Legend (Drenai Tales, Book 1)

This tells a compelling and inspirational story of heroism in the days of high adventure - in the Drenai Empire, the legendary captain of the Axe, Druss, awaits his old enemy, Death, in the mountains. If, like me, you have a teenage son who is addicted to computer games and regards books with horror, give him Legend. I can almost guarantee that he'll read it from cover to cover and then ask for more - and that his appetite for books in general will be hugely stimulated as was mine when I first read it. Gemmell's stories crack along at a hair-raising pace and his characters - far from being caricatures - are subtle, ambiguous and engaging. Review by Graham Hancock, whose books include 'Heaven's Mirror: Quest for the Lost Civiliztion' (Kirkus UK) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Read More......

Legend (1986)

A YOUNG MAN MUST STOP THE LORD OF DARKNESS FROM BOTH DESTROYING DAYLIGHT AND MARRYING THE WOMAN HE LOVES.

Review By Brett D. Cullum (Houston, TX United States)
This review is from: Legend (Ultimate Edition) (DVD)
LEGEND never really found an audience in theatres despite Ridley Scott and Universal's constant tinkering with the final cut. Seems many movies of this era were victims of audience test screenings, and the desire to give people a commercial product that went down easy -- see BRAZIL for a prime example of how studios think (the "love conquers all" version). So LEGEND was severely edited and rescored with a hasty (but often effective score by TANGERINE DREAM). It was short on plot and long on art direction, but sumptuous visuals and an all-out acting job by Tim Curry and make-up artist Rick Bottin made the movie an easy favorite of many fantasy fans. The movie looks stunning, and the story is a universal plunge into archetypes. Nothing wrong with that, it certainly worked for STAR WARS!

This DVD collection gives you two versions of LEGEND -- the original director's cut with over twenty minutes of added footage and the original Goldsmith score; and in addition, you get the original US release. In essence you get two different movies! The moods vary, the characters seem a little different, with whole new speeches and images to enjoy. If you are a fan of the movie or Ridley Scott it's a MUST-HAVE! This is what DVD dreams are made of. While many bemoan the fact BLADE RUNNER does not come with its 2 versions -- the fact is other than the narration and the happy ending, there is not MUCH different. But here we have a case where you can see what happens to a movie as it goes through development HELL. Fascinating stuff, and it comes LOADED with extras.

The only downside is the director's cut gets the royal treatment of a 5.1 sound mix while the other version gets a 2 channel Dolby mix, and even the video quality seems different with again the director's cut looking better than the theatrical release. But at last we can see a widescreen version of either cut, and we get a lot of extras that explain some of why the movie is the way it ended up. Beautiful images, two good soundtracks (I like both though the mood changes), and basically strong performances. LEGEND is a waking dream!
Read More......

The Works: William Shakespeare

Includes a Huge Collection of the Comedies, History, Poems, Romances, Tragedies, and works of William Shakespeare

Includes easy-to-use search and navigation. Includes tap-and-go Table of Contents.

Includes:

A LOVER'S COMPLAINT
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
AS YOU LIKE IT
COMEDY OF ERRORS
CYMBELINE
HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
HISTORY OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH, SECOND PART
HISTORY OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH, THIRD PART
HISTORY OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH, THIRD PART
HISTORY OF TROILUS AND CRESSIDA
JULIUS CAESAR
KING HENRY IV, SECOND PART
KING HENRY IV, THE FIRST PART
KING HENRY VI, FIRST PART
KING JOHN
LIFE OF HENRY THE EIGHTH
LIFE OF KING HENRY V
LIFE OF TIMON OF ATHENS
LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST
MACBETH
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
MERCHANT OF VENICE
MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE
PERICLES PRINCE OF TYRE
PHOENIX AND THE TURTLE
RAPE OF LUCRECE
ROMEO AND JULIET
SONNETS, THE
TAMING OF THE SHREW
TEMPEST, THE
TRAGEDY OF CORIOLANUS
TRAGEDY OF KING LEAR
TRAGEDY OF KING RICHARD THE SECOND
TRAGEDY OF TITUS ANDRONICUS
TWELFTH NIGHT; OR, WHAT YOU WILL
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
VENUS AND ADONIS
WINTER'S TALE

Read More......

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Each edition includes:


• Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play

• Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play

• Scene-by-scene plot summaries

• A key to famous lines and phrases

• An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language

• An essay by an outstanding scholar providing a modern perspective on the play

• Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books

Essay by Catherine Belsey

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs.

About the Author
The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit www.folger.edu.

Barbara A. Mowat is Director of Academic Programs at the Folger Shakespeare Library, Editor of Shakespeare Quarterly, Chair of the Folger Institute, and author of The Dramaturgy of Shakespeare's Romances and of essays on Shakespeare's plays and on the editing of the plays.

Paul Werstine is Professor of English at King's College and the Graduate School of the University of Western Ontario, Canada. He is the author of many papers and articles on the printing and editing of Shakespeare's plays and was Associate Editor of the annual Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England from 1980 to 1989.

Read More......