The subtitle says it's a thriller, and that is a understatement! Lincoln Child, in his first solo book, has written what I call a dessert book. You can literally read all 385 pages after dinner in one sitting. (I took two!) The pace of this novel is fast and furious with each chapter starting with the time of the day. After the prologue, the entire sequence of events runs from 7:30 A.M. to 4:32 P.M. The excitement of each chapter automatically draws you into the next chapter, until you realize it's two o'clock in the morning, and you are still reading!
The story centers around a futuristic theme park with a glass dome, located outside Las Vegas, Nevada. This park is divided into four sections: Gaslight, Callisto, Camelot, and Boardwalk, all featuring the latest in robotics and holographic imaging. The system that coordinates the activities of all the robots is called Metanet, designed by Dr. Andrew Warne, commissioned by the parks magician and visionary, the late Eric Nightingale.
After a roller coaster accident caused by robotic failure, Dr.Warne is called in by the park's general manager, Sarah Boatwright, an ex-girlfriend of his. Dr. Warne arrives at the park with his 14 year old daughter, Georgia, thinking the park wants him to expand his Metanet into the next themed section called Atlantis. But he is surprised to find out from Sarah and Fred Barksdale, head of systems, that they want him to disable his Metanet system. It seems there have been other failures, and the Board of Directors want it out. Already reeling from the recent failure of his company, Andrew along with Teresa Bonifacio, systems controller of Utopia, start investigating the mishaps.
Enter the mysterious John Doe, a brilliant criminal mind. He barges into Sarah's office and announces that he is responsible for all the accidents! Unless he gets a copy of the Hologram disk, all hell will break loose in the park. Apparently this state of the art holographic disk is worth millions. But, is this all he wants? He disappears into the crowd, vowing that he will demonstrate his control with more accidents. In the ensuing hours, failed hand-offs of the disk cause more robotic mishaps and many deaths. John Doe and his cohorts are well hidden and deft at causing chaos and mayhem!
Now it is a race of time for Dr. Warne, Teresa, Wingnut the cyber dog, and a park guest, Angus Poole, to find the criminals before they blowup the park. They stumble upon John Doe's alternate reason for being there and find out who the park's inside helper is. This will surprise you! The ending is well conceived and ends with a Fourth of July blast! For Lincoln Child fans, this is a must read.
RATING: 4 stars out of 5
Comment: This novel written in 2002 is Lincoln Child's first of many authored without Douglas Preston. They still write the agent Pendergast novels together, which are very unique and enjoyable. Utopia reminded me of Michael Crichton's great works: the 1973 film Westworld and the book Jurassic Park, written in 1990.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The Windup Girl
Paolo Bacigalupi has written a unusual but compelling novel involving the biotechnology of food sources, mutant animals and insects, and limited fuel options. Because of the lack of background provided by the author, I found the first fifty pages a bit confusing; however, it is so well written that I was able to quickly figure out what was happening.
The novel is set in Thailand 200 years into the future. Anderson Lake is a calorie man working for AgriGen, an American genetic food company, under the guise of a factory manager making a new type of energy storage unit known as kink-springs. These springs are wound in a factory that is manned by Thai peasants and aided by genetically altered elephants, known as megodonts. Anderson's real goal is to get his hands on the Thai seed bank for his genehacking company. His factory foreman is a displaced Chinese "yellow card " from Malaysia, Hock Seng, who wants to steal the blueprints for the kink-springs, so he can sell them to a gangster known as the Dung Lord. I told you this gets a little confusing.
Anderson falls in love with genetically modified Emiko, a Japanese windup girl. The windups are considered trash by the Thais and could be mulched at any time. She is working at a sex club, where she is sexually abased daily. Emiko's goal is to find a place in Thailand where supposedly her kind, the New People, live in peace. Their liaison will prove to be tragic for everyone later in the book.
Intertwined with these people are three political powers vying for control of Thailand and independence from the world powers. First, there is the Environment Ministry led by General Pracha, Captain Jaidee, and his Lieutenant Kanya, a mole for the Trade Ministry. The Environment Ministry's duties include: stopping illegal imports, identifying new diseases caused by genetic alterations, and destroying anything deemed a threat to Thailand...unless bribed. The second power is led by Akkarat of the Trade Ministry, who wants to increase imports beyond what the Environmental Ministry will allow. The third power is the protector of the Child Queen, the most powerful man in Thailand, the Somdet Chaopraya. Also involved as a outside power is the mysterious Gibbons, a geneticist, who is the Thai's last resort against new diseases.
When all of these entities collide, all hell breaks loose. This is not only a meaningful story, but a genetic engineering warning! When man tinkers with genes, he could cause a catastrophic and irreversible calamity.
RATING: 5 stars out of 5
Comment: This novel is a fairly new genre of writing known as biopunk.The Windup Girl tied with The City & The City for the 2010 Hugo award for best novel. Although Paolo Bacigalupi has written many short stories and essays, this is his first novel.
The novel is set in Thailand 200 years into the future. Anderson Lake is a calorie man working for AgriGen, an American genetic food company, under the guise of a factory manager making a new type of energy storage unit known as kink-springs. These springs are wound in a factory that is manned by Thai peasants and aided by genetically altered elephants, known as megodonts. Anderson's real goal is to get his hands on the Thai seed bank for his genehacking company. His factory foreman is a displaced Chinese "yellow card " from Malaysia, Hock Seng, who wants to steal the blueprints for the kink-springs, so he can sell them to a gangster known as the Dung Lord. I told you this gets a little confusing.
Anderson falls in love with genetically modified Emiko, a Japanese windup girl. The windups are considered trash by the Thais and could be mulched at any time. She is working at a sex club, where she is sexually abased daily. Emiko's goal is to find a place in Thailand where supposedly her kind, the New People, live in peace. Their liaison will prove to be tragic for everyone later in the book.
Intertwined with these people are three political powers vying for control of Thailand and independence from the world powers. First, there is the Environment Ministry led by General Pracha, Captain Jaidee, and his Lieutenant Kanya, a mole for the Trade Ministry. The Environment Ministry's duties include: stopping illegal imports, identifying new diseases caused by genetic alterations, and destroying anything deemed a threat to Thailand...unless bribed. The second power is led by Akkarat of the Trade Ministry, who wants to increase imports beyond what the Environmental Ministry will allow. The third power is the protector of the Child Queen, the most powerful man in Thailand, the Somdet Chaopraya. Also involved as a outside power is the mysterious Gibbons, a geneticist, who is the Thai's last resort against new diseases.
When all of these entities collide, all hell breaks loose. This is not only a meaningful story, but a genetic engineering warning! When man tinkers with genes, he could cause a catastrophic and irreversible calamity.
RATING: 5 stars out of 5
Comment: This novel is a fairly new genre of writing known as biopunk.The Windup Girl tied with The City & The City for the 2010 Hugo award for best novel. Although Paolo Bacigalupi has written many short stories and essays, this is his first novel.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
UNDER HEAVEN
If Guy Gavriel Kay wanted to write a trilogy or adapt a novel for a TV miniseries, this was his chance. This great book is similar to George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, except it occurs during the eighth century in a country presumed to be China, and its only one book instead of four or five. Why Kay decided to wrap-up this historical/fantasy novel in only 573 pages and then end it quickly in the last 60 or so pages is a mystery to me. Even with these flaws, this book is a sensational page-turner with incredible character development and never-ending drama.
Under Heaven is set in the imaginary country of Kitai that's bordered by the empires of Tagur and Bogu, which seem to be Mongolia and Tibet. All the rules of oriental honor, social class, and justice are in vogue throughout this epic novel, spiced with many sexual situations and astonishing intrigue. The Kitai empire is ruled by Taizu, the Son of Heaven, Emperor of the Imperial family, who is aided by his beautiful consort, Wen Jian and his first minister, Wen Zhou.
The novel begins with our protagonist Shen Tai of Kitai mourning the death of his father for two and a half years at Kuala Nor, the site of his father's last battle. He spends the time alone, burying the bones of the thousands of soldiers that died during the last war between Kitai and Tagur twenty years earlier. In the evenings in a makeshift cabin, he listens to the ghosts of the dead screaming. At the end of his second year, he is visited by Bytsan sri Nespo, a Taguran army officer and is informed that the White Jade Princess of Tagur has rewarded him with 250 Sardian Horses in honor of his efforts burying the dead of both countries. Now this might not sound like much, but each Sardian horse is worth a fortune alone and is far superior to any other horse in battle. Now, Shen Tai must make his trek to the the Ta-Ming Palace of the Emperor Taizu to decide what to do with the gift. Along the way, he picks up a Kanlin Warrior, Wei Song, to help him thwart many assassination attempts.
I'm not going to use any spoilers, because I'm don't want to reveal the ending, which is exciting to say the least. As the plot progresses, Shen Tai wonders if the Sardians are a gift or a death warrant. The political opponents in the Ta-Ming court vie for the horses and empirical favor, resulting in upheaval of the government and eventual war. To find out who wins the war, or how Shen Tai and his friends fare, you will have to read this moving novel.
This is the first book I've read by Guy Gavriel Kay, and it will not be the last. If you like historical/fantasy fiction, I highly recommend this book. It seems to me that this genre of writing is gaining momentum and bringing us new and exciting authors. It is also noteworthy that the author provided a map and a list of principal characters in the front of the book. Since a lot of the given names were very similar, it was very helpful as you read the book.
RATING: 5 stars out of 5
Comment: The Tang period in China ran from 618 to 907 A.D., which is the time period of this book. The Tang Dynasty was famous for its poets and painters along with a thriving trade business via the Silk Road. Lastly, it was also known for the hundreds of thousands of ferocious troops that protect its borders.
Under Heaven is set in the imaginary country of Kitai that's bordered by the empires of Tagur and Bogu, which seem to be Mongolia and Tibet. All the rules of oriental honor, social class, and justice are in vogue throughout this epic novel, spiced with many sexual situations and astonishing intrigue. The Kitai empire is ruled by Taizu, the Son of Heaven, Emperor of the Imperial family, who is aided by his beautiful consort, Wen Jian and his first minister, Wen Zhou.
The novel begins with our protagonist Shen Tai of Kitai mourning the death of his father for two and a half years at Kuala Nor, the site of his father's last battle. He spends the time alone, burying the bones of the thousands of soldiers that died during the last war between Kitai and Tagur twenty years earlier. In the evenings in a makeshift cabin, he listens to the ghosts of the dead screaming. At the end of his second year, he is visited by Bytsan sri Nespo, a Taguran army officer and is informed that the White Jade Princess of Tagur has rewarded him with 250 Sardian Horses in honor of his efforts burying the dead of both countries. Now this might not sound like much, but each Sardian horse is worth a fortune alone and is far superior to any other horse in battle. Now, Shen Tai must make his trek to the the Ta-Ming Palace of the Emperor Taizu to decide what to do with the gift. Along the way, he picks up a Kanlin Warrior, Wei Song, to help him thwart many assassination attempts.
I'm not going to use any spoilers, because I'm don't want to reveal the ending, which is exciting to say the least. As the plot progresses, Shen Tai wonders if the Sardians are a gift or a death warrant. The political opponents in the Ta-Ming court vie for the horses and empirical favor, resulting in upheaval of the government and eventual war. To find out who wins the war, or how Shen Tai and his friends fare, you will have to read this moving novel.
This is the first book I've read by Guy Gavriel Kay, and it will not be the last. If you like historical/fantasy fiction, I highly recommend this book. It seems to me that this genre of writing is gaining momentum and bringing us new and exciting authors. It is also noteworthy that the author provided a map and a list of principal characters in the front of the book. Since a lot of the given names were very similar, it was very helpful as you read the book.
RATING: 5 stars out of 5
Comment: The Tang period in China ran from 618 to 907 A.D., which is the time period of this book. The Tang Dynasty was famous for its poets and painters along with a thriving trade business via the Silk Road. Lastly, it was also known for the hundreds of thousands of ferocious troops that protect its borders.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Abraham Lincoln: VAMPIRE HUNTER
Seth Grahame-Smith writes another novel out of the new genre of books that marries historical fiction with fantasy/horror. What's next: George Washington and the Philadelphia Werewolves? All kidding aside, this is an enjoyable example of that new genre. It is well written and features many historical figures that are either vampires or sympathetic to them. If you thought the life of Abe Lincoln was tragic, this book will bring tragedy to a new level.
The author, Seth Grahame-Smith, is a young man working in a five & dime store, when he meets a mysterious stranger, Henry. One day Henry leaves a package for the author at the counter. The package is accompanied by a letter stating that the contents are to be kept secret, and a manuscript is to be written about the subject matter. He opens the package and finds ten leather-bound journals and a bundle of letters. The first book he picks up is entitled "This is the journal of Abraham Lincoln"! As he commits to the writing of the manuscript, he learns that Henry is a vampire. Although Henry appears to be a young man, we later find out that he is well over 300 years old.
The journals start off with Abe as a young man. He finds out via his father that his grandfather was killed by a vampire. He later finds out that his aunt, uncle, and mom were also killed by a vampire, which leads him to lose faith in God and become a vampire hunter. Abe fashions a long black coat with many pockets to hide his famous axe and wooden stakes, and off he goes solo against the world of the undead.
Later in life, Abe is almost killed by a old lady vampire, but is saved by the inexplicably good vampire, Henry. Henry teaches Abe all the tricks and trades of slaying and detecting the undead. Abe also picks up two accomplices, Jack Armstrong, and "Speed", as the story continues to unfold. Most of the leads Abe gets are in the form of a letter signed " H ", giving him the name of the next bad vampire to eliminate.
The journals continue to tell the trials and tribulations of our 16th President during his extraordinary life, marred by the death of three sons, the death of his first fiancee, and the pressure of the coming Civil War. The questions are: Were the vampires involved in these deaths? Did they participate for the South during the Civil War? Did they assassinate Lincoln? Did Lincoln even die? You will have to read all ten journals that were given to the author of this book to find out.
Even though I enjoyed the book, I'm not sure I'm sold on this type of writing. I've read three books by Matthew Pearl, but he writes novels about real people, like Charles Dickens, in a historical time frame. If Seth Grahame-Smith wrote about Dickens, it would probably be "Charles Dickens meets Frankenstein". I guess I'm a historical fiction fan without the fantasy/horror.
RATING: 3.5 stars out of 5
Comment: If you want to read about Lincoln's real life, I suggest Lincoln by Gore Vidal, written in 1984. Of historical note, Lincoln was the first Republican to win the Presidency in 1860. Although Lincoln ran against three opponents, he still had 180 Electoral votes vs their combined 123 votes. Finally, he was so hated in the South that he was not even on the ballot in ten Southern States.
The author, Seth Grahame-Smith, is a young man working in a five & dime store, when he meets a mysterious stranger, Henry. One day Henry leaves a package for the author at the counter. The package is accompanied by a letter stating that the contents are to be kept secret, and a manuscript is to be written about the subject matter. He opens the package and finds ten leather-bound journals and a bundle of letters. The first book he picks up is entitled "This is the journal of Abraham Lincoln"! As he commits to the writing of the manuscript, he learns that Henry is a vampire. Although Henry appears to be a young man, we later find out that he is well over 300 years old.
The journals start off with Abe as a young man. He finds out via his father that his grandfather was killed by a vampire. He later finds out that his aunt, uncle, and mom were also killed by a vampire, which leads him to lose faith in God and become a vampire hunter. Abe fashions a long black coat with many pockets to hide his famous axe and wooden stakes, and off he goes solo against the world of the undead.
Later in life, Abe is almost killed by a old lady vampire, but is saved by the inexplicably good vampire, Henry. Henry teaches Abe all the tricks and trades of slaying and detecting the undead. Abe also picks up two accomplices, Jack Armstrong, and "Speed", as the story continues to unfold. Most of the leads Abe gets are in the form of a letter signed " H ", giving him the name of the next bad vampire to eliminate.
The journals continue to tell the trials and tribulations of our 16th President during his extraordinary life, marred by the death of three sons, the death of his first fiancee, and the pressure of the coming Civil War. The questions are: Were the vampires involved in these deaths? Did they participate for the South during the Civil War? Did they assassinate Lincoln? Did Lincoln even die? You will have to read all ten journals that were given to the author of this book to find out.
Even though I enjoyed the book, I'm not sure I'm sold on this type of writing. I've read three books by Matthew Pearl, but he writes novels about real people, like Charles Dickens, in a historical time frame. If Seth Grahame-Smith wrote about Dickens, it would probably be "Charles Dickens meets Frankenstein". I guess I'm a historical fiction fan without the fantasy/horror.
RATING: 3.5 stars out of 5
Comment: If you want to read about Lincoln's real life, I suggest Lincoln by Gore Vidal, written in 1984. Of historical note, Lincoln was the first Republican to win the Presidency in 1860. Although Lincoln ran against three opponents, he still had 180 Electoral votes vs their combined 123 votes. Finally, he was so hated in the South that he was not even on the ballot in ten Southern States.
Friday, January 7, 2011
TO TRY MEN'S SOULS
Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen leave the Civil War and World War II to write their first book about the Revolutionary War. The book traces the disastrous defeats and retreats from Long Island, Manhattan, New Brunswick, all the way to the Delaware River near Trenton.
The biggest debacle was the Continental Army's retreat at Fort Lee in the N.J.Palisades where they fled without firing a shot and left valuable supplies behind. The missing supplies would become very important, since they included blankets and boots so desperately needed in winter warfare. Maybe the Continental Army thought the war would be over during the summer, since enlistments were for only six months! Can you imagine the troops of today just walking away and going home after such a short enlistment? That was happening, along with countless desertions, when facing the professional British troops and the Hessian mercenaries.
Gen. George Washington, Col. Henry Knox (Chief of Artillery) and Thomas Paine proved to be the real heroes in this conflict. Without their military knowledge and Thomas Paine's pamphlet "The American Crisis" to spur on the troops morale, all would have been lost. The actual recrossing of the Delaware River from McKonkey's Ferry in Pennsylvania to Trenton is a matter of history. Some little known facts are that it happened during a nor'easter, the troops were mostly barefooted and had to march nine miles through rain, mud, sleet and snow. After the Continental Army defeated the Hessians, they had to march those same nine miles back to Pennsylvania, before British reinforcements arrived. This battle on Christmas of 1776 was the first victory of consequence for the Americans and set the tone for the rest of the war.
Although I enjoyed the book, it was written more like a history lesson. The main problem was that most of the characters are real historical figures with the exception of the Jonathan Van Dorn family and his friend, Peter. I liked these side characters, but not enough time was spent on them to feel any real empathy towards them. Perhaps if the book was a hundred pages longer, there would have been more time for character development and some subplots. I also didn't think the jumping back and forth in time and events worked very well.
I'm going to read the second book in this series, Valley Forge, to see if it is more of a historical novel or another history lesson. I'm not criticizing the history, I just want to see more subplots to make it more substantial. If you are a history buff, I highly recommend this book.
RATING: 3.5 stars out of 5
Comment: After the war, George Washinton became the only President ever to garner 100% of the electoral votes. He also set the precedent for Presidential terms by refusing a third term. It should also be noted that Thomas Paine's pro-revolutionary writings didn't stop after the war of Independence. He later went to France and helped in the early part of the French Revolution with the power of his pen.
The biggest debacle was the Continental Army's retreat at Fort Lee in the N.J.Palisades where they fled without firing a shot and left valuable supplies behind. The missing supplies would become very important, since they included blankets and boots so desperately needed in winter warfare. Maybe the Continental Army thought the war would be over during the summer, since enlistments were for only six months! Can you imagine the troops of today just walking away and going home after such a short enlistment? That was happening, along with countless desertions, when facing the professional British troops and the Hessian mercenaries.
Gen. George Washington, Col. Henry Knox (Chief of Artillery) and Thomas Paine proved to be the real heroes in this conflict. Without their military knowledge and Thomas Paine's pamphlet "The American Crisis" to spur on the troops morale, all would have been lost. The actual recrossing of the Delaware River from McKonkey's Ferry in Pennsylvania to Trenton is a matter of history. Some little known facts are that it happened during a nor'easter, the troops were mostly barefooted and had to march nine miles through rain, mud, sleet and snow. After the Continental Army defeated the Hessians, they had to march those same nine miles back to Pennsylvania, before British reinforcements arrived. This battle on Christmas of 1776 was the first victory of consequence for the Americans and set the tone for the rest of the war.
Although I enjoyed the book, it was written more like a history lesson. The main problem was that most of the characters are real historical figures with the exception of the Jonathan Van Dorn family and his friend, Peter. I liked these side characters, but not enough time was spent on them to feel any real empathy towards them. Perhaps if the book was a hundred pages longer, there would have been more time for character development and some subplots. I also didn't think the jumping back and forth in time and events worked very well.
I'm going to read the second book in this series, Valley Forge, to see if it is more of a historical novel or another history lesson. I'm not criticizing the history, I just want to see more subplots to make it more substantial. If you are a history buff, I highly recommend this book.
RATING: 3.5 stars out of 5
Comment: After the war, George Washinton became the only President ever to garner 100% of the electoral votes. He also set the precedent for Presidential terms by refusing a third term. It should also be noted that Thomas Paine's pro-revolutionary writings didn't stop after the war of Independence. He later went to France and helped in the early part of the French Revolution with the power of his pen.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
The Pillars of the Earth
Ken Follett's spectacular historical novel reminds me of one of my favorite movie titles: The Good (Prior Phillip), The Bad (Bishop Waleran Bigod), and The Ugly (William Hamleigh)! This book is filled with do-gooders, such as Aliena, Tom Builder, Jonathan, Ellen and Jack Sherbough. The infamous include most of the aristocrats, the vulgar Alfred, Remigius, and the hideous Lady Regan Hamleigh. The descriptions of all the characters are so remarkable that you can visualize everyone clearly in your mind. Ken Follett has written an epic book of medieval times between the years of 1123 to 1174. It's a sensational drama of good versus evil, religion versus sovereignty, and the tenacity of the common man.
The book starts with a mysterious hanging in 1123 and quickly moves to Tom Builder's family in 1135. Tom is a master mason with dreams of building the world's best Cathedral. He has many trials and tribulations before arriving in Kingsbridge and meeting the new prior, Phillip. Meanwhile the Hamleigh family of Shiring is insulted by Aliena, daughter of Earl Bartholomew, for refusing to marry their son, William. This starts 39 years of strife between these two families.
Prior Phillip taking over the Monastery at Kingsbridge seeks help via King Stephen to acquire the funds needed to build his Cathedral. He succeeds by tricking Bishop Waleran out of the funds the Bishop wanted for the building of his castle. Prior Phillip has now unfortunately made a enemy out of the Bishop for the next 39 years. The ensuing years result in many confrontations between these two.
Meanwhile on the political front, the battle for the Throne of England and Normandy goes on for 39 years between King Stephen, King Henry II, and Queen Maud. Religion is heavily involved in the struggles, led by the eminent Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket.
All three of these scenarios (Hamleighs vs Aliena, Prior Phillip vs Bishop Waleran, and Sovereignty vs Religion) are artfully intertwined into a classic tale of right and wrong. There is so much going on in this novel that I only touched on the main plots, skipping the numerous sub-plots. I wouldn't want to spoil your enjoyment culminating in a exciting ending. Of the 30 books I read in 2010, this is the best, edging out Black Hills.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: The Kingsbridge Cathedral is fictional, but one of the towns in the book, Salisbury, is real and has a cathedral built similarly to the one described in the book. Ken Follett spent many years studying the age-old architecture involved in building a cathedral in medieval England. In a preface written in 1999, Ken Follett states this book became his biggest seller by "word of mouth"! I believe him since that's how I became aware of The Pillars of the Earth - thanks Luisa!
The book starts with a mysterious hanging in 1123 and quickly moves to Tom Builder's family in 1135. Tom is a master mason with dreams of building the world's best Cathedral. He has many trials and tribulations before arriving in Kingsbridge and meeting the new prior, Phillip. Meanwhile the Hamleigh family of Shiring is insulted by Aliena, daughter of Earl Bartholomew, for refusing to marry their son, William. This starts 39 years of strife between these two families.
Prior Phillip taking over the Monastery at Kingsbridge seeks help via King Stephen to acquire the funds needed to build his Cathedral. He succeeds by tricking Bishop Waleran out of the funds the Bishop wanted for the building of his castle. Prior Phillip has now unfortunately made a enemy out of the Bishop for the next 39 years. The ensuing years result in many confrontations between these two.
Meanwhile on the political front, the battle for the Throne of England and Normandy goes on for 39 years between King Stephen, King Henry II, and Queen Maud. Religion is heavily involved in the struggles, led by the eminent Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket.
All three of these scenarios (Hamleighs vs Aliena, Prior Phillip vs Bishop Waleran, and Sovereignty vs Religion) are artfully intertwined into a classic tale of right and wrong. There is so much going on in this novel that I only touched on the main plots, skipping the numerous sub-plots. I wouldn't want to spoil your enjoyment culminating in a exciting ending. Of the 30 books I read in 2010, this is the best, edging out Black Hills.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: The Kingsbridge Cathedral is fictional, but one of the towns in the book, Salisbury, is real and has a cathedral built similarly to the one described in the book. Ken Follett spent many years studying the age-old architecture involved in building a cathedral in medieval England. In a preface written in 1999, Ken Follett states this book became his biggest seller by "word of mouth"! I believe him since that's how I became aware of The Pillars of the Earth - thanks Luisa!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Black Hills
Having read four previous Dan Simmons novels, I anxiously awaited this 2010 novel. I certainly was not disappointed! This is a imaginative historical novel sprawling over sixty years. In this book, you will meet many well known figures such as: Wild Bill Cody, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and the famous sculptor, Gutzon Borglum. The Lakota indian Paha Sapa and Gen. George Armstrong Custer share the spotlight (and the same body) in this astonishing tale. After reading The Terror and Drood, I didn't think Simmons could write anything more peculiar. Boy, was I wrong.
Each chapter in this book jumps back and forth to different years in Paha Sapa's life. The first starts in 1876 during the battle of Little Big Horn. Paha, a ten year old boy, counts "coup" (touching a enemy unarmed) on Gen. Custer just as the General is killed. Now the unbelievable happens - the General's ghost jumps into Paha's body. The ghost will talk to Paha throughout the book about many things, incuding his sexual escapades with his wife, Libbie. Later, Paha goes on a Hanbleceya, a vision quest , and sees the Wasichus (white men) as giants eating up the land of "The Six Grandfathers", the Black Hills. The struggles of the "natural free human beings" known as the Lakota or Sioux versus the Wasichus is a theme throughout the book.
The book skips to 1893 during the World's Fair in Chicago, back to 1876, and forward to 1936. In 1893 in Chicago, Paha is working in the Wild West show for Bill Cody, and meets his future wife, Rain de Plachette. During this chapter skipping, there is a interesting confrontation with Paha and the construction crew building the Brooklyn Bridge. This happens in 1933 when the ghost persuades Paha to visit Mrs. Custer on her 91st birthday so the General can see his wife for the last time. This is a very funny and also very sad meeting in N.Y.C.
The guts of the book has to do with the project in South Dakota known as Mount Rushmore. Paha gets hired as a powderman for the sculptor Borglum. As the years pass and Paha becomes a explosive expert - his real reason for being there becomes obvious. He wants to blow up the monument! He wants to do it during the unveiling of the Jefferson face, while Franklin D. Roosevelt is in attendance. In Paha's mind, this will stop the Wasichus from destroying the Black Hills and satisfy his vision quest.
Does he succeed? Does Paha Sapa (I love that name) survive? What happens to the President or Gutzon Borglum? Sorry, you will have to read 487 pages of this great novel to find out! I highly recommend this book.
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
Comment: The act of counting coup, especially unarmed, was considered a high honor for a Sioux warrior and earned an eagle feather that had to be painted red if he was wounded. The Mount Rushmore project took from 1927 to 1941 to finish with the final cost coming in at $989,992.32. Although the project was highly dangerous, not one worker was killed. Since the Lakota wanted to show that they also had great leaders, the Crazy Horse Memorial is being carved in the Black Hills 17 miles away. The sculpting of Crazy Horse started in 1948 and is not finished yet! Also as a historical note at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, Mr. Ferris introduced his famous Big Wheel.
Each chapter in this book jumps back and forth to different years in Paha Sapa's life. The first starts in 1876 during the battle of Little Big Horn. Paha, a ten year old boy, counts "coup" (touching a enemy unarmed) on Gen. Custer just as the General is killed. Now the unbelievable happens - the General's ghost jumps into Paha's body. The ghost will talk to Paha throughout the book about many things, incuding his sexual escapades with his wife, Libbie. Later, Paha goes on a Hanbleceya, a vision quest , and sees the Wasichus (white men) as giants eating up the land of "The Six Grandfathers", the Black Hills. The struggles of the "natural free human beings" known as the Lakota or Sioux versus the Wasichus is a theme throughout the book.
The book skips to 1893 during the World's Fair in Chicago, back to 1876, and forward to 1936. In 1893 in Chicago, Paha is working in the Wild West show for Bill Cody, and meets his future wife, Rain de Plachette. During this chapter skipping, there is a interesting confrontation with Paha and the construction crew building the Brooklyn Bridge. This happens in 1933 when the ghost persuades Paha to visit Mrs. Custer on her 91st birthday so the General can see his wife for the last time. This is a very funny and also very sad meeting in N.Y.C.
The guts of the book has to do with the project in South Dakota known as Mount Rushmore. Paha gets hired as a powderman for the sculptor Borglum. As the years pass and Paha becomes a explosive expert - his real reason for being there becomes obvious. He wants to blow up the monument! He wants to do it during the unveiling of the Jefferson face, while Franklin D. Roosevelt is in attendance. In Paha's mind, this will stop the Wasichus from destroying the Black Hills and satisfy his vision quest.
Does he succeed? Does Paha Sapa (I love that name) survive? What happens to the President or Gutzon Borglum? Sorry, you will have to read 487 pages of this great novel to find out! I highly recommend this book.
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
Comment: The act of counting coup, especially unarmed, was considered a high honor for a Sioux warrior and earned an eagle feather that had to be painted red if he was wounded. The Mount Rushmore project took from 1927 to 1941 to finish with the final cost coming in at $989,992.32. Although the project was highly dangerous, not one worker was killed. Since the Lakota wanted to show that they also had great leaders, the Crazy Horse Memorial is being carved in the Black Hills 17 miles away. The sculpting of Crazy Horse started in 1948 and is not finished yet! Also as a historical note at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, Mr. Ferris introduced his famous Big Wheel.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
STONEHENGE (2000 B.C.)
It took great imagination to write a historical novel about people who left no written history. Not only did Bernard Cornwell succeed, but he spins a compelling, plausible story. I don't remember the last time I rooted so vigorously for the heroes and felt such anger for the villains. Only the actual stones and various temples are a reality. Whether the local tribes worshipped the sun and moon or made those horrible human sacrifices is pure conjecture. It is written so well that I bought the whole package!
The story starts when a stranger from the Sarmennyn tribe (the outfolk) arrives at the Old Temple of the Ratharryn tribe with stolen gold pieces. He is slain by Lengar, son of Chief Hengall of Ratharryn. When Lengar gets back to his tribe, he is confronted by his father, who wants all the gold. Lengar gives up the gold and angerly leaves for Sarmennyn with many of his spearman. Meanwhile Hengall's second son, Saban, is to wed Derrewyn of the Cathallo tribe to unite the tribes in peace. The club footed third son of Hengall, Camaban, after escaping his own death by sacrifice leaves for Cathallo to study with Sannas the Sorceress of Cathallo. On the day of the wedding between Saban and Derrewyn, Lengar returns with many spearman and kills his father Hengall the Chief. Lengar now becomes chief, sells Saban into slavery, and takes a rebellious Derrewyn as his wife.
Wow! There is a lot going on in this book. Still to come are the conflicts between the three brothers, many sacrifices, the years of hauling boulders from Sarmennyn and Cathallo, and the building of the temple for Slaol, the Sun God, and Lahanna, the Moon Goddess. There are many side characters to root for and many villains to hate. The last hundred pages are filled with excitement, twists and turns. When I finished this book, I was hoping it was the first of a trilogy. I highly recommend this novel. It was written in 2000, but is readily available in paperback.
RATING : 4.5 Stars out of 5
Comment: Without written documents from the Bronze Age in England, the use of these boulders is uncertain. Based on all the digs that have been done at the site, the theories of its use are numerous, including for: burial rites, worship, healing, and the observation of the heavens. Bernard Cornwell comes up with a plausible theory on how these boulders were moved to the site and how the capstones were lifted over the arches. Finally, Cornwell continues to demonstrate that he is the king of describing death by combat.
The story starts when a stranger from the Sarmennyn tribe (the outfolk) arrives at the Old Temple of the Ratharryn tribe with stolen gold pieces. He is slain by Lengar, son of Chief Hengall of Ratharryn. When Lengar gets back to his tribe, he is confronted by his father, who wants all the gold. Lengar gives up the gold and angerly leaves for Sarmennyn with many of his spearman. Meanwhile Hengall's second son, Saban, is to wed Derrewyn of the Cathallo tribe to unite the tribes in peace. The club footed third son of Hengall, Camaban, after escaping his own death by sacrifice leaves for Cathallo to study with Sannas the Sorceress of Cathallo. On the day of the wedding between Saban and Derrewyn, Lengar returns with many spearman and kills his father Hengall the Chief. Lengar now becomes chief, sells Saban into slavery, and takes a rebellious Derrewyn as his wife.
Wow! There is a lot going on in this book. Still to come are the conflicts between the three brothers, many sacrifices, the years of hauling boulders from Sarmennyn and Cathallo, and the building of the temple for Slaol, the Sun God, and Lahanna, the Moon Goddess. There are many side characters to root for and many villains to hate. The last hundred pages are filled with excitement, twists and turns. When I finished this book, I was hoping it was the first of a trilogy. I highly recommend this novel. It was written in 2000, but is readily available in paperback.
RATING : 4.5 Stars out of 5
Comment: Without written documents from the Bronze Age in England, the use of these boulders is uncertain. Based on all the digs that have been done at the site, the theories of its use are numerous, including for: burial rites, worship, healing, and the observation of the heavens. Bernard Cornwell comes up with a plausible theory on how these boulders were moved to the site and how the capstones were lifted over the arches. Finally, Cornwell continues to demonstrate that he is the king of describing death by combat.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
The Design of Everyday Things
This is a guest review from my eldest son, Deron:
Have you ever been unable to figure out how to work an appliance, a remote control, a computer program, or even a door. You might blame yourself or your ineptness with all things mechanical and computer. Author Donald Norman says to not blame yourself, blame the designers.
Bad design is serious stuff. It's not just dropping that call you were trying to transfer on the high-tech office phone system. Human error is often the cause of a plane crash, a ship collision, or a nuclear power plant accident. The human in "human error" isn't always the operator, but sometimes the equipment designer.
This book defines the principles of a user-centered approach to design. This approach puts usability over aesthetics. Not that a product shouldn't be beautiful, but usability should always trump beauty where they conflict.
One principle that he describes is affordance. An object should give you a clue as to how to use it. A metal plate on a door tells you to push, not pull. Some doors have push bars that are symmetrical across the door. This door cries out push, but which side: the right or the left? Norman goes over each principle in detail and gives examples that exemplify and violate the principle.
Norman also discusses the role of culture and customs in design. If you turn the steering wheel clockwise, the car will turn right. You can expect that to be true if you were on a boat. In this case, the boat's wheel in no way indicates which way the boat will turn if you turn the wheel clockwise as affordance would dictate. It is purely customary, and a completely valid way to design. In fact, to go against customs could be disastrous. (Incidentally, a recent article claims that the clash of two different steering systems played a crucial part in the sinking of the Titanic. Talk about the consequences of bad design.)
There is far more in this book than I can write about. I found it incredibly interesting. It is a must for anyone studying design; and not just for industrial designers, this book is instructional for both web site and computer application interface designers. For others, it could be an interesting read if you'd like to understand the process of good design and why you push the pull open door.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Don't be put off that this book was first published in 1986. The wisdom he imparts is for the ages. This book is a good foundation for his more recent works, such as Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things and Living with Complexity.
Donald Norman is a cognitive science professor, a former VP of Apple's Advanced Technology Group, and writes for a column for core77, and has his own site.
Have you ever been unable to figure out how to work an appliance, a remote control, a computer program, or even a door. You might blame yourself or your ineptness with all things mechanical and computer. Author Donald Norman says to not blame yourself, blame the designers.
Bad design is serious stuff. It's not just dropping that call you were trying to transfer on the high-tech office phone system. Human error is often the cause of a plane crash, a ship collision, or a nuclear power plant accident. The human in "human error" isn't always the operator, but sometimes the equipment designer.
This book defines the principles of a user-centered approach to design. This approach puts usability over aesthetics. Not that a product shouldn't be beautiful, but usability should always trump beauty where they conflict.
One principle that he describes is affordance. An object should give you a clue as to how to use it. A metal plate on a door tells you to push, not pull. Some doors have push bars that are symmetrical across the door. This door cries out push, but which side: the right or the left? Norman goes over each principle in detail and gives examples that exemplify and violate the principle.
Norman also discusses the role of culture and customs in design. If you turn the steering wheel clockwise, the car will turn right. You can expect that to be true if you were on a boat. In this case, the boat's wheel in no way indicates which way the boat will turn if you turn the wheel clockwise as affordance would dictate. It is purely customary, and a completely valid way to design. In fact, to go against customs could be disastrous. (Incidentally, a recent article claims that the clash of two different steering systems played a crucial part in the sinking of the Titanic. Talk about the consequences of bad design.)
There is far more in this book than I can write about. I found it incredibly interesting. It is a must for anyone studying design; and not just for industrial designers, this book is instructional for both web site and computer application interface designers. For others, it could be an interesting read if you'd like to understand the process of good design and why you push the pull open door.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Don't be put off that this book was first published in 1986. The wisdom he imparts is for the ages. This book is a good foundation for his more recent works, such as Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things and Living with Complexity.
Donald Norman is a cognitive science professor, a former VP of Apple's Advanced Technology Group, and writes for a column for core77, and has his own site.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
The Android's Dream
This book by John Scalzi literally starts off with a lot of gas. During trade negotiations between the planets Earth and Nidu, Dirk Moeller of Earth, fitted with a special device from a man known as the Fixer, farts Lars-Win-Getag of Nidu to death! Dirk Moeller, laughing uncontrollably, collapses with a massive heart attack. It seems that the sentient lizard-like creatures of Nidu are smell sensitive and can interpret the meaning of each fart.
The Nidu Ambassador to Earth, Narf-Win-Getag, arrives at the office of the Secretary of State Jim Heffer. The ambassador threatens war with The United Nations of Earth, believing his trade negotiator was smell insulted on purpose. Of the 617 Nations in the Common Confederation, Nidu was only ranked 488th in military power, but unfortunately Earth was ranked 530th, and the Nidu had the Glar Destroyers and the Planet Cracker bombs! Narf-Win-Getag explains that their leader (The Fehen) has died, and his son will be coronated in two weeks. The Nidu need a special breed of sheep for the Coronation, and the breed has been mysteriously wiped out. The demand is simple: Find the electric blue sheep, known as the Android's Dream, for the Coronation, and there will be no war.
This is where our hero, Harry Creek, and heroine, Robin Baker enter the story. Harry, a war hero from the Battle of Pajmhi 12 years ago, is assigned the task of finding the blue sheep. He later enlists the aid of pet shop owner Robin Baker. He also has the help of a dead war veteran, his friend Brian Javna, now a semi-alive computer program in a IBM machine.
The ensuing pages are wrought with many twists and turns along with many questions: Does the Nidu Ambassador really want the sheep found? Is the Secretary of Defense, Bob Pope, on Harry's side? Does Robin Baker have the Android's Dream DNA in her body? Can Harry solve this mystery with so much opposition? You will have to read all 394 delightful pages to find out.
What's unusual about this book is all the interesting side characters. They include the human-eating Takk, the computer geek Archie McClellan and the thug Rod Acuna. If you are a sci-fi fan, this is a must read. Congratulations to John Scalzi for another exciting novel.
RATING: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Scalzi continues to make future technology easy to understand. Many times I've almost put a novel down, because I didn't know what the author was saying. The title is no doubt an reference to Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which was made into the classic movie Blade Runner. That book asks what it is to be human, a similar theme that runs through The Android's Dream.
The Android's Dream is a Tor book. You can head over to Tor.com for great articles about John Scalzi and sci-fi in general.
The Nidu Ambassador to Earth, Narf-Win-Getag, arrives at the office of the Secretary of State Jim Heffer. The ambassador threatens war with The United Nations of Earth, believing his trade negotiator was smell insulted on purpose. Of the 617 Nations in the Common Confederation, Nidu was only ranked 488th in military power, but unfortunately Earth was ranked 530th, and the Nidu had the Glar Destroyers and the Planet Cracker bombs! Narf-Win-Getag explains that their leader (The Fehen) has died, and his son will be coronated in two weeks. The Nidu need a special breed of sheep for the Coronation, and the breed has been mysteriously wiped out. The demand is simple: Find the electric blue sheep, known as the Android's Dream, for the Coronation, and there will be no war.
This is where our hero, Harry Creek, and heroine, Robin Baker enter the story. Harry, a war hero from the Battle of Pajmhi 12 years ago, is assigned the task of finding the blue sheep. He later enlists the aid of pet shop owner Robin Baker. He also has the help of a dead war veteran, his friend Brian Javna, now a semi-alive computer program in a IBM machine.
The ensuing pages are wrought with many twists and turns along with many questions: Does the Nidu Ambassador really want the sheep found? Is the Secretary of Defense, Bob Pope, on Harry's side? Does Robin Baker have the Android's Dream DNA in her body? Can Harry solve this mystery with so much opposition? You will have to read all 394 delightful pages to find out.
What's unusual about this book is all the interesting side characters. They include the human-eating Takk, the computer geek Archie McClellan and the thug Rod Acuna. If you are a sci-fi fan, this is a must read. Congratulations to John Scalzi for another exciting novel.
RATING: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Scalzi continues to make future technology easy to understand. Many times I've almost put a novel down, because I didn't know what the author was saying. The title is no doubt an reference to Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which was made into the classic movie Blade Runner. That book asks what it is to be human, a similar theme that runs through The Android's Dream.
The Android's Dream is a Tor book. You can head over to Tor.com for great articles about John Scalzi and sci-fi in general.
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