Sporadic Book Reviews

Book Review: The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book

2009-11-06T18:19:00.000-06:00

"Chuck Norris is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head." Yeah those. This book isn't just another collection of Chuck Norris 'facts', it's a book written by Chuck Norris picking his favorite of the facts, offering a commentary about them with anecdotes from his life, and offering a positive view of patriotism, Christianity, and roundhouse kicks, among other things.

My three kids get a big kick out of reading the various Chuck Norris facts around the internet (on the websites that are kid friendly). When I saw this book available for review from the Tyndale Blog Network, I had to have it. I'm the last person in my house to read the book. My three kids and my wife all read the book before I got to it. They loved it, and still pick it up sometimes just to have something clean, fun, and meaningful to read. Each fact (and humorous caricature of Chuck Norris in action) is followed by a few paragraphs of Chuck Norris giving a rebuttal, or a life lesson, or an anecdote about the fact, followed by a related quote, and Chuck's Code that sums it up on how to relate it to life.

I don't think I knew that Chuck Norris is a Christian, and he makes no bones about it in the book, nor about his support of our troops, our constitution, etc. This was a nice refreshing read from the normal gloom and doom about our nation that permeates the mass media.

This book hands down gets a grand rating of 5 out of 5.

Disclaimer of dooooom:
For the purposes of review, Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book (because I like free stuff). Clicking on the book link at the beginning takes you to Amazon.com where you can purchase the book and I'd get a small percentage of the sale (because I like cash).

Review: Collission of Evil

2009-10-17T09:03:00.000-05:00

Collision of Evil, the first novel by John J. L Beau, published last month, is a pretty good first novel.

It starts with an American hiker in the Bavarian Alps being attacked and killed from an unseen assailant in a field. The German police Kommissar investigating the case contacts the victim's brother, who takes vacation time from work to come ID and collect the body. It turns out he wants to help investigate the murder case. Why? Well he's CIA of course. But we don't find out he's CIA at first, and not really until the book has already gotten a good start. Eventually, the CIA agent unofficially pulls in help from his department to help track the murderer, who happens to be an Islamist terrorist. The terrorist, along with his cell, is planning a horrible attack on Oktoberfest, and it's up to the Kommissar and the CIA to find the terrorists before Oktoberfest becomes more than a drunken brouhaha.

This is John J. Le Beau's first novel. His author blurb says he's ex-CIA. Except for some minor annoyances and coincidences that serve to move the story along or provide info to the characters to advance their knowledge, this is an enjoyable book.

Book Review: Dreamwish Beasts and Snarks

2009-09-25T18:47:00.002-05:00

Dreamwish Beasts and Snarks
By Mike Resnick
Published by Golden Gryphon Press
ISBN-13: 978-1-930846-60-9

The latest book I've read for IjustFinished.com was quite enjoyable!

Dreamwish Beasts and Snarks by Mike Resnick is a collection of short stories spanning the author's career. The common thread of each story is a safari of sorts, most set in the far far future but with the feel and detail of an old-world British Empire expedition. Often the hunt isn't for a normal animal or alien animal, but for targets such as a unicorn, vampires, or the elusive Snark.

There are a couple of stories set in the past, but still with a science-fiction edge (such as finding Teddy Roosevelt and Dracula together in Manhattan, or a different kind of Tarzan story). A few are told in first-person, including the sequel to the title story which features the hunt for the Dreamwish Beast (itself a type of SF Moby Dick story as the author himself mentions in the book); and a couple of stories are related as seminar presentations, giving them a unique in-universe feel.

All-in-all, Dreamwish Beasts and Snarks brings adventure in short, fun safaris through the galaxy and is a nice change of pace from the Science Fiction stories of war, transhumanism, and giant robots that abounds today.

Catching up.

2009-08-13T02:01:00.000-05:00

I haven't had time or motivation to sit down and write thorough reviews of books I've read recently. All the books I've been reading lately have been specifically for my own personal enjoyment and not requested for a review.

Here's a few of the books I've read recently.

Not bad. I'd give it a 3 out of 5. The follow up to the Borg Finale now begins rebuilding the Trek-universe and reshaping the political landscape.

Again: Not bad with a 3 out of 5. A follow up the previous book but takes place before and during the previous book. The build up to the Trek-universe events in this series is taking for ever!

Pretty good action/adventure story. I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5.

Interesting book. Archaeological/Medical adventure book. 3 out of 5.

Most recent entry in the Star Wars Expanded Universe 40+ years after the movie events. This one is ...boring. 2 out of 5. (and I'm a big fan of the Star Wars novels).

That's it for now.

Book Review: The Acronym - White Nights of St. Petersburgh

2009-07-18T00:58:00.001-05:00

The Acronym - White Nights of St. Petersburgh
By Rebecca Lerwill
ISBN-13: 9781934938409
A review for IJustFinished.com.

Mia Trentino is a key witness is a trial against a Russian mafia boss and is under the protection of a U.S. government agency known only as The Acronym that can go places and do things other U.S. agencies can't. Mia and her team of special agents assigned to protect her arrive in St. Petersburgh to await her turn on the stand only to find Mia's fiance, Acronym agent Farland, has been accused of treason and their support from the U.S. is non-existent. Mia must survive until the trial, and the innocence of her fiance must be proven.

The Acronym - White Nights of St. Petersburgh is a sequel to Relocating Mia, but you don't have to have read that to understand what's going on. This book is good on plot, action, and character development and kept me reading through to the end.

But there was something missing from it; I just can't place my finger on what it was. I enjoyed the book, but it didn't feel... real. Perhaps it was the name of the agency: "Acronym". My wife read the back of the book, and said "A government agency called Acronym? That's pretty funny!" To which I replied, "Unfortunately, it's not supposed to be funny."

That being said, the book was still enjoyable enough to keep me reading and interested in going back and reading the first Mia novel.

2009-06-29T21:26:00.001-05:00

Currently reading the latest Sigma Force novel "The Doomsday Key" by James Rollins http://ping.fm/3hhm0

Way Off Topic

2009-06-26T22:34:00.000-05:00

Back in April, after working with the wonderful crew at The Signal Podcast for a little over a year, I opted to resign my position as one of their audio editors. My personal and work life keep me too busy to commit the time necessary to work on regular bi-weekly podcast. I don’t regret the decision, I do miss doing the work. I enjoy audio production and would still like to do so occasionally. I miss the fun of it from The Signal, and from way back when I worked in Radio.

…So here’s me, on the raggedy edge of audio editing.

If you run a podcast or otherwise need occasional, sporadic, or one-off audio editing (or maybe even voice work) that won’t keep me away from my family for too long, keep me in mind and shoot me a note; we’ll see what we can work out.

2009-06-14T07:45:00.001-05:00

My new Facebook url: http://ping.fm/si2dt

The God Conspiracy by Derek P. Gilbert - A Review

2009-05-17T18:34:00.000-05:00

The funniest line I've read in long time: "...pulled from the flames of hell by the four nerdsmen of the apocalypse..."

I recently finished reading The God Conspiracy, a Christian Thriller novel by Derek P. Gilbert of Peering Into Darkness. Overall, it was a great read - action, adventure, suspense out the wazoo, humor, and a great Christian message.

This book was scary; not in the horror movie scary way - but content-scary if you think about the events in the book and how easily they could happen in real life. What happens is that a secret cabal within the U.S. Government stages a series of "homegrown terrorist attacks" and blames them on so-called ultra-conservative fundamentalist Christians. But in reality, it's just a ruse to round up every day Christians into confinement camps for nefarious purposes. The novel follows not only victims of this round-up, and the perpetrators, but an FBI agent investigating one of the terror attacks, four computer nerds that inadvertently get involved, and a National Guardsman that gets stuck in the middle.

Overall, an excellent novel. I only had a couple of minor problems with the story that other readers might not mind at all. I felt there were too many characters to follow: the FBI agent, the pastor (and his family), the Sheriff (and his family), the store owner (and his family), the four nerdsmen of the apocalypse, the main bad guy, the assistant to the main bad guy, the leader of the bad guy's military team, the Weekend Warrior. All were enjoyable characters with interesting stories that added to the suspense and overall story as they all weaved in and out of each other's lives; but it seemed to me like there were too many.

The other issue I had was the addition near the end of character that seemed to have all the answers and a possible solution. If he had appeared briefly a couple of times earlier in the book - maybe monitoring the situation through his contacts or something - it wouldn't have made his appearance at the end so abrupt. I did like that he was in the book though - he's a character from an excellent book written by the author's wife, Sharon K. Gilbert. I think there were other cameos as well, but I didn't catch them. I like that the author and his wife share this world and characters. So far, all the novels I've read by them both have been excellent.

The God Conspiracy is available in traditional format at Lulu.com or for Kindle at Amazon.

Read it!

Dreamstone by P.A. Hendrickson - A Review

2009-05-15T21:10:00.002-05:00

Dreamstone, by P.A. Hendrickson, was a pleasant surprise from IJustFinished.com.

In a post-war galaxy, the planet Prothia is a backwater that resembles many fantasy settings - complete with rumors of mysterious creatures just outside the villages, and the pre-quest inn where everyone gathers. Joebin is a miner and has been having disturbing dreams and visions and hearing voices in his head that eventually lead him to embark on a quest to save his village from slavers coming from another planet. But the slavers are just a tool in the belt of a governor who fancies herself queen of the galaxy. To become this queen, she seeks the Dreamstone, the same object of the quest Joebin has been sent on. Interesting adventures and sad deaths follow the quest through to a surprising end.

Surprising is a good word for this book. It starts out in a setting similar to most fantasies as it follows the main protagonist, Joebin, but changes to a science fiction setting as it follows the slavers and other galactic citizens, and back again. Along the way we meet at least a couple of different alien races, and maybe even a deity of some sort. And eventually they all meet up and disaster ensues, followed by a surprising ending.

It was an interesting combination of settings, and worked really well.

2009-05-14T07:05:00.001-05:00

Currently reading (and almost finished with) The God Conspiracy by Derek P. Gilbert. http://ping.fm/6a4x2 Really enjoying it!

2009-05-14T06:54:00.001-05:00

Just finished Dreamstone by P.A. Hendrickson. http://ping.fm/r9NkB I enjoyed it. Review to come.

Books Received Recently

2009-05-05T19:46:00.000-05:00

I recently received a copy of The God Conspiracy by Derek P. Gilbert that I'm excited about reading.

And, from I Just Finished, I recently received

Books Received So Far This Year

2009-05-03T16:35:00.000-05:00

The Sacred Sin by Estevan Vega - a Review

2009-04-28T10:14:00.000-05:00

If you like dark supernatural thrillers, with demon possessions and a homicide detective struggling for redemption against immortal odds - this book could be for you.

Here's how the author describes the book:

The Sacred Sin bleeds with honesty and emotion, and tells the story of Jude Foster, a cynical self-loathing detective, assigned to bring down a serial killer capable of stealing victim's souls without ever touching them. Stopping this ghost killer, fighting against his demons, his inner darkness, may be the only path toward sanity and a new beginning. With a curiosity for the supernatural, as well as a feeling of disconnection from the complacency of mankind, Vega’s story-lines dwell somewhere in between fiction and reality, a place where the world is as blurred and irregular as human choice and consequence.

I would sum up The Sacred Sin as dark and disturbing. There is little-to-no light within the darkness of the this story. And perhaps it could have used some light to make me care more about the characters and their motivation. None of the characters except maybe the new partner, Rachel Cragin, seemed to have any redeeming qualities. Everyone was messed up in some way and didn't show us they had any qualities worth caring about, apart from being broken individuals. The point of the story seems to be "no matter what happens, life goes on - even if it does suck."

Although this book kept me reading to the end to find out what happens, I can't say I really enjoyed it. The Sacred Sin is extremely well written, more so than many mass-market books that I've read. The author, Estevan Vega, published this book when he was 18 years old. That is impressive! And he was kind enough to send me a copy recently for review.

A Meme Regarding Books

2009-04-24T18:49:00.000-05:00

Found an interesting Book Meme from Carrie at Books and Movies.

1. To mark your page you: use a bookmark, bend the page corner, leave the book open face down? Usually some kind of bookmark, or the flaps from a dustcover (or the dustcover itself). Never dogear. Sometimes lay it face down open to the last page I read.

2. Do you lend your books? Not really.

3. You find an interesting passage: you write in your book or NO WRITING IN BOOKS! Hmmm... I'd probably stick a different book mark there. I don't think I'd write in a book unless it was designed for that.

4. Dust jackets - leave it on or take it off? Depends.

5. Hard cover, paperback, skip it and get the audio book? I rarely do audio books. Paperbacks are less expensive, and thus more in my price range. I really like the TPB size and style, but hard covers sure do look spiffy organized nicely on a bookshelf.

6. Do you shelve your books by subject, author, or size and color of the book spines? Stacked generally by category or series; but mostly just helter skelter on the two book cases in our bedroom.

7. Buy it or borrow it from the library later? Usually library, since I have three kids. Purchasing books is a splurge = usually for gift-giving occassions.

8. Do you put your name on your books - scribble your name in the cover, fancy bookplate, or stamp? I do not unless I'm lending it out - and I rarely do that.

9. Most of the books you own are rare and out of print books or recent publications? Recent.

10. Page edges - deckled or straight? Is it bad that I don't understand the question? I''ll guess and say that deckled means the page edges aren't all aligned and look kind of rough? Honestly - it doesn't matter to me.

11. How many books do you read at one time? Almost always just one at a time. I may put down one book to start and finish another book that I was really looking forward to reading.

12. Be honest, ever tear a page from a book? Not that I can remember. I've got some old books that have pages falling out of them... but I didn't pull them out.

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Star Wars: Outcast, by Aaron Allston - a review

2009-04-18T18:29:00.000-05:00

The latest novel in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, starting a new NINE-book
hard back series sees Luke all but exiled from Coruscant and the Jedi order, by
his own decision. His son Ben goes with him on a quest to find out what happened
to Jacen Solo to make him embrace the Dark Side.

Han, Leia, and their adopted daughter have an adventure of their own that may
have repercussions in the series as Amelia here's a voice through the Force
coming from the moon of Kessel, and Lando finds Centerpoint Station technology
buried deep within Kessel itself.

The Jedi Order has to face political ramifications of their actions during
the Second Galactic Civil War. Jag and Jaina shippers get some satisfaction.
Tahiri loses her cool again. Some Jedi are starting to go crazy and think
everyone has been replaced by look-alikes. And someone is after the Sith
meditation sphere.

Hmm... did I cover it all? I think so.

Star Wars novels are like crack to Star Wars fans - we can't get enough! And
when we get them, we use them up quickly!

This novel, starting the new Fate of the Jedi series, is a nice start, but is
really just that. It's more of an introduction to the series, a set-up novel. It
was still enjoyable though. In fact, it was really nice to see Luke not as head
of the Jedi Order any more and just off on his own.

I enjoyed the book, and of course will be following up with the rest of the
nine-book series as it comes out.

The Warded Man, by Peter V. Brett - a Review

2009-04-18T18:14:00.002-05:00

The interesting thing about this novel is that the author wrote the first

draft on his smartphone while taking the train into work.

Be glad he did: The Warded Man is a good book. It follows three kids quickly from childhood into adulthood as they change from, basically, outcasts into relatively smart adults that have much needed skills.

The night brings demons forth from the ground to terrorize anyone not hiding behind magical wards that block the demons. Arlen is the boy that wants to be a Messenger, traveling between villages and braving the demons. Leesha is a young lady with excellent healing skills, all but driven from her village. And Rojer is a young misfit that becomes a skilled ...Court Jester-type character. All three develop skills that can be used against demons, and eventually team up
to save Leesha's village.

There's much much more to the book, but I'd give away too much by trying to summarize any more of it.

The Warded Man is the first in a series and I definitely plan to check out the next installment.

The Stormcaller, by Tom Lloyd - a Review

2009-04-18T17:41:00.000-05:00

I recently read this book, I'm ashamed to say, because the cover is way
awesome. I was glad I picked it up from my local library; this book kept me
reading. This world is expansive and has much depth, though the author
really doesn't go to the effort of world-building - it just is. There is so much
going on in and around the characters that you know this world has existed for
quite awhile and has many stories to offer.

Enchanted armor given to special people? Check!
Vampires? Check!
Swords and armor with names? Check!
Gods and not-so-godlike beings? Check!
Crazed mutants created by the gods? Check!
One of those is the main character? Check!
Magic, elves, humans, dragons, immortals? Check, Check, Check, Check, aaand Check!

Isak, named as an afront to the god Kasi, is a White-Eye. A long-lived, giant human with berserker tendencies, a sad childhood, and a knack for magic, he quickly changes from the bane of his father's existence to the Heir-apparent of the current White-Eye King and Head of the cult of a certain God. The story follows him as he adapts from his wandering merchant lifestyle to that of heir to the head-of-state and religious leader. On the night he is brought to the castle, a messenger from the gods delivers a special suit of armor and sword for him that signifies he might just be the prophesied savior of the land, and catalyst to all-out war.

Isak quickly adapts to the warrior aspects of his new life, but doesn't take well to the political nature. Along the way, he develops friendships and alliances, and learns more about his role in the world and his destiny and has to decide whether or not that destiny is what he wants.

As I mentioned before, there is much world-building within this book. Not much explaining of it, no introduction to matters and places and events and customs - the world is presented as if the reader has always been a part of it. Which is kind of a nice change from most world-building.

The book has lots of action, good character-building and interaction on a personal level, excellent world-building and story-telling. The Stormcaller is the first book in a series. I look forward to reading the future installments.

A link

2009-04-17T17:27:00.001-05:00

Carrie from MommyBrain has had to move her review blog. It's now at a new url; she'll have to leave her archives at the old place, but she'll be keeping up her normal posts at Books and Movies.

Currently Reading

2008-12-26T03:36:00.000-06:00

Dragon Strike, Book 4 of the Age of Fire series by E. E. Knight. It's good! This is one of those series of books that I eagerly await the next installment.

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Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T21:52:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

Supernatural Investigations Series

2008-12-20T12:31:00.000-06:00

I received an email from author Justin Gustainis letting me know the new book in his series of Quincey Morris Supernatural Investigations is due out soon, and available on Amazon.

The first book is called Black Magic Woman, and the new book is Evil Ways. Fantasy Bookspot has an excerpt available of Evil Ways.

The series title sounds intriguing. I'll be taking a look at it!

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Free Gift Card For Books

2008-12-19T20:22:00.001-06:00

Check it out. The book blogger at In the Shadow of Mt. TBR is hosting a contest to give away gift cards for books!

Visit the blog, but don't sign up, because that lowers my chances! Just kidding! Definitely sign up!

I like his reason for hosting this contest: authors generally don't make much money anyway and websites like PaperBackSwap (which I love) lowers their income even more because people are trading books instead of purchasing them new so the author gets his due royalties. I love PBS, but I always feel a little guilty swapping books.

Book Review: The Devil's Eye

2008-12-15T02:19:00.000-06:00

The Devil's Eye
by Jack McDevitt
Published by Ace Books (HC) ISBN 9780441016358

Another Alex Benedict and Chase Kolpath novel. In the far future of Human civilization, Alex aquires antiquities. Chase is his assistant and pilot. She narrates the story.

Alex receives an all-too-brief message from a horror writer he's never met asking for his help. But the message doesn't elaborate. When Alex finally catches up with her, she's had her mind wiped and is living a new life as someone else. Alex and Chase decide to find out why she needed help by retracing her last known steps in her previous life. That path takes them to the most distant human colony, a month away from the nearest planet - and a war could be brewing between the humans and the Mutes.

McDevitt spins a good mystery, good action and adventure - and he doesn't miss out with the personal element. Chase and Alex are real people. We feel Chase's anger and frustration as she deals with politicians, we feel her self-consciousness as her boss catches her sunbathing topless. Through her narration, we feel Alex's desire to know why. We feel his resignation as he realizes he might be stuck on a planet away from his home and business for three years. We are the Mutes overhearing all of her thoughts.

Eye is a mystery at heart, as are most of the Alex Benedict novels. All of the McDevitt books I've read have been good books. This one meanders down a path of mystery retracing the horror writer's last known locations on that far flung world. As it meanders, it keeps us interested with hints and tidbits of the paranormal, of what is transpiring elsewhere in the galaxy, and glimpses into the ongoing lives of our characters as they seek to find out why someone asked for their help and then had her mind wiped. I had no idea what the solution to the mystery was, and it took a wild turn from just being a reason why that writer needed help, to a major interstellar/interspecies event.

There are some authors whose new books I eagerly anticipate and always seem to enjoy. McDevitt is one of them and hasn't failed me yet.

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