Product Description
Travelers board a Pan Am Clipper at the outbreak of WWII, and their flight becomes a nightmare when the plane is suspended above a world about to explode. 2 cassettes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (70)

Great cast & amazing premise!!
Ken Follett always does such an amazing job of blending history into a fantastic fiction piece this time involving one of the last sea planes to cross the Atlantic at the start of World War II.The book really shines with the many cast members all being fleshed out and becoming individuals.This was a great drama with personal relationships thrown into a war time action novel.Great stuff!

An OK Soap Opera Set in WW II, Feminists Might Like This
Well, there are plenty of other reviews telling you about this book and most of them at least give you a pretty good idea of what it's about.Someone wrote that Follett's work is noted for having strong female characters.In "Night Over Water" the female characters are all out of the feminist's handbook.There is the dummy wife who can't make up her mind who she's in love with.Of course, she's never worked in her life, so she has to be a dummy and a victim of her cold, business-oriented husband.Then there is the corporate biatch.She's all about being a champion of corporate life and she is cast as nobly plotting revenge against her wimpy, conniving brother and his slimey attorney (well at least we agree on lawyers.)Note, this woman has far less redeeming qualities when juxtaposed with, say, Dagny Taggart in "Atlas Shrugged." And, the movie actress who is well-adjusted to the man's world because, well, I guess just because she's an actress and we all know that in the 30's an actress had to be a champion to survive in a man's world.But, Follett's male characters are all wimps, weasels, chauvinists, or some mix of all three.There is a scene where the biatch, who's quite attractive, leaves a room where the air crew are planning their flight.The author writes that as she closes the door behind her she hears the sounds of the crew talking and, although she can't make out what they're saying, they must be commenting on what a fox that was who was just in here.Are you kidding me?I mean, c'mon Follett, maybe they were talking about the flight.
If what you're looking for is a soap opera that does very little to capture the anxiety and sense of danger of early trans-Atlantic flight or World War II, "Night Over Water" is right up your alley.I strongly recommend Alan Furst's novels over this one.

Slow paced
Maybe this is just Follett's style, but there was tremendous character development, but it was just too slow paced for my taste.I only made it 60% through the book before I just became too bored to read what happens next.The action takes place on a plane, and the characters don't even get ON the plane until around p. 120, so I give the book 2-stars.I personally wasn't engrossed in the story, but I appreciate there is an audience for richly detailed, advertised suspense stories, even if they aren't exciting reads to this reviewer.

Makes me wish I'd travelled on the Pan Am Clipper
This is an interesting story.The details about the Pan Am Clipper are fascinating - the author gives us the feel of what it would have been like to take this 30 hour luxury flight.The dilemma faced by flight engineer Eddie Deakin is heart-wrenching, and the story of the thief is interesting.I don't think that this book is as good as Pillars of the Earth, but then that's a pretty high hurdle.

One distraction was the fact that a main characters, Margaret, was such a conceited, brainless little twit.We had to hear over and over again about how she was superior to her sister Elizabeth, because Elizabeth had mindlessly adopted the beliefs of their father, while Margaret had mindlessly adopted the beliefs of the first guy she had sex with.Not surprisingly, by the end of the book she has sex with someone else and conveniently forgets her earlier convictions.

This brings up another distraction - the author portrays people of the time (1939) as being obsessed with an arcane, pointless debate between two virtually identical political philosophies - communism and fascism.This is like debating how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, or trying to choose between two flavors of vanilla.(Of course, there's a difference in the two philosophies in terms of track record - communism in the last 100 years has killed far more people than has fascism.But we all know that fascists would have killed more if they'd only had the chance.)

Perhaps the author was trying to show how muddled people's thoughts were at the time, and how little perspective they had.However, reading it today after all we've seen in the last century, it seems odd to hear people debate whether communism or fascism is better, as if there's any real difference!

Other than those points, it's a good story, and I recommend the book.

I was "nonplussed" after all the "bucking"
I read a lot of books but do not often write reviews. Mostly only after being completely disappointed and trying to be benevolent towards my fellow reader...warning them against wasting time. Time that I'll never get back.
The author has written some real stellar works (Pillars of the Earth, Eye of the Needle, which many other reviewers note, plus Triple which was left off reviews but I found to be a nice read).
This book, Night over Water, is easily one of the worst books I've read in the past couple of years. What an embarrassment to the author...really, Mr. Follett...you need to come forward and admit that you didn't actually write it. It's pathetic. Other readers commented on one dimensional characters, obvious plot lines, predictability, etc. but trust me, it's much worse than that. This book reads exactly what I would presume a drugstore romance novel might be. Just awful, shallow, and incredibly unrealistic from start to finish.
OK, so maybe in the late 1930s there were a lot of 40 year old millionaires out there but there's no possible way people in such situations act as they do on this flight into the point of no return. Well, unless they're on the set of a soap opera. Several places in the story I was inclined to toss it aside...but then gave it another chance as the plot shifted (albeit a gnat's breath) but then when the sex scene happens in Newfoundland near the end, that was the final straw. That was just too stupid. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a sex scene. But this was cribbed right from a tv soap opera or a Harlequin Romance. Very amateur. That was as far as I got folks...I have no more time to waste on this crap.
By the way, my title has to do with a couple of words that were strung together repetively in the story. Another tip off that this was not actually written by the author of Eye of the Needle; not his style. (Please please please Ken tell me I'm right!)
... Read more

Customer Reviews (239)

A suspenseful story: The Slippery Slope
I thought that the book* The Slippery Slope* was a very suspenseful and enjoyable book.

Here is a summary: Violet and Klaus Baudelaire are a sister and brother in a trailer being pulled by a truck. The driver is their enemy, Count Olaf. The Baudelaires, who are orphans, are in disguise. All of a sudden, Count Olaf's henchmen lean out the window and cut the knot that holds the trailer to the truck.The Baudelaires fall back down the mountains that they were driving up. Count Olaf thought they had been killed and had their little sister Sunny in the truck. Violet and Klaus use traction and a drag car chute to stop themselves. They use the few things they had to bundle up because it was very cold in the mountains. They hike up the mountains until they find a cave with a group called the Snow Scouts, including one of their mean rivals, Carmelita Spats. They find a friend who shows them the way to a place called VFD. The three friends find baby sister Sunny on top of a mountain peak. She was Count Olaf's servant. The three friends rescued her.

There are many more sad details that are worth reading the book for. I like the book because you never know what is going to happen next.

By Audrey's daughter, Ruth

Finally! Some answers.
Sunny comes into her own as "a young girl" and no longer a baby. She also develops an interest in cooking. Oh, and the Beaudelaires escape from Count Olaf again.
Many more answers to series-long mysteries in this one, so that's good.

Lemony Snickets
My grandaughter was hoping to get the rest of the books in the series she was reading and we were lucky to find the choices atAmazon.The stores throughout the US intrigued her and we could chose the prices that were viable per book vs getting the whole sets that were available as well.They came in great condition and she was delighted.

wonderful
i have read 1-10 of the series of unfortunate events every single one was as great mystical as the other. i am the #1 fan!

Good book...
...though it doesn't advance the story very much. I'm almost done, however, so hopefully the final book will be satisfying. ... Read more

Product Description
Scotland Yard's Richard Jury and his sidekick Melrose Plant converge on a northern fishing village to hunt down a wily killer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Lots of words, not much cash
I've started reading the Inspector Jury books again from the beginning. Used book, great condition, not much money. Would buy again.

Wonderful myster Christie's style..
Finally i got to read something close to good old Agatha - wonderful book. Reminded me of "Peril at End House" " Mirror Cracked", of course, but in my case it's not a bad thing! Very charming characters, good story, atmospheric location- what else do you need from a mystery!I can't wait to read the next one!

Well-written second entry in a pretty good series
This is the second in the Chief Inspector Richard Jury murder mysteries, and this time Scotland Yard sends him off to assist in investigating a murder in the cliffside fishing village of Rackmoor, in darkest Yorkshire. A young woman who might be the returned prodigal ward of a wealthy landowner has been killed on a foggy night and there are way too many suspects. As it happens, Melrose Plant, who developed a taste for detecting last year, and who has becomes friends with Jury, was recently invited to visit said landowner, so he takes the opportunity to involve himself as well. Fortunately for Jury, Plant is a very bright guy with hidden resources and a wry sense of humor, and his assistance is welcome. As in the first book, the roots of at least one of the murders in Rackmoor (you knew there would be more than one) stretch far back into the past. The characters are nicely done, especially young Bertie Makepeace, who has had to do for himself with the aid of his faithful canine companion, Arnold.

Enjoyable mystery
I have all of the Ms. Grimes' book and they are very entertaining. Once you start reading them you can't stop.

Second In The Series Sets Style
The Old Fox Deceiv'd, by Martha Grimes, is the second in the series of this exceptionally well writted series featuring Richard Jury and Melrose Plant.The reparte between the two primary characters and their growing friendship is really the best part of this series.If you are new to the series, than congratulations... you have found an excellent series by a very witty and gifted author.Some of the books - like any series - are much better than others.In this novel, the style of having Melrose essentially sent on assignment is made, with excellent results.Reading along as Melrose plays jr. detective is very funny.The mystery here is just nifty enough to make this a 4 star read.For those of you new to the series, here are the books in order:

The Man with a Load of Mischief
The Old Fox Deceived
The Anodyne Necklace
The Dirty Duck
Jerusalem Inn
Help the Poor Struggler
The Deer Leap
I am the only Running Footman
The Five Bells and Bladebone
The Old Silent
The Old Contemptibles
The Horse You Came In on
Rainbow's End
The Case has Altered
The Stargazey
The Lamorna Wink
The Blue Last
The Grave Maurice
The Winds of Change
The Old Wine Shades
Dust
... Read more

Product Description
The first in a three-volume collection of short stories by the grandmaster of the horror genre features unabridged narratives of the spinetingling tales. Amazon.com Review
Many people who write about horror literature maintain thatmood is its most important element. Stephen King disagrees: "My deeplyheld conviction is that story must be paramount.... All otherconsiderations are secondary--theme, mood, even characterization andlanguage."

These fine stories, each written in what King calls "a burst of faith,happiness, and optimism," prove his point. The theme, mood,characters, and language vary, but throughout, a sense of story reignssupreme. Nightmares & Dreamscapes contains 20 shorttales--including several never before published--plus one teleplay,one poem, and one nonfiction piece about kids and baseball thatappeared in the New Yorker. The subjects include vampires,zombies, an evil toy, man-eating frogs, the burial of a Cadillac, adisembodied finger, and a wicked stepfather. The style ranges fromKing's well-honed horror to a RayBradbury-like fantasy voice to an ambitious pastiche of RaymondChandler and RossMacDonald. And like a compact disc with a bonus track, the book endswith a charming little tale not listed in the table of contents--aparable called "The Beggar and the Diamond." --Fiona Webster ... Read more

Customer Reviews (107)

The Brooklyn Bridge, Over and Over Again
In his introduction to this collection, Stephen King recalls being a credulous youngster who believed all sorts of things--from the reality of Santa Claus to Richard Nixon's plan to get the country out of Vietnam.He is still like this, and willingly accepts the recurring disappointments in exchange for the ability to believe in a story and bring it to life.In this collection, his third following Night Shift and Skeleton Crew, King believes into existence twenty-two stories--and one nonfiction piece--intended to scare the reader "...so badly you won't be able to go to sleep without leaving the bathroom light on."Some of them deliver all too well.

Three of my favorites:

In "Dolan's Cadillac" we live through years of obsessive investigation and planning for revenge.A man traps the mob boss who ordered his wife's death and systematically covers up all evidence of his crime.Perfect.

If you could remove mankind's violent tendencies and bring about "The End of the Whole Mess" of murder and war, you would do it, right?Even if it wasn't the smartest thing to do.

In "Suffer the Little Children" we meet Miss Sidley, a teacher who has been taking care of children all of her adult life.One day her students begin acting strangely...so she takes care of them.

This book is highly recommended for Stephen King fans and readers who enjoy a well-crafted story that makes their brains squirm for a day or two after reading.

Expect the expected--and the unexpected
One of the many things I love about Stephen King as a writer is this--when you read one of his works (whether short story, novella, novel, or epic novel), you get exactly what you expect, along with a bit of what you don't expect. And that's one of the characteristics that make him such an entertaining and amazing author--he keeps building his repertoire and impressing you with talents that you didn't know he had. This collection of short stories allows King to showcase many of the talents you'd expect from him, as well as a number of talents he doesn't often get an opportunity to showcase in his novels. There's a revenge tale reminiscent of Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" ("Dolan's Cadillac"), a story featuring creepy kids ("Suffer the Little Children"), stories about animated things that shouldn't be animated ("Chattery Teeth" and "The Moving Finger"), apocalyptic tales ("The End of the Whole Mess" and "Home Delivery"), an homage to Lovecraft ("Crouch End"), and what is probably one of King's best short stories, "The Ten O'Clock People"--all pretty standard, and well done, Stephen King fare. And then there's the unexpected--a teleplay ("Sorry, Right Number"), a Sherlock Holmes story ("The Doctor's Last Case"), a poem ("Brooklyn August"), and--the most pleasant surprise of all--a non-fiction piece about King's son's Little League team ("Head Down"), which resulted in an effect I never imagined a piece of Stephen King's writing would have on me: I cried. I will continue to sing the praises of Stephen King and insist that he is one of the most under-rated and under-appreciated writers around. Despite his massive popularity, he is often derided as a one-dimensional writer with no skill outside of his chosen genre--horror. "Nightmares & Dreamscapes" offers ample proof that that is not the case at all. Read it, and be surprised.

2 stars for Seller;5 stars for book
The book had many interesting short stories.I would recommend the book but not the seller, Thriftbooks.The book they sent me had pages out of order.For example, you're reading on page 342 and the next page is 382.The pages were mixed up throughout the middle of the book.All the pages were there but not in order.

Good fun, lots of chills
This collection is chock full of everything King aficionados love, and it'll easily hook the uninitiated.There are many different samples on display, from one of King's true oldies (a Castle Rock story originally published in a college literary magazine, and feeling its roots very deep...when the autumn pumpkins get loving detail, you know it's a young man's voice) to something he finished in about three days in the year this was published.They are, for the most part, very good, full of story and gab, which is what you expect from King.I especially liked 'Popsy', which is a sort of child abductor revenge fantasy meets vampire tale (parents everywhere are confronted with their greatest nightmare and must give a cheer at the end), 'Suffer the Little Children', which kept me up for HOURS later that night, 'Rainy Season', which walks the line between horror and humor very well (the only time King tips his hand is when he name drops 'The Lottery'...you'll see what I mean), and 'Umney's Last Case', since it's clever and I'll gobble up anything Raymond Chandler-esque.

There are actually only a couple of bumps in the road.King's Sherlock Holmes story is passable Conan Doyle, at best.If you want a BRILLIANT modern attempt, read Neil Gaiman's 'A Study in Emerald.'King probably gets a moderate grade because Holmes requires icy precision, subtle restraint and a wry, nimble style of writing, and King, much as I love him and much as he has great talent, is not especially gifted in those areas.(I could be wrong, but I think Holmes makes a pussy joke somewhere in there...reader, I cringed.)

Still, there is much to enjoy here.I won't give a blow by blow of everything I liked (which was a lot), and everything I didn't (which was a little.)Instead, I'll take on two stories, my favorite and the one I liked least.

Crouch End- King goes to Lovecraft country, and I absolutely didn't want it to end.Everything you love about King-- the sense of place and character, dialogue and dialect, rising sense of terror, and flat out crazy, tentacled monsters living under the city streets-- is here.It's also one of the best examples of story and mood working together, instead of fighting with each other.A young couple visiting London go to meet the husband's colleague in Crouch End.The moment they enter the suburb, I became unsettled.It got worse from there.The wife, who (spoiler) lives to tell the tale, notices the strange orange light, the claw-handed child, the people with rat heads (but she imagined it...?), the one-eyed cat who seems to become a vagrant under a bridge later.The woman's tale is interspersed with the kindly officers at the police station, who listen to her story and don't know what to make of it.The editing in this tale is very good, so that the action unfolds as you might see it on television or at the movies.I won't say what happens to the husband, or how it ends, but it's very satisfactory, very frightening, and also very creepy.I had to turn on the lights when I was done, and it was only afternoon.King's command of the British dialect in this is nearly always spot on, and he makes everyday things in the light of day appear sinister and evil.The plotting, writing, everything is good here.Happily, most of the collection falls into this area, though I think this is the best example of the book.

Home Delivery- Unfortunately, everything that is right about Crouch End is wrong about Home Delivery.The story starts out as some kind of Lifetime movie, with an incredibly mousy woman, unable to cope without a man.She once married a dashing sailor, you know, who showed her love, until...until he was drowned at sea.Now, weak minded and pregnant, she must face the void alone.And then the zombies eat the president.Not kidding.That's basically the next line.King's instincts here are wrong, between trying to play all this nonsense dead serious and the wall to wall folksiness of EVERY F---ING SITUATION.The down home charm is one of the reasons I like King, but if you were up in a space shuttle, watching space worms eat your compatriots' brains (don't ask, it'll make sense) and knowing you're next, would your last musings to the world via satellite be 'I did so like all of them, especially the fat guy who dug around in his nose.'Yeah, it's a British character.King's knack for the Brit dialect vanished on this one.Sometimes, it does seem like King will be folksy if it kills him.Then the pregnant woman fights the Ray Harryhausen (in my mind) sailor husband back from the grave, zombies you know.And the men of the island town machine-gun the whole graveyard.And the woman is happy that she'll have a home delivery.Probably the two greatest failings here were the decision to, as I said, play it straight, and the relentless down home chat.Honestly, Steve, I know you have an ear for dialogue.I BELIEVE YOU.

Still, snark ended, this is a very good, creepy read, excellent for curling up with on a dark night.Going through it, piece by piece, you see and understand how much love King has for the craft, how hard he works at it, and how much joy it brings him.It's bound to bring you happiness as well, even if it's the squirming, terrified kind of happiness.It'll do.

A Great RIde
I really enjoyed this book, its a lot like enjoying classical music. The moods, the tempo and the pacing of the stories is so enjoyable. The story that still freaks me out to this day is "Home Delivery" simply for the scene that takes place in the space shuttle!! King could have made a whole novel based on that scene. But he didn't and that is what makes him so good at the short stories. I think a good short story forces your mind to ask "what would have happened if the story kept on going"? Not that his novels do not do the same, but in the short story King is forced to put down the bare bones of the story. The other stories that blew me away were: The Night Flier, The Moving Finger, Crotch End and My Pretty Pony. My Pretty Pony shows the depth of King's thinking on the philosophy of time. The Ten O' Clock People is a nice story but to me it's just a ripe off of John Carpenter's They Live. All in all not a bad collection of stories. ... Read more

Product Description
Sequel to the spellbinding, award-winning fantasy adventure, SABRIEL.Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Abandoned by her mother and ignorant of her father's identity, Lirael resembles no one else in her large, extended family living in the Clayr's Glacier. She doesn't even have the Sight - the ability to See into the present and possible futures - that is the very birthright of the Clayr. Nonetheless, it is Lirael in whose hands the fate of the Old Kingdom lies. She must undertake a desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil - one that opposes the Royal Family, blocks the Sight of the Clayr, and threatens to break the very boundary between Life and Death itself. With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, to help her, Lirael must find the courage to seek her own hidden destiny.Garth Nix draws readers deeper into the magical landscape of the Old Kingdom and weaves a spellbinding tale of discovery, destiny and danger.Amazon.com Review
Fourteen years have passed since the necromancer Sabriel bound the Greater Dead Adept Kerrigor beyond the Ninth Gate and helped restore King Touchstone to the Old Kingdom throne. Now she rules at his side as Abhorsen, the sole necromancer of the Old Kingdom, keeping the people safe from the dark power of Free Magic. But this is not just Sabriel's tale. It is also the story of Hedge, a mysterious necromancer who is digging up a monstrous evil that could utterly destroy the Old Kingdom. And it is the story of Prince Sameth, Touchstone and Sabriel's only son, who would rather fight an entire army of Dead than disappoint his beloved parents. And Sam's friend Nick, who has unknowingly loosed Free Magic into the Old Kingdom, blissfully ignorant of its complete malevolence. But mostly, this is the tale of Lirael, the only daughter of the future-seeing Clayr who does not possess the Sight. Burying the pain of her Sightlessness in the Clayr's great library, Third Assistant Librarian Lirael's insatiable curiosity will soon lead her to an unbelievable destiny that may even be connected with that of the great Sabriel herself.

Garth Nix's stunning sequel to Sabriel, full of Mages, Moggets, and even a Disreputable Dog, is on par with the equally superb works of Philip Pullman and William Nicholson. And fantasy lovers of all ages will be thrilled to discover that Lirael ends with more questions than answers, which will mean a third dip into Nix's beguiling Charter Magic. Both exhilarating and mesmerizing, this fine novel is pure enchantment. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert ... Read more

Customer Reviews (259)

Does this review even need a title?
I dont like giving my 5 stars away, in fact, i hate it. But this book,this series, continues to hunger for them. ITS NOT FAIR! GIVE ME BACK MY STARS! This book is a fantastic masterpiece of danger, mystery, and frightingly excitable tense action.

Excellent
'Lirael' is a sequel to Garth Nix's wonderful 'Sabriel'. Although not quite as good as Sabriel it is still an excellent book. We learn more about the Old Kingdom, and more about the nature of Charter and Free magic. Have the nextbook 'Abhorsen' ready because the two are one story and you'll want to pick that one up as soon as you finish 'Lirael'.

Brilliant. Highly Recommended.
Lirael (Abhorsen Trilogy) is the sequel to the highly popular Sabriel (Abhorsen). It is fourteen years later and Sabriel and Touchstone have established a safe-haven for their subjects. However, the Dead still plague outreaching settlements and a disturbing new danger has started to stir.

This book is a fitting follower to Sabriel (Abhorsen). It is well written and the characters are realistic and inspire empathy. The story is exciting and intriguing and I found it difficult to stop reading. Lirael (Abhorsen Trilogy) is even better than Sabriel (Abhorsen).

A Solid Ending After a Rough Start
Lirael continues the great story and magical structure, but it suffers from things that put Sabriel at a higher standard.I ended up enjoying Sabriel more and it nearly took me months to finish this episode.The reason being, is that I just really couldn't keep focus on the new characters.

I won't say that the novel is bad, because it's really not.Lirael has a great story and is generally unpredictable.Mogget continues to be hilarious as one of our new characters, the Disreputable Dog, compliments the cat very nicely.Garth Nix is an extremely talented writer, with a knack for creating a whole new fresh world for fantasty fanatics to enjoy.

Now wheres the problem?My problem is that Lirael and Sameth throughout the novel are very dislikable characters.Sameth seems like he has a huge tendency to become selfish and betray.He ultimately becomes a hero, but he starts as a real self-loathing, annoying character.Lirael seems to mimic this personality as well.She starts as a quiet, depressing, and suicidal individual.I overall understood the purpose of the personalies, but I didn't find my salvation in anyone, because every character was mean and pessimistic.With the effect of this and the reduced intensity(action) I read this novel a lot slower than the first book.

So in the end, Lirael steps down Nix's ladder a bit, but Nix has a very strong selection.Shade's Children and the Seventh Tower series really moved me.Maybe the reason for that was an array of very heroic, admirable characters.I tend to connect more with stories of outstanding heroism.Where as Lirael tended to avoid the heroism and save it for the third novel.I am very confident that Abhorsen will be an excellent novel, but thats because Lirael and Sameth got over their small problems in the huge scope of the novel.I look forward to reading the next installment, but I am going to keep it real and say the book was good, but I just didn't enjoy it as much as I longed to.

good
Though this book wasn't as action packed and enthralling as I'd hoped, I still love it. I'm disappointed with the fact that it really was a couple hundred pages just to set up for the final installment, but I can't help but love it in spite of myself. I'll probably read it again in a few years :) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (195)

Not too bad
A kid's review:

This book is pretty good. The plot was gripping. But I took off two stars because the book is so unrealistic. What baby could climb a rope for three solid hours? What PERSON could climb a rope for three hours? What baby could scale an elevator shaft using only her teeth? And geez, what baby could even understand what was going on?! Three stars for a so-so book.

"Elevating Opinions"
I probably liked this book best of all Snicket's books.I liked the Baudelaire's gaurdians' penthouse with its MANY rooms.Esme was kind of funny with all her "in" things and the picture of Sunny climbing up the elevator shaft with her teeth was hilarious!I didn't really like Jerome though, and I groaned when Count Olaf came disguised as an auctioneer.It was kind of confusing from the part with the tunnel to the Baudelaire's old house onward, especially the part with the "Ersatz" V.F.D. doilies and the red herring that held the Quagmires.Ersatz means fake and this book had a lot of faking.In World War II, people drank Ersatz coffee because real coffee was rationed.Ersatz coffee anyone?

Liked it not Loved it
This review is done by my beautiful 11 year old, Victoria who is an avid book reader.

As with the other Lemony Snicket books, I gulped this one right down. Though, the ending wasn't as tasteful as I would like it to be.
AS most of you know, Violet's, Klaus's and Sunny's parents died in a fire, and they have been to many awful places to live. Especially Count Olaf's house. Olaf is a greedy man and when he finds out about the Baudelaire fortune, he tries to steal it. He finds the children everywhere they live. He dresses up in silly disguises which the children could see through.
In this book, the Baudelaire orphans are adopted by Esme Squalor and her husband, Jerome. They live on 667 Dark Avenue, where all the residents decide what's in and what's out. And as Esme explains to the children, Orphans are in. As the Baudelaires find out from the Squalors, the 'IN Auction' is in a few days, and an auctioneer, by the name of Gunther comes to town. The children soon find out that Gunther, isn't a real auctioneer.
Night and day the children tear up about their best friends, the siblings, Isadora and Duncan, whose parents also died in a fire, along with their triplet Quigley. Plus they also have a fortune left over, the famous Quagmire sapphires, which Olaf wants as well.
As they find out, the elevator in their building (which is supposed to be out) is an ersatz and when they climb down they find someone really dear to them locked up in a dungeon. As they climb back down in a rescue effort, the dear one is gone.
I can not tell you how the story ends but it is not as adventures as I would of liked it.

Yes there is a good plot and story, but not such a good ending. I would recommend this book, but I would tell that person he/she should read the other earlier parts before it. So read it!

A decent book.
A decent 6th novel in the Series of Unfortunate Events. The plots become more outlandish as the series continues, but I suppose they would have to as few obvious ideas remain for putting the Beaudelaires in such dire straits. I enjoy the fact that a mystery is being revealed along the way that will hopefully be concluded at the end of the series. If the books were just the unfortunate events themselves, I may have quit reading some time ago.

the book
This book is good but i think that the author could get to the pooint quicker. He can bable on and on for about 2 pages on the differance between the word anxciose and nervouse. In the begining of each chapter he writes what he is thinking even if it has nothing to do with the book. Otherwise this book is good. If you like adventure and mystery books this is a good choice. Its about 250 pages long, so i would recomend it for a 4-6th grader. ... Read more

Product Description
Continuing the epic of the Mayfair witches, this brilliantly imagined tale takes listeners on a wondrous journey back through the centuries. 4 cassettes.Amazon.com Review
In a swirling universe filled with death and life, corruptionand innocence, this mesmerizing novel takes us on a wondrous journeyback through the centuries to a civilization half-human, of whollymysterious origin, at odds with mortality and immortality, justice andguilt.It is an enchanted, hypnotic world that could only come fromthe imagination of Anne Rice... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (111)

book review
The book was thrilling, and completely fasenating. It was in good condition and I am very pleased by the seller.

Taltos
This Anne Rice series on the Mayfair Witches was awesome.At first I wasn't going to read the last book but OMG I'm so glad I did.It really brought it all together.

The series continues to fascinate.
I disagree with the many other reviews which opine that this book is not any good. I continued to enjoy the tales contained in both Lasher and Taltos, and do not think that they detract from the excellent narrative that is The Witching Hour.I like that Rice has created an entirely new species about which to write, having possibly exhausted vampire lore. I am fascinated by the Taltos and extremely interested in reading about them further.

Great Book
The book arrived in good order and is a terrific read. the second in the trilogy of the Mayfair Witches.Anne Rice has a dreamy quality to her story telling which I find facinating , the depth of the plot is a `can`t-put-it-down factor .

Yay Anne Rice!
What a great book! I would suggest reading the interview with a vampire series first because they get you really interesting in the taltos and make these a more interesting read. I have come to realize that Anne Rice's books are more of a winter read, when you have time to sit and really think about it because her writing is so involved. ... Read more

Product Description
One Colonel Ardenti, who has unnaturally black, brilliantined hair, a carefully-groomed mustache, wears maroon socks, and who once served in the Foreign Legion, starts it all. He tells three Milan book editors that he has discovered a coded message about a Templar Plan, centuries old and involving Stonehenge -- a plan to tap a mystic source of power far greater than atomic energy.

The editors, who have spent altogether too much time rewriting crackpot manuscripts on the occult by fanatics and dilettantes, decide to have a little fun.They'll create a Plan of their own.But how?

Randomly they throw together manuscript pages on hermetic thought;The Masters of the World, who live beneath the earth, The Comte de Sain-Germain, who lives forever.They add Satanic initiation rites of the Knights of the Temple, Assassins, Rosicrucians, Brazilian voodoo, the Third Reich.And they feed all this, and much more, into their powerful computer, Abulafia.

A terrific joke, they think, until the Plan assumes and life and power of its own, and turns deadly -- as people mysteriously begin to disappear, one by one, starting with Colonel Ardenti.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (421)

Mystery, Adventure, Mind Twisting Conspiracies, Oh My
I picked this book up more than a decade ago.I started reading it once but couldn't get into it.When The DaVinci Code came out, somebody recommended this book to me as a "thinking man's DaVinci Code."And yet it still took me another 4-5 years to read it.I'm sad that it took me so long to finally get to this book.

The first thing I'll say is that this is an incredibly dense book.I'm generally a pretty fast reader.But with this book, my reading speed was generally cut at least in half either by the writing or by forcing myself to slow it down.There is just so much going on that this book truly requires more time spent on each page.

The high level story is actually fairly simplistic.To an extent I would almost simplify it and say that this is the story of what happens prior to the opening pages of the DaVinci Code novel...the book opens in a museum with our protagonist, Casaubon anxiously awaiting some midnight ritual that could result in death but then the next ~400+ pages are told in flashback to let us know how we got to this point.So where DaVinci Code starts with a ritualistic death in a museum and works to solve the mystery, Foucault starts with the musuem but then backtracks to show how we got there and (eventually) ends with the events in the museum.

The story involves a group of overly educated folks working together at a publishing house.As they receive a number of outlandish books about various conspiracy theories, they finally decide to create their own theory from their own knowledge and information as well as by piecing together bits from all of these other books.They create a very coherent plan that outlines centuries/millenia of plotting by Templars and other Holy Orders.Naturally, their plan comes too close to the truth (or does it?) and gets them all in trouble.

Interestingly, this basic synopsis was outlined on the back cover of the book.However, aside from the first few pages in the museum, it takes a few hundred pages before the group of people get together at the publishing house and start working on their own plan.

Instead of jumping right into the action and giving us an intense action-packed novel, the author provides us a "teaser" of the action to come (the museum) but then takes us back in time many years and allows us to follow the educational pattern that eventually provides the adequate knowledge to develop this intricate plan.

We follow Casaubon from Europe to South America and back again over decades.We relive his interesting experiences with different cults, mystics, and others.We're also taken on flashbacks as he talks with one of the other men, Belbo, about his childhood during World War II and there are numerous segments of psychological analysis of his experiences.Indeed, even though we are living the story through Casaubon's narration, there are a number of segments told from Belbo's point of view either as he spoke to Casaubon or as Casaubon reads some journal-type writing by Belbo.

So, the general story of this book is fairly simple and easy to follow.But the amount of information presented is staggering.It took me a number of chapters to get a feel for the narrative style but once I did, I found a lot of passages to be very humorous and witty.

Naturally I didn't have time or energy to go through and validate each of the various historical commentaries made by the characters. They were all presented with a great sense of authority.Indeed, part of the theme of the novel, at least from my perspective, is that readers SHOULD question what they're presented rather than just accepting it as fact.Furthermore, even if there is plenty of truth in what is presented, that doesn't necessarily mean that the end result is true.

Through the absurdity with which Casaubon and his friends develop "The Plan" and the further absurdity by which it is accepted, Eco seems to be presenting the argument that conspiracy theories and theorists are far to eager to jump at their desired solution rather than appropriately seeking out the true and logical answer.I especially loved a scene near the end of the book where Casaubon's girlfriend Lia reads "The Plan" and gives her own interpretation of their pieced together facts...an interpretation much more mundane and far less dangerous.

While it took me a long time to get into this book and a long time to finish it due to the density of reading....I really enjoyed this book.I loved hearing the various historical stories (true or not) and the interesting analysis of the motives and ideas of these various cults and groups.The action/adventure of the story was a lot of fun too, though in terms of page volume, that was definitely a very small portion of the overall work.

I certainly can't recommend it to everyone.But if you're a history buff, a conspiracy theory fan, a literary buff or just looking for a deep and thought provoking read (and you have the time and energy to invest in it), then definitely check this out.

****
3.5 out of 5 stars

Why all the hype?
I can't for the life of me, see why people get so starry-eyed about this book. It started out interesting but then degenerated into a meandering morass of pretentious prose. After 240 pages, I completely lost interest. I gave it two stars because the guy clearly can write; it just doesn't seem like he has much to actually say. I realize that I'm supposed to think this is brilliant but this seems like little more than pseudo-intellectual masturbation...

Yawn.

Not recommended.

It's a shopping list
I enjoyed this book all the more because my then girlfriend, now wife of eleven years, couldn't finish it first time round. She was always an even more avid book reader than I was and would gamely plough on through books I gave up on. She didn't get it and I enjoyed that. Eco is a very clever academic who writes for the pleasure of showing his knowledge and erudition. He sets up a much better Da Vinci Code scenario than Dan Brown could produce in a lifetime. There is certainly a case of plagiarism to answer, but if I remember correctly, Eco was gracious about the 'similarity' between the two books. No similarity in the quality of the writing, but Brown should worry given that his book is much better matched to the capacity of his audience. A bit like 'Manhunter' v 'Red Dragon' in anpother context. The story is laid out in other reviews, but the key is that the men allow themselves to be sucked into the very things they set out to expose - the bogus nature of secret societies, protecting arcane knowledge that is too dangerous for the world at large to learn. In truth, it's a shopping list, but it takes a practical female mind to work it out, by which time it's too late...
It's not Holy Writ, it's not dross, but it does take a while to read and it would help if you had some sense of European history. Give it a go.

A Cosmic Mess
I wanted to read this novel for a long, long time.Until I finally got to it.Well, maybe it's not so good to wait so long.As time passes, expectations get higher.You find yourself disappointed. All this to say that I felt Eco and his Foucault's Pendulum let me down.While there are some interesting philosophical and historical effects, there is a pervading self-indulgence and a messiness that kill the charm of Eco's prose.
Possibly it works better in the original Italian.But I doubt it.
The plot?Well, there is no plot per say.Not really. I don't mind this that much.I have, after all, read Beckett's The Unnameable.But there is music and rhythm and something almost mystical in Beckett's writing.Intrinsic to the syntax itself.As if the prose itself were breathing.And it should.
But it never quite picks up with Eco.It jump starts here and there.And there are brilliant moments.The problem is that they get intertwined with useless ones.
The beginning is good.Here is an excerpt from the third page: "The Pendulum told me that, as everything moved --earth, solar system, nebulae and black holes, all the children of the great cosmic expansion --one single point stood still: a pivot, bolt, or hook around which the universe could move.And I was now taking part in that supreme experience."
Here's the irony.This is exactly what happens to the novel.While the world keeps moving, the rest of the plot is like the Pendulum.It stands still.Perhaps that's what Eco wants.But it doesn't work.
And it could have, since the leitmotiv is the history of the Templars.How instead of being destroyed they kept on as secret societies, became along the centuries various branches of freemasonry, might have known the secret the Holy Grail.There are some satanic rituals, the question of the sacred measurements of the Great Pyramid.But it's all disseminated.It could have the structure of a "detective story," as Anthony Burgess' blurb on the back cover suggests, but it fails to captivate the way a good detective story should. Or if it does, it does so intermittently. It navigates between philosophy (Is this all real, or is it all a giant joke?), science (aforementioned measurements) and fiction (friends in the publishing world trying to discover the secret of Templar and freemasonic societies fouled with WWII stories?). The result: a cosmic mess!
Eco writes like a professor (that he is) writing a novel.Seeking effects and cleverness and seldom being respectful of his readership.Is he shying away from entertaining the public?Does he consider entertainment too low a place for his lofty undertakings?I don't know.What I know is that most of the authors who are today in major literary anthologies added a sense of entertainment to their ideas and high creativity ---any good artist seeks the participation of an audience. That's the combo that makes writing interesting.And memorable.

Polished and Witty ;)
IMHO, this is a practically perfect story.yes, it's long and at times tedious, but what a fabulous concept and execution!It stands as one of my all time Top Five Favorite books and perhaps best is listening to it as read by Tim Curry!A true delight!For details on why it's so fab, read the 03 San Diego review or 2000 NY review on this page. I agree!But, give yourself a treat on your next trip and let Curry thrill you.Magnificent! ... Read more

Product Description
Time spent by the sea can be refreshing and rejuvenating, and may be just the thing the Baudelaire orphans need after their exhausting mountain adventure.

Violet, who likes to invent things, would surely find interesting contraptions to explore in a sea-bound vessel such as a submarine. Klaus, an avid reader, would certainly be interested in doing some research into the peculiar habits of certain mushrooms. And Sunny, who loves to bite things and is learning to cook, may enjoy the surprising food that comes from the sea.

Regardless of all the wonders the world of water has to offer, the Baudelaire siblings should hone their skills while ocean bound, just in case this journey turns out to be the most dreadful yet in a series of unfortunate events.Amazon.com Review
It's tough when the things that stand between you and your desired sugar bowl are a host of deadly mushrooms and an uncomfortable diving suit. The unlucky Baudelaire orphans find themselves in deep (once again) in this eleventh book in Lemony Snicket's odd-and-full-of-woe-but-quite-funny Series of Unfortunate Events. In The Grim Grotto, the siblings find themselves headed down Stricken Stream on a broken toboggan when they are spotted by the submarine Queequeg, carrying Captain Widdershins, his somewhat volatile stepdaughter Fiona, and optimistic Phil from Lucky Smells Lumbermill. The adventures that follow as the crew tries to get to the aforementioned sugar bowl before Count Olaf are so horrible that the narrator inserts factual information about the water cycle so that readers will get bored and stop reading the book. It doesn't work. As per usual, readers will want to soak up every awf! ul detail and follow the Baudelaires all the way back to the place we first met them--Briny Beach. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Customer Reviews (253)

Extra points for unique setting.
The Beaudelaires are on their own again and in search of the all-important Sugar Bowl. They encounter an irritating submarine captain and learn that sometimes to hesitate is good, and they also have a run-in with a very poisonous fungus. More information is revealed about V.F.D, the identity of one of Olaf's henchmen, and the whereabouts of some friends.
We are rushing towards the climax of this series and this book seems more like a bridge between the last chapter and the next than a book of its own. I am loving Sunny's affinity for food and cooking.

Lemony Snickets
My grandaughter was hoing to get to read the rest of the books in the series she was reading and we found them at Amazon. We had fun watching the bidding and learned some finances on purchasing the books seperately vs the whole series that were available too.They came in great shape and she was delighted.

A Depressing Review
The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket is a great book.It is the eleventh book of the series. This book is about the three Baudelaire orphans.Their parents died in a terrible fire that destroyed their entire home.Ever since then, a banker named Mr. Poe has been leading them to their fate.The first place he brought them was to the house of a villain named Count Olaf.Count Olaf is a murderer and would do anything to get the Baudelaire fortune.

In the Grim Grotto, they find a submarine and inside they meet new people and someone they never thought they'd see again.They also interfere with a terrible fungus named Medusoid Mycelium.

Will they survive this terrible fungus?Read the book to find out!

Written by Anna.

He or She who hesitates is lost
This, like all of Lemony Snicket's books was amazing. Even though he puts his readers on notice that they will sob uncontrollaby if they read his books, you should definitly take this book for a spin. Of course, if you have not read the first 10 books you will be lost.

THE GRIM GROTTO (A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS) BOOK 11
This book was purchased, along with Books 12 and 13 in this series, for my nine-year-old granddaughter. She hasn't read it yet, but has read other books in this series and enjoys them very much.

the books was orderd two weeks prior to Christmas as a Christmas present and arrived in time to give her at Christmas and in very good condition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (326)

Uhm..Seriously?
I have really enjoyed reading the series..up until now but I thought this would wrap up the whole series and give me some answers...but I am afraid I am still "on the coastal shelf" It was a repeat of all of the previous books mostly..I would've prefered more answers. I guess Lemony was right, I should've put the book down and read something else 13 books ago.

Yay! It's over!
I'm not sure whether I'm satisfied with the end of this tale...The End doesn't really end. The questions it raises, whether anyone is ever either a Noble person or a Villainous one is a good one and worth some thought.

A Very Late Review
*Note: Spoilers

I have no idea why I waited four years to review this book. Well now that a considerable amount of time has passed, I can finally give a clear headed review.

I pre-ordered this from amazon along with The Beatrice Letters. Needless to say, it came a week after The End's release; by the time I received the package, my eager junior high self was brimming with excitement over Snicket's final 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' novel. I forgot about homework and went right on to read it. Several hours later, however, I had finished the book- and was left with a rather perplexed feeling. Like many of my contemporary reviewers, I was disappointed. My gripe was (and still is) that no questions in particular were answered. The entire island plot would have went well if it were not the conclusion of a thirteen-book series.

Unlike its predecessors, several plot progressors have unfolded, i.e Count Olaf's death, or Beatrice Snicket's birth. The entirety of the novel takes place on an island, where stoned people drink fermented coconut everyday to forget about their problems or relax. After getting shipwrecked there, the Baudelaire siblings take residence among the islanders. (The rest of the reviews summarize the plot much better from here on out).

If I had reviewed the book then, I would have given two stars (and a more detailed summary). After some time, however, I think I can understand Snicket's or Handler's main intentions. This series has made a name for itself as an intriguing mystery. Handler may have left the series so that speculation and interest would keep it thriving. Although this was not exactly my cup of tea, The End served as an ambiguously agreeable finale for a long sought out book series. I will say that I miss reading about the Baudelaires and their adventures- not only have these books taught me some much needed vocabulary, they've helped me keep an interest in reading. The End was a somewhat mollifying conclusion to a fun series.

The end
I think that the people who had been insulting this series should just analyze this more. since the beginning the author is telling the readers that this is going to end badly and book after book just demonstrates this idea. even though this ending leaves the reader with the felling that something is missing i think is the perfect ending to this series is a series of unfortunate events people not every ending has to be pretty I think is mysterious i had never read something likes this before that is for children he just tuck the meaning of everything to another level. I would read it again and again. the ending is and open one is not necessary happy but you can make your own ending and my ending for this series is that i decide i will have hope and for me they lived for other they will die at least this book does not kill them in the ending and that means i can decide that they lived and that may be unfortunate too.

Lemony Snickets
My grandaughter was so delighted to know we could get the rest of the books in the series she was reading, at Amazon.She enjoyed the bidding and learned some financing on getting the books seperately vs the whole series that was also offered.They came in great shape and she's happy to finish the series.Thank You. ... Read more

Product Description
After narrowly escaping the menacing clutches of the dastardly Count Olaf, the three Baudelaire orphans are taken in by a kindly herpetologist with whom they live happily for an all-to-brief-time.Amazon.com Review
The Reptile Room begins where Lemony Snicket's The Bad Beginningends... on the road with the three orphaned Baudelaire children asthey are whisked away from the evil Count Olaf to face "an unknownfate with some unknown relative." But who is this Dr. Montgomery,their late father's cousin's wife's brother? "Would Dr. Montgomerybe a kind person? they wondered. Would he at least be betterthan Count Olaf? Could he possibly be worse?" He certainly is notworse, and in fact when the Baudelaire children discover that he makescoconut cream cakes, circles the globe looking for snakes to study,and even plans to take them with him on his scientific expedition toPeru, the kids can't believe their luck. And, if you have read thefirst book in this Series of Unfortunate Events, you won't believetheir luck either. Despite the misadventures that befall theseinteresting, intelligent, resourceful orphans, you can trust that theengaging narrator will make their story--suspenseful and alarming asit is--a true delight. The Wide Window isnext, and more are on their way. (Ages 9 and older) --KarinSnelson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (328)

The Reptile Room's Murderer
By Angelo Ferrarini


A Series of Unfortunate Events tells the story of three really smart children that become orphans and live a really miserable childhood.
In this volume called "The Reptile Room" they stay at Monty's beautiful house after outsmarting count Olaf, right before he swears vengeance.

The story takes place at lousy lane, a disgusting road that smelled like fertilizer and at Monty's house which looked old and creepy on the outside, butwas really cozy inside.
The special feature about Monty's house is this room called "the reptile room" that was filled with... reptiles. Reptiles of all kinds, from snakes to turtles and books all about them.
Monty is planing a trip to Peru, but his assistant quit right before it, so he has to hire someone else called Stephano to help him on the trip. As soon as the children see him, they realize that he is just count Olaf in a disguise. The next day Monty gets "bitten" by the Mamba Du Mal, one of the most venomous snakes in the world. Right away the children suspect that count Olaf is to blame for this when they seethat the Mamba Du Mal is still in its cage.
From now things go from bad to worse.
Olaf is taking the children to the airport where they are going to catch the flight to Peru, but fortunately they crash into Mr. Poe (the banker that in charge of the orphan's money) on their way.
Now the children must figure out a way to make Mr. Poe believe that "Stephano" is really count Olaf.
Because of the crash they all have to go back to the house. At first Mr. Poe does not believe the children because of Olaf's costume. By the end of the book he believes the children, but count Olaf is able to escape.

I personally liked this book and I would recommend it to anyone that can read a book that doesn't end with 'And they lived happily ever after.'

still dark, still fun
The Baudelaire orphans are sent this time to their uncle (cousin?) Monty, a herpetologist (a word which means "someone who studies snakes").

Reading A Series of Events is different this time, than the last (first) time I tried to read it. This time I know the children will always find a way to get out of their immediate predicament (which means "sticky situation"), and I also know Count Olaf will aways get away.

If you can't tell, I'm also enjoying the asides and digressions about words and their meanings.

Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events: The Reptile Room
This book was good from the start. It has many different characters. My favorite one in this book is probably Stefano, Uncle Monty's

the series of unfortunate events #2 the retile room review
this book was even better than the first. you must continue to read the series!!!

Lemony Snicket book 2
Bought for a 12 year old grandchild to encourage her to read more. She says she likes this series.She did a "diorama" on a scene from this book for a school project. ... Read more

Product Description
Unabridged - Read by Tim Curry. ... Read more

Product Description
Read by Tim Curry
Approx. 2 hours
2 cassettes

Beware — Not for fans of happy endings!

After the sudden death of their parents, the three Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their wits when it turns out that the distant relative who is appointed their guardian is determined to use any means necessary to get their fortune.


Amazon.com Review
Make no mistake. The Bad Beginning begins badly for thethree Baudelaire children, and then gets worse. Their misfortunesbegin one gray day on Briny Beach when Mr. Poe tells them that theirparents perished in a fire that destroyed their whole house. "It isuseless for me to describe to you how terrible Violet, Klaus, and evenSunny felt in the time that followed," laments the personable(occasionally pedantic) narrator, who tells the story as if hisreaders are gathered around an armchair on pillows. But of course whatfollows is dreadful. The children thought it was bad when thewell-meaning Poes bought them grotesque-colored clothing thatitched. But when they are ushered to the dilapidated doorstep of themiserable, thin, unshaven, shiny-eyed, money-grubbing Count Olaf, theyknow that they--and their family fortune--are in real trouble. Still,they could never have anticipated how much trouble. While it's truethat the events that unfold in Lemony Snicket's novels are bleak, andthings never turn out as you'd hope, these delightful, funny,linguistically playful books are reminiscent of Roald Dahl (rememberJames and the GiantPeach and his horrid spinster aunts), Charles Dickens (theorphaned Pip in GreatExpectations without the mysterious benefactor), and EdwardGorey (The GashlycrumbTinies).There is no question that young readers will want toread the continuing unlucky adventures of the Baudelaire children inThe ReptileRoom and TheWide Window. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1135)

Awesome!
I bought this for my 9 year old son just two months ago and he's already on book five (or "Book the Fifth" according to Mr. Snicket). You'd think he likes reading but no, he just likes Lemony Snicket! Getting my son to read was like pulling eyebrows with a pair of tongs but now I'm forcing him to put the book down and go to bed. Last year he had very little AR points. This year he already has the most in his grade.

These series of books are humorous yet intriguing. I love the way the narrator speaks to the reader, defining words and explaining the reasons that things are happening without making the reader seem ignorant. His language is both witty and wacky - go figure. And the suspense rises with every page keeping a mind, like my 9-y-old's, captivated and, unfortunately, awake.

So, if you're a parent like me with a child like mine, this series is a winner. I just have to figure out what to do when my son finishes the series. And, at this rate, that could be anytime soon.

What a book!
Lemony Snicket has wrote a lot of mind-blowing books, one that I can read over one hundred times and not get jaded is, A series of unfortunate events. This has three main characters the first one is Violet; she is the oldest and makes inventions by anything in there residence. On the other hand Klaus her brother reads a lot of books in their library he reads books of all sorts. Then there's their little sister Sunny who loves to bite every thing that was around her. But the story goes on in extremely unlucky events when their house burns down and they are required to live with their parent's friend Count Olaf who only has a city and urban limit from his home. T hen every thing turns left when they have to live with relative after relative but no matter where they go Count Olaf keeps following and trying to them back for riches but in the end they go to a better foster home than the beginning. I would tell you the end but you have to read this marvelous book to find out your self. This book is perfect for more excel readers who love Lemony Snicket

Didn't expect to like this as much as I did.
Although I am a person who generally enjoys books with happy endings and happy events, and although I am an adult, and not a child, I found myself enjoying this book immensely. Snicket's style of writing, as if having a conversation with the reader, pausing to impart information in a narrative voice, is quite engaging. I am entranced by the Beaudelaires, and will not rest (figuratively) until I have perused all of Snicket's tales of them.

Good book.....
I read this book for a children's literature class and who doesn't love The Bad Beginning!I want to read the rest of the series when I have time. :-)

Best Books Ever.
I absolutely adore "A Series of Unfortunate Events". I picked up the first book on a whim and devoured the entire series in a month. It had been a long time since I really enjoyed a book series like this. Author Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snickett) brings the much needed absurd in this mock-goth book series. The world of these books is rich, fun and extremely dreadful (but entertaining).

The tone and form of the book are unique, so don't try to compare it to other series. This is a set all on it's own. It's always fun to read and see how the Baudelaires will cope with their situation.

I also love that, unlike most kids' stories where the children lose their parents, the Baudelaires actually have to deal with their grief. They never seem to "just get over it" or have a short cry and it's done. As Lemony Snicket said, ""It is useless for me to describe to you how terrible Violet, Klaus, and even Sunny felt in the time that followed. If you have ever lost someone very important to you, then you already know how it feels, and if you haven't, you cannot possibly imagine it."

... Read more

Product Description

Dear Listener,

This audio is the only one which describes every last detail of the Baudelaire children's miserable stay at Heimlich Hospital, which makes it one of the most dreadful audios in the world.

There are many pleasant things to listen to, but this audio contains not one of them. Within it are such gruesome details as a suspicious shopkeeper, unnecessary surgery, anesthesia, heart-shaped balloons, and some very startling news about a fire. Clearly you do not want to hear about such things.

I also shouldn't mention the interactive features of the CD, which include:

A perplexing word game ? Photos from The Lemony Snicket Archives ? Art from The Brett Helquist gallery

I have sworn to research and record this story as best I can, so I should know that this audio is something best left on the ground, where you undoubtedly found it.

With all due respect,
Lemony SnicketAmazon.com Review
As you might expect, nothing but woe befalls the unlucky Baudelaire orphans in the eighth grim tale in Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events that began with The Bad Beginning. Ever since the orphans' photographs were plastered across the front page of The Daily Punctilio in an article falsely accusing them of murder, they have been on the run. Only when they disguise themselves as cheerful hospital volunteers (Volunteers Fighting Disease, to be exact), do they see a possible refuge. Of course, this backfires hideously. Where is their ineffectual guardian, Mr. Poe, when they need him most? Will the evil, greedy Count Olaf be successful in giving poor Violet a cranioectomy at the Heimlich Hospital? Is a heart-shaped balloon really better than water for a thirsty patient? Is no news really good news? As ever, Snicket refuses to comfort young readers with cozy answers and satisfying escapes. And, as ever, there are plenty of rusty blades and horrible plot twists to make us shudder and shameless-but-hilarious wordplay to make us grimace happily. Bring on the next one! (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (186)

Suspenseful.
The suspense is increasing as we accompany the Beaudelaires on another terrifying adventure. Learning more about the mystery of V.F.D. and what, exactly, Snicket himself has to do with the tale besides being its author. Reading so fast, I don't have time to nitpick with the writing style and word choice which I guess is a good thing.

Derek's Book Review
This book review is about the book The Hostile Hospital, written by Lemony Snicket. Have you ever heard of the dreadful book about the Baudilaires? This book is about three orphan children who run away and get picked by the Volunteer Fighting Disease. The children are trying to run away from an evil man named Count Olaf. He is trying to steal their fortune left by their parents. The children run away to a hospital. They disguise themselves as doctors. They are called in by Count Olaf after he captured the oldest sibling. The other two siblings plot a plan to save their sister. In this novel, you will witness the dreadful adventure of the Baudilaires.
This book is a great book because of the plot. I think it's interesting and clever because it has a never ending adventure of thrilling things. The characters are smart and always think of a way to get out of things when they are in trouble. People would read this book because of the way I think the author writes. He writes in a way to keep readers on the edge of their seat. People who like mysteries would love this book. This book is part of a twelve book series.

Baudelaires on their own
Wherein the children are totally on their own, without any "help" from Mr. Poe, and they learn (tantalizingly just a little bit) more about the history of their parents before the fire, and face the most dire personal danger yet.

Followed by:The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 9)

I like it when the man puts in emotion
This story introduces a deepening mystery, as well as a tongue-in-cheek examination of the various "do-gooders" of the world, tear-jerking emotion, and some hilarious macabre moments. Great setting, great story, and some great little unfortunate incidents.

if you like this series you will like this book
If you have enjoyed the previous books in this series you will like this one too. ... Read more

Product Description
The original four episodes of a parody of the Lakeland poets, first broadcast on Radio 4 in 1985. They feature William and Dorothy Wordsworth, Samuel Tailor Cholericke, Lord Biro and Percy Jelley, and the cast is headed by Miriam Margolyes, Simon Callow, Tim Curry and Denise Coffey. ... Read more

Product Description

Dear Reader,

If you have just picked up this audio, then it is not too late to put it back down. Like the previous books in A Series of Unfortunate Events, there is nothing to be found in these pages but misery, despair, and discomfort, and you still have time to choose something else to read.

Within the chapters of this story, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire encounter a darkened staircase, a red herring, some friends in a dire situation, three mysterious initials, a liar with an evil scheme, a secret passageway, and parsley soda.

I have sworn to write down these tales of the Baudelaire orphans so the general public will know each terrible thing that has happened to them, but if you decide to read something else instead, you will save yourself from a heapful of horror and woe.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

To the orphans' dismay, V.F.D. is covered in crows--so much so that the whole village is pitch-black and trembling. "The crows weren't squawking or cawing, which is what crows often do, or playing the trumpet, which crows practically never do, but the town was far from silent. The air was filled with the sounds the crows made as they moved around." Another disturbing element of the town is that the Council of Elders (who wear creepy crow hats) has thousands of rules, such as "don't hurt crows" and "don't build mechanical devices." Fortunately, the Baudelaires are taken in by a kindly handyman named Hector who cooks them delicious Mexican food and secretly breaks rules. Still, neither Hector nor an entire village can protect the orphans from the clutches of the money-grubbing Count Olaf, who has relentlessly pursued them (actually, just their fortune) since The Bad Beginning. Fans won't want to miss any of this marvelously morbid series! (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (166)

Words bad, story good.
I am getting increasingly tired of Snicket defining words and phrases as they have to do with his story instead of the true dictionary definition of the word. Besides that, the story was well executed.
My favorite thing is that Snicket has decided to age his child characters. Often in series of books intended for children, they remain the same age for the duration of the series, (i.e. as far as I know the Babysitters Club is still 13 and in the 8th grade, and have been since I was 9--and I'm 27). It's nice when the children grow, as well as learn, (i.e. the Harry Potter characters). I'm glad Snicket has allowed the Beaudelaires to do this. It gives me hope that Violet will turn 18 prior to being captured successfully by Olaf.

Great condition...
Received in great condition within the anticpated delivery time.Received periodic emails providing updates as to the delivery date.Great job Amazon!

Book 7: A Series of Unfortunate Events
The came in the mail within 6 days after purchase. It's in excellent condition and my daughter who is 12yrs old has already finished reading it and has put it on her bookshelf with the rest of her collection.

Bought for my kid
I bought this for my son.He is ten years old.He enjoys this series of books and wants them all.So I guess the book is good.

"It's cool to love this book."
Funny, cute and imaginative. If only the books weren't so expensive, they'd be perfect. That aside, I love this series. I'm liking each book more and more, with Books 6 and 7 (this one) being my favorites so far. ... Read more

Product Description

Dear Listener,

Customer Reviews (212)

Home stretch...
Another tale that is a lot like the others. The thing I liked about this is that Sunny's utterings are getting more recognizable as words. Sometimes, Snicket quite cleverly uses French and Spanish words with some relation to 'what Sunny means by this.'
At this point, I am just reading because I'd like to know the secret of V.F.D. and what happens in The End.

The Carnivorous Carnival Review
The Carnivorous Carnival is the ninth book in the Series of Unfortanate Events. It takes place at the Caligari Carnival in the Hinterlands where the Bauldelaires find themselves after they climb into the trunk of Count Olaf's car. They decide to get into the action of the fortune telling tent. So they disguise themselves as freaks after hearing that the carnival needs more freaks. The Baudelaires get jobs as freaks at the carnival. It becomes more popular than ever with the new freaks. But then the carnival has a new idea. They will choose a freak to be thrown into the lion pit and get eaten. Just then the Baudelaires convince Madame Lulu to stop giving Count Olaf what he wants in the fortune telling tent and to take the orphans to the Mortain Mountains to try to find their parents. Will they be eaten by lions?Will they find their parents? You will have to read the book to find out.

sorry
i never received this item but yet i paid for it on my charge card.i was never sent a tracking number by the seller and i didn't get a response from her for quite some time.she claimed that she sent the book out 2 weeks before the estimated arrival date, but i NEVER GOT IT !!

Wonderful!
We couldn't wait to get the package and my daughter was thrilled!Thank you for the great service and fast shipment!

The events escalate in number and unfortune
In which the Baudelaires are again totally on their own (whither Mr. Poe?) within easy reach of Count Olaf at the titular carnival.The intensity is building, and the events seem to be escalating in number and unfortune.

Followed by:The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 10) ... Read more