About this product: Anne Rice started off with the tales of Louis and Lestat, but eventually branched out to include the "New Tales of the Vampires," stories about minor vampires who have their own stories to tell. Sadly, while "Pandora" is a decent vampire tale, "Vittorio" is an unfortunate stumble.
"Pandora" is given a journal to tell her story in -- and it's a wild tale. Reluctantly telling her story to new vampire David Talbot (a "chronicler" of vampire tales), Pandora describes her early life: a pampered Roman girl, who fled the destruction of her family. In Antioch she is saved by the ancient vampire Marius, who turns her into a vampire.
"Vittorio" is a heretofore unknown vampire: a beautiful, wealthy teenager living in Renaissance Italy, the middle of art and beauty in the 15th century. But when Vittorio's family is murdered by vampires, he alone is spared to become one of the undead, and the lover of beautiful vamp (in more than one sense) Ursula. But he tears away from her, and finds that vampires are not the only ones who can create horrors...
Anne Rice's more recent works suffer in comparison to her early Vampire Chronicles, and the "New Tales of the Vampires" fall victim to that. Taken alone, they're not half bad. "Pandora" is undoubtedly the stronger tale, with its more intelligent storyline and lesser focus on angst and religion (religion in books can be a good thing, but Rice smothers "Vittorio" in it). And at the end of the day, the books feel... like filler, something to hold over the fans.
Her writing is unquestionably beautiful -- Rice's prose is as rich and deep as fine velvet. And "Pandora" moves along at a slow but steady clip, well-written and apparently well-thought out; the only problem is that Rice could have expanded the book into a sprawling horror/historical drama... and didn't. "Vittorio" makes up for its lack of plot by being almost absurdly overwrought at times.
Anne Rice's books tend to focus more on men than on women, which makes Pandora all the more appealing -- she's strong, witty and intelligent. That also makes Vittorio all the more wimpy. Old characters like Marius pop up in "Pandora," making welcome appearances. But "Vittorio" has... nobody we already know. It's not a flaw in itself, but it may be a bit disorienting for fans.
"The New Tales of the Vampires" are not the best that Anne Rice has written, and far from the worst. The prettily written "Pandora" and overworked "Vittorio" are an interesting diversion, but they still feel like filler.
About this product: Pandora has been warned about the forbidden jar. Although she is surrounded with gifts and has rooms, gardens, and a courtyard to explore, Pandora is drawn to one room--the one that holds that jar. Is Pandora’s curiosity a curse? In a seamless blend of prose and verse--and drawing from traditional mythological sources--Robert Burleigh dramatically tells Pandora's story for young readers. Complemented by Raul Colón's bold illustrations, Pandora is an unforgettable introduction to the classic myth.
About this product: Computing technology is constantly evolving and changing, developing and consolidating its position as a vital component of our lives. It no longer plays a minor part in society – it is embedded in, and affects, all aspects of life, from education to healthcare to war. Dealing with the implications of this is a major challenge, and one that can impact upon us, both personally and professionally. As a consequence, it is vital that all in the computing industry make wise decisions regarding their conduct.
Using case studies and discussion topics drawn from entertaining real world examples, Pandora’s Box examines the background of a wide range of vital contemporary issues, encouraging readers to examine the social, legal and ethical challenges they will face in their own careers.
Written in an engaging style and packed with international examples, this book addresses topics which have come to the forefront of public consciousness in recent years, such as online crime, piracy and peer to peer file sharing. Comprehensive coverage is provided of digital entertainment, censorship and privacy issues, presenting a rich source of context in which to consider ethical matters.
Suitable for students on computer science degree programmes, as well as those taking IT related modules on other courses which consider the impact of technology on 21st century living, Pandora’s Box is an essential read and a unique and timely textbook.
About this product: Okay so if u work at a gas station on the grave yard shift, u would probably write this book in ur free time, but other than that..nope. This is the book written by a fat woman, with a skinny sister she precariously lives her life through.. and chips on her breath!!
Ancient Greece is brought brilliantly to life by renowned author Barry Denenberg. Pandora is trapped in the roles laid out for Greek women by her narrow-minded father. Much to her despair,she is engaged to marry a man more than twice her age, so that Pandora waits with dread for her fourteenth birthday, when she'll be old enough to marry. But one day, when Pandora goes to fetch water, she meets the Wise One, who is also called Socrates, and what he tells her changes her life. During his famed trial, Pandora finds herself caught up in the intrigue and turbulent politics of ancient Athens.
About this product: Having found his way back from Abyss, Oz, together with Alice and Raven, go to investigate the mansion where Oz's coming-of-age ceremony was held. What they find there will surprise you! Heir to an aristocratic family, Oz Vessalius is a carefree teen. That is until his fifteenth birthday. His entire world changes at his coming of age ceremony when dark forces rise to punish Oz for the sins of a past life. Incarcerated in a prison known as the Abyss, Oz's life and perhaps his sanity are saved by a black rabbit called Alice. As Oz plunges deeper down the proverbial rabbit hole, he must unravel the mysteries surrounding him before falling into the clutches of the shadowy cabal called Pandora
A scientist friend asked Bruno Latour point-blank: "Do you believe in reality?" Taken aback by this strange query, Latour offers his meticulous response in Pandora's Hope. It is a remarkable argument for understanding the reality of science in practical terms.
In this book Latour, identified by Richard Rorty as the new "bête noire of the science worshipers," gives us his most philosophically informed book since Science in Action. Through case studies of scientists in the Amazon analyzing soil and in Pasteur's lab studying the fermentation of lactic acid, he shows us the myriad steps by which events in the material world are transformed into items of scientific knowledge. Through many examples in the world of technology, we see how the material and human worlds come together and are reciprocally transformed in this process.
Why, Latour asks, did the idea of an independent reality, free of human interaction, emerge in the first place? His answer to this question, harking back to the debates between Might and Right narrated by Plato, points to the real stakes in the so-called science wars: the perplexed submission of ordinary people before the warring forces of claimants to the ultimate truth.
About this product: Protestantism is sweeping the land and threatens the position of the Catholic Morlands, so they must seek new spheres of influence. John, the heir, rides north to the untamed Borderlands to wed the daughter of Black Will Percy, Northumberland cattle lord. But he finds he must first prove himself, and win her heart through blood and battle. Johnâ s gentle sister Lettice is given in marriage to the ruthless Scottish baron, Lord Robert Hamilton, and in the treacherous court of Mary, Queen of Scots, she learns the fierce lessons of survival.
About this product: Freedom Isn't Free ·Updated tech info on all the latest gadgets ·Tips on shadow movement and assassination ·Multiple run-throughs for each mission ·The lowdown on stealth multiplayer experience ·Every area covered in the single player campaign ·Training section readies you for action ·Arena combat strategies
In The Journey of Man, renowned geneticist and anthropologist Spencer Wells traced human evolution back to our earliest ancestors, creating a remarkable and readable map of our distant past. Now, in his thrilling new book, he examines our cultural inheritance in order to find the turning point that led us to the path we are on today, one he believes we must veer from in order to survive.
Pandora’s Seed takes us on a powerful and provocative globe-trotting tour of human history, back to a seminal event roughly ten thousand years ago, when our species made a radical shift in its way of life: We became farmers rather than hunter-gatherers, setting in motion a momentous chain of events that could not have been foreseen at the time.
Although this decision to control our own food supply is what propelled us into the modern world, Wells demonstrates—using the latest genetic and anthropological data—that such a dramatic shift in lifestyle had a downside that we’re only now beginning to recognize. Growing grain crops ultimately made humans more sedentary and unhealthy and made the planet more crowded. The expanding population and the need to apportion limited resources such as water created hierarchies and inequalities. The desire to control—and no longer cooperate with—nature altered the concept of religion, making deities fewer and more influential, foreshadowing today’s fanaticisms. The proximity of humans and animals bred diseases that metastasized over time. Freedom of movement and choice were replaced by a pressure to work that is the forebear of the anxiety and depression millions feel today. Wells offers a hopeful prescription for altering a life to which we were always ill suited, recommending that we change our priorities and self-destructive appetites before it’s too late.
A riveting and accessible scientific detective story, Pandora’s Seed is an eye-opening book for anyone fascinated by the past and concerned about the future.
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