A deep disappointment.
930773
The subject of Sarah Kerrigan, the Queen of Blades, is probably the deepest and most intense in the entire universe Starcraft is set in. I can't think of anyone I've talked to who has played through the game's campaigns and not both loved and hated her. She inspires awe and fear, passion and disgust; her dual nature makes her a fascinating subject. I will elaborate on it no more... on to the book.

Mr. Rosenberg did a good enough job piecing together the events of what happens between Kerrigan's capture by the Zerg and James Raynor's trip to Char to save her, finding himself in the company of the new Dominion forces and the Protoss. This is all very interesting and a good story to tell, but Mr. Rosenberg really just puts glue between the cracks from the original campaign and does almost no elaboration. Raynor feels protective of his troops and repeatedly "announces" it through narrative, but there is no development to really establish this on a firm ground--it's just something we have to accept. Even his relationship with Kerrigan feels held up only by the video game: Rosenberg's prose about their relationship resorts to cliches about love combined with cheap horror. He repeatedly cites Kerrigan's in-game line, "You pig!", as if that completely explains the sexual tension Raynor and Kerrigan experience before her abduction and transformation.

Truly, the best parts of this book--the parts that allow it to have at least two stars from me--involve the Protoss, who really don't develop into full characters until the last third of the book. That Raynor manages to repeatedly find them by wandering off into Char's vast desert is incredibly hard to believe (never mind that Char has edible, easily harvested flora, fauna, and water), but thank God he does, because they are the most interesting things on the drab planet Rosenberg has presented us with. Tassadar's initial skepticism of the Dark Templar and Zeratul's confrontation of Zasz and then Kerrigan work to develop what finally turns into a decent plot in the book, and the months the two Protoss factions and the Terrans spend together avoiding Kerrigan are the most exciting, as we see juxtaposed the merging of minds of Zeratul and Tassadar and the constant engagement of and retreat from Kerrigan's brood.

The climax of the book occurs with a "final battle" that truly is engaging, as the Protoss devise a way to lure Kerrigan's entire brood into a trap using Raynor as a conduit of their mental trickery. Kerrigan is nearly killed by the heroes, but all the same she flexes her muscles and puts them each in their places. Afterward, the inevitable recovery of Tassadar and the others by Judicator Aldaris is explained, and the plot is left to thicken.

If it weren't for so much going on in the latter third of the book, there would be nothing to read here. The writing remains elementary throughout, but at least the story is engaging and new towards the end rather than constantly regurgitative.

Still, the book's greatest failure, its lack of development of Kerrigan's character, its thrust forward into her transformation without dramatic pause (we only see glimpses of this in the prologue and Jim's dreams, and they, like many of the emotions in the book, are written in heavy cliche), is inexcusable. The next book featuring Kerrigan needs a writer who can develop her emotional conflicts in a mature and captivating way.

Two out of five stars for the decent plot at the end and the elucidation of Zeratul and Tassadar's first encounter. Otherwise... a deep disappointment.
4317631
A long journey with less character development thqn the first two books. Religious themes also disappoint as the author backs  further away from considering all of the world's perceptions of Deity and retreats to a single branch of the Aramaic faiths. The Vatican has never been and is unlikely to ever be at the core of humanity's diverse faiths. The goal that concludes this epic journey also falls short of the original story, and the author offers nothing to justify his choice of the heroine's mentor.
2728474
The book might rate two stars only because it's mildly entertaining, but even there it's nothing great. It's utopian dream for the future falls far short of capturing the imagination in the grand way that previous utopian  books have done. In short, it's a shallow dip of the toes into a deep, deep  sea.
1247956
Nothing to say, really. Just a big disappointment...
3054963
Far too much detail on the chosen characters life and events, most of which had nothing to do with spirituality and revelation.  A big disappointment.
4109754
Despite the talents of Mr. Martel, this is a failed effort, in my opinion. The problems are as follows.

First, the total lack of any plot. Indian zoo-owning family leaves old country by ship, ship sinks, boy survives, boy deals with stow-away tiger, boy finds land. End of plot.

Second, the absolute, unrelenting, painfully detailed brutality which makes similar survival books pale by comparison. Maybe that's realism, but what a gruesome, ugly, utterly brutal novel.

Third, the religious ramblings of the central character are non-conclusive and weak-minded, and do not show any internal struggle or doubt in the face of unimaginable suffering. Just love and faith all the way. How very naive. How totally improbable.

I just had to read it because of all the good ratings, and I just had to find out what the hype was all about. I must admit that it was a fast, compulsive read, in spite of the problems. Some parts are actually quite amusing and humorous, but humor is no saving grace in this instance. No re-read for this one.
1800635
To say that this book is a disappointment is a huge understatement. If you're looking for information on Jaxon's condition and how it affects the Buells' lives on a daily basis, you will be sorely disappointed. I started this book thinking that it would provide a more intimate account of Jaxon's daily life - what kind of therapies he receives, what medications are helping him, abilities, possible future treatments, etc. - but none of this is covered. It almost seems like the Buells hide information for fear that they'll lose their many admirers.

Maybe I'm too cynical, but instead of being inspired, I feel as if the Buells wrote this book simply for the money and nothing more.
2185797
I had high hopes for this book. I thought it would be good, but ended up crashing down straight into the deep dark depths of disappointment.
It didn't flow well in my option. The plot wasn't entirely unique and not paced well.. and it rubbed me the wrong way that I had to pay for a book just for it to be cut off in the middle! Like an episode of a TV series that you purchase thinking you're getting the entire 40 minutes worth, but 20 minutes in, you're having to pay again! For the same episode. When I read that it was a three books series, I figured it would be paced well. Better character development. Plot would be diagnosed better..ect. except, it's not a series. It's ONE book that has three different titles and a seperate purchase for all of them. Not worth it in my opinion. Take the money you spent on this and put it towards one that would be worth the read.
259644
The luminous numerals are not luminous...a big disappointment...
1580992
Catchy titles sell books. Sadly, I was deeply disappointed in this work. My 'prayer library' is extensive, and this is the first book on prayer that I have NOT enjoyed reading.

(1) 116 pages of nearly-double-spaced large text.  Almost a booklet.  (Translation: price far too high!)
(2) Poor or no editing. Painful! (Gross misspellings such as "Mylan" instead of myelin, who's instead of whose, wrong punctuation, sentences that aren't sentences, etc).
(3) A LOT of fluff and filler in a too-familiar conversational style, with a few good nuggets of info wedged in between.  Disjointed. Reads almost like a rough draft or 11th-hour term paper.
(4) Anecdotal evidence should serve as illustrations, not be the corpus of the work.
(5) I expected the author to emphasize that obedience comes both before and after hearing God, and is a condition (John 14:21) for disclosure.  This deserved a chapter, but was not discussed.
(6) The book seemed a "why-to", with the "how-to" relegated to five pages in the final chapter, summarized as "Get quiet, prepare your spirit, write down what you hear."  For those of us who have been practicing Listening Prayer for many years, that was extremely unsatisfying.
(7) I understand that a young person wrote the book under his dad's tutelage, but in my estimation one must write for a wider audience than one's own age group.  The style was far too flippant and casual for my tastes.
(8) I kept looking for substance and meat.  There was a lot of flavored broth that might remind one of meat, but do not choose this book if you prefer solid robust underpinnings.  It will challenge your spirit but not your intellect.

On the good side, here is what earned two stars instead of one:  (1) Bibliography contains useful works.  (2) Appendix 1 contains a handy list of many verses on healing.  (3) High school or college kids might appreciate the writing style and the "quick read" factor.  (4) Every author writes a first book; it usually is not their best.  With a strong and ruthless editor, Isaiah Kallman will improve, and his message will get out there.

I'll donate my copy to the public library.
4141492
This book was a disappointment. The rugged, vigorous language I loved in the earlier Rennie Airth books was still here in parts, particularly in the descriptions of the English countryside. But the dark, brooding menace of his earlier books -- River of Darkness and Blood-Dimmed Tide -- was barely present here.

One of the reasons was the curious absence of John Madden, whose trouble psyche added such resonance to the psychologically disturbed criminals he was chasing in the earlier books. Why Airth or his editor thought it would be a good idea to set this book more than 20 years later, and make Madden merely one player in an ensemble cast baffles me.

Oddly, Detective Inspector Angus Sinclair has as big a role in this book as Madden, and he is a consummately colorless individual. He is little more than a spouter of dialogue and an admirer of Madden's way too flawless wife, with a feeling that is more cloying than creepy. His dialogues with his superior, Bennett, are totally flat and seem interminable as the plot advances at a snail's pace through their insipid dialogue.

Airth has clearly set the stage for Lily Poole to take over the baton in the next book. Perhaps she will be entertaining on center stage. But Airth has lost his distinctiveness by consigning Madden's darkness to history.

The plot itself, if you're willing to stick with the plodding development, has a couple of nice twists. The ending has its drama and suspense but is remarkably similar to the endings in the other two books.

Sadly, it seems that Airth, who relaunched his literary career with River of Darkness, has run out of imagination. I can't recommend this book, though I would still urge people to read at least River of Darkness.
346286
The book is not bad.  Really bad,  But it is disappointing. Really disappointing.  And much too long. About 200 pages too long.  When you finish it and close your tired eyes, you think "Wouldn't this have been so much better as a long comic book?" (or "graphic novel" if you want).  The characters are one-dimensional, perfect for comics.  The plot is sloppy and over-complicated. It also lacks any semblance of credibility.  Our hero goes through consecutive scenes of adventure and violence without a break.  When you think that surely Harry needs a bit of a rest and should dress his wounds, given that has has been injured so seriously in the previous few hours, he pops up a again all action and accuracy. Maybe it is Nesbo's aim to create a kind of Norwegian detective superhero.  Well it is not what I expected. Give me Stieg Larsson any day, with characters that would defy comic book drawing.
1511466
I expected more from this author after reading Me Before You.  This novel is filled with poorly developed characters, inexplicable behaviors, and improbable plot twists. Too bad- a disappointment.
4928334
I bought this book used, and am so glad I didn't pay full retail. It does far less than fail to live up to its hype -- it is a profoundly disappointing, misogynistic and deeply misguided work.

Like many here, I read industry reviews praising the cleverness of the book, and lamenting the fact that a fairly straight-forward love story could grip the cynical reader and draw her in. I'm sorry, but it failed to do that almost immediately with me. The author's writing style is stilted, and the story-telling poor. Niffenegger creates two main characters who are both little more than thinly-disguised Mary Sues. Every supporting character is a cliche. The she takes the messy lot and throws them into a story possessing less plot than my drive home offers.

By far, the most depressing and distressing character is Clare. But she is these things not because of clever character construction. Rather, it's because of the existence the author gives her. She spends her whole life waiting for Henry. Henry is allowed a life, with other girlfriends and other experiences. Clare is his from the age of 6 onward, and she spends the years keeping him secret, feeding and clothing him, and forsaking all others. She is not allowed to develop on her own. She is groomed by an older Henry to be the woman to which a younger Henry was drawn. She never had the chance to become anything on her own.

Further, it doesn't really seem that Henry is truly more than enchanted by Clare before he travels and meets her very young self. This aspect of the story is, as one other reviewer noted, creepy. Despite the very hollow words uttered by the characters, Henry seems to come to love Clare over the course of his visits to her during her childhood and adolescence, as he molds her into the woman he wants her to become. His visits are often depicted as happening during tense periods during their married life in Clare's future, and have the distinct feel of an older man visiting his young mistress. We're somehow expected to be okay with this, though, because they are meant to be together. Because they are married, in the future. And like any good victim, Clare faithfully keeps the secret, assured that her future, and Henry's will be jeopardized if she does otherwise.

The treatment of Henry's time-travel affliction -- as a sort of seizure-type condition -- is interesting, but not enough to save the book. If you're looking for science fiction, please don't let that mischaracterization of this book dupe you. It's a stretch. While reading this, I felt over and over again that had the author not graduated from a creative writing program, this manuscript would have been rejected, and that a cleaned-up, more palatable version (read: no pedophilia)  would have graced the genre fiction shelves some day, where such things belong.
4747500
The acting was great, but the characters were as dark as any horror flick I've ever seen.  Very few redeeming qualities.  I know there have been and still are priests who struggle with various sins.  Thank God, the church is finally taking sexual perversions seriously, and those priests are gone very quickly in current times.  This was a very shallow portrayal of the real struggles of good priests, who do not resort to dropping the "f-bomb" when things don't go their way, but truly surrender their own lives to the will of God.  In our modern culture, that is not appreciated or even understood.  I had high expectations for this film, and was severely disappointed.  Still, how can the modern culture, which deals in depravity to the point that it becomes "natural", be expected to understand the inner struggles of those who seek the greater good over their own desires?
160106
As a student of the Solomons Island and adjacent campaigns, I believe I have read most of the published accounts for this theater of operations.  When I became aware of "Neptune's Inferno," I ordered it without delay.  At first glance, the dust jacket, which has a great photo of a North Carolina-class battleship, seemed to promise great reading.  I regret to write that this book is a serious disappointment.

The author seems to have an axe to grind regarding the Marine Corps.  This is evident by a sprinkling of invidious comments in the book. One such statement was that, "When Leigh Noyes assumed command of Task Force 61, the U. S. Marine Corps no longer had Frank Jack Fletcher, victor at Midway, to kick around anymore."  To this day, the actions and inactions of Admiral Fletcher (who was relieved by Admiral Halsey) in the Solomons theater have not been clearly or satisfactorily explained.

Some portions of this book seem to go beyond that necessary to narrate events of the Solomons campaign.  The Sullivan brothers, all lost as a direct or indirect cause of the torpedoing of the USS Juneau, have their background described at some length in an unflattering, gratuitous manner.  There seems no point for including such material.

Presumed typographical errors are inexplicably present.  One passage describes Captain DuBose (USS Portland) firing her main battery as, "Then, at murderously close range, sixty-two thousand yards, his main battery lashed out."  With a nautical mile having about 2025 yards, this would equate to a little more than thirty nautical miles.

Terminology and descriptions are nonstandard and confusing.  Surface (radar) contacts are repeatedly referred to as "bogeys," a term reserved for describing aircraft.  When describing an individual who was in the sea while attempting to deal with the conflagration on the USS Astoria at the Savo Island disaster, "When he noticed a shark trailing him, he leaped into the raft, grabbed an oar, and splintered it over the predator's skull."

For those wanting a more linear presentation regarding this part of WWII, I recommend Eric Hammel's, "Guadalcanal - Decision at Sea."  It is the third book in Mr. Hammel's Guadalcanal series. This superb effort covers the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (Nov 13-15, 1942) in an easy-to-follow, compelling fashion.  Importantly, it also provides a valuable, lucid background for understanding why (except for a good showing by RADM Scott, and a superb showing by RADM Lee) all too many surface fleet task force commanders and ship captains in this theater fell far short of reasonable expectations.  I also recommend Richard B. Frank's, "Guadalcanal."  This book encompasses the entire campaign, but the naval actions are woven into the narrative in a seamless fashion.
1715455
Shortly after purchasing this product, I found the cedar aroma far less than what I expected.  A huge disappointment.