A triumph that will only get better!
350534
Though there are mixed reviews for this game, you won't hear any complaints from me! Amazing multiplayer experience, with it's own unique strategy and sophisticated physics (while retaining the quick play, arcade-like pace that many people enjoy). So many modes and options that nearly any FPS fan can find their pleasant niche--though this might take some time and practice.

A few tips for a better early experience: Start on low-ping (10-50ms) servers that claim to be friendly to new players, and watch the top players in any given round to pick up on winning strategies. Use cover effectively, join a squad (ideally with a competent squad leader), and do a tiny bit of research on Levolution so you can dominate the map! Also, be ready to encounter some issues, though I must say all the issues I've experienced are tolerable and understandable given the scale and complexity of this game.

Well maybe I have one complaint--the single player could have been much, much better. It's not terrible, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I was hoping to. But I don't play Battlefield for the single player anyway...

Update: Just started with the China Rising DLC, and the maps are absolutely gorgeous! Kudos to DICE for there effort on this, and I look forward to the future DLC packs as they arrive.
4123146
After a chance encounter with Shane Niemeyer, I was compelled to read his "story".  And what a story it is!!  Told with honesty and grit, this memoir is a true testament to the resiliancy of the human mind, body, and spirit.  It tells of a man who literally and figuratively had hit rock bottom when he propelled himself off of a jailhouse railing, attempting to put an end to a lifetime of disappointment and shame.  This experience initiates a self imposed recovery based on discipline, sheer will, and a desperation to be "a good man."  You will laugh and cry and experience frustration as you cheer on Shane as he races, not just to complete the seemingly impossible Kona Ironman, but in a race to be an authentic human being deserving of love and respect.  You will run up to your bedroom to get this book so that you can read it while you eat your breakfast - it is that good!
1027755
It just doesn't get any better!!  This is an incredibly rich set of images that instruct gently, with beauty -- the way learning is SUPPOSED to be! Even difficult reflections of self are delivered with tenderness which, I believe, is a result of the artist's loving intention.  You WON'T be disappointed!
2410514
Wow! This Is Truly A Triumph In Story Telling! I Was Pulled In From The First Paragraph! What If You Could Change The Way Your Life Was Going, And Do Anything You Wanted? Six Kids Growing Up On The Wrong Side Of Town Decide To Do Just That. This Is A Story About A Group Of Kids Living In A Slum Of A Trailorpark Who Are A Group Of Friends Out Of Circumstances, Aweful Circumstances And Nothing Else. A Game Of Tag Is Invented, Where, Once Tagged "It", You Have Fifteen Minutes To Do Something You Never Would Have Normally Done. Sounds Adventurous? Exciting? It Is. Addicting? It Can Be. Sounds Dangerous? Without A Doubt. First, The Police Came And Took The Parents Away. Then, The Fires Started And Someone Died. The Game Has Become Scary, But No One Can Stop, And Someone Has Taken Charge And Become The Leader. A Bad Leader. As The Story Unfolds, You Get To Know Each Character Individually, And It's Hard Not To Develop A Kinship Them, These Kids Are Us. All Of Us. Bravo To Scott Kelly For This Brilliant Piece Of Work That, I For One, Will Look For As A Movie! If You Do Not Down Load And Read This Book, You Will Be Missing Out On The Inspiration To Take A Look At Your Own Life Choices. You Will Be Missing Out On A Chance To Play The Game. ...Tag, Your It...
4712247
Oh what a mastery over the language and its nuances. What a free flow of words into sentences seamlessly integrating into paragraphs and then pages and then the entire book - Robin Gregory's The Improbable Wonders of Moojie Littleman - is an achievement seldom found in literature or philosophy. Right from the moment after an earthquake the Nuns in a convent find a little grotesquely crippled little baby in a basket outside the door with the words Moojie written on his forehead, to the blindingly climactic end, one is lost in wonderment. Wonder at the sheer beauty of the prose. Wonder at the whirlwinds and hurricanes of swirling winds of words surrounding one's being. Wonder at the steel cable of great empathy and goodness running like a spinal cord through the three parts which constitute this brilliant tale - one can only say that when the Nun's finally found the improbable people who adopted little Moojie, Mr & Mrs Littleman took up the cudgel and as his mother, Mrs Littleman saw behind the veil of time and knew that great good would come from Moojie. Bringing up Moojie was a task akin to the conquest of Mt. Everest, but Mrs. Littleman had such belief that he was a child of destiny to do great things, that she became the inspiration of his life like no other, right up to the end of the tale. It is impossible to continue writing this review without pasting in pages of what would be spoilers, so I will say that it is quite enough to state that Moojie finds a magical tribal family who are outcasts of sorts who show him that he himself is a person endowed with magical prowess - not magic in the supernatural way, but magic arising out of the goodness of his heart and his intrinsic desire to protect and shelter all living beings. Robin does not let herself lose the basic thread of nobility throughout the book. Events are described artistically and with great finesse! As Moojie grows he learns to overcome the natural human emotions of negativity like hate, jealousy, revenge - each struggle moving and heart wrenching. With his crippled hand and other conditions like speech impediments showing up almost through the tale, he develops to exhibit qualities that would cause the saints to bow before him - Moojie and his improbable wonders are lessons to humanity and mankind - a path shown to all of us to follow in our lives and we may be able to make this earth a better place to live in for all creatures, today and in the future. If you ever read this review, Dear Robin, remember that this was a book which I will hold close to my heart always for its sheer beauty and power, FIVE GLOWING STARS FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY HEART!
Deepak Menon (An author of sorts doffing his hat at a star)
Dehradun, India
4258557
What an amazing depiction of triumph over what could have been a tragedy! As a psychologist in the Washington DC area, I have worked with many who come from a similar traumatic, drug riddled background that Mr. Hughes describes. Unfortunately many have not been able to rise above the dysfunction to see the beauty and the genius of who the are and the purpose they have in this life. What Mr. Hughes had going for him is that even amidst the insanity that was his home life, there were people who strongly believed in him, and told him so repeatedly, including his troubled parents. Added to the chaos was an identity crisis of immense proportions. Being that DC is considered "chocolate city" I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to be a child who looked white when everyone around you looked black and not knowing how you were supposed to feel inside. It's hard when the society around you keeps insisting you choose or, in some instances, chooses for you.  The book is well written and Mr. Hughes is an excellent story teller.  The book captures your attention from the first chapter and holds it until the very end. It is both heart wrenching and inspiring. An excellent read.
3729327
As a volunteer with Honor Flight, having the immense privilege of spending time with WWII and Korean War veterans, I was hopeful that this book might deliver on it's promise as "an epic story of heroism, friendship and sacrifice." It does! Adam Makos's heart for the heroes of this "forgotten war" shines through in this "can't put down" remarkable journey. Forgotten no longer, the characters in this true story will stay with you long after turning the final page. You will be inspired to do more, to be more, to honor more, as you live a life of gratitude for our hard-won freedom. Take some quiet time to immerse yourself in this book and reflect upon the courageous families and veterans in Devotion. You will be a better person for having read this compelling novel. I plan to get several copies for my own family and favorite veterans.
2473652
This is a lyrical triumph, both spiritual and sensual planes are addressed in ways that transcend the standard fair!! Bravo D. D. Bard!!
4320687
Travers another home run!  Proud of you my friend!
2975495
i have been blessed to have had so much access to wonderful music throughout my short exsistence here on planet earth (over thirty and not counting)!  however, this cd stands so far from the rest (excluding a few)  that i can't even put it into one of my own categories!  what has taken  place here is an artist taking their talents to another level.  monday,  although not really known stateside, has had some great success overeseas.  but instead of following the popular music route to gain a following here  in the states, she took her talents to another hemisphere!  without any  exaggeration, this album will have you "singing to the top of your  lungs".  there's no need for me to write about certain tracks or  explain why this is different from the rest...trust me, you'll fall in  between the verses and bridges and wrap yourself with her positive,subtle  messages.  no matter how i feel (and i work in a somewhat stressful  environment) this album picks me up and cradles me like mamma (don't let my  wife see this)!  enjoy it and oh yeah...play it loud!
2172441
Exciting!  Here's where reality makes a very good story!
810959
A fabulous record with moments of pure, road worn, seasoned, brilliance!
302003
This journey is inspiring and believable! If he can do it, we all can do it !!! INCREDIBLE and Attainable!
730199
What a read!  Loved it.... Marcelino had his hooks deep in me after the first chapter and it was difficult to put it down after that.  Afuera is simply sensational and takes the reader through a journey in deed.  Not just the roller coaster life journey of the main character Roberto, but an emotional exhilarating one to. I would highly recommend this to any reader, of any gender or orientation.  It's a fantastic insight to challenges people have to endure through their lives to fit into a world that sometimes shuns them. But it all can't just end there... I hope to see more from the fantastic new author.
3863196
In the debut of her first book, Jessica Yu has triumphed! This book opened my mind and heart in ways that I never imagined. It follows the life of Gladys Kalibbala, a woman who selflessly devotes herself to helping homeless children in Uganda. Never before had I been so inspired, yet at the same time frustrated, by the encounters of a woman so generous, so relentless. Her journey is truly remarkable. But what brings this to life is the writing of the author, an observer who captures the life of Gladys in such a true and profound way. Jessica Yu brought Gladys into my life. I hope she can for you too. I can't recommend this book enough!!!
4519965
To be honest, I was expecting this to be a repeat of her debut album, Spirit, but after the first listen, I was pleasantly surprised!

The songs are a lot stronger here. Her vocals are stronger and far more accomplished (which is no mean feat, considering her debut was vocally excellent), but more importantly, it's the emotion that floods out of her vocals that makes Leona a cut above the rest of the competition.

Another improvement over Spirit, is that the overall package, i.e. the songs, sound much more consistent, they belong together, rather than the scatter shot tracks on Spirit. Yes, even the euro-dance Outta My Head doesn't sound out of place.

Highlights: the aforementioned Outta My Head. I Got You, surely the strongest contender for single no. 2, Brave: a middle-eastern tinged epic, Can't Breathe: A vocal masterclass. Stone Hearts (and hand grenades): The secret track that oozes with emotion. My Hands: A catchy ballad that has become the official song for Final Fantasy (for those of you who have an interest in video games!)

Overall, a brilliant album for those who appreciate fine vocals and emotionally charged songs. Highly recommended!!!

:)

***
3552359
Gail Storey is not afraid to write sentences that are, by turn, witty, deep, thrilling, lyrical, and page-turning -- sometimes all in the same paragraph! -- as she tells the tale of her life-altering trek on the PCT with her husband, Porter (an apt name for a patient man who carries an increasingly heavy load). You feel you're there by her side as she encounters all the facets of the hike -- both internal and external -- because she doesn't hold back on any level. If you've ever thought of embarking on an adventure as great as tramping thousands of miles through all sorts of challenging terrain, this tale will either inspire and motivate you (if she can do it, anyone can!) or make you glad that you can just read about it from the comfort of your armchair and be entertained by someone else's moving, difficult, and ultimately magical experience. Read this book -- I promise you won't suffer!