Product Description
Think you know true fear? You don't.

Think you've read the most chilling book? Not even close.

Think you can't be shocked? Good luck!

Maybe you're ready for the most truly frightening reading experience of your life, the World Fantasy Award-winning novel that's been terrifying readers for over a decade.

Song of Kali.
Amazon.com Review
"O terrible wife of Siva / Your tongue is drinking theblood, / O dark Mother! O unclad Mother." It is remarkable thatprior to writing this first novel, Dan Simmons had spent only two anda half days in Calcutta, a city "too wicked to be suffered,"his narrator says. Fortunately back in print after several yearsduring which it was hard to obtain, this rich, bizarre novelpractically reeks with atmosphere. The story concerns an American poetwho travels with his Indian wife and their baby to Calcutta to pick upan epic poem cycle about the goddess Kali. The Bengali poet who wrotethe poem cycle has disappeared under mysteriouscircumstances.

Horror critic Edward Bryant calls Song of Kali"an exactingly constructed, brutal, and uncompromising study ofthe degree to which an evil place may permeate and steep all thatmakes us human" and writes that it embodies "the stance of apsychologically violent novel about a violent society as a defensibleand indisputably moral work of art." Song of Kali won aWorld Fantasy Award. --Fiona Webster ... Read more

Customer Reviews (102)

Boring beyond belief
I do not understand why anyone would consider this a horror novel.At best it is a fictional account of Calcutta in the late 70's.After 80 pages I gave up.What a waste of time.I have enjoyed many of Simmons' books, but this one was a huge disappointment.

Terrible...
First let me make it clear: I learnt a lesson from this book: When you hunt for something for a long time and the thing you have been dying to lay down your hands is terrible, the disappointment falls down on you like nothing else...

One word could summarize this book: TERRIBLE

I have read a quite number of Dan Simmons books, and mostly enjoyed them. He is not a Stephen King (who is?) but at least he can weave a descent story without going maudlin and characters can come alive on page...His SF books (Olympos and Ilium) are better than his horror output.

But this book sucks. The disappointment mostly comes from excellent blurbs on the backcover, namely Dean Koontz and Harlan Ellison. The blurb by Dean Koontz is particularly misleading: "The best novel in the (horror) genre I can remember." What? Mr Koontz I have read lots of bad books from you but at least I expect you to be more honest when suggesting good reads. I had suspicions about your ability to understand what good horror is or not due to the praise you heaped upon Richard Laymon but describing a distasteful travelogue book as the best of the genre? Come on....

Buyers, don't waste your time. Don't believe blurbs. Up until page 200 nothing happens except for a very long-winded resurrected dead story and a few silly dreams. If this is one of the best horror books in the genre, then I suggest Dean Koontz to read Little Red Hiding Hood. I think Mr. Koontz will fill his pants when reading it.

After page 200, there is some action but nothing is coherent, there is still no horror and the resolution is meaningless. If you want to read a desolate, bleak Calcutta guideline this is the book for you.

I don't know why Mr Simmons chose Calcutta as a freight-inducing place. Maybe One Night in Bangkok, a forgettable pop song from 80s, was very popular when this book was written and anything that seemed remotely far east was selling then. Avoid unless you are a completist, and even then, wait until you complete ALL OTHER BOOKS BY HIM

Incredibly xenophobic and racist
I had heard good things about this book, and was happy when I finally got my hands on it.I had no idea what the plot was about, so I just dove right into it, having no idea what to expect.

It is deeply embarassing to me that this book is so highly regarded as "terrifying."It is almost unbelievably racist and xenophobic.For the majority of the book, the sheer xenophobia is the only "terrifying" factor.I am not exaggerating.The main character is appalled by the conditions of the city, the people, and the culture.

We get treated to such terrifying descriptions as "masses of brown-skinned people", and people with "oily black hair".People with deformities, people sleeping in hovels, or in the streets, beggers - these are the "terrifying" things about this book.

I just finished reading a different book that described the exact same circumstances...it was a true-life account of a doctor who created a hospital to help people in an impoverished country.Mountains Beyond Mountains, by Tracy Kidder.I recommend it to anyone who reads this book and finds it terrifying.Maybe it'll cure you of your xenophobia, make you a little more accepting of different cultures and feel empathy - not terror - for people who make less money in a year than you have in your pocket.Maybe I should send it to Dan Simmons...he might need it the most.

I am from Calcutta
Or Kolkata now as it is called.Well I like most things horrific and I chanced upon this quaint little book written way back in the 1980's.Surprisingly it is really accurate and vivid.Having lived there myself I have grown up to some of the images,the overshadowing elements of poverty and life growing ceaselessly through it.However,Dan Simmons effectively paints a horrific picture in a seemingly mundane everyday Calcutta life.But the Goddess exists,I have been to Kalighat myself,knelt before Kali and offered her my prayers.Still people sacrifice animals to the goddess on Satrudays and Tuesdays,known as Kali's days.It is believed that the Goddess has some powers as she is "jagrata" as the author calls it.Regarding Kapaliks and Tantriks,they still abound both in Kalighat and in a nearby place called Tarapith.Which brings me back to the accuracy.While some of the prose is rather against my tastes, what with a sexual rendezvous with one of the most esteemed Goddesses,the book is powerful and effective.And factual.Calcutta is that and no amount of fractal math or parallel universes can cause it to be otherwise.However,apparently the horror isn't there.Its just a bunch of poor people roaming around half naked as the humidity and the sun render clothes to bea burden.And presently you can contrast it with the high risers and the McDonalds which have permeated the old by-lanes,as if trying to convert a dead man.
However,inspite of the modernity,if you do go to Kalighat in the middle of the night,with the scream of the jackals and the small talk of the local mafia,you might just glimpse a very vivid image of Kali in the blood of all her glory.

A great, Dark Fantasy novel
This blew me away. When I started it, I thought it was going to be thriller with some serious horror elements to it and wondered if it would be for me. and then it got good.and then it got better.and then it hit its climax and stunned me.

Its dark.There is magic and gods and lots of foreign ideas.There were many times I wanted to yell at Bobby Luczak, the main character, but I never wanted to stop reading. For a bit, I thought it was a horror novel.It's not.It's a very dark fantasy but I don't think it qualifies as Horror. Its more of a modern day/urban fantasy with some horror elements. ... Read more

Product Description

William Dalrymple chronicles ten years of living and traveling in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India. Here he discovers a region falling into a time of darkness, discord and disintegration which according to ancient Hindu cosmology is known as the Age of Kali. Despite the area's strife and discontent, Dalrymple's attitude does not fall to pessimism, rather every page reveals his passion for the people and culture of the Indian subcontinent. He encounters such figures as Benazir Bhutto and Imran Khan and meets with ostracised inmates of a widows' home.Critical yet sympathetic, The Age of Kali is must-have reading for anyone wanting to understand the countries of the subcontinent.Amazon.com Review
William Dalrymple has proved himself to be one of the most perceptive and enjoyable travel writers of the 1990s. His first book, In Xanadu, became aninstant backpacker's classic, winning a stream of literary prizes. City of Djinns and From the Holy Mountain soon followed, to universal critical praise. Yet it is India that Dalrymple continues to return to in his travels, and his fourth book, The Age of Kali, is his most reflective book to date.

The result of 10 year's living and traveling throughout the Indiansubcontinent, The Age of Kali emerges from Dalrymple's uneasy sensethat the region is slipping into the most fearsome of all epochs in ancientHindu cosmology: "the Kali Yug, the Age of Kali, the lowest possible throw,an epoch of strife, corruption, darkness, and disintegration." Thebrilliance of this book lies in its refusal to reflect any culturalpessimism. Dalrymple's love for the subcontinent, and his feel for itsdiverse cultural identity, comes across in every page, which makes itschronicles of political corruption, ethnic violence, and socialdisintegration all the more poignant. The scope of the book is particularlyimpressive, from the vivid opening chapters portraying the lawless casteviolence of Bihar, to interviews with the drug barons on the North-WestFrontier, and Dalrymple's extraordinary encounter with the Tamil Tigers inSri Lanka. Some of the most fascinating sections of the book areDalrymple's interviews with Imran Khan and Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan,which read like nonfiction companion pieces to Salman Rushdie's bitterlysatirical Shame.The Age of Kali is a dark, disturbing book that takes the pulse ofa continent facing some tough questions. --Jerry Brotton, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Is there anybody better at explaining things?
Than Dalrymple?He is superb at hitting just the right tone of incredulity and belief.I never know what I'm seeing until I go home and read one of his books about it.Would that all writers, politicians, historians could shed that kind of light.

Not so much travels, lots of encounters
There are only a few things I'd like to add to the existing reviews of this book:

1. In this book Mr Dalrymple is not really a traveller/travel writer, but more of a political journalist. He visits various regions and discusses their political situation/problems, with an in-depth look at the Bhutto Dynasty in Pakistan wrapping up the book. If you're looking for travel literature about India, look elsewhere!

2. In addition to the stories from a few chosen regions in India, the book also has quite a bit about Pakistan in it, as well as a visit to Reunion, which actually is a piece of French territory, very close to Madagascar. The link to India is fairly weak, and it seems as if it was just included to make the book sufficiently thick.

For what it is, though, it's a decent piece of literature!

Few writers with as much skill as William Dalrymple
Some writers work harder than others. They write better than others. And they do it in a way that's so fluid and relaxed. William Dalrymple surely is one of those. You could pick up a Dalrymple book blindly, and expect to enter a world that's interesting, rich, crazy, chaotic and wonderful all at once.

I've read most of his books. And I'd say you just couldn't go wrong with William Dalrymple--or the Age of Kali for that matter.

Really good read, really crappy book
Wonderfull stories from India and Pakistan - unusual and well-told, but my Lonely Planet edition began to fall apart the moment I opened the book. After three days, all the pages fell out. Sorry about that, sez LP. Uh, yeah, thanks.

Fascinating and Intriguing
Age of Kali is a fascinating read. I have been to or lived at many places Dalrymple writes about in this book and so I can relate to what he says.
I must admit that insights that he brings out are much deeper than my own even when I spent years living in those places. The most interesting chapters are that of Vrindavan, Sri Lanka and Hyderabad. The section on Bombay was a bit of a drag, particularly when after having written so brilliantly so far he got stuck with Baba Sehgal and Shobha De (the latter only a few English speaking people know anyway) and missed the pulse of Bombay.
Both Bihar and Pakistan were equally depressing (not because of Mr Dalrymple), though insightful at the same time.
This is a great read, cover to cover but appears more of a collection of essays written at different times rather than a fluent continuous travelogue. Imran Khan's story could have been cut short by several pages and the author's journey into Reunion Island, though fascinating in its own right, seems like a chapter from another book.
There are flashes of brilliance in a wonderfully written piece but also dots of passable text.
Overall a brilliantly written book about an extremely complex people and difficult times with the elegance of a master story teller and pathos of a native. ... Read more

Product Description
The author draws on the powerful imagery of painting, sculpture, and literature in this celebration of the Hindu goddess. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

wonderful and thorough introduction to Kali
A lot of books on Kali come necessarily from a scholarly perspective that is deeply rooted in patriarchal presuppositions (as this is the nature of most of the research that's been done). However, Mookerjee's book delves into the heart of Kali, creating balance in the approach. This book is a thorough and thoughtful introduction to her history and worship, and demystifies her symbolism and terrible imagery, reminding us that Kali is seen both as the fierce destroyer AND the benevolent, all-encompassing, compassionate mother.

I highly recommend this to those who are new to Kali, as it's very accessible for Westerners.

Om Krim Kali!
This book is beautyful! The photographs, paintings and drawing are breathtaking. The information is on target. Its not a big book, but for its sized it has a good amount of information. The auther knows her stuff. I cant stand it when people write about Kali and have no idea what they are talking about and believe me people I see it often. Kali is not all about destruction, or hexing, or the end of time. Shes not just a goddess in her "Crone phase" Shes not just a Goddess of the moon. Kali is used for many things even for healing. In her Bhadra Kali aspect shes a young virgin. But some people do not know this about her. If theres one complaint about this book is that sometimes the auther can get off the subject of Kali. But regardless all the information is informative and wonderful. Its well researched. Its not as devotional as Kali by Elizabet U Harding but its defenitly a compliment to her book as well as to the book Kali Puja. I reccomend all three.

An excellent introduction
This book gives a great introduction to many of the more fascinating aspects of Kali:the history of the divine feminine in Hinduism, her relationship to other godesses (esp. Durga), the devotional poetry of Ramprasad, her role in Tantra.It's also full of beautiful and fascinating photographs and art related to the goddess.It is definitely a great book for anyone wanting to learn more about this fascinating deity who is so often misunderstood in the West.

Fascinating book about Kali
There is a popular misunderstanding in the Western world about the nature of Kali. Kali is often portrayed as some kind of demon and, unfortunateley, she sometimes even has been worshipped as such, even in India. There are documented cases where Kali worship has involved human sacrifice, and in the western world even some satanists has tried to integrate Kali in their pantheon.

But, of course, from the start she was the very opposite of a demon. In the original myth about Kali and Durga, wonderfully described in this book, these goddesses in fact save the gods and the world and defeats the male demonsthat threatens it.

In Mookerjees book, with a lot of splendid illustrations, you get the story of Kali, as well as some interesting insights in Devi worship, saktism, and, of cource, the story of Durga. It can highly be recommended.

The TRUTH about Mother Kali
This wonderful book, written by a respected spiritual teacher, gives accurate and culturally truthful information about Divine Mother Kali. It is about true spiritual devotion to the Divine Feminine - a perfectantidote to the misguided Western notion that Kali is the psychologicalreflection of the dark psyche and an expression of anger and violence. ... Read more

Product Description
Kali Kaula is a practical and experiential journey through the land of living magical art that is Tantra, guided by the incisive, inspired and multi-talented hands of Jan Fries. By stripping away the fantasies and exploring the roots, flowers and fruits of Tantra, the author provides an outstandingly effective and coherent manual of practices. Acknowledging the huge diversity of Tantric material produced over the centuries, Jan Fries draws on several decades of research and experience and focuses on the early traditions of Kula, Kaula and Krama, and the result is this inimitable work which shines with the light of possibility. Unique in style and content, this book is more than a manual of tantric magick, it is a guide to the exploration of the inner soul. It contains the most lucid discussions of how to achieve liberation in the company of numerous Indian goddesses and gods, each of whom brings their own lessons and gifts to the dedicated seeker. It is also an eloquent introduction to the mysteries of the great goddess Kali, providing numerous views of her manifold nature, and showing the immense but hidden role played throughout history by women in the development and dissemination of tantric practices and beliefs.Jan Fries explores the spectrum of techniques from mudra to mantra, pranayama to puja, from kundalini arousal to purification to sexual rites, and makes them both accessible and relevant, translating them out of the Twilight Language of old texts and setting them in the context of both personal transformation and the historical evolution of traditions. The web of connections between Tantra and Chinese Alchemy and Taoism are explored as the author weaves together many of the previously disparate strands of philosophies and practices. This book challenges the reader to dream, delight, and develop, and provides an illustrated guidebook on how to do so. Bliss awaits those who dare. ... Read more

Product Description
This spiritual classic, written about 16 centuries ago by author or authors unknown, weaves into a verbal tapestry the central text for worshippers of the Hindu Devi, the Divine Mother. The Devimahatmya addresses the perennial questions of the nature of the universe, humankind, and divinity. Written in the form of a narrative of a dispossessed king, a merchant betrayed by the family he loves, and a seer, this classic presents a trilogy of myths concerning the all-powerful Divine Mother,Durga-, and the fierce battles she wages against the throngs of demonic foes. These allegories represent our all-too-human impulses toward power, possessions, and pleasure.This easy-to-read translation of the Devimahatmya combines sound scholarship with an insider’s perspective based on 35 years of spiritual practice within the Hindu religion.Includes Sanskrit text with transliteration.For scholars, devotees, and readers looking for a thorough introduction to Hinduism as well as insight into goddess worship. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Wonderful !
This is an insightful, lovely translation.
Very Inspirational.

The Introduction is quite informative and delightfully written.
Included in the text is the "Armor of the Devi" along with all of the shorter hymns and texts that accompany the recitation of the Devi Mahatmya. The comentaries of the different verses are very thought provoking

The only problem I had with the book is that the transliteration is VERY small. If a person wants to recite the text using the Sanskrit transliteration...they may find it difficult..it was for me. Also, the transliteration is separate from the translation. A benefit of having the 2 together is that over time, one does acquire an understanding of meanings of Sanskrit words if a text is chanted on a regular basis when the translation and transliteration are together

If you are looking for a excellent translation and commentary..this is your book..

As a chanting text, I would recommend the "Chandi Path" by Swami Satyananda Saraswati as the transliteration type face is much easier to read...

Truly a treasure for any serious collector of Devi texts...It is a joy to read... outside of this problem I had with the transliteration..I would highly recommend it

Beautiful translation, introduction, and commentary!
This is a superb translation and presentation of the Devi Mahatmya, complete with a long introduction, insightful commentary sections after each of the Devi Mahatmya's chapters, endnotes, the original devanagiri Sanskrit text, and transliteration of that script into English lettering for easy chanting by those not (yet) adept at reading the ancient sanskrit lettering.

Devadatta Kali (David Nelson) has not only translated the 13 original chapters of the Devi Mahatmya or Candi (inserted circa 6th century into the Markandeya Purana), but also the 6 ancillary short texts including the 3 "rahasya" secret texts on Sakta theology. He has also translated and explained two ancient hymns from the Rg Veda (x.125, 127), the Ratrisukta and Devisuktra, that are chanted to open and close recitation of the Devi Mahatmya.

This is a work to have and to cherish-- transparent for the Divine Mother's mysterous power, beauty, and love.

--Timothy Conway, Ph.D., author, *Women of Power & Grace: Nine Astonishing, Inspiring Luminaries of Our Time*

Great introduction to the Devadatta
Enjoyed reading this book. It is my first experience reading a complete poem about Hindu Gods and Goddesses.Read some excerpts of poems in other books, and became quite confused after reading them. The commentaries in this book cleared up alot of questions regarding Hindu mythology, and what can be learned from it.It will now be easier for me to read other books on Hindu mythology and the sacred books of Hinduism.The translation was easy to follow.I especially found interesting and helpful the comments regarding thehistory and development of the worship of the Devi from the earliest periods of civilization, to the present time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar
This is a wonderfull book and I can give it 5 stars without even finishing it. I am using it for a research paper I am writing for an Indian philosophy class at University Nevada Las Vegas. It has been helpful and intriguing. Thank you.

Great for Westerners
A lot of books on Kali come necessarily from a scholarly perspective that is deeply rooted in patriarchal presuppositions (as this is the nature of most of the research that's been done). However, Hardings book delves into the heart of Kali, creating balance in the approach. This book is a thorough and thoughtful introduction to her history and worship, and demystifies her symbolism and terrible imagery, reminding us that Kali is seen both as the fierce destroyer AND the benevolent, all-encompassing, compassionate mother.

I highly recommend this to those who are new to Kali, as it's very accessible for Westerners.

The story of a Kali temple
This book is about the temple of Kali and its history. For information on Kali Herself, there are better sources. The sections on the Goddess' myths and attributes are okay, but I do not care for the lengthy excerpts quoted from Barbara Walker'sThe Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets - I mean, first of all if I wanted this I would read Walker's work; secondly they are rife with misinformed conjecture presented as fact.

Excerpts from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, on the other hand, serve to inform the book's most charming elements and what are in essence its central subjects: the lives of Kali's famous devotees, especially Ramakrishna; the history of the Dakshineswar temple; and the temple's daily routine and festival observances, as witnessed and experienced first-hand by the author herself. These aspects of the work really took me to the temple and allowed me to envision and even commune with these saintly and lively children of Ma Kali.

If Ms. Harding had focused on and refined these aspects of her work, I would have rated this a five-star book.

Jai Ma Kali! Victory to the Ma Kali
KALI
The Black Goddess Of Dakshineswar
by Elizabeth U. Harding

Although this book is a bit on the patriarcal side a
bit. Even when India was very constrictive to women, many Hindu sects considdered the Goddess to be supreme and men who were devoted to the Goddess would want to dress as
a woman and become feminine and even have a pyschosematic period without the actual
blood. (even though they were not gay)
This book goes deep into the Goddess Kali in her many aspects of Kali names such as Shyama Kali, Maha Kali, Raksha Kali and more. This book tells of her benign side (Dakashin) and her terrible aspect (Smashan or Vama)
It describes the daily worship and the special puja of Kali. It explains her symbols the reason why she is seen with 50 human
severed heads and a girldle of arms. This book is truly for those who are devoted to the Mother Kali.
The auther describes how life is in India and how the devotees act toward the Mother Kali.
The book has many devotional prayers and writtings that were made to the Great Devi Kali.
She has wrote about Kalis Goddess intoxicated saints Rama Krishna, Sarada Devi, Ramprasad, and many of the lives of the devotes of Ma Kali.
This book will dispell any of the myths of what you heard of Kali, as Kali is greatly misunderstood by so many people. Kali is beyond good and
evil she is pure love and will but make no mistake she is also she who creates and she who destroys. The auther has added some of the writtings from the Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna and some of his visions of the Mother is there as well.
She also adds some information on Shiva and Tara as well. Ramprshad made no dstiction between Kali and Tara. Tara is so much like Kali in her Hindu wratful aspect. Tara is the next Mahavidya right after Kali. She also describes the life of Bamakhepa Taras goddess intoxicated saint.She also writes about the left hand tantricts (this is not an evil path of tantra) Left hand tantra defies what is considdered morally right and is useful in free the enslaved mind from human made restrictions.Devotes and saints would sit on top of a corpse in a crematorium and go
into deep traces and do other societies"unacceptable things" NO im not talking of human sacrifices. Also Elizabeth Harding writes about the Rani (Queen) who had the Dakashineswar temple built and what
goes on there.There are many wonderful pictures in this book and rare ones as well. Rare because pictures are forbidden to be taken of the

inside of templesonly the temple officials can take them.The Christians and the English
rule could not pull the whole country away from the Hindu religion no matter how bad the tyranny became. This book is inspirational and one of
pure beauty, it is a book of hope against struggle. The book delves into the mysteries of Kalima. In this book Kali is brought to life and dances
with her laughter, you can feel the soirit of the Great Devi in this book. This book has been praised by many Hindu and Goddess
devotees. It is a living story and one full of inspiration for all of us who love and revere the Goddess......Jai Ma, Kali Jaya!
I give this book 5 stars.

A JOURNEY I WON'T FORGET
Reading this book felt like an adventure.The author took me with her on her trip to India and was able to transmit her devotion, her love and her experiences in remarkable detail.It showed me how to experience Kali andto love her as much as I'm sure the author does. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great Book
A very effective style - my only wish is that there were more about he Ilustrisimo style.

Just a peek
A good book that gives a peek into the Kalis Ilustrisimo system. It would be impossible to show the finesse and level of efficiency and effectiveness of this system other than experiencing it under a qualified instructor. The level of development of this Art is impossible to capture in still photography, the finer (and most important) aspects are literally "lost in print". Still, this is very useful to the beginner wanting to get a glimpse, though for further study I would recommend training under Tony Diego.

Forget the politics
Previous reviewers have engaged in somewhat of "who's dady is the strongest" discussion, but that has nothing to say about this book. Now, I found the book very good in achieving the intended goal, i.e. giving an excellent presentation and explanation of the subject covered. My objection is that while it is nice to see applications of the same technique with different weapons, in some places the transfer is rather obvious, and I believe that that space could have been used better, maybe to show responses to some other types of attacks. Still, I have to note once more, thte book is very valuable to anyone interested in learning about FMA as it is, so I recommend it sincerely.

I've Studied The Villabrille-Largusa Kali Style for 15 years
This is an interesting book. As Grandmaster Ben Largusa taught me long ago, all of the styles from the Philippines have something worthwhile to offer.I have also read Mark Wiley's books. Quoting older Filipino practitioners and passing it off as scholarly research is a dubious practice at best. It is ironic that most of the people who comment on the late Grandmaster Villabrille have never met, talked to, nor practiced under him or his disciples. I have trained with Grandmaster Ben Largusa, Professor Greg Lontayao and Professors Allen and Mario Magdangal...all who had direct access to the legend himself.I have spend countless hours learning from and interviewing Grandmaster Largusa, Villabrille's direct descendant.The Grandmaster and I are writing a book on Villabrille.Mark Wiley has absolutely no idea what he's talking about when it comes to Grandmaster Villabrille and should leave him, respectfully and in perpetuity, out of his conversations.Take the time to experience and endure the rigors of this very traditional Kali system before venturing into territory of which you have no knowledge.Most people don't have the tenacity and fortitude to study the Villabrille system, and I suspect that's why it is so much easier to simple "talk" about it (and him).Villabrille learned the rudiments from his Uncle.The remainder he learned from the Princess Josefina and combat, making use of his own natural gifts.Put in proper perspective, it's to ok to add this book to your martial arts library.Again, they all have something to offer.
Guro Ron Smith

mistaken review by that Hawaiian guy
The book is OK as an introductory overview. The first guy who made a review was mistaken because despite all the videos and books circulated by authentic arnis/eskrima masters, they were never meant to impart more than a little peek into the art. For sure, they never meant to teach through books or videos, hence don't be surprised if this book is just 200 or so pages.

It's true that the Kalis Ilustrisimo masters learned by watching and videotaping Tatang Ilustrisimo. Most westerners like the first guy assume that arnis/eskrima has to be taught like a course or school subject. Sorry, but wrong. Arnis/eskrima is often self-learned in the Philippines by watching and training a few times with a few masters on sporadic instances. What makes them different from the much-looked down upon "seminar student" in the USA is that in the Philippines, you back up your training with LIVE and REAL sparring. Whereas in the US, they just attend seminars and collect certificates, videotapes, and photographs but don't spar w/o armor.Some masters and grandmasters here in the Philippines learned by just watching others practice or teach, and by imitating the moves and making them their own, AND THEN proving these techniques in sparring.

The students of Tatang didn't split up. Sagasa is not a school of Kali Ilustrisimo practitioners; it's a kickboxing style taught WITHIN and AS AN INTRINSIC PART OF Bakbakan International. Although not all Ilustrisimo practitioners are members of Bakbakan, they all interact together to this day since they all know each other personally.

Lastly, just because the late GM Villabrille was a great fighter, DOES NOT mean that he's incapable of telling tall tales. It is a very Filipino trait to tell tall tales especially in the FMA world where one-upmanship is the name of the game. The Filipino penchant for tall tales can be seen in the review posted by the Hawaiian first guy for this book, in which he describes the country of his ancestors' origins (I assume he's Filipino in ethnic descent due to his name and exposure to FMA, as well as his Hawaiian location) as NOTHING MORE THAN A COLLECTION OF GHETTOES. Exaggerated, isn't it? As I write this I am in the 52nd floor of an intelligent skyscraper in Manila.

It's safe to say that ALL the masters exaggerated their stories of achievement. The notion that GM Villabrille invented the word "kali" has enough basis although that notion isn't final as proven yet. The exaggerations come from the fact that they are all Filipinos, that they were recalling the stories from old memory hence getting some details mixed up or exaggerated, and that there was a language and conceptual barrier considering that 99% of FMA grandmasters who made FMA famous in the West were unschooled and practically illiterate. That's why the only jobs they got were not U.S.-educated "pensionados" but rather Hawaiian and Californian fruit pickers and harvesters.

All in all the book is great as an introduction and overview, and let's not begrudge the book's good traits just because we were hoping to learn Kalis Ilustrisimo from the book's contents. No, siree. If you want to learn Ilustrisimo, get yourself an AUTHENTIC teacher and train. Use the book only as reference and as a sort of primer on the style. Do not treat it as an instruction manual. ... Read more

Product Description
Enthusiastic fans of Jonnie Jacobs's thrillers know what they're getting in bestseller after bestseller: riveting suspense, knockout writing, and a smart, world-weary heroine who can kick butt and take names when she needs to. Now Jacobs delivers another gripping tale of sex, lies, secrets, and murder whose razor-sharp twists and turns don't let up until the very last page is turned. A body count that's rising. A lone witness on the run. A killer who'll do anything to buy silence. It's the most dangerous case of attorney Kali O'Brien's career--and it's hitting way too close to home.

The last time Kali spoke to her brother, John, he was desperate to tell her something but too drunk to get it out. Now he's dead, an apparent suicide by overdose. That would be shocking enough, but the cops have more bad news: John was also the lead suspect in the recent double homicide of two women in Tucson. The victims include the wealthy heiress of the corporation John worked for and Olivia Perez, a pretty college coed whose family is determined to make someone pay for the crime, and Kali's at the top of their list--if she can't clear his name first. It's a tricky case that's about to get even trickier.

Kali didn't know her brother very well, and in death, the only clue he's left behind is as damning as it is mysterious. Hidden in the pages of his dictionary is a photo of three attractive young women. One is Olivia Perez. One is a street-tough runaway named Crystal. The third woman--a strip club dancer and porn actress--has just been found in a ditch, the victim of a brutal slaying. As shocking as the woman's death is her connection to Kali's brother. How did they know each other? What was John trying to tell Kali the night he died? And would someone kill to keep him from saying it? Suddenly her brother's suicide is starting to look a lot like murder.

Kali's only hope for solving the case lies in finding the last girl in the picture--a witness who knows far more than she should, maybe too much to live--and Kali has to get to her before the killer does. It's a search that will plunge her into the secrets and lies of her own family and deep into the sex industry's hidden underworld of going-nowhere-fast girls looking for easy money, where fantasies can be had for a price, blackmail is deadly, and silence can be bought with blood. And if Kali isn't careful, she could lead a cunning killer straight to the last target while putting herself in line to be the next victim... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Plot is Appreciable in its Complexity
"The Next Victim" is the eighth book in Jonnie Jacobs' series of suspense thrillers starring San Francisco-based attorney for the defense Kali O'Brien.In it, Kali travels to Tucson, Arizona, to investigate the death of her estranged brother John O'Brien, prime suspect in the recent murders of beautiful, wealthy Sloane Winslow, and her housekeeper, pretty young student Olivia Perez.Last time Kali spoke to John, he seemed to be desperate to tell her something, but too drunk to get it out: now he's dead, apparently by a suicidal drugs/alcohol overdose.

Kali wasn't close to her brother: still, she can't believe him capable of murder.But she does come to learn he had many secrets, including investments in porn movie making.She's aided in her investigations by her sister Sabrina; they bounce off Tucson cops Erling Shafer and Michelle Parker.Jacobs writes a highly-competent chick lit thriller here; it does actually get some pretty good suspense going.She writes well; the plot is appreciable in its complexity, the principal characters are well-formed.The discussions of Tucson landscape, weather, flora and fauna are well-done, and interesting. Mind you, the book has got too much relationship/family content to my taste, but I guess that comes with the chick lit territory.Still, Jacobs is an experienced writer, and it shows to her advantage here.

Murder and secrets
San Francisco attorney Kali O'Brien is camping with her boyfriend Bryce.She gets a phone message from her brother John in Arizona who she has had limited contact with for years.She decides to call him later.

After returning from her trip, she tries to contact him, but the call is short and she doesn't learn anything about why he called.Soon after she is notified he committed suicide.He is also alleged to have killed a woman he knew and the student living with her.

Kali and her sister Sabrina meet up at John's.They can't believe he would kill anyone nor take his life.They set off to clear his name.Then another girl turns up dead that appears to be tied to John.And there's a missing girl also tied to him.Could he really have killed all these people?

In this installment in the series, we get a bigger glimpse into Kali's personal life.I really enjoyed this book.I felt that the interaction of the two sisters was great.The mystery was very believable, and there are so many twists and turns that I couldn't figure out who the killer was until it right before it was revealed.And then I was surprised!

I like that the main character is a lawyer, but I really enjoyed that this book wasn't set around a court case.It was very enjoyable.I had trouble putting the book down.I wanted to know who the killer was.

I highly recommend this book.

A+Mystery Lover !
love Jonnie Jacobs books. This is another very good read.If you love a good mystery, you will love this book.Only wish she wrote faster !!!!lol

A very good read
First Sentence:The call came a little after two in the morning and pulled Erling from a particularly pleasant dream.

San Francisco attorney Kali O'Brian is away on the camping trip but, when checking messages, finds a call from her brother in Arizona, with whom she has not had contact for some time.Returning to the city, she learns her bother allegedly committed suicide after murdering a woman and her au-pair.Kali travels to Arizona to settle John's estate and clear his name.

I've always liked Jacob's Kali O'Brien so it was nice to read a new entry.I enjoyed the balance of the investigation and look at the relationship between Kali and her siblings, as she learns things about them she hadn't known.There is an interesting conflict of the lead cop who knows he should recuse himself from the investigation because of an affair he'd had with the victim. It's nice to see Kali taken out of her S.F. environment.Jacobs gives us a good sense of being in Tucson.The dialogue is a bit stilted, but the story definitely kept me turning the pages.

Extra depth and richness in new Kali book
I have always enjoyed Jonnie Jacobs' Kali Obrien books--lots of suspense and really good writing. Her latest book shows us much more about Kali's family when her brother becomes a suspect in a string of murders involving young women in Tucson. Kali and her sister have to put aside their differences to find the truth as the mystery deepens. As well, Kali has to face the problems caused by the distance she's put between herself and her family. The book is told very crisply from different points of view, including the homicide detective investigating the crimes, who's hampered because his secret ex-lover is among the murder victims, causing him constant fear that someone will turn up this fling and endanger his shaky marriage. The mystery was intricately woven and unraveled, but the insight into Kali and her family was just as engrossing. Thanks for keeping me up late again, Jonnie! ... Read more

Product Description
With a New PrefaceKali and Krsna are two of Hinduism's most popular deities, representing dramatically different truths about the nature of the sacred. The cruel and terrible Kali is thought to be born of wild, aboriginal roots. She is the goddess of thieves and often associated with human blood sacrifice. Krsna, in contrast, is the divine lover and inimitable prankster who plays a bewitching flute to draw all to him. But Kali and Krsna have much more in common than their contrasting personalities suggest. Kinsley shows that Krsna's flute can be interchangeable with Kali's sword, revealing important perceptions of the divine in the Hindu tradition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great
The book can in time........it was like new........good book, it shoes how both deities are interconnected.....a must read for those interested.

Wonderful Study of Two Impressive Deities
I have always had trouble relating to Krisha, even though I read many books, commentaries and scriptures about Him, attended a Vaisnava temple for many months, and spent numerous hours chanting His mantras in an attempt to crack the mystery of why this Deity is so ravenously popular. I enjoyed the stories of His pastimes, and greatly appreciated the art and iconography that surrounded Him - but the deeper implications were simply lost for some reason.

This book really brought home to me WHY Krishna so captured the people's hearts, as it showed a completely different perspective on the energies inherant to His workship. While the familiar themes, of course, remained the same, Kinsley throws a new light on the matter that was fresh and much needed.

As a Shakta, though, I obviously also adored the latter studies of Kali as well. They also bring up aspects and interpretations of Her worship that are not too commonly presented in other texts.

While this book is an academic text, it is easy and enjoyable to read, and not at all dry.

I highly recommend this book to any student of Hindu religion and spirituality, anyone wondering "what's the deal with Krishna", or even "who is this Kali that everyone's talking about". Those who have a general intrest in world religions and mythology will eat this one up, too. Spiritual seekers who wish to expand their perspectives on how divinity can and is experienced by hundreds of million, and how the seeminly contradictory aspects of the divine can be embraced and adored will find this study an excellent read as well.

A wonderful study of two Hindu deities
Kinsley's book is perhaps the most enjoyable work on Hinduism that I've ever had the pleasure to read. In it the author both explains the history of each deity and how they crystalize certain overarching truths of the Hindu worldview. The effect is both a complex understanding of Kali and Krishna's importance within Hinduism as well as a greater appreciation of Hinduism in its totality.

A scholarly yet very readable study
This book truly brings these two highly interesting Hindu dieties to life.Kinsley clearly illustrates the various truths each deity represents within the Hindu tradition. The reader is not only left well educated aboutKali and Krishna but about the rich character of the Hindu religioustradition as a whole. Perhaps the most enjoyable book I've ever readconcerning Hindu religion. ... Read more

Product Description
Encountering Kalõ explores one of the most remarkable divinities the world has seen--the Hindu goddess Kalõ. She is simultaneously understood as a blood-thirsty warrior, a goddess of ritual possession, a Tantric sexual partner, and an all-loving, compassionate Mother. Popular and scholarly interest in her has been on the rise in the West in recent years. Responding to this phenomenon, this volume focuses on the complexities involved in interpreting Kalõ in both her indigenous South Asian settings and her more recent Western incarnations. Using scriptural history, temple architecture, political violence, feminist and psychoanalytic criticism, autobiographical reflection, and the goddess's recent guises on the Internet, the contributors pose questions relevant to our understanding of Kalõ, as they illuminate the problems and promises inherent in every act of cross-cultural interpretation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A reading experience
This book is more than an academic study. It provides an experience of Kali devotions at the deepest levels. It also presents a variety of perceptions heretofore unavailable in a single volume. An outstanding contribution. Ron Frost, R.N., M.A.

Great resource for scholars and devotees alike
This collection of scholarly essays is an easy and enjoyable read for scholars and laypersons alike. What's so great about it is how many perspectives it gives on, as another reviewer noted, "the Kali phenomenon." McDermott and others tear away notions Westerners have of Kali, and present a much broader picture of her mythology, worship and cultural significance. McDermott's concluding essay spearheads the Western fascination with Kali, and dispels many myths along the way - including common etymological mistakes made frequently by feminist scholars and writers on Kali.

Western devotees of Kali should especially consider reading this volume - it will give necessary depth and breadth to your understanding of this complex Goddess, and is exceptionally readable. As this book was primarily written by and for scholars who are familiar with Sanskrit, those unfamiliar with transliteration diacritics will want to refer to online sources. Devotees who have Swami Satyananda Saraswati's excellent Kali Puja book will find a transliteration pronunciation guide in the back, which would be useful in this context. ... Read more

Product Description
In the early 1800s, the greatest criminal gang in history operated throughout India. Its members were inspired by religious fanatics and came from many faiths, yet they worshiped one goddess, Kali. In her name, they murdered more than one million Indian travelers-all without spilling a drop of blood. Their weapon was the handkerchief, their sacrament sugar, and the gang was supposedly eradicated by the British in the 1830s.

Today, a modern-day bandit named Veerappan is India's most-wanted man and most notorious criminal, responsible for more than one hundred murders. Some say he is a freedom fighter, others that he is a vicious killer. Still at large in the jungles of southwestern India, he avoids capture, his followers claim, by magical powers.In Children of Kali, Kevin Rushby researches these two criminal legends, both of which have been distorted and misused by those in power. As intrepid an investigator as he is an elegant writer, Rushby recounts his quest both to gain a meeting with Veerappan and to untangle the legends of the Thug Cult and the British policeman, William Sleeman, responsible for its suppression. He visits prisons and gangster hideouts, exploring the nature of crime and punishment in a country where good and evil may be as murky as the Ganges.

A compelling blend of travel journalism and history, infused with Rushby's infectious spirit and with memorable characters, Children of Kali connects past with present and reexamines the legacy of the British Raj. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Missing the point
I am probably missing the point of this book (the reason why I am giving it three stars). First the bad: the never ending search for thugs (sorry, you where looking in the wrong places) ...taking things for what they are not (Veerappan a hero)... using two sensational subjects to sell a book on India (thugs, kali) and now the good: 1) It tries (and succeeds to an extend) to show India in its true light (India is neither the land of thugs, dirt and darkness nor the vibrant land of mysticism, color, foods). 2) it throws light on what many British reforms in India truly were.

Great perspective
Kevin Rushby has traveled extensively, and has written about his journeys with insight and tremendous empathy for people he has met.Children of Kali concerns his search for knowledge on the current state of the thug cult (murderous worshippers of the goddess Kali), and for one charismatic and well-known thug in particular.But the book does not read like some sort of true-crime or investigative work; rather, it takes the form of a travelogue, where Rushby learns about the parts of India he travels through, the types of people he meets. As such, although it develops at a slower or more leisurely pace, the work is deep and rich, and the reader feels he has learned not so much about the cult of Kali as gained somewhat of a new perspective on life.It was not exactly the type of book I was expecting, but I came to very much enjoy reading it.

Very interesting topic and travels but....
This book deals with some very interesting, yet somewhat disparate topics.Rushby's travelogue/history was apparently inspired by his learning of the British colonial administrator Sleeman, who allegedly eliminated the thuggees from India.He travels across India to investigate the thuggees, but somehow mixes them up with Indian bandits, gangsters, and assorted mischief-makers.His biggest problem is his tendency to write in a stream-of-conscious style that is confusing.He jumps around from different places, to different topics, switches between travelogue, history, and commentary, without effectively transitioning and explaining himself.At times he refers to phenomena, places and people without any explanation of who or what they are.With just a little better writing and editing, this could have earned five stars.

a bibliomaniac
I was expecting a much darker(creepy?) book from what I had read of the excerpt from the synopsis given by the bookstore. It turned out to be a very humorous travel log by Kevin Rushby's search of the Thug Cult. There are many entertaining encounters with the people in India, great descriptions of the food there, atrocious hotel rooms, the hustle and bustle of a very populated country - all a very informative and highly entertaining look of a Brit with a wonderful sense of humor travelling through ancient India. If you enjoy cooking or travel essays, this book's a keeper.

A must read investigative travelouge
Anybody interested in Modern India, I urge you to read "Children of Kali" by Kevin Rushby from several points of views:

1. How we get what we seek:
Kevin went to India in search of thugs and decoits, while Maddy (a character in the book) went to India in quest of happiness. See what each one got, and how this simple concept of "we get what we seek" revealed to Kevin at Sangam.

2. Real history of modern times:
The history of north and central India during East India company, Raj and after wee hours of independence is not taught to us, Indians in schools as it should be. Read how Kevin unearths it.

3. Travelogue:
How we all have very similar experiences as Kevin had in India, except he logs it in a superb fashion.

4. Objectivity:
If you are from India (a non-resident Indian, like me), see the places you grew up from an objective eye. Not necessarily an English eye, but an eye of a just seeker, Kevin that is!

5. Style:
I absolutely love the modern style of story-telling that is weaved with real facts and ground-level research. Just to examine this aspect, the book is worth reading.

... Read more

Product Description
In a book now marked by both critical acclaim and cross-cultural controversy, Jeffrey J. Kripal explores the life and teachings of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a nineteenth-century Bengali saint who played a major role in the creation of modern Hinduism. Through extended textual and symbolic analyses of Ramakrishna's censored "secret talk," Kripal demonstrates that the saint's famous ecstatic and visionary experiences were driven by mystico-erotic energies that he neither fully accepted nor understood. The result is a striking new vision of Ramakrishna as a conflicted, homoerotic Tantric mystic that is as complex as it is clear and as sympathetic to the historical Ramakrishna as it is critical of his traditional portraits.

In a substantial new preface to this second edition, Kripal answers his critics, addresses the controversy the book has generated in India, and traces the genealogy of his work in the history of psychoanalytic discourse on mysticism, Hinduism, and Ramakrishna himself. Kali's Child has already proven to be provocative, groundbreaking, and immensely enjoyable.

"Only a few books make such a major contribution to their field that from the moment of publication things are never quite the same again. Kali's Child is such a book."--John Stratton Hawley, History of Religions

Winner of the American Academy of Religion's History of Religions Prize for the Best First Book of 1995 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Homophobi
DON'T ASK DON'T TELLAREN'T HOMOSEXUALS GOD'S CHILDREN ALSO RAMAKRISHNA WOULD CERTAINLY SAY STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES BUT FALSE WORDS WILL NOT HURT ME.

BLESS SOLOMON WHO HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 CONCUBINES FOR IT WAS HIS PROGENY WHO WAS JESUS CHRIST. THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS.


BUT THE PATHS TO GOD ARE MANY THE GOAL IS ONE.

skewed perceptions from a poor and biased scholar
Very skewed perceptions of a respected Giant of Indian Spirituality.This book portrays less knowledge about Shri Ramakrishna then the most ignorant peasant in India. By implication this is a putdown on Hindus and the Hindu Faith. Everthing is viewed from a sexual angle. Read this book and replace the name Ramakrishna with an Iconic person of any other faith and the reader will feel a sense of the outrage that Hindus felt on reading this book.

It is a very poor showing of religious scholarship and nothing less than an attempt to defame and defile reputation of Shri Ramakrishna. I believe that I would take the word of the following over the base writings of MR Kripal :

Mahatma Gandhi
"The story of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa's life is a story of religion in practice. His life enables us to see God face to face."

Huston Smith
"Ramakrishna's teachings on the essential unity of the great religions comprise Hinduism's finest voice on this topic."

Arnold Toynbee
"Sri Ramakrishna's message was unique in being expressed in action. Religion is not just a matter for study, it is something that has to be experienced and to be lived, and this is the field in which Sri Ramakrishna manifested his uniqueness. His religious activity and experience were, in fact, comprehensive to a degree that had perhaps never before been attained by any other religious genius, in India or elsewhere."

Romain Rolland
"Ramakrishna was a rare combination of individuality and universality, personality and impersonality. His word and example have been echoed in the hearts of Western men and women. His soul animates modern India."

Thomas Mann
"This highly noteworthy document [The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna] conveys the personality of a great mystic in such an intimate, direct, and almost astounding manner that to read it must be an enriching experience for any intellect which is receptive and open to all things human."

Christopher Isherwood
"This is the story of a phenomenon." (Isherwood's opening sentence in Ramakrishna and His Disciples.)

Heresy
The real tragedy behind the drama surrounding Jeffrey Kripal is that the British Christian missionaries were ultimately successful. The Victorianism imposed on the subcontinent has perhaps permanently alienated urban, Westernized Hindus from their own cultural heritage. This is why the madly tantric Ramakrishna must be re-imagined by the Ramakrishna Mission as a virginal, Victorian, Christ-like saint --- and as part of a Holy Trinity no less! (The obviousness of the anxiety of influence displayed here for Christianity here would make Harold Bloom blush.) This is why any scholar who tells the truth about Ramakrishna must be condemned to the contemporary equivalent of being burned at the stake. Scholars who are simply mistaken about things, or who make errors in translation are not publicly condemned or ritually executed. Only those who are guilty of heresy are. And that is what we have here, in the case of Jeffrey Kripal --- someone who is guilty of heresy, and therefore, in true Maoist fashion, must be vigorously denounced by each righteous person in order to enter the Neo-Vedantist Kingdom of Heaven.

See also: ''Ramakrishna Kathamrta'' Volume IV, Section XXIII, Chapter IX, "His earlier story - practicing Tantra under the bel tree - Brahmani procured the articles"

absolutely worthless
I sincerely wonder whether the author is Texan Christian who is out to prove that everything about Hinduism is bad. He neither has the background of the place and time of Ramakrishna Paramhansa neither he has any depth on whahe is talking about. I think he is disturbed individual tying to seek some quick recognition by creating controversy.

Piece of disgusting junk
If this is considered scholarship, I would consider a caveman to be a more honest person intellectually than this author Jefferey Kripal. However much I tried, I could not find honesty or scholarship in this book. I saw only wanted and biased mis-interpretations of original Bengali texts by a person who is not well versed in Bengali and interpretations that defy logic or common sense.

I would not recommend anyone to waste their time with this book even if they get paid for it. The disgusting feeling we are left with while reading is not worth it.

I give it 1 star only because Amazon does not let me give it negative points. ... Read more

Product Description
A rare and exciting true story of worship andinitiation in an culture that still exists today. Bhairavanwrites of his experience of initiation into the world of Kali'sodiyyas shamans of the goddess. We learn the goddess traditionfirst-hand and experience and exorcism, Kundalini training,astral travel, shape-shifting, healing, how to deal with thedeath of a shaman, and how this matriarchal society governs thedevotees. Glossary. Index. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Extraordinary!
Kali's Oddiya is an extraordinary account of the the training and experiences of a young man in India.Not only, an intimate peek into mundane village life, but also a book that takes you into the world of magic, metaphysics, secret rites and rituals in a way I have not encountered in any other book. Transcendant and engaging.

unique!
This book ("by popular request" really) contains the teachings in response to the kind of questions one asks only after one stops being afraid of the answers.

Amarananda Bhairavan is the conduit for his aunt Preema's unadulterated wisdom. There is no fashionable or slick feel-good stuff, nothing one could tweak into a foundation for a (pseudo-) spiritual empire.

I guess, when you read this review/opinion, you must have been led here and probably are ready to receive the gifts and blessings offered in this rare source of knowledge and inspiration.

Uninspiring and sad, not true tantra
I have respect for Kali and things that are inherently here to change or destroy so that truth can be reborn (or protected)....but this story never gave me that feeling. The entire time I was reading it I felt a strange negative undertone ...as if I wasn't being told the whole truth. I always felt Preema was lying - no matter how many reasonable justifications she gave for herself...it felt incredibly manipulative and heartless. I do admit the book itself was interesting to read and almost exciting at points, but the end left me feeling disgusted...not enlightened or even educated. I felt sorry for the author and question his clarity...because his final act seemed more like annihilation & assimilation than a destruction done for the purpose of love & protection.

Where to buy a new copy....
Ok this isn't so much a review as letting you know that new copies are available at the author's site - www.deepsoulhealing.com - so you don't need to pay more than the new price for a second hand copy (which is what I was assuming I'd have to do).

Outstanding
This book is fascinating, enriching and enchanting. We get to enter a world that is totally foreign for us: a world where women reign, magic occurs and the borders between the living and dead are blurred.
Even though most of the book is difficult to believe it is written in a style that made me willing to believe almost everything.
The writing style is absolutely splendid. For large sections of the book I felt I was in India, felt the hot sun, saw the oriental colours and smelled amazing smells. As if this wasn't enough the book offers outstanding spiritual teachings that were very inspiring to me. ... Read more

Product Description
The woman gives her name as Betty. No last name. No phone number. Just a meeting place -- a deserted, wooded park on the outskirts of Lake Tahoe. Kali O'Brien understands client confidentiality, but something about Betty's urgent request has her a little spooked. Why did the woman go to such lengths to ensure secrecy? What is so important that it's worth protecting at all costs?

Available only in Wheeler Hardcover 6. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Not my favorite, but Good
INTENT TO HARM (Suspense-Kali O'Brien-California/Nevada-Cont) - G
Jacobs, Jonnie - 6th in series
Kensington Books, 2003, US Hardcover - ISBN:1575668297

First Sentence:The blue Toyota turned off Highway 89 along the western shore of Lake Tahoe and into Ponderosa Pines Park.

Attorney Kali O'Brien is asked to meet a new client, Betty, in a park by Lake Tahoe.Although the request is unusual, Kali agrees and ends up with a dead client and a gunshot wound in her shoulder.Investigating Betty's death leads Kali to another case of a woman thought to be murdered eight years previous, but still alive and still with someone trying to rectify that.

This was not my favorite Kali O'Brien story.Jacobs does do a credible job of creating and building suspense, maintaining several story threads and tying them all neatly up at the end.Her characters are well done, well developed and interesting.

However, the story felt long and overly involved, but it was the overwhelming coincidence that caused my rating to drop.

No Intent to Look for Other Books by Jacobs
Whilst this book started off at a pretty fast pace and was pretty interesting in the first couple of chapters the quality died off fast once Betty was killed and O'Brien injured.The rest of the book has the rather boring character O'Brien obsessed with trying to figure out what her dead client wanted.Meanwhile the injured hit man who sent the premature killing hit man that bungled the job wants to know just how much O'Brien knows.Sounds interesting from the description you say, you'd think that wouldn't you and I was one of you but in reality you'll struggle to stick with the boring storyline to the end of the book.

excellent quick and suspenseful read
I've just discovered this author and will certainly go search out other books in the series.The characters were well developed (which is not always the case in this genre) and the story fast paced but believable.There are several viewpoint stories that all converge once we are into the the story and I thought it worked very well.I found all three of the women characters appealing in their own right.Highly recommended.

fast paced
This is the sixth book in a series of Kali O'Brien book's.
The heroine Kali, an attorney,has a new mysterious clientwho get's killed before she find's out why Kali was contacted in the first place. Kali learns that the killing is connected to a disappearance that took place year's earlier. Fast paced but with a disappointing ending.

Was I even reading the same book?......I totally disagree.
This has to be the lamest book I've read in a very long time.I thought the premise sounded great, but it was put into an empty story.I wanted to care about the characters, but they had little depth.I almost stopped reading it all together when at least some action started up, but that only led to a very dissapointing ending.There was no real workup to a climax.It got to a certian point of the story when it just threw all the characters in the same room and ended it.Maybe Jonnie Jacobs was getting bored with it too and wanted to get it over with.Do yourself a favor....skip this one. ... Read more

Product Description
Kali battles demons that threaten the cosmos and even terrify the gods. ... Read more

Product Description
When a local waitress and her young daughter are murdered, the chief suspect's attorney asks Kali, who is struggling to keep her practice afloat, to help in the defense, and she discovers the dark secrets that surrounded the victim. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Gripping story with great characters
This is a great book.I loved Kali O'Brien and found the secondary characters, including the angry, closed-mouth man she's defending, fascinating.There is some courtroom stuff, but not a lot.The plot twists are unexpected and clever, yet entirely believable.I read the first book in the series, Shadow of Doubt, and liked it as well.Can't wait for the next one.

Great vacation material - entertaining!
I enjoyed this book so much that I e-mailed the author (her address is in the back of the book) and she responded with a very nice note. I thought this was much better than Sue Grafton's latest. She has good characterizations and the story really holds your attention. If you like Karen Kijewski (sp?) or Sue Grafton, try Jonnie Jacobs! Can't wait until the next in this series!

Grisham, move over
This is the second in a series, and even better than the first (which was excellent.)Kali O'Brien in a complex, but likable, character.The story captured my interest from the beginning and moved swiftly toward a surprising conclusion.Wes Harding is accused of murdering a woman and her five-year-old daughter.He's the town trouble-maker and someone Kali knew when she was in high school.He's unwilling to cooperate in his own defense and is clearly hiding something.The unfolding of Wes's story is as interesting as the solution to the murder.I found all of the characters (including the minor ones) well-drawn, interesting and believable.This is a first rate legal mystery.

Even in her hometown,Kali can't get away from murder
Attorney Kali O'Brien left her job at a lucrative San Francisco firm to open up a practice in her small hometown.One of her first clients that she agrees to help defend is Wes Harding, accused of murdering a local waitress and the woman's daughter.However, Wes rejects her efforts to assist on his defense team. To add to Kali's frustration, the townsfolk are totally convinced Wes did the crime, especially when the evidence proves he was at the scene. Kali interviews everyone linked to the victim, the alleged culprit, and even remotely connected to the case.She soon learns that the deceased was not just a waitress and that the two deaths might be linked to an incident from the waitress's past.As the clock ticks and she struggles with a cruel prosecutor, Kali realizes that she must pull a rabbit out of the hat very soon. If she fails her client will be convicted of an act he might not have committed. EVIDENCE OF GUILT is a well written mixing of a who-done-it with a legal thriller.Though the story line is fast-paced and interesting, the serpentine curves occur a bit too fast, sometimes confusing readers in the process.Kali remains an interesting character and hopefully more about her personal life will be forthcoming in future novels.In her second novel starring Kali, Jonnie Jacobs has shown that she can write a terrific and intriguing on-going series that will keep readers (including this reviewer) coming back for more. Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description
The complete worship of the Divine Mother who Takes away Darkness, includes Her advanced puja, Her thousand names, the mantras and mudras for traditional offerings, as well as the systems of worship for begetting spiritual children. It includes the original Sanskrita mantras, Romanphonetic transliteration and English translation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

She of the Lightning Body
This past September, a path was made to where I was able to afford (and attend) a Fall Festival where the theme was the Hindu Festival of Lights.Five goddesses were represented throughout the weekend and I volunteered to help erect and tend to the Temple of Mahakali.Before this festival, I wanted to educate myself on Pujas and more specifically, Kali's.There would be a Lakshmi Puja and a Durga Puja, but I wanted to co-ordinate with the woman assigned to Kali to do a Puja for the Great Mother as well.

"Kali Puja" is amazing.It is what it is, a complete and thorough "script" or "instructions" on how to perform a Kali Puja.Everything from the mantras to the offerings to the hand gestures / stances.What a wonderful reference and guide!!I could not believe such a beautiful thing was printed.

Thanks to this book, I was able to prepare myself on what to expect and eventually create my own full-fledged puja to radiant Kali Ma.For those devoted to Her, this is a jewel to add to your bookshelf. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Take a Vacation
Ladies and gentlemen!Do you need a vacation but do not have the luxury of taking one?Then allow your imagination to spirit you away to Kerala in south India, to a land of sun, sandy beaches, and palm trees with their glistening fronds swaying in gentle breezes from the Arabian Sea, and join Susan Oleksiw's Anita Ray in her newest adventure.Oleksiw's fast-paced mystery is written in the tradition of Agatha Christie and Alexander McCall Smith, yet her sleuth Anita's investigative skills are not up to Miss Marple's sharp-eyed observations, nor Mr. Poirot's `little grey cells'.Nor is Anita superwoman going after the bad guys and gals.She is every man's or woman's detective--intelligent, questioning, dogged, and determined, yet sometimes blundering and missing clues right before her eyes.But in the end, she discovers who did the deed and why, and the evil doers receive their just rewards.

Under the Eye of Kali takes place in the resort town of Kovalam, where neither the tourists nor the inhabitants are necessarily what they seem.I'm certainly not going to give away the story itself.Suffice it to say that people bring their personalities, emotions, histories, and cultural backgrounds with them wherever they go, and mixing these together may have in some instances amusing and in other instances combustible results.Anita herself is caught between two cultures--those of the United States and India, and both plays with and is buffeted by the cultural understandings of each.

So if you enjoy mysteries, read this book.Where else can you take a vacation, learn a bit about another culture, read a rousing good story, and enjoy yourself at the same time?Also be sure to scope out a good Indian restaurant by the time you have begun reading this book.You will want to eat some Indian food.

West meets East in a Delightful New Sleuth
Oleksiw's personal knowledge of India comes to life in the exotic sights, smells, and sounds of a small vacation village in the tropical part of that country. Anita Ray, half Indian, half American, is an engaging young photographer who helps to manage her aunt's hotel. When one American woman staying at the Hotel Delite goes missing and another becomes very ill, Anita's curiosity draws her into an investigation, much to the dismay of her doting and very traditional Auntie Meena. What begins as a simple seeking of answers quickly escalates to matters of murder, international smuggling, and retribution.
Anita Ray--brought up in America, living in India--is the perfect foil and interpreter for a cast of Indian characters who are sometimes quirky and amusing, sometimes lovable, and always intriguing. Likewise, through her eyes we get a glimpse of the insensitivity and naivete of American tourists, and the unexpected ways westerners can fall under the spell of a seductive setting.

enjoyable amateur sleuth
Kovalam, India is a popular tourist town as people come from around the world to visit sites like the Balabhadrakali Temple.American Anita Ray stays in the city not to sightsee, but to help her Auntie Meena run her eight-room Hotel Delite.

One of the guests, middle aged American Jean, vanishes on the same night her friend Marge is taken to the Anandabudhi Hospital after she contracts food poisoning at the Bamboo Village restaurant where Anita and her Brahmin boyfriend Anand also dined.Other guests ignore the duet as they go about their itineraries.Pam plans to visit the Suchindram Temple; Candy treks to Trivandrum; Emily wants to know more about Kali.However, Anita is concerned about Jean, who illegally was going to bring medical supplies into Myanmar.Deciding to investigate, she asks youthful assistant Peeru to watch over the photo shop she owns so she can explore the rice paddies until she learns what happened to Jean and then she must decide what to do next.

The location is excellent as this South India city comes alive to anchor this enjoyable amateur sleuth tale.Anita, apparently the star of short stories not read by me, is an obstinate American working in the land of her family, who cannot stop herself from investigating in order to catch a killer.This strong whodunit also contains a deep underlying message to embrace your heritage and not turn your back on your roots.Filled with suspense, readers will relish a trip to India during tourist season.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Product Description
Study of Kali, role of women in Indian spiritual and religious life. criticism of patriarchy, myths, symbols. balanced, scholarly overview. very useful assessment, provocative ... Read more