a picture in the readers' minds and they probably don't really want to see what she really looks like. I might add that this book is more of a kids book, so it wouldn't be good for kids to see the violence that really goes on in a warrior's life. I think Erin Hunter wanted to stay away from the graphical stuff about the fighting as much as possible.

I love Warriors, and I was excited about the fact that they made a series about Graystripe's journey. I finished it in 10 minutes, and I was very dissapointed in this book. The pictures were horrible, and it wasn't even manga! The plot was boring and cheesy, and you can't get absorbed in it. Millie is awesome in the books and so is Graystripe, but here, Graystripe is just like "I can't become a kittypet. I must stick to the warrior code!" Millie may be sweet in PoT, but here she's just another boring kittypet. Warrior fans, do not read it!

Everyone loves the Warriors series ( at least, they should ). When I saw the preview for this comic book, I wasn't really that excited. I wasn't in to manga, so who cares?
One of my friends lent me the book ( if he's reading this now, I thank him )one morning in school, and I finished it within half-an-hour.
Let me get down to the basics:
On the cover of this comic book, and I'm sure many other Warriors fans agree, there is a picture of Graystripe. What's with him? He looks evil almost, half of him hidden in the shadows, these sharp, cold eyes, and this pointy hairdo which looks like it popped off of a rock star and jumped on Grayytripe's head. I thought Graystripe to be kind looking and gentle- not this guy.
Secondly, Brightheart in the books got one whole half of her head ripped off. In this comic, her eye is just closed. WHAT????
Thirdly, who ever illistrated- James Barry, I think - made Millie have this really odd M on her head, like he was labeling her even though we already knew her.
Graystripe and Millie fell in love way too fast, too. why does he abandon Silverstream for this dumb she-cat? In the actual books, Millie is tough and smart, but in the comics she's afraid of everything and stupid.
The plot is okay, but not great. It all happens to fast.
And Feathertail looks very queer in this comic- she has a sort of flip of hair on her head. Very weird. Not to mention the thick eyelashes on every she-cat.
Anyways, it's good to borrow the book from a good friend, then give it back after half an hour.
I hope this helped,
Moonwhsiker

Everyone says its too short but... isn't that why there are 3 of them?
I loved this book. It was awesome. The pictures are drawn wonderfully and you get to see what happened to Graystripe. I was in the mall when I bought this book, and when I started reading it, it was so good I had to rush back to the bookstore and get the second one.

My daughter was horribly disappointed when she got this book in today. She is a fast reader and was looking forward to another Warrior book. Too bad I didn't know what "manga" meant. I have since looked it up and it is Japanese comic book art work. I wish the description paragraph about the book would have stated it was a comic book. I didn't understand the reference to "teenage humans with kitty ears." Now I do. What a waste of money if you want to read, not look at pictures.

Secret pouches, treasure gems, letters, pirate flags...lots of fun!

We bought this for our young children (5-year old and 4-year old) as they were excited by the Pirates of the Caribbean movie trilogy.

We bought this book along with "Pirates" by John Matthews last year. We take the books off the shelf every couple months and read through them for bedtime. The books will stay in our collection for years to come.

This book helps introduce a large amount of new vocabulary but, more importantly, covers so much ground that it acts as a fantastic springboard to further study history or science.

Avast thar ye bilge rat, I thumbed through this yar book at thee "Pirates of the Caribbean" shop in Disneyworld and me thinks, "I gots to get me one of these treasures". Knowings thats Amazon can beat prices like a full broadside I waited and ordered online once I got home, saving about ten dollars. This book is amazing with all kinds of stories, pictures, and facts. Aye, Ye kids may be setting up a pirate camp once they reads it. This will entertain ye kids five to one hundred and five. If you or anyone you know thinks pirates are interesting, cool, or scalliwags of the Earth, be sure to get them this here book matey. I highly recommend this yar book for ye piratical family types especially.

it's a great book, filled with all kinds of pirate facts, legends, stories, and "artifacts" . My godson got a real kick out of it. He loves pirates and the book is written as if first-hand by a privateer (a pirate commissioned by the government to hunt down enemy state vessels, and rogue pirate ships).

This book will definitely be one he enjoys for many years. Some of the subject matter is just within his attention level and understanding, but the more intricate details and artifacts will prove fun discoveries as he gets older and has the patience to read over each part carefully. i'm a big fan of the whole series.

This book was received timely, and my son loves it! All the books in this series are great!

My 7-year-old son could not wait to sit down and start looking through this. The day it arrived we had some younger children visiting, and he "wowed" them all by showing them different parts of the book. He is very excited about it, and I am a happy mother for finding another great book for a young reader.

I am completely hooked on this series. I bought this book for my daughter at her schools book fair. I decided to read the first chapter to preview it to make sure it was at her reading level. One chapter turned into two... turned into the whole book. I could not put this book down at all. I managed to read it in 2 days. My house may be a wreck... and my husband had to cook last night... but hey... it was WONDERFUL!!!!

This book is amazing. Absolutely AMAZING!!!!! I havent had a book hold my interest like this since Harry Potter!

I want another one NOW i cant wait... I laughed... I cried... I was just astonished!

I love the warriors series! I own all the books and was very excied to read another book about the beloved Firestar and fill in some gaps about the second series! I chose to do this book for a project at school and once you start that book you cant change it. I begged my teacher to let me change my book but she wouldnt let me. I was stuck reading this very plotless and boring book, that remindes me of none of the other warrior books that are works of art! This book is a waste of paper. However my review will not change your mind on buying this book if you are a warrior fanatic like me. I wouldnt have belived anyone if they said this book was bad. So you will buy the book and find out how bad it is for youself!

I bought the entire Erin Hunter Warriors series. From the first book to the last I was totally absorbed and lost in the characters. I couldn't wait to get to the end of a book to see what happened next but at the same time I hated the book to end because I felt like I was losing a friend. The characters are so life like and the story line believable even though you know it's total fantasy! I recommend this book for anyone who loves reading and getting lost in well developed characters and an amazing story.

Personally, i think this book is the best in the series! But its only my opinion. Firestar starts on a quest to bring back SkyClan. He is sucessful and at the end of the book we see Sandstorm with hers and Firestar's kits. It reall gives a good intro to Squirrlpaw and Leafpaw(Squirrlflight and Leafpool) and it gives a good intro to the newly named warrior Brambleclaw, although the only cats of thunderclan mentioned are Sandstorm and Firestar(plus the ancient thunderclan) Although it centers on Firestar and Sandstorm's quest and not much on the current ThunderClan cats, I think its a great book and you will NOT want to put it down!!

I got Firestar's Quest the day it came out. I thought the cover would look more golden (it looked like that on the Internet), but that probably is the only flaw. The moment I grabbed it I opened the pages and took a sneak peek at the Prologue about the four Clans driving SkyClan out from the forest. I was glad we got to see the forest again after it being destroyed. Firestar struggles with some strange dreams and not even Cinderpelt knows the meaning of it. He and Sandstorm go on a quest to find out more about SkyClan, and meanwhile, Firestar tries to convince Sandstorm that she isn't just "second-best" to Spottedleaf.
I would probably change the info on the inside cover because the fact that StarClan so-called "lied" to the Clans isn't mainly what the whole book revolves around. It's more the the Quest part (where else would the title come from?) and rebuilding SkyClan and maybe a little less romantic Firestar-Sandstorm-Spottedleaf conflict, and more battles and action. Other, it was a perfect book. I found it impossible to put down.
Canaryflight

Just what I said on the title :)

They were totally enthralled by this book. They loved the illustrations, and the text, and would correct me if I dared skip a word.

As a former elementary teacher and now a grandmother, I buy and enjoy a lot of children's books. I found this one by chance on line at Amazon, bought two for my grandsons (3 and 4). I was so impressed I even showed it to my husband who also thought it was just great for young children who enjoy super heroes and are learning their ABCs. This book is funny, colorful, and original. I highly recommend it. I may even buy another copy for my own collection of children's books.

Funny text and fantastic illustrations. This is a great book for any boys or girls who love superheroes. Great for pre-readers and early readers.

Excellent alphabet book for young boys ages 4 up. They love all of the super heros.

I love the superheroes throughout. It is so clever and a great way to get my 3yr old more comfortable with the alphabet. This is a favorite book. This has become the book I give as gifts.

At this point in the series, I was through with libraries. Donita K. Paul had my interest firmly in her grasp, so I rushed out and bought this one the day after it was released.

And it was worth it! Deeper than the others, more great story line, and deep characters. There's a difference here from the first three. There are fewer characters, which means more time to work on their development.

Unlike the other three, I almost cried at the end of this one. It was that good. And there's one more after it!

Bardon and Kale are together and back. This time they are on a mission to find Regidor and to save Gilda. As usual the Pretender is stirring up trouble. The people of Amara have decided to not get involved. Paladin is dying. So in his stead who can Wulder trust? Although Bardon and Kale are skilled in the art of warfare, only Wulder can help them now.

As with all Donkitas books, it is exciting and imaginative. I wish she could keep writing stories for this series.

All of the Dragon books by Donita Paul are well done. The characters are loveable and exhibit many of the struggles, doubts, introspections, etc. that all of us as regular humans experience although our lives are not set in an imaginary world like theirs. This book has a bit more sadness in it than the others but it is presented in an interesting, vulnerable and satisfying and grace filled manner.

We are enjoying these tales of multi races and critters as they interact in their adventures. They may have been written for young people, but even in our seventies, we like them. These tales are truly fantasy, with only a little relationship to real life. And that's what make them fun to read. If you like dragons, you'll find several different kinds and sizes here.

Kind of a disappointment. The story was good but way too short for the $$$$

After seeing "The Golden Compass," I had to read the trilogy "His Dark Materials." It was a thrilling fantasy that left me thirsting for more, but--guess what?--that is all there is right now. But there was this little jewel of a book. It really is just a short story/chapter and a charming map of Oxford, but it was what I needed to decompress and wait patiently for "The Book of Dust."

I really enjoyed Pullman's Dark Materials and so when I saw "Lyra's Oxford" I was excited to read a new one. I neglected to look at the page length. When it came and it was a very small book, I was immediately disappointed. The story itself was okay, but it was so short I just felt short-changed. Pass this one up.

I loved this little book. It took me back into Lyra's world for a short visit without having to delve into the large books. I could accompany Lyra and Pan on their small adventure, this time without her friends Will and Roger. I love Philip Pullman's descriptions - he transports you to the place in time and you can actually see the characters. His Dark Materials features prominently in my collection and I am pleased to add Lyra's Oxford to it. Just for the record I am 69 y.o. I think there are different facets in Pullman's books to appeal to all ages.
This is a great little quick fix for Philip Pullman fans.

I purchased this book with the high hopes of giving me the closure I felt I needed after reading the awesome Golden Compass trilogy. Unfortunately, this did not deliver. In reality, it was a big let down and I was disappointed...very disappointed...

I felt this short story was more of an "extra" that fitted no where in the trilogy, and to turn it into a quick buck, the author titled it after the original main character to trick people into buying it... Well... he got me! =D

I read the entire darn thing while I was in my doctor's waiting room.

Simply put, it's a very short story, nothing really to do with the original trilogy, and required no further thought process: you just read the story and is left with nothing to ponder over.

Although it was not "terrible," I would not recommend it.

As a matter of fact, I gave the book to the friend that made me read the trilogy so he wouldnt waste his money! It's one of those books (and I have many!) that isn't even good enough to stay in my library.

At the time of this review, there has been a paltry 3, yes three, a mere trio, of reviews on Matilda. How? Is this not deservingly one of the all-time classics? Crazy stuff. For my money, I'm pinning this odd occurrence on global warming. Anyway...the book! If you read the opening page, you're in. How can anyone resist that stuff about parents thinking their truly hideous children are so gorgeous and gifted? And it's all good from there on out. C'mon, Trunchbull is hilarious with her quick talking, exclamation point-driven dialogue and barbarian attitude toward everyone. And that little Matilda... The book does differ somewhat from the movie, so even if you've seen the flick, the book is still a great time.

As an aside, and to anyone considering a career in writing, I understand that Roald's first draft had Matilda being kind of bratty and evilish in the first half of the first draft. Roald's editor (maybe agent) told Roald to rewrite it to make Matilda sweeter, or at least more understandably evil, in the book's first 100 pages or so. As this was Roald's final book, I believe, this fact is heartening to any would-be writer--a skilled veteran like Dahl still making errors! It gives us all hope. Further, and only when you know the above info, when you read Matilda, you can almost see where Roald went to the trouble of rationalizing Matilda's somewhat dastardly actions toward her parents. Fascinating!

Wonderfully written of a child, Matilda, who is a ferocious reader with special ability and great human perceptions. It may inspire children to read more, imagine and discover the treasures of what books can offer. Happens to be a favourite of my 3 and 5 year old daughters.

This is a really cute book (that I see has recently been made into a movie). Matilda is a smart girl that likes to read, who has a car salesman father that sells cars he illegally fixes up (like putting on a fender with glue). Her parents would prefer her to watch tv than read. Then the adventures start when she goes to school. Its a quick read and very entertaining.

One of the last novels written before Roald Dahl's death, "Matilda" reads almost like a goodbye, with a thank-you to all the authors that have touched Dahl during his lifetime - the text even includes a reading list of books recommended to Matilda - and through her, to the reader. And Matilda herself, despite being female, could very well be a reflection of Dahl himself as a child: a precocious bookworm with a fascination with words, people and places. As such, "Matilda" holds a special place in the canon of Dahl's literature for children, and Matilda herself is one of those shining characters that you simply wish was a real person and your friend. It is a rare thing indeed for an author to not only create a character who has practically no faults, and yet never becomes a goody-two-shoes or implausibly perfect, but to give her a remarkable gift (in this case, her hyper-intelligence) and make it seem less important than her goodness, her loyalty, her sense of justice and her love of learning.

Matilda Wormwood is born to two rather awful parents who have no interest whatsoever in their young daughter, instead pouring all their attention into their work, (for Mr Woodworm) bingo, (for Mrs Wormwood) and occasionally their first-born son Michael. However, they are mean-spirited enough to take umbridge at the sight of Matilda indulging her great love for reading. To get back at them (and to keep her own sanity) Matilda engages in a series of practical jokes every time her parents are beastly or dishonest - which happens on a rather regular basis.

But all of that changes when she starts school and Matilda meets the two most important women in her life: the lovely Miss Honey and the terrible Miss Trunchball. The gentle and timid Miss Jennifer Honey is Matilda's adored teacher, whereas Miss Trunchball is the Headmistress of Crunchem Hall Primary who terrifies student and teacher alike. Miss Trunchball may be a rather unfortunate stereotype of a butch, unattractive, athletic woman, but as an incarnation of psychotic feminine rage, she comes second only to Lewis Carroll's Queen of Hearts. More a force of nature than an actual person, she's sure to send a shudder down any child's spine - however bad your teacher is, you can be sure she's not *this* bad!

It soon becomes clear that the students of the school are waging a war against Miss Trunchball, one that Matilda is all-too-keen to become a part of when she realizes that there is a mysterious link between her beloved Miss Honey and the tyrannical Trunchball. And it just so happens that around this time, Matilda finds that she has a remarkable ability: to move things with her mind. Being a moralistic girl as well as an intelligent one, she soon realizes that she now has the perfect tool with which to restore Miss Honey to her former fortune and deliver Miss Trunchball her just desserts.

The text is full of allusions to other books and stories, making it a remarkably rich read for a children's book (and will hopefully get young readers interested in other books - as I'm sure was Dahl's intention) and of course includes plenty of Dahl's trademark love for the grotesque and macabre, components that have always made him controversial in the adult community, and beloved in the child's world. But even more in "Matilda", there is a sense of the spiritual and the sublime - Matilda's emerging powers seem to not only stem from her intelligence, but from her great spirit as well, particularly when she describes her powers as feeling like: "flying past the stars on silver wings." With justice served in the guise of a tiny five year old (captured perfectly in the illustrations by long-time Dahl collaborator Quentin Blake), and an ending that manages to be both happy and bittersweet, "Matilda" is a must for any children's bookshelf.