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| Pick of the Literate |
| As an avid reader I often ignore reviews since they too frequently give away too much of the book. I will only write about what I have read and will recommend rather then review. I read a wide variety of books, primarily fiction. My favorites Science Fiction and Fantasy will be most frequent. The blog also tries to promote reading as the cornerstone of education. |
| Language: English |
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| Unique Visitors: 8 |
| Total Unique Visitors: 7972 |
| Visitors Out: 194 |
| Total Visitors Out: 194 |
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| Hammer and Anvil by Harry Turtledove (Book II of The Time of Troubles Series) |
| 2008-08-21 12:58:00 |
Turtledove is a master of alternative history. This is the second book in the Time of Troubles Series which deals with a Byzantine Empire time period. The first book dealt with the barbarous hill people and their conflict with the Empire and the nomadic tribes. The perspective was from the hill people’s point of view. This book deals with the Videssosian Emperor and his point of view. The empire is beset by the barbarous hill people and the nefarious and treacherous nomadic Kubratoi. Turtledove delves deeply into the motivations of the Emperor, his personal relationships and the impact of cultural clashes. Sounds boring and certainly isn’t. Turtledove writes about believable circumstances and characters, well worth the read.Body of work of Harry Turtledo
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| The Wizard of London by Mercedes Lackey |
| 2008-08-18 14:44:00 |
The prose of Lackey always flows and is an easy read. What is difficult to explain is the emotions she evokes, apparently with ease. I find myself caring about the characters in her stories. This is another in the Elemental Master vein which deals with magic and psychic powers. As in all her books, her characters exhibit nobility of purpose, selflessness and empathy for others, often things that seem to have been lost in our current culture and in popular literature. If you are looking for a lot of sword play, phaser blazing, light saber scintillating action, this book doesn’t have it. Just a good story with a bare modicum of violent behavior. I recommend the book highly.Body of work of Mercedes LackeySite: http://www.mercedeslackey.com/Review: http://
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| Dzur by Steven Brust |
| 2008-08-15 12:55:00 |
By now if you have read any of my blog, however unlikely that may be, you probably realize I am a Brust fan. The guy’s stories keep my thinking as well as entertaining me. In this book the comparison of murder to gourmand behavior is thought provoking. If Brust isn’t one of those live to eat folks as opposed to eat to live crew, he sure can capture the flavor of the former. As usual there are references in the book to previous books and or times. Since there doesn’t seem to be any clear chronological plan to the books this isn’t as confusing as you may think. His work is gripping without being nail biting. Using his technique in this book, somewhat similar to green Tabasco vs. red Tabasco, one has heat and flavor and one just has heat. Good book, if you haven’t started the serie
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| My Own Kind of Freedom (A FREE Firefly Novel) by Steven Brust |
| 2008-08-12 12:52:00 |
Firefly was one of the better scifi shows that never made it. The theme was reminiscent of the Confederate soldiers who headed west looking for freedom from the winning Union soldiers after our civil war. The show had great characters, lots of good action and not a lot of cheesy aliens. Apparently Brust was a fan as well and wrote a FREE novel following the Firefly show. His characters ring true to the ones in the show and it is an entertaining story. For you disappointed Firefly fans, here is a chance to catch up with Mal and crew. You can download the story for FREE at Brust’s site listed below. Enjoy!Body of work of Steven BrustSerenity Ship Photo from http://praxeology.net/unblog05-05.htmFirefly Cast Photo from: http
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| No Second Chance By Harlan Coben |
| 2008-08-09 14:42:00 |
This book is not for faint of heart and if you have issues with children in danger you may not want to read it. I enjoy a good mystery but the tension in this one was almost too much. I actually put it down a couple of times because I was too worried about what I would read next. It has cops, doctors, FBI agents, private detectives, psychopaths, criminals, creeps, friends, lovers and kids, a little something for everyone. If you decide to read this you may want to block out some time because I think you may want to read it cover to cover in as short a time as possible while savoring every nerve stretching moment. Great book even if it made my skin crawl on occasion.Body of work of Harlan Coben Web Site: http://www.harlancoben.com/static/novels/nsc.htmReview: http://www.allreaders.com/Topic
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| Tales of Sector General Includes Three Full Novels: the Galactic Gourmet, Final Diagnosis, and Mind Changer By James White |
| 2008-08-06 13:46:00 |
This omnibus deals with a intergalactic hospital serving myriad species. In this setting, everyone is an alien. White gives a fair amount of detail on different alien races and how a interspecies hospital would work. I suspect that “Gray’s Anatomy” or “General Hospital” fans may find the book entertaining. I plowed through 264 pages before I gave up. It wasn’t bad but it certainly wasn’t captivating. I have so many books from so many authors in my pile waiting that I just can’t justify plowing through a book that just doesn’t hold my interest.Body of work of James White Web Site: http://www.sectorgeneral.com/books.html
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| Charisma by Steven Barnes |
| 2008-08-03 10:23:00 |
Sometimes a book is truly scary due to it’s plausibility rather than it’s intent to be frightening. Barnes did an excellent job in portraying a situation that could arise. He set up characters that were believable and portrayed them with wide emotional brushes. You really dislike the bad guys but are somewhat confused by your emotions for the “good” guys. Kids are involved and if even fictional harm to kids is hard for you, this may not be your cup of tea. I have a tendency to get emotionally overwrought if kids are threatened so you may want to have a calming glass of wine at your side as you read. I found the book an excellent read and frankly quite different from the rest of Barnes’ stuff I have read.Body of work of Steven Barnes Review: http://www.strangehorizons.com/2002/200
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| TRADE YOUR BOOKS, VIDEOS AND MUSIC AT SWAPTREE |
| 2008-08-01 12:03:00 |
| I am an avid scifi/fantasy reader or perhaps just an avid reader. I keep the books I love for passing onto the next two generations of avid readers in my family. The bulk of current fiction and stuff I didn’t really love often seems to grow like coat hangers in an empty closet. What to do with all the accumulated things like Cd’s I don’t listen to anymore, movies I don’t watch and books I have read. WhooHoo, there is a place I can trade that stuff and get something I want in trade.I have blogged about PaperBack Swap and frankly like it a little better than SwapTree. http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php PaperBack Swap takes paperbacks and hard backs but does not do music or
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| The Stolen Throne by Harry Turtledove |
| 2008-07-29 10:26:00 |
Turtledove is a master at alternative history. This is the first of three books set in an alternate earth where nomadic tribes, settled barbarians and effete romanesques clash. The relationships between man and woman, man and ruler and types of civilizations are shown with entertaining clarity. The capability and potential of all people is subtly promoted. Turtledove does a great job in writing novels that both entertain and cause one to ponder things we often take for granted. I recommend the book and am now reading the 2nd of 4.Body of work of Harry TurtledoveReview of the book: good luck, couldn’t find one.Site: http://www.sfsite.com/~silverag/turtledove.html
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| A Photography Book Club |
| 2008-07-28 16:38:00 |
I was added as a friend to Damien Franco 's blog the other day and I went out to see what he does. I'm definitively an amateur photographer but I do like looking at what the professionals can do. I particularly liked the 16 Quick Tips for New Photographers. Good tips are always welcome. I get some pretty good photos but on a percentage basis probably in the 1% to 2% of what I take. I did see that he had a photography book club which seemed particulary pertinent to this forum. He has some nice, in depth, knowledgeable reviews on photography books. Check out the book club and see if it meets your book needs. The flower photo is mine, I guess Damien's site inspired me to post one of my own
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| Point Blank by Catherine Coulter |
| 2008-07-26 11:06:00 |
Coulter writes a good mystery and keeps one captivated and entertained through out the story. Dillon Savich and his wife Lacey Sherlock are reoccurring likeable characters that grace this book. If you have read other Coulter novels you will be familiar with them, if not, enjoy their interaction. This is not a book to exercise your intellect or provide you with insights into your life, it is visual entertainment. There are murders, assaults, psychotics, fires, bombs, shootings, treasure hunts, history and love stories in this book. In other words, there is something for everyone. I enjoyed the book and recommend it.Body of work of Catherine CoulterReview of the book: http://www.themysteryreader.com/coulter-point.htmlSite: http://www.catherinecoulter.com/
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| Old Soldiers by David Weber |
| 2008-07-24 20:58:00 |
Weber’s talent seems to be to evoke emotions. I find myself deeply involved with his characters and caring about what happens to them. He apparently has had some strong women in his life because a majority of his protagonists are tough as nails but yet highly feminine. Bolos are land battleships. They are so far beyond tanks that battleship fits better. This story is primarily a relationship story between the Ai in a Bolo and his commander. The setting for a story is a genocide war between mankind and aliens. The aliens are almost a sidebar for the relationship aspects. My perchance for anthropomorphism has been mentioned often, the Bolo Ai highlights that affectation. This is a stand alone story although there are other Bolo stories by other authors. Weber’s work is normally stellar,
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| Blood On the Water by P.N. Elrod |
| 2008-07-21 13:45:00 |
This is the 6th in a series of depression era detective stories. As sequels go, this was better than average. I enjoyed it more than my last Elrod, Fire in the Blood. I find detective stories enjoyable but add the vampire aspect and it becomes positively entertaining. The Vampire aspect is decidedly underplayed. No screaming damsels or gushing blood, more of a how did I get into this fix type of Vampire. I recommend it. It is a very quick read.Body of work of P.N. ElrodSite of P.N. Elrod: http://www.vampwriter.com/
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| Dragon & Issola by Steven Brust |
| 2008-07-18 20:11:00 |
This is an omnibus containing the full novel "Dragon" and the full novel Issola. The main character is again Vlad Taltos and these are book eight and nine, respectively, of the series. Once again I find myself puzzled over how so much philosophic pondering takes place simultaneously with some serious action. Vlad tends to pontificate to himself in stressful situations and constantly finds himself in stressful situations. The interplay between Vlad and his familiar is reminiscent of some of the dialogue between Spencer and Hawk in the Parker novels, highly entertaining. Each book adds more pieces to the puzzle of this society. Some orgins are actually determined in these two books. I recommend reading the entire series an specifically these two as well.Body
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| Treaty at Doona by Anne McCaffrey |
| 2008-07-15 14:16:00 |
A sequel to the Decision at Doona, I enjoyed this book more. The main characters are the sons of the two main characters from Decision. The interplay and political intrigue is similar. A new alien species is introduced to complicate matters and fires the paranoia of the xenophobes of the home planets. Worth reading but not one that will keep you up at night trying to finish it.Body of work of Anne McCaffreyReview of the book: I didn’t find a good one.Her site: http://www.annemccaffrey.org/index.php
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| The Chase by Clive Cussler |
| 2008-07-12 14:10:00 |
I am a die hard Cussler fan. I enjoy his work and find his books in general, well worth reading. The Chase introduces a new Cussler character as opposed to his standard several. The book takes place primarily in the early 1900s. A stalwart detective in the Dirk Pitt tradition pits his skills against an egotistical murderer. As most Cussler books, I couldn’t put the darn thing down. It is a quick but most entertaining read. If you love adventure, read it!Body of work of Clive CusslerReview of the book: http://www.cusslermen.com/Chase.htmHis site: http://www.cusslerbooks.com/
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| Decision at Doona by Anne McCaffrey |
| 2008-07-09 13:52:00 |
Anne McCaffrey is quite prolific. Her Pern series was one of my all time favorites. This book isn’t exactly a page turner. It is worth reading but it’s age is showing. McCaffrey definitely improved as she aged. I guess I liked it well enough that I am currently reading the sequel and frankly the sequel seems like a distinct improvement and reading this is definitely important prior to reading the sequel. Too much political intrigue for my taste, I guess because that part of it seems so darn realistic.Body of work of Anne McCaffreyReview of the book: I didn’t find a good one.Her site: http://www.annemccaffrey.org/index.php
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| Homefall by Chris Bunch--Last of the Lost Legion |
| 2008-07-06 11:55:00 |
This is the fourth and last of the Lost Legion Books. The ending left me with the feeling that Bunch intended to do more books in the series. Sadly he has passed away and that won’t be possible. The series overall was good. This book seemed more like a group of short stories with a common theme. Succinctly, with their enemies temporarily subdued in the volatile Cumbre star system, the isolate Last Legion embarks on a perilous mission to find out what has happened to the Confederation, the human government that controls a thousand star systems. The boys can’t help themselves in impacting multiple governments on planets they visit. Their discovery of the “cause” of the missing confederation is pretty much anticlimactic.Body of work of Chris BunchReview:http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/rev
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| Simple Genius by David Baldacci |
| 2008-07-01 19:17:00 |
This book deals with Sean King and Michelle Maxwell again, both ex-secret service agents. If you are into butt kicking women, you will love Michelle Maxwell. The CIA figures in here as well as a revolutionary war mystery. Baldacci seems to be following Patterson’s lead in very short chapters. I’ve got mixed feelings about these short chapters, speeds up the story but seems to truncate character development. Part of the book premise hits entirely too close to potential reality, a little uncomfortably so. Good story, I recommend it.Body of work of David BaldacciReview: http://mysterycrimefiction.suite101.com/article.cfm/review_simple_geniusWeb Site:http://www.davidbaldacci.com/web/
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| Fire in the Blood by P.N. Elrod |
| 2008-06-28 19:00:00 |
This is the 5th in a series of depression era detective stories. I mentioned in the last Elrod review that when I ran across a detective series set shortly after prohibition with a hard nose by soft hearted P.I. as the main character I tried it out. Jack Fleming the main character is a vampire. In this book he confronts areas of his condition and personality that cause him great emotional stress. The story lines are simplistic and even the style seems dated but that doesn’t seem to detract from the enjoyment. If you plan on reading it on a plane, take another book along unless it is a very short flight. It is a very quick read.Body of work of P.N. ElrodSite of P.N. Elrod: http://www.vampwriter.com/
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| Protect and Defend by Vince Flynn |
| 2008-06-25 18:40:00 |
If you are into Old Testament justice, you will love Vince Flynn’s work. In an action laden format, set as about as current as you can get in today’s world, Mitch Rapp is an “out of control” CIA operative who takes terrorism very, very personally. Flynn’s Mitch Rapp makes John Wayne look like a reticent sissy. He believes in himself and his country and hates politicians. This is a very sobering book on the intricacies of the Middle East political arena. I have read Flynn, I have been able to find. I have enjoyed them all, this is no exception.Body of work of Vince FlynnReview: http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews2/9780743270410.aspWeb Site: http://www.vinceflynn.com/protectanddefend.html
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| Worlds of Honor Anthology by David Weber |
| 2008-06-22 10:21:00 |
Number 2 in the Worlds of Honor Series.Five stories from the David Weber Honor Harrington universe.“The Stray” by Linda Evans.“What Price Dreams” by David Weber“Queen’s Gambit” by Jane Lindskold“The Hard Way Home” by David Weber“Deck Load Strike” by Roland J. GreenI don’t usually read short stories. I find my subscription to Analog easily satisfies my appetite in that area. I am really glad I read this anthology. Linda Evan did a terrific story on treecats as did David Weber. Lindskold did a good political piece on Manticore. “The Hard Way Home” gave us another glimpse of Honor which is always good. “Deck Load Strike” was the weak link. It was ok but didn’t hit me like the other four st...
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| The Book of Athyra (contains both Athyra & Orca novels) by Steven Brust |
| 2008-06-19 10:19:00 |
I think combining these two novels under one cover was a good idea. Athyra would not have ranked high as a stand alone. I’m not quite sure why but I didn’t care nearly as much for it as I have the rest of the books. Vlad spent too much time in introspection, I think. Orca got back to having a little more action and interplay between characters. I found it much more entertaining. There are quite a few references to the previous stories so I would try diligently to read the preceding books prior to these two. Orca contains little tidbits that very innocuously tie the series tighter. I also liked the easily seen comparision to the predatory practices of many of today’s corporations so clearly shown in the sub-prime mortgage debacle. Combined I have to rec
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| Sisters of the Raven and Circle of the Moon by Barbara Hambly |
| 2008-06-16 10:27:00 |
Hambly is one of my favorites. Note, I have a lot of favorites. In this two book series she writes of a society plagued with global warming and water shortages. Sounds all too familiar yet the books are several years old. In addition she addresses many issues of women, their rights and lack there of. Again, sounds very contemporary. Both books are good, you care about the characters. I don’t think I have ever read anything by Barbara Hambly that I haven’t recommended. These too books are no exception, read them.Body of work of Barbara HamblyReview of Sisters of the Raven: http://www.strangehorizons.com/2002/20021021/sisters.shtmlReview of Circle of the Moon: http://www.curledup.com/circmoon.htmWeb site: http://www.barbara
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| In Fury Born by David Weber |
| 2008-06-14 11:45:00 |
In Fury Born includes the complete novel, Path of the Fury. . I knew it when I bought it and bought it anyway. Once again a female protagonist is put into an untenable position and has to find her way out. Weber definitely favors strong, able, confident women. I think much of his work features excellent role models for women of all ages. Keep in mind this is the opinion of a guy who likes strong, confident, successful women. This book in essence provides the setting and causality of Path of the Fury. There is a smidgeon of Greek Mythology involved which combined with the presence of artificial intelligence adds a nice twist to the plot. I loved the book and strongly recommend it.Body of work of David WeberReview: http://www.scifidimensions.com/Nov07/infuryborn.htmDavid Weber’s web site i
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| The Laws of Our Fathers by Scott Turow |
| 2008-06-09 11:13:00 |
Another courtroom drama, Turow throws his judge into a precarious position of dealing with her past and the present trial and characters involved in it. If you are a fan of Turow and courtroom dramas, you will probably like the book. Like as opposed to love. I found it ok by my taste, ok to read if nothing better was at hand. My wife liked it but did not love it and she has loved some of Turow’s books. Body of work of Scott TurowReview: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,294655,00.htmlWeb site: http://www.scottturow.com/books/the-laws-of-our-fathers/
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| Very Short Novels and Free! |
| 2008-06-06 13:57:00 |
I found http://www.davidbdale.wordpress.com the other day. It is a site where no novel is longer than 299 words. Think about it, convey what you mean succinctly. That immediately leaves me out as verbosity is my trademark. Regardless, I joined the neighborhood. I read some posts and suggest that you too read them. In an age of escalating verbiage, this site is refreshing to read and enjoy. Now if we could just get computer programmers to realize less code rather than more is better.
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| The Shadow of the Lion by Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint and Dave Freer |
| 2008-06-02 11:01:00 |
Mercedes Lackey ranks as one of my favorite authors as does Eric Flint. I never heard of Dave Freer until this book. Pseudo or alternative history is always fascinating. This story takes place in Venice, the city state, during the Holy Roman Empire time period of the 1530s in another or parallel universe. The intrigue and Machiavellian machinations are true to that time period. The use of magic is unique to the alternate world. A very rich, very involved plot with good characterizations keeps you glued to the book. The second book in the series is “This Rough Magic”. It is supposedly going to be a 5 book series the Heirs of Alexandria but the 2nd book was published in 2003 and there appears to have been...
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| The Book of Taltos by Steven Brust |
| 2008-05-28 19:14:00 |
Vlad Taltos, witch/sorcerer, assassin, gangster and statesmen is back. “The Book of Taltos”, contains two complete novels, “Taltos and Phoenix”. Vlad has some god fearing experiences and love life setbacks in these stories. The irreverent approach to life epitomizes this loveable villain. Once again, I highly recommend this book in the continuing saga of Vlad Taltos. Look for my blog on “The Book of Jhereg” for more details. Whatever else you read, get this series.Body of work of Steven BrustLink to a review on “The Book of Taltos”. http://www.sfsite.com/03b/bt124.htm
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| The Dragon in Lyonesse by Gordon Dickson |
| 2008-05-24 11:58:00 |
I’ve mentioned Gordon Dickson is one of my all time favorite authors in an early post. The versatility of the man is simply awesome. From hard scifi to fantasy is a leap many authors are unable to make successfully. This book is the eighth in a nine book series. They are all entertaining, sometimes simplistic, often humorous but always entertaining. The protagonist is a changeling, man to dragon version. The stories are all focused on his adventures in Arthurian times. They are an absolutely delightful read, don’t expect to be challenged or to find your thoughts provoked but do expect to be entertained.Titles in the series in order of publication are:Dragon & The George Dragon Series #1Dragon Knight Dragon Series #2Dragon on the Border Dragon Serie...
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| The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordon (or the never, ever ending story) |
| 2008-05-21 14:00:00 |
I started out loving this series. Perhaps infatuation is more accurate since I have long fallen out of love with it. Jordon tells a good story but he makes a tornado seem short of wind. I think I was 12 when I started reading it, seriously it probably just seems that way. I suspect if he ever wraps up the series it might be entertaining to read them sequentially without years in between. I have never been happy with how he ends each book and for awhile I couldn’t wait until the next one arrived. I have now given up, put them up on http://www.paperbackswap.com/ (even the unread ones) and moved on to authors who write as well or better but don’t leave me hanging for years. Yes, I realize I am no doubt being unfair, a novel is a work of art, creativity can...
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| The dust of other days by Bob Lock |
| 2008-05-12 13:23:00 |
I stumbled on this blog while looking through blogcatalog, he had visited someone else's blog and Bob's sounded interesting. Well, that was a worthwhile stumble. I haven't read all his work yet nor have I looked at all of his blogs. If this story is a taste of his work, I am looking for a full course meal. The story reads well with a nice twist at the end. I liked it and I am not a big fan of short stories. Better yet, I commented on it and got a nice return email from the author. Try that with one of the big name authors, you will wither away and die before they ever respond to a reader. Kudos to Bob Lock and check out his blogs. http://bob-lock.blogspot.com/http://www.scifi-tales.com/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robert.lock2/07-V2/index.htmlhttp://www.flamesofherakleitos.com/http://www.s
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| Dragon’s Treasure by Elizabeth A. Lynn |
| 2008-05-11 10:22:00 |
A good book, wish I would have waited to read “Dragon’s Winter” the prequel to this book, until I had both books in hand. Too much of the story was predicated on having read “Dragon’s Winter”. My recollection was sufficient that I wasn’t lost but I felt like I should reread the first book so I could greater appreciate the 2nd. Anthropomorphism is alive and well in the changelings in the story and I am always a sucker for that. I enjoyed the book but I recommend you get “Dragon’s Winter” first and then read them sequentially for the most satisfaction.Body of work of Elizabeth A. Lynn Review: http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/dragonstreasure.htm
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| Riptide by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child |
| 2008-05-07 20:08:00 |
These two guys can make you sit on the edge of your chair while you read. They develop a story well, the characterizations are good and their plots are awesome. This book deals with a buried pirate treasure. Well, it may sound hokie, but trust me, it will grab you by the throat and drag you into a sleepless night trying to finish the book. Gotta love a good book.Body of work of Douglas PrestonBody of work of Lincoln ChildTheir web site: http://www.prestonchild.com/books/riptide/Review of Riptide: http://www.allreaders.com/Topics/Info_30839.asp
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| Storm Force by Chris Bunch |
| 2008-05-04 10:15:00 |
“Storm Force” is number three in the four book series The Last Legion. Action, action and more action in this book. The continuing use of the same characters gives the series great continuity. I liked this book even better than the first two. Some bad guys get their just desserts and some good guys get wasted. Very exciting, hard to put down, obviously I recommend it.Body of work of Chris BunchReview of Storm Force: http://www.littlebrown.co.uk/Title/9781841496283
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| Literacy Forgotten About by Readers |
| 2008-05-02 15:23:00 |
If you are reading this, then you are literate, most likely computer literate as well. Most readers don’t really think about illiteracy. Once you learn to read, it’s not like you are going to forget how to do it again. Problem is that illiteracy abounds. In affluent Bucks County, PA over 60,000 residents are functionally illiterate. This is a county that claims to have 88.6% of it’s population with a high school diploma and 31.2% with a college degree. An inability to read is truly insidious. How can you possibly cope in today’s environment with out being able to read?Reading needs to be nurtured, fostered, encouraged and promoted. Reading is the keystone that holds the archway of education. How...
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| Book Swapping or FREE BOOKS-WhooHoo! |
| 2008-04-30 11:47:00 |
Years ago I had a dentist who was also a scifi/fantasy fan. Every time I went to the dentist I took a bag of books and if I had remembered to remind him, he would bring a bag of books and we would swap. Sheer Ecstasy (I know, get a life) would ensue and I felt like I had scored. Well finding kindred souls is always tough, my dentist moved and my current dentist isn’t a scifi fan. The web allows easier access to kindred souls so I thought perhaps I would start a book swap. After having a survey on my blog that no one responded to, I thought I’d do it myself. So at the top of the column on the right I offer to swap books for stuff. I have lots of computer related stuff that I will happily swap. So far no one...
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| The Chantry Guild by Gordon Dickson |
| 2008-04-29 10:52:00 |
First Gordon Dickson is one of my all time favorite authors. The Childe Cycle is a series of books by Dickson on the future of man. Man has gone into the void in splintered cultures. These splintered cultures develop their respective strengths and weakness in their ideologically uniform environments. While the premise doesn’t sound terribly inviting, the series overall is excellent. This particular book features characters that have been involved throughout the series and is the culmination of events to that point. The series was never finished due to the untimely death of Dickson. If you are at all intrigued you should start with “Dorsai” the first book in the series. The Dorsai characters remained my favorite throughout the series.Titles in the series in order of publication are:Do...
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| Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs |
| 2008-04-28 11:20:00 |
Very interesting book, it has something in it to offend practically everyone. A good mystery, a very thought provoking plot. The protagonist is a forensic anthropologist with a cop as a boyfriend. The mystery is focused on the religious impact of an anthropological find and the ensuing murders. The book shakes the foundations of several major religions. An entertaining read in spite of the thought provoking plot.Body of Work of Kathy Reichs Authors site: http://www.kathyreichs.com/crossbones.htmReview: http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/printed-books/cross-bones-kathy-reichs/1021693/
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| Firemask by Chris Bunch |
| 2008-04-27 16:13:00 |
“Firemask” is number two in the four book series The Last Legion. I found “Firemask” more enjoyable than the first book. I thought the detailing was better done and the story line was more inspiring. The characters are fleshed out better which was one of my complaints about the first book, “The Last Legion”. Interestingly the review below felt that the first book was better. Goes to show how subjective this stuff is. I enjoyed the book and recommend both books I have read.Body of work of Chris BunchReview of Firemask: http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php/Firemask
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