Showing posts with label fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fiction. Show all posts

Breaking Point (Tom Clancy's Net Force, Book 4) Review

Breaking Point (Tom Clancy's Net Force, Book 4)
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Breaking Point (Tom Clancy's Net Force, Book 4) ReviewFor a number of reasons, I feel that the Net Force books have always been weaker than the Op Center series. I have three specific issues with this book. First, a number of recent "Clancy" books have been introducing story threads that are never used in the novel. There are at least two big ones in The Bear and The Dragon that brother me, but the same type of thing pops up on a smaller scale in Breaking Point. There is a lengthy discussion at the beginning of a handgun that takes different caliber rounds at the same time, but this was never used later in the plot. I believe that these types of wanderings keep the story from feeling tighter. Second, this plot could have been an Op Center or Power Play novel; very little about the plot made it a Net Force novel. This continues a trend in the last several Net Force novels to move away from the virtual reality plots that were initially used. While I think that this trend has actually improved the novels (I really disliked the virtual reality portions of the first novel), I would be interested in a series that more fully explored the military, economic, political and diplomatic issues of the "net."
There is also an interesting comment in this book about how virtual reality turned out to be nothing like anyone expected. This seems like a shot at people may have criticized the virtual reality sections of earlier books. I would encourage the author and other readers to look at Headcrash (winner of the 1995 Philip K. Dick Award) by Bruce Bethke or Snowcrash and The Diamond Age (winner of the 1996 Hugo Award) by Neal Stephenson for virtual reality that feels truer.
My third issue with the book is how compressed the timelines are. Both the Op Center and Net Force novels are laid out over a very short time frame. While I will not try to argue that so many major events could happen so quickly, I will take issue with the changes in the characters and their relationships in so short a time. In the Net Force novels, the changes in the relationship between Michaels and Fiorella over so quickly a period of time do not ring true to me.
I have been critical of past Net Force by suggesting that the characters do not act rationally or consistently. As someone with some experience with a troubled marriage and sharing kids, the pace of the relationship dance of Michaels and Fiorella seems unreal and re-enforces this feeling.
With so many good books to read, the final question is whether or not it is worth the investment to continue to read future installments of this series. For me, the answer is yes. One of the reasons that I read is to be entertained and, in spite of my concerns, this book accomplished that goal.Breaking Point (Tom Clancy's Net Force, Book 4) Overview

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A Lifetime of Vengeance Review

A Lifetime of Vengeance
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A Lifetime of Vengeance ReviewI got my "crave on" for more McKinney! Looking forward to book 2! A Lifetime of Vengeance was one of those books that read fast, you keep reading to know what happens next. Grisham and McGuire are my favorite authors and Grondin didn't disappoint me! I recommend this book!A Lifetime of Vengeance Overview

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Hide and Seek Review

Hide and Seek
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Hide and Seek ReviewFirst off, I LOVE JAMES PATTERSON novels...however as long as 'Hide & Seek' is mixed in, then all bets are off. Patterson has an incredible talent for writing, and one of the best things about his novels are how he can get you involved in the lives of his characters, and how you even develop a liking for the bad guys as well...however in 'Hide & Seek' I just didn't care one whit about ANY character in this novel at ALL. It wasn't because I gave up on the story, either--nope, I read this entire story thinking that beyond the next page it was going to get better like his other brilliant Alex Cross novels. Now let me say one other thing, I DO NOT judge this or ANY other novel by Patterson based upon his previous novels, other than he has written so many great books, I figured even a poor book by Patterson was better than some other author's BEST work...not so here, unfortunately.
'Hide & Seek' cannot be compared to ANYTHING else that I had read by Patterson simply because it seemed as though it was written by another person altogether. Maybe I am so much of a fan of Alex Cross that I can't read anything that DOESN'T have him in it...but I discounted that theory because I have many other favorite authors who sometimes stray from their main carry-over characters and it has never presented a problem for me in the past, so I was just stumped here. Well maybe, just MAYBE it was because 'Hide & Seek' was simply not Pattersons best work...? I would like to think otherwise, but I think that this is the ONLY explanation that seems to make any sense to me. For those who liked this novel, not only do I envy you (because I really WANTED to...) I wonder why you actually DID? But in any case, I STILL think that Patterson is one 1st rate author (despite this book).`Hide and Seek Overview

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Clarabella's Teeth Review

Clarabella's Teeth
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Clarabella's Teeth ReviewI have checked this book out many times from the library, and have read it many many times to my day care children. It is a great book to read out loud to a group. the pictures are very nice. Clarabella has no time to play or eat or any of the other things her freinds are doing during the day after they get done brushing their teeth in the morning, because she has so many teeth. Her friends help her out when they give her a much bigger toothbrush. Great book to read while talking about brushing your teeth. Great book for daycare or preschool.Clarabella's Teeth Overview

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Defining Moments Review

Defining Moments
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Defining Moments ReviewThis author is _very_ creative. I've been reading his works off and on for the last year, and each novel I read is better than the previous! He has wonderful prose, and weaves a tight story, often with a bit of fun thrown in here and there. If you have a kindle, he is a must-have author -- you get a LOT for your money from this guy, and he does not take shortcuts and is more than willing to take a lot of time to properly tell his story. Some of his books are fairly long, which is more than fine with me as long as my interest is tweaked (and it is with Mr. Niall). This collection of short stories is great reading indeed -- lots of different topics, and more than enough horror thrown in to keep anyone happy with the chills and thrills of a great storyteller. I still have a few books of his left to read, and I've been rationing them out -- but I know where to go for a good read! Thanks for another home run! Don't be unsure -- buy this -- you'll like it!Defining Moments OverviewDefining Moments is the award-nominated collection by author David Niall Wilson. This book collects a lot of stories written over a lot of years. It was first published by Welsh publisher Sarob Press. Defining Moments was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award as a collection. The story “The Gentle Brush of Wings," first published in this collection, WON the Bram Stoker Award for short fiction. The collection was originally issued in only limited and lettered states, and is long sold out. Copies go in excess of fifty dollars apiece.Contents:Preface by David Niall Wilson.Defining MomentsThe Lost Wisdom of InstinctFor These Things I Am Truly ThankfulCockroach Suckers*More Than WordsThe Call of Farther ShoresBloody Knife and Morning StarThe Gentle Brush of Wings*The Death-Sweet Scent of LiliesTo Dream of ScheherazadeA Taste of Blood and RosesThe Milk of Paradise'Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky*All previously published stories have been newly revised by the author for this collection. *Previously Unpublished.

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The Pearl (Centennial Edition) Review

The Pearl (Centennial Edition)
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The Pearl (Centennial Edition) ReviewMost people born and raised in America cannot even imagine the depths of poverty that most of the rest of the world are forced to live with. This story illuminates this fact, as we enter the world of Kino, a pearl diver and occasional fisherman, his wife Juana, and their baby son, Coyotito. All they have is a grass shack house, a few clay cooking utensils, and their prize possession, Kino's boat, inherited from his father and grandfather. The boat is the family's livelihood, providing the means to put a meal on the table and to provide a few pesos for store bought goods by selling the small pearls Kino is able to find.
But Kino and his family, far from being depressed or unhappy, have a great treasure, the love they have for each other and their satisfaction with life as it is, with few disturbing dreams of greater things. But their quiet, routine life is turned upside down the day that Kino finds a Great Pearl. Suddenly Kino can dream of better things: a rifle for himself, school for his son so he will be able to read and tell what is really in the books, a real house. But dreams can be deadly things. Dreams lead to desire, and desire to greed, and greed to violence.
What happens to Kino and family from this point on is not a pretty story. Now we see that underneath the quiet, idyllic seeming small town and its inhabitants lie the seeds of cheating, betrayal, collusion, fear, and murder. And we see the gradual loss of Kino's real treasures. By the end of the book, events have reached the level of real tragedy, and you, along with Kino, are liable to end up in a state of emotional exhaustion.
Steinbeck's prose for this book matches his characters and situation very well, a very minimalist sentence structure and set of speech patterns. As a parable, the story has a strong moralistic point, but Steinbeck does not overdrive his thematic message, but lets his story speak for itself. One of Steinbeck's great strengths was his ability to capture on paper the characters he saw around him, and this book is a showcase for that talent. The characters of Kino and Juana are exquisitely drawn, real people you can relate to even though their lifestyles may be very far from your own. And because they are real people, it is very hard not to get drawn into their lives, where their dreams and their pains very readily become your own.
This may not be Steinbeck's greatest book, as it is too short and with too limited a focus to compare to something like his Grapes of Wrath. But within its own territory, there are very few other pieces of literature that are even half as good.The Pearl (Centennial Edition) Overview

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Siren Songs from the Heart of Austin Review

Siren Songs from the Heart of Austin
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Siren Songs from the Heart of Austin ReviewLike that other great love letter to the city of Austin, Texas, Richard Linklater's Slacker, Siren Songs from the Heart of Austin focuses on many characters, all with different stories and perspectives on life. Unlike the former, though, Andrew Geyer's collection of stories re-visits characters, and develops them in a much more novelistic style. The twenty-two stories blend magical realism, literary and Biblical allusions, and poetical prose into a book that is more than the sum of its parts; the reader feels as if he or she is walking the streets of Austin, visiting the settings of these stories, interacting with their first-person narrators. A range of emotions fills the pages--rage, lust, envy, regret, love--and readers will find themselves laughing at one moment, and deeply moved the next. Though many of the stories share similar threads, they never repeat themselves, a testament to the careful crafting of Geyer's second cycle of short stories. And while some of the questions asked are never answered, we are given strong enough glimpses to come to our own conclusions about the fates of these fascinating characters.Siren Songs from the Heart of Austin Overview

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Home Mountain Review

Home Mountain
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Home Mountain ReviewI first read this story several years ago and over time, it has remained vividly in my memory. I can recall scenes and dialogues and picture the images painted by Ms. Williams' words in my mind. Katie's story draws you in before you realize it and you are swept into the mountain country of Arizona in the Old West, struggling along side an orphaned family. Ms. Williams brings the era and the people alive, touching fiction with history. Almost all the characters, especially Katie and Bill, offer something of interest to the reader - you get the sense that each has his or her own story. "Home Mountain" is a sweet story (a bit unrealistic), a historical romance without a doubt, but something about it lingers. It is a tale of the strength of spirit, of family and of love and if you enjoy historical stories, it is worth a read.Home Mountain Overview

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The Magic Paintbrush Review

The Magic Paintbrush
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The Magic Paintbrush ReviewI was pleasantly surprised by the charm of this book. The factthat it is based on one of my favorite Chinese folktales made meskeptical, but Yep is such an excellent writer that characters in this magical fantasy charmed me. The ending gets a little schmaltzy, but it works.The Magic Paintbrush Overview

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A Name of Her Own Review

A Name of Her Own
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A Name of Her Own ReviewThis is fiction for females, right? Men don't read sagas of Indian women struggling for survival. Men don't understand the emotions of a mother fighting for her children, of a wife absorbing a drunken husband's abuse.
Ah, but Jane Kirkpatrick is a writer capable of changing all that. Her words have the power to change, the ability to open blind eyes and stubborn hearts. Even this man can be touched by her story.
On the surface, the story is simple. In the early 1800s, Marie Dorion, her children, and her abusive mixed-breed husband Pierre, trek across the plains and the mountains, aiding a party of adventurers intent on establishing new territory for rich men on the east coast. They encounter snow, icy rapids, Indians, and starvation along the way. They inch closer and closer to ultimate defeat.
But the story is so much deeper, really. This is a nuanced account of a marriage. It is a rich tribute to the strength and humility and determination of women in a man's world. It's heartbreaking at times, life-affirming at others, and never anything but honest in delivery.
Jane Kirkpatrick, a master at her craft, continues Marie's trek with another book in "The Tender Ties Historical Series." I am compelled to follow.
Oh, what a trek this is!A Name of Her Own Overview

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No Roof but Heaven Review

No Roof but Heaven
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No Roof but Heaven ReviewThis is a wonderful read. It was full of history, set just after the Civil War, that took you to that time & place. I have read this book twice & recommended it to my friends who have also enjoyed it. I didn't want it to end. The story of a young school teacher who sets off West to make a new life for herself, just after the Civil War. It is the story of the people she meets, the families of her students & a also the romance/love she comes to know.No Roof but Heaven Overview

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Love & Freindship Review

Love and Freindship
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Love & Freindship ReviewWhen this ebook was first loaded, the title was listed as - "Love and Freindship". The preface to this work stated they had not corrected the spelling, punctuation or odd capitalization Austen used in these pieces. I have been told the `i before e' rule was not in place during her time. I am not sure if this is true. She also spells - greif and beleif as such.
This is a great collection of the early writings of Jane Austen. As a writer I LOVED reading her rough ramblings. She played with plot lines and character traits. So this title is not so much a full story but many snippets of ideas or writing practice. Many of the shorts contained are rough and unpolished.
The first section of Love and Friendship is a funny, rambling tale told through letters. Imagine what a soap opera written by Austen would be like and you'll have it. Once you've read this collection I suggest you try Lady Susan. That one is equally as fun.
Love and Friendship is a peek into the working mind of a classic author. We rarely get this opportunity and I encourage you to give these samples a read.Love & Freindship Overview

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The Best Part of Me Review

The Best Part of Me
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The Best Part of Me ReviewI read this book in one sitting. It was a "can't put down". I can't wait to read more by this author.The Best Part of Me Overview

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The Brushstroke Legacy Review

The Brushstroke Legacy
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The Brushstroke Legacy ReviewLauraine has offered us another warm novel about women overcoming odds--this time a stigmatized pioneer woman and a modern corporate woman, who both found thier outlet in art. Especially if you're from North Dakota, enjoy the setting for this novel, inspired when Lauraine noticed an old cabin on the banks of the little Missouri River. The book ends with a fictional "extreme makeover" of the cabin, but that parallels the "makeover" experienced by her two main characters and a sub character, a sullen teen into the black Goth look. If you know someone desiring a "second virginity" after moral failure, or who feels a drawing away from material success, or who (like the fictional teen) is expressing rejection in inappropriate ways, consider sharing this book with them.The Brushstroke Legacy Overview

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