Birthdays

As I'm reviewing my blog I realized that I haven't posted anything about my birthday last week. It was a very enjoyable day. Work was good and I met Angel and the kids afterwards to go to dinner. At dinner they let me open one gift (the one small enough to bring into the restaurant) which was season 4 of M*A*S*H. I was excited because that's the first season with BJ Honeycut and Col. Potter, two of my favorite characters. I've been able to watch episodes with Angel and while folding laundry. I love how the episodes are a mix of humor, satire, and serious topics. I later opened two other gifts, one was a new wall clock for my office that I think is really awesome the other was a Darth Vader apron. My enjoyment in these gifts just goes to show how much I'm getting older. I appreciate very practical things.

Interestingly enough, as I write this it is Tigger's birthday today. He made it to six and is doing alright. There are some words that come to mind when I think about Tigger. Passion and childlike joy are the two at the forefront. Volatile (not violent) and trying are two others, but they only come up when he and I are both in bad moods. I've never seen a child so spontaneous in his love and affection. Whenever he sees somebody he likes, it's the best day EVER!!! Whenever he has the chance to do something he enjoys, it's the best day EVER!!! He loves to be close to those he loves and is a world class snuggler. Every night when I put him to bed he asks if I'll tell him a story from when I was little. He is getting better at reading, although he really doesn't like practicing. I know it's not advised to compare your kids as they are all very different. I do it anyway. He is not the academic his sister is, but he is very curious and he will remember things that surprise me at times. He can still be a bit of an omniphobe but I'm learning how to help him get over some fears. He and I have a father/son camp out coming up soon and I'm looking forward to spending time with him and his grandfather. All in all, I'm very happy to have him as a son and feel blessed to be his father.

Audible Book Review - Into the Wild by Larry Correia, The Malcontents book 2

This is the problem with reviewing a Larry Correia book. I go to find a picture and end up getting sucked into his blog for longer than anticipated. I was excited to learn that the last Dead Six novel is approaching final edits which will mean we should get it in about a year. I'm sure I'll be able to wait until then. Probably. Anyway, enough about future books. Into the Wild was a fun ride featuring the great cast of characters that we got to know in Into the Storm. The Malcontents are more respectable now, but still known as a rough and tumble bunch. Ray Porter narrates the book and does a great job even though some of the characters don't sound the same way as before. Here is a link to the Audible page for the book. We get to see more character growth from many of the characters and it's fun to see the Malcontents in an environment that we haven't seen them in before. All in all it was very enjoyable.

Plot: Royal Sygnaran Storm Knights have to put up with a lot. As the Kingdom's heavy infantry they get thrown into some of the roughest battles against some of the most dangerous foes. Armed with insulated armor and weapons that channel and shoot light lightning there is very little that they can't kill. And now one squad of the infamous Sixth Platton, "Madigan's Malcontents," has been tasked with "babysitting some academics" on a research trip in the wild mountains deep inside Cygnar's own borders. Kelvan Cleasby has not been an officer long but he knows better than to ask "what's the worst that can happen." The academics may be surprised when Cleasby has their heavy war jack, Headhunter, packed up and brought with them but in the end they're glad. What leaves Ironhead station as a camping trip in the mountains rapidly turns into a fight for survival that even the Malcontents may not be up to winning. Good thing they meet an old "friend" before the trouble starts. But then, Savio Montero Acosta is always looking for trouble and he has yet to be disappointed.

My personal favorites: As always, Correia does a great job and blending action with story. I cared about the characters and wanted to see them succeed. I was even cheering for the villain at one point, and not because one I wanted one of the good guys to die because he annoyed me. (I'm looking at you Dr. Burrows from Closer). Larry does a good job of making the villain sympathetic and still engaging. For those that are unfamiliar with Warmachine gaming world the book shows us more and helps us feel connected without treating us like children. We also get a glance at more world wide conflicts. And of course, who doesn't love a commanding officer who doesn't hesitate to order his men to shoot him.

Considerations: Just as in Into the Storm the language is low and there is no sensuality. This book had more gore and descriptive violence as the foes they fought were bestial berserkers who followed rites of blood sacrifice. Nothing I haven't come across in other young adult books. I make this special note of it as it is more than in the last book.

From city to mountains, from fortress to the top of train cars the Malcontents continue to deliver. I kept wondering what was going to happen next and Correia didn't leave me wanting. The only thing I don't like about Correia's writing is that I listen to it too quickly. One of the best things about it though is that I can listen to it over and over and still find it entertaining. The total length of Into the Wild was nine hours and forty-five minutes.

Audible Book Review - The Hollow Boy: Lockwood & Co., book 3 by Jonathan Stroud

And since I've already reviewed one book, I might as well get as caught up as I can. I think I've actually got two more to do, but I'm not sure why I'm dragging my feet on them. Maybe it's because these other review are more gripping. That is certainly the case with The Hollow Boy. With Ghost Story, and Death Weavers this makes the third story involving ghosts in as many months. Out of those three I think this one is the most well written when it comes to making ghosts creepy and terrifying. Both of the other two books do a good job with what they are writing. Their limitations are they are introductions to ghostly aspects of the established world where Lockwood & Co. is a world of ghosts and Stroud is not adding to the world but rather is adding details to that world that make it even more vivid and lurid. While I enjoyed all of the ghost stories I recently listened to, The Hollow Boy is the one that is a true ghost story. Stroud's writing does an awesome job of building tension and portraying the situations our characters find themselves in as genuinely frightening. His style lends well to audio and I think would translate well to film. Here is a link to the Audible page for the book. This book was narrated by Emily Bevan who is new to the series. It took a bit to get into her version of the characters' voices, but by the end I was good with it and it didn't distract from the performance. All in all, the book was gripping, exciting, and intriguing throughout.

Plot: London's ghost problem is accelerating. That is good for business for the various firms that handle ghosts, but bad for survival rates. Lockwood, Lucy, and George and so busy that it's been ages since they went on a case together. Moral is suffering the effects of fatigue and what's worse (for Lockwood anyway), they haven't been asked to participate on the giant outbreak that has all the big firms tied up in the Chelsea district of London. In an attempt to make their life easier, Lockwood hires an office assistant. However, it doesn't make Lucy's life easier as she and Holly do not get a long. At all. While they keep things civil (barely) it just might boil over at the worst time. What's more, Lucy's talent of listening to ghosts might be more powerful then originally thought, but in order to employ it she has to leave herself completely defenseless. At what point does exploration and a desire to help become suicide? She might not know until it's too late.

My personal favorites: As always, Lucy, George, and Lockwood are fantastic. Holly is a fun addition as well, particularly as it throws a wrench in Lucy's mindset. In many a less well written young adult novel this addition of a character like Holly would through the characters into an emotional well of soppy and "woe is me" self-dialog that would turn the novel into a mushy YA romance. However, Stroud is a really good writer and Lucy is too stubborn to let her emotions get the better of her - or so she thinks. One conflict didn't remove tension from the others. The climatic scene was well done and we start to see more intrigue on a large scale. Stroud is good as paying off promises he made in earlier books all the while leading into new ones that are leading us where he wants to take us. Really, just needs to say: My personal favorites: all of it.

Considerations: Like the other books, the considerations for this have nothing to do with violence, sensuality, gore, or anything else. Some strong language, but nothing else in that regard. The climax is intense and might be frightening for young readers, but nothing YA readers would find too much.

These are some of Angel's favorite books. In fact she had read this book from the library but still wanted the audio version for her private collection. I also enjoy the books, which is surprising as I don't normally go for ghost stories. However, Stroud has done a great job writing a ghost intrigue/suspense story and THAT is something I can get into. The total length for the book was just under 12 hours.

Audible Book Review - Death Weavers by Brandon Mull, Five Kingdoms book four

As my new credit is coming today (can't wait) I should review the book I got with my last one. I've enjoyed the Five Kingdom books by Mull. I re-listened to Crystal Keepers in preparation to getting Death Weavers and enjoyed getting back into the world (or worlds). Death Weavers was a good read and I like the way that Mull is weaving his worlds together. Here is a link to Audible page for the book. We learn more about The Outskirts in this book then we ever did in any of the others. It sets up the challenges of the final conflict we'll see in the last book. Keith Nobbs continues to narrate the series and continues to do a good job. I'm looking forward to the last book.

Plot: Cole, Mira, and the rest of the crew has entered Necronum in search of two of Mira's sisters who have come under duress there. Necronum's shaping is centered on death and all of the mysteries associated with it. In Necronum ghosts, called echos, can be seen and can even act in certain situations. Their search takes them from caves where memories dwell to literally the other side of death. Cole is forced to make some hard decisions and he embarks on a journey across the lands of the hereafter. There he will meet new allies and enemies and learns what must be done if he is ever to return home to stay. You can expect nothing less when you set out to find Destiny.

My personal favorites: The question of destiny was a great one. I loved the questions that faced the characters and the decisions they had to make. The new and newly re-acquainted companions were a lot of fun. As previously mentioned, I like how Mull is weaving together his worlds of his books.

Considerations: Like the others, there was nothing of concern for young adults in this book. Non-graphic violence, no sensuality of any kind. Mull writes to his audience's level very well.

It's always hard to review a book in the middle of the series without giving away spoilers. It makes for short reviews. I enjoyed Death Weavers and am awaiting the final book, curious to see what Mull has in mind. The total length was 13 and half hours.