What you want materially and what you want spiritually are both important, says John Gray, PhD, in How to Get What You Want and Want What You Have. "Wanting more is the nature of our soul, mind, heart, and senses", he says. As an antidote of sorts to the sometimes overly strict books of late that advocate a life of utter simplicity, he concedes that it's okay to want a big promotion or fancy car. It's also noble to want a solid spiritual life and to want to be at peace with yourself. However, he says, you need to recognise and work on the many self-defeating behaviours that may be thwarting your chances for reaching your goals. In fact, he identifies 24 typical stumbling blocks to look for.

How to Get What You Want and Want What You Have is perfect for the ostensibly successful businesspeople who can't explain why they are miserable, or people who blame their partners for their miseries instead of looking inward. It's filled with anecdotes and tools to help you achieve a fuller sense of identity. Gray says that one of the most important steps to reaching this level of self-awareness is meditation, and Gray gives dozens of stepping-off points for meditation exercises to help you ascertain what exactly it is that you want, and how to remove any obstacles--whether external or internal. Take it from a man who used to be so ascetic that he was rendered homeless but now has achieved a strong sense of self and has managed to write nine best-selling books: both spiritual and material success are within your grasp. --Amazon.comJohn Gray, bestselling author of the Mars and Venus series, has left the Martians and Venusians and their relationship problems way behind as he fires himself off into another stratosphere and works with us earthlings this time.

His book How to Get What You Want and Want What You Have, will provide solutions to both those who feel they haven't quite made it yet--unhappy with their general levels of health, wealth and happiness--and those who seem to have all of the above and are still unhappy. Gray, is as ever intensely practical, breaking the complexities of life and love into bite-sized chunks showing you the way to move forward in life in a step-by-step format. He covers everything from explaining the 10 different types of love that you need at differing stages of your life to listing 12 healing meditations which can help you let go of everything from indifference to self pity. With a more spiritual tone than in previous books, Grey still manages to present a sensible and comprehensive guide to getting a happier and more rewarding life. His book seems to truly give you all the tools with which to make all your dreams come true. It seems it's up to you now.

Straight onto my best reads list, 16 Aug 2008
It's a shame some people were put off by the use of the term 'God', since a term is all it is.
It does say that it's a 'spiritual' guide on the cover and to be honest, I don't know how anyone could achieve personal happiness without the kind of wisdom and peace that can be included under the huge umbrella of spirituality. I was a staunch atheist most of my life and still technically am since I don't follow any religion per se. I'm so much happier since developing a more open attitude to the experience of life, which after all, is pretty magical whatever you believe in.
The title put me off at first and I really only read it because a good friend bought it for me. I've since passed it on to others and recommended it in the book shop where I work.
I found his breakdown of life stages very interesting if a little overly age specific, and the 'love tanks', as cheesy as they sound, are a simple and ingenious way of looking your emotional nourishment.
If you truly want to understand happiness, maybe opening up is a good step.
But as they say, 'when the student is ready, the master appears' so if you hated it, don't throw it away, it might just not be the right time.

very usefull., 13 Oct 2005
if you think not to read it because you didnt like the mars venus series, this is very different.

i have found the exercises in this book to be incredibly useful.
some people might be put off by his references to spiritual beliefs, but it is actually not essential that you are spiritual or religious. some people might be put off by his rather honey sweet and rosy way of expressing him self at times... your loss.

the ideas he presents are in many ways common sense.
but what has made me read and reread this book again and again, is the section about repressed and stuck feelings. and how to release them. the tool he present is very simple. and it has helped me tremendoulsy, with healing my past, but also with dealing with emotions out of control in every day life.

it is a great tool in understanding your own true motives and reasons behind extreemely negative emotions, and negative behaviour. cognitive therapy approach might teach you to think differently, but this book focuses on feelings and healing the past. and more to the point, creating your future.

it might not solve all your problems, but it can help alot with painfull memories and experiences.but a warning. if you start the letter exercises and open up for alot of pain... FINISH the exercise, it is extreemely important since it is there the healing comes in. i would recomend nathaniel brandon's raise your self esteem book to move to the next level after the emotional healing for more specifics...

there are many different approaches suggested. i have never used the ones involving meditation or prayor. belief in god or anything spiritual is not nessecary.

it found me at a place of desperation and extreeme pain, and i have loved this book for 8 years, and will return to its tools all my life.

but it only gets four stars for being slightly obnoxiously honey sweet. ignore it there be treasure in there...

Amazingly usefull Book, 27 Nov 2003
Well, I picked up this book in my brothers library. Never Heard about the author, however once I started reading and scanning through the book I got hooked instantly.
The author used to be a Monch for many years where he had time to get close to god and really find a sense in life and love. However I jumped through the content because I didn't find all the chapters relevant for me, but the few chapters were well worth 3riple the price.
One last warning would be if you don't believe into any stronger power above yoursef be it spirits, god, etc... then this book is also probabky not for you.
However if you are a christian, musslim, buddhist and have a religion than get this book, its fantastic

Superstitious rubbish, 18 Dec 2002
This book is truly dreadful. Depressingly familiar themes reminiscent of other self-improvement books have their already flimsy credibility further undermined by the author's bizarre and repeated references to 'God'. Those genuinely seeking to enhance their lives should not buy this superstitious rubbish.

Complete nonsense, 27 Jul 2002
I regret buying this book. I was rather aggrieved to start reading it to find that 'God' features quite a lot in his writings - off-putting for us athiests. Actually the content is crass and patronising with talk of love tanks and love vitamins, rather Oprah Winfrey. The author is a wealthy man having found a ready market for this kind of gushing twaddle; this is a worrying fact in itself...

Straight onto my best reads list, 16 Aug 2008
It's a shame some people were put off by the use of the term 'God', since a term is all it is.
It does say that it's a 'spiritual' guide on the cover and to be honest, I don't know how anyone could achieve personal happiness without the kind of wisdom and peace that can be included under the huge umbrella of spirituality. I was a staunch atheist most of my life and still technically am since I don't follow any religion per se. I'm so much happier since developing a more open attitude to the experience of life, which after all, is pretty magical whatever you believe in.
The title put me off at first and I really only read it because a good friend bought it for me. I've since passed it on to others and recommended it in the book shop where I work.
I found his breakdown of life stages very interesting if a little overly age specific, and the 'love tanks', as cheesy as they sound, are a simple and ingenious way of looking your emotional nourishment.
If you truly want to understand happiness, maybe opening up is a good step.
But as they say, 'when the student is ready, the master appears' so if you hated it, don't throw it away, it might just not be the right time.

very usefull., 13 Oct 2005
if you think not to read it because you didnt like the mars venus series, this is very different.

i have found the exercises in this book to be incredibly useful.
some people might be put off by his references to spiritual beliefs, but it is actually not essential that you are spiritual or religious. some people might be put off by his rather honey sweet and rosy way of expressing him self at times... your loss.

the ideas he presents are in many ways common sense.
but what has made me read and reread this book again and again, is the section about repressed and stuck feelings. and how to release them. the tool he present is very simple. and it has helped me tremendoulsy, with healing my past, but also with dealing with emotions out of control in every day life.

it is a great tool in understanding your own true motives and reasons behind extreemely negative emotions, and negative behaviour. cognitive therapy approach might teach you to think differently, but this book focuses on feelings and healing the past. and more to the point, creating your future.

it might not solve all your problems, but it can help alot with painfull memories and experiences.but a warning. if you start the letter exercises and open up for alot of pain... FINISH the exercise, it is extreemely important since it is there the healing comes in. i would recomend nathaniel brandon's raise your self esteem book to move to the next level after the emotional healing for more specifics...

there are many different approaches suggested. i have never used the ones involving meditation or prayor. belief in god or anything spiritual is not nessecary.

it found me at a place of desperation and extreeme pain, and i have loved this book for 8 years, and will return to its tools all my life.

but it only gets four stars for being slightly obnoxiously honey sweet. ignore it there be treasure in there...

Amazingly usefull Book, 27 Nov 2003
Well, I picked up this book in my brothers library. Never Heard about the author, however once I started reading and scanning through the book I got hooked instantly.
The author used to be a Monch for many years where he had time to get close to god and really find a sense in life and love. However I jumped through the content because I didn't find all the chapters relevant for me, but the few chapters were well worth 3riple the price.
One last warning would be if you don't believe into any stronger power above yoursef be it spirits, god, etc... then this book is also probabky not for you.
However if you are a christian, musslim, buddhist and have a religion than get this book, its fantastic

Superstitious rubbish, 18 Dec 2002
This book is truly dreadful. Depressingly familiar themes reminiscent of other self-improvement books have their already flimsy credibility further undermined by the author's bizarre and repeated references to 'God'. Those genuinely seeking to enhance their lives should not buy this superstitious rubbish.

Complete nonsense, 27 Jul 2002
I regret buying this book. I was rather aggrieved to start reading it to find that 'God' features quite a lot in his writings - off-putting for us athiests. Actually the content is crass and patronising with talk of love tanks and love vitamins, rather Oprah Winfrey. The author is a wealthy man having found a ready market for this kind of gushing twaddle; this is a worrying fact in itself...

Enter Destrii, 19 Feb 2007
This is the third of the four collections of Eighth Doctor comic strips taken from Doctor Who magazine and the first full colour collection. It details some major upheavals for companion Izzy and the introduction of Destrii, a fish-like alien who plays an important part in the Doctor's future.

The first story, Ophidius which takes place in an alien space craft designed to destroy worlds, starts off an arc that runs through to the last story, Oblivion, which takes place on an alien world where animal-faced humanoids are in charge and gladiatorial combat decides rights of succession. Along the way old friend Fey Truscott-Sade returns in a World War 2 adventure, Izzy has a baptism in the TARDIS swimming pool and alien artists plague Mexico and Frida Kahlo helps save the day. The Daleks are here too, having discovered peace...

The stories have the usual action and intelligence that I've come to expect from these collections. Scott Gray weaves a story that is cosmic in scope but very intimate and moving as Izzy undergoes some distressing changes that even the Doctor is unable to help her with. I think the Doctor really comes into his own in this collection. McGann's Doctor has always been somewhat nebulous. Writers have tended to write the Doctor they wanted to see, rather than taking into account McGann's performance and attitudes to the character. The comic book version solidifies here, showing weaknesses and anger and great joy. The relationship with Izzy, like the 7th Doctor and Ace, is a real precursor to the new series approach. The art is also very good and the colouring is very rich and deep. High points include John Ross' art on the Fey/WW2 story and Lee Sullivan's daleks.

If you haven't been buying these collections, do so.

In The Fiend in Human, Edmund Whitty, a dissolute journalist, writes columns on grisly crimes and the latest public hangings for The Falcon, a muckraking tabloid in Victorian London. Whitty is addicted to a variety of potions: gin, snuff, laudanum and Acker's Chlorodine (opium, marijuana and cocaine in alcohol). His latest series focuses on William Ryan, whom he has dubbed Chokee Bill: murderer of five women, lover of the stately Mrs Marlowe and presently an inmate in Coldbath Fields prison awaiting his appointment with the noose. But when murders continue in Chokee Bill's signature style, Whitty must return to the streets to investigate.

A successful dramatist (Billy Bishop Goes to War), John MacLachlan Gray fills his novel with waggish Victorian-era dialogue, as in the exchange between Whitty and his editor:

"You make an appalling sight, Edmund. Consumptive and syphilitic at the same time."
"In actual fact I have been contemplating the water cure--nothing like it to tone the system."
"Water would be a novelty in your system, I should think."
"London water is notorious. Gives you typhus."
"You'll use any excuse to deteriorate."
"Deterioration is relative. We all deteriorate."
"Not with your enthusiasm."

A pair of Oxford swells also plays an important role in this finely built novel, as well as a family from the lower orders that helps Whitty in his investigations of the slippery Ryan. Gray's depictions of seedy, contaminated London are enough to make the reader itch. Altogether, Gray has written a fine thriller that explores the power and limits of the press, as well as the depths of the human beast. --Mark Frutkin, Amazon.ca

Straight onto my best reads list, 16 Aug 2008
It's a shame some people were put off by the use of the term 'God', since a term is all it is.
It does say that it's a 'spiritual' guide on the cover and to be honest, I don't know how anyone could achieve personal happiness without the kind of wisdom and peace that can be included under the huge umbrella of spirituality. I was a staunch atheist most of my life and still technically am since I don't follow any religion per se. I'm so much happier since developing a more open attitude to the experience of life, which after all, is pretty magical whatever you believe in.
The title put me off at first and I really only read it because a good friend bought it for me. I've since passed it on to others and recommended it in the book shop where I work.
I found his breakdown of life stages very interesting if a little overly age specific, and the 'love tanks', as cheesy as they sound, are a simple and ingenious way of looking your emotional nourishment.
If you truly want to understand happiness, maybe opening up is a good step.
But as they say, 'when the student is ready, the master appears' so if you hated it, don't throw it away, it might just not be the right time.

very usefull., 13 Oct 2005
if you think not to read it because you didnt like the mars venus series, this is very different.

i have found the exercises in this book to be incredibly useful.
some people might be put off by his references to spiritual beliefs, but it is actually not essential that you are spiritual or religious. some people might be put off by his rather honey sweet and rosy way of expressing him self at times... your loss.

the ideas he presents are in many ways common sense.
but what has made me read and reread this book again and again, is the section about repressed and stuck feelings. and how to release them. the tool he present is very simple. and it has helped me tremendoulsy, with healing my past, but also with dealing with emotions out of control in every day life.

it is a great tool in understanding your own true motives and reasons behind extreemely negative emotions, and negative behaviour. cognitive therapy approach might teach you to think differently, but this book focuses on feelings and healing the past. and more to the point, creating your future.

it might not solve all your problems, but it can help alot with painfull memories and experiences.but a warning. if you start the letter exercises and open up for alot of pain... FINISH the exercise, it is extreemely important since it is there the healing comes in. i would recomend nathaniel brandon's raise your self esteem book to move to the next level after the emotional healing for more specifics...

there are many different approaches suggested. i have never used the ones involving meditation or prayor. belief in god or anything spiritual is not nessecary.

it found me at a place of desperation and extreeme pain, and i have loved this book for 8 years, and will return to its tools all my life.

but it only gets four stars for being slightly obnoxiously honey sweet. ignore it there be treasure in there...

Amazingly usefull Book, 27 Nov 2003
Well, I picked up this book in my brothers library. Never Heard about the author, however once I started reading and scanning through the book I got hooked instantly.
The author used to be a Monch for many years where he had time to get close to god and really find a sense in life and love. However I jumped through the content because I didn't find all the chapters relevant for me, but the few chapters were well worth 3riple the price.
One last warning would be if you don't believe into any stronger power above yoursef be it spirits, god, etc... then this book is also probabky not for you.
However if you are a christian, musslim, buddhist and have a religion than get this book, its fantastic

Superstitious rubbish, 18 Dec 2002
This book is truly dreadful. Depressingly familiar themes reminiscent of other self-improvement books have their already flimsy credibility further undermined by the author's bizarre and repeated references to 'God'. Those genuinely seeking to enhance their lives should not buy this superstitious rubbish.

Complete nonsense, 27 Jul 2002
I regret buying this book. I was rather aggrieved to start reading it to find that 'God' features quite a lot in his writings - off-putting for us athiests. Actually the content is crass and patronising with talk of love tanks and love vitamins, rather Oprah Winfrey. The author is a wealthy man having found a ready market for this kind of gushing twaddle; this is a worrying fact in itself...

Enter Destrii, 19 Feb 2007
This is the third of the four collections of Eighth Doctor comic strips taken from Doctor Who magazine and the first full colour collection. It details some major upheavals for companion Izzy and the introduction of Destrii, a fish-like alien who plays an important part in the Doctor's future.

The first story, Ophidius which takes place in an alien space craft designed to destroy worlds, starts off an arc that runs through to the last story, Oblivion, which takes place on an alien world where animal-faced humanoids are in charge and gladiatorial combat decides rights of succession. Along the way old friend Fey Truscott-Sade returns in a World War 2 adventure, Izzy has a baptism in the TARDIS swimming pool and alien artists plague Mexico and Frida Kahlo helps save the day. The Daleks are here too, having discovered peace...

The stories have the usual action and intelligence that I've come to expect from these collections. Scott Gray weaves a story that is cosmic in scope but very intimate and moving as Izzy undergoes some distressing changes that even the Doctor is unable to help her with. I think the Doctor really comes into his own in this collection. McGann's Doctor has always been somewhat nebulous. Writers have tended to write the Doctor they wanted to see, rather than taking into account McGann's performance and attitudes to the character. The comic book version solidifies here, showing weaknesses and anger and great joy. The relationship with Izzy, like the 7th Doctor and Ace, is a real precursor to the new series approach. The art is also very good and the colouring is very rich and deep. High points include John Ross' art on the Fey/WW2 story and Lee Sullivan's daleks.

If you haven't been buying these collections, do so.

Brilliant Victorian who-dunnit., 06 Mar 2008
From start to finish this is a Great book. As good as any modern day who-dunnit but set in Victorian times. Johns writing is so descriptive you can almost taste the smells of old London town, If you know what I mean. Everything is seen from the perspective of a latter-day journalist who plays at detective, but almost to the end you pick the wrong man. Or at least I did!
As good as any Sherlock Holmes novel, with shades of Jack the Ripper.

Fiendishly witty, 29 Feb 2008
What distinguishes The Fiend in Human from the myriad other Victorian thrillers?
1) The protagonist. Edmund Whitty is dissolute, insolvent, and hapless--yet aware of these shortcomings to comic yet poignant effect. He's also articulate, intelligent, intuitive, and despite an exterior of skepticism and degeneracy, a highly moral being. All of which makes him someone you want to spend as much time with as possible.
2) The writing. By combining the arch floridness of Victorian prose with a present-tense, subtly ironic style, Gray has created a distinctive voice.
3) The supporting characters. Not a cliche or stock character among them.
4) The humour. Yes, the story revolves around a Jack the Ripper type, but the book is damn funny nonetheless.

Recommended., 18 Feb 2008
I confess,I found this slow to start,but I persisted,because it was well written,and it soon gripped me to the point where I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.It's full of great period detail,but does not belabour it,and manages to render the language authentically and in an easily understandable style.Whitty,the central protaganist, hero seems a little too much,is an engaging character;venal,proud,a drunkard,a drug addict,a liar and,perhaps worst of all,a journalist,and yet a man with morals and compassion.Broke and unpopular,he needs a big story and becomes emboiled in the hunt for a serial killer who is strangling prostitutes

There a several writers in this genre now, (Nineteenth century Noir?) but Gray is one of the best of them.He's managed to take a very old tale and, by putting his crusading journalist in the London of 1852,a place many of its current inhabitants would recognise,give it enough of a twist to tell it well. It makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read,even though you might well guess the identity of the killer some way before the final page.Gray has already written 2 more novels featuring Whitty and I look forward to reading them.

Oooh, like it very much!, 15 Dec 2006
Of all possible settings for crime fiction Victorian London must be one of the most eagerly used, but among the fierce competition of dozens if not hundreds of other novels set in that era, this one for me ranks among the very best.

There's nothing really new here (the streets filled with fog, fallen women, the poverty of the slums, a serial killer on the loose... It's all there), but Gray's prose is ever so colourful, and the dialogue so lively (making me laugh out loud often enough) that if felt as if I had never before read a thriller set in Victorian London.

Also, the protagonist Mr. Whitty of The Falcon is such a true-to-life and likeable character that I sincerely hope he will soon reappear in future novels.

A Victorian Mystery, 13 Apr 2003
If, like me, you like a period setting for your mysteries, this will be for you. Set in 1852 London, it centres on the brutal murder of five prostitutes, and the conviction of 'Chokee Bill', so named by correspondent Edmund Whitty of that eminent organ, the Falcon. Whitty, through a fog of gin and opium, begins to suspect that the Peelers have got the wrong man, but for some reason don't want to admit it. There ensues a complex and amusing romp through the Victorian London underworld, which ends, not quite predictably, with a certain measure of justice being meted out to almost all concerned. An excellent read.

Straight onto my best reads list, 16 Aug 2008
It's a shame some people were put off by the use of the term 'God', since a term is all it is.
It does say that it's a 'spiritual' guide on the cover and to be honest, I don't know how anyone could achieve personal happiness without the kind of wisdom and peace that can be included under the huge umbrella of spirituality. I was a staunch atheist most of my life and still technically am since I don't follow any religion per se. I'm so much happier since developing a more open attitude to the experience of life, which after all, is pretty magical whatever you believe in.
The title put me off at first and I really only read it because a good friend bought it for me. I've since passed it on to others and recommended it in the book shop where I work.
I found his breakdown of life stages very interesting if a little overly age specific, and the 'love tanks', as cheesy as they sound, are a simple and ingenious way of looking your emotional nourishment.
If you truly want to understand happiness, maybe opening up is a good step.
But as they say, 'when the student is ready, the master appears' so if you hated it, don't throw it away, it might just not be the right time.

very usefull., 13 Oct 2005
if you think not to read it because you didnt like the mars venus series, this is very different.

i have found the exercises in this book to be incredibly useful.
some people might be put off by his references to spiritual beliefs, but it is actually not essential that you are spiritual or religious. some people might be put off by his rather honey sweet and rosy way of expressing him self at times... your loss.

the ideas he presents are in many ways common sense.
but what has made me read and reread this book again and again, is the section about repressed and stuck feelings. and how to release them. the tool he present is very simple. and it has helped me tremendoulsy, with healing my past, but also with dealing with emotions out of control in every day life.

it is a great tool in understanding your own true motives and reasons behind extreemely negative emotions, and negative behaviour. cognitive therapy approach might teach you to think differently, but this book focuses on feelings and healing the past. and more to the point, creating your future.

it might not solve all your problems, but it can help alot with painfull memories and experiences.but a warning. if you start the letter exercises and open up for alot of pain... FINISH the exercise, it is extreemely important since it is there the healing comes in. i would recomend nathaniel brandon's raise your self esteem book to move to the next level after the emotional healing for more specifics...

there are many different approaches suggested. i have never used the ones involving meditation or prayor. belief in god or anything spiritual is not nessecary.

it found me at a place of desperation and extreeme pain, and i have loved this book for 8 years, and will return to its tools all my life.

but it only gets four stars for being slightly obnoxiously honey sweet. ignore it there be treasure in there...

Amazingly usefull Book, 27 Nov 2003
Well, I picked up this book in my brothers library. Never Heard about the author, however once I started reading and scanning through the book I got hooked instantly.
The author used to be a Monch for many years where he had time to get close to god and really find a sense in life and love. However I jumped through the content because I didn't find all the chapters relevant for me, but the few chapters were well worth 3riple the price.
One last warning would be if you don't believe into any stronger power above yoursef be it spirits, god, etc... then this book is also probabky not for you.
However if you are a christian, musslim, buddhist and have a religion than get this book, its fantastic

Superstitious rubbish, 18 Dec 2002
This book is truly dreadful. Depressingly familiar themes reminiscent of other self-improvement books have their already flimsy credibility further undermined by the author's bizarre and repeated references to 'God'. Those genuinely seeking to enhance their lives should not buy this superstitious rubbish.

Complete nonsense, 27 Jul 2002
I regret buying this book. I was rather aggrieved to start reading it to find that 'God' features quite a lot in his writings - off-putting for us athiests. Actually the content is crass and patronising with talk of love tanks and love vitamins, rather Oprah Winfrey. The author is a wealthy man having found a ready market for this kind of gushing twaddle; this is a worrying fact in itself...

Enter Destrii, 19 Feb 2007
This is the third of the four collections of Eighth Doctor comic strips taken from Doctor Who magazine and the first full colour collection. It details some major upheavals for companion Izzy and the introduction of Destrii, a fish-like alien who plays an important part in the Doctor's future.

The first story, Ophidius which takes place in an alien space craft designed to destroy worlds, starts off an arc that runs through to the last story, Oblivion, which takes place on an alien world where animal-faced humanoids are in charge and gladiatorial combat decides rights of succession. Along the way old friend Fey Truscott-Sade returns in a World War 2 adventure, Izzy has a baptism in the TARDIS swimming pool and alien artists plague Mexico and Frida Kahlo helps save the day. The Daleks are here too, having discovered peace...

The stories have the usual action and intelligence that I've come to expect from these collections. Scott Gray weaves a story that is cosmic in scope but very intimate and moving as Izzy undergoes some distressing changes that even the Doctor is unable to help her with. I think the Doctor really comes into his own in this collection. McGann's Doctor has always been somewhat nebulous. Writers have tended to write the Doctor they wanted to see, rather than taking into account McGann's performance and attitudes to the character. The comic book version solidifies here, showing weaknesses and anger and great joy. The relationship with Izzy, like the 7th Doctor and Ace, is a real precursor to the new series approach. The art is also very good and the colouring is very rich and deep. High points include John Ross' art on the Fey/WW2 story and Lee Sullivan's daleks.

If you haven't been buying these collections, do so.

Brilliant Victorian who-dunnit., 06 Mar 2008
From start to finish this is a Great book. As good as any modern day who-dunnit but set in Victorian times. Johns writing is so descriptive you can almost taste the smells of old London town, If you know what I mean. Everything is seen from the perspective of a latter-day journalist who plays at detective, but almost to the end you pick the wrong man. Or at least I did!
As good as any Sherlock Holmes novel, with shades of Jack the Ripper.

Fiendishly witty, 29 Feb 2008
What distinguishes The Fiend in Human from the myriad other Victorian thrillers?
1) The protagonist. Edmund Whitty is dissolute, insolvent, and hapless--yet aware of these shortcomings to comic yet poignant effect. He's also articulate, intelligent, intuitive, and despite an exterior of skepticism and degeneracy, a highly moral being. All of which makes him someone you want to spend as much time with as possible.
2) The writing. By combining the arch floridness of Victorian prose with a present-tense, subtly ironic style, Gray has created a distinctive voice.
3) The supporting characters. Not a cliche or stock character among them.
4) The humour. Yes, the story revolves around a Jack the Ripper type, but the book is damn funny nonetheless.

Recommended., 18 Feb 2008
I confess,I found this slow to start,but I persisted,because it was well written,and it soon gripped me to the point where I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.It's full of great period detail,but does not belabour it,and manages to render the language authentically and in an easily understandable style.Whitty,the central protaganist, hero seems a little too much,is an engaging character;venal,proud,a drunkard,a drug addict,a liar and,perhaps worst of all,a journalist,and yet a man with morals and compassion.Broke and unpopular,he needs a big story and becomes emboiled in the hunt for a serial killer who is strangling prostitutes

There a several writers in this genre now, (Nineteenth century Noir?) but Gray is one of the best of them.He's managed to take a very old tale and, by putting his crusading journalist in the London of 1852,a place many of its current inhabitants would recognise,give it enough of a twist to tell it well. It makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read,even though you might well guess the identity of the killer some way before the final page.Gray has already written 2 more novels featuring Whitty and I look forward to reading them.

Oooh, like it very much!, 15 Dec 2006
Of all possible settings for crime fiction Victorian London must be one of the most eagerly used, but among the fierce competition of dozens if not hundreds of other novels set in that era, this one for me ranks among the very best.

There's nothing really new here (the streets filled with fog, fallen women, the poverty of the slums, a serial killer on the loose... It's all there), but Gray's prose is ever so colourful, and the dialogue so lively (making me laugh out loud often enough) that if felt as if I had never before read a thriller set in Victorian London.

Also, the protagonist Mr. Whitty of The Falcon is such a true-to-life and likeable character that I sincerely hope he will soon reappear in future novels.

A Victorian Mystery, 13 Apr 2003
If, like me, you like a period setting for your mysteries, this will be for you. Set in 1852 London, it centres on the brutal murder of five prostitutes, and the conviction of 'Chokee Bill', so named by correspondent Edmund Whitty of that eminent organ, the Falcon. Whitty, through a fog of gin and opium, begins to suspect that the Peelers have got the wrong man, but for some reason don't want to admit it. There ensues a complex and amusing romp through the Victorian London underworld, which ends, not quite predictably, with a certain measure of justice being meted out to almost all concerned. An excellent read.

if you like Oscar Wilde, try this, 15 May 2001
Central theme of Couperus' work is the small mindedness and hypocrisy of the The Hague milieu (political capital of the Netherlands): ignorant, posh and arrogant salon talk. His main characters are intelligent and sensitive enough to struggle to escape from their ultimate fate, but are hardly able.

There is usually one or more character present in his books which resemble Couperus himself: hedonistic, -not overtly- gay, mocking the milieu at tea parties, the subject of absurd gossip, but always playing a flamboyant theatrical part in conversations.

Straight onto my best reads list, 16 Aug 2008
It's a shame some people were put off by the use of the term 'God', since a term is all it is.
It does say that it's a 'spiritual' guide on the cover and to be honest, I don't know how anyone could achieve personal happiness without the kind of wisdom and peace that can be included under the huge umbrella of spirituality. I was a staunch atheist most of my life and still technically am since I don't follow any religion per se. I'm so much happier since developing a more open attitude to the experience of life, which after all, is pretty magical whatever you believe in.
The title put me off at first and I really only read it because a good friend bought it for me. I've since passed it on to others and recommended it in the book shop where I work.
I found his breakdown of life stages very interesting if a little overly age specific, and the 'love tanks', as cheesy as they sound, are a simple and ingenious way of looking your emotional nourishment.
If you truly want to understand happiness, maybe opening up is a good step.
But as they say, 'when the student is ready, the master appears' so if you hated it, don't throw it away, it might just not be the right time.

very usefull., 13 Oct 2005
if you think not to read it because you didnt like the mars venus series, this is very different.

i have found the exercises in this book to be incredibly useful.
some people might be put off by his references to spiritual beliefs, but it is actually not essential that you are spiritual or religious. some people might be put off by his rather honey sweet and rosy way of expressing him self at times... your loss.

the ideas he presents are in many ways common sense.
but what has made me read and reread this book again and again, is the section about repressed and stuck feelings. and how to release them. the tool he present is very simple. and it has helped me tremendoulsy, with healing my past, but also with dealing with emotions out of control in every day life.

it is a great tool in understanding your own true motives and reasons behind extreemely negative emotions, and negative behaviour. cognitive therapy approach might teach you to think differently, but this book focuses on feelings and healing the past. and more to the point, creating your future.

it might not solve all your problems, but it can help alot with painfull memories and experiences.but a warning. if you start the letter exercises and open up for alot of pain... FINISH the exercise, it is extreemely important since it is there the healing comes in. i would recomend nathaniel brandon's raise your self esteem book to move to the next level after the emotional healing for more specifics...

there are many different approaches suggested. i have never used the ones involving meditation or prayor. belief in god or anything spiritual is not nessecary.

it found me at a place of desperation and extreeme pain, and i have loved this book for 8 years, and will return to its tools all my life.

but it only gets four stars for being slightly obnoxiously honey sweet. ignore it there be treasure in there...

Amazingly usefull Book, 27 Nov 2003
Well, I picked up this book in my brothers library. Never Heard about the author, however once I started reading and scanning through the book I got hooked instantly.
The author used to be a Monch for many years where he had time to get close to god and really find a sense in life and love. However I jumped through the content because I didn't find all the chapters relevant for me, but the few chapters were well worth 3riple the price.
One last warning would be if you don't believe into any stronger power above yoursef be it spirits, god, etc... then this book is also probabky not for you.
However if you are a christian, musslim, buddhist and have a religion than get this book, its fantastic

Superstitious rubbish, 18 Dec 2002
This book is truly dreadful. Depressingly familiar themes reminiscent of other self-improvement books have their already flimsy credibility further undermined by the author's bizarre and repeated references to 'God'. Those genuinely seeking to enhance their lives should not buy this superstitious rubbish.

Complete nonsense, 27 Jul 2002
I regret buying this book. I was rather aggrieved to start reading it to find that 'God' features quite a lot in his writings - off-putting for us athiests. Actually the content is crass and patronising with talk of love tanks and love vitamins, rather Oprah Winfrey. The author is a wealthy man having found a ready market for this kind of gushing twaddle; this is a worrying fact in itself...

Enter Destrii, 19 Feb 2007
This is the third of the four collections of Eighth Doctor comic strips taken from Doctor Who magazine and the first full colour collection. It details some major upheavals for companion Izzy and the introduction of Destrii, a fish-like alien who plays an important part in the Doctor's future.

The first story, Ophidius which takes place in an alien space craft designed to destroy worlds, starts off an arc that runs through to the last story, Oblivion, which takes place on an alien world where animal-faced humanoids are in charge and gladiatorial combat decides rights of succession. Along the way old friend Fey Truscott-Sade returns in a World War 2 adventure, Izzy has a baptism in the TARDIS swimming pool and alien artists plague Mexico and Frida Kahlo helps save the day. The Daleks are here too, having discovered peace...

The stories have the usual action and intelligence that I've come to expect from these collections. Scott Gray weaves a story that is cosmic in scope but very intimate and moving as Izzy undergoes some distressing changes that even the Doctor is unable to help her with. I think the Doctor really comes into his own in this collection. McGann's Doctor has always been somewhat nebulous. Writers have tended to write the Doctor they wanted to see, rather than taking into account McGann's performance and attitudes to the character. The comic book version solidifies here, showing weaknesses and anger and great joy. The relationship with Izzy, like the 7th Doctor and Ace, is a real precursor to the new series approach. The art is also very good and the colouring is very rich and deep. High points include John Ross' art on the Fey/WW2 story and Lee Sullivan's daleks.

If you haven't been buying these collections, do so.

Brilliant Victorian who-dunnit., 06 Mar 2008
From start to finish this is a Great book. As good as any modern day who-dunnit but set in Victorian times. Johns writing is so descriptive you can almost taste the smells of old London town, If you know what I mean. Everything is seen from the perspective of a latter-day journalist who plays at detective, but almost to the end you pick the wrong man. Or at least I did!
As good as any Sherlock Holmes novel, with shades of Jack the Ripper.

Fiendishly witty, 29 Feb 2008
What distinguishes The Fiend in Human from the myriad other Victorian thrillers?
1) The protagonist. Edmund Whitty is dissolute, insolvent, and hapless--yet aware of these shortcomings to comic yet poignant effect. He's also articulate, intelligent, intuitive, and despite an exterior of skepticism and degeneracy, a highly moral being. All of which makes him someone you want to spend as much time with as possible.
2) The writing. By combining the arch floridness of Victorian prose with a present-tense, subtly ironic style, Gray has created a distinctive voice.
3) The supporting characters. Not a cliche or stock character among them.
4) The humour. Yes, the story revolves around a Jack the Ripper type, but the book is damn funny nonetheless.

Recommended., 18 Feb 2008
I confess,I found this slow to start,but I persisted,because it was well written,and it soon gripped me to the point where I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.It's full of great period detail,but does not belabour it,and manages to render the language authentically and in an easily understandable style.Whitty,the central protaganist, hero seems a little too much,is an engaging character;venal,proud,a drunkard,a drug addict,a liar and,perhaps worst of all,a journalist,and yet a man with morals and compassion.Broke and unpopular,he needs a big story and becomes emboiled in the hunt for a serial killer who is strangling prostitutes

There a several writers in this genre now, (Nineteenth century Noir?) but Gray is one of the best of them.He's managed to take a very old tale and, by putting his crusading journalist in the London of 1852,a place many of its current inhabitants would recognise,give it enough of a twist to tell it well. It makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read,even though you might well guess the identity of the killer some way before the final page.Gray has already written 2 more novels featuring Whitty and I look forward to reading them.

Oooh, like it very much!, 15 Dec 2006
Of all possible settings for crime fiction Victorian London must be one of the most eagerly used, but among the fierce competition of dozens if not hundreds of other novels set in that era, this one for me ranks among the very best.

There's nothing really new here (the streets filled with fog, fallen women, the poverty of the slums, a serial killer on the loose... It's all there), but Gray's prose is ever so colourful, and the dialogue so lively (making me laugh out loud often enough) that if felt as if I had never before read a thriller set in Victorian London.

Also, the protagonist Mr. Whitty of The Falcon is such a true-to-life and likeable character that I sincerely hope he will soon reappear in future novels.

A Victorian Mystery, 13 Apr 2003
If, like me, you like a period setting for your mysteries, this will be for you. Set in 1852 London, it centres on the brutal murder of five prostitutes, and the conviction of 'Chokee Bill', so named by correspondent Edmund Whitty of that eminent organ, the Falcon. Whitty, through a fog of gin and opium, begins to suspect that the Peelers have got the wrong man, but for some reason don't want to admit it. There ensues a complex and amusing romp through the Victorian London underworld, which ends, not quite predictably, with a certain measure of justice being meted out to almost all concerned. An excellent read.

if you like Oscar Wilde, try this, 15 May 2001
Central theme of Couperus' work is the small mindedness and hypocrisy of the The Hague milieu (political capital of the Netherlands): ignorant, posh and arrogant salon talk. His main characters are intelligent and sensitive enough to struggle to escape from their ultimate fate, but are hardly able.

There is usually one or more character present in his books which resemble Couperus himself: hedonistic, -not overtly- gay, mocking the milieu at tea parties, the subject of absurd gossip, but always playing a flamboyant theatrical part in conversations.

enjoyable and uplifting for all, 02 Jun 2003
This book will be instantly recognisible to anyone who has read the original, all the virtues and vices personified in the original are all present. With being a kids book it also makes for easier reading than the original.

To anyone who hasn't read the original: This is the story of Christian who departs from the City of Destruction with a burden on his back. On his journey to the Celestial City he looses his burden and encounters many characters who personify many of the vices and virtues present in the world today. These characters seek either to help or hinder his journey. This is one of the most uplifting books i have ever read and all of the images and lessons contained within, despite the original being written in 1678-9, still have significance today, even for those who are not religious.

Straight onto my best reads list, 16 Aug 2008
It's a shame some people were put off by the use of the term 'God', since a term is all it is.
It does say that it's a 'spiritual' guide on the cover and to be honest, I don't know how anyone could achieve personal happiness without the kind of wisdom and peace that can be included under the huge umbrella of spirituality. I was a staunch atheist most of my life and still technically am since I don't follow any religion per se. I'm so much happier since developing a more open attitude to the experience of life, which after all, is pretty magical whatever you believe in.
The title put me off at first and I really only read it because a good friend bought it for me. I've since passed it on to others and recommended it in the book shop where I work.
I found his breakdown of life stages very interesting if a little overly age specific, and the 'love tanks', as cheesy as they sound, are a simple and ingenious way of looking your emotional nourishment.
If you truly want to understand happiness, maybe opening up is a good step.
But as they say, 'when the student is ready, the master appears' so if you hated it, don't throw it away, it might just not be the right time.

very usefull., 13 Oct 2005
if you think not to read it because you didnt like the mars venus series, this is very different.

i have found the exercises in this book to be incredibly useful.
some people might be put off by his references to spiritual beliefs, but it is actually not essential that you are spiritual or religious. some people might be put off by his rather honey sweet and rosy way of expressing him self at times... your loss.

the ideas he presents are in many ways common sense.
but what has made me read and reread this book again and again, is the section about repressed and stuck feelings. and how to release them. the tool he present is very simple. and it has helped me tremendoulsy, with healing my past, but also with dealing with emotions out of control in every day life.

it is a great tool in understanding your own true motives and reasons behind extreemely negative emotions, and negative behaviour. cognitive therapy approach might teach you to think differently, but this book focuses on feelings and healing the past. and more to the point, creating your future.

it might not solve all your problems, but it can help alot with painfull memories and experiences.but a warning. if you start the letter exercises and open up for alot of pain... FINISH the exercise, it is extreemely important since it is there the healing comes in. i would recomend nathaniel brandon's raise your self esteem book to move to the next level after the emotional healing for more specifics...

there are many different approaches suggested. i have never used the ones involving meditation or prayor. belief in god or anything spiritual is not nessecary.

it found me at a place of desperation and extreeme pain, and i have loved this book for 8 years, and will return to its tools all my life.

but it only gets four stars for being slightly obnoxiously honey sweet. ignore it there be treasure in there...

Amazingly usefull Book, 27 Nov 2003
Well, I picked up this book in my brothers library. Never Heard about the author, however once I started reading and scanning through the book I got hooked instantly.
The author used to be a Monch for many years where he had time to get close to god and really find a sense in life and love. However I jumped through the content because I didn't find all the chapters relevant for me, but the few chapters were well worth 3riple the price.
One last warning would be if you don't believe into any stronger power above yoursef be it spirits, god, etc... then this book is also probabky not for you.
However if you are a christian, musslim, buddhist and have a religion than get this book, its fantastic

Superstitious rubbish, 18 Dec 2002
This book is truly dreadful. Depressingly familiar themes reminiscent of other self-improvement books have their already flimsy credibility further undermined by the author's bizarre and repeated references to 'God'. Those genuinely seeking to enhance their lives should not buy this superstitious rubbish.

Complete nonsense, 27 Jul 2002
I regret buying this book. I was rather aggrieved to start reading it to find that 'God' features quite a lot in his writings - off-putting for us athiests. Actually the content is crass and patronising with talk of love tanks and love vitamins, rather Oprah Winfrey. The author is a wealthy man having found a ready market for this kind of gushing twaddle; this is a worrying fact in itself...

Enter Destrii, 19 Feb 2007
This is the third of the four collections of Eighth Doctor comic strips taken from Doctor Who magazine and the first full colour collection. It details some major upheavals for companion Izzy and the introduction of Destrii, a fish-like alien who plays an important part in the Doctor's future.

The first story, Ophidius which takes place in an alien space craft designed to destroy worlds, starts off an arc that runs through to the last story, Oblivion, which takes place on an alien world where animal-faced humanoids are in charge and gladiatorial combat decides rights of succession. Along the way old friend Fey Truscott-Sade returns in a World War 2 adventure, Izzy has a baptism in the TARDIS swimming pool and alien artists plague Mexico and Frida Kahlo helps save the day. The Daleks are here too, having discovered peace...

The stories have the usual action and intelligence that I've come to expect from these collections. Scott Gray weaves a story that is cosmic in scope but very intimate and moving as Izzy undergoes some distressing changes that even the Doctor is unable to help her with. I think the Doctor really comes into his own in this collection. McGann's Doctor has always been somewhat nebulous. Writers have tended to write the Doctor they wanted to see, rather than taking into account McGann's performance and attitudes to the character. The comic book version solidifies here, showing weaknesses and anger and great joy. The relationship with Izzy, like the 7th Doctor and Ace, is a real precursor to the new series approach. The art is also very good and the colouring is very rich and deep. High points include John Ross' art on the Fey/WW2 story and Lee Sullivan's daleks.

If you haven't been buying these collections, do so.

Brilliant Victorian who-dunnit., 06 Mar 2008
From start to finish this is a Great book. As good as any modern day who-dunnit but set in Victorian times. Johns writing is so descriptive you can almost taste the smells of old London town, If you know what I mean. Everything is seen from the perspective of a latter-day journalist who plays at detective, but almost to the end you pick the wrong man. Or at least I did!
As good as any Sherlock Holmes novel, with shades of Jack the Ripper.

Fiendishly witty, 29 Feb 2008
What distinguishes The Fiend in Human from the myriad other Victorian thrillers?
1) The protagonist. Edmund Whitty is dissolute, insolvent, and hapless--yet aware of these shortcomings to comic yet poignant effect. He's also articulate, intelligent, intuitive, and despite an exterior of skepticism and degeneracy, a highly moral being. All of which makes him someone you want to spend as much time with as possible.
2) The writing. By combining the arch floridness of Victorian prose with a present-tense, subtly ironic style, Gray has created a distinctive voice.
3) The supporting characters. Not a cliche or stock character among them.
4) The humour. Yes, the story revolves around a Jack the Ripper type, but the book is damn funny nonetheless.

Recommended., 18 Feb 2008
I confess,I found this slow to start,but I persisted,because it was well written,and it soon gripped me to the point where I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.It's full of great period detail,but does not belabour it,and manages to render the language authentically and in an easily understandable style.Whitty,the central protaganist, hero seems a little too much,is an engaging character;venal,proud,a drunkard,a drug addict,a liar and,perhaps worst of all,a journalist,and yet a man with morals and compassion.Broke and unpopular,he needs a big story and becomes emboiled in the hunt for a serial killer who is strangling prostitutes

There a several writers in this genre now, (Nineteenth century Noir?) but Gray is one of the best of them.He's managed to take a very old tale and, by putting his crusading journalist in the London of 1852,a place many of its current inhabitants would recognise,give it enough of a twist to tell it well. It makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read,even though you might well guess the identity of the killer some way before the final page.Gray has already written 2 more novels featuring Whitty and I look forward to reading them.

Oooh, like it very much!, 15 Dec 2006
Of all possible settings for crime fiction Victorian London must be one of the most eagerly used, but among the fierce competition of dozens if not hundreds of other novels set in that era, this one for me ranks among the very best.

There's nothing really new here (the streets filled with fog, fallen women, the poverty of the slums, a serial killer on the loose... It's all there), but Gray's prose is ever so colourful, and the dialogue so lively (making me laugh out loud often enough) that if felt as if I had never before read a thriller set in Victorian London.

Also, the protagonist Mr. Whitty of The Falcon is such a true-to-life and likeable character that I sincerely hope he will soon reappear in future novels.

A Victorian Mystery, 13 Apr 2003
If, like me, you like a period setting for your mysteries, this will be for you. Set in 1852 London, it centres on the brutal murder of five prostitutes, and the conviction of 'Chokee Bill', so named by correspondent Edmund Whitty of that eminent organ, the Falcon. Whitty, through a fog of gin and opium, begins to suspect that the Peelers have got the wrong man, but for some reason don't want to admit it. There ensues a complex and amusing romp through the Victorian London underworld, which ends, not quite predictably, with a certain measure of justice being meted out to almost all concerned. An excellent read.

if you like Oscar Wilde, try this, 15 May 2001
Central theme of Couperus' work is the small mindedness and hypocrisy of the The Hague milieu (political capital of the Netherlands): ignorant, posh and arrogant salon talk. His main characters are intelligent and sensitive enough to struggle to escape from their ultimate fate, but are hardly able.

There is usually one or more character present in his books which resemble Couperus himself: hedonistic, -not overtly- gay, mocking the milieu at tea parties, the subject of absurd gossip, but always playing a flamboyant theatrical part in conversations.

enjoyable and uplifting for all, 02 Jun 2003
This book will be instantly recognisible to anyone who has read the original, all the virtues and vices personified in the original are all present. With being a kids book it also makes for easier reading than the original.

To anyone who hasn't read the original: This is the story of Christian who departs from the City of Destruction with a burden on his back. On his journey to the Celestial City he looses his burden and encounters many characters who personify many of the vices and virtues present in the world today. These characters seek either to help or hinder his journey. This is one of the most uplifting books i have ever read and all of the images and lessons contained within, despite the original being written in 1678-9, still have significance today, even for those who are not religious.

Already waiting for the next installment, 21 Apr 2008
If the highest praise you can give a book is that it leaves you wanting to read more, then White Stone Day deserves top accolades. It has just about everything you need in a novel: a gripping plot, a strong sense of time and place that nonetheless doesn't overwhelm the proceedings, a sure narrative drive, a diverse and well-drawn supporting cast of characters, and perhaps most important, an intriguing and entertaining protagonist. White Stone Day would have been a very good book with any other main character; with cynical, dissolute, at times hapless Edmund Whitty as the protagonist, it's a great book--perhaps even more satisfying than The Fiend in Human, to which this book is a sequel.

Fantastic, 06 Apr 2007
"The Fiend in Human", MacLachlan Gray's previous novel featuring Edmund Whitty was a stunning piece of work and I'm glad to say "White Stone Day" is also great!

The setting is Victorian London, that most fertile breeding ground for crime and detective novels, and MacLachlan Gray makes superb use of it. Edmund Whitty is still haunting its gaming dens and taverns, perpetually in debt and as often as not drunk (or hung over) when he is asked by an American detective to unmask a fraudulent psychic. Whitty takes the job, but soon finds himself confronting ghosts from his own past as well as real-live criminals that will stop at nothing.

In a nutshell: a great crime novel, with characters so colourful and alive they seem to leap of the page, and a chilling plot!

In The Fiend in Human, Edmund Whitty, a dissolute journalist, writes columns on grisly crimes and the latest public hangings for The Falcon, a muckraking tabloid in Victorian London. Whitty is addicted to a variety of potions: gin, snuff, laudanum and Acker's Chlorodine (opium, marijuana and cocaine in alcohol). His latest series focuses on William Ryan, whom he has dubbed Chokee Bill: murderer of five women, lover of the stately Mrs Marlowe and presently an inmate in Coldbath Fields prison awaiting his appointment with the noose. But when murders continue in Chokee Bill's signature style, Whitty must return to the streets to investigate.

A successful dramatist (Billy Bishop Goes to War), John MacLachlan Gray fills his novel with waggish Victorian-era dialogue, as in the exchange between Whitty and his editor:

"You make an appalling sight, Edmund. Consumptive and syphilitic at the same time."
"In actual fact I have been contemplating the water cure--nothing like it to tone the system."
"Water would be a novelty in your system, I should think."
"London water is notorious. Gives you typhus."
"You'll use any excuse to deteriorate."
"Deterioration is relative. We all deteriorate."
"Not with your enthusiasm."

A pair of Oxford swells also plays an important role in this finely built novel, as well as a family from the lower orders that helps Whitty in his investigations of the slippery Ryan. Gray's depictions of seedy, contaminated London are enough to make the reader itch. Altogether, Gray has written a fine thriller that explores the power and limits of the press, as well as the depths of the human beast. --Mark Frutkin, Amazon.ca

Straight onto my best reads list, 16 Aug 2008
It's a shame some people were put off by the use of the term 'God', since a term is all it is.
It does say that it's a 'spiritual' guide on the cover and to be honest, I don't know how anyone could achieve personal happiness without the kind of wisdom and peace that can be included under the huge umbrella of spirituality. I was a staunch atheist most of my life and still technically am since I don't follow any religion per se. I'm so much happier since developing a more open attitude to the experience of life, which after all, is pretty magical whatever you believe in.
The title put me off at first and I really only read it because a good friend bought it for me. I've since passed it on to others and recommended it in the book shop where I work.
I found his breakdown of life stages very interesting if a little overly age specific, and the 'love tanks', as cheesy as they sound, are a simple and ingenious way of looking your emotional nourishment.
If you truly want to understand happiness, maybe opening up is a good step.
But as they say, 'when the student is ready, the master appears' so if you hated it, don't throw it away, it might just not be the right time.

very usefull., 13 Oct 2005
if you think not to read it because you didnt like the mars venus series, this is very different.

i have found the exercises in this book to be incredibly useful.
some people might be put off by his references to spiritual beliefs, but it is actually not essential that you are spiritual or religious. some people might be put off by his rather honey sweet and rosy way of expressing him self at times... your loss.

the ideas he presents are in many ways common sense.
but what has made me read and reread this book again and again, is the section about repressed and stuck feelings. and how to release them. the tool he present is very simple. and it has helped me tremendoulsy, with healing my past, but also with dealing with emotions out of control in every day life.

it is a great tool in understanding your own true motives and reasons behind extreemely negative emotions, and negative behaviour. cognitive therapy approach might teach you to think differently, but this book focuses on feelings and healing the past. and more to the point, creating your future.

it might not solve all your problems, but it can help alot with painfull memories and experiences.but a warning. if you start the letter exercises and open up for alot of pain... FINISH the exercise, it is extreemely important since it is there the healing comes in. i would recomend nathaniel brandon's raise your self esteem book to move to the next level after the emotional healing for more specifics...

there are many different approaches suggested. i have never used the ones involving meditation or prayor. belief in god or anything spiritual is not nessecary.

it found me at a place of desperation and extreeme pain, and i have loved this book for 8 years, and will return to its tools all my life.

but it only gets four stars for being slightly obnoxiously honey sweet. ignore it there be treasure in there...

Amazingly usefull Book, 27 Nov 2003
Well, I picked up this book in my brothers library. Never Heard about the author, however once I started reading and scanning through the book I got hooked instantly.
The author used to be a Monch for many years where he had time to get close to god and really find a sense in life and love. However I jumped through the content because I didn't find all the chapters relevant for me, but the few chapters were well worth 3riple the price.
One last warning would be if you don't believe into any stronger power above yoursef be it spirits, god, etc... then this book is also probabky not for you.
However if you are a christian, musslim, buddhist and have a religion than get this book, its fantastic

Superstitious rubbish, 18 Dec 2002
This book is truly dreadful. Depressingly familiar themes reminiscent of other self-improvement books have their already flimsy credibility further undermined by the author's bizarre and repeated references to 'God'. Those genuinely seeking to enhance their lives should not buy this superstitious rubbish.

Complete nonsense, 27 Jul 2002
I regret buying this book. I was rather aggrieved to start reading it to find that 'God' features quite a lot in his writings - off-putting for us athiests. Actually the content is crass and patronising with talk of love tanks and love vitamins, rather Oprah Winfrey. The author is a wealthy man having found a ready market for this kind of gushing twaddle; this is a worrying fact in itself...

Enter Destrii, 19 Feb 2007
This is the third of the four collections of Eighth Doctor comic strips taken from Doctor Who magazine and the first full colour collection. It details some major upheavals for companion Izzy and the introduction of Destrii, a fish-like alien who plays an important part in the Doctor's future.

The first story, Ophidius which takes place in an alien space craft designed to destroy worlds, starts off an arc that runs through to the last story, Oblivion, which takes place on an alien world where animal-faced humanoids are in charge and gladiatorial combat decides rights of succession. Along the way old friend Fey Truscott-Sade returns in a World War 2 adventure, Izzy has a baptism in the TARDIS swimming pool and alien artists plague Mexico and Frida Kahlo helps save the day. The Daleks are here too, having discovered peace...

The stories have the usual action and intelligence that I've come to expect from these collections. Scott Gray weaves a story that is cosmic in scope but very intimate and moving as Izzy undergoes some distressing changes that even the Doctor is unable to help her with. I think the Doctor really comes into his own in this collection. McGann's Doctor has always been somewhat nebulous. Writers have tended to write the Doctor they wanted to see, rather than taking into account McGann's performance and attitudes to the character. The comic book version solidifies here, showing weaknesses and anger and great joy. The relationship with Izzy, like the 7th Doctor and Ace, is a real precursor to the new series approach. The art is also very good and the colouring is very rich and deep. High points include John Ross' art on the Fey/WW2 story and Lee Sullivan's daleks.

If you haven't been buying these collections, do so.

Brilliant Victorian who-dunnit., 06 Mar 2008
From start to finish this is a Great book. As good as any modern day who-dunnit but set in Victorian times. Johns writing is so descriptive you can almost taste the smells of old London town, If you know what I mean. Everything is seen from the perspective of a latter-day journalist who plays at detective, but almost to the end you pick the wrong man. Or at least I did!
As good as any Sherlock Holmes novel, with shades of Jack the Ripper.

Fiendishly witty, 29 Feb 2008
What distinguishes The Fiend in Human from the myriad other Victorian thrillers?
1) The protagonist. Edmund Whitty is dissolute, insolvent, and hapless--yet aware of these shortcomings to comic yet poignant effect. He's also articulate, intelligent, intuitive, and despite an exterior of skepticism and degeneracy, a highly moral being. All of which makes him someone you want to spend as much time with as possible.
2) The writing. By combining the arch floridness of Victorian prose with a present-tense, subtly ironic style, Gray has created a distinctive voice.
3) The supporting characters. Not a cliche or stock character among them.
4) The humour. Yes, the story revolves around a Jack the Ripper type, but the book is damn funny nonetheless.

Recommended., 18 Feb 2008
I confess,I found this slow to start,but I persisted,because it was well written,and it soon gripped me to the point where I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.It's full of great period detail,but does not belabour it,and manages to render the language authentically and in an easily understandable style.Whitty,the central protaganist, hero seems a little too much,is an engaging character;venal,proud,a drunkard,a drug addict,a liar and,perhaps worst of all,a journalist,and yet a man with morals and compassion.Broke and unpopular,he needs a big story and becomes emboiled in the hunt for a serial killer who is strangling prostitutes

There a several writers in this genre now, (Nineteenth century Noir?) but Gray is one of the best of them.He's managed to take a very old tale and, by putting his crusading journalist in the London of 1852,a place many of its current inhabitants would recognise,give it enough of a twist to tell it well. It makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read,even though you might well guess the identity of the killer some way before the final page.Gray has already written 2 more novels featuring Whitty and I look forward to reading them.

Oooh, like it very much!, 15 Dec 2006
Of all possible settings for crime fiction Victorian London must be one of the most eagerly used, but among the fierce competition of dozens if not hundreds of other novels set in that era, this one for me ranks among the very best.

There's nothing really new here (the streets filled with fog, fallen women, the poverty of the slums, a serial killer on the loose... It's all there), but Gray's prose is ever so colourful, and the dialogue so lively (making me laugh out loud often enough) that if felt as if I had never before read a thriller set in Victorian London.

Also, the protagonist Mr. Whitty of The Falcon is such a true-to-life and likeable character that I sincerely hope he will soon reappear in future novels.

A Victorian Mystery, 13 Apr 2003
If, like me, you like a period setting for your mysteries, this will be for you. Set in 1852 London, it centres on the brutal murder of five prostitutes, and the conviction of 'Chokee Bill', so named by correspondent Edmund Whitty of that eminent organ, the Falcon. Whitty, through a fog of gin and opium, begins to suspect that the Peelers have got the wrong man, but for some reason don't want to admit it. There ensues a complex and amusing romp through the Victorian London underworld, which ends, not quite predictably, with a certain measure of justice being meted out to almost all concerned. An excellent read.

if you like Oscar Wilde, try this, 15 May 2001
Central theme of Couperus' work is the small mindedness and hypocrisy of the The Hague milieu (political capital of the Netherlands): ignorant, posh and arrogant salon talk. His main characters are intelligent and sensitive enough to struggle to escape from their ultimate fate, but are hardly able.

There is usually one or more character present in his books which resemble Couperus himself: hedonistic, -not overtly- gay, mocking the milieu at tea parties, the subject of absurd gossip, but always playing a flamboyant theatrical part in conversations.

enjoyable and uplifting for all, 02 Jun 2003
This book will be instantly recognisible to anyone who has read the original, all the virtues and vices personified in the original are all present. With being a kids book it also makes for easier reading than the original.

To anyone who hasn't read the original: This is the story of Christian who departs from the City of Destruction with a burden on his back. On his journey to the Celestial City he looses his burden and encounters many characters who personify many of the vices and virtues present in the world today. These characters seek either to help or hinder his journey. This is one of the most uplifting books i have ever read and all of the images and lessons contained within, despite the original being written in 1678-9, still have significance today, even for those who are not religious.

Already waiting for the next installment, 21 Apr 2008
If the highest praise you can give a book is that it leaves you wanting to read more, then White Stone Day deserves top accolades. It has just about everything you need in a novel: a gripping plot, a strong sense of time and place that nonetheless doesn't overwhelm the proceedings, a sure narrative drive, a diverse and well-drawn supporting cast of characters, and perhaps most important, an intriguing and entertaining protagonist. White Stone Day would have been a very good book with any other main character; with cynical, dissolute, at times hapless Edmund Whitty as the protagonist, it's a great book--perhaps even more satisfying than The Fiend in Human, to which this book is a sequel.

Fantastic, 06 Apr 2007
"The Fiend in Human", MacLachlan Gray's previous novel featuring Edmund Whitty was a stunning piece of work and I'm glad to say "White Stone Day" is also great!

The setting is Victorian London, that most fertile breeding ground for crime and detective novels, and MacLachlan Gray makes superb use of it. Edmund Whitty is still haunting its gaming dens and taverns, perpetually in debt and as often as not drunk (or hung over) when he is asked by an American detective to unmask a fraudulent psychic. Whitty takes the job, but soon finds himself confronting ghosts from his own past as well as real-live criminals that will stop at nothing.

In a nutshell: a great crime novel, with characters so colourful and alive they seem to leap of the page, and a chilling plot!

Brilliant Victorian who-dunnit., 06 Mar 2008
From start to finish this is a Great book. As good as any modern day who-dunnit but set in Victorian times. Johns writing is so descriptive you can almost taste the smells of old London town, If you know what I mean. Everything is seen from the perspective of a latter-day journalist who plays at detective, but almost to the end you pick the wrong man. Or at least I did!
As good as any Sherlock Holmes novel, with shades of Jack the Ripper.

Fiendishly witty, 29 Feb 2008
What distinguishes The Fiend in Human from the myriad other Victorian thrillers?
1) The protagonist. Edmund Whitty is dissolute, insolvent, and hapless--yet aware of these shortcomings to comic yet poignant effect. He's also articulate, intelligent, intuitive, and despite an exterior of skepticism and degeneracy, a highly moral being. All of which makes him someone you want to spend as much time with as possible.
2) The writing. By combining the arch floridness of Victorian prose with a present-tense, subtly ironic style, Gray has created a distinctive voice.
3) The supporting characters. Not a cliche or stock character among them.
4) The humour. Yes, the story revolves around a Jack the Ripper type, but the book is damn funny nonetheless.

Recommended., 18 Feb 2008
I confess,I found this slow to start,but I persisted,because it was well written,and it soon gripped me to the point where I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.It's full of great period detail,but does not belabour it,and manages to render the language authentically and in an easily understandable style.Whitty,the central protaganist, hero seems a little too much,is an engaging character;venal,proud,a drunkard,a drug addict,a liar and,perhaps worst of all,a journalist,and yet a man with morals and compassion.Broke and unpopular,he needs a big story and becomes emboiled in the hunt for a serial killer who is strangling prostitutes

There a several writers in this genre now, (Nineteenth century Noir?) but Gray is one of the best of them.He's managed to take a very old tale and, by putting his crusading journalist in the London of 1852,a place many of its current inhabitants would recognise,give it enough of a twist to tell it well. It makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read,even though you might well guess the identity of the killer some way before the final page.Gray has already written 2 more novels featuring Whitty and I look forward to reading them.

Oooh, like it very much!, 15 Dec 2006
Of all possible settings for crime fiction Victorian London must be one of the most eagerly used, but among the fierce competition of dozens if not hundreds of other novels set in that era, this one for me ranks among the very best.

There's nothing really new here (the streets filled with fog, fallen women, the poverty of the slums, a serial killer on the loose... It's all there), but Gray's prose is ever so colourful, and the dialogue so lively (making me laugh out loud often enough) that if felt as if I had never before read a thriller set in Victorian London.

Also, the protagonist Mr. Whitty of The Falcon is such a true-to-life and likeable character that I sincerely hope he will soon reappear in future novels.

A Victorian Mystery, 13 Apr 2003
If, like me, you like a period setting for your mysteries, this will be for you. Set in 1852 London, it centres on the brutal murder of five prostitutes, and the conviction of 'Chokee Bill', so named by correspondent Edmund Whitty of that eminent organ, the Falcon. Whitty, through a fog of gin and opium, begins to suspect that the Peelers have got the wrong man, but for some reason don't want to admit it. There ensues a complex and amusing romp through the Victorian London underworld, which ends, not quite predictably, with a certain measure of justice being meted out to almost all concerned. An excellent read.

Straight onto my best reads list, 16 Aug 2008
It's a shame some people were put off by the use of the term 'God', since a term is all it is.
It does say that it's a 'spiritual' guide on the cover and to be honest, I don't know how anyone could achieve personal happiness without the kind of wisdom and peace that can be included under the huge umbrella of spirituality. I was a staunch atheist most of my life and still technically am since I don't follow any religion per se. I'm so much happier since developing a more open attitude to the experience of life, which after all, is pretty magical whatever you believe in.
The title put me off at first and I really only read it because a good friend bought it for me. I've since passed it on to others and recommended it in the book shop where I work.
I found his breakdown of l