Curling up with a good book

Miss Kitty Fantastico, my wife's cat, takes the expression a little too literally.

The book she's enjoying is the latest Guild Wars novel "Edge of Destiny."

Book Review: March In Country

March In Country, the latest Vampire Earth novel by struggling author E.E. Knight proves to me yet again that you should be reading his work! Book number nine of VE finds David Valentine finally having a relatively good day. He's been through so much hardship the past few books, this book is quite a breather for him. Not to say he doesn't have some troubles to overcome, but compared to recent books, this one seems a breeze for him.

Valentine is reunited with old friends and makes some new ones along the way, and finally gets the Kentucky Freehold under some semblance of working order even without the moral support of the Southern Command. There's an interesting turn of events with his old friend Narcisse, and some foreshadowing of Valentine's possible future.

All in all a great addition to the Vampire Earth series.

March in Country was provided to me by the publisher for review. I also bought the ebook version so I could read it on my NookColor (first book I've read on it!). 

Related articles

• Post from E.E. Knight titled "Worst royalty statement ever!"
• Recent Reads January 2011

Recent Reads January 2011

So far 2011 has not been a good year me for reading. I've only read one book so far! Normally by now I'd have four or five books finished, if not more. Finding the time to read has been a challenge. With that said, I've been remiss in posting about a couple of books I read last year, and I also want to mention the book I just finished and the book I'm reading now.

I just finished reading The King of Crags, book two of the Memory of Flames series, by Stephen Deas. I had a hard time at first knowing what was going on, who was whom, and what their motivations were; the book apparently picks up right after the events of first book and, to me, does little to explain what came before except for a little bit in passing that can be inferred from conversations or from other events. But once I got into the book, I couldn't put it down!

I happen to like a good dragon book, and The King of Crags doesn't disappoint with dragons. These dragons are oppressed by humanity, tamed by magic potions, and struggle to break free of their enslavement and enjoy the veritable buffet humanity should be to them. Humanity, on the other hand, seems to just enjoy going about maiming and killing each other over the control of kingdoms. Here and there throughout the book are hints of what was and is to come that could change the face of the world - hopefully the next book in the series brings this forth. I'm interested to see where the story goes!

The King of Crags is on sale February 1st. 

I'm currently reading March in Country by E. E. Knight, the ninth book in the Vampire Earth series. Vampire Earth is a post-apocalyptic series in the nearish future after the Kurians, a cthulhu-esque alien race, has taken over the world and feeds on the psychic aura from the humans their Reapers kill by sucking their blood. March in Country finds Major David Valentine still in Kentucky establishing a stronghold for the resistance government.

I'm about a third of the way through it and enjoying it immensely - E. E. Knight is one of my favorite authors.

Last year, I read a couple of books I've been meaning to blog about and haven't (hence the the title of this website). One book I read near the end of last year was Starbound by Joe Haldeman. Starbound is the follow-up book to Marsbound, a novel where humanity met an alien race on Mars and found out there was another alien race "out there", which just so happened to try to destroy the Earth. In Starbound, four humans and two martians set out to make contact with "The Others" and try to make peace.

I didn't have any problem getting into the story as the events of the first were mentioned or summarized as needed throughout the story. Starbound ends with a massive change to the way humans live, setting up the story for a follow-up book.

Late last year I also read Mad Skills, by Walter Greatshell; an intriguing book in which Maddy Grant suffers a terrible accident and injury to her brain. She later awakens to find she's been subjected to a procedure that enhances her brain function by implanting her brain with a tiny computer allowing her to network her brain functions, find, retrieve, and learn information faster than a computer. She struggles with the changes, and with her place in her world, fighting against those who changed her and finding out everything she's ever known is wrong - or is it?  The most interesting part of the book to me, upon finishing it, was wondering what parts of the story were real and which parts were programmed into Maddy's brain - or was the entire story a simulation in her brain? I want to know!

Mad Skills, Starbound, March in Country, and The King of Crags were all provided to me for review by the publisher.

Revisiting The Robot Novels

I recently took an enjoyable trip back in time into the future of the human race at the dawn of the Galactic Empire. I re-read Isaac Asimov's Robot novels over the course of a few days.

I've been of fan of Asimov's fiction for quite some time, probably starting around the time I was in sixth or seventh grade when my brother gave me the last (chronologically) of the Foundation novels, Foundation and Earth. I loved it and sought out more, even Asimov's short fiction - I'm not usually a fan of short fiction. Sure, I found some of the older stuff quite dated - quaint even, but even the outdated material often had a great story and interesting characters (not all the time, nobody's perfect). But as a whole, Asimov's fiction pretty much started me on the path to my love of written science fiction.

Finding myself with a lull in reading material this past week, plus a desire to not sit in front of computer in my down-time as I often find myself doing, I perused my bookshelves for something to re-read. Spotting my shelf of Asimov books, I considered for a moment, then decided to start "at the beginning" of the future history with the Robot novels.

The Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun, The Robots of Dawn, and Robots and Empire make up a series detailing the declining days of the Spacers and their original fifty worlds and the birth of the Settler movement of colonists from Earth. More specifically, the first three books are a mystery novels; the main characters are Elijah "Lije" Baley and his partner R. Daneel Olivaw, a humaniform positronic robot beholden by the all-important Three Laws of Robotics.

We're introduced to an overcrowded Earth where no one lives above ground in the open, but everyone is crowded together into massive Cities, Earth's Caves of Steel that contain hundreds of millions of people that eat in communal kitchens, use shared Personals (that do your laundry while you shower and take care of other necessities), where intelligent robots are hated. The inhabitants of Earth are, from the Spacer point of view, disease ridden, short-lived (a century at most), and quite expendable. And we're introduced to the Spacer worlds, free from Earth's ills and massive population. The Spacers are disease free and quite afraid of catching anything from Earthmen, can live close to 40 decades; as a result there are far fewer Spacers than Earthmen. Spacers rely on robots for practically everything.

The Caves of Steel details a murdered Spacer on Earth, and Plainclothesman Elijah Bailey, rank C-5, is called-in to investigate, but is forced to partner not only with a Spacer, not only with a robot, but with a Spacer Robot that looks like a Human. R. Daneel Olivaw is a prototype Humaniform Robot, his looks designed to be as close to human as possibly - skin, hairs, eye, breathing, eating - and his positronic brain programmed to interact better with humans than other robots. Baley mistrusts this Robot Daneel from the start, either by trying to call him out as a human, as the murderer, as complicit... but eventually he learns to work with the robot and solves the murder, which has the political benefit of removing Spacer influence and oppression from Earth altogether.

The robot Daneel was designed and built by Spacer Roboticist Han Fastolfe, who is trying to design a science of predicting and guiding the overall future of humanity by finding the laws of humanics - similar to the laws of robotics. Fastolfe inadvertantly convinces Baley that future colonization of space should be initiated by the people of Earth, as the Spacer society is stagnating and may even even be starting to decline due to their longevity. But the Spacers feel Earth should be repressed and future colonization be done by robots paving the way for Spacers to move into ready-made, comfortable worlds.

The Naked Sun calls Baley, rank C-6, to the Spacer planet of Solaria where another murder has been discovered. Only on Solaria, humans - unless married - live one person per a thousand square miles, and they have about ten thousand robots per person. Solaria is the worst extreme of Spacer society in their isolationism and robot-dependency. The prime suspect in the murder is the victim's wife, Gladia Delmarre, only she remembers nothing but finding the body. Baley and Daneel investigate, and uncover more unrest not only between Spacers and Earth, but distrust between Spacers as well. Baley is surprised at the growth of his friendship and trust of a robot, even one that looks like a human.

The Robots of Dawn finds Gladia now living on the Spacer world of Aurora, the first and most important of the Spacer planets, and she is again involved in a murder. Only this time it's the murder of one of her robots, Jander - a humaniform robot similar to Daneel. Baley, rank C-7, and Daneel are called to investigate. They are aided by Dr. Fastolfe's robot majordomo, R. Giskard Reventlov.

Baley interviews anyone remotely connected to anyone else and uncovers much political tension between Fastolfe and the head of the Auroran Robotics Institute, Dr. Amadiro. Amadiro wants the science behind Fastolfe's Humaniform Robots and wants to use humaniforms to explore and colonize the galaxy for Spacers. Fastolfe still believes Earthmen should lead the colonization effort. Daneel and Giskard get moments alone where they discuss Fastolfe'spositronic brains. Again, Baley solves the murder, and in the process discovers a secret the robot Giskard has been hiding.

And the series wraps up with Robots and Empire some two hundred years later, with flashbacks to different short events with Elijah Baley as he ages and dies and, on his deathbed, gives Daneel the knowledge he and Giskard need in order to advance Fastolfe's plans for the science of predicting and guiding the future of humanity. Again, Gladia takes the stage, at the request of one of Baley's descendents, D. G. Baley, a Settler going to find out what happened on the world of Solaria because it seems abandoned. Gladia takes Daneel and Giskard, now her trusted robot companions after Fastolfe willed them to her upon his death. Gladia, D.G., Daneel, and Giskard, investigate Solaria, but Daneel and Giskard feel their investigation has far reaching implications, possibly even the destruction of Earth!

Eventually the secret Giskard carries starts to come out and he becomes a target, and must take steps beyond the limits of the Three Laws of Robotics, as must Daneel. Daneel, having a positronic brain designed to function closer to that of a human brain, has a very slightly easier time surpassing his Three Laws programming. He forms a Law of Robotics that transcends the Three Laws, trumping them all: a Zeroth Law of Robotics. Giskard, his robot brain not quite able to adapt to that, still must eventually do things his programming can't cope with, and has to share his secret ability with Daneel to let their plans continue. Giskard programs Daneel's brain with the ability to read and influence minds; and then Giskard dies.

Daneel's new ability to read minds, along with his new Zeroth Law of Robotics placing the future safety of humanity in-general above the well-being of any single human specifically, allows Daneel to continue with the plans of Dr. Fastolfe to create the science of predicting and guiding the future of humanity and the forging of a Galactic Empire (and, maybe, a Foundation or two).

I enjoyed re-reading these novels, as it's been several years. It was like visiting old friends. I had vague recollections of plot points, characters, scenes and such, but found so much I had completely forgotton about - especially the last book in the series. I only remembered the very ending of the book and not much else about it. I didn't remember Gladia or Amadiro being back, I didn't remember D.G. Baley being in it, or the visit to Baleyworld. I just remembered the robots investigate the threat to Earth, Giskard giving Daneel his abilities, the Zeroth Law, and Giskard's death.

Yes, the books are dated in their technology, with tickertape readouts, single-purpose computers, long inter-city flights even thousands of years in the future! That anachronistic quality is reduced in the latter half of the series as those were written in a more technologically advanced decade than the first two, but not completely.

I highly recommend any fan of science fiction read and re-read Asimov. It's worth it.



Disclaimer of Disclaiming: Sometimes publishers or authors give me their book or product free so I can review it. When they do, I'll mention it in the review. Sometimes I get books I want to read for my own enjoyment from PaperBackSwap. The product links in the reviews take you to Amazon.com, where if you buy the linked item I get a very small percentage of the purchase price (because I like cash). These particular books I've had on my own shelf for 15 years or more.

Evansville Book To Be A Movie?

Awhile back, I read Invitation To Valhalla, a spy novel by an Evansville high school history teacher. Set during WWII, about a spy living in Evansville spying on the local shipyards; it's a good book. Great story, familiar settings.

Now it's possible it could be made into a movie.

How cool is that?

Book Review: Shoes For The Spirit

For Active Christian Media, Rubi read Shoes For The Spirit: A Guide To Your Spiritual Walk by Tamra Nashman, published by Brentwood Christian Press. The author provided the book for Rubi to read.

Rubi's review:

Chicken Soup For the Christian Soul meets "God's Little Devotional Book For Women". And I mean that in a good way. Each short story begins with a short scripture, then the story, then a short devotional. I love the writing style. A lot of similar books seem like they're being read from the pulpit. Tamra Nashman has a warm, friendly writing style that draws you in. It feels more one-on-one.

The book is very well organized for those who only have time to read books in bits and pieces. It's divided into chapters, each one covering a different stumbling block: fear, stress, rejection, jealousy, etc. Each chapter is clearly divided into the short stories and their scripture and devotional, that can be read through in less than ten minutes, easily. But it gives you food for thought and prayer for the rest of the day. It's a very friendly little book - go, buy, read!

For more about this author, Stacy Harp with Active Christian Media recently interviewed the author on the ACM podcast.

Dedicated Reader

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Literate Good Citizen
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

Sure....
You couldn't tell this from my posts and from my sidebar.
Right?

Book Review: The Ahriman Gate

The Ahriman Gate: Some Gates Should Not Be Opened by Tom and Nita Horn.

I've been hearing about and wanting to read The Ahriman Gate for more than a year. I heard about in the "Christian Conspiracy/UFOlogy" circles where I seem to remember it being highly recommended.

It's about an ex-Marine, Joe Ryback, seeking vengeance for the murder of his father at the hands of a group of people inside the U.S. government. That group, using technology from a crashed UFO, is trying to bring about the Biblical end-times so Satan will have control of the United States and a group of nations working with her - and inevitably - control of the world.

Joe, of course, is not strong enough by himself. Along the way he gets help from a hermit and the hermit's dog Tater. Joe's youngest sister gets involved over her head, a Biblical professor at a local college gets involved investigated Joe's claims of giants being gengineered at a local military installation - the college professor thinks the giants are really Biblical Nephilim. A computer hacker running an alternative news website helps out; and a high-ranking military man comes to the aid of Joe and his friends - even though he has goals of his own.

The story culminates with the crashed UFO being reactivated and Lucifer's fallen angels about to wage armegeddon with the angels of God, all while Joe is trying save his sister and outrun the Nephilim and their keeper who want to bring the AntiChrist into the world.

It's an average Christian Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi novel. It does do a good job of summing up the basic concepts and theories bandied about in the aforementioned "Christian Conspiracy/UFOlogy" circles.

If you're interested in more of theories by this author, he's been interviewed several times on PID Radio.

Book Review: Rogue Angel

Rogue Angel: Destiny by Alex Archer

I first saw Rogue Angel on an endcap at Barnes & Noble and thought it looked interesting (good cover: hot chick with a sword), and the back cover made it sound interesting. I went home and looked it up, and found it was part of an ongoing series. I picked up the first volume off of PaperBackSwap, and I will get the other volumes soon!

The main character, Annja Creed (pronounced Anya?), is one of those Dirk Pitt-type characters that can, and has, done it all. She's a young, attractive, somewhat experienced archaeologist - has studied martial arts and can hold her own in a brawl, can free-climb a rock face, knows how to use guns, etc.

She also has an unusually strong fear of fire, which hints at some history of the character.

If you combined Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider series and Sara Pezzini from WitchBlade, you'd get Annja Creed. Great combination of action, the supernatural (or at least some hints of it), and a little history.

This is purely fluff reading - and I give it a high rating because it's just so enjoyable.

The "author" has a blog for the series, but it hasn't been updated in months. Alex Archer is apparently a pseudonym used by two guys co-authoring the series.

From the Publisher
An ancient order tied to the Vatican . . . A blood fortune buried in the caves of France . . . A conspiracy of power, greed and darkest evil . . .

Archaeologist and explorer Annja Creed's fascination with the myths and mysteries of the past leads her to a crypt in the caves of France, where the terrifying legend of the Beast of Gevaudin hints at the unimaginable. What she discovers is shattering: an artifact that will seal her destiny: a brotherhood of monks willing to murder to
protect their secret; and a powerful black-market occultist desperate to put his
own claim to centuries-old blood money. Annja embarks on a high-tension race
across Europe and history itself, intent on linking the unholy treachery of the
ages with the staggering revelations of the present. But she must survive the
shadow figures determined to silence her threat to their existence.

Book Review: Tonopah

Tonopah by Christopher A. Lane

I first read Eden's Gate by this author a few years ago and thought it was pretty good. I saw Tonopah on the bookshelf at my local Christian book store and thought about purchasing it several times over the years, but never got to it. Recently, it came up on PaperbackSwap, and I grabbed it.

In the book, a high school teacher with delusions of being an archaeologist takes some of her students on a day-long dig in the Tonopah Range in the Nevada desert - Precariously close to an old nuclear test site, which just happens to be being used currently for.... well now, that would give away the ending wouldn't it.

The teacher and her students find things buried they shouldn't and a small group of military men stationed on the range become involved with her and the chase is on. Throw in some bungling thugs, car bombs, the FBI, conspiracy theories, and creation science vs. evolution and you've got an interesting read.

I was a little disappointed with the outcome of the story. I was hoping for something more involving the creation/evolution part of the story - but that was really just a plot device to kick start the action of a pretty normal action story.

From the Publisher
She found the fossils out in the
sun-baked Tonopah desert, along with more trouble than she'd ever dreamed of . .
. . If Melissa Lewis had known that she and her three high school students were
trespassing in a restricted military zone, they'd have left before they ever
stumbled across the fossilized bones. As a creationist in paleontology, Melissa
suspects she's onto something incredible. What she doesn't know is that she's
under surveillance by U.S. Marines. And that's just for openers. Her discovery
has also placed her in the cross-hairs of hired killers. And it's about to sweep
her into a deadly vortex of top-level government scandal, FBI investigations,
high-tech military maneuvers, and nuclear testing. Through it all, one thing
becomes abundantly clear. Someone will do anything to gain possession of
Melissa's fossils. Between Melissa and a hit man's bullet stands only her faith
. . . and one courageous marine. But can he protect her from circumstances
deadlier than the brutal Nevada desert? From the best-selling author of
Appearance of Evil and Eden's Gate comes Tonopah: gut-twisting action woven with
insights into the origins of the world and the relationship between personal
choice and eternal destiny.

Author Biography:
Christopher A. Lane is the author of Eden's Gate and the best-selling Appearance
of Evil, as well as several children's books, one of which was awarded the Gold
Medallion. He and his wife own Alpha-Omega Productions, which provides media
reviews to subscribers. They live in Colorado Springs with their
children.

Book Review: Odyssey

Odyssey by Jack McDevitt.

I've liked just about everything I've read by Jack McDevitt.
His SF stories have action, suspense, mystery, intrigue, and most definitely character and heart. His characters are real, and we come to car about what happens to them.

This is one of the "Priscilla Hutchins" books, set relatively early in the exploration of the galaxy. Hutch is basically the main character of these stories, or at least the driving force behind the stories. In the "Hutchverse" the galaxy isn't teeming with life, but there is evidence of other civilizations. Man hasn't met a contemporary space-faring civilization yet. There have been hints - abandoned spaceships, monuments, etc. Odyssey features what may be the first evidence of another co-existent spacefaring race - and they don't like our science experiments!

The "Hutch" story line is apparently set to wrap up in a forthcoming novel called Cauldron.

Book Review: Dragon Avenger

Dragon Avenger: The Age of Fire, Book Two by E. E. Knight.

This is the sequel to the most excellent Dragon Champion, Book One of the Age of Fire Trilogy.
Dragon Avenger follows Wistala, the sister of Auron the main dragon character from the first book and her adventures as she grows up in man's world. Where Auron became a fighter and tries to make a place for himself in the world of dragons, Tala wants to avenge her father, but eventually makes a place for herself in man's world.

This book is at least as good as the first book and I'm tempted to say it's even better. But I liked the first one so much I can't really bring myself to say that. The books are definitely equals.

The author is at work on the 3rd book in the Age of Fire trilogy which will follow the life of the 3rd dragon-sibling.

I can't wait!