Much better this time
580222
I'm on my 2nd one as the first one broke within a couple hours of unboxing it. Besides the fact that Amazon sent me a used unit when it was marked new (I know it is used because it was missing a replacement prop, one of the props on it was cracked and there was a bunch of hair wrapped around another prop) it is flying great. Super easy to fly and is so much fun.
591501
I don't even care that it was a similar set up, the characters were much more compelling and not bogged down in made-up teenage angst. Also, the rules of the species were altered a bit to add interesting complications which gives the story line a more serious note.
2901923
Much better in this book.  There is more satisfaction, but plenty of hooks for future books in the series.  Maddox is both more human and more New Man than he knew. The Builder was as much of douche as I thought he would be and whinging as well.  Ludendorf was too clever for his own good, but mostly decent.  Strand is definitely a character that is as evil as we expected him to be.  It's a good read. I'm glad I stuck with the series despite the weakness of the first volume.
2190038
I mentioned in an earlier review that I didn't care much for Zamfir's Greatest Hits CD.  However, I really liked this one much better.  Probably because the selected tunes were more familiar to me and had a more "Americanized" sound.
2909942
I thought No. 21 was a lot better than the last two in the series -- it felt like the Plum Saga was finally back to its usual clever plot and dialogue.  There isn't much more to day.  All of these books are very similar, but they are fun to read.  If you are a Plum fan, this one will make you happy.
2397907
This is the second time I've read this and it was even better than the first.  The plot is more than apt to happen - we can only hope it happens so nicely.
391265
I was skeptical as to whether it was worth buying this album again, as the previous CD sounded good enough to me.

I was wrong. Right from the first side, everything is clearer and more detailed.

The remastering becomes very apparent on "Across The Border"; the brass section break is clear and distortion-free, and the final orchestral slide is breathtaking.

I could argue with the bass levels at a few points. "Sweet Talkin' Woman" is a little bass-heavy at one point, and "Standin' in the Rain" is a little muddy until the second chorus--but to be fair, that just means it sounds like the previous release. Lacking personal access to the master tapes I'm willing to believe that's how it should have sounded.

Things get better again for "Summer and Lightning". "Mr Blue Sky" isn't amazingly improved, perhaps because it has always received careful attention in previous remasterings.

Improvements in the second half of the album are less noticeable, but still welcome.

On the down side, there are (still) a few fadeouts in the high end of the right channel of "Night in the City", but the tape dropout/fadeout at the end of "It's Over" is removed. The transient peak towards the end of "Standin' in the Rain" is still there.

Overall, well worth the upgrade, unless you're prepared to spring $25+ for the Japanese import.
4615950
I really, really enjoyed this and I feel that it's a little less "out there" than the previous book (in a good way).
4176618
In all respects, this was a substantial improvement over the previous book in this series (Some Golden Harbor). The plotting seemed tighter, the characterization more sophisticated, and the action more intense.

In particular, Adele Mundy seemed less like a whiner and more like the interesting person she could be. (Daniel Leary also comes off as more adult, which is long since overdue.) The new character, Cazelet, is something of a McGuffin, serving more to advance the character development of the others than as a real character in his own right. But he does do that job well, and it brings Adele out of the stagnation her character has been suffering from.

The book is more action-oriented than some of the others, which is probably a good thing. Drake doesn't need a lot of action to write a good book, but I think Leary and Mundy demand it. So in this series, a healthy amount of action is a plus.

Fans of Tovara and Hogg may feel a bit shorted, but fans of Leary and Mundy will be more happy. And the rest of the Sissies get their screen time as well, which is an important aspect of what makes these books continue to be worth reading.

There is no end in sight for this series, but this book (in contrast to the last one) makes that once again seem like a good thing.
1533353
I read an older book No Second Chance immediately after and the plot was much better.
3442844
I found this book in [a local store] and I knew(from the spoilers that I read :o) that I had to get it. It sounded soooooo much better then they have been.
First, my favorite character, Ashleigh, is finally back to normal(after being out-of-character in #57 and #58). It was great to see that. The next thing...well, I don't wanna give in away, so  won't say :o. lol. Ashleigh's parents come back and you'll find out where they have been. There's a "sub-plot" about Alexis and Speed.com. And that was little out-of-the-ordinary...lol...so to speak.
However...i am IMPRESSED with this book. They're coming along....they(authors) bring Jilly and Craig into the book. And, Legacy.
If you had been disappointed in the past...read this book. It's MUCH better.
3641801
I saw this movie the first time around in the regular version, but this version has much more, with the deleted scenes put back in and all of the extras, I just have to say this version is much better.  Made me want to go back and read the books all over again.
2020908
This book is an improvement over the previous 4. A better story overall. I am reading this series to completion simply because I started it.
45706
Personally, I liked this book WAY better than the first one, although it did delve into a more noticeable form of "teen-chick-lit" (there are THREE romantic interests in this one O_o). The story is overall MUCH better than "Marked" though. There is less insane and uneven internal dialogue, and her interaction with the other characters have a much more interesting twist. Another plus for the book is that it was able to elicit a powerful response from me around page 220. I always like when books can stir me emotionally.

Sadly for the series, anyone who couldn't trouble themselves with the first book (and although I liked it, I completely understand why they wouldn't be able to get through it) will never know that this book is better than the first.
2749380
Much better than the first.  Good short stories for the most part.  I think good short story telling is a difficult project.  Most authors find it frustrating to tell the stories without an opportunity for full character and background development.  I am enjoying this read.
41499
This one was more enjoyable.  More substance with less sex.
4122711
I own all of their albums.  This was better than their last one and the vocals and guitar work are solid.  That being said, I kind of miss their ren fair rock versions of classics like their first three albums.  This one seemed to come back to the mysticism of former albums and I did enjoy this one better than Secret Voyage.