The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

This is another one of those books that brings to mind why there is chocolate and vanilla.  This book was recommended by a friend and she really enjoyed it.  It is a New York Times best seller.  A young woman deals with death and desperation in Nazi Germany by stealing books.  

I really found this book hard to read.  I thought it was choppy and difficult to follow.   With that said, I look more for entertainment than edification.  Perhaps this book is edifying but it wasn’t for me.  

The protagonist climbs in a window at the Mayor’s house to steal a book.  Perhaps there is symbolism there and I just didn’t get it.  

This book has a lot of great reviews so once again I find myself out of step with the NY Times a bunch of other people because I just didn’t enjoy it.

Body of work of Markus Zusak

Web Site: http://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/

Target of Opportunity by Jeffrey S. Stephens

A terrorist plot by plausible partners threatens the U.S.   Jordon Sandor of the CIA is the only thing standing between global financial chaos.

The economics of oil and resultant potential for economic blackmail give plausibility to this novel.   As an aside, this should help all of us to recognize the need for energy independence.   That may have not been the more subtle plot line but that is what I felt reading the book.

Sandor is a ruthless defender of liberty.   He is an excellent protagonist as he displays emotion and action.   The book is fast paced and the plot is complex enough to maintain interest throughout.  

The intricate nature of the plot is very well done and keeps you guessing until the end.   Mr. Stehphens does an excellent job portraying an able weapon but loose canon in the character of Sandor.  His irreverence is endearing but I suspect in the real world of bureaucratic nonsense, he would end up on the street. 

Sandor is a worthy James Bond clone with skills and warmth abounding.  He comes across as real which is often a difficult characterization.   Sadly the only downside to the book is the likelihood that some demented soul out there is striving to perpetrate a similar scenario in real life.

I recommend it.

Body of work of Jeffrey S. Stephens

Web Site: http://jeffreystephens.com/

One Summer by David Baldacci

This is NOT a Camel Club book with a complicated and convoluted conspiracy.  It doesn’t have the flavor of The Christmas Train either.   This is a Baldacci that demands a box of tissues.   A family is subjected to the ultimate stress of losing a member.  This is a story of how they cope with the emptiness that results and how they re-knit the fabric of their lives.

Just when you think you have David Baldacci’s modus operandi well in hand you discover unseen depths and different directions.   Although this book seems more appropriate in the Harlequin genre, it grabs your attention and emotions in typical Baldacci fashion.   You do not want to put  it down, you want to know what else can possibly go wrong.

Succinctly (I know not my normal MO) this book is a in-depth revelation of family turmoil and reconciliation amidst a devastating tragedy.   Most frequently in Baldacci’s work and other action adventure authors’ work we become immersed in the fast pace and thrilling circumstances.   This book forces you to think about the impact of death on normal folks, not action heroes but perhaps the next door neighbor.  

David Baldacci has a breadth of talent that is awe inspiring.   This book is akin to a reverse 180 while cruising along at autobahn speeds.   It is a major change of pace but certainly a winner.  

                                                                                                       

I highly recommend it.

Body of  work of David Baldacci </a>

Web Site: http://www.davidbaldacci.com/web/

The Summoner by Layton Green

A country in corrupt decay sets the scene for a morally reprehensible Yoruba priest’s deprivations.   This blackest of villains is on a quest for spiritual and political power.  Dominic Grey, a security agent of questionable pedigree, is his only stumbling block.

Dominic Grey is certainly not the white knight but a more believable, emotionally conflicted hero.   He appears to be a man with a moral compass that is undeterred by legal and illegal restraints.  While he is not exactly likeable he is admirable.  

Viktor is a mysterious, international, professorial enigma.   His character was shrouded in mystery.    Nya was well painted as a woman on a quest for revenge.  

The book illustrated a wealth of mistrust between allies and opponents.   The background of Zimbabwe was thoroughly depressing.   A smidgen of research leads me to believe the author portrayed the country accurately.  

I happen to discuss the book with friends who had visited Rhodesia and then later visited when it was Zimbabwe and they confirmed the negative changes.   Another acquaintance who was a policeman in Rhodesia also lamented over the condition of the people and the rampant corruption.  

This is not a book for the light of heart, it is frightening and gruesome.  It also points out the power of psychosomatic reactions to belief systems.   It is not a fun read but it is engrossing.

BTW I read this book on my Droid X using the FBReader from Geometer Plus free application. 

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Layton Green

Web Site:   http://laytongreen.com/

The Cypress House by Michael Koryta

This is a story of the great depression, the despair and the illicit means some used to survive. It is a love story in many ways as well as a crime and violence filled occult tale of how people can be trapped in situations beyond their control.

Michael Koryta is an artist. His characters have such life that it is simplicity itself to visualize them and their surroundings. I read the book while in Florida and found myself looking around for some of the scenery or characters.

The story was set in a time of depression and post war trauma. That setting resonated with today’s recession and returning veterans. War changes people and Koryta captured that essence of humanity.

I also liked how he showed a love between two unrelated men that had nothing to do with gender bias or sexual preference. Sometimes the depth of friendship is love that has absolutely nothing to do with sexuality. That type of relationship seems practically taboo in contemporary fiction.

Arlen Wagner’s skepticism of his own talent promoted belief in what he experience, much more than a simple presentation of that talent.

This the second of his books I have read and I will be actively seeking out the rest.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Michael Koryta

Web site: http://www.michaelkoryta.com/

Foreign Influence by Brad Thor

Scot Harvath is back and in action. An Al-Quaida group is planning world wide attacks on Americans and a finale in the United States. This former Seal uses his considerable talent for violence in addressing this threat to his country.

I continue to enjoy the Scot Harvath character. He does not revel in being a hardcase but he does what he feels is necessary. His antipathy toward violonce and kids is laudable. If you are not able to stomach rather graphic violence you may want to plan on skipping parts of the book.

I mentioned in my review of “The Last Patriot” that once I find an author that is impossible to put down, I want to read him until one of us drops. As the first Thor book I read, this was a sobering look at the changed world we live in. I can’t say that I enjoyed the glimpse of a possible future. As a story this book was captivating and intense, one can only hope it is not predictive.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Brad Thor

Site: http://www.bradthor.com/

The Last Patriot by Brad Thor

International intrigue at it’s best. Scot Harvath is contemplating retirement. Apparently events in a previous book have led to a desire to settle down with his lovely Tracy. A rogue CIA assassin inadvertently draws Scot into his demented Islamic conversion debacle. The resultant train wreck violence provides a charging read.

I enjoyed the Scot Harvath character. I enjoyed it enough that I got online and ordered four of his last six books. I am going to have to track down the last two. Once I find an author that is impossible to put down, I want to read him until one of us drops. Considering the state of today’s terrorist environment one has to wonder if the author’s suggestion of a Presidential assassin shouldn’t be a realistic option. It is so depressing to see the fanatics so frequently succeed in their terroristic acts. Perhaps if they realized that terror could be visited upon them as well, they might reconsider their zeal. This was a good book with lots of action and stood alone satisfactorily. My ordering the prequels is because I want to know what led to many of the incidents in the book. Scot Harvath is an acceptable hero, strong beliefs with a realistic fallibility.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Brad Thor

Review:

Site:

7th Heaven by James Patterson

I enjoy the Women’s Murder Club. I don’t know if the TV show was canceled or just lost in the shuffle but I enjoyed it as well. A young, rich scion disappears and is presumed dead. Boxer gets a lead which she tracks down with her new partner Conklin. Joe, the Fed, is now living with Boxer who is still unable to make a permanent commitment. In the midst of the search for the missing young man, a series of brutal, arson murders intrudes.

Typical of Patterson is the number of intriguing sub plots. The brevity of the chapters allows the numerous subplots to work. I enjoy the women of the Murder Club. They have each other’s backs. I have seen this characteristic quite frequently in women I know. They are extraordinarily supportive of each other, particularly in times of crisis. Sadly once the days of athletic teams are over, I haven’t seen the same level of camaraderie in the men I know. But as this is a book review rather than a psych eval, I shall move along. There is plenty of action, some solid head scratching to try and determine who the bad guys really are and plenty of human interaction. I enjoyed the book. However if you are planning on reading it at the beach, you may want to take two since you will breeze through it in no time at all.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of James Patterson

Review of the book:
Site:

9 Dragons by Michael Connelly

Harry Bosch is once again on the ropes with his peers. Harry seldom plays well with others. There is a murder, Harry takes is personally. The results involve Harry and his family, the cities of LA and Hong Kong and a diverse cast of characters.

Connelly always does a nice job setting the stage. Bosch is a hero who is hard to like. Prickly doesn’t begin to describe him. Harry’s passionate love of his daughter is one of his few redeeming characteristics. I found my self reading as I walked, went down the stair, brushing my teeth, this book should be declared a health hazard. Calling it captivating and action packed hardly does it justice.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Michael Connelly

Review

Web Site

Day By Day Armageddon by J. L. Bourne

Unbeknownst to me there is a Zombie story genre. This is a Zombie story and that alone seems to attract a loyal following. The protagonist is an active duty military officer in a nation that is combating an unknown disease. The disease turns out to be Zombieism (?) and the bulk of the world is infected. The story centers on the survival of the few remaining uninfected humans.

My initial reaction to the story was disdain. Zombies have never caught my attention. Bourne wrote the story as if it was a journal. He did a nice job capturing the qualities of the protagonist that enabled him to be a survivor. The book surprised me in that I liked it. It held my attention and if you changed the word Zombie to evil bikers or Nazi’s it seemed like just a good story. The action was solid and the close brushes with death seemed realistic. I still have trouble with the concept of Zombies but then there are probably some poor souls out there who have trouble conceptionalizing a dragon or troll.

Ignore the label of A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Novel and read this, it was surprisingly good and I recommend it.

Body of work of J.L. Bourne

Review                  WebSite

March To The Stars by David Weber and John Ringo

At the risk of repeating myself, I love these guys. The story takes up from where “March to the Sea” left off. The embattled marines end up involved in another localized war. The natives they initially help turn out to be the bad guys and they have to shift allegiances to get to the starport which is their goal. The starport is their only hope to get off the planet and get home. The discovery that all is not well at home puts added pressure to get where their going. The authors don’t hesitate to inject a reality check in their work. War has casualties, even characters we really, really like. You know it is only a story but yet you grieve for the loss of life. I, admittedly, really get into these books and have difficulty getting anything else done while reading them. There is one more in the series and I plan on starting it immediately. I would suggest buying all four at the same time because you are going to want to read them back to back, at least I did.

Body of work of David Weber
Body of work of John Ringo


Review: http://www.webscription.net/p-266-march-to-the-stars.aspx

Web Site http://www.davidweber.net/
David Weber’s web site is under construction.

Web Site: http://www.johnringo.com/

World Aids Day, December 1, 2008

HIV is more dangerous than DDT or TNT. What makes those three initials so deadly. DDT has been banned and is pretty much an historic problem. TNT is available but not for the average person. Drugs, alcohol and unprotected sex is everywhere, anytime, anyplace you want to find it. Working with addicts in the 70’s was not as depressing as looking at the problem today. In the 70’s most every STD was curable. Getting stoned and stupid didn’t necessarily lead to a life of fear and medical treatment. Today you can change your life with one incident of stupidity. YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE!, and NOT in a good way either!

Preaching seldom reaches teens or young adults. Surprising to many adults, rational explanations and a discussion of consequences will be more successful in deterring life threatening behavior. If you are too drunk or wrecked to make rational decisions there is a strong likelihood that you may become prey. Yes Virginia, there are predators out there. They may not look like thugs or monsters but if they give you AIDS does it matter what their appearance might be.

Be aware, your behavior has consequences. Those consequence can go far beyond unwanted pregnancies or next day regrets, they can change the rest of your life and not in a good way. Think before you drink! (or smoke, or shoot up or pop or sniff, or snort or lick or what ever you do) I’ve seen too many people ruin their life while in an altered mental state, PLEASE don’t be another one.

Watch the video, it is thought provoking. Just because it was put out by NIDA doesn’t mean it is propaganda or bad. Even the government gets some things right. This video is put out by The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the principal biomedical and behavioral research agency of the United States Government. NIH is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Dr. Death by Jonathan Kellerman

Milo Sturgis and Alex Delaware are back to work. Alex is the obsessive psychologist who appears to be a frustrated want to be cop. Milo is the cop who often is discriminated against by the police bureaucracy because he is gay. They work as a team solving mysteries. That would pretty much sum up many of Kellerman’s books. This particular book deals with assisted suicide. In the course of the story, many opinions are expressed with enough latitude to allow the reader to determine their own feelings. This book had a little extra ending twist. Good book.

Body of work of Jonathan Kellerman

Site: http://www.jonathankellerman.com/


Review: http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/0679459618.asp