Koncocoo

Best Literary Medieval Criticism

The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes (Hackett Classics)
"The poems of the Poetic Edda have waited a long time for a Modern English translation that would do them justice. "An excellent and entertaining work that succeeds in achieving its intended purpose: to create an accessible and readable English translation of the Poetic Edda .
Reviews
"There's a difference... actually, there's an abyss between a translation and a true, high quality social localization."
"One of the best translations I've seen."
"This is a beautiful translation and interpretation of the Poetic Edda."
"Great translation, I'd recommend to anyone interested in the subject matter."
"Clear, easily readable texts; good background and notes; works well as an introductory text for Norse mythology to undergraduates."
"Excellent work by an excellent Professor."
"Great book."
"Can't wait to dig in."
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Montaigne (Pushkin Collection)
Zweig draws strong parallels between Montaigne's age, when Europe was torn in two by conflict between Catholicism and Protestantism, and his own, in which the twin fanaticisms of Fascism and Communism were on the verge of destroying the pan-continental liberal culture he was born into, and loved dearly. Zweig weaves biographical elements into his study—Montaigne's study of Latin at age four, his retirement from his public duties as a French nobleman at age 38—but the book is more properly an introduction to an endlessly inquisitive thinker who never stopped searching for the truth... In 1934, with the rise of Nazism, he left Austria, and lived in London, Bath and New York-a period during which he produced his most celebrated works: his only novel, Beware of Pity , and his memoir, The World of Yesterday .
Reviews
"Zweig's personal, somewhat casual, yet highly informed style of writing for biography totally engaged me in Montaigne's life and also led me to a renewed wish to read the Essays sooner rather than later. In this current age of vile and petty discourse, I enjoyed the call to searching for "knowing the self.""
"So beautifully made, from the paper, to the font, to the exquisite paper of the cover and the bookmark flaps."
"First, let me say that you should get your hands (literally) on this book to see how a beautiful book is made."
"Montaigne lived at the end of the Renaissance, which offered mankind the great hope of a world becoming `human'. Montaigne never saw peace, reason or tolerance during his whole life, only a pandemonium of furor, hate, partisan frenzy and tyrannical decrees imposed by the political, ideological or religious powerful. Stefan Zweig saw the debacle of European civilization with its fascist regimes and two World Wars. Stefan Zweig tells us also the story of Montaigne's family roots, his youth, his role as a secret political mediator, his wealth and also ... his misogyny."
"Beautiful book and well written."
"I ordered it more for Stephan Zweig than Montaigne."
"Two amazing minds working together in a way to uncover the brilliance of Montaigne's writings."
"Great book, fast shipping."
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Odyssey (Hackett Classics)
Lombardo's. Odyssey. offers the distinctive speed, clarity, and boldness that so distinguished his 1997. Iliad . The lines, rhythmic and clipped, have the tautness and force of Odysseus' bow.--Chris Hedges, The New York Times Book Review. Above all, such familiar phrases serve to remind us of the oral character of the original Odyssey, providing the reader with an uncanny immediacy and relevance.--Christina Zwarg, The Bryn Mawr Classical Review.
Reviews
"Peter Green states in the introduction that he is following in the footsteps of Lattimore, to preserve as much of the poem in Greek--wording, sentence structure, meter, and so on--in English, but to also make it declaimable. There is the Fagles translation, in modern free verse, is wonderful to read aloud. The Fagles Odyssey was on Selected Shorts once, and for a long time after I insisted that there was no other worthwhile contemporary translation of Homer. Lombardo's translation is pretty common in colleges because of the price and the slangy presentation. In the Greek, the Iliad has "μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος" Quite literally, "Rage! The first word is the theme of the poem, the way it is directed first against Agamemnon, then toward the Trojans, and then tempered for a common moment of humanity, is the internal trajectory of the whole epic. Make it into readable English, and you wind up with a host of compromises where thousands of close translations might do. Go far enough you wind up with Girardoux's "The Trojan War Will Not Take Place," worthwhile on its own, but not really a "translation." The introduction includes a plot summary of the whole Trojan War, of which the Iliad only covers a small portion. There is also a synopsis of the poem keyed to the poem in the back matter to help find your place, an enlightening glossary of names and concepts to help you through your first read, and footnotes to inform the reader of context that has since been lost."
"With many books, translations are negligible, with two obvious exceptions, one is the Bible, and surprisingly the other is The Iliad. -Translated by Robert Fagles, 1990. “Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a heroes did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another.”. -Translated by Samuel Butler, 1888. “Rage: Sing, Goddess, Achilles’ rage, Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks. Incalculable pain pitched countless souls. Of heroes into Hades’ dark, And let their bodies rot as feasts. For dogs and birds, as Zeus’ will was done. Begin with the clash between Agamemnon—. The Greek Warlord—and godlike Achilles.”. -Translated by Stanley Lombardo, 1997. “Anger be now your song, immortal one, Akhilleus’ anger, doomed and ruinous, that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss. and crowded brave souls into the undergloom, leaving so many dead men—carrion. for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done. Begin it when the two men first contending. broke with one another—. the Lord Marshal Agamémnon, Atreus’ son, and Prince Akhilleus.”. -Translated by Translated by Robert Fitzgerald, 1963. “Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son of Achilleus and its devastation, which puts pains thousandfold upon the Achains, hurled in the multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished since that time when first there stood the division of conflict Atrecus’ son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus.”. –Translated by Richmond Lattimore, 1951. “Sing, goddess, of Peleus’ son Achilles’ anger, ruinous, that caused the Greeks untold ordeals, consigned to Hades countless valiant souls, heroes, and left their bodies prey for dogs or feast for vultures. Zeus’s will was done from when those two first quarreled and split apart, the king, Agamemnon, and matchless Achilles.”. -Translated by Herbert Jordan, 2008. “An angry man-there is my story: the bitter rancor of Achillês, prince of the house of Peleus, which brought a thousand troubles upon the Achaian host. Many a strong soul it sent down to Hadês, and left the heroes themselves a prey to the dogs and carrion birds, while the will of God moved on to fulfillment.”. -Translated and transliterated by W.H.D. Rouse, 1950. “Achilles’ wrath, to Greece the direful spring. Of woes unnumber’d, heavenly goddess, sing! That wrath which hurl’d to Pluto’s gloomy reign. The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain; Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore, Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore. Peleus’ son; His wrath pernicious, who ten thousand woes. Caused to Achaia’s host, sent many a soul. Illustrious into Ades premature, And Heroes gave (so stood the will of Jove). To dogs and to all ravening fowls a prey, When fierce dispute had separated once. The noble Chief Achilles from the son. Of Atreus, Agamemnon, King of men.”. -Translated by William Cowper, London 1791. “Achilles’ baneful wrath – resound, O goddess – that impos’d. Infinite sorrow on the Greeks, and the brave souls loos’d. From beasts heroic; sent them far, to that invisible cave*. That no light comforts; and their limbs to dogs and vultures gave: To all which Jove’s will give effect; from whom the first strife begun. Betwixt Atrides, king of men, and Thetis’ godlike son*”. -Translated by George Chapman, 1616. “The Rage of Achilles—sing it now, goddess, sing through me. the deadly rage that caused the Achaeans such grief. and hurled down to Hades the souls of so many fighters, leaving their naked flesh to be eaten by dogs. and carrion birds, as the will of Zeus was accomplished. Begin at the time when bitter words first divided. that king of men, Agamemnon, and godlike Achilles.”. -Translated by Stephen Mitchell. “Sing now, goddess, the wrath of Achilles the scion of Peleus, ruinous rage which brought the Achaians uncounted afflictions; many of the powerful souls it sent to the dwelling of Hades, those of the heroes, and spoil for the dogs it made it their bodies, plunder for the birds, and the purpose of Zeus was accomplished__”. -Translated by Rodney Merrill. “Sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles, Peleus’ son, the accused anger which brought the Achaeans countless. agonies and hurled many mighty shades of heroes into Hades, causing them to become the prey of dogs. and all kinds of birds; and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled.”. -Translated by Anthony Verity. Antony does not attempt to be poetic. “Of Peleus’ son, Achilles, sing, O Muse, The vengeance, deep and deadly; whence to Greece. Unnumbered ills arose; which many a soul. Of mighty warriors to the viewless shades. Ultimately sent; they on the battle plain. Unburied lay, to rav’ning dogs, And carrion birds; but had Jove decreed,”. -Translated by Edward Smith-Stanly 1862. “Sing, Goddess of the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus-. that murderous anger witch condemned Achaeans. to countless agonies and threw many warrior souls. deep into Hades, leaving their dead bodies. carrion food for dogs and birds-. all in the fulfillment of the will of Zeus”. - Translated by Professor Ian Johnston, British Columbia 2006. “The rage, sing O goddess, of Achilles, son of Peleus, The destructive anger that brought ten-thousand pains to the. Achaeans and sent many brave souls of fighting men to the house. of Hades and made their bodies a feast for dogs. and all kinds of birds. For such was the will of Zeus.”. - Translated by Barry B. Powell. “Wrath, goddess, sing of Achilles Pēleus’s son’s calamitous wrath, which hit the Achaians countless ills many the valiant souls it saw off down to Hādēs, souls of heroes, their selves left as carrion for dogs and all birds of prey, and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled from the first moment those two men parted in fury, Atreus’s son, king of men, and the godlike Achilles.”. -Translated by Peter Green. “Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles Peleus' son, the ruinous wrath that brought on the Achaians woes innumerable, and hurled down into Hades many strong souls of heroes, and gave their bodies to be a prey to dogs and all winged fowls; and so the counsel of Zeus wrought out its accomplishment from the day when first strife parted Atreides king of men and noble Achilles.”. - Translated by Andrew Lang, M.A., Walter Leaf, Litt.D., And Ernest Myers, M.A. --------. Wrath–sing, goddess, of the ruinous wrath of Peleus’ son Achilles, that inflicted woes without number upon the Achaeans, hurled fourth to Hades many strong souls of warriors. and rendered their bodies prey for the dogs, for all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished; sing from when they to first stood in conflict-. Ateus’ son, lord of men, and godlike Achilles. We have the wide conflict between the Trojans and Achaeans over a matter of pride; the gods get to take sides and many times direct spears and shields. That of Achilles, son of Peleus and the greatest individual warrior and that of Agamemnon, lord of men, whose power comes form position."
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Best African Literature

The Rage of Dragons
#1 BEST SELLER in its category TOP 20 in Epic Fantasy TOP 20 in Dark Fantasy TOP 20 in Sword and Sorcery The Omehi are surrounded by enemies that want them dead.
Reviews
"And I – like many – enjoyed Gladiator, HBO’s Rome, and old-school movies like Willow, Conan the Barbarian, Beastmaster, etc. It took a little time to absorb the new vocabulary and mythology, but it was integrated into the story well enough that the foreign became familiar and then unremarkable. The story centers on Tau Tafari, a commoner who, by dint of perseverance bordering on psychopathy, becomes one of the greatest swordsman of his time (or so the reader is lead to believe). The book, like the best of the genre, also introduces the reader to a large cast of characters, each with their own motivations, perspectives, and murky and shifting intentions. Second, unlike a lot of fantasy I’ve seen, it’s not set in some generic Dark Ages/medieval world. I’m Black, so that was also interesting, although, to be honest, the African setting didn’t really play into the story much for me. If you want a complex, compelling and captivating story, but your time budget doesn’t allow for hours of uninterrupted reading, this is the book for you."
"Using that and other magical Gifts—Enraging, which makes Omehi men near unstoppable Colossi, and Enervating, which leaves opponents unable to fight—they push the native Xiddeen of the peninsula. I was mildly critical of the fantasy trope of renaming normal things in my review of Age of Assassins. The later info dumps that explain a lot of what we see in the prologue are a little clunky, but the real problem isn’t with the epic fantasy side of things. If he sees one of the men he seeks to take revenge on, he will draw his sword and head over to attack, even if that man is surrounded by twenty crack soldiers and failure would mean death for his entire family (and probably his unit too). Comically, in one scene his internal monologue indicates he will sneak up on his target, only for him to immediately start shouting from ten paces away. This sort of thing can be part of an effective arc, and Tau does eventually change, but by then any sympathy I had for him his long gone. All of this takes place while Tau is training to be a part of one of his caste’s military units. And the caste system is used to show injustice in much the vein of a lot of dystopian YA books. But Tau resists any camaraderie with his fellow trainees (even though they could help him take revenge), and the military side of it isn’t super interesting (it has shades of a sports book or something like Holly Jenning’s Arena too). The inter-caste conflict is more interesting, although Tau is frequently so stupid that he would get screwed by even a fair system, so what does it matter?"
"The story this reminded me most of, was Red Rising by Pierce Brown, which has similar themes of caste, loss, going beyond what is expected to be possible for your caste, etc... It also has a similar approach to working as a team and building skills through small scale training skirmishes (which is where I'm expecting the Gladiator comparison to come into play), but rather than feeling like an imitation of this sort of story, there's enough novel ideas playing out to keep things interesting."
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Best Literary Modernism Criticism

The White Feather: A Novel of Forbidden Love in World War I England (Claybourne Trilogy Book 1)
All three books in the trilogy are now available: Book 1: The White Feather -- amazon.com/dp/B00K1MNNQK. Book 2: The White Butterfly -- amazon.com/dp/B00KLM7OJ2. Book 3: White Cliffs of Dover -- amazon.com/dp/B00M8HL4TO.
Reviews
"After the death of her father, Lilly must find work so that she and her mother can continue to live in their modest home. It's a story of forbidden love, vanity, the sacrifices of war, misunderstandings and murder."
"She was miserable which was no excuse for her behavior, but was more understandable than her new family's total lack of sympathy and insistence she submit to their right and proper ways."
"The trials of true love are evident in this sweet story."
"Just finished reading this book."
"A wonderful story with lovely characters."
"It was one of those books that are informative and intriguing."
"But then again, that makes this book an easy to read story."
"The basic story line is okay, good description of the conditions faced by soldiers in the trenches of the First World War but the writer's depiction of English society (upstairs or downstairs) in the 1940s rather strange and nothing like the real thing."
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Best Literary Surrealism Criticism

Strange Pilgrims (Vintage International)
AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN eBOOK! Their pilgrimages seldom achieve their goals: the deposed politician in " Bon Voyage , Mister President" sells all his personal belongings to have an operation in Geneva that doesn't alleviate his pain; the devoted father who brings the miraculously intact remains of his seven-year-old daughter to Rome in "The Saint" can't get an audience with the Pope; a particularly chilling tale, "I Only Came to Use the Phone," shows a woman accidentally taken to an insane asylum who can't get out even after she contacts her husband in Barcelona. A note of hard-won hope enters in stories like "Maria dos Prazeres," which portrays an elderly prostitute selecting her burial site, but the mood darkens again as the collection closes with "Tramontania," "Miss Forbes's Summer of Happiness," "Light Is Like Water" and "The Trail of Your Blood in the Snow," tales of suicide, murder, accidental death and tragically missed communications. The Nobel prize-winning author Garcia Marquez has collected a dozen of his stories about Latin Americans in Europe, most of which, although magical, end on an unsettling note.
Reviews
"Garcia Marquez will go down in history as one of the greatest writers of Magic Realism in the 20th century. Thank God, we have your books to remind us of this writer who understood the outcasts of Latin America."
"This is my favorite collection of short stories and one of my favourite books of magical realism."
"I'm a long-time fan but never cease to be touched by the humor and humanity in these beautifully executed works."
"Short story books serve two purposes for me: One, when I can't sleep and need a boost toward dreamland, and Two, the paperback is easy to cart around while I'm in waiting rooms for appointments."
"The last time I read these was years ago and I still remember pieces vividly."
"I have read and re-read these stories, back to back."
"It was superb, I enjoyed it from cover to cover."
"Great book for great author."
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Best Literary Arthurian Criticism

Le Morte Darthur: The Winchester Manuscript (Oxford World's Classics)
The definitive English version of the stories of King Arthur, Le Morte Darthur was completed in 1469-70 by Sir Thomas Malory, `knight-prisoner'. Text: English (translation) Helen Cooper is Professor of English Language and Literature, University of Oxford and Tutorial Fellow, University College, Oxford.
Reviews
"This copy is an excellent modernization of Malory's text with helpful footnotes and endnotes."
"Exactly as described in the item description, this was what I was looking for."
"The classic work with a good editor."
"Must have for those who love medieval literature."
"Worth every penny."
"Helen Cooper offers a new translation of the MS Winchester -- this is NOT Vinaver's text."
"It was everything I wanted."
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Best Literary Victorian Criticism

Anna Karenina (Oprah's Book Club) (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
The must-have Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of one of the greatest Russian novels ever written Described by William Faulkner as the best novel ever written and by Fyodor Dostoevsky as “flawless,” Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. Set against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, the novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, playing out the contrasts of city and country life and all the variations on love and family happiness. Some people say Anna Karenina is the single greatest novel ever written, which makes about as much sense to me as trying to determine the world's greatest color.
Reviews
"It wasn't like a regular story where there's a pretty clear end goal, like get the bad guy, or solve the mystery. I thought maybe it's just going to stop abruptly, as if Tolstoy would just suddenly be done writing about all these characters, but it really did have a solid ending to conclude everything. You've got plenty of time to look at all the flowers and clouds and barns and animals along the way, it takes forever, but it never stops moving. If however after a few hundred pages you feel like it's a chore to read, then don't bother, it's not going to suddenly become more interesting after any point in the book. It's very consistent, you can trust this author and the translation, the ending won't let you down, there will be no long lulls. What you get in the beginning is what you get through the entire book, it's very steady and very high quality writing."
"But now I have learned from those who know that this is a great choice because the translators knew Tolstoy and lived with him for awhile."
"All societies chew up and spit out certain people - and this shows that happening to beautiful Anna Karenina."
"The characters were too full of themselves and problems seemed to be so high class and inconsequential."
"Tolstoy takes the reader on a journey through converging storylines that all bring the reader to feel deeply connected with the characters."
"My grandmothers family came from Russia, my 3x great- grandmother was a Lady- in- waiting to Catherine the Great and my 2x great grand mother was named after her so to read about what the society from peasants to royalty were struggling with as times changed is very informative to me."
"Your request to describe the plot of Anna Karenina as Predictable, Some twists, or Full of Surprises is simply silly and entirely inappropriate."
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Best Literary Renaissance Criticism

J.R. Ward The Black Dagger Brotherhood Novels 5-8
Four complete novels in the #1 New York Times bestselling vampire series featuring "the hottest collection of studs in romance"*...Includes Lover Unbound ; Lover Enshrined ; Lover Avenged ; and Lover Mine !
Reviews
"I never thought anyone could recreate the vampire myth so I'd want to read the world as much as, or as well as Maggie Shayne's Wings in the Night...Angela Knight's Mageverse,and J R Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood, come as close to being as good as Ms Shayne's writing as any wjo are fans of this genre could hope to find."
"I can say that I like how in the later books in the series, the author stops focusing on individual stories, and you start seeing more of the characters, instead of having them just having small cameos in others focused stories."
"This series deals with The Black Dagger Brotherhood who are vampires and their battles against their enemies, the Lessening Society, who are humans turned into the undead so they can slay vampires."
"Most of my friends are turned off when "vampire" is mentioned but trust me- this series happens to have vampires as the main characters but these characters are so compelling and the books so rich- you only need to read dark lover and be totally addicted."
"This my second time reading these books."
"Even when I thought I didn't really care about that particular character, I read all the books anyway."
"Amazing and captivating - highly recommend the series - Its love and sex and vampires - who could ask for more."
"I Love this series!"
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Best Literary Postmodernism Criticism

The Little Voice: A rebellious novel
My character has been shaped by two opposing forces; the pressure to conform to social norms, and the pressure to be true to myself. At times, they’ve left me questioning my whole entire existence. "The most thought-provoking novel of 2016" - The Huffington Post "Radical... A masterclass... Top notch..." - The Canary "Magnificent" - Global Education Network "A pretty remarkable feat" - BuzzFeed. But Sheldon's style is warm , almost whimsical at times, and this means that even the most politically uninitiated reader will understand what he's trying to say... If the book was marked by the education system Sheldon is rebelling against, it would be an 'A*. --- The Canary ---. "It inspires hope and fear,optimism and depression. --- Global Education Network ---. "Sheldon has a talent for observing aspects of society and mirroring them back to readers in a thought-provoking way." --- Literary Flits ---. "I spent about four hours this evening reading (and re-reading) passages in this book because they really spoke to me . --- In Our Spare Time --- "Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be."
Reviews
"Over time, Yew becomes a “good boy” and follows the rules whether he agrees with them or not, not because he wants to but to avoid negative reinforcement. Since I want you to read this – because it’s the only way you’ll really understand – I’m not going to tell you what that lesson was, but I will leave you with this quote from Lao Tzu: At the centre of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want."
"Then one day in adulthood, after a chance meeting with someone from his past, he finally “snaps.”. At times this book can seem a bit over-saturated with case studies in psychology but it does help to move the story along. It can actually help a person who may not be familiar with the concepts used throughout the book so it works if you have no background knowledge but paradoxically, you need some background knowledge to fully appreciate what you are reading. It's a good book."
"Most interesting book."
"In many ways I believe this writing will touch many people's lives."
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Best Literary Beat Generation Criticism

The Starlight Club: The Mob (Starlight Club Series Book 1)
Hit man "Jimmy The Hat" finds unexpected fame in the most unlikely of places, as Big Red, “Crazy Joey Gallo,” and his brothers break away from the Profaci family and go rogue. AWARDED THE SILVER FOR THE 2012 ELIT BOOK CONTEST IN THE TRUE CRIME CATEGORY. THE STARLIGHT CLUB ALSO RECEIVED A SILVER 5 STAR RATING FROM READER'S FAVORITE. The characters are so believable that I can't wait for Starlight ll....keep up the good work. The way that Joe Corso starts the book by telling a story to hisdaughter captured my attention. joe corso six******.keep them coming I started this book by reliving memories of when I was a young man. I knew of a man called Trenchie who had just been released from prison after having served 10 years. He was a big strong silent guy who hardly ever spoke and he was married to a real fine lady - and I always wondered about that. He was a small time bookmaker who operated out of a little restaurant near the piers in lower Manhattan.
Reviews
"Books, newspaper stories and archives, court transcripts (and anything else I could get my hands on) about the Cosa Nostra in Sicilia, Italia and Stati Uniti d'America (the United States of America) have always intrigued me if they are written well — and this one was. I am thrilled to have discovered this series while searching through the Kindle Unlimited Member programme for a new series to read — I downloaded the remaining seven books after reading about twenty five percent of "The Starlight Club: The Mob"... For example: "Room service had delivered coffee and assorted doughnuts and rolls earlier in the morning, along with a large pot of coffee." I am looking forward to this entire series!"
"While at times, it’s obvious the story is being told in flashback, Corso does an excellent job of crafting a story that has the reader feeling like we are sitting in the Starlight Club watching all this take place."
"Bobby Valentine used to deliver meat to The Starlight Club a place where deals are made and hits are ordered. He has just been released from prison serving ten years for a murder he didn’t commit to protect his boss Yip."
"This was a good read about the Mafia...some good guys and some not so good. I actually stayed up all night reading the book on my Kindle and most unlikely for me to read a 'mob' story."
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Best Literary Gothic & Romantic Criticism

The Outlandish Companion (Revised and Updated): Companion to Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn
In this beautifully illustrated compendium of all things Outlandish, Gabaldon covers the first four novels of the main series, including: • full synopses of Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn • a complete listing of the characters (fictional and historical) in the first four novels in the series, as well as family trees and genealogical notes. • a comprehensive glossary and pronunciation guide to Gaelic terms and usage. • The Gabaldon Theory of Time Travel, explained. • frequently asked questions to the author and her (sometimes surprising) answers. • an annotated bibliography. • essays about medicine and magic in the eighteenth century, researching historical fiction, creating characters, and more. • professionally cast horoscopes for Jamie and Claire. • the making of the TV series: how we got there from here, and what happened next (including “My Brief Career as a TV Actor”). • behind-the-scenes photos from the Outlander TV series set. For anyone who wants to spend more time with the Outlander characters and the world they inhabit, Diana Gabaldon here opens a door through the standing stones and offers a guided tour of what lies within. Part crib notes and part trivia guide, this essential handbook includes synopses of the first four novels, a character guide, notes on plot development and research, answers to frequently asked questions, and teasers for the upcoming novels--there're even horoscope charts of the central characters, a list of fan Web sites, and choice recipes for the truly devoted. Readers looking for a fix of Gabaldon's humorous voice or insight into her writing processes and characters will certainly be more than satisfied, but those looking for the next installment of Jamie and Claire's adventures will have to wait for The Fiery Cross , the fifth book in this bestselling series, expected sometime in late 1999 to early 2000. As with the guides to the Hobbit tetralogy and the fiction of Stephen King, Gabaldon offers a companion volume to her Outlander Seriess four time-travel historical romances, Drums of Autumn (1997), etc., in which she tells us much is revealed regarding Claire and Jamie Fraser, their lives and times, antecedents, adventures, companions and progeny, with learned commentary (and many footnotes) by their humble creator.
Reviews
"Bought this as a gift, so I really did not read it, but have read most of the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon, which I love."
"Love her books, every one, read them over and over again and still can't get enough of them."
"Diana explains how she became a writer and makes things I normally would skip over in any other book fun to read and a fascinating journey to help inspire others to embrace their hidden Author, consider writing and never give up."
"If you're an Outlander fan, you want to gobble up all the juicy tidbits you can get from the author."
"This book helps put all of the marvelous characters together in an easy to use edition."
"If you LOVE Diana Gabaldon's OUTLANDER books and TV series this is a MUST HAVE!!!"
"Gave me all the background information I expected."
"A must have for the Outlander series of books by the same author."
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