Oh yeah, I read all the books in the Twilight series - at least the four published ones. In all honestly, they weren't bad.
On one hand, I am not a big fan of such a major re-definition of Vampires. On the other hand, taking an existing concept and 'twisting' it is kind of the hallmark of innovation. I mean you can't really come up with something brand new anymore. You have sort of re-invent something in a new and interesting way. At least Stephanie Meyers tried to do that.
As to the love story - meh. I am not a real romance novel reader. I, personally, didn't see the instant connection between the two. Maybe I'm a cynic, but I don't know that I believe in love-at-first-sight. My wife and I are about as close as it gets, I think, and it took us a little while.
I don't get Jake. I think Bella treated him horribly, and any guy I know would have run pretty early in the 'relationship'. Maybe it's the higher power that kept him near her for what happens in the end, but I didn't see it as terribly realistic. Of course, using the term 'realistic' in a story about vampires and werewolves is probably not fair either.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
How to Break a Terrorist
I know I read "How to Break a Terrorist" by...someone. The pen name used was "Matthew Alexander", but this is not his real name.
This was a very hard book to read. I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but found this one a page turner. It's about a "new school" interrogator in Iraq. Basically, there are two philosophies on how to question someone. There's the "old school", where you are a hard-ass, apply pressure, threaten, and intimidate.
Then, there is the new school, where you try and befriend them, even if you are lying your ass off. You try to gain their trust and sympathy, rather than scare them into talking.
It was fascinating, but hard to read about some of the things going on over there - both the things the 'bad guys' are doing AND the things our troops are doing. But I recommend EVERYONE read this book.
This was a very hard book to read. I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but found this one a page turner. It's about a "new school" interrogator in Iraq. Basically, there are two philosophies on how to question someone. There's the "old school", where you are a hard-ass, apply pressure, threaten, and intimidate.
Then, there is the new school, where you try and befriend them, even if you are lying your ass off. You try to gain their trust and sympathy, rather than scare them into talking.
It was fascinating, but hard to read about some of the things going on over there - both the things the 'bad guys' are doing AND the things our troops are doing. But I recommend EVERYONE read this book.
bad, bad fred
haven't posted in a long time. I've been reading, just not been keeping this up to date.
I read "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown, author of "The Davinci Code". This book only made me mildly upset. The science was beyond stupid. First, he spent way too much time lecturing us about anti-matter, as if it were some great new discovery. NOBODY in the book, except the scientists, have ever heard of it. Seriously?
He also implies that the ambigrams are something special, too. According to the wikipedia, there was software developed as far back as '96 that could generate them, albiet primitive ones.
And the final plot twist seems pretty far-fetched as well. I don't want to spoil it, but I saw it coming miles away, as stupid as it was.
I read "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown, author of "The Davinci Code". This book only made me mildly upset. The science was beyond stupid. First, he spent way too much time lecturing us about anti-matter, as if it were some great new discovery. NOBODY in the book, except the scientists, have ever heard of it. Seriously?
He also implies that the ambigrams are something special, too. According to the wikipedia, there was software developed as far back as '96 that could generate them, albiet primitive ones.
And the final plot twist seems pretty far-fetched as well. I don't want to spoil it, but I saw it coming miles away, as stupid as it was.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Three early Asimov novels
I just finished three old novels by Isaac Asimov - The Stars, Like Dust, The Currents of Space, and Pebble in the Sky.
TSLD is a book I remember my dad telling to read once. He knew I read a lot of science fantasy, and he recommended it as "the kind of books I read when I was your age". I had tried to read it back then, but it didn't interest me. The basic plot is a 'someone is trying to kill me' mystery that spans a few solar systems. It's pretty interesting, and I wish I could have talked about it with my dad.
TCOS is a sort of pre-cursor to the Bourne novels. By which I mean the main character cannot remember a thing about his life, and throughout the novel he slowly recalls various facts. A larger and grander plot is revealed throughout, leading to the ultimate showdown between all the characters.
PitS has a leading character zoomed forward thousands of years into the future. He is given a treatment to make him super-smart and thus he learns the language and gains telepathic abilities. There is a huge plot for the Earth, delegated as a second-class planet and widely disdained by the other millions of worlds, to destroy all the humans on all the other worlds.
All three are a little confusing. It may be because I always read them late at night, but I kept getting all the characters confused. Also, all three seem to magically wrap themselves up in the second-or-third-to-last chapter. I'm sure they were all pretty groundbreaking in their day, but now they seem a little trite.
Don't get me wrong, they're all fine books, but they all seem a little... dated. Which makes sense since they are all 50-60 years old. I should be so lucky to write anything that holds up a tenth as long.
TSLD is a book I remember my dad telling to read once. He knew I read a lot of science fantasy, and he recommended it as "the kind of books I read when I was your age". I had tried to read it back then, but it didn't interest me. The basic plot is a 'someone is trying to kill me' mystery that spans a few solar systems. It's pretty interesting, and I wish I could have talked about it with my dad.
TCOS is a sort of pre-cursor to the Bourne novels. By which I mean the main character cannot remember a thing about his life, and throughout the novel he slowly recalls various facts. A larger and grander plot is revealed throughout, leading to the ultimate showdown between all the characters.
PitS has a leading character zoomed forward thousands of years into the future. He is given a treatment to make him super-smart and thus he learns the language and gains telepathic abilities. There is a huge plot for the Earth, delegated as a second-class planet and widely disdained by the other millions of worlds, to destroy all the humans on all the other worlds.
All three are a little confusing. It may be because I always read them late at night, but I kept getting all the characters confused. Also, all three seem to magically wrap themselves up in the second-or-third-to-last chapter. I'm sure they were all pretty groundbreaking in their day, but now they seem a little trite.
Don't get me wrong, they're all fine books, but they all seem a little... dated. Which makes sense since they are all 50-60 years old. I should be so lucky to write anything that holds up a tenth as long.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
The Bourne Identity
I figured I'd try branching out into a spy thriller. I like the movie "The Bourne Identity", so I'd try the book. Stacey early on asked if anyone's "throat errupted in blood" yet. They hadn't at that point in the book, but by the end there was easily a half-dozen who had.
The book is very different from the movie. I don't want to ruin it, but Jason has a much different mission here. I'm not sure I buy the woman he kidnaps falling in love with him so quickly, especially after what happens to her, but whatever.
It was a fun read, with some interesting plot twists and turns, but ultimately I am not sure I will read any more in the series. I'd rather watch the movie again.
The book is very different from the movie. I don't want to ruin it, but Jason has a much different mission here. I'm not sure I buy the woman he kidnaps falling in love with him so quickly, especially after what happens to her, but whatever.
It was a fun read, with some interesting plot twists and turns, but ultimately I am not sure I will read any more in the series. I'd rather watch the movie again.
3-for-1 - Genesis of Shanarra
I recently finished the Genesis of Shannara trilogy. Not my favorite by Mr. Brooks. They were a little heavy handed with the "humans are screwing up the planet" motif. It's obvious from the very first, and yet all throughout the books, we are constantly reminded of the fact that the elves are pissed off at what the humans have done.
I ready fantasy to ESCAPE reality, not to be reminded over and over about some moral lesson I learned in 2nd grade.
Once you get past that, it's a fairly standard trilogy. Set up the basics and introduce everyone in book 1. Get most of the quests going. Have a few stray odds-n-ends plot threads that go nowhere (re: the Preacher). End with some horrible cliffhanger that on the surface makes it look like everything is doomed.
Book 2: we are miraculously saved by some Deus ex machina. Continue adding random plot threads. Split up the various parties. Have 6-8 major plot lines and groups of people you need to keep track of. Put one of our main characters in mortal danger, have him fall into a deep sleep/coma/healing trance.
Book 3: Introduce character in chapter 1 we've never seen before, then ignore him. Start tying all the threads together. Various parties start meeting up, and join in the main quest. Have a big battle with the secondary bad guy. more groups meet up. Have big battle with Big Bad Guy. Main characters love interest (who is isn't really dating yet) saves him JUST in the nick of time. Everyone is happy. World is saved - well, the world was already pretty much borked, but the elves and some humans are transported to a 'safe' place, and 'walled in' due to the sacrifice of someone else following his destiny. Have that forgotten character REALLY destroy the world, exept our heroes.
Really truely, not my favorites here.
I ready fantasy to ESCAPE reality, not to be reminded over and over about some moral lesson I learned in 2nd grade.
Once you get past that, it's a fairly standard trilogy. Set up the basics and introduce everyone in book 1. Get most of the quests going. Have a few stray odds-n-ends plot threads that go nowhere (re: the Preacher). End with some horrible cliffhanger that on the surface makes it look like everything is doomed.
Book 2: we are miraculously saved by some Deus ex machina. Continue adding random plot threads. Split up the various parties. Have 6-8 major plot lines and groups of people you need to keep track of. Put one of our main characters in mortal danger, have him fall into a deep sleep/coma/healing trance.
Book 3: Introduce character in chapter 1 we've never seen before, then ignore him. Start tying all the threads together. Various parties start meeting up, and join in the main quest. Have a big battle with the secondary bad guy. more groups meet up. Have big battle with Big Bad Guy. Main characters love interest (who is isn't really dating yet) saves him JUST in the nick of time. Everyone is happy. World is saved - well, the world was already pretty much borked, but the elves and some humans are transported to a 'safe' place, and 'walled in' due to the sacrifice of someone else following his destiny. Have that forgotten character REALLY destroy the world, exept our heroes.
Really truely, not my favorites here.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Robots and Empire
Robots and Empire takes place several hundred years after the last Robot book. The girl our hero was cheating with is still alive - spacers can live to be 3-400 years old. And of course R. Daneel Olivaw and R. Giskard are back as well. This book basically tries to tie together the "Robot" series with the "Foundation" series.
You see, in the latter, there are few robots at all (at least, as far as I can remember). So how did we get from a society with dozens if not hundreds of robots per human to one with NO robots? You have to read this book.
This one also introduces the Zeroeth law of Robotics. A robot himself comes up with this law.
Personally, I like it when and author ties disparate series together. I know is kind of retro-fitting things together, and it can feel forced at times, but I think it's a neat idea. I think I like this book the second most (with the first being the best).
This book also subverts the first law in an interesting way, by (sort of) re-defining what a human is. But you'll have to read it to find out exactly how. Personally, I wish he had explored that a little more and resolved it, rather than use it for a small section then abandon the idea.
8 out of 10.
You see, in the latter, there are few robots at all (at least, as far as I can remember). So how did we get from a society with dozens if not hundreds of robots per human to one with NO robots? You have to read this book.
This one also introduces the Zeroeth law of Robotics. A robot himself comes up with this law.
Personally, I like it when and author ties disparate series together. I know is kind of retro-fitting things together, and it can feel forced at times, but I think it's a neat idea. I think I like this book the second most (with the first being the best).
This book also subverts the first law in an interesting way, by (sort of) re-defining what a human is. But you'll have to read it to find out exactly how. Personally, I wish he had explored that a little more and resolved it, rather than use it for a small section then abandon the idea.
8 out of 10.
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