Financial Accounting, Solving Financial Accounting Problems Using Lotus 1-2-3 and Excel for Windows

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Get the Study Guide designed to ensure your success in Financial Accounting! This study guide is a powerful tool for in classroom use and for preparing for exams. Each chapter of the guide includes study objectives, a chapter review consisting of 20-30 key points, and a demonstration problem linked to study objectives in the textbook. True/false, multiple-choice, and matching questions provide additional practice opportunities. Solutions to the exercises are detailed and therefore provide substantial feedback.

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How much protection should a country's judicial system afford creditors? The answer has far-reaching implications for the functioning of credit markets, particularly in developing regions such as Latin America, where creditor rights are uneven and enforcement often lax.

Defusing Default uses a variety of perspectives and tools, including theoretical modeling and cross-country evidence, to examine the costs and benefits of protecting creditor rights. Case studies look at creditor protection in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Peru.

The studies find that more effective judicial enforcement would help to make more credit available and improve the overall performance of the credit market. Another finding is that private contracting in credit markets, including information-sharing arrangements, can help compensate for legal deficiencies and create incentives to limit default in countries where judicial enforcement is costly or ineffective. Finally, the book explores the political economy of debt moratoria by examining bailouts and bankruptcy.

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Combining the approaches of three fields of scholarship - political science, law and Russian area- tudies - the author explores the foundations and future of the Russian Federation.NB Russia's political elite have struggled to build an extraordinarily complex federal system, one that incorporates eighty-nine different units and scores of different ethnic groups, which sometimes harbor long histories of resentment against Russian imperial and Soviet legacies.NB This book examines the public debates, official documents and political deals that built Russia's federal house on very unsteady foundations, often out of the ideological, conceptual and physical rubble of the ancien regime. One of the major goals of this book is, where appropriate, to bring together the insights of comparative law and comparative politics in the study of the development of Russia's attempts to create - as its constitution states in the very first article - a 'Democratic, federal, rule-of-law state'

The Rule of Law in the European Constitution

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The Rule of Law in the European Constitution
Maria Fernaandez Esteban , and Marian Luisa Fernandez Estaban
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 9041197354

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The European Court of Justice once stated that the European Community is governed by the rule of law inasmuch as member states, Community institutions and individuals are bound to the basic constitutional charter, the Treaty. The purpose of this book is to answer the question whether this statement is still valid for the European Union, and to analyse which features best define the rule of law at the European level. In order to define the principle of the rule of law at the European level, this book undertakes a comparative analysis of what the principle means in different legal systems. An analysis is also made of the implications for national legal orders, specifically for judges. The conclusion reached as a result of the research undertaken for this book is the co-existence of two visions of the rule of law within national legal orders: the traditional view of each legal order by itself, and the new vision of the principle as defined by the Court of Justice. This legal phenomenon involves what is defined as `the paradox of the two paradigms of law', which determines a share of concepts, tools and remedies amongst legal systems.

Accountability in the European Union (Collected Courses of the Academy of European Law, 11)

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Accountability in the European Union (Collected Courses of the Academy of European Law, 11)
Carol Harlow
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0199245932

Book Description

The debate over the 'democratic deficit' of the European Union has tended to focus on the legitimacy and representativeness of the European Parliament. It has been the policy-making powers of the Parliament and its struggle to secure the dominant role in law-making which have attracted attention. The dramatic resignation of the Santer Commission early in 1999, following a critical report to the Parliament, highlighted the growing problem of accountability in the European Union and echoed concerns regularly expressed by the European Council during inter-governmental conferences for the efficiency and effectiveness of the Union and its institutions. The resignations were followed by the appointment of President Romano Prodi with a mandate for reform of the Commission. The present book approaches the issue of democratic deficit from the angle of accountability, today seen as an essential element of democratic government. It looks at differing understandings of the concept in the Member States and at various techniques, political, legal, and managerial, by which accountability can be ensured. These include the Parliament as well as national parliaments but extend to less familiar institutions, such as the European Court of Auditors. The book caters for a general readership and is intended for all those who are interested in the governance of the European Union. The author draws the conclusion that in trans-national forms of governance such as the European Union, it is difficult to hold policy-makers to account. Some of the reasons are institutional, others political and social. Without a vibrant civil society, the very notion of accountability may be a mirage.

Governing Europe under a Constitution: The Hard Road from the European Treaties to a European Constitutional Treaty

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Governing Europe under a Constitution: The Hard Road from the European Treaties to a European Constitutional Treaty

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

General | International Law | Law | Subjects | Books

European Union | International Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

International Law | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 354024042X

Book Description

At the summit in Laeken in December 2001 the European Council opened the debate on the reform of the supranational structures through its "Declaration on the Future of the European Union" and proposed a wide-ranging agenda. The European Convention, with the mandate of the European Council, has been forming proposals for a more democratic, transparent and efficient European Union and presented a draft of a Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe on 20th of June 2003. On these fundaments the Intergovernmental Conference finally came to a compromise in summer 2004 after wrestling especially with the problem of qualified majority voting within the Council. On 29th of October 2004 the Heads of State and Governments of the 25 Member States signed the Treaty. After the French and Dutch citizens refused their approval of the Treaty in referendums the future of the draft Constitution remains uncertain. The volume contains articles from high-ranking experts from politics and academia of different Member States about the basic principles of the actual constitutional law of the European Union and its need of reform through a Constitution for Europe. By analysing the rules to govern a Europe of 25 and in time 28 and more Member States the publication intends to make a contribution to the emerging "Ius Publicum Europaeum".

Apres 'non,' le deluge? The European constitution goes before the voters. : An article from: The Weekly Standard

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Apres 'non,' le deluge? The European constitution goes before the voters. : An article from: The Weekly Standard
Gerard Baker
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Weekly Standard, published by Thomson Gale on May 30, 2005. The length of the article is 1475 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Apres 'non,' le deluge? The European constitution goes before the voters.
Author: Gerard Baker
Publication: The Weekly Standard (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 30, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 10 Issue: 35 Page: 10(2)

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Europe says no.(European Constitution) : An article from: Catholic Insight

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Europe says no.(European Constitution) : An article from: Catholic Insight
Paula Adamick
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Catholic Insight, published by Thomson Gale on July 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1204 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Europe says no.(European Constitution)
Author: Paula Adamick
Publication: Catholic Insight (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 13 Issue: 7 Page: 8(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

European disintegration? The E.U. faces a rare moment of popular judgment.: An article from: The Weekly Standard

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European disintegration? The E.U. faces a rare moment of popular judgment.: An article from: The Weekly Standard
Christopher Caldwell
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Weekly Standard, published by Thomson Gale on May 23, 2005. The length of the article is 1322 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: European disintegration? The E.U. faces a rare moment of popular judgment.
Author: Christopher Caldwell
Publication: The Weekly Standard (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 23, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 10 Issue: 34 Page: 15(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The European Union's constitution.(Report): An article from: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs

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The European Union's constitution.(Report): An article from: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs
Kristin Archick
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, published by Thomson Gale on April 1, 2006. The length of the article is 3163 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The European Union's constitution.(Report)
Author: Kristin Archick
Publication: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs (Report)
Date: April 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: NA

Article Type: Report

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Vatican rebuffed in quest for privileged place for religion in European Constitution. (The Church and State).(Brief Article): An article from: Conscience

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Vatican rebuffed in quest for privileged place for religion in European Constitution. (The Church and State).(Brief Article): An article from: Conscience

Manufacturer: Catholics for a Free Choice
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Conscience, published by Catholics for a Free Choice on June 22, 2003. The length of the article is 321 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Vatican rebuffed in quest for privileged place for religion in European Constitution. (The Church and State).(Brief Article)
Publication: Conscience (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 22, 2003
Publisher: Catholics for a Free Choice
Volume: 24 Issue: 2 Page: 8(1)

Article Type: Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Ever since Galvanis discovery of the electrical sensitivity of the neuromuscular system in 1791, and the subsequent discovery that the EEG varied systematically with the functional state of the brain, progress in neurophysiology and its clinical application has been dependent upon advances in technology. With the advent of computers, however, technology is no longer the rate-limiting factor. Computer programs are readily available to detect biologically significant signals amid background noise, to characterise the EEG in terms of its spectral composition and dimensionality, and even to calculate its anatomical generators from the topography of surface potentials and their derivatives. Nowadays, therefore, problems tend to be encountered with the utility of the available mathematical algorithms, and the ability of mathematicians and neurophysiologist to share their ideas. Analysis of the Electrical Activity of the Brain aims to provide an accessible introduction to the use of mathematical concepts and algorithms in EEG data analysis and to promote an exchange of ideas between the disciplines of neurophysiology and applied mathematics. Divided into sections covering nonlinear dynamical analysis, spectral analysis, signal detection, and topography and source localisation, the book includes details on all the latest techniques in addition to providing clear and understandable accounts of established methods. Worked examples and case studies are featured to enable clinical neurophysiologists to increase their understanding of methods and to improve their knowledge of everyday techniques. General and experimental neurophysiologists, neurologists and physiologists, together with applied mathematicians, will also find this book to be of interest.

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analysis of electrical activity of the brain.......2000-05-18

great coorelation between neurophysiology and computer science

MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY OF THE BRAIN

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MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY OF THE BRAIN
M. N. and V. S. Rusinov (editors-in-Chief) Linanov
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JWGIBE

Book Description

Newly developed semiconductor microstructures can now guide light and electrons resulting in important consequences for state-of-the-art electronic and photonic devices. This volume introduces a new generation of epitaxial microstructures. Special emphasis has been given to atomic control during growth and the interrelationship between the atomic arrangements and the properties of the structures.

Key Features
* Atomic-level control of semiconductor microstructures
* Molecular beam epitaxy, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition
* Quantum wells and quantum wires
* Lasers, photon(IR)detectors, heterostructure transistors

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Han Solo meets Hitchhikers Guide

Australian SF Reader

Hilarious!

Traditional but hilarious

in a word "brilliant"

Hal Spacejock (Hs Hal Spacejock)
Simon Haynes
Manufacturer: Fremantle Arts Centre Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Hal Spacejock: Second Course

Hal Spacejock: Just Desserts

Eureka - Season One

ASIN: 192073189X

Book Description

A perennial loser, Hal Spacejock borrowed heavily to fund his intergalactic cargo business. His loyal customers evaporated after several highly publicised mishaps, and mounting bills have confined him to planet Lamira, a mining colony with the vibrant, up-and-coming economy of a rubbish tip.

Now the finance company is despatching heavies to all points of the compass, desperate to track Hal down and extract money and/or vital organs. Meanwhile, on a nearby planet, a wealthy businessman needs a freelance cargo pilot for a suicidal cargo mission. Ideally, he wants a desperate, debt-ridden loser . . .

Customer Reviews:

Han Solo meets Hitchhikers Guide.......2007-08-05

Han Solo meets Hitchhikers Guide! This is some funny stuff. It really is laugh out loud funny. I just came off a binge in the Star Wars universe so I couldn't help but see similarities and enjoyed every one of them!

I have dabbled myself with writing and actually came across Simon's site, the author, due to a software application he made for writers I had seen good reviews in other locations. I certainly wasn't looking for something to read as I have a HUGE backlog of other books just waiting for me to have some spare time to pick up. However, I ended up with a copy of Hal and it was a joy to read. Its a quick read, not too intellectual, which too much sci-fi tries to do these days, and just the right mix of humor, excitement, and adventure.

The interaction between characters is a roller coaster of good times for all. I read 3-4 books a month and rarely do I put one down and immediately start seeking out more of the same. I like to jump genres to keep my mind fresh, right now all I want is more of Hal and Clunk!

If you enjoy a world of quirky characters and side splitting humor. Here is your new base of operations! You will not regret it!

Australian SF Reader.......2007-08-01

Hal Spacejock has the competence of Arnold Rimmer, and the confidence of his alternate world self Ace, with none of the intelligence or pananche. He also has Dave Lister's sense of style.

He is also so broke that if he was an inanimate object, you would really need superglue to be on sale at the local hardware shop.

This utter lack of liquidity has led to a visit by Brutus the legbreaker robot. As a consequence, Hal decides that taking on a dodgy job is his only option. Spacejock is also the only option for the unscrupulous tycoon that wants a cargo shipped into a war zone.

Even if Hal is too stupid to realise what is going on, the robot pilot Clunk that his employer sends over is not.

Clunk soon realises that Hal probably couldn't fly a paper plane, let alone a spaceships, without the ship's computer, and takes over operation.

The rest of the book involves a lot of blithely cheerful anachronistic space adventure. Much of the writing is deadpan, but occasionally interspersed with hilarity. Wait till you get to the color-coded ship piloting lesson.

The pair get shot at by battleships, and pursued by the villains Terry and Farrell (who bear no resemblance to symbiotic Star Trek aliens or coffee shop owners).

You have to say one thing for Spacejock though, he is no chicken. If there is shooting to be done, he's happy to shoot first.

Throw in some truths about where old robots do go after the job is done, when not to jump into hyperspace, and the most novel air to air ship missiles I have seen and you have a very entertaining romp.

Straight comedy SF is pretty rare, so it is very pleasing to come across this book, and even better, there are two sequels.

Hilarious!.......2007-07-20

I just finished this first book in the Hal Spacejock series by Simon Haynes, and I couldn't possibly count the number of times I laughed out loud.

I do know it started with the very first page. To set the scene, our hero, Hal Spacejock himself, is playing chess against his spaceship's navigational computer:

-----------------------

'Your turn,' said the Navcom, in a neutral female voice.

'I'm thinking.'

'While you're planning your opening move, can I tell you about a special offer?'

'What kind of offer?' asked Hal suspiciously.

'Planet Books have a chess title on sale.'

[...]

'Chess for the intellectually challenged?' said Hal, staring at the cover in disbelief. 'Is this some kind of joke?'

'It's part of a popular series,' said the Navcom.

'What are the others? Interstellar navigation for nutters? Moon landings for morons?'

'Shall I add those titles to your basket?'

-----------------------

This book had me roaring. From the first page to the last, Hal Spacejock is a comically lovable idiot -- the dubious hero with a heart of gold buried under a whole cargo load of impatience, underhandedness, laughably questionable habits and an indomitable devil-may-care attitude. His faithful sidekick robot, Clunk -- with enough common sense for two and a healthy dose of good guy morality -- saves Hal's foolish hide at every turn and steals the show on every glorious page.

Add in a smart-mouth shipboard computer, a debt collector with a burly robot henchman, and two competing industrial tycoons who would do just about anything to get their hands on a shipment of robot parts, and you have the perfect recipe for one wild and uproarious ride across the galaxy and back again.

Traditional but hilarious.......2007-04-04

The incompetent-but-lucky man with his capable-but-frequently-eyerolling companion who repeatedly (and thanklessly) saves his butt seems to be a staple in humorous science fiction. Hal Spacejock and his robot sidekick, Clunk, are no exception. I won't say that this story has anything new and novel to offer, but it sure is a good time. I especially enjoyed the random side scenes, like Hal's altercation with a stubborn automatic door. If you like outlandish SF like Red Dwarf and the Stainless Steel Rat, check out Hal Spacejock.

in a word "brilliant".......2007-03-22

I thoroughly enjoyed the book as there are so many laugh-out-loud scenes in it (the Cigar lighting robot scene was a killer!). It's an easy and fast paced read that will leave a smile on the dial.

If you like Pratchett then you'll love this stuff.

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Australian SF Reader
Marvelous SF Humor
Best one yet!

Hal Spacejock: Just Desserts
Simon Haynes
Manufacturer: Fremantle Arts Center Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1921064390

Customer Reviews:

Australian SF Reader.......2007-08-01

There once was a robot named Clunk
His old boss more than a skunk
With Spacejock sent flying
Quite often near dying
Right now he would rather be drunk

Ok, bad limericks aside, I read the third Spacejock book because my slowpoke spousal unit still has her mitts on book 2.

To readers, though, the book happily stands alone.

Again, Hal takes on the odd job with less than a picosecond's consideration, or even the ability to consider for a picosecond, what really might be going on.

Female assassin androids, Mercs 'R Us and more get involved in this tale of corporate skullduggery and Spacejock tomfoolery.

I, like Hal, have also given up on those useless coffee makers.

Anyway, although I will rate them the same, I think this book is more polished than the first. The story is more evenly entertaining, less of the outright hilarity to flat spot segues that could be found in this first book. Not that there is anything wrong with outright hilarity, of course.

More use of unexpected missiles, and again, quite a lot of fun.

Marvelous SF Humor.......2007-04-04

The THIRD book in the series. The intrepid Space Pilot Hal Spacejock and his robot sidekick Clunk in another misadventure. Comparisons to Isaac Asimov's Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw are just going to happen, but it is not fair to either pair (or author). Hal, once again, needs to deliver some cargo, gets sidetracked (a couple of ways), Clunk comes to the rescue then needs rescued himself. Hal to the rescue, and finally they deliver the cargo.

Plenty of laughs. Plenty of references to other Science Fiction. Plenty easy to read, but hard to put down.

Best one yet!.......2007-02-22

The plot moved so quickly and so smoothly that if it hadn't been for the chapter breaks, I might have missed some things -- meals, for instance. Once again, the adventures of Hal and Clunk are just plain fun to read, especially if you keep your eyes open for references to other works of science fiction, both books and movies. (For instance, I started to wonder if it's intentional that Hal Spacejock and Han Solo have the same initials, but the author has said that it's a coincidence.)

I imagine Simon Haynes is frequently compared to Douglas Adams, but there's a different tone. I loved the HHGG series, but I think Adams just sort of fell into SF; Haynes is clearly grounded in it. Plus, according to things I've seen on his blog, he's more than capable of disciplining himself to write and meet deadlines. With any luck, this means we won't have to wait long for Hal 4. Until then, we'll just have to get by with the first three.

I've got my copies! Where are yours?

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Australian SF Reader
Getting Better.
Amazing
Bigger and better.
Another Fun Read

Hal Spacejock: Second Course
Simon Haynes
Manufacturer: Fremantle Arts Center Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1921064668

Customer Reviews:

Australian SF Reader.......2007-08-01

There is a pilot named Spacejock
At flying he's a complete crock
He's such a spazz
A robot he has
To stop him from crashing in drydock

Bad limericks yes, I am sorry. Spacejock is just a bad limerick kind of guy, though.

The Spacejock books are remarkably consistent in tone and quality. All of them have been amusing, and all of them have had the same general feel throughout.

Hal, again, is useless unless he is making coffee or actually involved in bashing something.

In Second Course, Hal undercuts the head of a freight company for an important bank contract, and makes a deadly enemy.

Haynes then proceeds to lampoon plenty of things along the way, as the freight company head sends an immigrant in need of papers with the deadly combination of military and accounting training after Spacejock, to slow him down.

The bank contract neglects to point out the lawless and dangerous aspect of the destination.

Teleportation. Museums. Killer robots. Deadly dangerous Autochef concontions, and an AI briefcase.

Along with Clunk, you really don't need much more.

Getting Better........2007-02-26

I liked this book better than the first Spacejock book, and that one was good also. In Second course we find more of a human/robot interchange of their relationship with each other. Hal is showing more compassion towards robots and people and becomes a more likeable person. He has become multi-dimensional. Funny and dramatic all rolled into one.

Amazing.......2006-11-29

This book is every bit as good as the first one in the series, and it is amazing how much Simon can get into one book! He goes between characters quite easily, and doesn't lose characters for chapters and chapters.

There is not much Science in the book, and his 'jabs' into the Software Industry are really good, if you 'get' them! I just can't wait to play 'Minesweeper' in the 35th century!

Hal is intrepid as ever, and does 'abandon' Clunk, but there isn't much choice. Hal has to get some cargo from point A to point B, and there are so many hurdles in doing so.
Clunk has to help Hal, and in doing so, must also help himself out of a few jams. There are so many hurdles and obstacles, that you might get lost, but it is such a quick read, that you shouldn't.
Sonya is a villian that might have turned to the good side of Hal, but is trying to have the cargo detoured before reaching point B.
The above three characters are pictured on the cover. There are other villians (and even a few helpful characters) in the book, and Simon mixes them up quite well.

Another winner!!!

Bigger and better........2006-11-04

Simon was more ambitious with this novel, and what's more, he pulled it off. We know the characters more by now, so the character-driven humor works even better than it did before. It's a longer book, so there's more going on, but it still flows nicely. We even have -- dare I say it -- possible love interests for our valiant crew! (Well, maybe; we'll have to see what happens in the third book.) It's a lot of fun, and like all good humor, the more you know (in this case, about SF, about corporate backstabbing, etc.), the more jokes you'll get.

Another Fun Read.......2006-09-07

They say humor is one of the hardest genres to write. Most science fiction authors simply have to write a story that matches their readers' tastes in SF. Simon Haynes has to hit the mark with both the SF element and the humor. Unfortunately, for me, the humor didn't quite hit the mark.

Haynes is getting some good press with his Spacejock books. He just signed with an agent, and it sounds like we'll be seeing a U. S. release for both books. So what's not working for me? I think there are two things going on:

1. The characters aren't always as sympathetic as I'd like. When our heroic pilot Hal Spacejock ditches his loyal robot Clunk at a museum, it felt like we crossed the thin line between "lovably incompetent pilot" and "selfish jerk." To be fair, Hal redeems himself a bit later in the book when he thinks something has happened to Clunk ... but overall, he toes the jerk line a bit too much for me.

2. Cohesiveness. There's an episodic feel to the books. As in the first Hal Spacejock book, Hal's goal in this one is pretty straightforward: deliver cargo A to point B without getting blown up, smashed by killer robots, ripped apart by apes, and so on. Naturally, he encounters obstacles to this goal. But I find myself wanting these obstacles to all tie together thematically, or else by reappearing in a significant way at the end of the book. For example: Frodo's obstacles in Lord of the Rings help demonstrate his own strength and courage, while also showing the power of the ring, setting the stage for his final choice at the volcano. To pick an obstacle from Second Course, the ancient civilization plot could have been cut out altogether, and I don't think it would have changed the overall story that much.

Don't get me wrong. There's some good stuff here. I loved Haynes' jabs and jokes about the IT industry. There are some laugh-out-loud moments about software licenses. As an author, I'm jealous of Haynes' ability to juggle multiple viewpoint characters so smoothly. That's a skill I'm still working on, but he goes back and forth from Clunk to Hal to several of his villains, all so smoothly you barely notice the transitions.

Hal Spacejock: Second Course is another page-turner. It's a fun, action-filled read. If you liked the first book, you'll like the second. For myself, I believe some of my issues are matters of personal taste. Like before, I would encourage folks to at least head over to the author's website and read the first chapter online to see if this is your brand of quirky space humor.

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Hal Spacejock
Simon Haynes
Manufacturer: Fremantle Arts Centre Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000P41XL6

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