5 comments about The Never War (Pendragon Series #3).

1. The book that I read for my report was called The Never War by D.J. MacHale. The Never War is a fantasy book. It was very, very good.
   
   My book is about a boy named Bobby Pendragon who is called a Traveler. Travelers can go to distant universes to fight off a very evil Traveler named Saint Dane. So, Bobby warps to New York 1937, where he is chased down by gangsters and has to deal with, of course, Saint Dane. As he explores this new, or old (to him), New York, he comes along the First Earth Traveler, Gunny.
   
   Bobby also comes along a man named Max Rose, who was a rich gangster and was working with the Nazis in Germany. He finds out Rose has an enemy, Winn Farrow, a very dangerous gangster. But one thing that really makes Bobby mad is that Winn is planning on destroying a blimp called the Hindenburg. But, this blimp is from Germany and is sending Rose his payments for working with them. Should Bobby stop Winn from blowing it up? Or should he let him destroy it so history can play out the way it was supposed to?
   
   You should really read this book. It is filled with excitement and adventure. I would recommend this book to people who like adventure and action. This was a very, very good book. It was probably one of my favorite books because the book flows and never leaves you hanging. The book is also suitable for people who like history. It is going on in 1937 and that's when World War II started.



2. For this book review I read Pendragon: The Never War. The author of this fantasy book is D.J Machale.
   
   This book is mostly about Bobby Pendragon who is a traveler and Gunny and Vo Spader, another two travelers who go through the flume that killed Uncle Press. Vo Spader and Bobby Pendragon come out and see two gangsters who have machine guns pointing right at them. The gangsters take them but they both escape and that's where they meet Gunny. Gunny takes them back to his hotel because he is a hotel bellboy. He lets them stay on the sixth floor. They meet a gangster named Max Rose but Max Rose makes them go see Winn Farrow. Winn Farrow catches them and ties them up and he burns the place down, but they escape. A big blimp called the Hindenburg comes in with Max Rose's money in it, but Winn Farrow fires a rocket at it and blows it up and Max runs into the blimp and he dies. They all go back to Second Earth and see their friends.
   
   I think this book is a really good book because it didn't get boring or anything. It was a really exciting book. This book would be best for people who like good adventure books and exciting books.



3. This is a really interesting book for probably one reason: the historical fiction.
   This book takes you to First Earth, where life is eternally 40 yeaers behind our Second Earth. The plot of this story is where Saint Dane is trying to alter things that have already happened to cause chaos throughout Halla. This is about the Hindenburg. Saint Dane offers Bobby a chance to save the Hindenburg from crashing but what will happen if he doesn't?
   This is book is chalk full of good historical fiction. I liked it, A LOT!



4. The Never War is the third book in the Pendragon series. I thought this book was amazing this book I think was the best of all of the pendragons. This book brings back the characters Mark, Courtney, Spader, and Bobby and a new traveler Gunny. This book brings you back into 1937 on first earth. At the start of world war two and ends with a big ending that may shock you.
   I would totally recommend this book because it envolve your own world and it makes you brush up on your history. This book is definitely the greatest sci-fi I have read. The Never War is a book that you never want to stop reading it keeps you on the edge of your seat through out the whole story and this book always has you thinking of what could happen next.



5. D. J. MacHale wrote for television for years before turning his attention to novels. He created ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?, a long-running series on Nickelodeon in the United States, but it also showed in Canada on YTV and Cinar.
   
   For the last few years, he's been writing the adventures of Bobby Pendragon, a boy who's destined - hopefully - to save the world. Several worlds, actually. Bobby is a Traveler, one of those who have the power to "flume" from world to world. He's brought into the adventure by his Uncle Press. As Bobby was growing up, Uncle Press also took Bobby scuba diving, mountain climbing, to martial arts, driving, and several other things that gave him skills he needs to survive against enemies he encounters. All during that time, Uncle Press was training Bobby to be a Traveler.
   
   Bobby's greatest foe is a villain called Saint Dane. Saint Dane has the ability to change his appearance at will and constantly hides in different worlds while working his nefarious plans.
   
   THE NEVER WAR is the third book in this exciting series. In it, Bobby travels to First Earth, which takes place in the year 1937. The gangster era isn't new by any means, and I was slightly let down when I discovered I wasn't being taken to a new world. I especially loved Cloral, the world Bobby went to in the second book, THE LOST CITY OF FAAR, and I look forward to returning there hopefully in one of the later books.
   
   Still, I'm older than the average Pendragon reader. The 1930s and the Hindenburg are familiar to me through several other books I've read as well as history I've researched.
   
   For all the familiarity with the time period, though, MacHale tells a fascinating and fast-paced tale. Bobby and his new best friend Spader land in the 1930s while pursuing Saint Dane. They're immediately met by machine-gun toting thugs that try to kill them. Bobby figures out how to escape and gets Spader out as well. Spader is way out of his depth because he's never seen anything as "technologically advanced" as the 1930s.
   
   One of the best things about the Pendragon books is that Bobby usually gets to save the day in a down-to-earth manner. He doesn't have any really special skills or powers that help him. At this point, he's fourteen years old and can do what most kids that age can. This makes the series more believable in some ways, and I think it draws the Pendragon audience in a little closer.
   
   MacHale's sense of timing and pacing is excellent. The story moves quickly, and I got a real sense of urgency throughout the book as Bobby tries to figure out what Saint Dane is really doing. Many of the chapters end up on cliffhangers that will draw you rapidly into the next chapter. The dialogue is fantastic and sounds real.
   
   One of the other facets of the series that I really enjoy is Bobby's friendship with Mark Dimond and Courtney Chetwynde. The closeness they share, even through Bobby's journals, feels real.
   
   MacHale also mixes in adult heroes with his young champion. Vincent "Gunny" Van Dyke was an excellent grown Traveler in this novel. He was kind and gentle, and guided Bobby and Spader throughout the adventure.
   
   I did miss the world-building in this novel, but I know MacHale gets back to it in later volumes of the series. But for kids who haven't researched the 1930s much, this should be a fun book and on equal footing with fans of Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider.

No comments about Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power, and Lies.

5 comments about New York (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. My family recently took a trip to New York. We had never been before, so I decided to buy this book to help us work our way around Manhattan and see the sights. I can say with 100% that this book was AMAZING! It's pictures and descriptions are right on, and the maps make it completely easy to find all of the points of interest. The subway maps helped to figure out the subway, and the dining list gave plenty of good restaurants to choose from! I love this book, and if I ever take another trip to a big city I will be sure to check and see if there is one of these books for it! Thank you!!



2. This guide lists information about NYC divided into areas of the city. There are great walking tours to use. Eyewitness makes the best guides for travelers.



3. I borrowed this book from a friend due to the fact that my NYC trip was unplanned. I usually am a Lonely Planet fan, but I was left with no choice but to use this one. I am impressed with the quality of the book, and yes, I do agree that this is one that can be browsed after the trip, and not forgotten in an attic. However, the coverage is completely restricted to Manhattan, and the rest of the boroughs are condensed into a "Farther Afield" section. New York City is not equal to Manhattan. Although most of the sights are in Manhattan, I am sure that there are plenty of other sights to see in the other boroughs as well.



4. This is the second book I have for cities and the eyewitness series is simply the best you will find in travel books on a particular city. Great pics, history, maps and things to do.
   
   Don't waste time on other books, get these for your travels.



5. I was recommended to buy this product by a friend - great helper when exploring the city.You have maps, admissions (eventhough not always correct), opening times and where to eat as well.Absolutely amazing value for your money.

5 comments about The Magic Tree House: Books 1-8 (Osborne, Mary Pope. Magic Tree House Series (New York, N.Y.).).

1. We received DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK audio CD in a Wendy's kids Meal. This is the best kids meal idea ever!!! My children love the stories read to them in the car on long or short trips. My 4 yr old son can recite this story word for word with all the enthusiasm and excitement as read by the author. He even uses large, descriptive vocabulary words - he is definitely learning by listening! This is way better than a DVD player because they get to use their imagination. When we first received this book on CD, I thought it would just be another thing to throw away - boy was I wrong! Wonderful, Wonderful stories - I can't say enough good things about Mary Pope Osborne and her stories. Many thanks to Wendy's for giving us such a great "toy"



2. What a life-saver for car rides! We all enjoy these CD's very much. Both my 5-year-old and 2 1/2-year-old ask to listen to these stories whenever we are in the car. We have about a dozen of the books too and read a few chapters every night before bed. Thank you Mary Pope Osborne for writing and narrating such great stories!



3. My six year old reads these books and loves them. I hesitated when I ordered the CD's thinking she would not want to read the rest of the series. That was not the case. It is important to get auditory input as well as visual input to the brain and these are keeping her attention and building her reading endurance.



4. My 4 year old little girl received this set for her birthday and she just loves it. We are about to finish the last story and she is already asking for more stories about Jack and Annie. We listen on the way to pre-school every morning. The stories are so well told that it's easy to imagine all the wonderful places that Jack and Annie travel to in the mysterious magic tree house. I would recommend "The Magic Tree House" stories to anyone for their child.



5. My 2nd grader does not like to read. I bought these cds to encourage the reading process. Just starting in chapter books this year has been a huge change from simple picture books. Reading the books along with the cds has helped the books seem more interesting and easier to get to the end without getting discouraged or distracted.

4 comments about Frommer's New York City 2008 (Frommer's Complete).

1. All Frommer's guides are the best. This was really up-to-date with a new hotel opened in 07 where I have already booked a room.



2. I am so glad I listened to other people and purchased this book. It is very informative and lends a lot of insight into the many areas of New York and what it has to offer. Having never been there, I feel like I can go prepared and know the ins and outs of visiting this big city and seeing all there is to see, the smart way. Now I know why Frommer's is the best resource for travel!



3. Whenever I plan a trip, I want information about the place and what to do when I get there. I've bought many Frommer's guides over the years (National Parks, Hawai'i, San Francisco) and have never been disappointed. I suppose one criticism might be that it tries to be too comprehensive, but on the other hand, this gives you a lot of choices. It might be nice, say, to review fewer hotels and restaurants but to give more in-depth information on the one's they do review.
   
   One thing I really appreciate about Frommer's is that you know that if they mention it in the guide that there's already something to recommend about it. If a hotel isn't mentioned, then it's probably not worth mentioning for one reason or another. A good example is the Grand Hyatt near Grand Central Station. It's not a bad hotel, but it lacks character and, judging from the pictures on their website, it's very much like every other Hyatt/Grand Hyatt in other cities. You're, likely, paying a lot of money to visit New York so you ought to at least experience New York. That being said, we will probably spend a couple of nights at the Grand Hyatt because we will save a little money and get Hyatt points. :-) But, we'll go to another hotel for the remainder of the stay because it's more fun and we'll get to stay someplace that isn't like another hotel in another city. I got that information from this book and followed it up on line.
   
   And, for me, it's nice to have a book that covers all of the bases. I've never been to New York, so I want to do all the "essentials" like see Times Square, a Broadway show, the "big" museums, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, etc. This book does a good job of giving me the information I need to get that done.



4. This guide is very useful even if you already are familiar with New York City.

5 comments about The Best Things to Do in New York City: 1001 Ideas.

1. Although I've lived in Gotham for several years, this book helped me to fall head over heels in love with the city again. After reading "The Best Things to Do in New York: 1,001 Ideas," I decided to take the authors' advice and give New York City every spare moment I had left in my very busy schedule. In 2007, I'm going to tour the tombstones at Trinity Church, take a 3-hour Circle Line cruise, record a story in Grand Central Station, drink afternoon tea at the Waldorf-Astoria, buy lunch at Zabar's and picnic in Riverside Park, take in a comedy show at Caroline's and walk through several neighborhoods just to revel in their historical and architectural treasures.
   
   This is a top rate guide to Gotham, one that's ideal for tourists, transplants or natives. Pick it up and I guarantee you'll be scheduling dozens of new adventures on your calendar as well.



2. Do you marvel at how sometimes, a complete foreigner knows more about your city than you ever cared to know? I have lived on the outskirts of Manhattan for my entire life: Brooklyn, Queens, and mostly Long Island. However, I made many frequent forays into Manhattan on the weekends, and I considered myself not the complete tyro regarding the nooks, crannies, and interesting activities that 'The City' had to offer. This book was recommended to me by a Russian immigrant, who had come to New York 10 years prior. I often marveled at all the interesting places she went, and how she knew so many good places to eat. It turns out that this is the secret! Although some of the 1001 ideas are very touristy, the vast majority are applicable to even native New Yorkers. So far I've had free hot dogs with my pints of red beer, had the strongest shots I've ever had (watermelon-flavored too!), spent more on one meal than I usually spend in one month, and I plan on doing so much more. This book doesn't only give you interesting things to do and see, it also stokes your curiosity to discover things on your own. I'm not a great reviewer, but I want to get across the point that I did thoroughly enjoy this book, and I plan on checking off the vast majority of things listed!



3. This book is right, the things to do in New York are endless. My family and I have made many trips to New York, everytime we go we find something new to do. I enjoyed taking my daughter to see the Rockettes at Christmas time and then taking her on a carriage ride. Last Thanksgiving we went to see the Macy's Day Parade and it was incredible. Always something exciting to do in the Big Apple. Read the book and then take your family on a new adventure!!
   
   Billy Wannyn



4. I got this books as a gift for someone and it looked good but there were no pictures and everything just seemed the same.



5. I bought this for my sister based 100% on these reviews. She loved the book and is very excited to start trying some of these activities. She lives in Queens but works in the city and is always looking for new things to do...this book helps her take advantage of all NYC has to offer.

5 comments about Streetwise Manhattan Map - Laminated City Street Map of Manhattan, New York - with integrated subway lines and stations - bus map.

1. I love my Streetwise map. Sometimes it's a little hard to read for these middle aged eyes though. All in all, I couldn't do without it on my trips to Manhattan.



2. I rate this as number three of the four references I purchased to help me navigate NYC. It's sturdy, compact, light weight and packs in all the information you might need to navigate Manhattan and hit the tourist spots.
   This is the map to buy if you want to travel light in Manhattan.



3. don't waste your money. just because its laminated doesn't make it a good map. Not all streets are on it and sections of manhattan are missing. I wouldn't count on this map to help you out if you don't know the area and have things memorized before you get here. WE got lost on more than one occasion trying to use this thing.
   Get the NFT black book of nyc instead. It has all you need and is small enough to fit into your purse or pocket.



4. I use these maps on every trip I go on! They are so accurate and easy to use. The map is durable for every type of weather and small enough to stick in a small bag. There is a streetwise map for every major city we have gone to and we love them! It's a great "memory keeper" as well.



5. This is a great map of the city, easy to carry around. It's plastic, a big plus when it starts raining or if you spill anything on it. My only complain is that it does not include a Subway Map. It has Subway Routes in the map but with all the streets, etc it get a little difficult to make out.
   Overall, great map. A must have for tourist or anyone new to the city.

4 comments about Zagat 2008 New York City Restaurants (Zagatsurvey).

1. The Zagat is indispensible when it comes to reviewing restaurants. When I plan a dinner or lunch I always consult my little red book. It is exceptional and even has the restaurants subdivided into various catagories e.g. prix fix, neighborhoods, most popular, etc. An essential must have for anyone dining in NYC!



2. Where would we be without Zagat? I don't always agree with their reviews, but it's somewhere to start. After you read the review you can always check out the web site. If anything the reviews are more critical than they need to be. I have never been disappointed.



3. This book is awesome!! If you like to go out to eat and try new things this is the book to help guide you. I get one every year and use it all the time. I recommend this book to anyone who goes out to eat in NYC!



4. i have been to new york city several times and always consult my zagat guide. it has never let me down! i would not dream of not going without it!

5 comments about Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?: A Swashbuckling Tale of High Adventures, Questionable Ethics, and Professional Hedonism.

1. As the title implies, this is more than just a travel book. Much more. Following the bed-hopping, bar-prowling, jungle-stalking adventures of our itinerant hero, gifted author and arch-browed travel writer Thomas Kohnstamm, readers get an up-close look at a classic societal dilemma: the conflicts that arise when the need for financial stability and peer pressure run up against the desire to pursue adventure and authenticity in an increasingly sterilized and safeguarded world. Is the book the definitive guide on how to navigate this perilous terrain effortlessly and without too much residual calamity? Absolutely not -- and that's what makes it so damn compelling. A twisted, funny and refreshingly candid ride.
   --Bruce Kluger (Contributor to USA Today, National Public Radio and The Huffington Post)



2. Several weeks ago, I was shocked to hear the news media reporting that Lonely Planet author Thomas Kohnstamm fabricated his research for LP's travel guides and had now written a tell-all book.
   
   Moreover, I was flatly angry. I used the 2005 Lonely Planet Brazil guide which Kohnstamm contributed to for two trips to that country. I even followed his thoughtful (albeit a bit preachy) regimen for "responsible travel" while there.
   
   And now all his contributions to the Lonely Planet Brazil guide were turning out to be a pack of lies? What a jerk!
   
   Needless to say, I simply had to read Do Travel Writers Go to Hell? If nothing else, I felt compelled to read it in order to justify my anger, or perhaps redouble it.
   
   The book wasn't what I had expected. As it turns out, Kohnstamm turns out to be an extremely conflicted guy. His standards are high, but he is disillusioned by the business of travel writing-- its deadlines and budgets in particular. He tries to build himself up as the cool guy who gets all of the women, yet his description of many of them is overwhelmingly sentimental (see the passages on ex-girlfriend Sydney in the introduction, if you doubt me).
   
   So, did Kohnstamm fabricate some of his work? Did he take free meals and lodging? Yes, and yes, although not nearly to the extent that the media has reported. That's right: the press got it wrong!
   
   This guy is no slouch (he has a Master's in Latin American studies from Stanford), but he does let himself become one at various points in the book. Kohnstamm takes us along for the ride, from Rio to Olinda, and various places in between.
   
   You've got to admire Kohnstamm for putting himself out there like this in such a frank way. There's no trite moral story in this book-- just a travelogue which is part confession, part braggadocio and all well written (in Hunter S. Thompson style, no less).
   
   After reading the book, I can't be angry. First of all, I've never laid myself bare like this. Further, how can I stay mad at a guy who puts pictures of his dog on his MySpace page, quotes Paul Theroux and is fascinated with D.B. Cooper?
   
   I still think Thomas Kohnstamm is a jerk, mind you-- but one who I have come to admire greatly through the pages of this book.
   
   It's good to know that travel writers are real people. If nothing else, Do Travel Writers Go to Hell? proves exactly that. Keep writing, Thomas.



3. If i would have listened to all of the Lonely Planet people trying to protect their reputations, and all of the hype in the articles about the book, I probably would not have purchased it. It sounded to interesting though, so I did. It was worth it. The book is entertaining the entire way and filled with characters that may remind you of friends, acquaintances, and some people you hope to never meet. It is the first person story of a man that does what many wish they could do: Leave everything behind and pursue adventure and the unknown. It is an unyielding view of what a travel writer faces, good and bad. It puts what many consider a dream job into perspective.



4. "What kind of a man spends his best years sitting in a chair?"
   
   Kohnstamm has written a book that makes me want to get out of my chair, and toss my perpetually connected work life into the East River, which will make sense when you read this book.
   
   There was a bit of controversy around this book before it came out having to do with Kohnstamm's work on Lonely Planet. The truth, after reading this adventure on the road, is that his writing was a gift to Lonely Planet and the charges of plagiarism were way off the mark. Kohnstamm mixes the reality of writing a travel guide with the experiences of being on the road in Brazil; a place where every day can bring another strange adventure to the open minded traveler. Kohnstamm strikes a balance between drunken hedonism and the details that make each episode ring, hilariously true. This is not only a book about travel and travel writing, it is laugh out loud funny which was a great surprise.
   
   "Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?" made me want to get up from my chair, pack my bags and see what the road has to offer, but I have a cat, a mortgage and a wife that insists upon me working. I will have to settle for Kohnstamm's next book. I can't wait!



5. That being said, I gave it 4 stars because of the endless stories about drugs, sex and alcohol - they grew old after awhile. Although, every time I thought to myself enough was enough I kept coming back to the subtitle. The author lays it bare from the beginning - you don't even have to open the book. Despite this one little hangup that I had, I blew through the book in 2 days. If you have even a passing interest in traveling, travel writing and/or Brazil you will probably like this book. I can easily see why guide book publishers are up in arms over it's contents, but frankly I'm not a guide book publisher and all of the author's misgivings about their "contributions" to the travel industry are spot on as well as his thoughts about the general state of the travel industry as a whole. (I'm not slamming guide books, but you can't ignore the truth in what the author is saying either).
   
   This was definitely a refreshing find in a genera that doesn't see nearly enough new additions in a given year.
   
   Steer clear if you're the type of traveler that likes tourist traps and trinket stores!

5 comments about Not for Tourists 2008 Guide to New York City (Not for Tourists: New York City).

1. I'll admit that what drew me to this guide was it's overall design and size: it's compact, dense with information,and laid out in a visually pleasing style. First and foremost, however, a travel guide should be easy to use, and while this book labels itself as "Not for Tourists", it is a travel guide. And here's the thing: it has no unified index. There are several sub indexes spread throughout the book, but you have to find them first, then look for your item. Ugh. Not what you want to do while standing on a street corner.
   
   In order to fit maps into the small page format, a neighborhood can be represented by 4 pages of virtually identical maps dense with visually similar icons showing types of stores, services, transport. etc. Again, not easy to use on the move.
   
   Maybe I can't complain- they did say right on the front: "Not for Tourists", but I advise you to take their word for it. It really isn't useful for the traveler, and I can't say whether it would be useful for a resident.



2. Ordered for my apartment hunting in NYC, will use it late May.
   So far nothing to complain. This booklet is likable by look and usable by content, including all information I could need when walking around the city (shops, banks, theaters, landmarks, schools, libraries, gyms, transportation, you name it). I don't know why some others would complain it's not easy to use, but I will try it out soon by myself.



3. Best guide for business person traveling to City on business. The longer there or more travel in area the better the value. Not for the tourist.



4. I wouldn't recommend this for a first time traveler to NYC as the maps can be a little difficult to follow (broken up into smaller neighborhoods). It was handy to have in our backpack because it had almost every restaurant that we could think of listed in it, along with their phone numbers, address, time they were open to, and a brief comment on the food there (including which places to avoid). If you're from out of town and need to find the nearest branch of your local bank, it's in there. If you're looking for a coffee shop other than Starbucks, it's in there.



5. I purchased this for both NYC and Brooklyn and it's been a life saver. This book tells you where to find the things you need when you live in a city. Laundrymat? Banks? Coffee shop where the locals hang out? History and maps of the neighborhoods? It's all here. Also very small and easy to carry with you. One of my friends who visited for a week, prefered to carry this over the traditional guide books, due to the size.