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My relationship with Australian author Garth Nix is an odd one. My first introduction to Nix was in middle school when I attempted to read his famous Sabriel novel after being relentlessly urged to do so by friends. I couldn't get further than one hundred pages. It was so excruciatingly boring that I had to stop -and I rarely give up on books that after I've begun them. Considering my taste in literature, Nix's books should fit perfectly with my preferences, but something about them just falls short. I thought I'd try again with the first book in Nix's The Keys to the Kingdom series, Mister Monday. The book is very similar to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and is even being touted as the next Harry Potter. I can definitely see the connects between Mister Monday and these other series, but there is little else there besides the fact that Mister Monday is a somewhat dark, young adult fantasy novel. Mister Monday follows the story of Arthur Penhaligon who, during an asthma attack, is entrusted with a magical key by the mysterious Mister Monday. Not long after, Arthur's hometown is ravaged by an unexplainable plague. In order to fight the plague, Arthur decides to enter the House (which only he can see) to find a cure. He ends up meeting an odd collection of characters that have some connection to time, setting the House back on its course, and of course, finding a cure for the plague. The book is about as confusing and boring as it sounds. It took me a considerable amount of time to get into it, only to find that the plot makes little to no sense. This confusion is only helped by the fact that Nix tends to rely on extremely vague descriptions of characters and environments that leave the reader wondering where the characters are and what they look like. The characters themselves are paper thin. While Nix creates some unique characters and a fairly interesting hierarchy within the House, it falls flat on its face because the characters are underutilized and not given enough time and attention to mature. I personally disliked the lack of a group of constant supporting characters in the novel. While there were a few, they appeared so little that they didn't have time to make an impact on the reader. That's the biggest difference between The Keys to the Kingdom and Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. The two latter (and more successful) series have wonderful collections of supporting characters, while Kingdom spends so much time trying to explain the plot and the world that their is little time for anything else. I think that there are some wonderful ideas here, but I Nix simply didn't take the time to adequately develop them for the novel	Mister Monday follows the story of Arthur Penhaligon who, during an asthma attack, is entrusted with a magical key by the mysterious Mister Monday	asthma attack	neutral	0
In this first book in the series, Keys to the Kingdom, we find Aurther Penhaligon, a seventh grader who recently moved to a new and strange home. Of, course, it doesn't seem strange to him- at first. Aurther has heavy asthma, which places him in the hospital quite often. One Monday morining, Aurther is in Gym in his new shcool, and has an asthma attck on the run they were on. During this attack, A strangfe man named Mister Monday comes, and is tricked into giving Aurther a minute hand shaped "key"- which is what they called it. As soon as Aurther holds this key, he finds that he can breathe, and he doesn't die the death that he was meant to die. But with this key comes strange creatures from another dimension who pursue the key, and though he doesn't know why, Aurther knows that he shouldn't give it to them{they work for Mister Monday- who wants the key back}. These creatures, called Fetchers bring a terrible disease called the "Sleepy Pluage", which after afew symtoms like having a cold, puts the infected people to sleep- literally- they fall asleep, and can't be woken up! Aurther is particually sensitive to this outbreak beacuse he is adopted{his birth parents died in a flu outbreak when he was a baby}. He couldn't bear to have more loved ones lost to a disease outbreak. Then, Aurther notices a strange house that only he can see. He has a feeling that the answer to curing the sick people is to go in there. But what he finds when he does is a another world, calle the House, which was created by the Great Architect- the creator of all things. This aerchitect left long ago, but left a will to be followed through- BUT IT WAS NOT!!! The will was broken in seven fragments, and scattered through time and space. Now the first and least fragment of the Will has escaped, and it is helping Aurther. It says that he is the rightfull heir to the kingdom{the House} but all Aurther wants is a cure to the Sleepy Plauge. The Will tells Aurther that to find this cure, he has to defeat Mister Monday, using the Minute Hand key, and claim Mondays half of the key {the Hour Hand}which will then bind with the Minute Hand to become the first and leat Key to the Kingdom. Aurther, Suzy Blue{a friend he makes on the way} and the Will now will go through many treacherous tasks to defeat Monday- the Will so that Aurther can claim the key, therefore the first part of the Will is done, Aurther to find a cure to thing strange plauge, and Suzy to help them all. I thought that this book was amazing, had great detail, and was imaginative in every way. Garth Nix did a great job, and I can't wait to read Grim Tuesday, the next book in the Keys to the Kingdom series!	During this attack, A strangfe man named Mister Monday comes, and is tricked into giving Aurther a minute hand shaped "key"- which is what they called it	Mister Monday	neutral	0
Mister Monday is the first book of The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix. Mister Monday is from the genre fantasy. Book 1 is about a twelve year old boy named Arthur Penhaligon who has asthma. He comes to own a small key that’s shaped like the minute hand of a clock. Strange things start to happen after he gets the key. Weird dog faced creatures from the Secondary Realms called Fetchers who were sent to retrieve the key by Mister Monday. When an unusual plague starts in his world, Arthur knows he’s the only one that can get the cure from the house that he can only see. This story is a very fascinating and you never want to put the book down. Garth Nix makes every chapter eventful and ends the chapter so that you want to keep reading what happens next. I really enjoyed this book because I it was adventurous and everything could turn out either way so you didn’t know how the book ends. Mister Monday is a great book and I would highly recommend it	Mister Monday is a great book and I would highly recommend it	book	positive	1
I read this book when I was 12 and I read it at least once a year since then. Each time I read it I remember what it was like to be an akward teen going through the angst of my senior year. I've had friends like Liz and Sean and I was a Maggie once myself	I've had friends like Liz and Sean and I was a Maggie once myself	Sean	neutral	0
Garth Nix really glued my eyes to this book for hours! I couldn't stop reading all day! His book Mister Monday tells the story of young Arthur Penhaligon's adventure into the House. While at school Arthur obtains a "Key" shaped like a minute hand on a clock. In the never-ending height of the House, he is the rightful heir to the lower part. The only problem is that the other hand of the clock is owned by the old ruler, who doesn't want to give it away. Meanwhile the first section of the "Will" the creator of everything left behind, has escaped from it's highly secured prison on a dead star. Although The only reason Arthur is in this adventure is so he can save the world from the plague the "Key" brought with it. Garth Nix can build one idea off of the other, which would help him explain his thoughts. For example, when Arthur is in an elevator with the "Will" and Suzy Turquoise Blue, (They are going to the 379th floor, so they have the time) Garth Nix explained everything about the plague Arthur wants to cure. So basically the author took the opportunity to explain all the confusing parts in the book up to that point. I personally love fantasy books, and Garth nix can draw people like me into his writing. He has things relating to time, space, extremely tall houses that can slow time the moment you touch it. Stuff like that!. I loved this book, so I probably am going to read the next books in this series:. #2 - Grim Tuesday. #3 - Drowned Wednesday. #4 - Sir Thursday. Coming Soon. #5 - Lady Friday. #6 - Superior Saturday. #7 - Lord Sunday. Will Arthur save the world from the plague? How did the "Will" escape? Read Mister Monday and all those questions will be answered!	I personally love fantasy books, and Garth nix can draw people like me into his writing	Garth nix	positive	0
Angela and Diabola is a silly, funny and a great book. I loved the chapter: Diabola develops new skills. I loved it when Diabola went asking for money and said, " Give me some money and I won't hurt you!" to the man and sending away those 2 people with the invisibe gun that shot 1 of them away. I also loved the chapter: Gym and other lessons. I liked it when Dybo pushed miss Mursles off the climbing frame without any clothes on! Angela and Diabola is a great book for all ages because it is not violent but it is extra funny. I think that Angela and Diabola is the best book I read this year!!!!!!!!!!	I loved the chapter: Diabola develops new skills	chapter	positive	0
The children's novel "keys of the Kingdom Mister Monday" is a hardcore mix beetween mystery and science fiction. This is a 361 page book about a boy named Arthur Penhaligon who is destined to die an early death, but is saved by a key given to him by a mysterious man named Mister Monday. After being given the key he notices many strange things happening around his neighborhood. Including a strange house a few blocks away from his house. he journeys up the house into Mister Monday's room on the top floor of the house. After Arthur defeats Mister Monday he surrenders his strange powers to "The Will". I liked the way the author described all imnportant and non-important characters in such detail, but I didn't like the way he kept coming back to the question "why did Arthur get the key, why is he still alive, who are Mister Monday and Sneezer". My favorite character in this book was Noon the first big Villain or henchman of Mister Monday. He is my favorite character because he has and awesome outfit, I mean there aren't many guys waliking around with wings and a flaming sword. My favorite secton or scene was when mister monday & Sneezer first appeared. I liked the way the author made it so i could picture it in my head. What i would say to someone about this book is about a nobody kid who ends up saving the world. One question I have is what happens after you fall asleep during the process of the "Sleepy Plague". I would strongely recommend this book for someone who likes a book in which they can picture all of the important moments	I liked the way the author made it so i could picture it in my head	author	positive	1
The wife and child of a prominent scientist are murdered, and the scientist disappears. A little girl in Oregon goes missing. Troubled ex-cop Jack Whalen is now a writer living a quiet life in a small town in Washington--until his wife goes on a business trip and vanishes. And that's just the beginning. Here's a thriller that really thrills. What begins as a reasonably straightforward mystery involving a couple of murders and several missing people in the Pacific Northwest soon escalates into something dark and different and profoundly frightening. If you like your suspense novels to be offbeat and edgy, and you don't mind a few genuine shocks, THE INTRUDERS is the book for you. Highly recommended	Troubled ex-cop Jack Whalen is now a writer living a quiet life in a small town in Washington--until his wife goes on a business trip and vanishes	Jack Whalen	neutral	0
Ahh. I wish I had never gotten this stupid key, it is the kiss of death, and has ruined my life. This thought races through Arthur's mind as he saves the world in Mister Monday. Arthur is put through a rigorous test of bravery and compassion to face the evil Mister Monday. In the story, Arthur receives a key that gives him the power he needs to defeat Mister Monday, the only problem is, he doesn't know whom Monday is, or anything about the strange world that Monday lives in. Arthur has to go to a foreign realm and defeat an enemy that has so much more power than he does, if Monday was a T-Rex then Arthur would be a blade of grass compared to him. Arthur's battle to save earth requires a level of bravery that he only imagines in his dreams. That is why the theme is bravery, Arthur has to summon a level of bravery that he can't, and through the story, he struggles to get this unknown bravery. Arthur ventures through the story finding the bravery he needs. Mister Monday is a phenomenal book that gets an excellent 10/10. This book wraps you up in the story; it sucks you into the pages like a black hole. You are transported through a mystical land that gets better as you proceed. That's why Mister Monday is so irresistible, and it's a great book not only for fantasy readers, but also for anyone looking for a great story	Mister Monday is a phenomenal book that gets an excellent 10/10	book	positive	0
I could not put Michael Marshall's latest down. He's created a multi-layered thriller involving a likeable protagonist plus a host of remarkable satellite characters who make you cringe & groan with curiosity & anticipation. Set in the Pacific Northwest, the prologue of THE INTRUDERS starts with an apparently random home invasion, murder & fire. Then we meet Jack Whalen, ex-LA beat cop & a one-book author who's struggling to write another. Instead, he's sitting staring out at the forested panorama & remembering, for some odd reason, a high school classmate & how she didn't quite fit in & who, after trying to get the attention of the handsomest senior jock, committed suicide. That morning, Jack's wife had driven to Seattle for a meeting at her ad agency. That's why, a couple of years ago, they'd moved up to this idyllic little mountain burg on the eastside of the Cascades from Southern California, where they'd met & married ten years before. Then that very same jock, now 20 years older, calls Jack, wanting to see him. Gary Fisher brings a strange tale and Jack, with his beat cop instincts slowly coming alert, senses his visitor isn't telling him everything & some of what he's said doesn't ring true. But Jack has no time for Gary as he's just discovered his wife's cell phone has been found in a Seattle taxi. On Cannon Beach in Oregon, a nine year old girl is struggling with nightmares, her parents' uneasy marriage, & something far more frightening: loss of memory & the arrival of a stranger as she's out on the beach wondering how she got there. When the idea that she's got to go somewhere sets her traveling, the people who help her along the way come to rue it as this nice, little girl with headaches has a killer's instincts. THE INTRUDERS is a tale well-spun with lashings of deceit & determination, action & clues, body & mind invasions & chases, & other scary stuff. It's a thriller that has you connecting dots like mad, except, are you connecting the right ones? Unto the final page, you won't know!	That morning, Jack's wife had driven to Seattle for a meeting at her ad agency	Jack's wife	neutral	0
This is an execellent book about teenagers and all the usual problems teens go through. One of those problems is dating and sex. A girl and her boyfriend decide to take that step but they don't think of the consequences. Read the book to find out what happens!! I liked the book because it was about teenagers so I felt I could relate to the story. I give this book 4 stars	Read the book to find out what happens!! I liked the book because it was about teenagers so I felt I could relate to the story	teenagers	positive	0
Its girl! It's actually two girls. Twins: Angela and Diabla. Angela is as sweet as an angel and , her twin sister, Diabla is the opposite. Diabla always throws things at Angela, but Angela still loves her anyway. Angela always want to be with be with her sister Diabla. When Angela and Diabla are together it calms diabla down. Diabla can make things cacth on fire and make buildings fall down. But when Angela is around Diabla can't do any harm to anyone. I realy enjoed this book. If you like contmporary fiction, you might enjoy Angela and Diabla	I realy enjoed this book	book	positive	0
I was curious to see whether "Mister Monday" (first novel in a fantasy series that has since worked its way up to Thursday) was published before or after James Stoddard's "High House" as the two books have similar settings. Stoddard came first, but Garth Nix has put his unique stamp on the 'Universe manifested as a queer old House' theme. That said, this "Keys to the Kingdom" series is more disjointed and less appealing than Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy. "Mister Monday" reminds me more of "The Ragwitch" in that a young boy with absolutely no training learns that he is the Rightful Heir to some improbable kingdom (the Universe) and is also the only person on Earth who can stop/cure the newest, deadliest plague. Naturally Arthur wants to concentrate on curing the plague, since his own family is involved. Then he is saved from a lethal asthma attack by a man in a bath chair wielding the minute hand off of a gigantic clock. The man in the bath chair is Mr. Monday and he is being pushed about by his butler, Sneezer. These two men spend the rest of the book chasing Arthur through a sort of Victorian workers' hell, trying to get him to return the Key (the minute hand) to Mr. Monday. The book has lots of interesting magic, blue-and-yellow-striped dinosaurs, an angry old man who is chained to a gigantic clock, and a pair of truly macabre creatures who gouge out the old man's eyes every day at 12 o'clock. (His eyes grow back. Does this man remind you of Prometheus, kiddies?). Arthur must get through some horrifying trials to save his Earth from the plague, and to prove that he is the Rightful Heir. He shows that he has the Right Stuff--after all, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday have already been written--but this first book suffers from a multiplicity of themes. The author seems to have tried out several different settings (Victorian policemen and a sort of Bob Cratchit universe, along with dinosaurs, good and bad angels, and a really stinky and terrifying Roman bathhouse), then didn't want to discard anything. So, here it all is in "Mister Monday. ". I'm still debating as to whether I want to advance on to "Grim Tuesday. " Arthur has already saved my world from the Sleepy Plague and I'm not particularly taken with the rest of Nix's mixed-up Universe	Naturally Arthur wants to concentrate on curing the plague, since his own family is involved	Arthur	neutral	0
If you are looking for a thrilling mystery, this is the book for you! This book is about an asmatic boy who has moved to a new school and the first day has a asma attack. In having this attach Arthur Penhaligon meets two new friends (Leaf and Ed twin brother and sister) and also gets a suprise, Mister Monday and his buttler, Sneezer, appear with a flash of light and give Arthur a gift,(Arthur thinks Sneezer is up to something but does not know) a minute hand of a clock (the clock that was guarding the will) and a book (An Atlas he can't yet open). Arhtur does not know this but a will guarded by a clock face glass box and other odd things has been released which is the reason he got the key (clock hand) in the first place. During this book Arthur meets some odd people like some dog-faced men in bowler hats. At the beginning of the book he thought it was all a dream (from his asma attack) but he finds out that everything was very real. Arthur does not know the danger ahead of him untill the night somebody shows up at his window. This book is a wonderful choice. Garth Nix really outdid hiself when he wrote this one. This book reminds me of Ravens Gate in a way so if you read and liked it you will love this! One of the best books I have ever read. This is a dark side of the moon kind of book it is full of suspense and you never what will happen next. You will find yourself captivated by each letter in this book, you will see that you are swept away in the pages but don't want to come out! Mister Monday will do anything to get the key back (you will have to read to see if Arthur makes it through the book alive)!	Arthur does not know the danger ahead of him untill the night somebody shows up at his window	Arthur	neutral	3
The premise is simple enough;. young boy escapes his fate when it is revealed he is heir to unwelcome destiny. Enter The House. Arthur, upon whom the story centers, is definately your average selfish & dull little schoolboy, and when he has adventure thrust upon him it is most definately not welcome. When danger stares him in the face he reaches for his inhaler. When a journey beckons he steps behind someone else - all well played out themes for Nix newest hero. His world faced with plague & destruction, Arthur finds the courage to enter the unknown House and try to discover the origins of the mysterious key he was bequeathed, and which rather threatening characters are trying to take from him. Grim Monday's Noon is a wonderfully likable villian and his master, Mister Monday (after whom this first book is named)is a slothfully entertaining fellow, with his victorian clothing & die-away-airs. I would not say this book is strictly limited to a pre-teen audience, as I have found it to be very enjoyable. Upon entering The House Arthur discovers all sorts of oddities in what appears to be a parallel universe, and also meets up with The Old one, in what appears to be a play upon Prometheus shackled to the mountain. Which is interesting in ways which will be revealed once you read the book, remembering that "Prometheus" means "Forethought". He also makes a friend, in Susie Turqouise Blue & we learn what really happend to the Pied Pipers children, and why it wasn't such a bad thing. To much information would give away the storyline, suffice to say Arthurs adventures will continue, this being the first of 7. Seven days of the Week?. Arthur's last name is Penhaligon - another pun by the author on ruling the world & destiny? (kids look up the reference to King Arthur). Nix makes some interesting speculations upon the origins of the universe. This is also very enjoyable as read by Allan Corduner, and is available from amazon. com in audio book format. kotori 2004	His world faced with plague & destruction, Arthur finds the courage to enter the unknown House and try to discover the origins of the mysterious key he was bequeathed, and which rather threatening characters are trying to take from him	House	neutral	0
this is one of the best books i have ever read! garth nix is amazing at making Arthur, Suzy, Monday, the Will, Dawn, Noon, and Dusk all come to life. it is the best horror/action/adventure book i haver ever read. Arthur is saved by a key, that chages his fate entirely. he has Asmatha and the minute hand looking key saves him. but the key made a strange house appear. and at school, some dog faced men come in to kill him along with Noon for the key, so Arthur couldn't be master of the Lower House if he could get the hour hand key from Monday inside the strange house. this book is EXTREAMLY good, but very confusing at times. Garth Nix rules!	this is one of the best books i have ever read! garth nix is amazing at making Arthur, Suzy, Monday, the Will, Dawn, Noon, and Dusk all come to life	Monday	neutral	0
Angela and Diabola is not only a good book for girls, but also for boys with a good sense of imagination. The book ranges between nine-year-olds through eleven-year-olds. The main characters are two twin girls, Angela and Diabola. Though they are twins, they are nothing alike. Angela is described as a wonderful child spreading joy and happiness wherever she goes. While Diabola, well, let's just say that she is the exact opposite of her sister in every way possible. Their parents had always been able to handle the girls, both the good and the bad, until one day when Diabola does something that neither her parents nor her sister would ever imagine. Angela and Diabola is a great fiction book with wonderful dialogue and text. One thing that I really like about it is that the beginning jumps right into the story. The book really held my interest throughout the whole story. Anyone who has a good imagination and likes a great fiction book will enjoy this book	The main characters are two twin girls, Angela and Diabola	twin girls	neutral	0
The book Mister Monday by Garth Nix , was a very good book. Mister. Monday was fantasy. It all started when Arthur Penholgon was given a key and a atlas from. Mister Monday while Arthur was having a asthma attack and some fetchers. gave a plague called the sleepy plague. After that, Noon ( one of Mister. Monday's assistant ) sets fire to Arthur's school trying to get the key back. because the Will tricked Mister Monday into giving the key to Arthur, Noon. didn't get it but his Fetchers got the atlas. Then Arthur went inside a house that. was secretly another dimension. T here Arthur met a girl named Suzy Turquoise. Blue. After that, Arthur met Noon again with his brother and sister, Dawn and. Dusk who tried to get the key but could not because the key has already bonded. with Arthur which meant that they can't take it. Only Arthur could give it to. them so they sent him to the Deep Coal Cellar so they could torture him until he. gives them the key. While at The Deep Coal Center Arthur met the Old One and. Pravuil. Then here comes Suzy to the rescue. Arthur made some stairs to get out. and I am not aloud tell you the end so I won't. I thought this book was an okay book because it had old words like hip. I. think this book is for fifth graders because it was a little too kid like. I liked that. it was a good adventure	The book Mister Monday by Garth Nix , was a very good book	Mister Monday	neutral	0
I first heard about John Keay in another book by William Dalrymple where he wrote that John was an inspiration to him to write about India. This in turn inspired me to buy this book. As an Indian, this book was revealing and awe-inspiring by the scope of the discoveries that it describes. It is unimaginable that many (even more) important centres of history/culture have been destroyed or are maintained poorly and are falling to ruin. This book is very well documented in parts, obviously backed by a lot of research, that tells facts as they were discovered. The detail given is unmatched. This is a must read for any Indian history buff	This is a must read for any Indian history buff	Indian history	positive	0
For this new series of book, Garth Nix obviously had a younger public in mind than for his best selling Abhorsen trilogy. The plot is simpler, the protagonist is younger and the language is easier. Difficult words are being explained. Having said that, this must be an absolute thrill to read when you're nine or ten. It puts an ordinary boy in charge of the Center of the Universe, if just for the Monday, and which ordinary boy wouldn't think that a very attractive idea?. It's a story about adventure, but also about responsibility, and courage, and overall I could recommend it to any boy or girl, and their parents, to read it!	It's a story about adventure, but also about responsibility, and courage, and overall I could recommend it to any boy or girl, and their parents, to read it!	responsibility	positive	0
This was a great book, which really pulls the reader in! Nix has done a great job with the adventure aspect of the novel, and there are many fantastic (if fantastically evil) creatures, described in detail in their essence and physical aspects included. It is a true heaven to those who love fantasy adventure novels, the rough story is as follows:. Arthur Penhaligon, an asmathic seventh grader is an intersting character, with a very unordinary life. One day, he is handed the Key and the Atlas, and the fate of his world falls on his shoulders, as a fatal plague sweeps the area. The fast and intense plot makes the book absolutely captivating, as Arthur finds out just how deep his adventure goes. It was a wonderful book, as was its sequel, Grim Tuesday. I have not read any further, but these two have persuaded me to pursue this series, and i hope it will motivate many others to as well	The fast and intense plot makes the book absolutely captivating, as Arthur finds out just how deep his adventure goes	Arthur	neutral	0
Liz and Sean seem to be a smooth and sophisticated senior high school couple. They introduce their awkward friends Maggie and Dennis to each other. Underneath the veneer of success Liz and Sean have problems with their parents and each other. Do their parents understand or even care about them? Are they ready for sex? Meanwhile can Maggie and Dennis learn to communicate enough to stay together?. This book is Paul Zindel's second and was first published way back in 1969. Life has changed since then, such as the free availability of legal abortion, but much of the story is still surprisingly relevant to modern life. Liz and Maggie are the main characters so this could be described as a book for girls, but the lives of Sean and Dennis are also described in important sub-plots. The story is basically a double romance but Zindel has too much of a grip on the ugliness of life to describe the book as 'romantic. ' This is not Mills and Boon stuff. To tell the truth I find this novel one of Zindel's less successful works. To my mind there is nothing in the story to make it really memorable. But then again Zindel is so far above other writers that I would certainly still recommend reading the novel. I should also add that I am largely interested in coming of age stories about boys, so maybe I am biased	They introduce their awkward friends Maggie and Dennis to each other	Dennis	negative	0
Best of the Best. From the award-winning author of "Snow Falling on Cedars" comes the bold and beautiful story of a retired heart surgeon with cancer who heads toward the wooded territory of eastern Washington intending to commit suicide. Along the way, he is sidetracked by a succession of fortuitous events that draws him into an altogether unanticipated journey--and rekindles his appetite for life	Along the way, he is sidetracked by a succession of fortuitous events that draws him into an altogether unanticipated journey--and rekindles his appetite for life	fortuitous events	neutral	0
As a parent, I found the book interesting and thought-provoking, but I did not allow my 7 year old to finish it! Don't assume that advanced reading skills make the 7-10 year old set ready for this one, even though Ms. Reid-Banks other books are appropriate. It might be an entertaining point of discussion with a child 12 or older, but it's too dark for younger ones, unless you're ready to talk about true evil, adult motivations, supernatural forces, and fratricide!	As a parent, I found the book interesting and thought-provoking, but I did not allow my 7 year old to finish it! Don't assume that advanced reading skills make the 7-10 year old set ready for this one, even though Ms	7-10 year old	negative	0
With apologies to anyone who is reading this as a duplicative review, I am going to review all four of Val McDermid's Dr. Tony Hill/Carol Jordan novels in one place and copy the reviews individually. I've now read seven of McDermid's books. She's not a great writer but she's a fabulous storyteller and her Tony Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries are the best of the bunch. The first two books aren't written terribly well, but the writing gets better as the series goes on. You may know these characters from the BBC series "Wire in the Blood" starring Robson Green. As an aside, while I generally find film and television adaptations to be far less satisfying than the source material on which they are based, the BBC series is really an exception. While the books have some detail that doesn't make it to the t. v. series, the television program really brings the characters to life and improves on the writing while staying true to the novels, although only the fourth book's plot actually made it to the screen. As noted by some other reviewers, these books are not for the squeamish. McDermid doesn't pull any punches in writing about vicious psychopaths who commit sex crimes and the books may well be disturbing to many. The second book in particular (more below) actually gave me nightmares. McDermid, however, really gets into the heads of her twisted antagonists and she seems to have done a tremendous amount of research. Most importantly, both Dr. Hill, a clinical psychologist who consults with the police as a profiler, and Carol Jordan, the police officer with whom he works most closely, always feel like real people with investigative abilities and compassion that are easy to admire and foibles that are easy to relate to. They have serious difficulties in forging personal relationships which makes their relationship all the more poignant. Each book focuses on two stories -- a main investigation involving a psychopath and a secondary case that is generally no less compelling, while also following the relationship that develops between the two protagonists. If you've never read any of the books in this series, I would recommend taking them in order. The fourth book is the best, the third the worst, but it's worth reading them in order for the character development (although you could easily skip the third). If you really think you only want to read one, or aren't sure and don't care about spolers, just go straight to the last one. Some people who have read the entire series have found the fourth book repetitive, but it's the one that really works on all levels. Overall, the series gets 4 stars, but here are my individual assessments:. SPOILER FREE REVIEWS. 1. The Mermaids Singing - 4 stars. The first of the series is really the only one that delves in any great detail into the personal lives of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, who come together to investigate the brutal torture and slayings of four men in northern England. McDermid's Tony Hill/Carol Jordan books all deal with issues of sexual identity, but this one does is particularly focused on that as the police suspect a gay man of killing heterosexual men. McDermid shares the thoughts of the killer as well as those of Dr. Hill, who relates all too well to the motivations of the subjects he is asked to profile. The writing in this book is kind of clunky, but the insights of the author into how and why someone sets out to cause maximum pain and humiliation still make it a riveting, if disturbing, read. 2. The Wire in the Blood -- 4 stars. In this second book in the series, teenaged girls are being abducted and brutally raped and tortured to death. We are introduced to an extremely smooth and charismatic character, Jacko Vance, a television celebrity and former star athlete, that Dr. Hill and Carol Jordan called upon to investigate. This is the hardest of the series to read, probably because the killer's victims are all extremely young, naive and female, with no chance whatsoever of fighting back. This book deals with charisma and celebrity as well as sexual deviance and although the writing is still somewhat awkward, it's generally a more compelling novel than the Mermaids Singing. 3. The Last Temptation -- 3 stars. This is the weakest book in the series. On the plus side, McDermid decides to branch out from northern England and take the reader into continental Europe, particularly Germany, where Carol Jordan has gone as an undercover operative to investigate a drug dealer/slave trader. Tony Hill is also in Europe, helping the police solve a series of murders in which psychologists are the victims. McDermid brings to light some of the darker deeds of the Nazis that are generally not known and discussed and for this she should be commended. The writing also starts to improve with this book and the secondary protagonists, two female, European police officers who develop a long-term relationship with each other, are the best of any of the books. There are some serious problems with the novel, however, that make it the weakest of the bunch. First of all, in the other books McDermid is writing about the North of England, which she clearly knows like the back of her hand. The locale in the other books is really the third character after Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. The European locations never quite come to life in the same way. But the biggest problem with The Last Temptation is that McDermid tries too hard to force a particular ending. In order to get where she wants to go, she has to have Carol Jordan do something completely out of character and, frankly, she doesn't do a good job of convincing us of the reason. The whole book feels a bit contrived. Kudos to McDermid for trying something different instead of just writing variations on a theme, but the theme is one she does really well and this effort is a bit disappointing. 4. The Torment of Others -- 5 stars. There's a reason this is the only story that got used in the BBC series. By this point, McDermid had started to write really well, and she'd really gotten the hang of tying the two story lines together. In the main story, someone is killing prostitutes with the m. o. used by a man currently in an insane asylum. How does the killer know exactly what the prior murderer did? The mystery is more satisfying than that of the prior novels and the sub-plot, involving kidnapped boys, also intrigues. There's not much to learn at this point about Dr. Hill, but while the third book didn't entirely work, the aftereffects of that novel's events on Carol Jordan are all too real and bring the characters' relationship to a new level. If books on criminal profiling and psychological forensics are your thing, you'll probably really enjoy McDermid's work. If someone has recommended her writing to you and the Dr. Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries sound like they are too gruesome, check out the Grave Tattoo, which is a neat, little literary mystery	She's not a great writer but she's a fabulous storyteller and her Tony Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries are the best of the bunch	Carol Jordan	neutral	0
While Garth Nix's fictional characters often have magical powers he, too, has a power - the power to create fantasy tales that have earned him a host of young fans. And, screen actor Allan Corduner has the power to imbue his reading of the latest by this talented author with the requisite amounts of menace and suspense. Young Arthur Penhaligon is an asthmatic. His future doesn't appear bright; it becomes even darker when he has an otherworldly encounter with a strange man who leaves him with a key shaped like a clock's minute hand. What could be more innocuous than a small key? But, wait, the key seems to have a terrifying effect on the world as it brings with it a plague. Soon Arthur is besieged by a Mister Monday and a band of vengeance seekers with blood-stained wings. As if that were not enough, dog-faced Fetchers pursue him. Arthur seeks safety within the walls of a house that only he can see. There are a myriad of secrets within these walls and uncounted mysteries attached to the key. Can he save himself and keep the key from the sinister Mr. Monday? Garth Nix has done it again with this sure to top the lists yarn. - Gail Cooke	As if that were not enough, dog-faced Fetchers pursue him	dog-faced Fetchers	neutral	0
Many writers of historical fiction start with an actual event in history, and then let their imaginations run free. This fascinating book shows great imaginative restraint. Certainly there are fictional threads running through the tale, but Mr. Dobbs seriously wants to tell us about Neville Chamberlain's politics of appeasement, a policy that ended with his downfall as Prime Minister. Throughout the book we are a fly on the wall listening to the political machinations of the principle characters in the story which include, Chamberlain, Churchill, Ambassador Joseph Kennedy, Lord Halifax, the traitor Guy Burgess, and many others. It is fascinating to see Chamberlain's party struggle to hold on as their political capital steadily declined. Churchill, on the other hand starts as an outcast, one who continually cries out that peace with Hitler is an unattainable goal. His rise to First Lord of the Admiralty, and then to Prime Minister is a long fight against the odds. I am a history buff who's read books on WWII and English history, and this book taught me many things that I didn't know. Now I've said that this book fascinated me, the almost 700 pages just sped by, but I must say that this book may not be everybody's cup of tea. It definitely is not a wartime thriller. The novel is full of conversation, and as for action you'll have to settle for walks through the garden of Buckingham Palace with Lord Halifax, and King George VI (who, we find out, was so tongue tied that it was difficult for him to make clear statements)	This fascinating book shows great imaginative restraint	book	positive	0
I like the MathStart Series in general but I wish there was more consistency from book to book. "Henry the Fourth" which explored ordinal numbers was great. The story had a cute plot and it kept my children's interest. "Missing Mittens" (which was all about even and odd numbers) had a clumsy rhyme and it wasn't nearly as good. This book about comparing-and-contrasting sizes is different still. It has too few words and virtually no plot. Take a look at the sentences from the first 3 pages:. "I am big. ". "I am bigger than you are. ". "I am the biggest bug by far. ". Not much plot development there, and while the pictures detail more activity, it is insufficient for young readers/viewers. On the bright side the `summary' pages are good. They show the 3 bugs currently under discussion (small, smaller, smallest, for example) in juxtaposition which makes it easy to talk about the concepts. So I would say that if you are willing to compose a story to go along with the pictures you can use this book to successfully teach your children about relative size. Without your input though they aren't going to get much out if it. Material covered in "Best Bug Parade":. Big, bigger, biggest. Small, smaller, smallest. Long, longer, longest. Short, shorter, shortest. Good, Better, Best. And as usual there are 2 pages of related activities suggested at the end of the book. Pam T~	And as usual there are 2 pages of related activities suggested at the end of the book	related activities	neutral	0
this is a really great fantasy book. its very exciting and garth ends it so it makes you read more. this book is about a twelve year old boy named Aurther Penheligon who lost his parents in the outbreak of the flu. it starts out when hes at school and is about to do a croos country run, but he has asthma. during the run he comes to have this thing known as the lesser key, it looks sorta like the minute hand of a clock. but when these dog-faced creatures come to reclaim it they also bring this plague to the world and aurther is the only one who can get the cure	this is a really great fantasy book	fantasy	neutral	0
Liz and Sean seem to be a smooth and sophisticated senior high school couple. They introduce their awkward friends Maggie and Dennis to each other. Underneath the veneer of success Liz and Sean have problems with their parents and each other. Do their parents understand or even care about them? Are they ready for sex? Meanwhile can Maggie and Dennis learn to communicate enough to stay together?. This book is Paul Zindel's second and was first published way back in 1969. Life has changed since then, such as the free availability of legal abortion, but much of the story is still surprisingly relevant to modern life. Liz and Maggie are the main characters so this could be described as a book for girls, but the lives of Sean and Dennis are also described in important sub-plots. The story is basically a double romance but Zindel has too much of a grip on the ugliness of life to describe the book as 'romantic. ' This is not Mills and Boon stuff. To tell the truth I find this novel one of Zindel's less successful works. To my mind there is nothing in the story to make it really memorable. But then again Zindel is so far above other writers that I would certainly still recommend reading the novel. I should also add that I am largely interested in coming of age stories about boys, so maybe I am biased	The story is basically a double romance but Zindel has too much of a grip on the ugliness of life to describe the book as 'romantic	Zindel	neutral	0
Mister Monday is the first book of The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix. Mister Monday is from the genre fantasy. Book 1 is about a twelve year old boy named Arthur Penhaligon who has asthma. He comes to own a small key that’s shaped like the minute hand of a clock. Strange things start to happen after he gets the key. Weird dog faced creatures from the Secondary Realms called Fetchers who were sent to retrieve the key by Mister Monday. When an unusual plague starts in his world, Arthur knows he’s the only one that can get the cure from the house that he can only see. This story is a very fascinating and you never want to put the book down. Garth Nix makes every chapter eventful and ends the chapter so that you want to keep reading what happens next. I really enjoyed this book because I it was adventurous and everything could turn out either way so you didn’t know how the book ends. Mister Monday is a great book and I would highly recommend it	When an unusual plague starts in his world, Arthur knows he’s the only one that can get the cure from the house that he can only see	Arthur	neutral	0
Garth Nix built a story like no other. Using the old theme of parallel universes and kingdoms he transformed a normal 13 year old boy into a hero that holds the primary key to the universe. Using the seven deadly sins, the seven days of the week and seven different values, we are taken into a House where everything came from. Arthur Penhaligon and Suzy Blue are two amazing characters, Arthur: a normal boy, asthmatic, not too confident about himself, intelligent and thoughtful. Suzy: a young girl, sensitive, impulsive, strong and brave. Both make the story seem real and really adventurous. There are other great secondary characters as well, Monday's Noon: the bad guy, loyal servant, strong and fierce. Monday's Dusk: A dark character, a rebel, helps Arthur through some complicated stuff. And finally, Mister Monday and The Will. Overall the story is amazing, Garth Nix is really an incredibly imaginative author and everything he writes is always a great story. I'd recommend this book to any fantasy fan or any fan of a really good story. Also read: Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday, Sir Thursday and Lady Friday	Using the old theme of parallel universes and kingdoms he transformed a normal 13 year old boy into a hero that holds the primary key to the universe	13 year old boy	neutral	0
I find myself disagreeing whole-heartedly with the negative reviews of Anne Kingston's The Meaning of Wife. I devoured and enjoyed every bit of this book. This was one of the best books on the subjects of women, work, and family that I have read to date. Contrary to one reviewer's beliefs, I have recently read Misconceptions and The Mommy Myth, but still found an amazing amount of original research (not to mention RECENT) in Kingston's text. Not only is The Meaning of Wife jam packed with original research, it also jellies over with meaning! I can't tell you how many times I have pulled this book BACK OFF THE SHELF since placing it there a few weeks ago upon finishing it. In the classroom, I have referenced information from this book more times than I can remember. It's a good thing I annotate!. One thing is for sure, this is not another boring history book. Usually once I put a book down for over a week, I never pick it up again. I put this book down for a few months (due to a hectic end of the semester) and picked it right back up again just this past month. I finished it in record time because it was THAT interesting. But hey, that's just me. Read the book and decide for yourself	One thing is for sure, this is not another boring history book	book	positive	1
In my opinion, this is the best and most well written of all of the Capone biographies. The first few pages of this highly engrossing book takes the reader to the front door of the Lexington Hotel, Capone's headquarters. on into the inner sactum of the gangleader himself. The story of Al Capone is brilliantly laid out in an easy to follow format that takes the reader through Capone's life and motivations. I've read all of the major bios on "Big Al" and this is by far the best. highly recommended	In my opinion, this is the best and most well written of all of the Capone biographies	biographies	positive	0
Can Arthur save the world with the key as a young boy with asthma problems? Arthur just moved to his new house. He now has to go school in the middle of the year. So he does not know anybody. When he has to run he has an asthma attack, and is out cold. He meets new friends. But when they leave someone name mister Monday comes, and gives Arthur the key. And then they leave, when Arthur touches the key he feels better. The key has tons of powers. When everyone starts getting sick from a plague, Arthur has to go in a special house and save everyone. He fights many battles, and also meets a friend on the way, in the end he stops Monday and saves everyone. This was a good book. It had a good story plot. There was good action. However, Arthur's behavior didn't match his age. This book had a good story plot. The whole key thing was a good idea. Also I thought it was really cool with the house, the way it was described I like it a lot. The characters were also cool and well thought out. I really liked all the action in this book. The first action seen was when Arthur was attacked by the pig men, and Afternoon. There was tons of fire, and it kept me on my feet, I didn't know what was going to happen and how he was going to get out of that situation. Also when Arthur was in the house he had many battles and such, and also the last fight. The thing I didn't like about this book is that Arthur didn't not seem like his age. He was in 7th grade but he didn't act like it. Him and his friends were very immature. He didn't know how to handle situations very well, but it always worked out for him. Suck as when there is a fire in the library, he goes to a locked door, but the key gets it open for him. This was a good book. Arthur, and young boy that was not athletic and had asthma problems, saved the whole world with his key. I recommend it to any other readers. You should pick it up. -J. Hamilton	Arthur, and young boy that was not athletic and had asthma problems, saved the whole world with his key	Arthur	positive	9
Its Arthur Penhaglion's first day at school and things aren't going so well. Arthur has really bad asthma, but since the new gym teacher doesn't know it, Arthur is forced to run. He doesn't want to appear stupid on the first day of school, so he decides to run even though he knows it could be really devasting to his health. And lone behold, Arthur has a severe asthma attack. However, just as he is about to die, he is handed a key shaped like a minute hand from a mysterious person called Mr. Monday who definitely doesn't belong in our world. Arthur survives, but soon his whole world is turned upside down. Mysterious dog faced animals are chasing after Arthur trying to get back the key, and they've brought a mysterious Sleeping Plague with them that could kill thousands, if not millions, since the doctors seem to have no cure at all. Soon Arthur realizes, that he, himself will have to venture into "The House", a house that only he can see, to save his world from utter destruction. It is in "The House" that Arthur makes friends with Suzy Turquoise Blue, and learns from "The Will" of his true destiny and has his final showdown with Mr. Monday. I had high expectations for Garth Nix's new series since I was an absolute fanatic over his Sabriel Trilogy and The Seventh Towers Series. After reading the first chapter of this book, I knew that I wouldn't be disappointed as it just sucks you in. I found this book to be more darker than Garth Nix's past stories, but you can definitely tell his unique writing style. His story structure carries over and you can pinpoint many similarties with this book and his other works. Arthur is a great protagonist, though he lacks the charm of Sabriel and Tal from Garth Nix's previous books. I definitely recommend reading this book, though I feel it is a touch lower than Garth Nix's Sabriel and Seventh Tower	Arthur is a great protagonist, though he lacks the charm of Sabriel and Tal from Garth Nix's previous books	Garth Nix	neutral	2
Val McDermid's latest novel, "The Last Temptation," is an ambitious undertaking. The author crosses geographical boundaries; her plot lines involve police forces in England, Holland and Germany. This novel also has numerous characters and several storylines that at first seem unrelated, but which eventually intersect. Carol Jordan is an ambitious Detective Chief Inspector who is well trained in criminal intelligence. Jordan has helped bring two serial killers to justice and she has paid her dues as a police officer. Now, she is aiming for a high-level job in British intelligence and analysis, and she is expecting a promotion to come through very soon. Much to her surprise, Jordan is not granted her promotion. Instead she is sent into deep undercover to bring down a notorious criminal named Tadeusz Radecki and his right hand man Darko Krasic, who are based in Germany. A second protagonist in "The Last Temptation" is Dr. Tony Hill, a psychologist who has been deeply scarred by his job of profiling serial killers. He is now on the trail of a criminal who targets psychologists and murders them in a particularly gruesome manner. Hill and Jordan have collaborated professionally in the past. As they work these difficult cases, Jordan and Hill provide one another with much needed advice and emotional support. McDermid handles her large cast of characters and a complex plot adroitly. Her dialogue is crisp and her descriptive writing is vivid yet understated. The author ratchets up the tension as the novel reaches its exciting denouement. Unfortunately, McDermid resorts to a pat ending, which strains believability. However, this quibble aside, I recommend "The Last Temptation. " McDermid's skill as a writer of fast-paced and well-crafted thrillers makes this new novel a "must-read" for fans of this genre	A second protagonist in "The Last Temptation" is Dr	The Last Temptation	neutral	1
Angela and Diabola is about two sisters, one very angelic, and one very, very diabolic. The book starts out with Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones, their mother, giving birth to the twins. Angela comes out very peacefully and doesn't cry afterwards, but Diabola comes out kicking and screaming and almost bites the nurse's finger off. The girls grow up into toddlers and Diabola becomes even worse while Angela became sweeter. When the twins are six they begin school. Angela is very excited, but Diabola is bored and gloomy. Then Diabola draws a horrid picture, and the principal thinks Diabola is a genius. Diabola then starts to love school, and especially drawing. The principal only starts to doubt that Diabola is a genius when she burns down the school building. After that Diabola starts acting even more diabolic. She acts so badly that Mr. Cuthbertson-Jones leaves and abandons his family. Diabola also discovers that she has powers where she can set things on fire, which is how she burned the school down. With these new powers, she burns her house down too. The Cuthbertson-Joneses have to move into a run down apartment. Diabola does many mean but funny things. Read the book and find out what she does! I think this book is hilarious. It is also rather emotional at times, though, for instance when Angela encounters these weird feelings where she feels she must be near Diabola. My favorite part is when Diabola and Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones are in the kitchen in their apartment and men come in and try to steal all their food. Diabola becomes mad and uses her powers to make their eyes sting. Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones thinks Diabola hurt the men for her, but really Diabola didn't like the men and had done it for herself. My least favorite part is when Mr. Cuthbertson-Jones leaves his wife to handle the twins. A ngela becomes really emotional when her dad sends her letters. I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes books about the good and the dark side of life. Anyone who likes Harry Potter would like this book because it is about fighting and neutralizing evil people. Angela and Diabola is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a funny novel	Cuthbertson-Jones are in the kitchen in their apartment and men come in and try to steal all their food	men	negative	0
McDermid is the author of several series including one with serial killer profiler, Tony Hill and DCI Carol Jordan first introduced in the superb THE MERMAIDS SINGING. This current book is the third one in the series. Two storyline threads interweave themselves into this compelling plot. Carol is offered the bone of a possible promotion if she would agree to an undercover assignment. The assignment concerns getting to know and possibly date a criminal in Germany who imports illegal immigrants from Asia, as well as, drugs. She is to gain his confidence and set him up for arrest. Of course, if her cover is blown, her life will be in imminent danger. At the same time, a serial killer is murdering psychology professors in Germany. The killings are done in a particularly gruesome manner. Tony Hill is on the trail. Val McDermid is a superb storyteller. She succeeds in creating full rich characters that illicit a great deal of empathy with the reader. The parallel plots work quite well together and greatly heighten suspense to the degree that the book simply cannot be put down. This is another strong recommendation for one of our best writers working today	Carol is offered the bone of a possible promotion if she would agree to an undercover assignment	Carol	neutral	0
Based on historical fact, WINSTON'S WAR is a solid and absorbing fictional rendition of the leadership struggle between Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill between October 1, 1938 and May 10, 1940. As the book opens, Chamberlain has returned to 10 Downing Street a public hero after the signing of the Munich Agreement between himself and Adolf Hitler which gave the latter the Sudetenland in return for "peace in our time". Meanwhile, relegated to the periphery of British politics and virtually an outcast, Churchill obstinately lashes out against appeasement and loudly proclaims the necessity for total war to save democracy from the depredations of the Nazis. What subsequently follows is history: the German subjugation of the rest of Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland, the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, the Phony War, the Soviet invasion of Finland, the British military's Norwegian fiasco, and the crisis in His Majasty's government in May 1940 that ultimately elevated Winston to the premiership. The cast of characters in this sweeping story by Michael Dobbs of political maneuvering, skullduggery, and backstabbing is an historical Who's Who of the times: the ailing, haughty, and pacifist Chamberlain, who personifies England's bitter memories of the Great War and the popular concept of "never again"; the ambitious and self-absorbed Churchill, whose pugnacity sometimes clouds prudence; the defeatist, philandering, and anti-Semitic U. S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Joseph P. Kennedy; the alcoholic, disillusioned and psychologically tortured idealist, Guy Burgess (of Burgess, Philby, and Maclean of Cold War infamy); the stuttering King George VI, who whines that the German invasion of Poland interrupted his grouse hunting; and the Machiavellian newspaper mogul, William "Max" Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook. It's in the minor details with which Dobbs fleshes out the story of Chamberlain's fall and the rise of his nemesis, Churchill, to an epic 685 paper-backed pages (UK HarperCollins edition). And it's the length of WINSTON'S WAR that is, perhaps, a minor flaw. Some of the subplots seemed unnecessary, and should have been severely cropped by a ruthless editor: the love affair between the crippled WWI survivor "Mac" McFadden, barber to the politically great and one of Guy's information sources, and Carol, a housemaid and part-time prostitute; and between Bournemouth postmistress Sue Graham and Army Sergeant Jerry White - though the experiences of the latter did usefully tie the Norway debacle into the storyline on a personal level. Slightly more relevant, but still mildly tedious, was the dysfunctional relationship between Brendan Bracken, Churchill's closest confidant, and Kennedy's niece, Anna Fitzgerald. Perhaps Dobbs perceived a need to include Carol, Sue and Anna to make it less of a Guy Read. Chamberlain was toppled not because he sought to appease Hitler and avert a cataclysm, but because he didn't have the mettle to wage all-out war when the necessity for it was thrust upon him. That was to prove to be Winston's genius. The author's genius is in portraying the labyrinthine venality of Whitehall and Fleet Street powerbroking at a time when solidarity against a rapacious common enemy was desperately necessary. WINSTON'S WAR is the first in a series of novels about Churchill's wartime leadership. According to the back cover, the next book is apparently NEVER SURRENDER. I shall seek out and buy it immediately	Perhaps Dobbs perceived a need to include Carol, Sue and Anna to make it less of a Guy Read	Carol	neutral	1