Reviews (1)

The Dragon Throne
This book begins with a jousting where Hubert fights for his life and freedom of his friend and fellow squire Edmund, who recently returned with him from the Crusades. After being knighted by Prince John but refusing to swear allegiance to him, the two are sent on a mission by John's mother Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - History    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Fiction    4. Historical - Medieval    5. Historical - Military & Wars    6. Historical Fiction (Young Adult)    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Knights and knighthood    9. Middle Ages    10. Pilgrims and pilgrimages    11. Royalty (kingsqueensprincesprincessesknightsetc.)    12. Juvenile Fiction / Historical / Medieval   

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Crusades    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Historical    5. Historical - General    6. Historical - Medieval    7. Historical - Military & Wars    8. Historical Fiction (Young Adult)    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Knights and knighthood    11. Middle Ages    12. Royalty (kingsqueensprincesprincessesknightsetc.)    13. Third, 1189-1192    14. Historical fiction    15. Juvenile Fiction / Historical / Medieval    16. War stories    17. World history: c 500 CE to c 1500   

Reviews (2)

"like something Kipling might have written"
I found this delightful book quite by accident while looking for another title by this wonderful author for my daughter.Can't Catch Me collects 18 whimsical tales, all retellings of familiar stories."Bear It Away," is Goldilocks transformed into something Kipling might have written for his "Just So Stories": "How Bears Lost the Ability to Speak.""Can't Catch Me" retells the Gingerbread Man."P-Bird" is the Phoenix.And so on.But although half the stories in this volume retell classic fairy tales, the stories are much more than that.They take familiar stories and make them magical again.For adults, for children, for anybody who grew up reading for the pleasure of discovery.

An intriguing compendium of new-age tellings
Can't Catch Me And Other Twice Told Tales by Michael Cadnum is an outstanding collection of interesting and insightful lore drawn from history and retold with a modernized and compelling philosophical perspective of contemporary wisdom and collective post-situation knowledge. Diligently feeding its readers with advice and worldly understandings of these once ancient tales of long ago and far away, Can't Catch Me gives the reader an intriguing compendium of new-age tellings. Can't Catch Me is very highly recommended for general fiction, philosophy, historical, myth, folklore enthusiasts for its adroit grasp of these ancient "twice-told" tales.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    2. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Adaptations    3. Fairy Tales, Folklore & Mythology    4. Fairy tales    5. Fantasy    6. Fantasy - Short Stories    7. Fiction - General    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Short Stories (single author)    10. Short stories    11. Fiction / Folklore   

Reviews (10)

A wonderful book.
I go to a somewhat conservative boarding school and lent this book to one of my writing teachers, who previously had said that there is no way that a political poem can be heartfelt. This book proves that notion wrong.Normally when people think about politics, they only think about who isrunning for office, but there is so much more than that in this book. Thisbook should be available in every library in both the poetry and politicalsection. This is an inspiring book that speaks not only to the mind, but tothe heart.

Will Work for Peace is a triumph of poetic Davids.
As one of the poets featured in Will Work for Peace, one might expect me to be a bit biased, but nothing could be farther from the truth.Mostpoets work in a virtual vacuum, only tenuously connected to each other bythe occasional workshop or shared membership in a 'poetry society'.WhenBrett Axel first approached me for a submission to an anthology he wasconsidering, the names Marge Piercy, Lyn Lifshin, Moshe Bennaroch and somany others were abstractions to me as a fledgling poet.I knew thesetremendous writers were 'out there' somewhere, beating down doors withtheir words and keeping a struggling artform alive.But to think thatsomeday I would ever share a credit with these dynamic modern poets wouldbe a pipe dream at best.It is through the sincere efforts of Brett Axelthat many newer voices like mine have an extraordinary opportunity toappear with Pulitzer Prize winners and other poetic heavyweights. Byway of an honest review, however, I will say this- not everything in thisbook will be to your particular liking.I myself came across some worksthat did not move me in the way the author may have intended.Some imagerycan be raw and visceral, using shock value in place of craft at times.Butto ignore those voices would be an even more shocking turn of events, sopraise be to the editor for not sacrificing his vision to a senselessconformity.As Pete Seeger so aptly put it in his quote, trying to readall these poems at one time would be like trying 'to swallow Manhattanwhole'.I say to you- buy this book, read this book, but understand thatit's what you do after reading this book that will ultimately define whoyou could be.Poetry is alive and well, and lives in the blunt pages ofWill Work for Peace.

Good work!
This book has been a long time coming. Brett Axel has really contributed to the poetry world in a way that is noticed, rather than swept into acorner. Many of the poems are good, some are great. Not all the poets arefamous, but most of them contributed good work. I liked Amy Ouzoonian's andBrett's poems, as well as "Pinaud's Tonic" by Michael Pollick. Irecommend reading that one. The only criticism I would have of the bookis of the extreme scatalogical nature of some of the poems, which do notseem to fit with the theme of the anthology, and would, perhaps, be betterin collections by that particular poet, rather than in such an anthology.But, overall, it is a great work. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Poetry    2. Politics    3. Sociology   

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Eurydice (Greek mythology)    5. Fiction - Horror    6. General    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Legends, Myths, & Fables - Greek & Roman    9. Mythology, Greek    10. Orpheus (Greek mythology)    11. Juvenile Fiction / Legends, Myths, Fables / Greek & Roman   

Reviews (8)

An Intriguing Adaptation of Robin Hood
A Review by Steffi

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - History    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Fiction    4. Great Britain    5. Historical - Medieval    6. History    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Legends, Myths, & Fables - Other    9. Robin Hood (Legendary characte    10. Robin Hood (Legendary character)    11. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    12. Sheriff of Nottingham (Legenda    13. Sheriff of Nottingham (Legendary character)   

Reviews (1)

Calling Home
Peter and Mead were best friends until one day They got in an argument and Mead dropped the bottle of alcohol they were sharing.Peter attacked and killed him not really meaning to.He begins to worry about what Meads parents will do because his dad is really sick. He eventually calls Mead's parents on pay phones and every time talked to his mother.Will they ever catch on to him? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alcoholism    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Death    5. Fiction    6. General    7. Juvenile delinquency    8. Literature (Young Adult)    9. Fiction dealing with social issues   

Subjects:  1. Apollo (Greek deity)    2. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Fiction    6. Folk Tales / Mythology / Fables (Young Adult)    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Legends, Myths, & Fables - Greek & Roman    9. Mythology, Greek    10. Phaethon (Greek mythology)    11. Juvenile Fiction / Legends, Myths, Fables / Greek & Roman   

Reviews (2)

Tami's Review
Setting- Oakland, California neighborhood Zero at the Bone
In the book Zero at the Bone, Cray jokes about his sister being gone but that night she doesn't return home and his dad gets worried as the days go by.Then a few months later they find a body at the morgue that looks like Cray's sister.... If you like suspence you would like this book ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Family life    4. Fiction    5. Missing persons    6. Social Issues - General    7. Social Situations - General   

Reviews (4)

SERIOUS GAME
Anna, the main character of the novel is a chronic pretend shoplifter.This behavior escalates to a more serious problem of her actually shoplifting.Anna is a child of divorced parents who Cadnum points out, do not relaize the serious extent of Anna's problem.Once again, Michael Cadnum brilliantly accentuates the conflict between the adolescent and themselves, and the adolescent's relationship with the adults in the novel.The story is very detailed and realistic, an excellent choice for the reader.

Interesting but not a quick read
The novel caught my interest in the beginning with the story of a young teen pretending to steel.The author's use of such explicit detail slowed down the pace of the story line and made it hard for the reader to stick tothe book.Granted the tale itself is intreaging, but the way it is writenmade the book a chore to enjoy.

A strong and beautifully written novel with many layers
Michael Cadnum, a master at subtle and complex stories of coming-of-age, has here written an engrossing story about a thoroughly unlikeable seventeen-year-old who cannot control her own impulses to steal--until shehits bottom and begins to realize there are some people she can trust. Nota book for young or unsophisticated teens, this takes some literary smartson the part of the reader. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Fiction    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Law & Crime    6. Shoplifting    7. Social Issues - General    8. Fiction dealing with specific issues   

Editorial Review

Slash, chop, stab, kill with swords and axes--and yell for joy! In this rousing, historically authentic and appropriately gory novel about the Vikings, Michael Cadnum continues his exploration of cultures of violence (his other books include Read more

Reviews (3)

Historically inacurate, innapropriate for young readers
This book purports to be an accurate description of viking raiders in, attempting to show their thoughts and feelings, and give us insight into their culture. Unfortunately the author has not done his research.He merely reinforced old stereotypes and borrowed heavily from common misconceptions of vikings in order to write a book that misrepresents the norse tradition.For example, he graphically describes the making of a "bloody eagle", a horrible mutilation of a man.Todays scholars have now proved "bloody eagles" to be a complete fiction invented by a couple of Christian writers (who must have had sick sadistic imaginations). A Great Read!
What a great read for anyone of any age! Author Cadnum works magic with his words in this realistic coming of age story. Brought together by a Norse raid on England in 794 AD, two sympathetic boys learn grim adult truths about "heroic" warriors. This impressive novel offers accurate historical detail, sensitive pyschological insight and compassionate consideration of good people trapped by traditional expectations. Cadnum enriches our perceptions of both the Viking and the Anglo-Saxon worlds by his range of characters. We learn with 17 year old Lidsmod via the voices of his fellow sailors -- sensible leader Gunnar, veteran steersman Njord, comic Opir the Boaster and saga-singer Eirik.Even extremely violent men like Gorm or the Berserker Torsten are shown acting from different motives. Similarly, the author balances the impressions of the 13 year old English captive Wiglaf with the mature views of Christian abbot Aethelwulf and the local political lord Redwald.This work is a delightful combination of echoes of ancient myths and foreshadowing of cultural change for both the Norse and the English.

"historical"???
This book is a very interesting tale about the vikinggs and definetly a good read. the editorial review says "historical"reffering to the book as educational about history and thetime of the vikings. It is not at all historical but still a good read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anglo-Saxons    2. Children's 12-Up - Literature - Classics    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Fiction    5. Historical - Military & Wars    6. Historical Fiction (Young Adult)    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Legends, Myths, & Fables - General    9. Social Issues - Friendship    10. Vikings    11. Juvenile Fiction / Legends, Myths, Fables / General   

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Eurydice (Greek mythology)    5. Fiction - Horror    6. General    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Legends, Myths, & Fables - Greek & Roman    9. Mythology, Greek    10. Orpheus (Greek mythology)    11. Juvenile Fiction / Legends, Myths, Fables / Greek & Roman   

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Fiction    4. Moving    5. Moving, Household    6. Social Issues - New Experience    7. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Subjects:  1. Apollo (Greek deity)    2. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Fiction    6. Folk Tales / Mythology / Fables (Young Adult)    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Legends, Myths, & Fables - Greek & Roman    9. Mythology, Greek    10. Phaethon (Greek mythology)    11. Juvenile Fiction / Legends, Myths, Fables / Greek & Roman   

Reviews (2)

Tami's Review
Setting- Oakland, California neighborhood Zero at the Bone
In the book Zero at the Bone, Cray jokes about his sister being gone but that night she doesn't return home and his dad gets worried as the days go by.Then a few months later they find a body at the morgue that looks like Cray's sister.... If you like suspence you would like this book ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Family life    4. Fiction    5. Missing persons    6. Social Issues - General    7. Social Situations - General   

Reviews (4)

I was so bored
What I didn't like:The plot was predictable and slow.I knew what was going to happen at almost every turn.The main character is an intelligent man with a doctorate but he continously does stupid things.There is a part in the book where he is in mortal danger and he states his one advantage is that the people trying to kill him don't know he's there.Then he runs down the stairs screaming, which gives away his only advantage.No explanation of his stupidity is given.At other times, he puts the life of the one he loves in jeapordy by taking her to dangerous places when he could have just as easily found out what he wanted to know by making a phone call.It's like the author is trying to make the story more exciting, but it just doesn't make sense for the characters to do the things he has them do. COULD YOU BELIEVE IN A MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE?
The plot of SAINT PETERS WOLF varies significantly from the typical werewolf story.(For the traditional, think of the movie with Lon Chaney, Jr.) In this novel, instead of becoming a werewolf by being bitten by one, one becomes a werewolf through a combination of predisposition and proximity to an ancient set of silver fangs.Only a select few are so affected.Other variances from the common tradition are the continuing metamorphoses through which Cadmun's werewolf goes, and finally it is a story of love. A unique addition to werewolf lore.
Benjamin Byrd recieves a set of silver fangs which will transform him into a creature of the night in this unique werewolf novel.Now he feels truly alive for perhaps the first time in his life.Will he have to give up thesilver fangs?Are there others of his kind?Can he really be free?Thewriting in this fresh and compelling novel reminded me a bit of JonathanCarroll's although I'm at a loss to pinpoint why.The story moves alongwith the pace of a wolf running through the night.Read it and be sweptalong with it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Horror    3. Horror - General   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Horror    3. Horror    4. Horror - General