Rating: 
Summary: This book is soo impressive that one has to be skeptical.
Review: I started out hoping this would be a great book-- sort of an in-depth, updated version of Robert W. Smith's classic: "Chinese Boxing: Masters and Methods," from which the author almost certainly drew much of his martial arts' inspiration (though strangely, he doesn't acknowledge this). About half-way through the book, however, I started to become rather skeptical. The author knows so much about so many aspects of the martial arts, and in such incredible detail, that it's hard to imagine how one person could have attained all that knowledge in only a few decades. As well, the teaching certificates he proudly displays toward the end of the book are actually quite umimpressive if you examine them closely--which is rather strange given his vast experience and the tremendous amount of knowledge he seems to possess. As for the impressive pushing power he displays in the cover photo, look closely and you will see that his opponent has greatly facilitated the process by strongly pushing himself up and away from the author (as indicated by the straight arms and legs).I'm sure the author believes everything he has written, and that he does have some level of skill. And I have no doubt that he really did study in Asia. Unfortunately, although a sponge can soak up a lot of liquid, not all liquids are worth drinking.
Rating: 
Summary: Good on history
Review: I'm not quite sure where the other reviewers are getting technical information out of this book. It is great for history or people that want to learn about his travels to the East. He hints at a lot of "secrets". People that have done any kind of research all ready know these things. He does a good job of describing the difference between the "internal" martial arts. People wanting to learn more about internal martial arts will find it to be quite well written. Maybe his other book has more techniques that could be applied.
Rating: 
Summary: Chi, Chi, and MORE CHI!
Review: I've always been fascinated with the inner energy that drives and animates us. Being a student of the Martial Arts, and having read articles by Mr. Frantzis before, I snapped up this book when I saw it. Were these superheroes he was talking about? Men and women who could summon up such incredible internal forces as to perform "miraculous" martial and medical deeds? This book is as full of adventure as much as it is history, information, and inspiration. For me, it is more about the limitless possibilities of the human spirit, and the endless limitations we set before us throughout our lives. I have since studied qi-gong (pronounced "chee-gung) with one of his students here in S. California. I have no doubt that Mr. Frantzis is as active and sincere a character as those he brings to life in this book. Live a little! Read it!
Rating:
Summary: Historical, informative, and inspiring!
Review: It is rare when a book such as this appears, filled with a vast amount of information and history, for the general public to get a glimpse of a world that is hardly seen or heard about. B.K. Frnatzis' account of his training from his teenage years into adulthood is amazing in its attention to detail. His story is unique in that he had the opportunity to train with some very exceptional individuals in the East who were willing to teach him. His experience in the martial arts and understanding of Taoist energy arts is truly great; this aspect is reflected in his books. For those who are more critical of Frantzis' work or feel that they were somehow cheated out of their money, I suggest that they inspect the text again because this book is well worth the cost. It is not a book about applications or step-by-step fighting instruction; it goes into detail about the history and wide overview of the internal martial, meditative, and healing arts. No one should question his ability to apply what he has written in this book in the real world; anyone can criticize, but few can apply their words into action like Frantzis. Apparently, some readers find cause for concern with this text because Frantzis promotes his seminars, videos, books, etc. He does this to create greater access to his vault of knowledge that has been gained for thirty-plus years. Quite frankly, all martial artists should be interested in his work because it will only improve upon their respective arts. And beware: if you want to read a book about a killing machine, avoid this book. Frantzis, although once basing his intentions on destruction, is primarily a healer, and it is evident in his books and videos. Very few people exist, whether in the past, present, or future, who have this incredible store of wisdom. Anyone with the slightest interest in the internal martial, healing, and meditative arts should investigate this book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book but not for the beginner
Review: It's interesting to note all the negative reviews here of this book, most of them anonymous or by "A reader," who probably wrote all of them since they all have the same style and tone. I also note that there's almost always someone from Taiwan or China or Japan who posts a negative review of any American martial arts book, I guess because they don't want to admit that there are good masters over here too who are perfectly qualified to write such a book.
Mr. Frantzis is also fluent in both Japanese and Chinese, and that opened doors for him and allowed him to communicate with various masters who didn't speak English (as many of the older instructors didn't).
If you're looking for specific techniques or applications, this book isn't for you, since the book isn't so much about specific combat techniques (despite the subtitle), as it is more of a high-level conceptual survey. If you're a knowledgeable martial artist with some previous background in the internal arts and/or kung fu and enjoy exploring the similarities and differences between the different internal styles and kung fu, and even the external styles, I think you'll enjoy this book. The descriptions of obscure arts such as the 8 Drunken Immortals was very interesting and reminded me of a similar drunken style that one of my kung fu teachers knew and that I studied briefly. But that's only one of a dozen or so different styles that Frantzis compares. The comparisons between the various internal and kung fu styles I found very accurate (based on my own 42 years of experience in various external and internal styles) and enjoyable to read.
There is so much material and detail here that it's hard to summarize, but the following will give you a pretty good idea of the book's contents:
1. Detailed descriptions of the three main internal boxing methods (Hsing I, Ba Gua, and Tai Chi), as well as many substyles.
2. In-depth comparisons and analyses of the different arts in regard to their methods of movement, principles and philosophies, use of force and energy, body mechanics, and some practical applications.
3. "Personal Odyssey" sections where Mr. Frantzis recounts many of his interesting encounters with famous martial arts masters. This feature recalls Robert W. Smith's Chinese Boxing: Masters and Methods, from a previous generation of martial arts books.
4. Several sections or chapters discussing special topics such as the use of speed and power in the different arts.
5. There are five appendices covering the different styles of tai chi (such as Yang, Chen, Wu, Tung, Hou, and Sun), a history of Ba Gua, energy anatomy of the human body, a summary of Mr. Frantzis's training and lineage, a chapter on Chinese terminology and transliteration, and an extensive glossary.
I also appreciated Frantzis's honesty and frankness. He admits that although a Tai Chi technique like rollback will enable a smaller, weaker person to overcome a larger, stronger opponent, that simply studying Tai Chi does not guarantee that capability, and that if one does develop such abilities, it will probably take 10 or more years to do that since that requires considerable skill.
Overall a very well written, enjoyable and detailed book analyzing and discussing the similarities and differences between dozens of internal and external arts.
Rating: 
Summary: Good inspirational work, but too much self-praise
Review: Just remember that true masters do not write books. There are many great stories in the book, for which it is worth reading, but the only thing we can be sure that Mr. Frantzis is a master of is massaging his ego. I am skeptical of anyone who feels the need to put his certificates in a book. His claim that he can stand in San Ti for 6 hours is hard to swallow.
Rating:
Summary: Great Introduction to Internal Arts
Review: Kumar Frantzis' work is a great addition to the martial arts canon. It allows a wide range of martial artists a broad understanding of a whole host of martial arts sytems and more importantly the methodology behind their training and hence their limitations. For those who doubt the abilities of Kumar Frantzis I would recommend that they attend one of his weekly classes or seminars. He can demonstrate his abilities in a very tangible way. He can articulate with his own movements the nature of the martial arts styles he has written about. The only way one can verify this is to investigate directly. My words or anyone else's words will never replace the feeling from actual contact. Read the book and investigate the systems described for yourself. Distinguish the superlative martial artists in each discipline and ask what common denominators there are. How accurate is the theories that Kumar Frantzis uses to delineate various levels of ability? If you have a more accurate picture, then publish your own book. I would be glad to read it.
Rating: 
Summary: I learned a lot from this book...
Review: Many other reviewers have stated their disappointment with the lack of "step by step" instructions and "how-to" diagrams. However, I really found it fascinating! My whole goal in reading this book was to learn more about some of the principles and theories underlying the internal martial arts. I certainly gained a number of insights into how the various philosophies of taiji, xingyi, and bagua influence the ways that practitioners of these arts handle incoming forces. I could see a real improvement in my taiji and bagua training by keeping these viewpoints in mind as I practiced, and have since re-read many parts of this book and continue to learn from it. This book does not give specific examples of techniques, takedowns, pressure points, or diagrams of applications, and you will be disappointed if this is what you expect. However, if you wish to read a good overview of the general principles of these arts, and are interested in hearing about some of the masters of the internal styles, I would definitely recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: I learned a lot from this book...
Review: Many other reviewers have stated their disappointment with the lack of "step by step" instructions and "how-to" diagrams. However, I really found it fascinating! My whole goal in reading this book was to learn more about some of the principles and theories underlying the internal martial arts. I certainly gained a number of insights into how the various philosophies of taiji, xingyi, and bagua influence the ways that practitioners of these arts handle incoming forces. I could see a real improvement in my taiji and bagua training by keeping these viewpoints in mind as I practiced, and have since re-read many parts of this book and continue to learn from it. This book does not give specific examples of techniques, takedowns, pressure points, or diagrams of applications, and you will be disappointed if this is what you expect. However, if you wish to read a good overview of the general principles of these arts, and are interested in hearing about some of the masters of the internal styles, I would definitely recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: Gotta make that money!!
Review: Mmmmm... Well,I bought this book and read it front to back.Good but short bios of great fighters. He should of split the book up into different sections. One book for each system he has. Because the fad of this book is on its way out.
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