The Hercules Notes

My tbr List

2010-11-23T20:11:00.002-06:00

What is a tbr?

"tbr" is a "To be Read" list. Due to BookMooch and PaperBackSwap it has become huge in the last three years. The truth is though, that I can't read at the pace I used to be able to read, 1-3 minutes a page. So, now a 300 page book, can take me well over a week. Gone are the days where I used to be able to get through 2-3 books in a week. It's not only because of reading comprehension or speed of course. Life, work, chores and other things are part of this equation. Plus, there are always new books that come out that look interesting or are from an author that I want to read, and in the fullness of time, I acquire some of these books, and then they go on my "tbr". As slow as I now read, you'd be surprised how quickly my tbr gets filled-up. It's a losing battle.

I decided therefore, to list some of the books on my tbr here and ask people to choose for me the book I should read next. Why? Because, I can't decide. The last four books I read were kind of disappointing, and I Want something to shake the "cobwebs". I want, "a good read". Something that will really capture my attention or imagination. So, fell free to comment, or e-mail me at BookMooch or LibraryThing with your recommendation. Here is the list (a partial list at that):

That's it. I am stopping at 30 (note: I have most of the follow-up books in the series implied here, except for #18 and #21)... If I was to list my whole library, it would never end. These particular books have been in my mind for a while, either because they start a series, or because I've had them for a while. Some actually continue series that I have already started. So what say you the educated reader? What should I read next? Feel free to provide some input and help me enjoy my Holiday Weekend (Thanksgiving weekend in the USA).

1053. Blasphemy

2010-06-26T20:11:00.081-05:00

Blasphemy is the first book in which Wyman Ford, appears. Wyman Ford is the main character in Douglas Preston's Blasphemy and Impact. He's a Private Investigator, an ex-CIA Agent, a monk, and many other things. He's not really a Jack-of-all-trades, like the guy in Human Target or some other such heroes. He's, however, a man who tries to get the job done.

In this first real job for Wyman, we see him utilizing some of his knowledge of the Navajo language, which is really difficult to learn, getting on the rez (reservation) out in Arizona as a liaison with the tribe on the big project on their land. The US Government built a Giant Super-Collider near Red Mesa to explore the mysteries of the Big Bang. After all, we don't want the Europeans with their Large Hadron Collider to beat us. Wyman, knows one of the scientists at the project, apart from knowing a bit of the Navajo culture so he's embedded to find out why the project has fallen behind. Money has been spent, but there have been no results.

Meanwhile, the Navajo tribal council is having second thoughts. The lobbyists that were hired to represent their interests are trying to manipulate them AND public opinion. Additionally, a local preacher connects with a well known Evangelical Pastor who is aghast at the $40 Billion cost of the Super-Collider (called by the scientists "Isabella"). Wyman's history with a scientist on the project is that of a long ago love affair, when they were both young and in college. Her name is Kate Mercer. All these threads come into contact together with an immense discovery when the collider is first powered to 100%.

What is the discovery the scientists make and it's implications to theoretical physics? Does this discovery have theological implications? Can Wyman bring the truth out into the world or should he hide the truth from the President and his science adviser who recruited him for this mission? Why are the scientists hiding the truth? Why was a man killed to hide the truth?

This is a book worth staying-up all night for. It is the second Douglas Preston book that I have read, but is probably the first Wyman Ford adventure. It is not as fantastical (in some sense) than "Impact" which I reviewed earlier in this blog -- since I read that one first! But I do think it stands very well on its own. It is an excellent book, because it shows the limits of this particular character in the face of an impossible situation. He's faced with something he knows to NOT be true, yet at the same time, he can not convince others of this fact. His faith is not the faith of others; OR, put another way -- Kate's faith is so strong that he can not change her mind without different evidence otherwise.

All in all, a highly satisfying book and highly recommended! 4 stars out of 5!

The BBC's Merlin, a fantasy series that delivers the promised magic - SFFMedia

2010-05-04T16:51:00.000-05:00

The BBC's Merlin, a fantasy series that delivers the promised magic - SFFMedia

A very nice review, and one that I find agrees word for word with my sentiments on this excelent series. Read the review and come back to comment.

1048. Impact

2010-04-23T17:06:00.073-05:00

Recently, I have had a run of good luck with the books I have been reading, as they have provided ample entertainment, and made for an exciting read. This includes this fantastic little gem of a book that I saw at the bookstore and I had to pick-up. It is called, Impact by Douglas Preston and it is a most unusual thriller.

Before, I get into the meat of this review, I am reminded that I had never read a book by Douglas Preston before this one, but he has been an author that I have kept my eye on in the past few years. For one reason or another, his titles have attracted me, but I had not had occasion to pick one up. I had previously purchased "Blasphemy", but I had not read it. Suffice it to say, I intend to change that oversight.

The other thing that I find interesting is the plot of this book. Without of course, giving away too many details, the book opens as your standard scientific-mystery-whodunit-cum-thriller. Recently (and this encompasses the past couple of years), I have been reading about the death of the Science Fiction Genre as a Literary Genre and how the amount of written material being produced in it, is nowhere near what we used to see during the Golden Age or even the Silver Age (anything after the 1960s into the 1980s) or even beyond. Plus the written material has no coherence to it, and is all over the map, as in, there is no particular style that dominates science fiction as a Genre. This then, could be the reason why a lot of writers don't want to be categorized as Science Fiction writers anymore, even though they constantly delve into that Genre, and yet, their books are found on the more acceptable, mainstream, fiction sales, aisles. The supposition then is, that Douglas Preston here, has written a masterful Science Fiction novel, but one that will not be categorized as such in any bookstore or library, and similarly will never win any major Literary Science Fiction awards like the Nebula or Hugo. On the other hand, the author is able to sell his very masterful cautionary tale to a much wider audience. Is that an acceptable trade-off? You be the judge.

The plot of this novel is simple enough: Something has impacted the Earth, hitting off the coast of Maine. In addition, one of the scientists from the Mars Mapping Mission at the California Institute of Technology has been found dead because of what he knows. Meanwhile, another scientist, has picked-up the mantle of the dead scientist and continued his research. Something is going on, on Mars. Is the Earth impact and the events on Mars related? This world spanning adventure, which is very well plotted, and paced, with good characters, will keep your interest through-out, and will leave you breathless in many places. It was hard to put down for very long and it was definitely one of those books that I finished in less than 3 days. If it wasn't for other obligations, I would have read it in one sitting.

Yes, some of the side characters are kind of sketchy, and some of the details are still left hanging out there, but in a book such as this, the main plot, and the people you really care about, who are at the center of things, are well conceived, and isn't that all you can ever expect from a well plotted book?

So, I highly recommend this book, and I give it a well earned 5 stars out of 5. A most enjoyable first read for me from Mr. Douglas Preston.

1043. Plague Zone

2010-02-15T19:32:00.089-06:00

On a recent trip I got to finish, "Plague Zone" by Jeff Carlson. It is the third book in his Post-Apocalyptic, Nano-technology, Plague Year Trilogy. (Duh! - Obviously, though, one wonders, if the trilogy might grow to more books...but that's a story for different paragraph). Almost six months after the last book, a little band of survivors, including Cam Najarro and Ruth Goldman, the Nano-technology researcher have holed-up not far from the US Government's seat of power, high-up in the Rocky Mountains. Even though the human race has achieved a level of immunity and can descent below the 10,000 foot level, not too many people stray too far below that barrier still. Yes, the Chinese live in Los Angeles, and the Russians north of them, but most American and Canadian forces are still centered around the Rocky Mountains. Strength comes from numbers, but numbers can be easily attacked when people are located in one particular "zone".

A new "nano" attacks the World, not just the Americans, but everyone. There are few survivors. Among them, Cam and Ruth who try to unlock its secret. The journey in this third book is to figure out where the attack came from, why and who create the new "nano". I don't know, why the author stopped calling the nano-technology "snowflakes" like he did in the other books... that was a bit jarring. Still, the reveal as to who the "nano's" creator was is quite a bit stunning, and an important part of the plot. The other part that advances the story spectacularly are the people who survive the attack and respond to it this time. I have always been kind of confused as to Ruth's motivations. I am starting to believe that the reason has more to do with Jeff Carlson's writing and something about the way he writes her character and that I am not picking this up, and nothing more.

For the problems and reviews of the first two books go here:
Plague Year
Plague War

There is a lot more exposition and discussion of the Geopolitical situation as well as the effects of the "nano" on the whole world. It's as if, in the first two books, Jeff Carlson was testing his feet in the water... now he has finally jumped in head first.

I enjoyed the third book in this series, even if the conclusion was a bit uneven, even if I get the feeling that there might be another book. I just wish that Ruth Goldman (and by extension the author) had arrived at some different conclusions and a different course of action. The future of what remains of the human race depends on her, and even after this, I expect greatness, or at least that what Classic Science Fiction of the Golden Age always led me to believe.

All in all, a worthy effort. 4 stars out of 5. The last one for effort.

1038. Dead Until Dark

2009-12-06T14:36:00.040-06:00

I had to see what all the fuss was about you know. I had to read for myself, at least the first book in this series about this woman, Sookie Stackhouse who meets this Vampire at her place of work, and falls in love with him. Oh, there are so many books with that theme in the marketplace, and unaccountable number of books on the subject. What makes writers, write this type of book? Is every one of these books a singular creation, or does each of these writers sit down and think, I can do the Vampire Story better than everybody else? So, on a company trip I decided to stop at local Barnes & Noble and pick-up the book (and the first sequel).... oh, it turns out there are lots and lots of these books coming out of the imagination of Charlaine Harris!

Meanwhile, there is TV series that airs on HBO called True Blood that covers the events in the books? I don't know, because a) I haven't read all the books, and b) I haven't watched the TV series since I can't afford HBO. So, back in the real world of an adult male, I decide to read a fantasy book written about a young, good looking waitress from Louisiana who can can read minds, and where Vampires exist (they are an every day accepted phenomenon, accepted, and regulated?) Sookie (our heroine) falls for Bill, a Vampire who lives down the street from her house, and they share something intimate and maybe something more. How far back does their history go back? Is their some relationship in their family's past? But Bill has problems of his own. He has come back into town with reputation problems and maybe people pursuing him? Not that Sookie has the easiest life, having to take care of her grandmother and her brother who seems to get into trouble with every women he beds.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, more as a distraction than anything else. It appears that there are now, 10+ books in the series. I definitely have the second one, and I will read it, but I don't know whether I will read anymore in the series. As for the HBO series, since I know nothing about what is going in the books themselves, even though I have sampled it, I can't say I was impressed by it. It is a pretty graphic series. There is something about the printed word that leaves a lot to the imagination.... I like that!

I suspect this book, appeals to a different demographic, but Charlaine Harris IS a pretty good writer, and her characters are well actualized. For this reason, I will give this book 3 and a half stars.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

2009-06-30T19:00:00.005-05:00

Here I am, two months late reviewing this movie, without any links or any other fanfare. Why? Well, because I did not want to add to the original debate, and because the I am not really a movie critic. My opinion on this matter is hardly important. Of course, neither am I a book critic, so there we are.

First of, the basics: Did I enjoy the movie? Yes! A lot. And not in a fan-boy sort of way. Did I enjoy it as much as the first movie? No! The movie did not have the freshness of the first Transformers movie or the originality. Yet, it maintained the spirit of the Transformers franchise.

Now, at this point, you'll say, you lost me, "what are you talking about?" Please understand, that I have been watching Transformers since 1984. Yes, I realize that at the time I was in High School, but call me a "Nerd" if you want, it was something to take my mind off things back then, including my mother's cancer (she passed away that year), and the pressures of High School in the big city, having grown-up in a small town. So I adored, the Autobots, as protectors of the weak humans, just as I adored other superheroes whose adventures I read about in Comic Books (Batman, Daredevil, Spiderman, X-men and Superman come to mind). So, Transformers and I go way back.

I got (as in, I understood, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"), maybe because I am clued-in into the mythology, or maybe because I like the special effects, or maybe because I want to be taken to a special place once in a while, where only movies can take us.

But, how did the movie fare as a movie, and how does the plot hold-up to examination? Well, it doesn't... At best, the plot was no better than a three part episode of the original series -- seriously! At worse, let's not go there.

The movie does not deserve to be ranked as some kind of monumental movie making achievement. You can't sit and watch it and think, "well it's between this one and 'Citizen Kane' for best of all time." Not even close. It's not that kind of movie.

But boy, did I enjoy this movie. And, as such mindless, pointless, fun movies go, there was another such movie that Michael Bay made called "Armageddon". I hated that movie. I hated it with a passion. I still do. Maybe because a similar movie had opened earlier that summer called "Deep Impact" which was thoughtful and more realistic. At least, "Transformers 2," while NOT realistic in any way, has this 'mythology' to fall back on, this history to fall back on -- and that, I enjoyed.

One last point: Will I be buying the DVD when it comes out? Yes. For me it was save-worthy.

But, if there is a third movie in the franchise, I expect something a lot more thoughtful, a lot better than what we just experienced. We shall see.

1029. Plague War

2009-06-10T18:50:00.047-05:00

I don't know why anybody would say: "...part George Romero, " when describing Jeff Carlson's follow-up book to "Plague Year", second book "Plague War". There is nothing in it that reminds me of "Night of the Living Dead." Then again, when you're living in the future without hope, it might seem that the "Living Dead" are roaming the land. Me? I just don't see the comparisons. I mean, nanotechnology infected people are not zombies. There is hope for them. Isn't there? This book is the second book in Carlson's Plague Year trilogy.

So, does Jeff Carlson succeed in continuing his Nanotechnology-cum-Post-Apocalyptic tale? This, the second book, is a good yarn, taking place immediately after the events of the first book. Events take place at a break-neck speed, and as such leave little room to think. Can Ruth Goldman unlock the secrets of the "snowflake" as the nanotechnology is called? Can Cam Najarro protect her from countless adversaries? What is in it for himself? And let us not forget that the title of this book is "Plague War" so what is this War about?

Events in this book escalate rather quickly. The people that were on the International Space Station with Ruth in the first book go their own ways in the second book. One of them, Ulinov, the Russian commander is instrumental in the events that lead for domination and ultimate war. But, while I can the see the logic that led this author down the path of this sequence of events, I still don't understand why he does not embrace showing us the road to salvation. There are hints at what the nanotech can accomplish. These are the private thoughts of Cam Najarro whose point of view we are treated to always. But if these things and more are possible, why is the hero at least not willing to discuss them openly with Ruth?

Still, because of the expanded exposition and lots more action - Jeff Carlson truly paints on an international canvas this time - I enjoyed this book more than the first.

I give it 3 stars out of 5.

1028. Plague Year

2009-05-30T18:49:00.047-05:00

Plague Year by Jeff Carlson is the debut novel of a new talent in the Science Fiction genre. In the back cover of the paperback edition, no less a master of the genre than David Brin says: "One of the best debut novels in years." And Kevin J. Anderson, a writer whose Saga of the Seven Suns kept me enthralled for years is quoted as saying "Fascinating."

With this kind introduction, a novel of this type has to be good, right? After all, a number of forum members on BookMooch actually recommended this book to me. The book covers a subject matter that I adore, nanotechnology...How I did not become a biochemist or a biological engineer, I don't know. I would have loved to play with tiny little machines. So, my expectation were pretty high going into this book. Not discounting the fact that it's also a book in the "Post-Apocalyptic" sub-genre of Science Fiction.

To be honest, I did enjoy the book on a certain level. And yes, I completely identified with Cam. I thought he was the most well rounded of the characters in the book. But apart from characterization problems such as Cam Najarro and Ruth Goldman, I had issues with some of the decisions the characters were making. I understand these characters belong to a certain author who has to lead them to a certain action sequence and then to a certain outcome, but there were times when their actions made no sense. So, I had problems with the structure of the book.

I also had problems with the language as used throughout the book. Granted, I might not have been an English major in College, but the way a lot of sentences were written seemed odd to me. They weren't particularly wrong, but they were off-putting. Oh, I followed the action alright, but the language made that journey a jarring ride. And this could be because of subtleties in the language that even I am not aware of.

What was the bulk of the story about? Quoting from the back cover: "The nanotechnology was designed to fight cancer. Instead, it evolved into the machine plague, killing nearly five billion people and changing life in Earth forever. The nanotech has one weakness: It self-destructs at altitudes above ten thousand feet..."

So, there are survivors, and a group of scientists who are sent onto the International Space Station (ISS) to escape the Plague. But eventually they are going to have to come back because they are going to run out of supplies and because there is only so much they can do up there. Meanwhile the survivors out West, pick-up one of the creators of the Plague.

You know what I kept waiting to happen in this book? Yes, you have destroyed humankind successfully with this Machine Plague. And yes, there are immense consequences for the ecosystem and the entire planet. Now, show us the next step, show us the ingenuity of the human mind and the promise of the technology. Show us what a well-meaning scientist with the right tools can do with nano-technology...

I give this book 2 stars out of 5.

1024. Joker One

2009-02-04T18:45:00.094-06:00

Joker One was a book I received through the LibraryThing Early Review program. They send me this book in December of 2008 (or maybe January 2009) and I dutifully finished before it's publication date of March 2009. Like everything else, life caught up with me and this review got held-up in the big ether, so, very belatedly, I am getting it out.

Donovan Campbell was a United States Marine platoon commander and is the author of Joker One. The book is a memoir of his time as the leader of this platoon, prior to deployment, and during their time in Iraq, in Ramadi in 2004, during the height of what is now called the insurgency.

Over the years, I have read a few war related books, whether memoirs, historical perspectives or other such, recounting of things past, novel set in war (realistic or not), and simple description of key events that made history. It was always very hard to gleam, from all such recounting, whether the truth one read was an honest appraisal of the war described. In most cases, this was because the war I was reading about was so much older, whether it was Vietnam, Korea or World War II. Certainly, there have been some seminal books in the genre, but it is not my intention to remember them here.

What struck me from the beginning of this book, is the narrator's perspective on events. Like anything, when we read a book, we bring our own prejudices into the reading of the book. I personally try very hard to avoid this pitfall, but at the same time, I would be lying if I said that I was one of the war's biggest supporters. Nor did I go out and vocally oppose it, but that's another story, for another time. In hindsight, I have noticed, that many reviewers have taken the approach of bringing their personal biases in reviewing this book (pro or against the war and its effects). I would argue that this book is so great, that such an approach is completely unwarranted.

Here are the themes that struck me upon reading this book:

It is made very clear that the author is a Princeton and Harvard Business School graduate. Yet, it is not that education which plays the biggest role during his deployment.
The military are given certain parameters to operate within (one could say, their hands are tied, before the deployment even begins), however, the reality on the ground is different than the orders.
The History of the Marines as an institution comes through those pages very strongly. Yet, for all that, Marines are soldiers, and soldiers are human beings, with human feelings, and human concerns and human problems and human failings.

The strongest truth in this book was its honesty. From the very first page it grabbed my attention and never let me go. That is why I mentioned it was important to forget your prejudices. You can not go into reading this story by hating the Marines for what they are doing. Open your eyes and read Donovan's story and hear it with your heart. Then you will understand what it really takes to serve in the modern military. If you might get to a point where you question how the military functions, or how it handles decisions handed down from the political leadership that could be an outcome of your existing preconceived notions, but in the meantime, you would have missed the human part of the equation; you would have missed the drama of men fighting along each other for a cause they were told was just and right.

There is another truth hidden in the exceptional story telling skills of Donovan Campbell. He cares. He cares for his Marines. He cares for his squad leaders, his NCOs, his sergeants, etc. He tries to always do right by them. This does not mean he is a "soft" leader, but every trial faced by one in the platoon, is faced by all. Ramadi in 2004 is not a welcoming place. There are many dangers, and many of the dangers come from within mosques and other off-limits type places. I do not know if the loses that this Platoon suffers can be regarded heavy in comparison to other Platoons, yet, you feel each one of them as if they were someone you knew. That is the greatness of the story that Mr. Campbell is conveying here.

Finally, one more compliment. At the end of the book, you get the feeling that something was accomplished and yet, a lot remained to be accomplished. Regrets were finally expressed, but they were not so overwhelming as to consume the tone of the book. This then is the highest compliment I can pay to this war memoir: if you had not made-up your mind about this war and you read this book, this would not help you decide, BUT it would give you a very clear and distinct perspective on what the American fighting men and women have to endure in persecuting this war. And isn't that what we all need? Better understanding? For others, this will be just a great war yarn.

On my personal scale, I have to give this book, four stars out of five.

1022. Hana-Kimi: For You in Full Blossom # 1

2008-12-12T22:52:00.005-06:00

Those who know me -- especially those who know me well -- know that I love almost all things Japanese, particularly Animation (called Anime) and Comic Books (which in Japan are called Manga). So, of course I have boxes and boxes of Comic Books going back a few decades, my prized possessions being some "Daredevil" issues from the "Frank Miller era". Unfortunately, some of those, got lost in a big move some years ago. Although lately, I have only been buying Graphic Novels and not individual Comic Books, I have delved or experimented with Japanese Comic Books.

Mostly, the Japanese Comic Books that I read are titles that I became aware of because of the Anime, meaning, the Japanese Animation came first, or if there was a written form before it was animated, I did not become aware of it, until the animation became widespread. Lately, one of my Bookmooch friends convinced me to take a chance at this title.

Shojo Manga is written to appeal to both a male and a female audience, and of course it has no Science Fiction, or robots, or aliens, or anything else like that. Still, I always like to experience the Japanese view of the world. And thus, I read the first volume in what I believe is a very popular series.

This has an interesting premise: Mizuki, is a female Japanese-American track-and-field star (up-and-coming, as they say) who falls in love with a Japanese boy Izumi Sano. Why did she fall in love with Izumi? Well, Izumi is himself, a track-and-field star, a high jumper actually, who Izumi noticed at an international meet. So, Izumi, wanting to be near him, gets a transfer to his high-school in Japan. From a strange quirk of fate, they end being roommates... the complication of course being that Izumi school in Japan is an all boys academy. So how will Mizuki go to school there? Well, she passes herself off as a boy.

That is the beginning of the plot. There are two main sub-elements that take place. Mizuki has to hide her identity, of course (though the school nurse/doctor who is gay, finds out pretty early that she is a girl). The other sub-plot is that Izumi does not want to compete in the high-jump anymore, but his girl-friend is trying to convince him otherwise. To top it off, Mizuki's fair features have brought her attention with some of the other boys, one of them thinking he might be attracted to him (her -- he doesn't Mizuki is a girl, so he thinks he's gay!)

So, will Mizuki be able to hide her identity from her schoolmates? Will she be able to "fight off" Izumi's girlfriend? Will she be able to turn away her boy suitor in the school?

It's a quick read, and I did enjoy it a bit, but I was not the target audience. Personally, I'd be much happier reading G.T.O. or InitialD. Still, I'll give it 3 stars out of 5 for style and for the themes it tackles. I don't know if what American teenagers read tackle subjects like this.

1016. The Color of Magic

2008-08-01T18:00:00.008-05:00

I have wanted to read Terry Prachett's Discworld series for ages now...really... Anyway, with the greatest invention of the Internet age: BookMooch on my side, I was able to collect the first 10 books in the Discworld Series. And on a recent business trip, I was able to read the first book. Ah, the lack of an iPod! What fun!

Don't get me wrong, I am probably one of those few Americans who actually GET British humour. And, not only do I get it, but I enjoy it. In fact, for many years, many of my friends kept recommending this series to me, but not until BookMooch was I able to actually get the books on the cheap. Suffice it to say, I have been missing some prime entertainment.

But first a few words:

I won't be reviewing the whole series here. I will try to do due diligence and review each novel as I go along and as time permits.
There are some major differences between "American Humour" and "British Humour" which I can't begin to explain here. Some people say those differences are born from the fact that the British are so much more uptight than their cousins across the pond. I tend to not support this hypothesis. I am not sure for the reason for these differences. Since Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Not the Nine O' Clock News, Red Dwarf and other such British comedy hits, I have enjoyed British comedy immensely. There is a satirical spin to that world view that somehow aligns with mine... I wonder why?
Discworld has so many books, don't expect literary reviews from me. All I am going to give you, are a few plot elements, along with what I thought, and a comparative ranking to the other books. There should be no misunderstanding: I plan to own the whole series in Paperback Format.

So, let's begin. Rincewind is a third-rate wizard (maybe even worse). In fact, he never really finished his magical education. Twoflower is a tourist from Counter-weight Continent. He has a piece of luggage, a trunk really, that has legs and walks on its own. Rincewind is a college dropout and as such menial tasks as are appointed to him. When Twoflower arrives at Ankh-Morpork, such a commotion ensues because of the gold that he carries that Rincewind is appointed his guide in the strange new land. In a way then, this begins as both a buddy novel and a clash of cultures book. It soon however, becomes a travelogue, as Rincewind and Twoflower end-up on the run.

Along the way, Rincewind, Twoflower and the luggage encounter many adventures and are finally captured at the edge of the turtle...err, the edge of world -- but I won't explain that, you'll have to read about it.

One of my favorite episodes is their encounter with dragons and their riders. In many ways, the idea of what Twoflower experiences and WHY is the reason why, I love to read fantasy and wish it on all young children! It expands the mind. Without imagination, we're nothing.

A lovely book, and a great start to the series. 3 stars out of five.

1015. Soon I Will Be Invincible

2008-07-26T21:41:00.005-05:00

Many who know me, understand that I adore Comic Books. I have loved books with pictures since I was very little. It's not a surprise then that I started collecting Comic Books at a rather young age. And then titles that most inspired me, where those of Heroic Adventurers. Not necessarily Superheroes, but eventually, I got into that Genre as well. First, by reading Batman, and later X-Men. I have since branched out into other heroes of course. I haven't gotten into novelizations of the heroes I mentioned above however. I also, love Heroes, the TV show.

For some reason, when I saw this title on the book self at my local Barnes & Noble, I was intrigued. So I had to give it a try. And boy, was I surprised. This is a really funny book, with an exciting story line. It reads almost like a Comic Book. Like many of the books that I love to read, I was able to visualize what I was reading. For me, that is really high praise for any book! But first things first...A few plot details:

Dr. Impossible is a misunderstood Super-Villain. He is "the Smartest Man in the World". He is currently in federal detention, under extreme guard with no possibility of escape. While in prison, he is planning his next evil genius plot of conquering the world. This is because his mind never stops working.

Meanwhile, he is opposed by "The Champions", a group of Superheroes who protect the world. Before the Champions, there were "The Super Squadron". They retired (but are still around). A background is given for most of the Heroes and Villains you meet in this book, even most of the ones that are just mentioned. The most powerful Hero (sort of like 'Superman') is CoreFire -- you can consider him almost "invincible" (as in unbeatable). Yet, "The Champions", are concerned with two things as the book opens. CoreFire's death and who might have killed him, and reconstituting the group after disbanding a few years ago. Additionally, they are trying to replace "Galatea" (a Robot who was part of the group and died on a mission) with "Fatale" who is a Cyborg (really, a rebuilt human, who was patched together by the military and the NSA, but was then considered psychologically unstable to work for the government).

The story unfolds of course as Dr. Impossible escapes from prison and sets out to complete his "Evil" plans. Meanwhile, "The Champions", as they are trying to integrate Fatale into their team, and search for CoreFire learn of Dr. Impossible's escape. A showdown is inevitable. I love the way this book is written. There are two viewpoints presented: That of Doctor Impossible who we meet first, and Fatale as she tries to integrate into "The Champions". Chapters alternate between the two viewpoints. The action is rapid fire, and the cover blurb is on target:

"Every comic-book cliche in this witty stunning debut is lovingly embraced, then turned inside out." (From Wired Magazine). (Note: I have not sought this review out to confirm this comment.)

Yes, there are many cliches in this book, yet the book is fantastic fun throughout. Similarly, I was taken aback by the depth of the characterizations. Doctor Impossible really struggles with who he has become. Is he really that evil? Or is he really more like you and me and lonely, and all he is seeking is acceptance, maybe companionship? -- or maybe NOT! How about Fatale? She really is seen throughout the book with what she has become, or rather with what they have made her into. She is trying to reconcile that person with who she was and how to fit in with "The Champions". After all, in her mind, she has this high ideal of who they are and how powerful they are.

In all, this is an entertaining book, which in Novel format does exactly what the best Comic Books ought to do: Humanize Super-Heroes. I highly recommend it.

3 stars out of 5.

1013. Twilight

2008-05-24T20:52:00.045-05:00

I know how surprising this might seem coming from me. I am not the intended audience for this book, and for this series of books. But the truth is, my friends in the BookMooch community, kept harping about the author, Stephanie Meyer and about the books, that I had to bite (forgive the pun) and take the plunge. So, here I am telling you how I felt about the first book at least.

Bella is a high school girl who returns to Forks, Washington to live with her father, while her mother travels with her new husband who is a minor league baseball player. That is the hook to get you in. Forks is a drab and dreary place (as you'd expect for a setting in Washington State). Bella receives a lot of attention at her new school, not the least of which is because her father is a police officer, and of course she's a stranger. But similarly she's attracted to a boy called Edward who together with his siblings attend the same high school as Bella. In a strange accident, Edward saves Bella's life in the school parking lot. This makes Edward even more desirable for Bella, but at every turn, Edward shuns hers.

As the cover of the Book depicts, Edward appears to be "the forbidden fruit", just as the apple in the Garden of Eden was for Adam and Eve. Is Bella's and Edward's love meant to be or is it forbidden? Of course, millions of people and fans have read these books, so I will not go into a long exposition here. At this point everyone knows that what the "Forbidden Fruit" really is, is "the fact that Edward is a Vampire" aged over 100 years old. And for Bella to "love him" is not only impossible BUT dangerous and it could cause her, her life.

Still, in a book that very capably explores the teenager's psyche with ample exposition (some would say over-long), Bella croons for Edward and manages to snare enough of his attention and mine. You can find more engrossing reviews elsewhere on the web. There was even a review I read somewhere from a gentleman who argued that the books where written by Stephanie Meyer for the teenage boy's heart, rather than for the teenage girl's heart. Whether there is a romantic in you or not, I believe the author capably captures something in these books, and this is why the books have such a cult following - and now the movies of course. Are they great literature? Are these books the logical successor to the Harry Potter books? I personally don't think that, but again, I qualify this statement, by reminding everyone, that I was not the intended audience, and I understood more of the teenage heart poured into the books than I thought possible. So great effort all around.

3 stars out of 5.

1012. Then We Came to The End

2008-05-17T01:13:00.006-05:00

"Then We Came To The End" is Joshua Ferris' first novel. In many ways it is a magnificent novel. In many ways, he captures the feeling of working in today's office. OR maybe, I should caution readers and say, in working in the office of "near yesterday". Because the office of today is becoming another beast. In the book, Joshua Ferris, very capably describes the ups and downs of office and cubicle life, the meetings, the coffee breaks, the gossip, the lay-offs, the angst, the inter-office romance, the unrequited love for coworkers, the dreams of coworkers, those who make it and those who don't.

A lot of people have described this first novel by Joshua Ferris as a comedy. Personally, I don't agree with this description. I am more keen to compare this novel to a Greek Tragedy:

"a form of drama defined by Aristotle characterized by seriousness and dignity and involving a great person who experiences a reversal of fortune." Additionally, "Aristotle's definition can include a change of fortune from bad to good as in the Eumenides, but he says that the change from good to bad as in Oedipus Rex is preferable because this effects pity and fear within the spectators.) According to Aristotle, "the structure of the best tragedy should be not simple but complex and one that represents incidents arousing fea r and pity--for that is peculiar to this form of art."

In more simpler terms, the characters in this novel, undergo a change in fortune, not necessarily because of their mistakes, but maybe amplified by their mistakes. Each and every character also has a unique way of dealing with his or her situation and with the consequences of their actions. If they make mistakes in response to a layoff, what is the action that they take to deal with it? If the mistake was with the partner in the firm in which they are employed, how does that affect their livelihoods, and how do they deal with that?

Certainly, seeing people in the daily routine of getting coffee after getting to the office and then proceeding to waste the next two hours on minutia is funny -- heck, I recognize myself there, because I am guilty of that. I have done that, a lot of times in times of high stress. Seeing people afraid of a diminutive woman (less than 5'2") who is their boss can also be funny -- what can cause people to fear someone so much? And of course, the extraordinary response of one individual to being let go, who continues to go into the office, bypassing security, day after day, to work on a project with constantly changing guidelines and goals, is seriously funny. But we can all relate with that I think. If you've ever been laid-off, and maybe thought it was unfair, who among you hasn't thought, if I could only prove my worth to them, make them see what I can do on this project, maybe they would change their minds.

But it's not as simple as that. And neither is this book, this novel. In the end, this novel is a book within a book. I am not sure from where, but I get the feeling, that Joshua Ferris is writing about Lynn, the senior partner, the intimidating figure in this novel who lays people off, but who in the end is scared by "breast cancer". There is a section between Part 1 and Part 2 of the book called 'The Thing to Do and the Place to Be'. It's the one section of the book that deals with only one person, one character in the whole book. It's about Lynn. That is why I suspect, the book, might have originally been intended to be written about Lynn and then evolved into much more than that. But even if that's not the case, this section, elevates this book to a very high level. It is such a wonderful piece of writing, it gives you such depth and understanding into a fictional character that you begin to understand her, you begin to feel how she feels, and how many others in her position might feel.

That is high praise indeed. Hank Neary, another character in the book, writes about Lynn in his fictional novel. (He's one of Lynn's employees who is always working on his novel, and finally, like the actual book's author, gets published). Later he reads to a crowd some of his words, as the novel comes full circle. And the story, like life, comes full circle. At this point, I will not reveal any more of the plot, and I have only given some vague hints about the office politics, the office threats, the office romances, the rocky relationships, and all the other things that make living life so extra-ordinary. I wonder if this novel in a way is also a tribute to our post-9/11 bout with soul-searching and the fear of mortality. Because in a sense, the characters fear everything that happens to them, yet revel in the magnificence of living, the essence of being. That is what makes life bearable. That we're not on this journey alone, but there are others on it. And sure, some of them have their quirks, and we talk about them, and gossip about them, and yet we also drink coffee with them, and occasionally we go out and have some drinks with them.

In the end, I found this novel extremely satisfying as it recognizes all the things it means to be human. And that is high praise indeed. This is my first 5 star review of the year!!! (In the past, I used to give such highly praised books one big star).

I highly recommend it.

Moonlight Season and Series Finale

2008-05-16T01:12:00.005-05:00

Nina Tassler, the president of the CBS TV Network continues to make stunning mistakes in her programming choices. First, in 2007 she cancels the excellent TV show Jericho. Thankfully, the fans had enough of her and revolted by sending her bags of nuts to indicate their displeasure to the cancellation of that show. So, she recanted and brought that show back in mid-season 2007-08 for a second season, but only for 7 episodes. You saw my abbreviated reviews below of the last couple of episodes of Jericho. It was overall a great season.

Then producer Joel Silver creates the marvel that is 'Moonlight' for the 2007-08 season which unfortunately gets affected by the writer's strike. A lot of good shows got affected by the writer's strike. A lot of good writers shot their own feet during this strike. But that's their own business, and I am not here to discuss that topic. What I am here to discuss, is this neat and tidy Vampire story, starring detective (Private Investigator) Mick St. John who is actually an 85-year old Vampire. This, IS (or rather WAS) NOT your father's Vampire story. Neither was it your father's 'Magnum P.I.' The Vampires in this story lived among us, had ordinary lives and for the most part tried to interact with us. Most of their lives then, were lived in secret, and a lot of their socializing took place exclusively with other Vamps (short for Vampires). In the picture steps Beth Turner, a reporter for an underground internet newsmagazine and TV reporting show which also doubles as a tabloid show called "BuzzWire". She's investigating the murder of a young coed who appears to have been killed by a vampire? But... there are "no such things as vampires," right? So, as we are introduced to the world of Vamps and Mick St. John and Beth Turner the human who gets tangled-up in this world, a sort of dance ensues.

It is an invigorating dance to watch, intoxicating actually. Most of the episodes are so well written that they flow with a kind of poetry only seen in literary, lyrical pieces. The dance between Beth and Mick is one that has twists and turns and is intertwined with fate as Mick saved Beth's life when she was a child of no more than 4. Since then, he has been watching over her, like an Avenging Angel. The other complication? Beth is dating the assistant D.A. and they are in love, heading to engagement.

But fate has Mick and Beth on its cross hairs, and so in a very powerful last episode for both the season and the series we're going to find out what happens to both Beth and Mick. First, some additional background. When Mick was turned, he apparently was turned by a woman from a family of Vamps with a long history (think royal history leading many hundreds of years back into the old world -- think French history). Secondly, they have developed the technology to not only be able to switch back to "human kind" for a short period of time, but while in Vampire mode be indestructible against the normal things that kill vampires, Fire and Silver. Just as Beth's relationship with the assistant D.A. comes to an end, Mick's search for 'humanity' comes to fruition. Yet, he is bound to cast out his humanity for his 'Avenging Angel' role in order to save Beth yet again in Vampire mode. Beth needs saving, and he can't do it without being a vamp.

All this sets-up the powerful ending where a vampire commits murder, gets caught and threatens to expose ALL Vampires in L.A. This threatens Mick St. John. This also teaches Beth something about Vampires.

Is their fledging relationship strong enough to survive the revelations?

Can a relationship between a vamp and a human actually work? How would it work? How long would it last, especially as the human ages and the Vamp doesn't? So many questions, so many neat ideas for more shows, so many more paths for the show to explore, but alas...

So here is a highly creative show, doing a fantastic job week in and week out. The story lines are excellent. For the first time, I am thinking, Vampires are sexy, because I've got to tell you, I did not like ANY of the stuff that Anne Rice published. I did not like any of the movies that her books were made into, either. Oh, there have been other Vampire movies, like "Blade", but nothing this good. Everything else has glorified the violence aspect of the Vampires, the bloodlust, the need to feed, yet none has shown the human part of the vamp, like "Moonlight" did -- I really appreciated that.

I have hope now that creative people out there are doing something with the genre. Oh, I know, lots of authors have been publishing lots of Vampire tales... let me see, there is Lauren K. Hamilton, who I haven't read and many others. But, until "Moonlight", I did not think, something refreshing could be done with this genre. This is why I loved "Moonlight". And that is why, I am now reading "Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer -- it seems very promising.

Suffice it to say that I think CBS Television are idiots for canceling this show and not bringing it back in the Fall of 2008. It deserved another shot when there is no strike and after the full effect of the "Twilight" movie hits the public. Unfortunately, we won't get to see anymore of Beth Turner and Mick St. John.

Here is hoping that some creative force out there recognizes that this was powerful writing territory and gives us some stories in written form. I would certainly purchase such a book. Are there other takers out there?

Chekhov's Mistress: What Makes a Good Review?

2008-05-10T18:24:00.003-05:00

Chekhov's Mistress: What Makes a Good Review?

Since I do Book Reviews in this blog, I found this article, or blog entry very interesting, and I wanted to briefly comment on the 5 points the author discusses:

I always try to do this -- this is one of the most important goals of any review. But, during this process, you must also personalize your review, meaning, you should tailor it to fit your perceptions of what you read. So, I do disagree slightly with the point, but overall, both the blog author and John Updike are correct.
I probably don't do enough of this, i.e., give enough quotation of the author. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Well, many times, my reviews come days after I have finished the book. I actually have four books sitting on my desk right now that have been finished that I have not published the reviews for... this is a problem, I need to rectify. The sooner I publish the review, the fresher the book will be in my mind, and thus I might be able to quote passages from it. Although, I did quote passages from "Shantaram"!
See # 2. Again, I totally agree with this thesis, to an extend: I personally prefer to write things in my own words. To describe things that happen in the book, rather than "quote" from the book.
I don't believe, I have ever spoiled a book in my summary. When I thought I was coming close to spoiling it, I warned the reader to skip ahead and used other tricks, or minimized the damage. But, this is a really important point.
This is the greatest point here. I remember one of my best reviews on Amazon. It was for "The Bear and the Dragon" by Tom Clancy, a book I did not like, and something I pointed out during my review. Do not be mistaken by the fact that I adore Tom Clancy as a writer, and I already miss Jack Ryan. I wish we were lucky enough to have a president like Jack Ryan sometimes. But this book got the politics and the action all wrong, compared to a book like Ralph Peter's "The War in 2020".

So, very good Blog Post, and very good rules to leave by. Rules, a reviewer must live by in order to be successful.

At any rate, I have linked to this post here, and I will continue to look for posts of this nature elsewhere, as I believe successful book reviews, help people make good buying decisions and support the publishing industry in promoting the kind of books that need to be written and we all would like to read.

Comments anyone?

Cloverfield

2008-05-10T15:58:00.004-05:00

I was originally going to review this movie when it came out...why? Because, it is the only movie I have seen so far in theaters this year (2008)!

Yeah, I know, that's pretty funny. My original post, however, was going to be before I even started up this review blog, so I decided to wait and displace that review for this one.

I know it's kind of cheesy including this link (which is essentially an advertisement) for the movie in the review, but sue me OK? I was bored, and I didn't have time to go looking for pictures from the movie or other links to include in my review.

So, on to my review: Did I like this movie? And remember, about 4 months separate me from the time I actually saw it!

Yes, I did like this movie, unlike most of the reviewers at that time. What was it that they disliked? Well, instead of comparing my review to theirs, I will give you some of my good points.

I liked the first person view point that the movie was presented in. This made the movie a lot more personable to me. Yes, it did limit the point of view (POV) angles that were shot sometimes with the mini-cam, and you did not get to see the monster as much, but still, this was a concept I enjoyed.

I liked the futility of the characters trying to escape the destruction of the city and to survive. Survival is a human imperative. But, it makes you wonder, was this being contrasted to the monster's survival imperative? What then was the message there?

A lot of people complained that the type of people that populated the movie were all young 30 something young adults. Yet, this fact did not detract from the effect of the movie. You know, not everything in this country, or in this world is about the "Baby Boomer" Generation. And presenting something in someone else's viewpoint brings a fresh perspective to film making. I liked that, a lot.

Finally, the monster itself was cool. Some would say that we did not get to see it enough. Yet to me, all the unanswered questions are what made this movie all the better. If you have everything handed to you on a silver platter, then life offers no more mysteries. It is fun sometimes to wonder, what if... I enjoyed all the "what ifs" in this movie.

This movie scored a solid 3 stars out of 4 for me.

1011. Warriors: Into the Wild

2008-05-10T14:09:00.007-05:00

Young adult fiction is a very competitive market. Sometimes, I wonder if young adults today even read. Judging from the amount of books being published for the target audience, they must. So, I was scanning the lists at BookMooch and PaperBackSwap for children's books, when I noticed that the "Warriors" series by Erin Hunter was very popular. Shortly thereafter, I run across the first book in this series, for sale, for $1 at a used bookstore. What luck! I could buy a book that was very popular, and if my nephew did not want it, I could post it at either BookMooch or PaperBackSwap for a quick point.

Of course, then I noticed how short the book was, so I decided to read it. I figured, what would it hurt! Well, let me tell you! It didn't hurt! And as children's literature goes, I rather enjoyed it. So, let me start at the beginning.

I love cats. I used to have a cat, who sadly passed away with cancer. That happens to humans and animals, unfortunately. This has nothing to do with the book of course, but when my cat was alive, I used to always wonder what he dreamed about. When his little limps twitched a certain way while he slept, was that because he was chasing a field mouse? When his ear twitched in his sleep and he made a groaning sound, was he getting set for the hunt? When he looked out the window and he saw the other cats, or dogs, or squirrels, what did he think? Did he want to be out there?

Erin Hunter, the author of the "Warriors" series takes those thoughts to their next logical step. The "hero" of the first book is a domesticated cat, named "Rusty". Rusty has not yet been fixed. When his owners let him go out the back door in the afternoon, but before nightfall, Rusty approaches the back fence bordering the forest with awe and some trepidation, but without fear. The other domesticated cats warn Rusty that he's in dangerous territory with his wild strolls in the woods, until one day Rusty runs into some wild cats. These cats are members of the Thunderclan, one of four clans of wild, untamed cats, roaming the back woods of this particular little corner of the Earth. Rusty receives an invitation to join Thundeclan from the clan leader. It later becomes clear that all of the clans are desperate for survival.

Food is getting scarce in the hunting territories, and someone is attacking and killing Warrior cats. It takes time to raise new kittens and train them into full blown Warriors. If Rusty pans out as a recruit, and he has the strength to live wild, he is an easy made recruit into the Warrior structure of Thunderclan. "Rusty" of course, accepts the call of the wild, as he feels it in his bones. And we're witness to his subsequent integration into Thunderclan and his training into becoming a Warrior. There of course many bumps on the road, but to give those away, I would be spoiling the book.

This fascinating first book by Erin Hunter is a worthwhile effort, teaching many positive lessons for children of all ages that will pick this book up. I was so impressed by the way the author weaved the story, and gave us an insight into cat culture. If my cat dreamed of living away from me, this is the life I would envision for him. In fact, if Tommy (my cat) is waiting for me at "Rainbow's Bridge", I want him to be running around and having fun, rollicking, playing and experiencing all his best dreams. Erin Hunter captures those feelings in this book, fantastically. It's not all posh and spice of course, there are trials and tribulations. There are fights to fight, a minor war to wage, a rescue to conduct, etc. Yet, the spirit of the Warrior cats shines through, as Truth, Justice, belief in the Righteousness of one's cause, Honor, Friendship all come into play. Indeed, these are magnificent virtues to teach a young person, and the author not only spins a wonderful yarn (like a fable, but even more so), but succeeds in teaching also.

At this point, I plan on reading more books in this series as time, and other reading allows. And this book gets a definite 3 stars.

1010. Truth and Consequences

2008-05-03T13:10:00.026-05:00

I read this book a few months after it was published. It contains 25 of Keith Olbermann's "Special Comments" which he delivers on his program "Countdown" on MSNBC.

For those who don't know, Keith's "Special Comments" are direct, second person, short, editorial, delivered in front of the camera on specific topics in the news. Most of the topics are BIG, and affect the world around us, the every day news that occurs as well as the politics and economics. Just like a newspaper has an "Opinion" section, Keith Olbermann's "Special Comments" in his "Countdown" show editorialize events. However, it has been my experience that Keith speaks the truth, the literal truth, that is why part of the title is "Truth..."

Of course, there will be people that disagree, who will say that listening and agreeing with Keith's point of view is a matter of opinion. But to me, it's not as simple as that. Truth, does not chose sides. Truth comes from only one angle... Truth, can only come from truth.

Finally, truth, has consequences - like when you lead a country into war using false premises (one of the topics that Keith has a "Special Comment" about).

In the end, all that these "Special Comments" are is mostly words on a page in the form of an essay - they are more powerful when spoken aloud, just like when Keith Olbermann delivers them. Whether they have an impact on you, it would depend on how open your mind is to the truth.

As the book, this is a 4 stars out of 5, simply because these "Special Comments" are so much more powerful when presented, yet, this book is still a worthwhile companion to own.

1009. Revelation Space

2008-04-14T18:42:00.009-05:00

Alastair Reynolds is a fantastic new voice in the world of speculative fiction. Although this book was first published in 2000, I did not read it until this year. And boy, was I missing a wonderful book.

But first things first: A little bit about Alastair Reynolds, born in Wales, England. He has a Ph. D in Astronomy. For some reason, many scientists make good science fiction writers. I dunno why. Alastair has done a wonderful job here. This book tackles that eternal question people seem to ask in different ways: "Are we alone in the Universe?"

Now, it is true that question has been asked before, by many Science Fiction authors in many different versions. I always enjoy reading these different "takes" (as they are called) on this theme. What's new, or refreshing in this story is neither the setting or the build-up behind it, but the originality of the characters.

You know, a long time time ago, a science fiction editor by the name of John W. Campbell, decided that characters were just as important to a Scientific speculative fiction story as the underlying science, the story itself. Without characters indeed, there is no story. Alastair Reynolds achieves this in spades. It's the characters that draw you into the story. Oh, there is enough scientific exposition to make you believe that you are 500 years in the future. But Dan Sylveste and Ilia Volyova will make you believe that you are there.

Dan Sylveste is investigating the "Amarantin puzzle", an extinct race, whose archaeological traces humanity has been investigating for years on different worlds. Yet, on this world that humans have colonized, the "Amarantin" seem to have accomplished something. They seem to have achieved a level of technological sophistication, maybe at the humanity's current level or even beyond, a completely unexpected development. WHY? All previously extinct races that humanity had come across had never reached this level, EXCEPT for humans themselves.

There are of course the "Shrouders", an unknown conglomeration of Alien entities or Alien intelligences hiding behind a physical shroud in space which is impenetrable...and then there are the "Inhibitors". Who are the "Inhibitors"? And what do they want with humanity?

I do not want to give more of the plot so as not to spoil it. Suffice it to say, that A.I.s are central to this book, as well as Light-Huggers (ships that accelerate UP TO the speed of light) -- no FTL crap in this book. Dan Sylveste's father was one of the first people capable of downloading his mind into a computer. He was also the first to make contact with the "Shrouders". Since that time, Dan Sylveste himself attempted contact with the "Shrouders". And with this set-up we're thrown into a whirlwind, action whodunit with lots of mystery. The crew of the light-hugger Nostalgia for Infinity is of course central to the plot, as well as events set in motion hundreds of years in the past.

I highly recommend this book. Although, it will leave some questions unanswered, the book reaches a satisfying conclusion -- yet it leaves you hungering for more! Good thing then, that Alastair Reynolds has written 4 more books set in the same universe as "Revelation Space":

Chasm City (2001)
Redemption Ark (2002)
Absolution Gap (2003)
The Prefect (2007)

I give this book 4 and one half stars our of 5.

Jericho: Patriots and Tyrants (2.7)

2008-03-27T13:48:00.006-05:00

It's a shame really. One of the best television shows to come along in a very long time came to its conclusion tonight because the hard headed woman who runs CBS Television, Nina Tassler decided it was not worthy of continuing.

Personally, and this is my own little private venting on the matter, I believe the decision was partly political in nature. It was political for all the reasons I will lay out below. Oh, this was going to be a review of the last episode in which Jake and Hawkins take the remaining nuke out of the hands of the renegade government of Cheyenne, Wyoming and deliver it to the Governor in Texas. What does this act accomplish? Firstly, it proves that this was NOT an act of international terrorism, but a well thought-out and executed plan from within to decapitate the government and take over the country. The bomb is the proof. It was made from nuclear material stolen from domestic sources and had no sourcing in Iran and N. Korea, two countries in this fictionalized world that we have eliminated from the world map through retaliatory nuclear ICBM strikes.

Second, it gives the government of Texas a large chip to hold in the Post-Apocalypse world of U.S.A. politics. It can veer away from the Cheyenne, Wyoming pretenders and align itself with the remnants of the true, democratic government of the US. It now knows the truth. Is there a 2nd American Civil War brewing? Something that we've seen hints of, in Season 2 of Jericho?

It continues to amaze me, how well this show captures some of the subtleties of the hidden politics in the arena of public life in this country. Most people will admit, they wake-up in the morning, eat their breakfast, go to work, try to earn a decent living, so that they can go home and maybe enjoy some quality time with their children and their husbands or wives. Most people are good people. I have always felt that. The people that I meet day to day are just average Joes, just like you and me, with their own set of problems, but they have happiness in their lives too. They go about wanting the same things; a better education for their children, a retirement for themselves, a vacation now and then. Some used to call all of that "The American Dream". But somewhere along the way, the dream got hijacked.

It got hijacked by the special interests, by the corporations, by the powerful in America. The powerful keep promising the same things they have always promised, but those are only broken promises now. And why is that? Because most people are in a sort of a haze, in a funk, in a daze. Oh, they are mostly happy with where they are -- and don't you dare threaten God and Country. Don't you dare speak badly about the Bible. But that's not the point, is it? The thieves have already come into the house, stolen the valuables and desecrated the altar. And you didn't even know it. It's already to late to do something about it. When Dr. King was marching on Washington the thieves were plotting their take-overs from CEO boardrooms, from Fifth Avenue penthouses and from executive suites overlooking beautiful palm trees in many different locations. They had carved-up the world, declared a victor and passed-out the spoils. And you, me and the average Joe, we're just bit players in the drama, aren't we? They've already shipped our jobs somewhere else, somewhere the labor rates suit their tastes, and they get better profits and larger bottom lines.

So, why couldn't a whole country be hijacked? What is the "check" and the "balance" in the system to stop the hijacking? This was the basic and underlying premise of Jericho. In the REAL, post-9/11, tragic world, anything is possible, anything is plausible. If "We The People" do not keep-up our vigilance, then who is to say that our Democracy can not be hijacked? And do not argue with me that we are a Republic and not a Democracy. We are a "Republic" with a "Democratic" form of government, but for some reason, we're reverting to what a "Republic" stood for in the ancient tradition; the rule of the few, the rule of the "monarch", or in this case, the rule of the "Ploutarch" -- the Rich (the Oligarch)!

So, as season 2 of Jericho came to conclusion, detailing these obvious truths, and showing the actions of true patriots, one must wonder, what does the 40% (or more in some cases) of Americans who don't vote think about the issues that Jericho presented? Do they perceive that because this was a fictionalized account, "leave me alone, I don't want to be bothered, I am watching 'American Idol' or any of the myriad other Reality TV shows, and have no time to think?" Or, do they only want to think that hard, when they are in the voting booth, after they've been beaten up by propaganda from either the left or the right and they are about to pull their little lever or write down their little choice for president? Whatever the case may be, the wonderful show Jericho, is no more, and one is left to ponder why? Because, I think, plenty of good people watched it and appreciated it.

The fight for Jericho lives on at Jericho Rally Point. I thank, Callisto925 especially, for the wonderful covers I used on my episode synopsis/reviews. Major props!

And shame on you Nina Tassler for lying to us fans, first bringing the show back for a shortened second season, then not giving it a half way chance to succeed and bowing to other interests and canceling it.

Major congratulations to the creators for what they achieved with this show. I WILL BE buying the DVD Boxed sets! Thanks!

1008. Wandering Star (Volume One)

2008-03-24T15:37:00.006-05:00

The "Wandering Star" Graphic Novel (GN for the un-initiated) by Teri Sue Wood, follows the story of Cassandra, daughter of the president of the United Nations in the year 2192. After a long World War, and after making contact with aliens, humanity fights a war with the Bono Kiro, a war like race, that the Galactic Alliance does not want to deal with. Yet, the lowly Earthlings manage to defeat them...

But, I am getting ahead of myself. In this book, we do not find anything about that first war with the Bono Kiro. Instead, we find out about Cassandra's first year at the Galactic Academy where all the sons and daughters of planetary leaders attend school. And although Earth provided a big service by defeating the Bono Kiro, Earth's people are still treated as second hand citizens.

Cassandra receives a lot of abuse from schoolmates. Especially Mekon DZN Appogand and his sister Lindi. But Cassandra manages to maintain her composure and temper not succumbing to the Earther stereotype of a hot-tempered human. She eventually makes some friends in the form of Madison (who empathic), Elli (an energy being) and Graikor. Graikor and Elli are building the spaceship "Wandering Star" (namesake of the GN). And thus the adventure begins.

Overall, this is a nice little Graphic Novel, done in Black & White, sometimes the preferred method of artists to communicate with the public. Why do I say that? Well, sometimes, when the full color palette is available, the artists go wild and overwhelm us, wanting to prove their prowess at their art. Yet, with this B&W style, we are able to see facial expressions, interactions between individuals, emotions on people's faces and other details, such as scenery, machinery, etc., that is important to the storyline.

Having said that, I was a bit disappointed at times of the way that Cassandra was drawn. It could be that I was overwhelmed by the effect of the older Cassandra reliving and recounting events in the past, when she was just a teenager. The differences between were striking. Yet, I also saw differences between the way present day Cassandra was drawn from panel to panel.

Having said all that, my complaint is a rather minor one, because this is really a very good GN, and I highly recommend it to every one. I hope to soon read Volumes 2 & 3.

3 stars out of 4.

1007. Flying to Nowhere

2008-03-23T17:37:00.005-05:00

This is weird little book by the author John Fuller that I have had on my bookshelf for a long time. I originally bought it for two reasons. First, because it was compared to Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose" and second because it was short. Strangely, in all the years that have passed, I never got around to reading it.

So finally, I got to it. And I read it. And let me tell you, it's one weird little book. But let me start at the beginning. What is the plot of this book? It starts with the approach of Vane, a church representative send by the Bishop to a local monastery on an island near the coast of somewhere or other. Three monastery novices go to meet him at the dock, but not the Abbot of the monastery himself. Meanwhile, the peasants of the island look up from their field work and see disaster, because as the large boat approaches, Vane's horse (which is on the boat as well) is unnerved and tries to get off. The oarsmen have to cut him loose. The approach to shore is dangerous and steep and lined with rocks and so the horse drowns.

This is not the first pitfall that befalls Vane, the church inquisitor, come to investigate rumors and allegations at the monastery. He wants to learn the fates of pilgrims who have come to be blessed by the waters of Saint Lleuddad's spring. Does the Saint's well water possess the ability to cure all ills? But if it does, why haven't any pilgrims ever returned from the island? Vane, the church administrator as well, wants to find out about how the Abbot runs his monastery, and about rumors of improprieties, and whether the novices are truly novices or just servants.

So with this background an interesting tale, a mystery if you will begins. Thankfully it is a short book with a few other minor characters beyond Vane and the Abbot. There is the mysterious Manciple, and Mrs Ffedderbompau and Tetty and Geoffrey. But Mrs Ffedderbompau is important for the sort of prophetic vision she has, while Tetty, one of the girls under her protection in the village on the island runs off with Geoffrey. It all becomes too convoluted after a while, and suffice it to say, I would be giving away too much if I tell you what sort of power the waters really have. In truth, the Abbott is not an Abbott anymore, as he abandoned religious study for study of a different kind, many years ago. Vane's search for the truth might uncover that, but the island might try to hide that truth from outsiders, might try to protect its secret.

How did I like this book? In many ways, you can say this book is allegorical in nature. It speaks to our search for immortality and eternal wisdom not only through religion, but through the everyday rituals we perform. It is also an allegory about the power of belief in the saving grace of something beyond us. Of course, if you're already searching for something beyond, then you almost always either believe it exists, or want to debunk it. Does the Abbott want to debunk the power of the Saint's well? Does the church's representative, Vane want to believe? The opposite? Or are they both wrong? Are the inhabitants of the island of the Well Spring the only believers? And why does Tetty and Geoffrey reject the power of the island? Do we reject the obvious around us in everyday life?

As I said in the beginning, this was thankfully a short book. It was also a bit muddled, and difficult to get through. It's only upon reflection that I can think of these thoughts. Still despite some positive achievements by the writer here I can't in good conscience give this book more than 2 stars.

1006. Shantaram

2008-03-20T19:57:00.012-05:00

"It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured."

Thus begins one of the most extraordinary novels I have ever read, probably one of the most extraordinary novels of the 21st century. And it is, in this first sentence that you realize how extraordinary. Witness the contrast of what the author is saying: he contrasts love with being imprisoned and chained to a wall and being tortured. Is there something that could be more opposite to love than torture?

And with this opening phrase this book grabs you. By the time you finish the first chapter you have entered into another world, a world best experienced with all of the senses, a world you can immerse yourself in for an unforgettable 940 pages. Do not let the length of this novel overwhelm you. It can seem daunting, and it can seem like a meandering river at times, but it is not. Let me first begin, by providing you with a couple of links, one to the author's website, and a link to a wonderful interview he did:

Author's Website

Gregory David Roberts Interview

They are not required reading, but upon getting this book, and getting ready to read it, I think you ought to become familiar with Mr. Gregory David Roberts himself. This background will explain the character of Lin or "Shantaram", the "Man of Peace", (also known as Linbaba or Lindsey) who comes to Bombay to "hide" in plain sight, after his escape from prison. There are many parallels between the real life of Mr. Roberts, the author and the characters and events in the book. Having some idea of where the author is coming from, and what he experienced in real life, helps to put into context some of the things that appear in the book.

Now, I am not suggesting that Gregory David Roberts SHOULD HAVE wrote a memoir. Far from it. This book works much better as a piece of literary fiction. There are groups out there on the Internet discussing the novel, and there appears to be a lot of confusion on this point. For me, the words of the author are absolute. This is a work of fiction, and the characters and events in the book have been inspired by real-life events. This, does not diminish them in any way and in fact, in presenting them in this form gives them greater STRENGTH and GREATER potential.

In reviewing this book, I will focus on two particular chapters only after a short overview -- which is readily available to anyone:

Shantaram is the story of Lindsey, an escaped convict from Australia traveling on a faked New Zealand passport who ends-up in Bombay, India. Here, he will come to be known as Lin, and then Linbaba and eventually become the title character, "Shantaram". The book is his story in hiding while in the sprawling city of Bombay, the people he meets there, the effect of the city on him, his effect on the city, his love for the city and his love for the people. Also, his love for Karla and his adventures while trying to survive among the Mumbai sprawl. It is a story of hope, courage, love, betrayal, friendship, faith, and ultimately redemption.

I know, that is but four sentences trying to summarize 940 pages, but it is hard to summarize a poem of such eloquent prose in any amount of words. You might ask me how I can heap such excellent praise on this book, but I must. This book, if you follow your heart, will take you on a journey that you will never forget. Most writers do an amazing and difficult job constructing imaginary worlds and then populate them with realistic characters who come alive through those pages. In the case of Mr. Roberts, the real Bombay, does not need to be constructed, but rather it needs to be drawn for us with the pen like one of those sketches a street artist completes for you and you see it come to life little by little.

The prose runs of the page like an epic poem. Granted it is one that runs 940 pages in length, but it is entertaining the whole way through. The hero in this journey discovers some truths about himself and about love and about the world, just as that first sentence suggests. Chapter 23 in particular spoke to my spiritual heart, it spoke directly to my soul, but it also spoke to my reason. This chapter discusses the author's resolution theory in some detail, his blueprint if you will, behind his belief system. Is there "good" or "evil" in the world? Or are the actions that we perform "good" or "evil"? Are we defined by those actions? Meaning, if we perform "evil" actions for a living (like a gangster or 'goonda' in Roberts' book), does that condemn us to some sort of metaphorical, or hypothetical or existential hell? It is not often that a book speaks to you with such passion and tries to teach you as well. You might not agree with Mr. Roberts' Theology, or Cosmology, or whatever you want to call it, but whatever you think of it, you WILL think about it. The impact of this chapter is that much greater first because of the events preceding it and the chapter following it. Because the love flowing out of the next chapter is so intense, so passionate, that not even the hottest romance novelist can compete.

And then there was Chapter 30. Please, skip this paragraph, if you do not want to be spoiled. It will be in different color. When the text color changes back, you know, you can continue reading the review. The night, I read chapter 30, I stayed awake and cried. I cried for Linbaba and I cried for Prabu and I cried for Abdullah and I cried for all those people who do not understand what REAL love means in the world and what REAL love can drive a person to do. Roberts' does a magnificent job of describing the feelings a man has for those lost. For the little "trained mouse" that the other inmate nailed on the cell wall who was Prabu. For the friend who was like a brother, who was Abdullah. For the world that was unkind in so many ways, so many times. I cried for Linbaba for the choices he made, as I asked myself: Would I have made those same choices? Regardless of the answer, I appreciate literature that allows me to ask that question.

The beauty of a great book like this sometimes is that you don't want it to end. Despite the length and because of the beauty of the characters and the beauty of the Bombay (Mumbai) that Roberts' describes, you want the story to continue. You want to know what happens next. You want to know about everything! This is certainly the kind of book that will stay with you forever. Supposedly, they will make a movie out of it. I don't know how they can do justice to the material. I do know that the written story is beautiful. I do know that I highly recommend this book, and I plan to give it as a gift to a few people I know.

It is definitely a four star book. In the past, when I reviewed books in my handwritten journal, books that impressed me this much, I gave them one big HUGE STAR. That meant, they were worth more than four stars. Does that mean five stars?