7 Reasons Books Are Better Than TV
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/7-reasons-books-are-better-than-tv/
The 8th reason and my 1st is no loud advertisements.
Tag: reading
Book Review: The Help by Stockett (4 Stars)
Read in April 2012
I found this book to be a quick read. I can’t speak to its veracity or historicity, since I was born after most of these events took place and at a significantly northern latitude. I hope Kathryn Stockett portrayed the Help with empathy. I believe she succeeded, for I came away from the book with a better understanding of the plight of African-Americans at the cusp of the Civil Rights movement.
Article: Kansas City Star Publishes Editorial Supporting a Single Library Card for All Metro KC Libraries
Kansas City Star Publishes Editorial Supporting a Single Library Card for All Metro KC Libraries
This would be amazing. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will actually occur.
Book Review: The Master of White Storm by Wurts (4 Stars)
The Master of White Storm by Janny Wurts
Read from January 30 to February 03, 2010
I am at a loss for words still this morning. I finished The Master of White Storm last night but my mind is still reeling. Somewhere along the way, amongst Korendir’s numerous impossible feats and adventures, I despaired of his receiving relief. The death and danger, most often voluntarily pursued, seemed designed to harry Korendir to the brink and beyond of sanity and hope. What few pockets of peace and love dotted his bleak life’s landscape hardly seemed enough to fuel his reserves or resolve.
I did struggle to connect with Korendir throughout the story, but his predicaments spurred me on. The characters that touched me most profoundly included Haldeth, a taciturn smith, steadfast friend of Korendir, his touchstone and conscience and Vwern, a brave villager who brought tears to Korendir’s eyes and mine as well.
With such a relentless pace, you won’t be disappointed reading The Master of White Storm. One of the best standalone fantasy novels I’ve read recently, the only one better which comes to mind is another Janny Wurts’s novel called To Ride Hell’s Chasm.
Book Review: One Corpse Too Many by Peters (3.5 Stars)
One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters
Read in February 2009
Brother Cadfael is thrust into the heart of political intrigue via his herb garden. Or rather, an unlikely new addition to the herb garden – a lay servant of youthful boyish appearance. Cadfael soon realizes his new assistant’s secret, and agrees to lend aid as he is able.
It is the time of King Stephen’s war upon the Empress Maude, granddaughter of William the Conqueror. Lines are drawn and England is divided. Stephen, also a grandson of William, has laid siege to Shrewsbury, on his way to fight Robert of Gloucester.
Stephen takes Shrewsbury but fails to acquire the prize personages who had been within it’s walls – FitzAlan and Adeney. After a thorough search of the town, these two are missing and the remaining garrison leader, Hesdin, does not reveal their whereabouts, even under torture. Adam Courcelle, one of Stephen’s captains, suggests that mercy to the garrison would be seen as a sign of weakness, so Stephen orders the entire garrison, and Hesdin, hanged immediately. Stephen’s Flemish mercenaries carry out this grim duty.
Brother Cadfael beseeches the Abbott and the king to allow the monks of the abbey to retrieve the bodies, prepare them for burial and allow the townsfolk to claim the bodies of their kin. While laying out the bodies, Cadfael discovers there are ninety-five, instead of ninety-four, bodies. And the extra corpse is a young squire, not a seasoned soldier. He reports this discrepancy to King Stephen, who agrees to allow Brother Cadfael to investigate and bring about justice.
The rest of the tale involves Cadfael’s continuing investigation, discoveries and battle of wits with various players in and around Shrewsbury. A medieval murder mystery well worth the reading.
Book Review: Blaggard’s Moon by Polivka (3.5 Stars)
Blaggard’s Moon by George Bryan Polivka
Read in April, 2009
Warning: Spoilers
We return to the world of Nearing Vast and Smith Delaney, squatting on his last leg, or rather his last post. Instead of his life flashing quickly before his eyes, it’s a slow, pondering trek down memory lane, from beginning to end to beginning, all the dark, days in between as a pirate.
It was a strange way to tell a tale, but not overly confusing to the reader. Delaney recalls a story told to him by Ham Drumbone, a storyteller pirate, about Damrick Fellows, the founder of the Hell’s Gatemen, and Jenta (who has several last names which I won’t get into here).
Delaney is hanging over his doom, a pond full of piranhas and mermonkeys, remember this tale told by Ham. Most of the book is the tale of Damrick, Jenta and Conch Imbry, a notorious, successful, ruthless pirate. This tale, a strange love triangle (or quadrangle) is the meat of the story. The other two time-lines, Ham’s time telling the tale and Delaney’s doom, pop up appropriately, and converge satisfactorily towards the end.
I enjoyed reading it, but I’m not sure it’s as interesting as the Trophy Chase trilogy it prequels. Delaney was a supporting actor in the trilogy, but always seems to kill the wrong person for the wrong reasons. At least he struggles with his conscious, an unusual problem for a pirate.
Book Review: The Battle for Vast Dominion by Polivka (4 Stars)
The Battle for Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka
Read in October, 2008
This the third installment in the Trophy Chase Trilogy and continues to a satisfying conclusion. We meet one surprise character who plays a vital role in the climax. The biggest disappointment for me was the seemingly unnecessary death of one of the main characters, although it’s predictable and not unforeseen.
This series was a great swashbuckling tale, sort of an alternate history to our own world, with Christian overtones. I’m looking forward to Polivka’s next novel, Blaggard’s Moon, which is due out in a couple of months.
Book Review: The Hand That Bears the Sword by Polivka (4 Stars)
The Hand That Bears the Sword by George Bryan Polivka
Read in September, 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This book picks up a few weeks after the previous book (The Legend of the Firefish) back in the village of Hangman’s Cliffs. Panna and Packer are married and halfway through their “honey month” (similar to our more familiar honeymoon). A herald arrives directly from the King, specifically requesting Packer’s presence for the reading of a proclamation – a call to arms of all able-bodied men to defend Nearing Vast from the invading warriors of Drammune.
Packer is swept away again on another adventure, one not of his choosing and often broiled in political intrigue and manipulation. His conscience is at odds with his superiors’ (and peers’) perception of him as a hero. Panna is also subjected to manipulation and danger from the most unlikely of sources – her own sovereign prince. She stands her ground with conviction and faith.
The welcome surprise (or twist) for me was the return of Talon, whom we were lead to believe had perished in the first novel. Polivka has an uncanny ability to write strong women characters, something few male authors can convince me of. While Talon was the embodiment of evil in the first novel, she is a changed woman now. She discovers true love in humility and experiences the hidden power in weakness from another’s sacrifice.
The entire nation of Nearing Vast, the supposed faithful, seem to represent all the is reprehensible to their faith. And on the other hand, the Drammune Empire is strong, conquering and apparently invincible, washing over the Vast fleet and later it’s army in the capital city of Mann. It’s a vast stage (pun intended) upon which we ponder “Is God testing Nearing Vast?”
For Christian fiction, this is a great story, without being preachy, putting real people in believable dire situations and watching them struggle, in all too human ways, with their faith and the consequences of their actions, both temporally and spiritually.
Article: Being a bookworm boosts your brainpower into old age
Being a bookworm boosts your brainpower into old age
http://www.today.com/health/being-bookworm-boosts-your-brainpower-old-age-6C10532642
There’s still hope for my brain. 🙂
Book Review: Armor by Steakley (3 Stars)
Read in April 2009
I sympathized or empathized with Felix. I detested Jack Crow until the last part of the book. I understand some of the motivation and psychosis of Felix, but I’m scratching my head with respect to the Antwar. I must be missing the point with this plot.
Besides Old Man’s War, this is the only military science fiction I’ve read to date. I like the former, I’m ambivalent with the latter. Two more titles await me on my to-be-read list – Starship Troopers and The Forever War. Perhaps they will be an improvement.