They soon meet a man at Joe's football game named Villnof. He is a very mysterious man. He claims he came from Europe as he has a British accent. Frank and Joe now need to figure out who took the horse so they start investigating.

The boys father Mr. Hardy is also a detective. He is away at work and the boys now have to solve the mystery on their own. They start to investigate the strange man Villnof. They try to sneak into his house and are caught but Mr. Villnof releases them because he doesn't think they were actually spying on him and trying to find clues in the house.

A couple of weeks later the two boys set off again in search of clues toward the missing horse. They are spying through a window but when they lean on it the window breaks. Villnof runs and escapes and from the fall Joe is badly injured. The boys then search around as now no one is here. They find guns, explosives, dynamite and many dangerous things. They call the police to investigate.

They go to tell Ivan, the horse's jockey, information but as they get there he's is just leaving. Later a report comes in on the jockeyIVAN TOPNOTCHES JOCKEY KIDNAPPED!

The boys were astounded -Villnof must have knapped him!!

Later Topnotch's owner pays the ransom of ten grand to get the horse back but the horse is never returned. The matter now is even more serious and now involves cash.

The boys go to investigate Villnof's castle and get through the alarm system at the gate and find Topnotch in a shack. They now need to look for the jockey. They find Ivan locked up and send him a message that they will return.

They return the next day and are wandering around and are caught by Villnof. He takes them to an underground passage, he tries to ditch them, then they run chasing him as he turns through doors and activates walls. They get to the end and Villnof says…

“I hate your country.” “Your country killed my wife. I now shall return what you have done to me I am going to blow up the entire area and all of you will die!”

He finished with “I shall now die.” He steps into an electrical room and is instantly killed. He said to the boys that there will be twenty minutes and then time will be up.

Joe and Frank split up Joe went and saved the jockey and the race horse and Frank tried to control the bomb.

Twenty minutes later the jockey was saved and so was the horse then suddenly a rumble was sent through the ground and they thought it was all over then Frank raised his body up the ladder and said, “I have controlled the bomb.” “The police know and that noise was it detonating underground nothing will happen we are all now saved.”

Rating: I think I would rate this book nine out of ten. The author kept me on the edge and wanting to read the book forever. The one thing is I would like it better if the author didn't tell all about the characters in the very beginning of the book.

Recommendations: I recommend this book to readers that love to read mysteries and like to have suspense throughout the story. Some words are rather difficult but most of them are a grade 5 to 8 reading.

Favorite Part: My favorite part was when they were chasing Villnof through the underground tunnel because it thrilled me and it was rather interesting when they got to the end because I wondered what the two boys and Villnof were going to do.

   Here is what I am trying to get so many people to understand.  If you open that book, relax, and read, you can actually see in your head what is going on.  There are so many places you can visit and so many exciting adventures you can go on with out ever having to leave the comfort of your home!   Fly along with Eragon and Saphira as they battle the Empire, help Harry Potter in his fight against Voldemort, ride along with Alex Cross as he works to catch a serial killer.  Meet Huck Finn and his friends, enjoy life with Penelope Keeling in the Shell Seekers, the possibilities are endless.  Look around you, there are books written on just about any subject you can imagine.  Tried reading before and couldn't get involved? Maybe it was the author, or the genre.  Try something else.  My husband never liked to read until he picked up one of James Patterson's Alex Cross books. Now he reads whenever he gets the chance.  My dad and brother started reading more after reading Jurassic Park.  The most exciting thing for my right now is that my oldest son, who complained every time he had to read, has developed a love for reading and is now hooked on Harry Potter! I have always said that I am addicted to the written word.  I always have to have something to read and am usually reading 2 or 3 books at any given time.  I have found several books that could not hold my interest.  For instance, I loved Eragon, but Eldest could not keep my interest, I finally finished it several months after starting it, now I can say, with out a doubt that Brisingr is the best of the entire series so far. 

    There are authors that I truly love to read and buy just about everything they publish, and others who I enjoy but I can live without their books.  A great author is one who can capture your imagination and draw you into the story, leaving you breathless and wanting more when it ends.  I believe that it is very important for kids to learn to read and enjoy books.  It is not enough for them to read it as an assignment for school and then forget everything they read.  I think more kids would read if they could read books that capture their interest and keep them wanting to read until the end, and still be able to say, " WOW! What a ride!"

    So go ahead, pick up that book, encourage your kids to pick up that book, and come along for the ride!

Cunégonde was her name, she was seventeen and ripe at her age. Also, she was the daughter of the Baron. From afar, Candide adored her every moment he could. Living in the caste of the Baron von Thunder-ten-tronckh, Mademoiselle Cunégonde, seeing Mademoiselle Cunégonde everyday, and listening to the great philosopher Maître Pangloss was the order in which Candide placed his greatest joys.

One day, while Candide was listening to Pangloss' new tutoring lesson, he was inspired by the oracle's words. “It is demonstrable,” he said, “that things cannot be other than they are: for, since everything is made to serve an end, everything is necessarily for the best of ends.” Pangloss proceeds to tell Candide that noses were made to put spectacles on and so we have spectacles, legs were made to wear breeches and so we have breeches, and that stones were made to build castles and so the best baron is the best housed, thus proving that this is the best of all worlds making everything for the best.

Not only was Pangloss a tutor to Candide, he also tutored Cunégonde unknowingly in the ways of “experimental physics.” While she walked around the grounds of the castle, Cunégonde spotted Doctor Pangloss and her mother's chambermaid engaging in these “experimental physics” (sexual intercourse). The young lady found these causes and effects very appealing, so she decided to apply the same concepts to Candide one night after dinner. Of course, like most young people doing things are not supposed to, Cunégonde and Candide were caught in the throws of love by Monsieur the Baron von Thunder-ten-tronckh. As a result, the Baron booted Candide out of the castle without a second glance.

Candide wandered without direction for a long while, before meeting two seemingly decent fellows. These two uniformed men recognized Candide's good health and immediately invited him to dinner, where they used flattery and liquor to enlist him the Bulgarian army. During training, Candide did so well that his peers deemed his prodigy. Candide could not completely grasp the concept of his being a hero, so when he was pondering this he went on a walk. Having always been allowed the freedom to use his legs as he pleased, Candide was utterly confused when four other men of the regiment tied him up and dragged him back to camp to be court-martialed, but poor Candide was unaware of his crime. Voltaire clearly remarks that under the command of this army, there are no freedoms, which should always be present for they are natural rights. Candide was given the choice to be shot in the head with twelve lead bullets or flogged thirty-six times by the whole regiment (two thousand men).

When the regiment was lining up for the third round of floggings, Candide asked to be shot in the head. He was granted this request, but just after being blindfolded and knelt, the King of Bulgars was riding by. This good king wondered as to what the censured man's offense was and upon learning of it gave Candide a full pardon and was healed. Then the King of Bulgars declared war on the King of Arbars. Candide was present as canons took out at least six thousand men on either side and then muskets accounted for about ten thousand, all in all thirty thousand was approximately the amount of casualties. Candide concluded that he would go somewhere else and leave the Bulgars. While he walked, he saw men kneeling over their dead wives and a few virgins cut open after having served their natural purpose. Finally reaching a small village, Candide began to beg for bread and is brutally refused at first by an orator, who is in no way aligned with Pangloss' theory. Things began to seem for the worse, but Candide held strong.

Strangely enough, a kind Anabaptist, named James, gives Candide a place to stay and cares for him. The next day, Candide is out for a walk when he runs into a wretched sight: a beggar, coughing up blood and teeth. Moved by this, Candide goes to the beggar and gives him money only to find that this beggar is Pangloss! After being taken back to the good Anabaptist, Pangloss tells Candide was has become of him and Cunégonde. He reveals that Cunégonde is dead, she disemboweled and raped by Bulgar soldiers, while he was suffering from a sexually transmitted disease received from Paquette, the Baroness' chambermaid. Candide is in woe over the whole situation, but Pangloss never fails to explain why the events are necessary to make the best of all possible worlds. However, in representation of Voltaire's own view, James the Anabaptist believes that men make their own fate and proves so in saying, “Men may have corrupted nature just a little, for men were not born wolves, yet they have become wolves.”

These philosophical arguments all take place within view of the Lisbon port. Then, a huge earthquake occurs in which James falls overboard, while trying to save another sailor, and dies. Candide tries to jump in after him, but is stopped by Pangloss who proceeds to tell him that the Lisbon harbor was formed specifically so that their Anabaptist could drown in it. Eventually the ship sinks, Pangloss, Candide, and the sailor that let James die are the only survivors. The two of them floated to Lisbon on a piece of wood. Much to the surprise of Candide and Pangloss, the authority in Lisbon has decided to have an auto-da-fé in response to the earthquake (this is where heretics are burned at the stake, in the case to prevent the earth's quaking). Candide and Pangloss are arrested to join the roast, Pangloss for his optimistic theories and Candide having listened. The Inquisition hanged Pangloss and Candide was flogged.

After all was said and done, Candide turned from the scene, only to find an old woman who took care of him and then led him to Cunégonde. The Mademoiselle Cunégonde explained that her disembowelment was not fatal and that after being taken a prisoner of war by a Bulgar captain, he had sold her to a Jew, called Don Issachar, who was later threatened by the Grand Inquisitor with an auto-da-fé, if he did not compromise on ownership of the beautiful Cunégonde. Then, at an auto-da-fé made by her Grand Inquisitor, Cunégonde saw Pangloss hung and Candide flogged. Then, she sent the old woman to get him.

After the Mademoiselle is done telling her story, it is only coincidental that the Don Issachar comes to enjoy his rights to Cunégonde. Candide slays him fearlessly and is then wishing to be in the presence of Pangloss for advice. The old woman gives the two some counsel, but while she spoke, the Grand Inquisitor arrives at the house for it is after twelve, making it his day. With no other choice, Candide killed him as well. The old woman, seemingly taking the place of Pangloss, directs the children to saddle horses and go to Cadiz.

After staying a night in Badajoz, the riches of the group are gone. The only other person having been there was a reverend Franciscan, whom Voltaire makes the thief. Now broke in Cadiz, Candide and his group passed a raid occurring and saluted the general in the Bulgar drill. The general thought this drill was performed so well that he gave Candide an infantry to command and put him on a ship to a new world. Candide hopes that he will find the best of all possible worlds in South America. On the voyage there, Candide and Cunégonde continue to complain. Later the old woman claims that they have seen nothing of suffering, thus her story is told.

The old woman was the daughter of Pope Urban X. Voltaire made this so because Urban X had not existed and he was afraid to give a real pope a bastard daughter. She was a beautiful princess who fell helpless to countless misfortunes, including being boarded by a pirate crew on her way to Gaeta. The ship arrives in Morocco, under the pirates' command, in a time of much war and blood shed. After seeing her mother slaughtered and almost drowning under countless dead bodies, the princess crawled to a spot of shade and fainted.

After being sold so many times, the old woman was put in a situation where everyone was starving and the men had resorted to killing the women for food. However, before they could do this, a religious man persuaded them to only take one butt cheek. Although Voltaire criticizes religion throughout the entire novel, this does not stray from the theme because he criticizes religion, but not each religious being is bad. The only thing Voltaire sees religion fit for is the explanation of creation and the want or hope to live. This hope is what the old woman declares as her weakness because she is still in love with life.

Shortly after their arrival to South America, rumors circulated that Candide had killed the Grand Inquisitor. Anxious as to what she should do, Cunégonde sought out the advice of the old woman. She said that Cunégonde had nothing to worry about for she had not killed anyone and that the governor of Buenos Aires, Don Fernando, loved her dearly so she should marry him. As for Candide, the old woman told him to run away before he could be burned alive. Distraught by leaving his beloved, Candide leaves with his loyal valet, Cacambo.

While Candide had lost his head to sadness, Cacambo kept his head and suggested that instead of fighting against the Jesuits that they should go fight for them because they would be overjoyed to have a captain that knew the Bulgar military drill. Cacambo describes the empire as great and orderly, but he also say that the fathers of the land own everything and that the people have no money at all. Upon their arrival in Paraguay, Candide and Cacambo request a meeting with the Reverend Father.

Candide receives this meeting and comes to find that the Reverend Father is the Baron's son and Cunégonde's brother. They rejoice at this reunion and Candide tells the German Jesuit that his sister is still alive. Candide also informs him of the intentions of marriage between himself and Cunégonde. At this, the Reverend Father is furious and says that Candide is not worthy of someone of such high status. This outrages Candide and he kills the Baron's son. Here Voltaire shows that good men are sometimes bound to do evil things, but this only proves Pangloss' theory further because it is done out of necessity so that the best of all things can then occur in the best of all worlds.

Immediately Candide and Cacambo ran from that land to one where Candide killed the lovers of two young ladies, seemingly in despair. Their lovers, having been monkeys, confused Candide greatly for he thought he had saved the girls. This shows man's devolving from man to ape. Later the two men fell asleep on the ground, only to find that when they awoke they were tied up and surrounded by Orellians, the natural inhabitants of the land. Voltaire stabs at the Jesuits in that the Orellians are thrilled to cook Candide for he is dressed in the Reverend Father's clothes. Luckily, Cacambo talked them out of it saying that Candide was not really a Jesuit and they should go ask along the border of Paraguay. The Orellians, resembling Hobbes, agreed that it was human nature to kill our neighbor if he is an enemy. They soon found that Cacambo told the truth and gave them many civilities as well as set them free.

Candide and Cacambo soon found themselves in a place called Eldorado, where jewels were of no value, technology was magnificent, and resources were abundant, this brought peace to all the land. “What is this country, which is unknown to the rest of the world, and where nature operates under laws so utterly different to ours? It is probably the land where all is well, for clearly such a place has to exist. And despite what Maître Pangloss may have said, I often noticed that everything went fairly badly in Westphalia.” In this last paragraph of the seventeenth chapter on page forty-five, Candide admits that some of what Pangloss said was wrong.

After receiving a warm welcome and feasting with the natives of this land, the two explorers sought out answers about this unique culture from the oldest man in the village, who was one hundred seventy-two years of age. They asked him of courts, there were none. They asked him of prisons, there were none. Finally they asked him of religion. The sage answered as if it should have been obvious, “Can there be two religions, then? Ours, I apprehend, is the religion of the whole world; we worship God from morning till night.” Considering Voltaire's time, it is likely that this sage could represent John Calvin of the Protestant Reformation, who defended religious tolerance wholly.

Filled with the enlightenments of the land, Candide and Cacambo carry on to meet the king of Eldorado. Once again they are met with great pleasure. They are given thousands of civilities and are in a paradise, but Candide could not help himself for he had gone a month without trying to find a way to get back to Cunégonde. With many sheep holding precious gems and food, the wealthy duo were hoisted out of Eldorado in a machine built by the scientists of that land.

After a long journey, Candide and Cacambo reach a town called Surinam. Very quickly they stumbled upon a slave with only one leg and one hand. When Candide asked if his mater had treated him so cruelly, the slave said it was the custom in those parts. He also went on to say that the Dutch preachers taught that everyone is from the same father, Adam, and that all are equal. This in turn, he adds, would make everyone related and no one treats his or her relatives worse than he had been treated. This sight disturbed Candide greatly and with one last look of sympathy, he curses Pangloss' optimism, heading further into the corrupted city.

Immediately Candide inquires as to where he can find a ship and tells Cacambo to go buy Cunégonde from the Governor, so they could meet in the free land of Venice. A skipper was quickly at Candide's service for ten thousand piastres and Candide agreed swiftly. At this, the skipper raised the price up to twenty thousand and soon after thirty thousand piastres. Candide parted easily with this fee, only to be duped later by the skipper and have no way to Venice. Fuming with rage, Candide rushed to the magistrate to plead his case! The judge first charged him for his irritability ten thousand and then another ten thousand after listening to his quandary for court fees. Everything Pangloss had taught him of the best of all worlds was simply refuted by all of the deformities of mankind.

The only furthered his frustration, so in a last act of hope Candide called for any honest man to give him company on a ship to Bordeaux; he would pay all of the fees. After inviting twenty men, he chose a man by the name of Martin and paid the others a small amount for their inconvenience. Martin was a scholar and an honest man who had undergone many hardships, just as Candide had.

And so the two honest men set sail, Candide with hopes of seeing Cunégonde, Pangloss' merry explanations in his favor and Martin whose hopes had all been washed away by the villainy of the world. It seemed that as soon as the ship left the harbor, Candide and Martin fell into deep philosophical discussion. Martin declared himself to be a Manichean Pessimist and believed that God takes no present actions on earth, leaving it all to the devil. While Pangloss, along with Candide, preferred the system of optimism, where “all is for the best in this best of possible worlds.”

Candide strives to prove optimism to Martin, but miserably fails each time. One day as they were sailing, cannons were heard and the skipper that had robbed Candide was in the sinking ship. “You see,” said Candide to Martin, “that vice is sometimes punished. This villain, the Dutch skipper, has met with the fate he deserved.” To this, Martin scoffed and said, “Very true, but why should the passengers be doomed also to destruction? God has punished the knave, and the Devil has drowned the rest.” In yet another instance, Candide asked Martin why he thought the earth was formed. With the wit as quick as a whip, Martin replied, “To make us mad.” The argument continued with Candide's persistency and Martin's constantly correct criticisms.

Still in disagreement, the crew set foot on French soil and ventured through solely to get to Venice… Or at least that was the plan until Candide fell ill. Through absurdity, two doctors were immediately at his side along with intimate friends and devotees because of the size of his diamonds! After a series of strange remedies, Candide is cured and heads to Paris.

Many strange events take place in Paris: at first Candide is seduced by a woman who takes a few diamonds from him and then he is given a letter from his love, “Cunégonde.” This letter professed her still standing love for Candide, as well as her illness that prevented her from running to him, which is why she had bid him come to her. In this illustration, Candide's faith in Pangloss' theory stands strong because it must all be for the best if Cunégonde has found him. Valiantly and naïvely, Candide, dragging Martin along, strut to her place of rest only to be arrested for that was the law about foreigners in this place. Under the advice of Martin, Candide paid the officer that had arrested them a few piastres and the officer gladly let them go and sent them to Normandy where his brother would be.

Three bullets entering the head of an admiral was Candide's first sight in England and that was the only sight he needed to reassure that the price he'd pay the captain was of no matter if he did not have to stay there. Men in England are clearly mad for they all kill each other. Voltaire seems to agree with Hobbes, when he said, “During the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in the conditions called war; and such a war, as if of every man, against every man.” And he clearly did not agree with the British system of government because of it's barbaric ways. With all of these things in mind, Candide and Martin set sail to Venice in two days time.

Having searched for Cacambo in every inn of Venice and found nothing, Candide finally agrees, “All is misery and deceit.” Martin gave a not so comforting speech to the depressed Candide, who only dwelt more on the unfavorable circumstances. At this moment, a monk and a pretty girl who seemed to care for him deeply walked by. Candide challenged Martin that at least they had to be happy, so he invited both to dinner and found that the girl was Paquette, the Baroness' chambermaid.

The two were thrilled to see each other, but when asked as to her status, Paquette revealed that her life was not so joyous as it seemed, just as Martin's. She had been beaten for a man she did not love, imprisoned for the murder of the wife of a physician, and she had taken up the undesirable trade of whoring. The monk, Friar Giroflee, was just as unhappy as Paquette and really despised the monasteries. Thus Martin won the bet.

However Candide could not give up so easily and insisted that Senator Pococurante was a man that had no troubles. A meeting was arranged and there they went. The palace was beautiful wit beautiful girls, beautiful paintings, beautiful writings, beautiful everything. With none was the senator impressed or amused with for long. He thinks Raphael's paintings are unrealistic and that Milton and Homer's tales are atrocious. Voltaire puts down each classic novel, each in a religious superstition of one or the other. Candide had thought he proved his point, but Martin points out that Pococurante is disgusted by everything, therefore not happy.

Weeks pass and still Candide has not found Cacambo, he wallows in fits of depression until one night that Martin and he go to dinner with a few foreign kings. Each of the kings tells a story of being dethroned and coming to Venice for travel. Consequently enough, a servant of one of the kings is Cacambo, who tells Candide to wait and go on a ship with him. After dinner, Cacambo gets permission for Martin and Candide to sail with King Achmet III, who sailed to Constantinople.

On the ship Cacambo tells Candide that Cunégonde is washing dishes as a slave to a prince in Constantinople. On the voyage there, Candide sees two slaves rowing the ship that look familiar. As it turns out Pangloss and the Baron's son are still alive! However this fact is so only because of many horrible events and at the end of Pangloss' explanation for his life Candide asks him if he still believes if that all is for the best. “I have always abided by my first opinion,” answered Pangloss; “for, after all, I am a philosopher, and it would not become me to retract my sentiments; especially as Leibnitz could not be in the wrong: and since harmony is the finest thing in the world, as well as a plenum and the subtle matter.” And with talks of philosophical nature, Candide, Pangloss, the Baron, Cacambo, and Martin filled all the time in between Venice and Constantinople.

At first sight of Cunégonde, Candide was torn by her repulsiveness and his promises. Ignoring this, he ransomed both the old woman and Cunégonde; he also buys a small farm, which the old woman had suggested. When things are set on the farm, Candide (although he has no true desire to) brings the concept of marrying Cunégonde to the Baron, who again throws fits about status. As a result, with no word to Cunégonde, the group decides to send the Baron back to the Turkish captain.

Soon after, Candide and Cunégonde are married, not exactly as the original fantasy was. Then everyone on the farm began to bore and sought the meaning of life from a dervish, who so rudely states that these lower beings should not worry about things meant for higher authority. Just as enlightened as they were before, the group goes back to the farm and meets another farmer who invites them to dinner.

At this meal, the farmer says one thing that truly makes things clear to Candide. The next few days he ponders the words of the farmer, who had said, “I have no more than twenty acres of ground, the whole of which I cultivate myself with the help of my children; and our labor keeps off from us three great evils-idleness, vice, and want.”

In the midst of Pangloss and Martin's philosophical theories, Candide stopped and said, “That is all well, but we must cultivate our garden.” And although neither Martin nor Pangloss went back on their opinions, everyone seemed to realize that a man makes his own future: his own utopia or his own damnation. Candide had, at last, made his.

Also, Chris cared for the less fortunate. His family was rich, but he didn’t think he was better than everyone else because of it. He would skip big parties to go and give food to the homeless. Lastly, before starting his adventure, he donated all his savings ( $25,000) to OXFAM. I think all these thing make Chris McCandless a hero.

As if that isn't scary enough, try to imagine what would be going through the minds of the family, knowing that none of them had any knowledge of the sea, navigation or sailing!

This is not fiction but something that really happened!

“Lena, I've bought a boat and we're going to Australia!”

Those were the words that Lena Caisley will remember to her dying day.

Her husband, Don, was not renowned for making light-hearted comments. He didn't have a great deal to say at the best of times, but when he did he made every word count.

“I suppose I should find something to wear,” said Lena, not fully realising the import of what her husband has just said!

“It's an old fishing boat, a bit run down and in need of a complete refit,” said Don. “But it will be perfect to take us to Australia.”

“What do we want to go to Australia for? We have a good business here, and all my friends are here. The boys have a lot of friends here and you were born here, Don!”

Natural arguments from his wife were expected, but in the end she agreed to go.

The Caisleys were a close knit family and had complicit faith in Don, and Don had great faith in his own ability. In his mind's eye he could see exactly how the events of the next couple of years would unfold.

First he had to get the old fishing boat ready for a very long sea voyage. In was filthy and decrepit when he purchased it. The mast was rotten and the engine ready for the tip. Money was also tight, so a proper marine mast and engine would have blown the budget.

Don finally managed to get a telegraph pole turned up to fit and an old double-decker bus engine to replace the original. He thought a few months fitting out the boat - so the family could travel in some sort of comfort, would be sufficient, but the more he worked on Beth - as the old fishing boat was called, the more he realised how much work was still to be done.

It was almost a year from the day he and the seller sailed the old boat over from LeHavre, that Beth was considered fit for his family.

Came the day when the intrepid family boarded for the long trip to Australia.

Provisions and all the stores considered necessary for such a voyage had been loaded and stowed away. Don fired up the engine and cast off. The Caisleys were in holiday mood as Beth sailed out of Southampton Water with the old bus engine thumping steadily, pushing the boat along at 8 knots.

Their first foreign port of call was to be Oporto in Portugal, but, as mentioned previously navigation was not one of their strong points and they got lost! Nobody was particularly worried because they didn't expect to get everything right first time. Eventually they found the port and enjoyed a run ashore while the captain attended to customs and immigration procedures.

On the way across the Atlantic - and still in a somewhat carefree mood, they were heading for the Panama Canal, but first sighted land in Venezuela!

Not a problem, thought Don. We'll just sail around the coast until we see Panama, which they did. Then through the canal and on to something totally unexpected and frightening!

Don had taken Beth across to a quiet beach on the Pacific side of the canal to do some work on the hull, completely unaware of the speed of the tides as they raced in and out of the canal. As the tide went out Beth hit the muddy bottom and rolled over!

The family spent a most uncomfortable night fearful of what would happen when the tide returned.

They watched as the water lapped the sides of the old boat, gradually washing over the deck. A few inches more and the sea water would flood down the hatches and Beth would be lost!

Everything the family owned was in Beth. They would be stranded on a foreign shore and destitute.

Those awful thoughts were on their minds as they watched the water gradually rising towards the open hatches. Just when the level of water reached the combing of the first hatch, Beth started to move. Slowly at first, creaking and groaning as the wooden hull was straining, the movement grew as Beth started to right herself until she was almost afloat and safe.

The family cheered like they had never cheered before. Disaster had been averted and they were saved!

This was just the beginning; there were thousands of miles still to go before Australia. They were in the Pacific and their next port of call was a mere speck in a vast ocean. Whereas with the Atlantic crossing they had the whole coast of South America to aim at, the slightest error in navigation would put them miles off course and in deadly peril!

In the days and weeks ahead there were other problems about to hit them, about which they had no knowledge or control over!

Read this amazing true story as told to the author by Don Caisley

Video Trailer

Also here:  http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1588041/voyage_of_a_lifetime_by_paul_england_book_trailer/

Artemis Fowl II lives in Fowl Manor. The manor once was a castle, but was downsized into a mansion. Now, it is a Victorian manor. Fowl Manor is jam packed with security cameras. It also has many safes. The safes are hidden behind family portraits. Every safe is taped by a couple of video cameras. Fowl Manor is located in Ireland as we know it today.

Holly Short, a fairy elf, lives in an underground fairy city called Haven. Haven is unknown to humans. The city is close to the mantle of the earth, but just far away enough to avoid getting fried to a crisp. The only way in and out are through vents that release hot air into the surface atmosphere. Every vent entrance is shielded from human eyes by a holographic projection that matches its surroundings. Haven is connected to other underground cities by tunnels through the crust. Haven looks like any human city, except for the lights on the ceiling that release a light and heat very much like the sun. Haven is completely uncontaminated and has stale, recycled air. Elves, pixies, centaurs, dwarves, gnomes, and sprites all live in the city while goblins and trolls roam the tunnels that exit the city.

One of the main characters is Holly Short, an elf. She is a female captain in the LEPrecon Unit, which is sort of like a fairy police. Her boss is named Root, also an elf. Holly is short and always wants to do something. She uses very advanced technology in her job ranging from video camera iris lenses to mechanical wings. Both of these were developed by Holly's friend, Foaly the centaur.

Another main character is Artemis Fowl II. He has a brilliant mind which he uses for crime. He is only 12 years old, has black hair, pale skin, and is somewhat on the thin side. He has a loyal bodyguard whom he calls Butler. His dad was the multi-millionaire leader of an international crime ring. He disappeared on a business trip when his boat was sunk. Artemis' mother, Angeline, went insane after his father disappeared. Her bodyguard, Juliet, is a peppy, young teenager who likes to do things her own way.

The book Artemis Fowl has a plot that never ceases to entertain you. You never know whose side to root for! It starts when Artemis Fowl II comes up with a plan to restore his family's fortune. He first kidnaps the elf, Holly Short, and demands a ransom. However, he gets more than he bargained for! In an attempt to get out of paying a ransom, the fairies first try to annihilate Artemis with guns. Then, they try to "blue rinse" his house. That means using a special bomb that kills any living thing in the house. Artemis says that he can escape, but the fairies say that it's impossible! Will the fairies be tricked, or will this be the end of Artemis' scheme and life?

Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl is an outstanding novel! I recommend this book to all readers over the age of 10 because of the concept of ransom and the mild violence. It is a fantasy book, but it's very interesting to read. I rate this book all four out of four stars because of the never ending action! Definitely do not miss this excellent book!

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Miramax Books, 2001

Lord of The Flies author, William Golding uses symbolism to portray humanity's problems in a different and not so clear way, making the reader think about the book more carefully and not just flick or skim through the pages. The use of Piggy's death in the novel was a necessity. It needed to occur to demonstrate the effects of uncivilized behavior in our modern world.

The boys land on the strange, exotic island when was has broken out and they are in threat of being killed. An atomic bomb has exploded. For their own protection, a group of boys were being flown over an island when their plane was shot down. Releasing the passenger tube, the plane explodes and most of the boys land safely on the island. The story then revolves around the way the boys organize themselves without any adult presence or intervention. Their behavior often reflects the behavior of adults in the real world. Including such behavior as:

• The battle for power
• Responsibilities and organization
• Prejudice
• The need to worship higher being
• Conformity to rules for safety

Piggy is a main character in the novel. He is portrayed as a fairly well mannered child using typical English school boy speech. He is incapable of performing the duties and tasks that the other boys perform due to his asthma. This makes him vulnerable as an easy target for ridicule. Jack Merridew, on the other hand, is an outspoken child who takes pride in his role as choir director; however, his pride and greed overtake his mind in the lust for power and competence against Ralph, the elected chief, and Piggy who think of great ideas and is a rationalist.

The main problems which contribute to Piggy's death commence early in the novel when Ralph is elected as chief. Jack becomes jealous as he thinks he is better than the rest and should be chief. It was the conch (a twisted long sort of shell that makes a deep sound when blown) that led to Ralph's leadership. The conch helps to make Ralph appear strongest, not necessarily physically but intellectually. The conch is a representation of authority and power. Ralph, Piggy, and Simon represent different aspects of a civilized world the boys have left behind. Jack is a bully who commands through brute force. The others follow blindly.

The hatred towards Ralph and Piggy is built up over the period of time, culminating with Piggy's death and then continuing until they are rescued by the sailor, who is a representative for the world. This hatred is based upon the lust for power and Piggy's use of common sense. Jack becomes jealous and envious of the two friends because he did no think of the idea for a fire. He did not see the great need to be rescued, thus Piggy's death is caused partly by jealousy. Jack gets most of the boys to accept his philosophy “who'll join my tribe and have fun?” as they reject the moral standards of civilization. This can be compared to city gangs of today who reject the common standards of civil society and act according to their own wills, desires, and passions.

Conformity plays a major role in the novel. In the beginning, Jack's boys conform to become a choir, Jack being the choir director. When Jack is given the responsibility of finding food, the choir again conforms to follow Jack and they become hunters. This form of conformity becomes a threat to Piggy and Ralph as the hunters are prepared to do anything that Jack asks of them. They become savages and thus through their conformity and not having any individuality, they kill Simon and Piggy.

Jacks lust for power and leadership is the cause of separation between the groups of boys. This symbolizes the establishment between two opposing parties, one representing a good cause and the other evil. In this instance, Ralph, Piggy and Samneric (Sam & Eric-twins) seeing the need to keep the fire alight to be rescued; Jack and the other boys seeking more for fun, adventure and hunting. Thus Jack, using fear, is able to control the boy's minds through deception, against Piggy. This fear which is created mainly by the thought of “the beast” Jack is capable of establishing a link between the boys natural instincts to act upon their own will and not to act upon a fear of something or someone. This fear is created among themselves and the "beast" is a symbol of themselves and man. Taking into account the things which man has done, especially the new war which has put them in the situation in which they are now. Jack uses this fear to his own advantage. Piggy in a desperate situation is murdered brutally by a falling boulder, unleashed by jack's boys from the top of a cliff. This demonstrates clearly, the hatred Jack has towards Piggy.

Piggy representing a thinker and not a doer in life's society, is noticed by Jack to be a threat and thus seeking vengeance to get his own way, Jack set up a night raid on Piggy and Ralph. The aim, to steal Piggy's glasses. Their goal to steal the glasses is successful and in a vain and foolish attempt to get his glasses back, Ralph and Piggy find themselves in an awkward situation. What starts out to be a pleasant approach soon turns into a tragic death. As Piggy is struck by the falling rock, the conch is smashed into many pieces. This demonstrates that all hope of civilized authority and order being returned to the island has been destroyed, shattered and left to blow in the wind.

Upon reading the novel as both an adventure story and as a perspective on humanity's actions and problems, we come to the conclusion that Piggy's death is indeed of great importance and significance to the novel and is the unique symbolic outcome of man's own faults and difficulties. We can see that the death of Piggy was brought about by many evil problems prevalent in our world today, including pride, conformity, hatred and selfish intent.

A short rundown of Before His Time: The spirit warrior:

Bryan, the main character, who is an ex-army ranger, and an expert in Kempo style karate, takes a trip to the dentist office. He wakes up, in a field naked. He finds himself alone and isolated. His army ranger instincts kick in for survival. He notices at night, the sky is much clearer than normal; no air travel ever passes over. He begins to find ancient weapons, such as tomahawks and arrows. He thinks it is just some hunters trying their hand in the old ways.

Bryan soon finds out he is in another time, another place, living with the plains Indians. He begins his quest to find out how he has arrived in the past, and why!

My over all review of this book was: Breath taking, realistic, and a great journey back in time. I would also like to thank the author for being able to craft a masterpiece that kept my mind in wonders. This book is by far the best book I had ever read!

 

As Tom ventures to Jackson's Island and McDougal's Cave, he retreats further and further away from society, becoming somewhat of a recluse even. However, with each journey away from classical society he is able to venture further into his own mind in order to reach a mental maturity not possible through common practices amongst the community. Early in his adventures Tom uses Huck as an idol, as someone he can look up to and aspire to be, but as the story progresses Tom no longer needs to look up to Huck for guidance, in fact the reader could expect Huck to start idolizing Tom and perhaps even begin to shadow him through his mental journey into maturity. “Tom's personal growth is evident in his insistence, in the face of Huck's desire to flee all social constraints, that Huck stay with the Widow Douglas and become civilized” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Spark Notes, online).

Counterbalancing the theme of social and moral maturation is the self evident theme of hypocrisy in society. This effect is achieved every time the author criticizes the values and standards of the adults in Tom's town, while at the same time expecting Tom to develop these beliefs and practices on his own in order to be a mature and valued member of society, a goal almost impossible to achieve with the projected morals to be enforced. Twain shows this hypocritical society in more than few aspects, including the school, law, gossip, hearsay, and opinion of the civilization. Another thing the author chooses to acknowledge as essentially flawed are the characters that he creates, pointing out specific personality faults and immaturities in some of the people in Tom's life.

Twain chooses to focus on the seemingly consistent law of inconsistentness in society's moral, ethical, and political outlook. Twain also separates the two, showing that not just people may be held to this law, but that organizations ands administrations can as well, include legislation. This law of inconsistencies is further enforced in the way Twain depicts families throughout the novel. “The town where Tom Sawyer was born and brought up is some such idle shabby Mississippi River town as Mr. Clemens has so well described in his piloting reminiscences, but Tom belongs to the better sort of people in it, and has been bred to fear God and dread the Sunday-school according to the strictest rite of the faiths that have characterized all the respectability of the West” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” The Atlantic Online, online). He shows two sides to each household, containing a parental restriction and authoritative stance, as well as the polar opposite, one filled with love and pleasure. “Though she attempts to restrain and punish Tom, Aunt Polly always goes soft because of her love for her nephew” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Spark Notes, online). Following the progression of the story is the habits of the townspeople, who start going in the same direction as Aunt Polly, and begin to substitute punishment with indulgence. This switch becomes apparent when Tom returns unscathed from his adventures. When the villagers should be outraged and appalled, they instead show compassion and forgiveness towards Tom because they are so thankful he is not harmed, a parental persona absorbed by the people. This same sentiment is later mocked by the author when it is illustrated that the town so willingly forgives the outlaw Injun Joe once he is dead, being consumed by the emotions usually only evoked by their own "little rascal."

The activities partaken in by the towns small children as play, resemble training in the ways of subversion of authority and rule, and how to skillfully escape from the mainstream ways of the majority population of the novel's small town. “Skipping school, sneaking out at night, playing tricks on the teacher, and running away for days at a time are all ways of breaking the rules and defying authority” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Spark Notes, online). However, this clever writer does not let his readers take this symbol at face value, and subjects them to another version or meaning to these games than one might first perceive. “Tom is highly concerned with conforming to the codes of behavior that he has learned from reading, and he outlines the various criteria that define a pirate, a Robin Hood, or a circus clown. The boys' obsession with superstition is likewise an addiction to convention, which also mirrors the adult society's focus on religion. Thus, the novel shows that adult existence is more similar to childhood existence than it might seem” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Spark Notes, online). Even while constantly poking holes into the way commonplace society functions as one gigantic hypocrite, Mr. Twain choose to also back authority's right and the moral correctness of facing problems rather than running from them and their consequences. This is achieved every time the book demonstrates the system of crime and punishment, and displays how subversion can lead to larger problems or crimes in the future, while at the same time it shows the negative effects than can come from too strongly following authority. “He is mischievous, but not vicious; he is ready for almost any depredation that involves the danger and honor of adventure, but profanity he knows may provoke a thunderbolt upon the heart of the blasphemer, and he almost never swears; he resorts to any stratagem to keep out of school, but he is not a downright liar, except upon terms of after shame and remorse that make his falsehood bitter to him” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” The Atlantic Online, online). A certain level of free thinking is required to adequately function as a proper human being.

One lesser theme, but one still worthy of notation, is freedom through social exclusion. The town in the novel, St. Petersburg, is a tight knit social community, in which foreigners do not fit in well or obtain the same status as the other townspeople. Easily the most well known outsider is Huck Finn, who is banished to the outskirts of town and must provide his own means of food and shelter as his father does not privy him to such comforts and is rather preoccupied by alcohol consumption and the resulting drunkenness. Other foreign peoples to the town include yet another drunk; Muff Potter, and the criminalistic and horrifying Injun Joe. However, like every other theme in this novel, there exists a parallel to it. “Despite the community's clear separation of outsiders from insiders, however, it seems to have a strong impulse toward inclusiveness. The community tolerates the drunkenness of a harmless rascal like Muff Potter, and Huck is more or less protected even though he exists on the fringes of society. Tom too is an orphan who has been taken in by Aunt Polly out of love and filial responsibility” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Spark Notes, online). The only person who isn't included even slightly into the town's inter-workings of love and hospitality is Injun Joe. However after the death of Joe, his remembrance is warped in such a way as to allow him to become part of the town, and be fully embraced by its loving arms, and not rejected like the scum he was always been viewed to be. One may start to worry about the living conditions of this child living out on his own, but these concerns are lessened, or more so distracted from, while the author disillusions the reader with whimsical tales of the boy's liberty allowed by his exclusion from society. The other children are not even allowed to play with him, as it would be looked down on by the entirety of the community, and a beating may even be in order should anyone ever find out about the goings on between Huck and Tom. Essentially all alone in the wilderness, Huck never attains any sort of formal education or rations to sustain and nourish his young male frame. As far as housing goes, Huck is also homeless. Perhaps in today's society this would not be acceptable, and the young man would be brought into a state-run foster center or at least taken care of by the generosity of the neighboring civilization, one would hope. It is assumed that Huck resorts to crime to attain all necessities or commodities that he consumes, as he is frequently mentioned as smoking a pipe, and as he is not described to have an unsightly visible skeletal structure, he must be getting food somewhere.

It is only after the treasure is had that Huck should be provided for. Once he comes into a great deal of money, the Widow Douglas offers to take him in and treat him as if he were her own son. The genius of this connection is to assimilate the relationship between economic value, and social value. It is only after Huck has money that he is able to be treated as a member of St. Petersburg. This change however is certainly not welcomed by Huck. It is obvious to the reader that this character would never willingly remove him self from the lifestyle to which he has become accustom. Although the offer by the widow is a generous one indeed, Twain illustrates that when removed from the conventions of society for so long, one cannot hope to return. Huck has been claimed by the wilds in which he lived, and to go back to a civilized lifestyle would not be possible for him, but as he is just a minor he does not have any option, he must accept this apparent choice as an inevitability. In this event the author again shows the hypocrisy of society, how it is only acceptable because the character is a boy, were it Injun Joe who found the treasure, the Widow Douglas would not offer to take him in. This double standard is apparent throughout the novel, and is expressed on a seemingly rhythmic basis, as it occurs more often than any other theme. This just goes to show another valid point made by the author, that being included in society comes at its own price too, and could be considered a luxury for which a tax must be paid, but the tax in question here is not one of a monetary value, but rather something more spiritual and sacrificial, ones own freedom. In order to be accepted into St. Petersburg, Huck is forced to give up his feral self, and take on a persona unbecoming of him, a persona of the average child, bound by the shackles of law and order which have been implemented, not by a court, but by the moral and ethical views of the society to which he is being incorporated into.

The final recognizable major theme of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is superstition in an uncertain world. Superstition can be defined as, “an irrational belief or practice resulting from ignorance or fear of the unknown. The validity of superstitions is based on belief in the power of magic and witchcraft and in such invisible forces as spirits and demons” (“Superstition,” The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition). This theme if first introduced when Tom and Huck venture into the graveyard to try some kind of voodoo or mysticism to cure some warts. The superstition of the main characters in this novel could be a reflection of the old times and under-educated characters, or a demonstration in the differences of childhood and adulthood. The superstition of the boys runs a close parallel to religion in society. When certain events are encountered they must choose which superstition they are going to follow and make their decisions from. It is in this manner that Twains pokes fun at mainstream religious beliefs, and exposes the hypocrisy in the world's belief system. However, in order to achieve all of these effects, Twain must evoke the help of an unrealistic universe in which he can place all his characters and events, so that they may interact without question from the reader. “The humorousness of the boys' obsession with witches, ghosts, and graveyards papers over, to some extent, the real horror of the things to which the boys are exposed: grave digging, murder, starvation, and attempted mutilation. The relative ease with which they assimilate these ghastly events into their childish world is perhaps one of the least realistic aspects of the novel. (If the novel were written today, we might expect to read about the psychic damage these extreme childhood experiences have done to these boys.) The boys negotiate all this horror because they exist in a world suspended somewhere between reality and make-believe. Their fear of death is real and pervasive, for example, but we also have the sense that they do not really understand death and all of its ramifications” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Spark Notes, online).