If I'm going to read a vampire novel, I prefer it to involve Vlad the Impaler, rather than your modern day Count Dracula type vampire. Dan Simmons has created a historical fiction novel that occurs around the time of the 1989 Romania Revolution that deposed the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. The story moves back and forth from Colorado to Romania and Hungary. It is so well written that you'll say to yourself: Wow! If this were a movie, the Colorado parts would be in color, and the Eastern European parts would be in black and white. That is how depressing Simmons makes you feel when the action shifts to Budapest, Hungary or Transylvania, Romania.
The idea that a blood serum could be used in lieu of a satisfying neck bite is not new, but to find a physical reason vampires need fresh blood probably is. The hero, Dr. Kate Neuman, is an hematologist bent on finding out that answer after her adopted baby from Romania, Joshua, turns out to be a vampire. As the good doctor zeroes in on the answer to cure her baby and possibly the AID's virus and cancer, chaos strikes her household in Colorado. The dark advisers, the feared Strigoi, appear and kidnap her baby back to Romania. With her friend, the priest Mike O'Rourke (a recurring Simmons character), Dr. Neuman returns to Romania to find her baby and determine the real reason for the kidnapping.
While on their quest, Dan Simmons is at his best. The super-heroic efforts of Neuman and O'Rourke are death defying to say the least. The people in Romania are supposedly helping them, but are constantly under suspicion of being traitors. Who is a human, and who is a vampire? There are many chapters in this book where all the words are written in italic. This is the scary part because that means that the five hundred year old Vlad the Impaler is speaking. The infamous Prince of Wallachia, Vlad Tepes is alive and here for his final act. The last chapters are spellbinding with a very late and unexpected twist.
The use of italicized chapters in a novel is not new, but when used correctly it can make a book enchanting and attention grabbing. I had that same feeling in 2005 when reading Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian. In that book, the italicized chapters are letters written to a daughter from her father involving Vlad the Impaler. I have read many Dan Simmons books, and as usual, I loved it.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Dan Simmons is a Hugo and Locus Awards winner for Hyperion in 1989. I plan on reading the four Hyperion books this fall. You should also read his classic two book set: Ilium and Olympos. They are truly amazing. Don't forget his recent hits: Black Hills and Drood. Do I sound like a fan of Simmons? Yes I am.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA
What if in 1942 Eleanor Roosevelt could flap her arms and fly like a bird? Could she lead American bomber raids into Germany? Welcome to the alternate history or what I call the "what if" genre. I actually saw this skit on SNL many years ago. I believe Harry Turtledove is still number one in this genre, but the distinguished Philip Roth did a yeoman's job on this novel.
Sometimes I start a alternate history novel, and then I wonder why I started it! I'm not a reader that starts a novel and then stops. I must finish a book, even if its torturous. Thank God, this was not the case with this plausible story. Mr. Roth not only made this scenario seem possible, but I bought it lock, stock and barrel.
The book examines the politics and pressures of American life if Charles A. Lindbergh defeated Franklin Delano Roosevelt for the Presidency in 1940. To make matters worse, Lindbergh picks Henry Ford for a major role in his cabinet. For people that are unaware, Lindbergh and Ford were friends of Germany and foes of the Jewish people. Later in the book, Walter Winchell, the gossip columnist for the New York Daily Mirror, runs against Mr. Lindbergh with catastrophic consequences. The setting for this novel is Newark, NJ with Mr. Roth posing as the Narrator for his Jewish family.
What makes this book believable is the fact that Philip Roth would have been the same age, seven to nine years old, as the Philip Roth in the story during this struggle. As a Newark resident, Mr.Roth personally experienced the strain of being persecuted with antisemitic hostilities in the Weequahic section of Newark in the early 1940's.
The frightening thought that I had after finishing the book was : It could have happened! Based on my research, Mr. Lindbergh was actually considered as a Presidential candidate. He definitely wanted America neutral during World War II, and who knows what would have happened if Henry Ford had been elected to political office, or chosen for a Cabinet position. Before you read this classic novel, do yourself a favor and read the bio's of Charles A. Lindbergh and Henry Ford in advance.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Philip Roth is a many time award winner, including the Pulitzer Prize for American Pastoral. Four of his books have been made into movies, including Goodbye, Columbus and Portnoy's Complaint. If you are a student of classic writers, you must read at least one Roth novel.
Sometimes I start a alternate history novel, and then I wonder why I started it! I'm not a reader that starts a novel and then stops. I must finish a book, even if its torturous. Thank God, this was not the case with this plausible story. Mr. Roth not only made this scenario seem possible, but I bought it lock, stock and barrel.
The book examines the politics and pressures of American life if Charles A. Lindbergh defeated Franklin Delano Roosevelt for the Presidency in 1940. To make matters worse, Lindbergh picks Henry Ford for a major role in his cabinet. For people that are unaware, Lindbergh and Ford were friends of Germany and foes of the Jewish people. Later in the book, Walter Winchell, the gossip columnist for the New York Daily Mirror, runs against Mr. Lindbergh with catastrophic consequences. The setting for this novel is Newark, NJ with Mr. Roth posing as the Narrator for his Jewish family.
What makes this book believable is the fact that Philip Roth would have been the same age, seven to nine years old, as the Philip Roth in the story during this struggle. As a Newark resident, Mr.Roth personally experienced the strain of being persecuted with antisemitic hostilities in the Weequahic section of Newark in the early 1940's.
The frightening thought that I had after finishing the book was : It could have happened! Based on my research, Mr. Lindbergh was actually considered as a Presidential candidate. He definitely wanted America neutral during World War II, and who knows what would have happened if Henry Ford had been elected to political office, or chosen for a Cabinet position. Before you read this classic novel, do yourself a favor and read the bio's of Charles A. Lindbergh and Henry Ford in advance.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Philip Roth is a many time award winner, including the Pulitzer Prize for American Pastoral. Four of his books have been made into movies, including Goodbye, Columbus and Portnoy's Complaint. If you are a student of classic writers, you must read at least one Roth novel.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
JONATHAN STRANGE & Mr. NORRELL
Susanna Clarke's first novel is an instant classic in the prodigious historical fantasy genre. While reading this novel, I thought I had missed my history lesson on early 19th century England. I didn't know that the British Army used magicians to defeat Napoleon at Waterloo. Did you? This wonderful book documents the return of British magic from 1806 through 1817. Like magic, the book at over 782 pages actually seemed much shorter than it was.
I was reminded of Dickens while reading this book. The first reason is the use of archaic spelling, such as "surprize" for "surprise", "shew" for "show," and "chuse" for "choose". The second reason is the evocative character names, such as Mr. Honeyfoot, Lord Sidmouth, Mr. Segundus, and Miss Wintertowne. The third reason is the constant return of theoretical magician Vinculus to the story when I thought the author was finished with him. That reminded me of Orlick from Dickens's Great Expectations.
I enjoyed Clarke's use of 100s of footnotes which gave the story the air of a real history. The pell-mell manner that some authors use footnotes is avoided using crisp and verified direction. The only downside was that their small type often made my eyes strain and water.
The story itself begins with Mr. Norrel, England's self-proclaimed and only practical magician, deciding to bring magic back to England. This makes the theoretical magicians, who believe that actual magic died out years ago, resign, except for Mr. Segundus and the rogue Vinculus. Mr. Norrell moves to London with his servant, John Childermass (see what I mean about the names). From there, Mr. Norrell becomes popular with the Lords and Gentlemen of London. The wife of one of his benefactors, Sir Walter Pole, dies unexpectedly, and Sir Walter asks Mr. Norrell to resurrect her. To assist him, Mr. Norrell conjures up a fairy - the pernicious gentleman with thistle-down hair in the bright green jacket. They succeed; but, the evil fairy refuses to go back to Faerie land and puts an enchantment on Mrs. Pole and Sir Walter's servant, Stephen Black.
Eventually, Mr. Norrell takes on a pupil, Jonathan Strange, but he holds back information from his vast library, not wanting his pupil to better him. Mr. Strange becomes very successful and helps the war effort against France with his powerful magic. He comes back from the war a hero, which leads to a nasty break-up with Mr. Norrell. The gentleman with the thistle-down hair then enchants Mrs. Strange, and Jonathan Strange now thinks she is dead.
Not wanting to divulge the ending, I'll stop here. The last two hundred or so pages are full of magical conflicts between Mr. Norrell, Strange, the enchantees (I made that word up), and the odious gentleman with thistle-down hair. Wow, what a book. This is the best novel that I have read this year! There is no follow up yet, but one is in the works.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: This is Susanna Clarke's first novel, and it won the 2005 Hugo Award for best novel. The wonderful illustrations (and there are many ) were done by Portia Rosenberg. My son bought this novel at a used book store for $6.99, and when I looked at it, I realized that not only was it a first edition, but it was also signed by Susanna Clarke!
I was reminded of Dickens while reading this book. The first reason is the use of archaic spelling, such as "surprize" for "surprise", "shew" for "show," and "chuse" for "choose". The second reason is the evocative character names, such as Mr. Honeyfoot, Lord Sidmouth, Mr. Segundus, and Miss Wintertowne. The third reason is the constant return of theoretical magician Vinculus to the story when I thought the author was finished with him. That reminded me of Orlick from Dickens's Great Expectations.
I enjoyed Clarke's use of 100s of footnotes which gave the story the air of a real history. The pell-mell manner that some authors use footnotes is avoided using crisp and verified direction. The only downside was that their small type often made my eyes strain and water.
The story itself begins with Mr. Norrel, England's self-proclaimed and only practical magician, deciding to bring magic back to England. This makes the theoretical magicians, who believe that actual magic died out years ago, resign, except for Mr. Segundus and the rogue Vinculus. Mr. Norrell moves to London with his servant, John Childermass (see what I mean about the names). From there, Mr. Norrell becomes popular with the Lords and Gentlemen of London. The wife of one of his benefactors, Sir Walter Pole, dies unexpectedly, and Sir Walter asks Mr. Norrell to resurrect her. To assist him, Mr. Norrell conjures up a fairy - the pernicious gentleman with thistle-down hair in the bright green jacket. They succeed; but, the evil fairy refuses to go back to Faerie land and puts an enchantment on Mrs. Pole and Sir Walter's servant, Stephen Black.
Eventually, Mr. Norrell takes on a pupil, Jonathan Strange, but he holds back information from his vast library, not wanting his pupil to better him. Mr. Strange becomes very successful and helps the war effort against France with his powerful magic. He comes back from the war a hero, which leads to a nasty break-up with Mr. Norrell. The gentleman with the thistle-down hair then enchants Mrs. Strange, and Jonathan Strange now thinks she is dead.
Not wanting to divulge the ending, I'll stop here. The last two hundred or so pages are full of magical conflicts between Mr. Norrell, Strange, the enchantees (I made that word up), and the odious gentleman with thistle-down hair. Wow, what a book. This is the best novel that I have read this year! There is no follow up yet, but one is in the works.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: This is Susanna Clarke's first novel, and it won the 2005 Hugo Award for best novel. The wonderful illustrations (and there are many ) were done by Portia Rosenberg. My son bought this novel at a used book store for $6.99, and when I looked at it, I realized that not only was it a first edition, but it was also signed by Susanna Clarke!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Daemon
This is a guest review from my eldest son, Deron:
In this techno-thriller by Daniel Suarez, game programmer par exellance Matthew Sobol reaches back from the grave to change the world. This is the first book of two in a series. The second is Freedom.
The story begins with a news item announcing the death of Sobol from brain cancer. Sobol was the billionarie CTO and co-founder of the computer game company CyberStorm Entertainment. Soon after Sobol's death, a programmer with the company is murdered. Then, another. Detective Peter Sebeck is called to investigate. Their murderer isn't a mystery for long, because Det. Sebeck receives an email from the killer - Matthew Sobol.
Before dying, Sobol created a daemon, "A computer program that runs continuously in the background and performs specified operations at predefined times or in response to certain events." This daemon was distributed throughout the world, like a computer virus; it was designed to search the internet for news of Sobol's death and, once found, initiate Sobol's plan. The programmers were murdered because they knew too much about the inner workings of the daemon that they had assisted Sobol in writing.
The daemon then recruits people and businesses worldwide, both legitimate and criminal, through wile and blackmail to carry out Sobol's plan. In response, Det. Sebeck and every conceivable government authority begin their battle against a computer program threatening to change the world order. What is the daemon's ultimate goal? How can one stop a program that is both nowhere and everywhere?
I have a mixed feelings about this book. Its a page turner, has a great hook, and is very enjoyable. However, the writing is uneven and could have be tighter. This is Suarez's first book. Perhaps if this had been his tenth, the writing would have been better. He could have used a better editor.
This book's plot is very dependent on technology and so is packed with technical jargon. That in itself is not bad. Jon Ross, a computer programmer with a shady past, explains many of these terms to Det. Sebeck for the reader. But sometimes, the terms go undefined, and I often feel that the author is technical word name dropping to impress the reader. This is a case where a better writer, like Michael Crichton, would have eliminated the terms to keep the plot flowing.
I recommend this book and will be sure to read the second. However, if you don't think you'd be into a tech-heavy book, you might become confused and bored.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comments: The film rights for this book have been purchased. Unless they are able to reduce the technical jargon to only the essentials, I don't see the movie having a wide appeal beyond the technical crowd.
In this techno-thriller by Daniel Suarez, game programmer par exellance Matthew Sobol reaches back from the grave to change the world. This is the first book of two in a series. The second is Freedom.
The story begins with a news item announcing the death of Sobol from brain cancer. Sobol was the billionarie CTO and co-founder of the computer game company CyberStorm Entertainment. Soon after Sobol's death, a programmer with the company is murdered. Then, another. Detective Peter Sebeck is called to investigate. Their murderer isn't a mystery for long, because Det. Sebeck receives an email from the killer - Matthew Sobol.
Before dying, Sobol created a daemon, "A computer program that runs continuously in the background and performs specified operations at predefined times or in response to certain events." This daemon was distributed throughout the world, like a computer virus; it was designed to search the internet for news of Sobol's death and, once found, initiate Sobol's plan. The programmers were murdered because they knew too much about the inner workings of the daemon that they had assisted Sobol in writing.
The daemon then recruits people and businesses worldwide, both legitimate and criminal, through wile and blackmail to carry out Sobol's plan. In response, Det. Sebeck and every conceivable government authority begin their battle against a computer program threatening to change the world order. What is the daemon's ultimate goal? How can one stop a program that is both nowhere and everywhere?
I have a mixed feelings about this book. Its a page turner, has a great hook, and is very enjoyable. However, the writing is uneven and could have be tighter. This is Suarez's first book. Perhaps if this had been his tenth, the writing would have been better. He could have used a better editor.
This book's plot is very dependent on technology and so is packed with technical jargon. That in itself is not bad. Jon Ross, a computer programmer with a shady past, explains many of these terms to Det. Sebeck for the reader. But sometimes, the terms go undefined, and I often feel that the author is technical word name dropping to impress the reader. This is a case where a better writer, like Michael Crichton, would have eliminated the terms to keep the plot flowing.
I recommend this book and will be sure to read the second. However, if you don't think you'd be into a tech-heavy book, you might become confused and bored.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comments: The film rights for this book have been purchased. Unless they are able to reduce the technical jargon to only the essentials, I don't see the movie having a wide appeal beyond the technical crowd.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
LEAR'S Daughters
This is the 2009 update to two books Marjorie B. Kellogg wrote in 1986. Those books,The Wave and the Flame and Reign of Fire, are now combined into a 739 page thriller that includes the latest theories on climate change and pollution.
The year is 2073. Oil supplies are depleted, food is scarce, coal pollutes the air, and big cities house Earth's remaining, dwindling population.Food and energy are imported from colony worlds, raped by Earth's exploitation. The search is on for a new clean energy source called Lithium, and the huge energy company ConPlex finds evidence of Lithium on planet Fiix.
Commander Weng Tsi Hue lands a ConPlex exploratory ship on Fiix with Dr. Taylor Danforth and his science team, and Dr. Emil Clausen, ConPlex's lead prospector. The planet is inhabited by beings with our DNA called the Sawls. They live in caves on high cliffs to shield themselves from the capricious weather conditions. The Terrans had expected to find desert conditions, but instead find ice and snow. Soon thereafter, a thaw causes a massive deluge. During the flood, Drs. Danforth and Clausen are lost flying a Sled plane while searching for Lithium.
Meanwhile, we find that the Sawls believe that the weather conditions are caused by an ongoing war between the Goddess sisters, one controlling heat and fire and the other controlling moisture and water. This theory is enforced by the Priest Guild, led by the arcane Lore Master, Kav Daven. The Terran ship's Linguistics officer, Stavros Ibia, not only agrees with the Sawls, but becomes privy to their many secrets. Stavros does everything possible to stop the mission and save the Sawls from being evicted from their planet.
The lost Sled team of Drs. Danforth and Clausen suddenly reappear. Danforth is badly hurt and Clausen claims to have found a major vein of Lithium. An argument ensues between Clausen and Stavros. Stavos wants the mission canceled. Clausen wounds Stavros, who escapes to the protection of the caves. The weather worsens; the Sawls decide to trek to their other cave development in Ogo Dul; Clausen hunts for Stavros; and, the Terran science team searches for the Goddess sisters. Then, the weather worsens again. Can the Goddesses be found and stopped? Can Clausen be stopped from ravaging the planet and evicting the Sawls? What secrets do the Sawls hold from the Terrans? What becomes of Stavros?
The science in this novel is very believable and well defined. For those concerned about our environment, this is a must read.The characterizations are top drawer. I don't know what changed between the versions as I didn't read the original two novels. This is a first-rate thriller from the first to the last page, the climax was amazing and unpredictable. My recommendation is simple - read it!
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Marjorie B. Kellogg, a.k.a. M. Bradley Kellogg is the author of the fantasy series: The Dragon Quartet. She also finds time to teach at Colgate University. William B. Rossow is her Science Advisor and Collaborator. Mr. Rossow's credentials include a past post at the Goddard Institute For Space Studies.
The year is 2073. Oil supplies are depleted, food is scarce, coal pollutes the air, and big cities house Earth's remaining, dwindling population.Food and energy are imported from colony worlds, raped by Earth's exploitation. The search is on for a new clean energy source called Lithium, and the huge energy company ConPlex finds evidence of Lithium on planet Fiix.
Commander Weng Tsi Hue lands a ConPlex exploratory ship on Fiix with Dr. Taylor Danforth and his science team, and Dr. Emil Clausen, ConPlex's lead prospector. The planet is inhabited by beings with our DNA called the Sawls. They live in caves on high cliffs to shield themselves from the capricious weather conditions. The Terrans had expected to find desert conditions, but instead find ice and snow. Soon thereafter, a thaw causes a massive deluge. During the flood, Drs. Danforth and Clausen are lost flying a Sled plane while searching for Lithium.
Meanwhile, we find that the Sawls believe that the weather conditions are caused by an ongoing war between the Goddess sisters, one controlling heat and fire and the other controlling moisture and water. This theory is enforced by the Priest Guild, led by the arcane Lore Master, Kav Daven. The Terran ship's Linguistics officer, Stavros Ibia, not only agrees with the Sawls, but becomes privy to their many secrets. Stavros does everything possible to stop the mission and save the Sawls from being evicted from their planet.
The lost Sled team of Drs. Danforth and Clausen suddenly reappear. Danforth is badly hurt and Clausen claims to have found a major vein of Lithium. An argument ensues between Clausen and Stavros. Stavos wants the mission canceled. Clausen wounds Stavros, who escapes to the protection of the caves. The weather worsens; the Sawls decide to trek to their other cave development in Ogo Dul; Clausen hunts for Stavros; and, the Terran science team searches for the Goddess sisters. Then, the weather worsens again. Can the Goddesses be found and stopped? Can Clausen be stopped from ravaging the planet and evicting the Sawls? What secrets do the Sawls hold from the Terrans? What becomes of Stavros?
The science in this novel is very believable and well defined. For those concerned about our environment, this is a must read.The characterizations are top drawer. I don't know what changed between the versions as I didn't read the original two novels. This is a first-rate thriller from the first to the last page, the climax was amazing and unpredictable. My recommendation is simple - read it!
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Marjorie B. Kellogg, a.k.a. M. Bradley Kellogg is the author of the fantasy series: The Dragon Quartet. She also finds time to teach at Colgate University. William B. Rossow is her Science Advisor and Collaborator. Mr. Rossow's credentials include a past post at the Goddard Institute For Space Studies.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Honolulu
This novel by Alan Brennert is a wonderful read in between heavier works. I found the story very interesting with a lot of historical fiction. This novel informs the reader about: how "Pidgin English" came about, how the term being "a local" started, and how these locals became third-class citizens.
The story begins in Japanese controlled Korea in the early 1900s. A daughter to the Pak family is born with the name Regret, because she wasn't a boy. A female born in Korea was not afforded a last name, education, or respect. As a matter of fact, she was really a slave to her father and the entire male household. Regret spent her childhood rebelling to the Korean ways. Disobeying her father, she secretly learned to read. Women were confined to the inner rooms to sew and cook, and allowed to enter the outer rooms only to serve meals to male family members. The father arranged his daughters marriage, where she would become a slave to a new family, including all of the clan's female in-laws. I could imagine that this is still that way in North Korea considering how backwards that country is.
Regret gets out of Korea by becoming a "Picture Bride" to a Korean living in Hawaii. She is joined in this venture by four other Korean brides to be. They were told that these gentleman were handsome, young, and rich. Well, as you can imagine, when they arrived in Hawaii, the men were ugly, old, and poor. This starts their stormy adventure in Hawaii.
The story then follows the lives of Regret, now Jin, and her four other picture bride friends: Sunny, Beauty, Jade Moon, and Wise Pearl. They go through many trials and tribulations from about 1900 to 1957. What a life it must have been living on sugar plantations, working in pineapple factories, then living amongst the prostitutes of Hotel Street. We also meet the real Charlie Chan and Sadie Thompson! Even the legendary Duke Kahanamoku makes a appearance in this wonderful story. My suggestion is grab a copy of this book and enjoy! I plan on reading Brennert's Moloka'i in the very near future.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Mr. Brennert is more widely known as a television writer and producer, winning a Emmy Award for L.A. Law in 1991. He also writes a lot of science fiction and fantasy short stories. Alan lives in Southern California, but is a frequent visitor to the Hawaiian Islands. Everybody should be a frequent visitor. I know I am!
The story begins in Japanese controlled Korea in the early 1900s. A daughter to the Pak family is born with the name Regret, because she wasn't a boy. A female born in Korea was not afforded a last name, education, or respect. As a matter of fact, she was really a slave to her father and the entire male household. Regret spent her childhood rebelling to the Korean ways. Disobeying her father, she secretly learned to read. Women were confined to the inner rooms to sew and cook, and allowed to enter the outer rooms only to serve meals to male family members. The father arranged his daughters marriage, where she would become a slave to a new family, including all of the clan's female in-laws. I could imagine that this is still that way in North Korea considering how backwards that country is.
Regret gets out of Korea by becoming a "Picture Bride" to a Korean living in Hawaii. She is joined in this venture by four other Korean brides to be. They were told that these gentleman were handsome, young, and rich. Well, as you can imagine, when they arrived in Hawaii, the men were ugly, old, and poor. This starts their stormy adventure in Hawaii.
The story then follows the lives of Regret, now Jin, and her four other picture bride friends: Sunny, Beauty, Jade Moon, and Wise Pearl. They go through many trials and tribulations from about 1900 to 1957. What a life it must have been living on sugar plantations, working in pineapple factories, then living amongst the prostitutes of Hotel Street. We also meet the real Charlie Chan and Sadie Thompson! Even the legendary Duke Kahanamoku makes a appearance in this wonderful story. My suggestion is grab a copy of this book and enjoy! I plan on reading Brennert's Moloka'i in the very near future.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Mr. Brennert is more widely known as a television writer and producer, winning a Emmy Award for L.A. Law in 1991. He also writes a lot of science fiction and fantasy short stories. Alan lives in Southern California, but is a frequent visitor to the Hawaiian Islands. Everybody should be a frequent visitor. I know I am!
Friday, April 22, 2011
NIGHT OVER WATER
It's 1939. England has just declared war on Germany! And, the luxurious Pan Am Clipper, a gigantic seaplane, is set to make its final flight from Southampton, England to New York. That is the setting of this exciting, nostalgic thriller written by Ken Follett, the famed author of Eye of the Needle and The Pillars of the Earth. Being a fan of World War II movies and novels, I loved this book! My only disappointment was that Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet were not on the passenger list. But, this $675 round-trip luxury flight does have nineteen interesting guests that rival any Bogart movie cast.
The guests include a fascist marquis and his family, a grumpy Russian princess, a talkative movie actress, a Jewish nuclear physicist fleeing Germany, a baron, undercover British and American police, four American industrialists, a British millionaire chasing his wife, and a jewel thief. Add to them, terrified flight engineer Eddie Deakin, who is under orders from his wife's kidnappers to await further instructions from passenger Tom Luther. Believe it or not, Ken Follett manages to develop all of these characters, making the reader either root for or against every person in the novel...Great job!
Tom Luther informs Eddie Deakin that his mysterious boss expects Eddie to cause the thirty hour flight to land short of their destination, so that they can remove a passenger. But who, why, and how? The guessing game begins here and ends at the Bay of Fundy, Newfoundland. This is the main plot, but there are many delightful subplots.
The subplots include: the shoemaker owner, Nancy Lenehan, trying to maintain control of her company from her treacherous brother, Peter Black; Mervyn Lovesey trying to win his wife back from American, Mark Alder; the Oxenford daughters trying to escape the control of their fascist father; the jewel thief, Harry Marks, a.k.a. Harry Vandenpost, wooing Margaret Oxenford, while pondering the theft of famous jewels owned by her mother, the Marchioness; the fates of the fleeing German Jew Carl Hartmann and gangster Frank Gordon. And finally we have the wishy-washy Diana Lovesey flip-flopping between her husband Mervyn and Mark Alder. There are more, but these are the most noteworthy. Somehow the author ties all of these events together into an amazing climax!
This novel reminded me of an airplane version of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, but without Hercule Poirot. This is a must read for historical fiction and Ken Follett fans alike.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Pan Am was in business from the 1920's till 1991. As a young Marine, I flew Pan Am to Hawaii several times between 1964-1966. I remember those flights as being special with superior food and service. One of the legs of the North Atlantic Clipper service was a stop over at Foynes, Ireland. In 1942, passengers were served a drink in Foynes, now known as Irish Coffee.
The guests include a fascist marquis and his family, a grumpy Russian princess, a talkative movie actress, a Jewish nuclear physicist fleeing Germany, a baron, undercover British and American police, four American industrialists, a British millionaire chasing his wife, and a jewel thief. Add to them, terrified flight engineer Eddie Deakin, who is under orders from his wife's kidnappers to await further instructions from passenger Tom Luther. Believe it or not, Ken Follett manages to develop all of these characters, making the reader either root for or against every person in the novel...Great job!
Tom Luther informs Eddie Deakin that his mysterious boss expects Eddie to cause the thirty hour flight to land short of their destination, so that they can remove a passenger. But who, why, and how? The guessing game begins here and ends at the Bay of Fundy, Newfoundland. This is the main plot, but there are many delightful subplots.
The subplots include: the shoemaker owner, Nancy Lenehan, trying to maintain control of her company from her treacherous brother, Peter Black; Mervyn Lovesey trying to win his wife back from American, Mark Alder; the Oxenford daughters trying to escape the control of their fascist father; the jewel thief, Harry Marks, a.k.a. Harry Vandenpost, wooing Margaret Oxenford, while pondering the theft of famous jewels owned by her mother, the Marchioness; the fates of the fleeing German Jew Carl Hartmann and gangster Frank Gordon. And finally we have the wishy-washy Diana Lovesey flip-flopping between her husband Mervyn and Mark Alder. There are more, but these are the most noteworthy. Somehow the author ties all of these events together into an amazing climax!
This novel reminded me of an airplane version of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, but without Hercule Poirot. This is a must read for historical fiction and Ken Follett fans alike.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Pan Am was in business from the 1920's till 1991. As a young Marine, I flew Pan Am to Hawaii several times between 1964-1966. I remember those flights as being special with superior food and service. One of the legs of the North Atlantic Clipper service was a stop over at Foynes, Ireland. In 1942, passengers were served a drink in Foynes, now known as Irish Coffee.
Friday, April 15, 2011
ONE SECOND AFTER
William R. Forstchen has written an apocalyptic novel with a twist. Three electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) triggered by high altitude nuclear explosions wave down upon America. In theory, these would wipe out America's power grid, all computers, cell phones, many types of transportation, and common appliances. Contact with ourselves and the rest of the world would be cut. Welcome back to the medieval times!
The story is set in a town in North Carolina called Black Mountain and centers on John Matherson, a retired Army colonel. He is celebrating his diabetic daughter's birthday when the EMPs strike. There isn't any explosion heard, just a electrical blackout, causing him no initial alarm, until he finds out that no modern transportation is running. Luckily his mother-in-law has an old Edsel that runs. Why? Because it has no computers. He goes to town the next day and finds out things are already get getting dicey.
How long after an catastrophic event would it take for panic to set in? With all communication cut off, it wouldn't be long. No television or radio to tell us what happened. No President advising us. Is there even still a President? Or a government? What happened and what should I be doing? Once people find out, there would be a panicked run on food, drugs, weapons, cigarettes, alcohol, anything for survival.
This story deals with the first 365 days after the Event. Can a well organized Town Council, led by the colonel, survive until help comes? With the nation under martial law, which we learn from the only government radio station working, cult gangs are out of control. The town needs military training to defend itself from the Posse gang heading their way. The students at Montreat College are trained by an ex-Marine D.I. to defend the town. The town is almost out of food, prescription drugs, and energy. The town's doctor, Kellor, warns that the U.S.A. is now technically a third world country and to expect many deaths from cholera, dysentery, and plague. Will the Colonel's daughter get her insulin in time? Will they defeat the Posse gang? Will the town survive the EMP attack, or is it curtains for them and the U.S.A. way of life?
This novel was very enjoyable and a big time eye opener. Mr. Forstchen has written the worst case scenario, but he could be right on the money. It's possible that a bomb dropped on the ground could actually be less damaging. It seems to me that President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative in 1984 was a great idea, but killed by President Clinton in 1993 as Star Wars fodder!
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Mr. Forstchen has written over 40 books and is a history professor at the college in the novel, Montreat in N.C. His book caught the attention of Congress and the House Armed Services Committee. Hopefully, they are studying the possibility of an EMP attack. Most of his current work has been historical fiction with writting partner, Newt Gingrich.
The story is set in a town in North Carolina called Black Mountain and centers on John Matherson, a retired Army colonel. He is celebrating his diabetic daughter's birthday when the EMPs strike. There isn't any explosion heard, just a electrical blackout, causing him no initial alarm, until he finds out that no modern transportation is running. Luckily his mother-in-law has an old Edsel that runs. Why? Because it has no computers. He goes to town the next day and finds out things are already get getting dicey.
How long after an catastrophic event would it take for panic to set in? With all communication cut off, it wouldn't be long. No television or radio to tell us what happened. No President advising us. Is there even still a President? Or a government? What happened and what should I be doing? Once people find out, there would be a panicked run on food, drugs, weapons, cigarettes, alcohol, anything for survival.
This story deals with the first 365 days after the Event. Can a well organized Town Council, led by the colonel, survive until help comes? With the nation under martial law, which we learn from the only government radio station working, cult gangs are out of control. The town needs military training to defend itself from the Posse gang heading their way. The students at Montreat College are trained by an ex-Marine D.I. to defend the town. The town is almost out of food, prescription drugs, and energy. The town's doctor, Kellor, warns that the U.S.A. is now technically a third world country and to expect many deaths from cholera, dysentery, and plague. Will the Colonel's daughter get her insulin in time? Will they defeat the Posse gang? Will the town survive the EMP attack, or is it curtains for them and the U.S.A. way of life?
This novel was very enjoyable and a big time eye opener. Mr. Forstchen has written the worst case scenario, but he could be right on the money. It's possible that a bomb dropped on the ground could actually be less damaging. It seems to me that President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative in 1984 was a great idea, but killed by President Clinton in 1993 as Star Wars fodder!
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Mr. Forstchen has written over 40 books and is a history professor at the college in the novel, Montreat in N.C. His book caught the attention of Congress and the House Armed Services Committee. Hopefully, they are studying the possibility of an EMP attack. Most of his current work has been historical fiction with writting partner, Newt Gingrich.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
KRAKEN
The choice of China Mieville's diction is highly suspect in this weird fantasy novel written in 2010. I think good vocabulary is not necessarily good when one doesn't understand what you are talking about. His loquacious style of penning real and made-up words require a college lexicon! It almost seems that he wrote this book for the late William F. Buckley, Jr. Yet, somehow, I understood what he was saying without looking the words up. He has Charles Dickens's ability to make a fake word seem real. And why does he constantly use double words through out the novel such as, that that! I don't know know!! Anyway, I had my say say.
The novel opens with our hero Billy Harrow, curator of mollusks at London's Darwin Centre, conducting a tour, when he discovers the star of the show, Architeuthis, an eight meter long squid, is missing. Where did it go (tank and all), and what does it mean? A cult squad, made up of officers Baron, Vardy, and Collingswood from the London Police quickly get involved. Apparently London is filled with arcane cults, magicians, familiars, thugs, and spirits without the general population's knowledge.
Billy gets involved with the Congregation of the God Kraken, and finds out the end of the world can result from this purloined squid. Billy and Dane Parnell, a member of the God Kraken, head out to find the preserved squid. They are not alone. Also looking are the shamanic Londonmancers, the Talking Tattoo with his numerous Fistheads, the frightful Goss and Subby, and the infamous Grisamentum and his hired Gunfarmers. The Talking Tattoo on the back of a man named Paul and his hirelings, Goss and Subby, are relentless in their pursuit.
Mr. Mieville comes up with some interesting fantasies: Did you know with extreme origami, you can fold up a person and carry it without the weight? Did you know Angels of Memory exist? What about the Brotherhood of the Blessed Flood, with the Sea as their God? My favorite is Wati, the ancient Egyptian spirit, who leaps from statue to toy to statue to communicate while helping Billy or leading his familiars on a strike. The biggest fantasy is why all these groups think the Apocalypse is coming just because a dead fish is missing!
Although the final chapters are exciting, I'm not sure I understood the ending. With Mieville's writting style and use of unknown words, things get a little foggy. I did enjoy the book, but I am not sure I would read another Mieville novel. Sometimes reading certain authors is painful, but I did finish this in normal acceptable time.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: China Mieville has won many awards, including the Arthur C. Clarke, Locus, British Fantasy, and the Hugo. Mieville is a accomplished Dungeons and Dragons player. He is active in Englands politics, leaning towards Marxism.
The novel opens with our hero Billy Harrow, curator of mollusks at London's Darwin Centre, conducting a tour, when he discovers the star of the show, Architeuthis, an eight meter long squid, is missing. Where did it go (tank and all), and what does it mean? A cult squad, made up of officers Baron, Vardy, and Collingswood from the London Police quickly get involved. Apparently London is filled with arcane cults, magicians, familiars, thugs, and spirits without the general population's knowledge.
Billy gets involved with the Congregation of the God Kraken, and finds out the end of the world can result from this purloined squid. Billy and Dane Parnell, a member of the God Kraken, head out to find the preserved squid. They are not alone. Also looking are the shamanic Londonmancers, the Talking Tattoo with his numerous Fistheads, the frightful Goss and Subby, and the infamous Grisamentum and his hired Gunfarmers. The Talking Tattoo on the back of a man named Paul and his hirelings, Goss and Subby, are relentless in their pursuit.
Mr. Mieville comes up with some interesting fantasies: Did you know with extreme origami, you can fold up a person and carry it without the weight? Did you know Angels of Memory exist? What about the Brotherhood of the Blessed Flood, with the Sea as their God? My favorite is Wati, the ancient Egyptian spirit, who leaps from statue to toy to statue to communicate while helping Billy or leading his familiars on a strike. The biggest fantasy is why all these groups think the Apocalypse is coming just because a dead fish is missing!
Although the final chapters are exciting, I'm not sure I understood the ending. With Mieville's writting style and use of unknown words, things get a little foggy. I did enjoy the book, but I am not sure I would read another Mieville novel. Sometimes reading certain authors is painful, but I did finish this in normal acceptable time.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: China Mieville has won many awards, including the Arthur C. Clarke, Locus, British Fantasy, and the Hugo. Mieville is a accomplished Dungeons and Dragons player. He is active in Englands politics, leaning towards Marxism.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
FOOTFALL
What is a Footfall? Would you believe that it's an asteroid pulled by a spaceship and then dropped on a planet! It's the ultimate "dinosaur killer" heaved at Earth by elephant-like creatures with tentacled multiple trunks, four clawed feet, and a tail. They are the Fithp! They have traveled eighty years from Alpha Centauri to get here, and they mean to stay. Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle wrote this entertaining space invasion novel in 1985, and it remains a classic sci-fi novel.
The Fithp's spaceship, Thuktun Flishithy (Message Bearer), is spotted by U.S. astronomers in Hawaii. The ship is seen moving through the rings of Saturn and heading for Earth. The Americans, led by Congressman Wes Dawson, take the position that the invaders are friendly, while the Russians, of course, assume they are hostile. All communications from Earth to the invaders goes unanswered; therefore, the U.S. and Russia decide to meet the Fithp in Earth's orbit aboard the Russian Space Station, Kosmograd. The delegation of Russian, American, Nigerian, and French personnel await the meeting totally unarmed!
Message Bearer finally arrives and destroys Kosmograd and captures or kills all aboard. From here on, we have two groups of Earthlings: the Captives and the Earth humans. The Fithp proceed to destroy all dams, major installations, bridges, and highways via laser cannons, dropped rocks, or strikes from their Digit ships. They land a herd of Fithps in Kansas, the U.S. food belt, with the thought that the Earth people will passively surrender. By the way, The Fithp's odd idea of surrendering is to lay on your back, feet and hand up, while one of the Fithp places his foot on your chest! Too much pressure and you are dead.
After the U.S. military in Kansas is destroyed, the Americans and Russians decide to nuke the Kansas Fithp herd, which surprises the invaders, since radiating your own area is unconscionable to their way of life. The Fithp strike back by dropping Footfall in the Indian Ocean, destroying India, and causing a constant salt-water rain. All of this happens early, so I'm not giving away any spoilers.
As the novel develops, we find that the Fithp are not as smart as we thought. If you had a mile long spaceship, would most of it contain a giant mud room in which to bathe? Do the aliens have a mating season? We find that the Fithp were pets to the Predecessors of their home planet eons ago. The herd evolved after the Predecessors damaged their environment and became extinct. They left the herd all their knowledge on stone cubes, somewhat like Moses. From here the story takes off, ending in victory, or defeat for the Elephantine herd? This will be determined 485 pages later in this wonderful tale.
If you noticed, I only mentioned one character in the book, Wes Dawson; that's because there are so many important characters. The good news is the book has a dramatis personae in the front of the novel. You will meet the Discoverers, the Washington and Soviet people, Survivors, Jayhawks, and the entire Fithp herd. This is a 26 year old novel that is better than most current sci-fi books that I've read.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Larry Niven has been nominated many times for Hugo and Locus awards, winning the Hugo award for his famous Ringworld in 1970. He later wrote seven more Ringworld novels, the first of which begins in the year 2850! Mr. Niven was an adviser to Ronald Reagan's famous S.D.I. anti-missile system. This pair of authors also wrote the classic novel Lucifer's Hammer in 1977.
The Fithp's spaceship, Thuktun Flishithy (Message Bearer), is spotted by U.S. astronomers in Hawaii. The ship is seen moving through the rings of Saturn and heading for Earth. The Americans, led by Congressman Wes Dawson, take the position that the invaders are friendly, while the Russians, of course, assume they are hostile. All communications from Earth to the invaders goes unanswered; therefore, the U.S. and Russia decide to meet the Fithp in Earth's orbit aboard the Russian Space Station, Kosmograd. The delegation of Russian, American, Nigerian, and French personnel await the meeting totally unarmed!
Message Bearer finally arrives and destroys Kosmograd and captures or kills all aboard. From here on, we have two groups of Earthlings: the Captives and the Earth humans. The Fithp proceed to destroy all dams, major installations, bridges, and highways via laser cannons, dropped rocks, or strikes from their Digit ships. They land a herd of Fithps in Kansas, the U.S. food belt, with the thought that the Earth people will passively surrender. By the way, The Fithp's odd idea of surrendering is to lay on your back, feet and hand up, while one of the Fithp places his foot on your chest! Too much pressure and you are dead.
After the U.S. military in Kansas is destroyed, the Americans and Russians decide to nuke the Kansas Fithp herd, which surprises the invaders, since radiating your own area is unconscionable to their way of life. The Fithp strike back by dropping Footfall in the Indian Ocean, destroying India, and causing a constant salt-water rain. All of this happens early, so I'm not giving away any spoilers.
As the novel develops, we find that the Fithp are not as smart as we thought. If you had a mile long spaceship, would most of it contain a giant mud room in which to bathe? Do the aliens have a mating season? We find that the Fithp were pets to the Predecessors of their home planet eons ago. The herd evolved after the Predecessors damaged their environment and became extinct. They left the herd all their knowledge on stone cubes, somewhat like Moses. From here the story takes off, ending in victory, or defeat for the Elephantine herd? This will be determined 485 pages later in this wonderful tale.
If you noticed, I only mentioned one character in the book, Wes Dawson; that's because there are so many important characters. The good news is the book has a dramatis personae in the front of the novel. You will meet the Discoverers, the Washington and Soviet people, Survivors, Jayhawks, and the entire Fithp herd. This is a 26 year old novel that is better than most current sci-fi books that I've read.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Larry Niven has been nominated many times for Hugo and Locus awards, winning the Hugo award for his famous Ringworld in 1970. He later wrote seven more Ringworld novels, the first of which begins in the year 2850! Mr. Niven was an adviser to Ronald Reagan's famous S.D.I. anti-missile system. This pair of authors also wrote the classic novel Lucifer's Hammer in 1977.
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