2014 Book stats

Several years ago my mother sent me a list of the books she had read for the year. Each entry included a brief (one to two sentence) description, as well as if she listened to it or read it. It was six pages long, front and back. As part of my reflections on 2014 I thought I would list the stats for books I reviewed this last year. Out of the It appears that I've read about 46 books that ended up being reviewed. I'm pretty good about writing my reviews (although I need to write one for my latest ebook), so I consider this a pretty good list of my years reading. It ranges in genre and time period, but I can honestly say I enjoyed the vast majority of them.

Books reviewed:
The Chestnut King by Nathan D. Wilson
Closer, Spiral, and Terminal by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams
Middleworld by J and P Voelkel
Sands of Nezza by M.L. Forsman
On Basilisk Station and The Honor of the Queen by David Weber
The Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Dead Six and Swords of Exodus by Mike Kupari and Larry Corriea
City of the Saints by D.J. Butler
Words of Radiance and The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
Three Parts Dead by Max Gladston
Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett
Black Out by Robison Wells
Wings by Aprilynne Pike
Wednesdays in the Tower by Jessica Day George
Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Lockwood and Co.: The Screaming Staircase, and The Whispering Skull, by Jonathan Stoud
William Shakespeare's Star wars: Verily and New Hope, and The Empire Striketh Back, by Ian Doescher
Monster Hunter Nemesis, Hard Magic, Into the Storm, Spellbound, and two short stories by Larry Correia,
Storm Front, and Fool Moon, by Jim Butcher
"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" by Richard Feynman
The Hollow City by Dan Wells
The Mouments Men by Robert M. Edsel with Bret Witter
The Royal Ranger (Ranger's Apprentice book 11) by John Flanagan
Hounded, Hexed, Hammered, and Tricked, by Kevin Hearne
The Legend of Drizzt: The Collected Stories, and Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
1632 and In the Heart of Darkness by Eric Flint
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C.S. Forester
Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Garriger

Favorite book of the year: A toss up between Words of Radiance and Monster Hunter Nemesis. WoR was impressive, engrossing, engaging, and spectacular. However, I've listened to MHN three times in the six months I've had it. Which is higher praise? Hard to tell. WoR is the thickest book Tor publishing CAN publish based on their current book making equipment. That translates to over 45 hours worth of listening. I will re-listen to it in preparation to getting the next book and I look forward to that. However, MHN is my go to book when I'm looking for something fun to keep my occupied between credits. That same could be said of all of Larry's (and Mike Kupari's) books, but MHN was just the one that hit three times repeated.

Next years reading goals: I've got a non-fiction on Stonewall Jackson that I'm looking forward to. I also will be continuing the Honor Harrington and 1632 series, but I don't know how long. I will also be restarting (and finishing) my masters program, so I'll get a big dose of academic and professional reading in. Who knows? I've never reviewed a Monograph collection before. I'd like to get a bit more non-fiction in - which will most likely be histories or biographies, but I'd like to grab a science book or two.

Christmas gifts and reading

Christmas was good and the kids still enjoy their toys. In fact yesterday Kanga threw a birthday party for the doll she received. Tigger got TWO remote controlled cars (and they both use the same frequency so they can't be at the same time) and Angel has worn the wrap I gave her several times in the last week. I got some airsoft stuff (including a new automatic electronic gun) and while I haven't gotten out yet, I have been able to adjust my new gear and role play in the basement while everybody was asleep. Yes, I put on my camo and practiced changing mags, moving, and aiming. Dorky, I know, but I've learned that it pays to practice. I've also started reading two books that my mother got me: The Read-aloud Handbook, and Lyle's Law by Lyle Feisel. Mom told me that The Read-aloud Handbook was a big influence on her parenting. I can see it.

Mom read aloud to us a lot growing up. When I was younger I found it hard to sit still and pay attention for many of the books. I have vivid memories of two scenes from Fellowship of the Ring when she read that to us, but I know that I liked to move around and play on the floor while she read. Mom confessed that she was worried about me a couple of times and my apparent lack of commitment to reading. She stopped worrying when I discovered that you could get books about animals, planes, and guns. It was just a matter of finding my interests. She made efforts to find books that I liked and read them to me. The Belgariad and the other Eddings books were the start of many successful read alouds. Books were always a big part of our family, and still our. I'm glad that my daughter is an avid reader and I hope I can encourage my sons to the same.

Audible Book Review - Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

This delightful book popped up in my recommended list. When Angel said she wasn't sure what to get with her credit, I mentioned it to her. Needless to say she got it and I listened to it after finishing my yearly listen to A Christmas Carol. Interesting that both books should take place in the 1800s. However, Etiquette & Espionage has a steam punk / paranormal feel to it. The finishing school our characters attend is on a dirigible and has both a vampire and a werewolf on the faculty. Here is the Audible page for the book. Moira Quirk narrated and did a great job of giving each of the characters their own voice and providing fun accents as appropriate.

Plot: Sophronia is just one of many of the Temminnick children, a family of country gentry, but she is her mother's most trying child. She makes mess, causes problems, and can't curtsy. She is in need of finishing. Sophronia has no interest or intention of being sent off to school where she will learn how to walk, talk, and act like a "gentlewoman." Regardless she obeys her mother and leaves for finishing school with the headmistress. But Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality is not what she was expecting. Even before she arrived at the school she was accosted by flyway men (like highway men, but in balloons as opposed to horseback) demanding the "prototype." She soon learns that the purpose of this finishing school is to teach young ladies how to finish anything and anyone. And it turns out that she was recruited on purpose.

My personal favorites: Since reading the web comic Girl Genius by the Foglios and  Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan I've come to enjoy steam punk and the fun alternate history elements it holds. Etiquette & Espionage provided a great feeling world that didn't dwell on the mechanical aspects but delivered a great story of intrigue and adventure. The characters were a lot of fun, which is saying something for fourteen year old girls. Maybe it says something about my outlook on life when I say that it wasn't hard to imagine a school where teenage girls learn subterfuge and are naturally good at it for the most part. The pacing was good and I enjoyed their adventures. I also found way that they utilized common "womanly" items, such as sewing scissors, hair ribbons, and petty coats in covert operations.

Considerations: This book is considered Young Adult and it fits the description well. There was no swearing that I recall. And there was no sensuality or graphic descriptions. References to where a lady of quality keeps her spare handkerchief and such were all tastefully done without any vulgarity. The characters might not have always acted their age, but it didn't pull me out of the story. Despite what the girls are learning at the school I didn't feel like the story would ever take a violent angle or would become grisly or visceral. Overall, I don't see any reason to withhold the book to any young teen.

I've already put books two and three from this series on the wishlist and I don't doubt that Angel will pick them up in the next couple months and I look forward to listening to them. The total length was just under 9 hours.

Audible Book Review - Murder on the Orient Elite and Tokyo Raider by Larry Correia

I debated whether I should review these two short stories, but I figured it couldn't hurt. Both of these stories take place in the Grimnoir Chronicles world after the final book in the series. I learned about both of these from Larry's blog and quickly went to scoop them up. Murder on the Orient Elite was available for free the day I picked it up and Tokyo Raider was on sale. They were both narrated by Bronson Pinchot, who narrated the original series, and were very well done. Here are the Audible pages for Murder on the Orient Elite and Tokyo Raider.

Murder on the Orient Elite features Jake Sullivan four years after Warbound playing private eye on the newest luxury blimp which just happens to include Imperium, Soviet, and Mafia leaders and thugs. Such a guest list is only to be suspected when the owner of this wonder is Dr. Wells, former psychiatrist and current Shanghai mob boss. But why does a massive crime lord feel the need to recruit the top Grimnoir trouble shooter.


Tokyo Raider takes place in the 1950s after years of magical acceptance. Lt. Joseph Sullivan of the US Marines, son of the infamous Jake Sullivan, has been detailed to Tokyo to help the very people he was trained to fight. However, that's what happens when one of your Dad's former co-workers asks for you specifically.

My personal favorites: These short stories both had fun action and some good humor. There was a difference in voice between Jake and Joe which was nice. It's clear that Joe is not his father. Both stories also gave potential insights to future events in the Grimnoir world.

Considerations: Like the other Grimnoir books there is some language, but I don't remember it being very much. There is no sensuality.

Both of these stories were a lot of fun to listen to and I look forward to listening (and reading) more from the Grimnoir. They were each just over an hour long.

Audible Book Review - Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C.S. Forester Horation Hornblower book 1

Two week ago my father and I were talking books (as usual) and he showed me his 25th anniversary edition of On Basilisk Station by David Weber and discussed how much we enjoyed the Honor Harrington books. Dad brought up that Weber was influenced by the Horatio Hornblower books that he read sections of to me as a kid. In fact the dedication to On Basilisk Station is, "To C.S. Forester, With thanks for hours of enjoyment, years of inspiration, and a lifetime of admiration." I didn't think to check if Audible had any of the Hornblower books available but while perusing one of the sales on Audible they had this first book available for $5. Since I was picking up another story on Audible I grabbed it as well. Here is the link to the Audible page for the book. It was narrated by Christian Rodska who did a good job of providing different voices for characters and an enjoyable experience. I can see where Weber was inspired but as the stories are such completely different times and technologies I had no difficulty in enjoying them both for where they are. Forester uses the nautical terminology through the book, but context and limited explanation are sufficient for understanding.

Plot: Horatio Hornblower is a young lowly midshipman (junior naval officer) in the British Royal Navel. In his late teens our story begins with his first assignment and carries us through his adventures as a midshipman. Beginning his career on a worn down battleship at the mercy of a cruel man, bitter with ineligibility for promotion Hornblower finds miserable. So miserable in fact that when given the opportunity he challenges his tormentor to a duel because he figures his suffering will end either way. Luckily, his career does not end there and a transfer to a frigate presents him a multitude of opportunities to prove his worth. From leading a prize crew bringing a captured merchant man to friendly port to directing swivel gun fire on enemy ships Hornblower is able to show competence and quick thinking on every adventure. Unfortunately, he is not infallible and he pays the price for his mistakes and misfortunes. But in the end his honor, skill, and wit help him to carry the day.

My personal favorites: It was fun to read a sailing adventure. There are things that sailing ships have to be mindful of in order to be successful. Modern stories of ships (such as Red Storm Rising and Hunt for Red October) don't have to worry about wind and waves. There was a real skill to piloting a sailing vessel and the elements where unconquerable. Hornblower was also a fantastic character as he was clearly the best man for the job, but he was never perfect. I loved the many adventures and the pacing of the book and found the collection of vignettes of stories of his adventures very fun.

Considerations: There was no graphic language of any kind: not in violence, gore, sensuality or course language. Despite the theme, swearing was kept to an extreme minimal. The only reason I might hold of on reading this to my children would be that the language is rather elaborate and the nautical terms used. In many ways it reminds me of King Solomon's Mines in the way it was written. Perhaps that is not surprising considering the era Forester was writing about.

I look forward to picking up the other books in the series. It was a great listen and gives me a new era of story, both in when it was written and about which it is written. With all my fantasy, sci-fi, and contemporary fiction some good old-fashion naval battles and adventures are a great palate cleanser and are always an enjoyable experience. The total length was just under 8 and a half hours.

Getting into the Christmas Spirit

With only four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas the season feels a little rushed. Granted, most years it feels rushed because of trying to coordinate parties, gifts, time off, etc. But this year in particular feels like there isn't as much time. I'm just glad that there should be enough time to listen to the music, sign the songs, watch the movies, and read the stories that make the season special.

Once tradition that I started last year was listening to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. While I can usually remember all the important bits when it comes to plot and character, I forget the subtle tidbits that really bring the story alive. I find my eyes filling with tears as Scrooge witnesses the grief of Tiny Tim's family and I cheer at his transformation from wretched miser to loving caretaker. It is a great reminder that "mankind is our business" and we are to mind it as carefully as we would any financial undertaking which would bring us gain. We've already watched one version of the movie together as a family (the Muppet Christmas Carol) and it was fun to watch Kanga as she began to realize what the story was about. As we explained a few things we could see the wheels turning. She
might be ready to watch the George C. Scott version soon (my personal favorite version).

Something else I'm looking forward to is watching the Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert from 2004 with Frederica von Stade and Bryn Terfel. My grandmother gave us the DVD of the concert the for Christmas in 2006 and I look forward every year to watching it. The music is so wonderful and it's a fun performance to watch. None the least because of Bryn Terfel's Welsh flag. The whole production is fantastic.

I also enjoy the music. Most of the stuff on the radio is okay. I do hate the song "Christmas Shoes." What I really like is Trans-Siberian Orchestra, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Josh Groban, and The Piano Guys. I realize that all of those groups have non-Christmas albums and I like those too, but I really like their Christmas stuff. Particularly The Piano Guys. There is something about sitting on the couch with the tree lit reading a book while soft piano (and cello) plays. Such are treasured moments.

I really love the Christmas season and am glad that I can spend it with my family.

Notes from kids

Last night as we were working on dinner Kanga was doing homework. After she finished her allotment for the night she wrote a note and displayed it in the hall way. "Daddy, come look at my note!" I did. It read: Dad, I hate you sometimes. I was a little shocked as I looked between her note and her face. She didn't look like she hated me sometimes. She looked rather pleased with herself. It occurred to me that she probably didn't realize what she had written. So I asked, "Do you know what it means to hate?" She looked puzzled. What followed was a brief, simple description of what it means to hate something. I then asked, "Do you really hate me sometimes?" She looked a little unsure and then Angel called me to help her with something. I figured I didn't need to wait for an answer. Two minutes late Kanga told me she had put up a new note. This one read:

Daddy,

I'm sorry.
I rily love you so much.

Thanksgiving Weekend

Of all the holidays out there Thanksgiving has to be one of the all time favorites. It's because of the family I get to see and, of course, the yummy food. This year we visited with my parents, EA and Jate, my Mom's parents, and a trio of graduates from a high school in Cairo, also known as three of my cousins. It was a grand affair and very tasty. The conversation was lively and my kids actually behaved pretty well.

Two of the three trouble-makers (aka cousins).

I was worried because my maternal grandmother always seemed like a very stern lady when it came to table manners growing up. We always worried about making a mess on the lace table cloth or using the wrong fork. As we got older we came to appreciate the corrections she gave us and learned that she wasn't as formidable as we thought. Regardless, I was anxious that my kids would do some of the things that they try to get away with at home. I shouldn't have been worried. Other than Kanga eating a little as possible (until she got her hands on a slice of pie) they were quite well behaved. Speaking of pie, my sister EA made a caramel apple, a pumpkin, and a chocolate peanut butter. Kanga had the pumpkin and downed it like a pro. I had the caramel apple and enjoyed every bite, particularly the ones with the homemade caramel on them. Angel and I signed up for a wellness initiative where we try not to gain any weight during the holidays. It took a bit of a blow over the weekend, but I'm don't regret the pie in the least.

Friday, because it was after Thanksgiving, we got all of the Christmas stuff put up. We decorated the tree, I hung lights, and we pulled out the Christmas music and movies. Some people may call me Scrooge because of how much I'm against Christmas before Thanksgiving, but once it's the season I totally love the music, movies, stories, and traditions. I love sitting by the tree and reading or just listening to music. Carol of the Bells and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen are two of my favorite Christmas songs and The Piano Guys did a version of the two together, which puts me on cloud nine. Angel hung the star on the tree this year, mostly because the kids were fighting over it, but otherwise the kids did a great job of getting the tree all decorated. My mom gave us some fun glasses last year that create a hologram around the lights that changes between "Jingle Jingle" and a set of jingle bells. The kids love them and I just hope they last for next season. Friday night we had some friends over and were up way to late playing games. Good times overall.

In the Middle

While he is not truly the middle grand child, Roo is in the middle of his two immediate cousins. Angel's mother was in California shortly after we learned that Leeroy's wife, Spock, was expecting a girl and she picked up thses cute Micky / Minnie Mouse onsies. You can clearly see who is the oldest in these pictures (based on weight). Roo is very chubby by our standards, but his older cousin has him beat in the chub department. I thought the pictures turned out pretty cute. As did the kids. It will be fun to see them grow up together. I'm afraid that Kanga will get stuck babysitting for all of them.

Masquerade Ball

This happened a couple of weeks ago, and I'm just now getting to it. Angel and I went to a Masquerade ball that one of her old high school friend put on. It was a lot of fun to dress up and go to a dance. We even got masks. I had to wear my contacts because glasses clearly wouldn't work. Angel looked great. She enjoys getting dressed up and she does a good job of it.

We dropped the kids off at my parents and went to dinner. It was our first real date in a long time. We took our time with dinner, went window shopping and still manged to show up at the ball ten minutes early. I really tried to not be early. I've been early to many dances and it often feels awkward when there is very few other people there. Luckily, I didn't have to look for a partner. That is one of the biggest benefits of being married - you always have a date and a dance partner. It's been a while since we've danced and, surprisingly, Angel wore me out and not the other way around. They had a good mix of music and they also had a live band. The band consisted of a lead and bass guitarists, drums, two trumpets and a trombone. Unfortunately for everybody there, their drummer and bassist didn't have any conception of dynamic dynamics. They only played at one volume - loud. it was impossible to hear what the singer was singing and while the rest of the band could be heard the room was not big enough for that volume of music to be comfortable. It was really starting to bug me, but fortunately they only played for an hour of so and then it went back to the sound machine. Dee saw some good friends and we enjoyed talking with folks. All in all, it was a blast.

Audible Book Review - The Whispering Skull, Lookwood and Co. book two by Jonathan Stroud

I'm finally getting caught up on book reviews. I finished the latest in the Lockwood and Co. books just after Halloween and it was a a great listen. While waiting for my credit I re-listened to The Screaming Staircase and was reminded how much I enjoyed Stoud's writing. Here is a link for Audible's page for the book. The book was narrated by Katie Lyons again and while some of the characters sounded just a little different than before, it was well done. While the first book put our characters in danger from spectral horrors this book threw them into more conventional dangers and villains. There were still specters to worry about, but we also learned about other dangers of being an Agent. The world was expanded more with additional mysteries revealed that they were not able to solve and the book has what might be considered a cliffhanger, but not in terms of the story at hand. Overall I enjoyed it and the way our heroes overcame the challenges before them.

Plot: Lockwood and Co have been doing good business since the last book. However the resources at the hands of the big agencies, Fittes and Rockwell just to name two, has been taking a toll. After a mission goes bad and they are rescued by Quill Kipps and his crew a challenge is issued - the next time they go head to head in a case the loser publicly praises the winner by taking out an ad in the Times. The opportunity comes earlier than they think when an artifact goes missing from a recent haunting. An artifact that may contain the secrets of the world beyond, but that has killed everyone that has tried to use it. DEPRAC has officially hired Lockwood and Co and brought Kipps and his team in to solve the case together. Together isn't happening because the competition is on. Lockwood, George, and Lucy must out smart, out research, and out sense the other agents before the artifact hits the public. They do have an edge though. Somehow, someway, they have a person on the inside. George's skull-in-a-jar has started talking to Lucy again and has told them some things about the artifact that are useful. However, it has also given cause to question Anthony Lockwood's trustworthiness. Who will win and what will it cost them?

My personal favorites: Lockwood, George, and Lucy remain great characters and the world they live in is opened to us. We get to see some of the other side of The Problem, not just the agents, but their antithesis. We get to see how agents fair against non-ghosts. The interactions with the skull were interesting as well - trying to figure out what it said that could be true and when it was messing with our characters. The competition between Kipps and Lockwood was fun, if somewhat detrimental to the overall case.

Considerations: Like the first book there are some tense moments that could be frightening for some. There is also a little language, but nothing inappropriate for a YA audience. Overall, there isn't anything that would cause me not to recommend this book to people who like reading old ghost stories.

As I mentioned earlier, the book does end with a bit of a cliffhanger and with questions unanswered. Stroud does a good job at getting us to look forward to the next book. If he is consistent in his writing schedule these books may become a Halloween tradition. The overall length was 11 and half hours.

Baen Free eBook Library Book Review - In the Heart of Darkness by Eric Flint and David Drake

Again, a book that I read and just didn't get to reviewing. I am enjoying the fact that the Baen free ebook library enables me to try out series and authors before using a credit on them on Audible, or purchasing them some other way. Not long ago the Baen Free Radio Hour produced an audio drama of a novella based in the Belisarius Saga world. They played it over the course of four podcast episodes. The audio drama, Islands, can be found on the ebook website and was very good. I grew up with the Riders in the Sky weekly radio series and love the medium. I enjoyed the story and found the production well done. After listening to Islands, I wanted to know more about the Belisarius Saga and happened to find In the Hear of Darkness in the free library. I was disappointed that it was the 2nd book in the series, but you know what they say about looking a gift horse in the mouth. Here is a link to the Baen ebook Free Library for the book. The story was good with excellent pacing and some great action. Written in an alternate history 6th century Roman Empire made for a fun read. I'm new to David Drake, but Eric Flint wrote the last alternate history that I read, 1632. I have no doubt that there were a lot of historical facts in the book. Even though I hadn't read the first book, There was enough background that I was able to get into the story without difficulty. I could tell there was some past to the characters, but it wasn't required to enjoy the story.

Plot: Belisarius, the brilliant general of the Roman army, has been invited to see the might of  Malwa conquered India. What's difficult is that he is a there as a guest but he knows that the Malwa and the Roman Empire will eventually become enemies. What's more, he's a guest because they want him to betray his beloved empire. At home, the Malwa are busy trying to recruit others to their side, including Belisarius' wife, Antonina. While there is no question that Belisarius and his family will remain loyal to Rome, there is still the challenge to take Malwa for everything they can get before the they learn his intentions. Malwa has a wealth of gold but also new gun powder based weapons that could alter the way war is fought. It would normally be overwhelming for any soldier, but Belisarius has his Aid. A gem containing an entity from the future, Aid can speak to Belisarius and show him what other futures have down with humble beginnings that he is learning about. While being a brilliant, perhaps the most genius, tactician the world has every known Belisarius has the wisdom and folly of the future and pass at his command. But Aid has its own mission. It's looking for something and the Malwa just might have it.

My personal favorites: I really liked Belisarius' personality and resourcefulness. He was a great commander and a fun character. It was fun to try to guess the twists and turns. The plans within plans. There were also plenty of funny moments. I particularly liked Belisarius learning about why soldiers in the future dig foxholes and vowing that the very next thing they invent would be the trenching shovel. I also liked the mix of ancient and modern (or at least medieval).

Considerations: There is language in this book, but I don't remember it being distracting, perhaps the same level as the Monster Hunter books I've read. It is very important to note as well that just because modern civilization looks back to the Romans as a bright spot in the barbarism of medieval times doesn't mean they were particularly nice. There are references to torture, prostitution/rape, gruesome executions, and other things that history often overlooks. This is not to say that the book is exceedingly graphic or visceral. There were some brief graphic moments referenced in the middle of a battle that I found unnecessary. They were quite brief and the plot moved beyond them fairly quickly. There was some sensuality, but not much but it was very minimal.

The book read like a thriller with a good pace, despite the long time period. The characters were well done and I enjoyed the intrigue between the Romans and the Malwa. I will continue to look for Belisarius books and enjoy reading them as they come my way.

Baby Blessings

This weekend my family blessed Roo. In the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints parents have the opportunity to bless their children, either as infants or even young children. When I mentioned that we would be blessing Roo to a coworker who is Catholic we ended up having a comparing the Catholic Sacraments against LDS ordinances. Blessing a child is not considered a vital ordinance but it is an opportunity to officially introduce the child to the church and bless it for life ahead.

We've blessed both of our other children, but we didn't actually do it in the congregation we were living in at the time. Kanga was born right after I started a new job in Price, UT. During Angel's pregnancy we lived with her parents, so when we blessed her we did it in their ward. I remember asking my father what wording I should use five minutes before the meeting started. Not long before her blessing I had read 2nd Nephi 2 which talks about man's agency and how we are free to choose and are enticed by those things that are good and those things that are bad. I remember being struck by verses 14, 15, and 16

14. And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon. 

15. And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, an din fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.

16. Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Where fore, man could not act for himself save be that he was enticed by the one or the other.

 The idea of being a "thing to be acted upon" was very unappealing to me. To be something that things happened to, something not in control, something without a choice or the power to act on choice. I wanted my daughter to be someone who would be proactive, who wouldn't just "let things happen" to her. When the time came I blessed her that she would "act for herself and not be acted upon." At this point I have some mixed feelings about this decision, but only because I'm her father. She is indeed someone who acts for herself and doesn't like to be acted upon. This makes parenting rough as she is headstrong, stubborn, and doesn't like to do what she's told. As my mother said about my sister EA, "I figured if I could just point her in the right direction she would never go wrong."

Tigger we blessed in a family setting with just friends and family. It was fun as we learned that the member of the bishopric that came to preside grew up with one of Angel's great aunts. They hadn't seen each other in several years and had a fun reunion. It was through them that I learned that you can actually stuff a dead duck through the drive in teller station at a Zion's bank. It is hard to remember much of the blessing itself. It was a tender moment because he had been out of the hospital for a couple of months but he was still on oxygen and we had no idea when he would be off it. I remember having to accommodate the tube as we held him in our hands. I felt impressed that his life would be filled with service opportunities and that he would be a force for good works in the world. I've been reminded in some of the latest talks in General Conference that I need to do my part in fostering that spirit as he gets older.

Roo, in no way to disparage his siblings, is the easiest infant we've ever had. He sleeps well, he hasn't been plagued by eating problems like the others were, and he doesn't fuss much. As the time for his blessing came close I wondered what he would need in life. In the end, as I held him in my arms this last Sunday with a lot of family and some friends standing around him I felt impressed to bless him with love. Love of family, love of the God, and love of work, as well as a desire to share those loves with others. I get the feeling that when he marries he will dote on his wife and children. It's easy to imagine him maintaining his easy going, calm attitude and being a soft spoken gentle giant. We'll see how right my musings are as he grows up, but I don't think I'm far off.

All of our children are very special to us. Kanga is a ball of energy that loves learning and doing. She easily takes charge of situations and loves to play with other. Tigger is sensitive and passionate, full of emotion and a desire to please. He's quick to throw a fit, or burst into tears, but also is constantly looking to snuggle and is free in giving hugs and kisses. Roo. We'll just have to see a bit more.

Audible Book Review - Spellbound by Larry Corriea

I actually finished Spellbound a little while ago, and just didn't write the review immediately. This was probably because I've read this book at least three times already. Like with Hard Magic, my initial thought was not to use a credit on this book. However, the enjoyment I had with the first book and my genuine, eager love of the series as a whole drove me to pick up the second book with my latest credit. Yes, my next credit will go towards the third book, Warbound, which I reviewed the hard copy version here. Here's a link for the Audible page for the book. Still narrated by Bronson Pinchot, The book was well done and very enjoyable. Again, Corriea mixes history, magic, demons, zombies, and this time even adds a ronin samurai. All without leaving the continental U.S. Correia does a really good job of mixing his story in with the history  of the time period including the Bonus March, the assassination attempt on FDR, and even the Office of the Coordinator of Information (albeit a decade or so early).

Plot: It has been about a year since the Geo-tel was fired. Jake Sullivan has spent that time researching everything he can to find out more about the Power and, more importantly, the Predator that is tracking it. The other Grimnoir have been about their own affairs but everything is put on hold when an assassin wearing a Grimnoir ring tries to blow up president-elect Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In the aftermath the Grimnoir and all other actives have to come to terms with a government and people hostile to them. What's more, they learn of a new government office that has been tasked with "fixing the active problem" and their lead agent, Mr. Crow, has exactly zero morals in carrying out his duty. What's more, Sullivan receives a phone call from a dead man, confirming the presence of the Predator and it appears that the best option is to walk right into the Imperium's embassy and ask for help. Faye, meanwhile, hasn't been able to teleport anywhere as well as she used to, and those that know why are scared that she might destroy them all.

My personal favorites: Like Hard Magic, Spellbound is action packed and character driven. The story does a great job of ramping up the tension and stakes without flying off the rails. Even the final battle has a great set up that builds up to the climatic moment with ease. We also meet one of my all time favorite characters, Toru of the Iron Guard. Hammer, Whisper, and Bowlander are also awesome characters with interesting stories and great hero moments. The action continues to be excellent and the villains are despicable.

Considerations: Like the other books, there is language and violence. And just like the other ones it is not gratuitous or graphic. There are no sensuality in the book. From what I could remember, I would say that this book had less language than Hard Magic.

Now, I've reviewed versions of all three books in the Grimnoir Chronicles trilogy. It is one of my all time favorites and is one that I readily recommend to people. Check it out. The total length was just under 16 and half hours.

Halloween and Getting things done

I didn't get pictures of the kids this year for Halloween, but they looked good as a cat and firefighter. I wasn't sure what to think when Tigger wanted to be a firefighter again this year, but in the end I figured that there is nothing wrong with wanting to be a firefighter. Beats the pants of other things he could have wanted to be. Angel took the kids out while I stayed home and took care of Roo and hand out candy. Roo was all wrapped up in a blanket. Once when some friends were at the door with their kids they asked what he was dressed up as. I said he was a burrito. The kids had fun and collected a fair amount of candy. We were able to listen to the music that one of our neighbors pumps out every Halloween. They set up a DJ table and have strobes and a fog machine, turning their driveway into a open dance floor. It was a pretty good selection this year. Somehow we've managed to train our kids that when they get candy it all goes into a communal container which is shared for those moments when sweets are appropriate. It has become the norm in the house, so it doesn't matter who gets more, or who gets what because it's all shared. And as I wrote that I felt like a communist. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Other than that, this weekend was well spent running errands, working on my van's brakes, and spending time with the family. We got caught up on laundry and dishes, as always, but I was proud that I was finally able to get the brake pads changed on my van. They've been making me nervous the last little while with the noise they've been making and I finally had a weekend to take the two tires off and see to them. I'm glad I did too. One pad was completely down to the metal break shoe. I was also pleasantly surprised that brakes pads didn't cost as much as I thought they did. The kids went with me as we picked up new pads, stopped by the library and hit the grocery store. I did end up putting the pads and wheels on in a small cloud burst, but otherwise it went really well. I'm glad that I can get some of those basic maintenance done on my vehicles. It save money and it makes me feel like I'm able to "take care"of my family.

The other fun thing I did was make a couple of lime chiffon pies on Sunday. We had the limes and were looking for something to do with them when I found that receipt in the Lion House Lite cook book. The one mistake I made was letting the filling set up in the bowl in the fridge. I was still able to scoop it into the crusts, it just looks a little lumpy. It should taste fine.

The most exciting thing that happened was that my parents got a new piano and offered their old one to us. Muscles had first dibs, but they are looking into getting a new one themselves. Dad popped up on Thursday and we got three guys to come and help move it after Kanga's school program. It's a little compact piano that needs a tune, but I've very happy to have a real piano in the home. Both of the kids like singing and Tigger has a really good ear for music. I played a few bars of the main theme of Star Wars and when I asked if they knew what it was he didn't hesitate and had it spot on. Kanga's school program was good as well. It was fall and Halloween themed and the kids sang a lot of fun songs, most in English, but a couple in Chinese. It was very crowded but it wasn't too uncomfortable. I'm just glad that we now have another reason for music in our house.

All in all, it was a very good weekend. The extra hour of sleep was appreciated as well, although it does mean that I'm up at 4:00 am with Roo. Well, that's just what being a dad is all about.

Baen Ebook Free Library Book Review - 1632 by Eric Flint The Ring of Fire book 1

I learned about the Ring of Fire Series from the Baen Free Radio hour podcast when they interviewed the authors, Eric Flint and Charles E. Gannon, of the latest book in the series, 1636: Commander Cantrell in the West Indies. The idea sounded interesting - a 20th century town is scooped up and dumped in 17th century Germany in the opening stages of the 30 years war. I tried to find it at the library but they didn't have the first book in the series. So, I was glad to see that it was free on Baen's Ebook library. Here's a link to the Baen Ebook Free Library page for the book. It was a fun read and as a history student I found it particularly interesting. It is the story of modern day people in a long past time, but it also covers some of the big historical events of that time. There were several chapters which walked the reader through a historical fiction account of the Battle of Breitenfield which were very fun. It gave some historical background, but also showed us a bit more of an important historical figure. All in all, the book was a very interesting read.

Plot: Grantsville, West Virginia is a typical Appalachian town with a power plant, coal miners, and a population of a couple thousand. Populated by what many folks would call "hicks" or "red necks" it's citizens are hard working, rough and tumble, good hearted people. Mike Stearns is the leader of the local chapter of the United Mine Workers of America labor union and most of the town is at the high school cafeteria enjoying his sister's wedding reception when the event occurred. It felt like an explosion and searing light flashed across the sky. Nothing was damaged, but Grantsville was changed forever. As mike and the other residents go out to see what the damage is they come across a group of soldiers dressed in steel amour and with matchlock guns pillaging and raping a nearby farm stead. They quickly put a stop to that but soon realize they are not in the proverbial Kansas anymore. A six mile circle of land, with Grantsville at its center has been relocated to 17th century Germany. Or what will someday become Germany. At the moment its a mess of warring princedoms and the residents of Grantsville find themselves right in the middle of it.

My personal favorites: The mix of alternate history and historical fantasy was a delight. The characters were a lot of fun too. I honestly cared about them and wanted them to succeed. I will confess that it didn't seem like they could fail at times, but there were moments where I greatly feared for them. The flavor of the prose was enjoyable as well. I had to smile at the fact that Eric Flint, who is a "card carrying Communist," had a main character that is the leader of a labor union. The action was good and the history was fascinating.

Considerations: With rough and tumble mine workers, marauding mercenaries, and a fair number of battles or generally bad situations there is some very strong language. It didn't pull me out, although some may find 17th century characters using modern profanity stranger. It didn't bother me based on the fact that those people would have had words just as strong, we just don't know what they are. There was no real graphic violence, but I must mention that rape is referenced a fair amount. There are not descriptions of the actual rapes however. There is one scene, describing a young couple's wedding night where leaves no doubt that the wedding was consummated, but again, no graphic descriptions. The vast majority was emotional and mental descriptions. Very brief oral sex is implied. The scene is not gratuitous as it explores the mentality of the young bride who had been a rape victim of another man for an extended prior to her wedding. It is telegraphed very clearly and can be skipped without consequence to the larger story.

All in all, the story was fun and I hope to be able to find a few more. It was entertaining and fun to see a cross of modern and medieval. 

Baen Books Free Library Book Review - The Honor of the Queen by David Weber, Honor Harrington book 2

About six months ago I got into the Baen Free Radio Hour podcast hosted by Tony Daniel. I originally got into it because for the last 15 minutes or so they play an unabridged audio book which they've serialized. They are about half way through Larry Corriea's Hard Magic and it's what prompted me to buy that some production (and the 2nd book in the trilogy) when I had the chance. However, the podcast has also introduced me to other authors and reading resources that I didn't know about before. One of these was the Baen Ebook Free Library. While I didn't really get into ebooks before I recently got a smart phone with a screen big enough to actually be able to read off of. When I realized this, I thought I would give ebooks a try. Interestingly enough I had recently borrowed Honor of the Queen from my father when I found it for free on Baen's ebook website. I didn't pick this book up on Audible because I wasn't sure if I wanted to pursue the story from On Basilisk Station. I'd learned how big the series was and after reading several book descriptions didn't know if I liked the way the series was headed. I figured borrowing the book would be a safe way to explore it. To wrap up this long introduction - I loved the book even more than the first and am glad that I have a copy that I can keep. Here is a link to Baen Ebook Free Library for the book. It was a great read and had some great suspense and showed us just how human and how awesome Captain Honor Harrington can be. For those that would like, they also have the first book in the series On Basilisk Station available in the Free Library. You could probably read the second without the first, but they don't explain the tech quite as well the 2nd time around.

Plot: After the near disaster at Basilisk Station the Royal Manticoran Navy has realized how seriously the People's Republic of Haven was about their expansionism. With Basilisk safely protected the RMN starts looking for other ways the Peeps might get at them. This takes them to Yeltsin's Star, a two planet system with a 600 year feud. The Manticorans are looking to support the planet Grayson all the while suspecting that the Peeps will back the Masadans. While technologically less advanced and culturally very different from Manticore and Haven, Yeltsin's Star does have one thing that both powerhouses want - location, location, location. But how far are Manticore and Haven willing to go to court the Graysons and the Masadans? How much blood will be spilled before the power houses realize that they have gotten involved in one religion's jihad on the other? Honor must come to grips with all of this while she acts as diplomat to a planet where a women's place is at home and decidedly not in the military.

My persona favorites: Weber does a great job of giving us social and political intrigue with some serious kick trash space combat. As I read I watched with mounting dread as the challenges and obstacles piled up. It made the climax that much better. Weber does a really good job of showing the extent of a battle and the result of using such powerful weapons. Ships and people die at a realistic rate and the physics involved feel true and correct. I found the fanaticism of the Masadans to be believable and in some ways pitied them. Weber even got me to care about Haven at one point. All of the characters were fantastic and I enjoyed the villains and the heroes/heroines

Considerations: Like the first book, there is language and violence in this book. I found it used appropriately and wasn't jerked out of the story by it. While there is some graphic descriptions of violence, it is minimal and again, doesn't distract. I do need to mention that there is a rather intense scene where we learn about the fate of some female POWs that some may find disturbing. The scene in question is powerfully written and does not wallow in the visceral, but conveys the strong emotions that are the root of the characters' reactions.

Overall, I loved The Honor of the Queen. I was really happy with the action and the characters. I am defiantly going to borrow the next book from my father and continue to explore the free library.

Boys weekend

This weekend found me taking some pictures of our boys, Tigger and Roo. The girls had a baby shower to go to so we guys got to spend some good time together.



They are good kids (for the most part) and we are glad to have both of them. In many ways they are both miracle children. Tigger was born at 27 weeks gestation and Roo was conceived while Angel was on a long term birth control. Due to the nature of the contraceptive and Angel's history with Tigger, Roo was at high risk to miscarry or be pre-term. Both boys overcame their respective obstacles and are now healthy and strong and are giving me grey hair. I haven't seen the hairs yet, but I'm sure they're there.

The pictures of Roo are pretty self explanatory: cute baby being cute. He's a rather mild kid who doesn't tend to fuss and is very content to sit and watch the world. He usually has a pretty serious expression on his face, but has started smiling more and more. He also will occasionally giggle in his sleep. I claim that he gets that from Angel, because she will often chuckle while asleep.

Tigger on the other hand is rarely standing still long enough to watch anything. He likes to run around like a demon and reminds me why my nic-name growing up was "Tarzan." This weekend we were at his grandparents and while playing he got a nice sheeska (swelling) right on his forehead. He was in pain for a while, but didn't have a concussion and was back running around in 20 minutes. It's still an impressive injury.

Book Review: Tricked by Kevin Hearne, The Iron Druid Chronicles book 4

Rather than wait to pick this up on Audible I just borrowed the paperback from my father. I was a little anxious about finding time to read it, but I managed and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It takes us out of the more well known pantheons into the Navajo belief system. As Hearne points out in the afterward however, the book is no substitute for an expert. He also points out that there are many different versions of the legends he is referencing. I thought the story was fun. And always remember, die angry and at maximum volume.

Plot: Atticus knew that killing a rather major God would have a bunch of people out looking for him. People that could find him, kill him, and make it hurt. So he gave them what he wanted. It's not often you get to see yourself getting hacked to pieces by angry Gods, but Atticus manages it without dying. Now he owes a favor to Coyote, the Navajo trickster God, and Coyote never plays things straight. Atticus finds himself up against a pair of skin walkers that he can't defend against. Not only that but the vampires are on the move since Leif is still recovering. Atticus is in a new home with new magics, and already he has new problems.

My personal favorites: Ever since I was introduced to the idea of Coyote from Tony Hillerman's Coyote Waits I found the character an intriguing one. Hillerman doesn't give us much, but it was enough. I rather liked Hearnes personification of Coyote and his and Atticus' interactions were good. It was fun to learn about the Navajo legends as well, even from a self admitted imperfect source. As usual I also loved Oberon he did not disappoint. And I have to agree with the Schwarzenegger pun treaty.

Considerations: Like previous books there was language and violence. Again, I was disappointed at some of the language usage, feeling that it didn't really add to the book. There was no sexuality to speak of in the book and it was very similar to the first three.

Tricked was a good read and I'm glad I picked it up. I'm going to see if Dad has the remaining books in the series. The total length was just over 350 pages.

Audible Book Review - Into the Storm by Larry Correia

I really enjoy reading Larry Correia's stories. He is a solid writer who is really good at spinning a yard with characters that I care about and action that is not just brainless beatings. He has humor, suspense, and even drama. It's not the level of prose of Hemingway, but that's fine because I don't really like Hemingway. Into the Storm is a great example of Larry's work for anybody just getting into him. It's based in the WarMachine gaming universe which is basically a midevil steampunk. The world is very accessible - detailed enough to hint at the depth but very easy to understand and imagine. Gaming fiction often has a stigma for cheesy action, drama, and romance but you will find very little of that here. Again, this is not Hemingway. Instead it is a very entertaining and engaging story that I finished in one day. Here is the link for Audible's page for the book. It was narrated by Ray Porter (who also did Blackout) and was really well done.

Plot: Lt. Madigan is an undesirable. Nobody want to serve under him. Nobody wants him under their command. He has a black mark so big on his record that he stains anybody that gets close to him. So he has been banished to the hinterlands, hunting bandits, cutthroats, and brigands. But war is coming and every able bodied and quick thinking man is needed, even if nobody wants him. So where do you stick a man who nobody wants? You give him the platoon made of up all the other miscreants, thieves, drunks, and malcontents. Madigan's job is to get the men who used to be worthy of being called Storm Knights cleaned up and ready for battle. Madigan's Malcontents start with no budget, no help, and no hope, but never doubt the man whose personal motto is victory over all. Even if that motto is what got him into trouble in the first place.

My personal favorites: The Malcontents are a great cast of characters. Each one has their own story and their own challenges. The interactions between the characters, particularly as they are trying to form a unit, were wonderful. The action was well done, as always, and the climax was epic and stirring. The tech was pretty cool too and makes me want to learn more about WarMachine an its world.

Considerations: There was little language, no sensuality, and few graphic descriptions of violence. There is a fair amount of violence, but not as much as you might think in a book about war. I would have little to no hesitation recommending this to a young adult reader (in fact, I already have to a couple). It is only available on ebook and audiobook, but still well worth it.

Larry threw this book out to his "regular" readers, saying, "I really liked writing this book a lot, but most of my regular fans don't know it exists." I am glad he brought it back round to my attention and I will continue to share it with others. The total length was just under 8 hours.

Book Review - Homeland by R.A. Salvatore book one of the Dark Elf trilogy

I grabbed this at the library after starting to listen to Legends of Drizzt as it is the first in Drizzt's origin story. I remember seeing my younger sister read this when we were in high school, but didn't think much of it at the time. The Forgotten Realms is a world created by TSR as part of their Dungeons and Dragon's universe and having read some of the Dragon Lance books (also TSR D&D based) I knew what to expect. On a side note, I've recently finished listening to Into the Storm by Larry Correia which is a game tie in with Warmachine and I'm glad to say that despite what many people might expect of books based on role-playing games many game tie-ins are very well written and tell very compelling stories. Homeland was one of them. It accomplishes a couple different things. First, it shows us how a society can be evil and still function, and second, it gives us a hero to cheer in that society - two actually. All in all it was a good read and I'm glad that I have the accessibility to finish out the trilogy.

Plot: The Drow elves of the Underdark live in a subterranean world far from the light of day. Menzoberranzan is a city of 20,000 drow living together, but not always peaceably. The one rule of the drow is, "don't get caught." If you were to attack a rival house you must kill each and every man, woman, and child. So begins Drizzt's life. Born during his houses attack on another he didn't learn until he was much older that his life was saved when his 2nd oldest brother assassinated the eldest during the battle. Nor did he learn the politics of the drow, but rather he learned how to fight and how to survive. As he grew and matured he found that he had a sense of honor and integrity that did not allow him find a place within the cruel, matriarchal society that was Menzoberranzan. Honed to be his house's weapons master - a warrior of unmatched skill - Drizzt sound came to realize that this world was no place for him. However, being male and a youngest son left him with few options. Not to mention that the world outside, in the Underdark, was potentially far more dangerous than the world he had been born into. Drizzt is left with the choice to stay with the devil he knows or to try to grapple with the unknown.

My personal favorites: Drizzt is a fun character. In some ways he comes across as a "can't do wrong" sort of person, but the challenges he faces are more of the internal type, trying to find his place in his world and coming to terms with non-physical challenges. It was interesting to see how an society of "evil" creatures could function effectively.

Considerations: There is little of language and sensuality - something that I've noticed in books based on game worlds. The violence is not very graphic in nature. In many ways this is a great book for young teens looking to enjoy fantasy, particularly if they enjoy gaming.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It had the feel of the classic high fantasies and good characters. The total length was just over 350 pages.

Audible Book Review - Hexed and Hammered by Kevin Hearne, the Iron Druid Chronicles book 2

For some reason, I'm having difficulty getting to my book reviews so I actually have the next two books in the Iron Druid Chronicles, Hexed and Hammered. I continue to enjoy the Iron Druid books and find Atticus O'Sullivan a compelling character. What I find particularly interesting is that the books continue to show us how the results of a dramatic and pantheon shattering event - like the death of a God - can really mess with your life. So many stories don't pursue the consequences of their characters' actions, but Kevin is fully content to show us what happens when you do things that you probably shouldn't, even if they are in self defense. Here is a link for Audible's page for Hexed and the one for Hammered. It continues to be narrated by Luke Daniels and he continues to do a really, really good job. The characters as just as delightful as before and we get to see more of Atticus' powers and understand more of his world.

Plot: Killing a god is a double edged sword. While it rid Atticus O'Sullivan of a hated and persistent enemy it also put a lot of attention on him. Attention he could do without. Not only that, but the reduction of the local witches' coven has left them weaker and not as able to defend against some of the scarier elements of the super natural. Atticus finds himself sought after by morals and Gods alike who would like to sic him on hated deities, locals who want help protecting their homes, and some who would like nothing more than to see him dead. In order to meet all of his obligations Atticus finds himself exchanging favors and soon is entangled in a plot to invade Asgard and kill Thor. Thor has had it coming for centuries, but that doesn't mean that you can just walk in and challenge him to a duel. Atticus' lawyer, Leif, is determined to end Thor and has gathered an A-team of immortals to help him in the task. Atticus' job is to get them in. But one does not simply walk into Asgard.

My personal favorites: Atticus and Oberon continue to be delightful. Oberon really has some great moments and brings a very invigorating vibe to the books. Like I mentioned earlier, these books take us further along the path of what happens when you kill a God (or more). We don't know much about Atticus' past, but Hearne gives us the exciting moments of "now" where Atticus is trapped in the consequences of his actions. The other characters continue to be delightful and the climax of both stories involves some great action. I really enjoy the humor of these books as it strikes a balance with some of the seriousness they have.

Considerations: This section is getting longer. Like Hounded the books do contain violence and language. The violence continues to be handled well with few graphic descriptions and nothing overlay gratuitous. The language is strong, but limited. I was disappointed that some of it didn't seem appropriately used. There is also more sensuality in both of these books then Hounded although it does keep it relatively vague and is not graphic. The last thing I feel a need to note is that while most of the pantheons that Atticus deals with are usually considered pagan he does meet with the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. While not being well versed on the Virgin Mary her portrayal felt very appropriate and she came across as rather saintly. Jesus on the other hand was a little interesting. The fact that the avatar in question was envisioned by a hippie gives some background. As a Christian I felt that the portrayal was not intended to be disrespectful and even had subtle accuracy others might find the it too casual. I mention it only our of consideration. I rather enjoyed those scenes with Jesus and found them interesting.

Both of the books were good and I'm continuing following the characters but in paper form as I'm borrowing them from my father. Hexed was just shy of 9 hours long while Hammered was just over 9 and a half.

Life is good

Welcoming a new child always tends to complicate things. We are very grateful that he is here. It just means that there is a little less time for some things. Blogging has suffered immensely, even after I returned to work (I often write a little something when it's slow or on my breaks). I've gotten behind on laundry, but I hope to catch up on that tonight. All in all though life is very good.

It's amazing how busy things can be but yet life is still very good. Perhaps I continue to use that express because I feel like life has been good to me. There are many things that could have gone horribly wrong with Roo's delivery, or any number of other things we are experiencing, but yet we continue to be meeting our needs and progressing through this thing called life. Kanga is learning Chinese quite well and Tigger is going to start a local pre-school soon. Angel is recovering speedily and Roo really is a good kid.

I know that if I look critically at our situation there is plenty to worry about - hospital bills being at the top of the list. Working in education means that you, comparatively don't make much and while it has never caused contention in the home the situation it pleases my family in can be worrisome. I am very luckily that I married a wonderful woman who does a really good job at sorting our our finances and so we have done relatively well for ourselves, considering.

There is still plenty to do and plenty that can be said about the challenges we face, but despite it all life is very good.

Audible Book Review - The Legend of Drizzt: The Collected Stories by R.A. Salvatore

It looks like I got lucky when I picked The Legend of Drizzt for free. It looks like it was a limited offer. It is still available on Audible, but now you have to pay for it. Here is a link to Audbile's page for the book. It is an anthology of stories focused around the world and life of Drizzt Do'Urden. I had heard of Drizzt when my sister read a trilogy featuring him, and have heard references to him in gaming comics, jokes, and half a dozen other sources. I was somewhat familiar with the character and since I enjoy good old fashion D&D style fantasy I picked it up without even though I didn't really know anything about the characters in it. I was quickly entertained and drawn into the Forgotten Realms world - one that I had played video games in for years. In addition the narration is done by "an all star cast" which includes Tom Felton, Al Yankovic, Sean Astin, Danny Pudi, Michael Chiklis, Felicia Day, Dan Harmon, David Duchovny, Greg Grunberg, Wil Wheaton, and Ice-T. I was very happy with the narrations, although I did have to chuckle as one of the narrators consistently put the "w" in "swords." Without knowing anything about the characters it seemed that the stories were a mix of origin tales, behind the scenes, and vignettists of the world. I was interested enough to pick up the trilogy about Drizzt, and will probably read more of R.A. Salvatore as I go. As this is an anthology I will list the titles of the stories, with a link to each as they can be purchases separately on Audible, with just the characters in it and a brief (one sentence) description.

Stories (in no particular order):
Guenhwyvar; The origins of Drizzt's faithful panther of the same name.
Bones and Stones: A story featuring Pwent about two warriors looking for their kin who were lost on the field.
Wickless in the Nether: Entreri and Jarlaxle, partners in crime, take a job that lands them in trouble and in the employ of two powerful masters.
That Curious Sword: Entreri and Jarlaxle, partners in crime, learn a bit more about Erntreri's powerful weapon.
Iruladoon: A group of fishermen find out that the forest of Iruladoon is a dangerous place to be.
The First Notch: Bruenor's first adventure as a young dwarf.
Dark Mirror: Drizzt finds himself possessing some of the same prejudices that he has faced himself.
To Legend He Goes: Wulfgar the barbarian is facing death, but there is still one more hunt to go on.
The Third Level: The origins of Artemis Entreri, one of Drizzt's greatest foes.
If Ever They Happened Upon My Lair: A full novella featuring knights, dragons, and the lich that brings the two together to explore their mortality. (A story I particularly enjoyed.)
Comrades at Odds: Drizzt and fellow drow elf Tos'un face their own personal struggles as they try to reconcile their separate past and future actions.

My personal favorites: The stories were diverse and enjoyable depspite me having never read anything from R.A. Salvatore before. The action parts were fun but there were also many very emotionally driven stories - such as Bones and Stones - which resonated with the other side of conflict that is not often explored. Villains were villainous and heroes were heroic. The Forgotten Realms stories are also known for giving readers a view of 'the other side' in that there are times when the POV follows the villains, bringing in an anti-hero vibe to them. There were a couple of those  in here and they were interesting.

Considerations: As stories that take place in classic D&D high fantasy, and based on the game as well, violence is common in most of the stories. With that said if these books had been published today they would have probably been listed as young adult. There is little gore or graphic descriptions (although the dragon store has a fair amount of dismemberment - which is to be expected), and almost no sensuality.

Overall, it was a lot of fun to listen to this collection. It's peaked an interest in me to explore the writings of R.A. Salvatore and the Forgotten Realms more. I'm glad that my library seems to have them stocked. The total length was about 10 and half hours.

Book Review - The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson

I first heard about The Emperor's Soul on the Writing Excuses podcast. Who would have expected Brandon Sanderson, who is known for his epic fantasy, to write a 150 page novella. This novella did go on to win a Hugo so there is no disputing that Sanderson can write a novella. My mother, who was publicly acknowledged as being a staple at successful author event, had the opportunity to talk with Brandon and said that he acknowledged The Emperor's Soul as one of the best things he's written. With Sanderson being known for writing a good many things I will agree that The Emperor's Soul is a fantastic story that is some of Sanderson's best work. And you can read it in an afternoon if you want. I was able to pick it up at my local library and read it while on paternity leave. At some point I will probably add it to my collection.

Plot: Shai is a forger, but not just in the sense that she creates replicas of art to pass off for the original. Her culture has the ability to place a mark - a stamp - on an object and rewrite its history. A table that has been neglected for years and is run down can be forged as if a servant had cleaned and polished it every week. The actual state of the object can be changed by forging its past. Shai has even down it with herself, giving herself the ability to become other versions of herself. However to forge an object or person their history must be utterly and completely known. It normally takes years to forge a soul mark for ones self. Shai has 100 days to make give the emperor a new soul. Left brain dead by an assassin's attack the emperor is out of commission. His ruling party has claimed that he is in morning for his wife, who was killed in the attack, but if he does not appear by the end of the 100 days the gig is up. Shai's job is to make sure that he does or the council will punish her for the crimes she was thrown in jail for. 100 days to know someone so completely as to recreate them. 100 days to give the emperor life while not getting killed by overcautious councilors. 100 days to prove she is the greatest forger of all time. And if she pulls it off, no one will ever know.

My personal favorites: Shai is an incredible character and he position is one of intrigue and suspense. The pacing of the book is really well done. It didn't ever bog down or feel rushed. I am gaining a better appreciation for shorter fiction and this is a great example of it. The process of forging was fascinating and while we don't know as much about it as we do other magic systems he's created it remains very interesting. I would enjoy seeing more of this culture (I understand the book is technically in Sanderson's Elantris world).

Considerations: There is no strong language, graphic violence, or sensuality of any kind in this book. The book may not be accessible for middle grade audiences, but young adult shouldn't have problems with it.

I really liked this story and enjoyed the short format as well. For anybody looking to get a taste of Sanderson's work who doesn't want to dive into Warbreaker or The Way of Kings this is the story for you. The total length was 150 pages.

Audible Book Review - Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles book 1 by Kevin Hearne

This is another book that at on my wishlist waiting for the right moment. I was hesitant to pick it up because my Audible credits about worth about $11 while the book cost $10. I didn't want to get shorted on my credit so it sat there until I got an E-mail saying it was on sale for $4. That I could do, picking it up as a late birthday gift. My father had recommended it to me and I had heard good things from a friend as well. It was everything I had anticipated and even a little bit more. Here is a link to the Audible page for the book. There was action, excitement, humor, and honor. There were also witches, vampires, werewolves, angry gods, demons, and Death himself. And an Irish wolf hound named Oberon that stole the show. And I have no complaints. It was narrated by Luke Daniels who did a masterful job - particularly with Oberon who was perfect - and I finished it in quite short order.

Plot: Tempe, Arizona is the perfect place to hide from the supernatural if you have an angry Celtic love God after you. It's even a great place to hide if you have any thing supernatural after you. Maybe that's why Atticus O'Sullivan has so many supernatural acquaintances. His lawyers are werewolves (except for the vampire partner who works the night shift), some of his clients are witches, and he gets to see the local God, Coyote, every once in a while. Atticus is a druid who draws magical power from the earth and he has been on the move from before the start of Christianity. It's only been through clever tricks, determination, and magic that took him 750 years to perfect that he's survived. But survive he has. At the moment he is surviving by running an occult book shop and alchemists shop not far from the local college. When he gets attacked by servants of Aengus Og, the angered love God mentioned above, Atticus knows he has to make a choice: fight or flight.

My personal favorites: The characters in this story were fantastic. Oberon was a delight. I loved the comic relief he gave and his personality. Atticus' character was great as well. Quite rounded and believable. I didn't have a problem with any of the other characters and enjoyed them quite a bit. The action and plot moved in a good way. I'm liking the world that Hearne is setting up and I'm looking forward to getting the other books in time.

Considerations: These books feel and have a similar vibe as the Dresden files. There is a little grit, but nothing gratuitous. There is a scene where sex is explicit, but it cuts prior to anything happening and then picks up after the fact. With that said there is sensuality, but again nothing graphic. The violence is akin to Monster Hunter and Dresden and while I did not have a problem with it, some might. There is also brief strong language.

I really enjoyed Hounded and for anybody who likes the action side of urban fantasy I would recommend it as very entertaining. We'll see how the rest of the series goes and I'm looking forward to it. It's total length was just over 8 hours.