Actually, 4 1/2 stars....
595659
Okay, 'Relic' is still my all-time favorite, but this was great too. The writers kept the pages turning, that's the main thing. I had to deduct half a star because of the huge loose end flapping around so wildly. I HATE being baited like that, but it's good in that we all have something to look forward to, I suppose. Also, while I adore Pendergast as well, I couldn't help thinking that he's almost TOO perfect, isn't he? I mean, did he even get slightly dusty or a little bit mussed in the cave? One of the reasons why I think Indiana Jones is such a magnificent character is he's human. He curses, gets beaten up sometimes, makes mistakes, etc. And as I pondered the dismal lack of men like Pendergast in the real world, I realized that he can only really exist in fiction. He's invincible, isn't he? And I almost scoffed out loud when I got to the part about the Rolls. Okay, that's a cool car, but how practical is that? You're going to drive on dusty dirt roads in stifling heat, racing through corn fields, and you're going to do it in a Rolls Royce? Makes you wonder what his other car is... I digress. It's a great book, Pendergast is awesome, blah blah blah. The ending is a bit X-Files-ish (which is not necessarily a negative thing), but you'll get your money's worth. Definitely a book to snatch up hot off the press; forget about waiting for it in paperback. Preston & Child: keep 'em coming! More Pendergast!
1860698
I've read and heard a lot of griping about the new Opeth album, how it didn't sound like them etc... Now it's been a few listens, so I won't place it in their collective works until I've listened to it a few more times, BUT I honestly liked it. It's what I thought it would be, and that it seems to me is what it takes to enjoy it, taking it for what it is and what it's meant to be not as a comparison of what they normally do, because honestly their intent was so different from their earlier albums the comparison doesn't make a lot of sense. It was meant to be an homage to their influences (hence the title Heritage) and it certainly is, but I don't think it sounds like the bands that influenced it. A good comparison is what Beardfish try's to do (or even that awful BigElf band) they both try to go for an older sound, but they sound so rehashed and dreadful I can't imagine why anyone would want to listen to them. This album while certainly in more traditional prog veins has plenty of jazz fusion influences going on (and if it sounds like any old prog band to me it would be Van Der Graf Generator who aren't exactly popular), and the music while not brutal, is certainly no less complex. While I miss the light/dark and heavy/gentle that makes their music so great I didn't find myself missing it as much as I do listening to Damnation (my least favorite of their albums) since that album sounds like what they do when they do a quieter song (hence why something like Blackwater Park's "Harvest" fit so nicely when they did the whole thing live on the Lamentations DVD.  Also the lyrics, yes the "brain/insane" is a really dreadful line; on the other hand it's very reminiscent of Comus lyrics, and that band is a huge influence on Mikael. The rest of the lyrics are I think up to par. So did I love it? I don't know; did I hate it? Certainly not. I like it; I think it'll grow on me. From early reports I was a little worried that they went the way of Pain of Salvation, who I wonder will ever make a halfway decent album again, my (very slight) fears for Opeth have been silenced. I don't want them to put out albums like this for the rest of their career, but then I think that this is something Mikael needs to get out of his system and then like any other artist will eventually return to their first love. Really though take it as it's meant to be and I think you'll find some quality stuff on here to enjoy.

EDIT: Having lived with this album for a while now I had to increase the stars to 5. While I don't think it's as good as Blackwater Park, Still Life, or MAYH; I DO like it a more than either Damnation or Watershed, both of which are excellent albums. It will really grow on you.
1181776
...it ain't available on paper; it mentions "grammar Nazis"; and gives insight to the Honor that follows. Two out of three ain't bad, just a bit of "feels familiar somehow" and a more definitive end hold back the fifth star. Still recommended.
2461766
....Being that it's essentially the second disc of the double album of which "Kid A" was the first disc, I have to immediately compare it to "Kid A" and say it's not nearly as good, definitely the weaker material recorded during the "Kid A" sessions, and we had to wait 8 months to find this out? All this aside.."Pyramid Song" is indeed one of their strongest tracks ever. As good a song as anything on "Kid A" or "OK Computer"."Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box" is a great companion piece to "Idioteque"."Amnesiac/Morning Bell" is fantastic and beautiful and serves as kind of a "Morning Bell" reprise.(If you're looking at this like a double album situation, which I am.)"Dollars & Cents" reminds me of "The Bends" (the whole album)."Like Spinning Plates" has some haunting vocal presence but the fact that they obviously just ran a track backwards is annoying, not novel. Any kid with a 4 track can reproduce that sound. I bought "Amnesiac" the day it came out and I will continue to purchase Radiohead's future material, it's just "Amnesiac" as a whole, isn't quite what I expected. They've certainly raised the bar high enough for a degree of "Let Down".
1637830
... but in spite of that, it wasn't very pornographic. It had its moments, but they were almost tasteful (not in that way, perv). I read the first part in Gold Standard and decided to check out the rest of the story. Definitely worth the price :)
4285171
I would say this book is "good".... Well written, but there is just something about it that does not allow me to give it five stars... Maybe it was just too "real".... But again, still a good read... Judge for yourself...
3601995
Generally, when I think a book falls somewhere between three stars and four, I have a hard time deciding which way to round. This book deserved the boost to four stars, I think, even though it did have some rough spots.

This was...not what I was expecting. Granted, my expectations were doubtless colored by all the truly horrible books that are getting published lately - it seems like even when I find one that's readable, chances are, it's never going to rise above "average."

This one did.

It actually reminded me more than once of L. E. Modesitts Imager Portfolio. I wasn't sure why either, at first; both books are about artists, but there aren't many similarities to the stories beyond that. I think I finally figured it out, though: its similar in tone, and the tone is a unique one. This is not a book that will raise your heart rate. Its placid, even when bad stuff is happening. (That changes a bit toward the end, which does get a bit exciting, but for most of the book) Make no mistake, Im not saying thats a bad thing. The book did its job in its own calm way, and ultimately, I think John Tristans choices in language and cadence were pleasant. He is a skillful writer.

The world, too, is a huge success. Tristan doesnt fall into the pit of overexplaining, and doesnt leave things too unexplained to be confusing to the reader whos paying attention, and that balance is full of uniquely interesting stuff. The god-rulers and their magic blood -  and the structure of society in general  were very well done.

The characters and the plot I think fell a bit short, which is why Im not pretending to give this book a solid four star score (or higher). The plot seemed rather rushed, honestly. I cant believe Im saying this, since usually Im in the camp of people who wish authors would stop rambling and tighten things up, but this story would have been perfect if things had been fleshed out more  even as much as splitting the new much-larger book into two volumes. (Im not sure it would have made a good trilogy, but the beginning and the end are in two clear parts, and could have been worked into a stellar duology.) As it was, we missed out on detail about the beginning while Etan is still on the street, the first uncertain times displaying, the gain in his confidence... A lot happens in the background, too  particularly the politics. Now, Im of the opinion that badly written political intrigues are worse than none at all, but the structure of the government and the society it ruled was interesting enough that I really do wish it could have been expanded. Had it been, I expect the book would have been rather more thrilling than it ended up.

I think the problems with the characters  namely that we readers had to be told of things that happened to change the characters rather than experiencing the growth along with them  was directly related to the rush of the plot. It is too bad, though. Etan goes from a frightened young man to someone rather more confident, but we don't get to see the transition. The love story happens in the background, too, and while Im usually the sort to prefer subtlety, we readers really had to take the authors word for it that there was love brewing; we didn't get to see the brewing for ourselves. Tallisk went from stern, gruff and unreachable to not without us getting to see his layers being unpeeled. And I would have loved to spend more time with the Count and the other nobility. In general, I think these characters could all have benefited from a little more nuancewhich I suspect was only lacking because the framework didn't have room for it.

So. I don't think enough time or space was given to the story and its characters to make them come alive the way they could have. However. This was still a good story. It could have been an excellent one, I think, but it was still definitely worth reading as-is. I do recommend this, unreservedly, and Ill be looking for more of this authors work, for sure.
3128573
Ah, this album is a treat. Despite everyones thoughts about the few political references, (Some hate the album just because of their political thoughts. Sad.) this is a good album.
Here's the breakdown of every song:
(HOW I RATE: *-Bad **-Poor ***-Good ****-Great *****-Excellent)
1. CH-CHECK IT OUT - ***** (BEST TRACK)
An awesome song that energizes you and makes you want more. Clever lyrics and awesome beats makes this my favorite one on the album.
2. RIGHT RIGHT NOW NOW - *****
Another great song on the album. It lacks some of the intensity that you hear in the first song, but adds some harpsicord slabs right under the lyrics.
3. 3 THE HARD WAY - **
This is one of the small holes found in "To The 5 Boroughs." It's an OK song, with analog oldskool beats, but there was just something about it that made me want to go to the next track.
4. TIME TO BUILD - ***
A pretty good track. It's pretty good lyrically. It's got a pretty good hook. It's, well, pretty good. Slightly Above Average is a good way to put it.
5. RHYME THE RHYME WELL - **
While lyrically one of the better tracks on "5 Boroughs," Rhyme the Rhyme Well is another track that could have been filled with more energy.  Just OK.
6. TRIPLE TROUBLE - ****
This track is one that supports the album. It's classic Beastie Boys! Great.
7. HEY F--- YOU - ****
Another support for the album. With a hillarious hook and niiice lyrics, this will be one of your most played songs.
8. OH WORD - ***
Oldskool that sounds a lot like an old NES mario level.
9. THAT'S IT THAT'S ALL - *
Uh. A Huge hole in the album.
10. ALL LIFESTYLES - **
A slightly better track than That's It That's All, but it's average.
11. SHAZAM! - ***
A pretty cool layout, some lyrics that blow ya' mind, but it's missing a good hook.
12. AN OPEN LETTER TO NYC - *****
As a new different sound on "5 Boroughs," this track, talking about both a pre and a post 9/11 New York, has a great sound. Everything about this track is good: Lyrics, Hook, Beat, ect.
13. CRAWLSPACE - * (WORST TRACK)
Obviously a filler track, Crawlspace is a track you may or may not like. I'm more on the disliking side.
14. THE BROUHAHA - *****
This track is great! It has the energy I was searching for in this album, while still keeping it's analog glory.
15. WE GOT THE - ***
A decent ending to "5 Boroughs," We Got The has some energy, but lacks a decent hook that it needed.
THE BOTTOM LINE -
To The 5 Boroughs lacks the energy that I was looking for, lacks many a good hook, and gets a tad sloppy on the lyrics. While half of the tracks are gold, the other half just sounds like filler. Some tracks are pure genius, while the others are... eh. They had the time to make an awesome album, but they only delivered on half of the tracks. Not the Beastie's best by far, but not their worst.
TO THE 5 BOROUGHS Wrap-up:
* - 2 Tracks
** - 3 Tracks
*** - 4 Tracks
**** - 2 Tracks
***** - 4 Tracks
THE BEASTIE BOYS: TO THE 5 BOROUGHS - ****
4039223
But, if you want an honest opinion, I'll give you one. First off, I'll try to be as objective as possible, but I can't rule out any bias .

This book was, to say the least, enjoyable. Of all the characters, Reed was the most amusing, from his child-like boyhood ways, to his sensitive exterior, especially when showing his feelings to those he cares. Fiona is more of the strong, silent type. She is an honest person to a fault, letting those she doesn't like know she doesn't like them yet, meanwhile, being at least civil to them. As for the other characters, they were enjoyable, and if not, at least tolerable.

As for the parts of the story that first interested me into reading this book- the relationship between Fiona and Reed and the true parentage of their birth- I would have to say that they were satisfying. Parents don't have to worry about the condition between Reed and Fiona's relationship. Although it does turn romantic, albeit implied, there is a clear and crisp indication that Reed and Fiona are not blood brother and sister. Perhaps the only concern parents may have is the idea of stepbrother/sister falling in love. Whatever the concerns, such is left to the discretion of parents.

As for the secrets of Fiona and Reeds birth, the ending is quite surprising. Readers will want to stick through the novel to know who Reed and Fiona's parents are and the backstory in their being raised with each other. But that's just it. This story is mainly about two 'orphans' learning who they are by birth. Although the story is a coming-of-age story, the main driving factor of this novel is Reed and Fiona trying to figure out who they are by birth. Nothing more (in terms of 'a great mystery').

Above all, an interesting read though not exceptional. You might want to check this book out at the library rather than spend whatever you'll pay to read it.
2255985
... due to some objectionable content, but the song "Almost Paradise" almost makes up for it. (Closet worship song anyone?) There are several other good track on the disk as well. Let's Hear it for the Boy" and the the title track are always perrenial favorites for '80's fans, (Where have you gone Kenny Loggins?) and "Holding out for a Hero" could be the prophectically written anthem of my disillusioned generation (X - for those of you wondering). But, and here is a strong caution to parents, you might want to burn an edited copy of this one before letting your younger set listen to it. With songs like, "Hurts So Good" and "This Girl Gets Around" present, the entire disc is most definitely not for little ears. But, if you like me, are an X-er in need of a bit of a nostalgia fix, or if you're just looking for some dynamite tunes for your next party, pick this one up.
3487933
let's face it, Moz was not in the best of times during the recording of this album. there's really no need for me to get into the personal details of the man's private life, but this album's material reflects a tumultous time. his voice sounds notably forced for most of this album and the songs sound like at least half of them should have been b-sides. there are a few bright spots to be heard here though... "Alma Matters" has a nice bright feel to it and a well written hook and "Satan Rejected My Soul" sounds like a throwaway track from the Your Arsenal sessions (which is no bad thing).  "Trouble Loves Me" and "Ammunition" sound the most assured and solid of the tracks on here. the rest if a bit floundering and (at times) downright embarrassing ("Roy's Keen", "Sorrow Will Come In The End"...yikes!). but overall...it's not a terribly awful record, but it's just not up to par with past classics like Viva Hate, Vauxhall And I, or even the adventerous songwriting on Southpaw Grammar.

as a side note, the recording sessions for Maladjusted produced some very fine b-sides that would have made a dramatic difference if they were included on the final tracklisting for the full-length album. so, here is my fantasy line up for my personal Maladjusted cd:

 1.  Satan Rejected My Soul

 2.  Heir Apparent

 3.  I Can have Both

 4.  Trouble Loves Me

 5.  Alma Matters

 6.  Papa Jack

 7.  Wide To Receive

 8.  Ambitious Outsiders

 9.  Lost

10. Ammunition

11. Maladjusted
503455
There are certainly some flaws that can be found on "Antics", but give it some time and you will see that it's actually a very good album. I hated it at first, but after several listens it's actually quite good (it's definitely better than the new Strokes album). The reason I didn't like it the first time was because A: the songs just weren't as amazing as on "Bright Lights", and B: all the songs sounded relatively the same. They're not bad songs at all, but they're just very similar to one another. The lyrics are also not as good as they were on "Bright Lights", but they aren't SO bad that you will care a lot about it. It all sounds very similar to their previous albums, but not as inspired. Singer Paul Banks' vocals aren't as inspired or memorable as they were on the previous album, but they're still good - you'll like them, I think. There are no "great" songs here, but all of them are good or very good. Interpol fans will be very satisfied with this CD if they give it some time to grow on them - I also think it has good appeal otherwise. All things aside, I would highly recommend this!

Highlights include:
"Next Exit"
"Evil"
"Narc"
"Slow Hands"
the rest are good, too
2891659
Better than average SFR, especially for a reader who (like me) avoids the kidnapped-by-the-sexist-creep-"hero" sub-genre like the plague. I think it struck a pretty good balance re. the heroine being realistically traumatized, but not destroyed/ reduced to helplessness  nor foolishly unwilling to listen to expert guidance, thank heavens  and the hero both had his own past-trauma issues, and respected and cared about hers. (It did make their love scene a bit less "sexy", but I can hardly complain, after I just called it a positive  though the un-mention at that point of her recently-injured hand DID bug me a little.)

There were a few plot elements that leaned towards convenient coincidence, but it never quite toppled over the suspension-of-disbelief line. Again, one I can't really complain about **spoiler only for the beginning, don't worry** was that the slaver boss forbade his men from doing any permanent physical damage to his valuable merchandise before the sale went through, so she was spared the WORST of what could have happened  and we're not subjected to any detailed recounting, at all  and then the buyer was delayed, so she was still on-planet to be rescued, without which the story couldn't have happened!

The  mystical element from Mission to Mahjundar, where we first met Johnny (as the sidekick), plays a part again (though just one part, an unusual one), so if you refuse to have any magic in your exoplanetary adventures, be warned.

There were a number of proofreading oversights, but not really a lot  mainly just commas and such. The only one that confused me for a moment was when "climb" was used where "descent" was intended ("...into the valley")  "climb" and "hike" are NOT synonyms.
ETA: Oh, and when did Johnny set the other explosive at the jail? I kept waiting for a mention, but didn't see any before the jail burst into flames. (Again, spoiler only for an early scene.)

Will I reread it sometime, though? Quite possibly.
3247286
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I purchased this album...there had been a pretty decent mention of it on The Onion's AV Club, and the song they linked, "Posthum,"was great.  However, we've all been burned by an album with one great song and filler the rest of the way through.

No need to worry about that here...it's all solid.  Vocals are raspy, guitar playing is tight, and the whole thing sounds vaguely dirty; not too crisp, which is welcome.  Describing music is somewhat difficult, but seriously, for under five bucks, totally worth it.
790790
... but really well done.  This game is a direct sequel to the 1982 Kurt Russel Film.
Pro's:
The game is basically another game in the 'survival-horror' genre that games like Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, and Silent Hill popularized.  However I thought there were a few really nice additions to this game.
*Use of non-playing characters
*need for constant awareness of exposure to the elements
*Less need to conserve EVERY SHOT of ammo.  You can't exactly go on a DOOM style free-for-all, but it's not like Resident Evil where you're counting every single round of ammo either.
*The idea for the use of blood tests to identify infected characters
*Use of the Stress meter
Con's:
*They flubbed the use of the blood tests.  Sometimes I'll test a non-playing character, he'll register as human only to break out a minute later anyway.  The results of the test don't seem to have any bearing at all, wether or not you keep a character you don't absolutely need seems totally random.
*Characters you absolutely have to have to move forward in the game, don't seem to break out.  Unless maybe I just had exceptionally good luck ...
*In regard to the game sound, I noticed a few times that I couldn't hear enemy gunfire, that got very annoying toward the end of the game.
*At the VERY end of the game, I thought you went a little too long without being able to save.
*I never actually HAD to hold a gun to any of my characters heads to get them to trust me, careful use of your resources (which Resident Evil should have taught us) and you can avoid the situation.  I would have liked to be put in a "Mexican Stand-off" type of situation.  That would have been kinda cool
2047860
This is an easily readable book, fairly enjoyable . . . unless you insist on rigid faithfulness to the original.  It's actually less a novel than a narrative version of a script for TV's Law & Order, Criminal Intent . . . complete with a faux Vincent d'Onofrio type, with less charm and insight-ability. The book follows the TV show's unfolding pattern almost as much as it does the Austen evocation, maybe even more. The "whodunit" comes as no major surprise (or even minor surprise) and it is fun . . .I almost gave it ****, but I was in a Dickensian mood.  rhb
3179104
This album is seriously not as bad as Pitchfork and other reviewers would have you believe.  Yes, the production is glossier than the "Wizard of Ahhhs" EP, but seriously, the departure in sound is pretty minor.  I get the impression that some people only loved Black Kids for their lo-fi production, which was, in all likelihood, done out of necessity and was not a deliberate stylistic choice.  If you like them for their quirky, twee-esque cutesy lyrics or their sugary pop melodies, you won't be disappointed.  This album is not going to change the world, but it will put a smile on your face and make you tap your feet.  The tracks from the EP are some of the strongest material here, but new songs are quite fun as well (I'm partial to "I Wanna Be Your Limousine").  If you're buying this via Amazon, and get the bonus remix, it's actually very good.  It's got that Justice-y French-house feel to it.