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Love, lies, and dysfunctional families. Sound like your last family gathering? Try this one on for laughs. Two randy young gents, Charles and George, set out to woo the alluring and upper-crust Kate and Constance. But inexperienced Charles is shy and clumsy around upper-class ladies, so it s the barmaid who catches his eye. But is she really who she seems? Bawdy high-jinx, popped pretensions, and good dirty fun are the hallmarks of this romping frolic that s kept audiences laughing for over two centuries. ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Spike (a.k.a. William "the Bloody"), played by James Marsters, is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt for the cult television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Spike is a vampire and played various roles on the shows, ranging from villain to comic-relief to anti-hero. He is considered a 'breakout character'.Spike's story before he appears in Sunnydale unfolds in flashbacks scattered among numerous episodes of both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. (These flashbacks do not appear in chronological order.) ... Read more

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Oscar Wilde was at once a family man and a homosexual outsider, a socialite, socialist, and Irish nationalist. His contradictions inspired him to ponder the roles and masks donned in conventional society, and his acute and wry insights are wonderfully displayed in this collection of his essential plays. Known not only for his brilliant, epigrammatic language, but also for his sense of theatrical design, color, and staging, Wilde created an enduring body of finely crafted works, whose delights and ironies still speak to modern audiences.In addition to Lady Windermere's Fan, Salomé, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband, A Florentine Tragedy, and The Importance of Being Earnest, this edition contains an introduction, notes and commentaries, and an excised scene from The Importance of Being Earnest. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (105)

Bravo, bravo, Mr. Wilde!
This is possibly the most amazing work to come out of English literature and the English language.How can something so inane and senseless be so captivating, intriguing, and darling?The play makes one happy.And best to see it well-performed.

...
I read this on my 100 classic book collection for Nintedo DS because it ranked ad 'the funniest book' well I'm sorry but I didn't laugh once. The girls in the play were annoying and the only likeable character is Jack. I'm not a big fan of plays at the best of times but reading this has made sure I don't pick up another one in a while.

Classic Wit
Oscar Wilde's last and best-known play is a classic comedy complete with mistaken identities, biting satire, and a fair amount of punning (including a crucial pun in the title). This is Wilde at his irreverent best as he repeatedly skewers as many aspects of late 19th Century English society as he can manage.

I've occasionally heard the term "joke density" applied to comedy writing, and The Importance of Being Ernest certainly has that. Every character in the play is witty, and the jabs, barbs, and puns come fast and furious.

The story centers on two somewhat roguish young bachelors who have both created elaborate lies to help them to cover for their mischief. At different points in the play, both gentlemen have assumed the false name of Ernest, which becomes a problem once two women become involved. Two women who are both particularly enamored with the idea of marrying someone named Ernest.

The tightly plotted play has enough twists and turns to keep things interesting, and the witty dialogue never lets up.

The Avon (a HarperCollins imprint) paperback edition that I read contained a short collection of critical essays, the most interesting being a (mostly negative) review by George Bernard Shaw of the original production of the play, which raises some interesting points about the nature of comedy. I found some good insights into the career of Oscar Wilde in the introduction and the other critical pieces, but those familiar with his life and work would not be missing much by skipping these "bonus features".

The play itself was a really enjoyable work to read, and I'll keep an eye out for a chance to catch a performance of it sometime.

General Books Problem...Not the book
I ordered this for my daughters birthday and Amazon delivered right on her birthday. My daughter is a huge Oscar Wilde fan! Unfortunately, the book was full of garbage text. It was printed by General Books the day I ordered it. I then requested a replacement. Once again, it was printed the day I made my request and it contained the exact garbage text that the original order contained. Here is an example of the garbage text that this book contained...(Jk*he$. HeL*) This was all throughout the book. Then half the book looked like some bizarre glossary that didn't even belong to this book. The entire book was worthless both times and I requested a refund. I can't give a proper review on the book as it was unreadable!

The Importance of Being Earnest is a brilliant satirical play by the pen of Irish genius Oscar Wilde
"To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness." So spoke the fatuous and funny noveau rich maven the incomparable Lady Bracknell in Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest." The very readable and actable play holds its own in the modern theatre. It is produced thousands of times each year all around the world from school productions to professional acting companies. The play premiered at the St. James Theatre in London on Valentine's Day 1895.
The three act comedy stars Jack Worthing and (later to be revealed-his younger brother Algernon Moncrieff). Jack is courting Gwendolyn Fairfax. Algernon is in love with the beautiful young Cecily Cardew. Both of these young dandies have invented doubles. Jack acts like his name is Ernest. Algy has invented Bunbury whose ill health always requires a visit when Algy's pestiferious aunt Augustus Bracknell is in London.
After countless bon motes and Wildean witticisims it is learned that Jack is really named Ernest. It is revealed that Cecily's governess Miss Prism had lost Jack when he was a baby by leaving him in a handbag at Victoria Station. Jack is, therefore, really named Ernest. Gwendolyn asserts she could never love any man unless he was named Ernest! She and Jack plan on wedding as does Algernon to the fetching Cecily.
This play provides Wilde the opportunity to show off his ability to entertain while at the same time poking fun at the class conscious British aristocracy where what your name and genealogy are counts for a lot in high society.
Some of this reviewer's favorite quotes from this eminently quotable play are the following:
The truth is rarely pure and never simple"
Only relatives or creditors ring in that Wagnerian manner
All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his.
Memory... is the diary that we all carry about with us
I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.
I have also in my possession ...certificates of Miss Cardew's birth, baptism, whooping cough, registration vaccination, confirmation and the measles; both the German and the English variety
I've now learned for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde's other great plays including "Salome"; "A Woman of No Importance"; "The Ideal Husband" and "Lady Windemere's Fan" are all worth the attention of modern fans of the drama. All are social satires in which Wilde the ultimate Irish, gay outsider slams hard at English social pretensions in late Victorian fin de siecle England.
Discover the wonderful world of Oscar Wilde in his plays, short stories, only novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and his essays and poems. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: George Lucas, Chandra Levy, Mark Spitz, Kenny Roberts, Jr., James Marsters, Ann Veneman, Murder of Laci Peterson, Chuck Hayes, Boaz Myhill, Donovan Morgan, Joe Dillon, Timothy Olyphant, Oscar Zeta Acosta, Harve Presnell, Kenneth L. Worley, Roger Maltbie, Marilyn Borden, Jeremy Renner, William Dooley, Dave Cogdill, Fred Agabashian, Heath Pearce, Jim Fairchild, Jason Lytle, Jo Clayton, Ralph Griswold, Shane Minor, Lester Hayes, Eugene Nelson, Jason Donald, Caralee Mcelroy, Jack Angel, J. P. Howell, Brad Kilby, Dan Archer, Byron Storer, Adrian Oliver, Steve Forrest, Chidi Ahanotu, Suzy Powell-Roos, Lida Hensley, Joy Franz, Andre Hensley. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 220. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Mark Andrew Spitz (born February 10, 1950) is a retired American swimmer. He won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, an achievement surpassed only by Michael Phelps who won eight golds at the 2008 Olympics. Between 1968 and 1972, Spitz won nine Olympic golds plus a silver and a bronze, five Pan American golds, 31 US Amateur Athletic Union titles and eight US National Collegiate Athletic Association titles. During those years, he set 33 world records. He was named World Swimmer of the Year in 1969, 1971 and 1972. Spitz was born to a Jewish family in Modesto, California, the first of three children of Arnold and Lenore Smith Spitz. When he was two years old, Spitz's family moved to Hawaii where he swam at Waikiki Beach every day. "You should have seen that little boy dash into the ocean. He'd run like he was trying to commit suicide." Lenore Spitz told a reporter for Time (April 12, 1968). At age six his family returned to Sacramento, California, and he began to compete at his local swim club. At age nine, he was training at Arden Hills Swim Club in Sacrament...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=66265 ... Read more

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Great spinoff from the successfull Angel After the Fall Series! It continues to tell what would have happened if the show would have made it to the 6th Season. ... Read more

Product Description
Old Marster's Cedar Grove is the story of a Virginia Plantation. Originally published in 1957 by John Taylor Lewis, Jr., the second printing of 2006 contains an epilogue by James W. Kinnear. The story starts with the acquisition of the property in 1790, the building of the plantation house in 1838, and the devastating effect of the Civil War on the plantation and on the family. The plantation falls into hard times, is rescued by the original owner's great-grandson, is restored, only to fall into disrepair in the late 1990s. The epilogue recounts how it is rescued once more, how it is used today, and is now a beautiful showplace recently gifted to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Heartwarming story of restoration of family home
I recently purchased and read this slim volume, after my brother recounted to me his wonderful visit to the beautiful property.I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and urge readers who find delight in preservation of historical homes, especially in the South, to pick it up and find inspiration in it. I especially enjoyed reading about the years of Kinnear restoration. Each aspect of the project was a delight to me, because each was done with such care and integrity. Descriptions of the moldings, the landscaping, the wildlife, and the family's interdependant relationship with the community touched me. And when I read that the home and its grounds will be preserved permanently, thanks to a gift of the property by the Kinnear family, I was bowled over at their generosity.

Ole Marster's Cedar Grove
This book was so interesting, I could hardly put it down. A good peep into the past as it was during the 1800s in old Virginia. Well written, chatty & factual. I'm so glad I got my copy.

Great stories about people, hidden in a book about a house
"Ole Marster's Cedar Grove" ("Ole" is the vernacular used in both the original and new editions of the book) is, on the surface, about a house. And it's a fascinating old house - a plantation home that was built in 1838, in Virginia's Mecklenburg County. The home was raided briefly during the Civil War, was lost to strangers in a foreclosure, then was restored not once but twice - first by a descendant of the original owner, then more recently by a retired couple from Connecticut who ultimately donated Cedar Grove to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

But houses are built for people. And the real fascination in this newly reissued book comes from the stories of the people who built, lived in, loved and ultimately saved Cedar Grove. These tales take us from early life on the plantation, to the hardships of war and the post-Civil War South, to a story of family pride and perseverance, to the joys of the outdoors - and finally to a sad but moving love story. All in all, it's a good, satisfying read, in only 96 pages.

"Ole Marster's Cedar Grove" was originally published in 1957 by John Taylor Lewis Jr., great-grandson of the man who built the house. Lewis reclaimed the old homestead from dereliction in 1929, battled the Depression and the war years to put together the money he needed to make it liveable again, moved back to the house in 1951, and lived until 1990. Two years after his death his heirs sold the home to James W. Kinnear, a retired CEO who brought back to life not only the house but also the book - issuing "Ole Marster's Cedar Grove" in this new, 2006 edition with an epilogue that brings the story up-to-date.

J.N.O. Lewis, Cedar Grove's founder and John Taylor Lewis Jr.'s great-grandfather, was remembered by his family simply as "Ole Marster." He grew up along the banks of the Roanoke River, gradually laid out a farm with 2,400 acres and 100 slaves, made his fortune in milling, apple orchards and tobacco, and decided at some point to build a proper mansion house along the lines of one he had seen in his travels to Alabama.

When completed in 1838, Cedar Grove was no match for what we might imagine today was the archetypal Southern plantation - Berkeley Plantation on the James River, say, or the even larger and more splendid old estates of the Deep South. But in truth, this smaller estate and home were more typical of the real Southern plantation than were the better-known properties.

Still, Cedar Grove was a substantial construction for its day - three stories, with 14'6" ceilings on the first floor and a center hall that was 48 feet long and 15 feet wide. It was filled with remarkable craftsmanship, largely the work of slaves - especially a master bricklayer remembered by the name "George Washington," and a master carpenter known only as "Old Jim."

"Ole Marster" had two sons and a daughter who were born in quick succession after he and his second wife moved in to the new house. But those children had barely passed their youth when life changed forever. In October of 1860 "Ole Marster" was writing to his boys, who had gone off to college, with words of alarm over "the distracted condition of the country." Within months the sons were in uniform - and soon after that one was in a prison camp, the other sent home with serious wounds. Lewis' book reproduces a number of interesting war-era family letters, tells of a brief visit by Yankee raiders who finished off the wine cellar and smashed up the furniture for firewood - and then gives us the cold, spare fact that "Ole Marster" died the year after the war ended.

Upon his death the property was divided among family members, but most kept up their life on and around the old property - including many of the former slaves, now free but earning their living on the old homestead. Lewis remembers a boyhood filled with family gatherings at the old place, days spent in the fields and woods, and occasional excursions to town to sell a rabbit or two and pick up a little cash. His chapter on "A Country Boy's Life" is a good recounting of that era. Two engaging chapters on wild turkeys, and the art of hunting them, show us that Lewis retained the habits and pleasures of his youth well into his old age.

In 1877 another family took over the old mansion on the strength of a disputed promissory note with "Ole Marster's" signature on it, and Cedar Grove began a half century of decline - until, in 1929, John Taylor Lewis Jr. came up with enough money to buy it back. Even then, finances were so tight and the house was in such bad shape that it took him until 1950 to begin the restoration needed before he and his wife could move in. That January they had no running water and no central heating, but soon the house was restored to a liveable condition.

In 1992, two years after Lewis' death, Jim Kinnear and his wife Mary were on the lookout for a "project" to undertake after his retirement the following year. They found Cedar Grove, and the story from here on is covered in Kinnear's epilogue to the 2006 edition.

Jim and Mary threw themselves into an enormous restoration task that covered not only the main house but also the extensive, neglected lands around it. There were trips to Monticello to study architectural details and pick up older varieties of apple trees and other plants. The interior woodwork was painstakingly restored. Guest cottages were modernized. The slave cemetery - yes, they found one - was restored to dignity. Paths and ponds and stands were laid out for hunts, and for long walks with the dogs. Guests poured into the house - from the surrounding countryside, and from the Kinnears' network of friends around the world.

Kinnear's epilogue turns a loving eye on the passion and good humor that his Mary brought to the twin tasks of restoring the property, and treating guests like royalty. She found a couple of mules (one of them better behaved than the other) to pull guests around on carts. There was a 1928 Steinway for gatherings after dinner, and costumes for after-hours theatrical exercises. She talked her Connecticut Yankee husband into learning to play "Dixie" for Virginia guests. For some reason she decided to turn old clay tennis courts into a field for croquet, at which she became an expert. Mary invented fig ice cream - then patrolled the guest cabins to tease those who were making off with more than their share. Readers will find themselves praying that the obvious joy Jim gets from telling us these stories about his wife somehow helps to ease the hurt from Mary's death in November of 2002.

Under the protection of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Cedar Grove will now endure. Future generations will be inspired by the house. And perhaps also by the land around it -where John Taylor Lewis Jr., hid in wait for his turkeys, and where Mary Kinnear taught herself to play croquet. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Signing Time!, Deaf President Now, James C. Marsters, National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Unity for Gallaudet, Disability Publications in the U.s., National Association of the Deaf, Vitac, Sound and Fury, Project Insight, Reasonable Doubts, Youth Leadership Camp, Seeing Voices, Captionmax, Laurent, South Dakota, Deaf West Theatre, Festival for Cinema of the Deaf, Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc., National Theatre of the Deaf, John Flournoy, Elisabeth Zinser, South Dakota Association of the Deaf, National Captioning Institute, Silent News. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 86. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Signing Time! is a children's television program targeted towards children one through eight that teaches American Sign Language. It is filmed in the United States and hosted by songwriter and musician Rachel de Azevedo Coleman. It was aired by American Public Television in many cities across the US. Signing Times multi-sensory approach encourages learning through three senses visual, auditory and kinesthetic and reaches children with diverse learning styles and abilities by encouraging interaction through signing, singing, speaking and dancing. Throughout the series, Coleman, her daughter Leah (who is deaf), Alex (Leahs cousin who can hear), and their animated pet frog Hopkins teach ASL vocabulary-building signs. Children learn signs for common words, questions, phrases, movements, colors, sports, days of the week, everyday objects, and common activities. In 1996, Rachel Coleman had a daughter, whom she named Leah. When Leah was 14-months-old, Coleman and her husband, Aaron, discovered that Leah had been deaf since she was born. Afterward, the couple began to teach Leah sign language, first with Signing Exact English (SEE), then with American Sign Languag...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=7200184 ... Read more

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Chapters: Dental Braces, Invisalign, Gerodermia Osteodysplastica, Malocclusion, James C. Marsters, Cantilever Mechanics, Orthodontic Headgear, Association of Philippine Orthodontists, Sheldon Friel, Orthodontic Technology, Retainer, Orthodontic Spacer, James A. Mcnamara, Splint Activator, David Di Biase, Edward Angle, Cephalometric Analysis, Smart Retainer, Self-Ligating Braces, Palatal Expander, Lingual Arch, British Orthodontic Society, Biobloc, Cecil C. Steiner, Damon System, Platypus Ortho Flosser, Accelerated Orthodontic Treatment, Suresmile, Consultant Orthodontists Group, Overbite, Crossbite, Elastic Ligature, Orthotropics, American Association of Orthodontists, Quad Helix, Beta-Titanium, Archwire, Orthodontic Mechanics. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 125. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Dental braces (also known as orthodontic braces, or simply braces) are a device used in orthodontics to align teeth and their position with regard to a person's bite. They are often used to correct malocclusions such as underbites, overbites, cross bite and open bites, or crooked teeth and various other flaws of teeth and jaws, whether cosmetic or structural. Orthodontic braces are often used in conjunction with other orthodontic appliances to widen the palate or jaws or otherwise shape the teeth and jaws. While they are mainly used on children and teenagers, adults can also use them. In 500-300 BC, Ancient Greek scholars Hippocrates and Aristotle both ruminated about ways to straighten teeth and fix various dental conditions. Historians believe that two different men deserve the title of being called "the Father of Orthodontics." One man was Norman W. Kingsley, a dentist, writer, artist, and sculptor, who wrote his "Treatise on Oral Deformities" in 1880. Kingsley's writings influenced de...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=902683 ... Read more

Product Description
Previews exclusive cover for issue #27 featuring an interview with James Marsters and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (51)

This book and the series is awesome - Penguin Publishing Sucks
I love this book and the series.

What I do not love is the price of this ebook. I'm pissed at this stupid ebook pricing structure in general but this book just caused me particular pricing pain.

Here is a book that I enjoy.I owned a physical copy years ago.When I bought a Kindle and decided to re-read the series I re-purchased this book for $6.39.I was pleased and happy.

Today a friend was looking for a new series to read so I redirected him here and he came back with "Woah $9 for a book from 10 years ago".He is right, the pricing is stupid.Especially the price increase from $6.39 to $9.99. Distributing the ebook did not become more expensive for Amazon (free of charge to the publisher) over the last year.

Not Jim Butchers fault.Not even Amazon's fault.The blame for this stupidity and the 1 star review can be placed on Penguin Publishing.

It's magic
I have enjoyed this series. Jim's stories are sturdy, well written and structured to entertain, keep you interested.Try to read the books in order otherwise you may feel a bit lost later.If you like this kind of lit but feel a need for a little less structure and more "verbosity" check out "Greg Crites" warning adult situations, adult language and seemingly made up words (shakespeare had the same habit).

About the Recording (Marsters, Buzzy)
This review is about the audiobook production, not about Butcher's text.


The GOOD: Marsters has a great voice for the character - deep enough, evocative. His reading pace is quite slow, but on a player or system that can speed it up about 33% it's fine.


The BAD: What would be an enjoyable performance is marred by the incessant mispronunciation of even simple words.

Hard or unusual words or phrases would be one thing - though if a company like Buzzy is going to all the trouble (and, no doubt, expense) of producing an audiobook, you'd think they'd spend a few extra dollars to get in a coach to teach the narrator how to pronounce Latin, or classical words like "Charybdis".

But Marsters consistently mispronounces common words. In the first 3 volumes, I think he never once pronounces "writhe" correctly (a word which, listening, I realize Butcher really likes) - he pronounces it "wreathe" (as if it were a Christmas wreath). And that's but one example of many. "Runes" gets pronounced "ruins". "Exorcise" gets pronounced "exercise" (what, are you making the evil spirit do pushups?) Heck, he even once pronounces "bow", the gesture of respect, as if it were hair "bow".

Again, it would have been a simple matter for the narrator to look over the text before hand and highlight words to check before reading, or for the publisher to have a "proof listener" to catch such errors and fix them up after each session. But, apparently, that didn't happen.

Less glaring, but still distracting, are the occasional improper pauses - breaks in the middle of sentences, inappropriate to meaning or context. Perhaps the narrator paused to swallow or something. Such little 'glitches' in performance are completely understandable - what isn't understandable is the failure to correct them: to take the extra 20 seconds to go back to the start of the sentence and reread, allowing the editor to cut out the mistake.


The upshot of all this is the audio equivalent of a poorly typeset and inadequately proofread book, where bad spellings, typos, incorrect punctuation and mis-set words all distract the reader and detract from the enjoyment. These constant audio gaffs really spoil what is, otherwise, a quite enjoyable performance by Marsters.


It's bad enough that, while I'll happily borrow a copy from the library, I won't be buying these audiobooks. I wouldn't buy a $40 hardback book filled with obvious typos and printing errors - and the same goes for the audio format.

I wish Buzzy had spent the very little bit of additional time and money that would have been required to produce a quality product.



ADDENDUM: By about the 6th book in the series, the quality of the narration improves markedly - the number of both awkward pauses and mispronounced words decreases (Marsters learned to pronounce 'writhe' yay!) sufficiently that they no longer prevent nearly the distraction that they did in the earlier volumes. Since the recordings were not produced in book-publication order, the improvements in these "middle" volumes may reflect the quality of the most recent audiobook productions. I haven't gotten to the recordings of the later volumes yet, some of which, I think, were made before the ones I'm listening to now.

good, engaging read
This is what I had hoped for when I read my first James Patterson novel. Patterson disappointed, Butcher did not. The characters are funny and endearing, the plot intriguing and fast paced. It's a great beach or commute read. Something you don't have to think too much about but is ridiculously fun. I bought the second in the series already.

Kinda fun but way over-rated
Well....Let me first say that I enjoyed the book.

I still consider myself a newbie to fantasy and I'm not really sure what the best stuff is that is out there.I come to Amazon and am lead "by the stars" so to speak.I sort by number of stars in the reviews and then read what folks have to say about books and then make decisions from there.

I loved the concept of a modern day wizard for hire. The cover of the book shows a way spooky vampire killer looking dude with a cool trench coat along with matching cool hat and lots of stars in the reviews from Amazon clients - how could I pass up giving it a try?

Although I enjoyed the book, I was really disappointed that it was rated so highly here at Amazon.It's probably not fair to review the book after freshly coming off reading the first four books of George R.R. Martin's series "A Song of Fire and Ice" but that's my perspective.We're talking deep and rich epic fantasy compared to a ride from the kiddie section at Disneyland here.

This book is a 3 star book - The book is fun.You're entertained and that's the goal right?However, you could be so much more entertained had the author put more into it.I hear later he improves at this, but I'm reviewing THIS book, so I gotta call them like I see them.

I'm glad the author left the book short without a bunch of useless filler, but overall my biggest complaint is the lack of telling me more.Here's a modern day wizard, definitely a unique character in society and you're starving for info the whole book.I want to know more about the studies of how he became a wizard, I want to know more about the "council", Bob the Skull, etc.There is plenty of room for more pages, gimmie the scoop!

When I finished reading it, I wondered what age group this book was targeted for.There is mention of naked breasts in the book but otherwise I would put the target audience pretty young.So in my opinion (which is obviously different than most due to the ratings), this book should be a young readers book and adults will not find it all that captivating.I would liken it to enjoying the movie Shrek.It was entertaining but not really for "mature" audiences.This book has that feel however, I wouldn't let my kid read it due to the sexual references...It's a terrible catch-22.

So there you have it, a very short read that is enjoyable, but also rated a few stars higher than it ought to be in my opinion.I did enjoy it enough to try book two (Full Moon), but after more of the same shortcomings, I stopped there.I didn't feel ripped off, but I didn't feel satisfied either.
... Read more

Product Description
Four tales of the most vile, murderous, and destructive -- not to mention codependent -- couple ever to visit Sunnydale are presented in one volume, covering an entire century of bloodshed, from China in 1900 to Rio in 1999. This 96-page book collects the original Spike and Dru one-shot by TV star James Spike Marsters, Christopher Golden, and Ryan Sook, which was heralded by Buffy creator Joss Whedon as the model for future Buffy comics. Also included are the two follow-ups by Golden and artists Sook and Eric Powell, plus the final word on the duo, the 10-page epilogue Who Made Who? telling the story of their final farewell in Brazil, referred to but never delved into on the show. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

BVS Spike and Dru
This was a gift for a friend who had been looking for it for years. Unfortunately it didn't arrive in the best of conditions,
Regardless my friend loved it and I will have her give a review of this for all.

An Utterly Mediocre Effort
Fans of Buffy the show won't find much to enjoy in this.Fans of Buffy the comic series won't hate this, but they won't love or like it either.Overall, these four "Spike and Dru" stories are mediocre efforts from an above average Buffy writer (Christopher Golden).I doubt anyone would love this book, but the only people that would really hate it are hardcore Spike fans... because this book doesn't do the character, or Drusilla, justice.

The first story, "Alls Fair" has Spike and Dru facing off against Lovecraftian monsters at a fair.This is the worst of the volume, featuring a story that you won't tolerate long enough to try to squeeze a smidge of sense or any semblance of logic out of.The art, by Eric Powell, is a rush job.The second tale, "Queen of Hearts" is a bit better.Golden's attempt at writing good Spike & Dru dialogue is marginally more effective here, and the art is better... because it's done by a different person.Ryan Sook pencils this tale, and while the scenery looks better and there is more detail than in Powell's art, the faces don't match Spike or Drusilla at all.Sook's art is by no means pretty, but there are other Buffy comics that Sook worked on where it looks like he put in more effort.Fans won't be pleased.This comic, again, has Spike and Dru facing off against Lovecraftian horrors, though this one feels like it was thought-out and actually had a plot, unlike "All's Fair."

The next story, "Paint the Town Red," is the biggest incentive for fans to buy the book.James Marsters (the actor who plays Spike) co-wrote the script for this comic with Christopher Golden.Ryan Sook, again, was on pencils.This one is set after Spike and Dru's departure from Sunnydale at the end of the second season, so it was at least interesting to see something set during the actual series that answers some questions about where Spike has been.Spike's dialogue seems to ring truer in this comic (likely due to James Marsters writing, as he was a method actor at the time of this writing), but the story seems rather cheesy.Sook's art, again, was nothing exceptional compared to what he's done before.Something about this, however, cannot be forgiven--Angel was shown to be Spike's sire, though fans know that Drusilla is the vampire who truly sired Spike in the official continuity of the series.

And that's basically what's collected here.There is a bonus story at the end called "Who Made Who" that shows Spike and Drusilla at odds with each other and leads right into Spike returning to Sunnydale as a solo-villain in the fourth season.Like the rest of this book, it won't hold your attention for very long.If you're looking for a good Spike comic, you can do much better than this.

5/10

The Best Thing About This is the Cover Art
As a Spike fan and a longtime comic book collector, I was interested in buying this to see James Marsters himself write a Spike story.And I can't fault his writing for the low score I gave the book.It is simply that this graphic novel is practically unreadable due to the extremely ugly artwork.

No attempt seems have to been made by the artist to make the characters bear any resemblance to their TV-actor counterparts.And unfortunately because besides that the art itself is generally just an eyesore, you never feel like you're seeing Spike and Drusilla.It is impossible to read this and feel like you're reading a Buffy story.It's like, "Who are these characters and why do they share names with Spike and Dru?"

James Marsters tried hard to tell a touching story about Spike and Dru belonging to be with each other despite their fallout (this was written pre-Spike-loves-Buffy days), but the impact of his story is completely lost because the artist failed to bring out the emotion of the characters.

The only good thing I got out of this book was the nice cover picture of James Marsters and Juliet Landau in character.Even James Marsters himself said in interviews that the artwork was bad.Only buy this if you simply must collect all things Buffy.Even diehard Spike fans should consider staying away from this one to save themselves from the disappointment.

A must have for Spike and James Marsters fans!
Because I'm a huge fan of Spike, I knew that I had to find a copy of this rare graphic. I'm very glad that I did. It contains 3 reprinted stories, and 1 original story.

ALL'S FAIR- takes place during the World's Fair of 1933. The story follows Spike and Dru as they maim. Slash, and slay their way through the glitter and lights of the Fair. They also encounter hideous demons from another dimension and highly skilled assassins out for blood.

THE QUEEN OF HEARTS- As the pair travel to Sunnydale to be near the Hellmouth, the star-crossed lovers stop in St. Louis to do a bit of gambling and cause major mayhem on a riverboat casino. But, their blissful vacation is cut short by river demons.

PAINT THE TOWN RED- this story takes place shortly after Spike and Dru leave Sunnydale at the end of Buffy's second season. Dru's renewed love for Angel drives a wedge between the lovers. The end result is both of them trying to hurt the other as much as possible- which is a whole lot! With James Marsters helping with the writing, and Ryan Sook's artwork, this is by far the best story of all four.

WHO MADE WHO- tells the tale of Spike and Dru's final break up in Brazil. This is an epilog to Buffy's season three episode " Lover's Walk".

The only downside to this graphic is the artwork. Highly stylized, it's a deterant to fans who like Spike for his rugged good looks.

Still, if you like Buffy, Dru, or Spike and can find a copy of this graphic, than by all means buy it!

The Other Great Romance
Spike has gradually become one of the most popular figures in the Slayer world.A hopeless romantic when alive he managed to cross over to the dark side with his capacity for love intact.His loyalty to Drusilla, who made him, was remarkable considering Dru's own flighty nature.Of course, his complex relationship with Buffy once again showed us a Spike who can be stubbornly in love despite every possible roadblock.

Dru of course, is the mad mistress.Psychically hypersensitive and more than a little kinky, her relationship with Spike actually lasted for a very long time.Her beauty is hard to define and her mind is, well, let us just say she is a bit distracted.Sometimes it is hard to see what the two lovers saw in each other, other than Spike's willing compliance with Dru's every wish.Certainly, as Spike developed more independence, the relationship between the two deteriorated.

This trade paperback collects the contents of three Spike and Dru comics, two from 1999 and the other from the end of 2000.In addition, there is a short from the "Lover's Walk" comic issued in 2001.The stories run from the Chicago World's Fair in 1933 to a more contemporary Carnivale in Brazil.During this journey, we will learn much about what makes our anti-heroes tick.

"All's Fair" takes a short flashback to China and the Boxer Rebellion and then jumps forward to the Chicago Fair.Spike and Dru treat the fair as a giant delicatessen until they run into some characters bent on vengeance from their past and a demon who wants to make earth its home.

To open "The Queen of Hearts" the lovers eat an entire topless bar and then move on to a riverboat casino.No one seems to have warned Spike that winning too much draws the wrong kind of attention - in spades.

In "Paint the Town" Spike is so frustrated with Drusilla's obsession with Angel.He ends the relationship in a fiery blaze and heads of for Turkey for a prolonged escape.Unexpectedly Dru tracks him down with a new friend in tow - a necromancer.She wants to get even, but before long, everyone is in trouble.

The final story, "Who Made Who," is a short finds the newly made up lovers in Brazil.However, Dru's attention once again wanders and Spike spoils the party.

I don't care all that much for the pencil work in these stories.Two were done by Eric Powell and the other two are by Ryan Sook.The work isn't bad, just a little to simplified and roughed in for my tastes.Since Sook has become quite well known, I am probably in the minority.Regardless of the artwork, the stories are all excellent, Chris Golden doing the lion's share on all of them.Certainly, any Spike fan will find this required reading. ... Read more

Product Description
Four classic comedies from one of the wittiest playwrights in Western literature: Lady Windermere s Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest, all featuring star-studded casts. Also includes a chilling dramatization of the only novel Oscar Wilde wrote, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

The Importance of Being Earnest starring James Marsters, Charles Busch, et al. A stylish send-up of Victorian courtship and manners, complete with assumed names, mistaken lovers, and a lost handbag. A full-cast performance featuring: James Marsters, Charles Busch, Emily Bergl, Neil Dickson, Jill Gascoine, Christopher Neame, Matthew Wolf and Sarah Zimmerman.

An Ideal Husband starring Jacqueline Bisset, Alfred Molina, Yeardley Smith, et al. With empathy and wit, Oscar Wilde explores the plight of a promising politician desperate to hide a secret in his past.

Lady Windermere s Fan starring Roger Rees, Eric Stoltz, Joanna Going, Miriam Margolyes, et al. This classic Oscar Wilde satire involves good girls, bad husbands, and the moral hypocrisy of British high society in the late 19th century.

A Woman of No Importance starring Miriam Margolyes, Samantha Mathis, Rosalind Ayres, Martin Jarvis, et al. Oscar Wilde uses his celebrated wit to expose English society s narrow view of everything from sexual mores to Americans.

The Picture of Dorian Grayadapted by Paul Edwards, starring Steve Juergens, et al. One of the great classics in contemporary Western literature, dramatized for the stage, with Steve Juergens as the beautiful and corrupt Dorian Gray. ... Read more

Product Description
Unabridged CDs • 12 CDs, 15 hours

Harry Dresden, Chicago's only practicing professional wizard, is hired by a mysterious priest to find the stolen shroud of Turin. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (180)

Absolutely Mabulous
Wizard PI Harry Dresden returns for the 10th entry in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files, Small Favor. It has been over a year since the events of White Night, the largest gap between books in the saga, and we first find Harry having a snowball fight in the Carpenter's backyard while training Molly, his young apprentice. An enjoyable family affair is soon smashed as Harry is attacked by real fairytale creatures: The Billy Goats Gruff.

Thus begins another fine entry into the Dresden Files. Jim Butcher is really in the zone when it comes to writing Dresden, as I have been blown away at how high a level he has maintained over the course of the saga. It seems sometimes as if my favorite Dresden book is just whatever one I happen to be reading at the time. At this point, I have given up on deciding what book is the "best" of the saga, because I just know that whichever one comes out next will make me re-assess regardless! Small Favor is no exception to this, as it continues to meet the high standard set by previous novels.

White Night is an especially strong entry in the Files, but with the (temporary?) loss of one of the strongest character in the saga in Lash, I was somewhat worried that Small Favor would not be able to ascend to the same heights. I needn't have worried, as both Harry and Jim are more than up to the task. Even though Harry has lost the adviser in his head, and the extra charge to his spells from Hellfire, he is still growing in knowledge and Power with each passing book. While losing Lash cost him his Hellfire, his ability to rise above the Temptress' machinations earns him respect from the Other Side to compensate.

Small Favor revolves around Mab and the Denarians. The Denarians are back in town and have kidnapped John Marcone, and surprisingly enough, Mab wants Harry to get him back. Why would Harry do such a thing? Well, it is a Small Favor for Mab, and as we know he still owes her two. Of course, beingan emissary of Winter means you make yourself an enemy of Summer: enter the Gruffs.

Any story about the Denarians would be incomplete without the Knights of the Cross, and both Sanya and Michael are major supporting characters in the novel. Bob, Thomas, Toot-toot (a much bigger version!), Murphy, Molly, Mister and Mouse all enjoy plenty of page time as well. Part-timers Kincaid, The Archive, and Luccio also appear to assist in Harry's latest adventure. Harry has not seen the Denarians since Death Masks, which is coincidentally how long it has also been since he saw Ivy. And with Marcone in the mix, it is inevitable that Harry will run into Hendricks and Gard along the way as well.

While his allies and sort of allies are all very well-written as usual, it is really the villains and major players that make Small Favor so good. Mab is always interesting and slippery, but it is her Summer counterparts that really make the book. Elder Gruff is perhaps the coolest character in the saga if you weigh coolness versus page-time. He may not be on page long, but when he is it is very memorable! The Denarians are definitely my favorite villains of the Files (maybe tied with Cowl), and their leader, Nicodemus, is the scariest Big Bad Harry has had to face. It is also just so perfect to have the Denarians come to town in the book right after Harry loses Lash, really could not have been a better time to bring them back into the Files.

Unfortunately, the coolest part of the book would be super spoilery to tell, so I can just say that the "helping hand" Harry gets in this book is one of my favorite developments in the series. The lessons he learns and his questioning of a Higher Power is really one of the most poignant chapters I have read by Butcher.

Ultimately, Small Favor is another high quality entry in the Dresden Files. While not quite as good as White Night, it is an excellent transition away from Lash and Hellfire that had been a big part of the previous three novels, and a very solid novel in its own right.

420 HC pages 4.5 out of 5 stars

Can't get enough Harry!
Yes, Jim Butcher clearly uses a type of template or formula for his Harry Dresden books, but in spite of that expectation, the unexpected always happens and leaves the reader going "Oh my God! What did he just do?"

These books are fun, witty, clever, and as the series wears on, darker in nature. If you haven't read a Harry book yet, DO NOT START WITH THIS ONE!! Go back and read STORM FRONT, the first in the series. You'll know within a chapter or two if you like the style of writing and the characters. Be forewarned though, it can be addictive!

I'm not going to speak specifically to this particular book because I don't want to give away anything. If you like the books after the first two or three in the series, you'll like this one too. I will say that as a writer, Jim Butcher has improved his skill level with each book. He also allows his characters to grow and change. Harry Dresden is a well-rounded likable yet flawed character who improves with age and wisdom. Perhaps so is Jim, but I don't know him personally.

Good luck and welcome to a very happy addiction!

I love these books!
Great stories of crazy, messed up stuff happening to a powerful wizard who is otherwise a normal guy just trying to get by in the world.Love Love Love it!

The story continues to enthrall
Small Favor is tenth in the Dresden Files series, and the story's really ramping up. There are inevitable references to previous events, but they're not essential to understanding the tale. I wasn't always sure what I'd forgotten or which book things took place in. But it was more frustration at my husband's remembering than a need to know, that made me look up Arctis Tor on the internet. Much to my delight, the search led me to the short story where Harry Dresden first met Karrin Murphy. Reading a reference to their first meeting on the next page in Small Favor was just a delightful slice of serendipity.

Dresden's world is beautifully thought-out, endlessly inventive, consistent and evolving. It's filled with intriguing three-dimensional characters--unless magic's a dimension in which case four or five-dimensional... And there's a darkness gathering behind the tale that's never quite told, simply shown through the protagonist's eyes as he slowly realizes what's at stake. Who will wield the holy swords? How come evil and good keep joining forces? Why can't a bad guy simply be bad instead of meriting unexpected respect for his good deeds?

And then there's God. The wizard, Harry Dresden, tries to keep a low profile there. He's not sure what to believe about God and church, but some of his friends take the divine very seriously. The God that's painted through their words takes life and humanity seriously too. How can a good God let bad stuff happen? The mysterious stranger suggests maybe He's working behind the scenes, and we've just not seen it yet.

The author takes his readers seriously too, and the telling of his tale. This book is a fine addition to the set, for all that it's the wrong size. The story's complete, as it is in each volume, but the history's still got more to come, and I'm eagerly awaiting my chance to unwrap book number eleven.

Fun to Read, But Missing Depth
"Small Favor" is the 10th in Butcher's "Dresden Files" series (which starts with Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) if you haven't read any of the series). While I was reading the book, I was thoroughly engrossed in it (action-packed and fast-moving that it is).But, once I finished it and sat down to write this review, I realized something:the story is missing all the interpersonal relationships that give it that "Dresden" feel (looking at some of the lower-rated reviews here confirms that).It seems that Butcher chose quantity over quality regarding the characters in this story.Instead of keeping things in a tight-knit group and fully utilizing each person's character and abilities, Butcher uses just about every character he's ever developed, introduces a few more, and just leaves them as cameos.There's no depth to anyone in this book.On the plot level, there's also the problem of why Summer is trying to kill Harry.For the life of me, I can't come up with any reason for it.And, since that's one of the main drivers of the book, it's a bit irritating.So, I have to dock the book a star and give it a merely OK 3 stars out of 5 rating:it's fun to read but it's just not Dresden. ... Read more

Product Description
James Wesley Marsters is a Saturn Award-winning American actor and musician. Marsters first came to the attention of the general public playing the popular character Spike, a platinum-blond English vampire in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series, Angel from 1997 to 2004. Since then, he has gone on to play other science fiction roles, such as the alien supervillain Brainiac on Smallville and the omnisexual time traveller Captain John Hart in British science-fiction show Torchwood. In 2007, Marsters appeared in a supporting role in the mainstream movie P.S. I Love You and as the main antagonist, Piccolo, in the 2009 fantasy adventure film Dragonball Evolution. ... Read more