Audible Book Review - The Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent by Larry Correia

As is well known by now, I really enjoy Larry Corriea's writing. There are a couple of short stories and a novella that I haven't read/listened to yet, but I've read/own everything else of his. The Adventures of Tom Stranger are one of his funniest yet, particularly if you read his blog or follow him on social media. This is in large part because he incorporates a lot of inside jokes into the text. Now, many may feel that if you don't get the inside jokes it's not going to be funny, but my mother and wife, who don't read a Larry's blog or even his books, both found it very humorous. There is something about a manatee who is also a CFO and a call center from Hell that are inherently funny. The story could be pre-ordered for free, and will remain free until June 21 (2016). It is certainly worth the price. Even if it would cost you a couple of bucks, I would still recommend you pick it up. I've already decided that it will always have a place on my device, just like Night of Blacker Darkness and for the same reason. If you want to get a taste of what the story is like, you can read the original basis for the character on Larry's blog here - just scroll down to the Tom Stranger section. The story was narrated by Adam Baldwin - yes, the same Adam Baldwin that is referenced in the story - and he does an excellent job. This shouldn't be surprising as Larry wrote this production knowing that he would be the narrator. All in all, this is a hilarious short story that I have already listened to three times and that has made me laugh every time.

Plot: When a rift opens and creatures from another dimension start trying to take over, who are you going to call? TOM STRANGER!! Voted number one in customer service three years running, Tom takes his clients' needs very seriously. Sporting the greatest tech in the multiverse, bio- and cybernetic enhancements, and an intern that has the survivibility of  a standard earth chicken, Tom.... Wait. What was that about an unsuitable intern? There has clearly been a mix up with Tom's new intern. The question is will Jimmy the Intern live through "filing claims" long enough for Tom to sort out what's going on.

My favorite parts: All of it. Really, I loved the pop culture references, I loved the tongue in cheek political commentary, I loved the making fun of conventions. It was a funny book written to be funny.

Considerations: There is just a little strong language (no f-bombs) and there is plenty making fun of liberal politics, so you've been warned. Really, I think Larry wrote this section better, so if you would like to see Tom Stranger's response to all of the 1 star reviews (58 as of this writing) you can read Tom Stranger:Customer Service Response Panel on Larry's blog - Monsterhunternation.com.

As I said, this one is staying on my device. It's a great story to work out to and is just fun when you need a break. The total length was just over two hours.

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.

Audible Book Review - Manners and Mutiny by Gail Carriger Finishing School book the Fourth

And I'm still struggling keeping up but here it is. The last of the Finishing School series by Gail Carriger. When we cancelled our Audible Account both Angel and I were sad that we wouldn't have ready access to this book when it came out. Luckily my new job enabled us to renew our account just in time. There was no question that this book (which had come out late last year) was getting picked up. Here is the link to the Audbile page for the book. The series is now complete and, from what I understand, ends with everything in place for Carriger's 1st book Soulless to start up. Muscles has told us that while she enjoyed the Parasol Protectorate books she recommends them sparingly, the same way I recommend the Monster Hunter and Dead Six series. I don't know that we'll pick up any of those books we we've enjoyed the Finishing School books. The last book was narrated by Moira Quirk, like the others, and like the others she did a great job.

Plot: Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy Young Ladies of Quality is in more danger than ever. With the Picklemen maneuvering to take over mechanicals all over the kingdom something most be done. And the most capable people of doing anything about it tend to be the first targets. Sophronia is determined to make sure that those who are seeking control don't get it, but that's hard to do when you don't know how they intend to take control. With Agatha and Dimnity, Sophronia tries to figure out what is the Picklemen's ultimate goal. However, can she survive finding out?

My personal favorites: The story is great and the characters are a lot of fun, as before. The action was good and suspense was well done. I liked part where Sophronia was "behind enemy lines" and had to find ways to handle herself with danger all around her. I thought the ending was satisfying. I didn't mind Sophronia and Soap's relationships and I thought the interactions were fun.

Considerations: There is more violence in this book as well as more sensuality, but I still consider it appropriate for young adults. There were no graphic descriptions or language to worry about. The book was on par with the others.

I was glad to listen to this series and enjoyed the presentation very much. As I said, we probably won't pick up the Parasol Protectorate, but I am curious about the Custard Protocol. The total length of Manners and Mutiny was just under 10 hours.

Audible Book Review - The Dresden Files books 3-12 by Jim Butcher

So I haven't posted a book review in a while because I wanted to get through all the books I had in the series. Thanks to my cousin I was able to get audible versions of the bulk of the Dresden Files that I started reading a could of years ago. SO, you can consider this a review of Grave Peril, Summer Knight, Death Masks, Blood Rites, Dead Beat, Proven Guilty, White Knight, Small Favor, Turn Coat, Changes, and Ghost Story. It was a lot of listening, about 154 hours, give or take a hour or two. They were all narrated by James Marsters who was marvelous. I really like Butcher's writing and despite listening to a adventure/thriller series for almost three months straight I rarely tired of hearing either about the story or James Marsters' voice. There were a couple of times when I would feel annoyed with an attitude or action that the Dresden had decided to take, but without fail the next time I started listening had me back in the story and loving the characters in a matter of minutes. This says a lot about an author. It took me twice to get through Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix because I was so annoyed with Potter's attitude but when I got annoyed with Dresden I just had to give it a minute and I knew that Butcher would suck me right back in. I'm not going to try to provide a plot summery for each book, but, in Butcher's own words, Grave Peril is where the much larger story arch gets started and, while it is still moving forward at the end of Ghost Story it does wrap up a pretty big part of it. Harry Dresden is far from done. As of this writing there are two books and an anthology that are past this. I'm going to see a friend next month who has promised to help me get the next couple of books, so I'll review those when I get done with them. It may be a bit. Despite enjoying Dresden, I may need a bit more time before getting back into his story. It's pretty intense and a change of pace and palate is nice every once in a while. Can I just say I really don't like the way Blogger arranges pictures?

Plot: Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard private investigator, is not known for holding back when innocents are in danger. Luckily he is not alone. Through his contacts in the supernatural world Harry has met righteous knights (complete with swords and shining armor), a pack of young werewolves, small time practitioners, necromancers (complete with zombies) gangsters, demons, ghosts, vampires, the Fae (Matrons, Queens, Kings, Ladies, and Knights - all worthy of the capitol letter), shades, fallen angles, mercenaries, oracles, and, or course, fellow wizards. All of whom want him to work for them, kill him, or are willing to help him. His job is to know which is which. When war breaks out and Harry starts to lose friends and allies, he finds himself stretching and pushing himself more and more. With every victory he finds himself losing something. The question is how far can he go before he bets too big and loses it all.

My personal favorites: Butcher has created a cast of heroes, villains, gods, and demons that are anything but two dimensional. and are all intriguing. Whether it's the polka loving Butters, the mysterious gangster Markon, the relentless Warden Morgan, or the good intentioned Molly - and these are predominately side characters - the cast is well envisioned and well developed. It's incredible to see each character go through their own story arc and experience their own triumphs and failures. Karen Murphy, Dresden's closest friend, is a delight in and of herself. Unfailing in her loyalty and stalwart in her duty she backs Dresden to the hilt (literally on occasion) and reaps the rewards and the consequences. Butcher does an incredible job of showing us exactly what Harry's actions lead to and many of them are not pretty. The action is very well written and the story arc is both vast and intimate. All in all, fantastic writing.

Considerations: The books do have occasional strong language. I would be surprised to be reminded of that fact, but did not find it used inappropriately. There is also sensuality, some books don't have much, others more so. The most blatant sexual references were in Death Masks which was a little intense with some brief, limited, graphic descriptions, Despite all the violence and the supernatural aspects there aren't a lot of graphic descriptions of violence. On par or less than Corriea's books. I probably wouldn't recommend these books for young adults, even older ones. For anybody else, go for it.

Going through these books was quite a ride. They were a big help in handling the stress of job searching and starting my new job. I've recently finished another new book and the audible version of an old favorite that I need to review. I'm also re-listening to Crystal Keepers as I'm anticipating getting the new Five Kingdoms book next week. My wife is thinking about picking up the latest Lockwood & Co. even though she's already read it. She really likes the productions on Audible and I have been encouraging her because I have not read it yet. So, yeah, lots of stuff on my plate - reading wise. The Dresden books were great and I will finish the series. It's just a matter of time.

Book Review - Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters

My coworker mentioned the character of Amelia Peabody one time when we were discussing books and I was a little intrigued. I enjoy a good hero/heroine and Peabody sounded like somebody up my alley. I was finally able to make a trip to the library AND remember the name of the author and book, so I was able to pick it up. I started reading it on the bus and then found myself reading it at home and finally finished it on a day that I had off when I woke up early. As I suspected, I enjoyed the character of Amelia Peabody and the situations she found herself in. It was a pretty quick read, what I would expect from a paperback mystery, but it was satisfying. I'm looking forward to reading more of her adventures, and will probably fit them in between other books as the mood takes me.

Plot: Amelia is the youngest child of a scholarly father. She grew up studying with him and gaining a pleasure out of learning about dusty tombs and ancient mummies. When her father died and left her with an unexpectedly large amount of money she decided to live her dream and winter in Egypt. Not quite a full feminist, but still rather progressive for the 1880s Amelia is a direct women that will not be swayed or moved if she doesn't want to be. She is delayed in Italy on her way to Egypt but it throws her in the path of Evelyn, a young English woman who has found herself in deplorable circumstance and who Amelia takes under her wing as a traveling companion. The two of them reach Egypt and begin their cruise down the Nile. But new friends and old acquaintances muddy the waters of Amelia and Evelyn's trip. When a mummy goes missing, only to reappear on its feet Amelia is determined to clear the waters and see that everything ends in proper fashion.

My personal favorites: Amelia and Evelyn were great period characters, showing two different personalities in similar situations. I liked the way the two played off each. The mystery was fun - not your classic murder mystery but still engaging. The Emersons, Lucas, and the other characters were all interesting. I really liked the setting and the historical events were all fun.

Considerations: It's important to remember that this is a period book, so the characters are concerned about some things that modern readers might consider important. Beyond this, there was nothing I would consider questionable.

I enjoyed Crocodile on the Sandbank and will undoubtably pick up more Elizabeth Peters' books in the future. I can see them as becoming a mystery Louis L'amour, something to grab when I'm in the mood or as a palette cleanser after a heavier novel. All in all it was a good read. The total length was 352 pages.

2015 Books reviewed

First off, this is not a "Best of 2015" list. I don't want to end up on Richard's list.

Looks like it was a little thinner this year for books. But that was probably due to me finishing my masters and cutting our audible account in September. Last year's total was 46, so I'm down nine. However, that is books reviewed not read. I think I read a half dozen ebooks that I didn't review (not quite "if you can't say something nice" but close enough) and I read a lot of monographs for classes and such. The list looks a lot shorter because I had more repeat authors this year that last year (5 books from Elizabeth Moon, 3 from Brian McClellan, 6 from Brandons - Mull and Sanderson).

Curtsies and Conspiracies and Waistcoats and Weaponry by Gail Carriger
1633 and 1634: the Baltic War by Eric Flint (and David Weber)
Legion, Legion: Skin Deep, and The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson
Slaves of Socorro, and Scorpion Mountain by John Flanagan
Dracula by Bram Stoker
William Shakespeare's Star Wars: The Jedi Doth Return by Ian Doescher
Sky Raiders, Rogue Knight, and Crystal Keepers by Brandon Mull
The Seventh Sigil by Margaret Weis and Robert Krammes
Promise of Blood, The Crimson Campaign, and The Autumn Republic, (The Powder Mage trilogy) by Brian McClellan
Trackers by Peter Haran
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
The Ethos Effect by L.E. Modesitt, jr. (I have actually read three others and am in the middle of a fourth by Modesitt's but haven't reviewed them yet. I wanted to get the whole set read).
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Thursdays with the Crown, and Silver in the Blood by Jessica Day George
Farmer in the Sky by Robert A Heinlein
Dune by Frank Herbert
Trading in Danger, Marque and Reprisal, Engaging the Enemy, Command Decision, and Victory Conditions (Vatta's War series) by Elizabeth Moon
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
Son of the Black Sword by Larry Correia
The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher
Her Brother's Keeper by Mike Kupari
David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell

Favorite book this year - Silver in the Blood. It was a great romp for all ages and held me entranced for the whole thing. I loved the mythos of the family and, like Dracula, knowing what's coming just builds the suspense. With that said, The Aeronaut Windlass comes in a very close second. Steampunk, airship combat, great characters. It was close. Interesting enough, both of those books are ones I read, not had read to me. There runners up for favorites were Son of the Black Sword and Rithmatist, both by great authors who are really good with character and plot. Correia has joked that he doesn't mind coming in behind Butcher and he does again. But not by much.

However, I have to mention that The Power Mage trilogy takes favorite series. And that probably takes first place for the year overall. It was an incredible ride through an awesome world with great characters and all the awesome. What's more is that Brain McClellan is a new author and this is his debut series. Like I said, all the awesome. Vatta's War was also very good and ranks high on the favorites.

All in all, it was a good year for reading. There was some great stories that I look forward to re-reading/listening to, and others I can't wait to share with my children (I've already pawned off a bunch on my friends). I can't wait to see what next year brings. I've already got several I'm looking forward to reading and others I just need to finish.

Book Review - David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell

My work sponsors a book group every semester. Now that I think about it, I didn't review the book last time. I may need to get on that.... Anyway, this year there was a great selection of books, but I wasn't really drawn to many of them. I had heard about David and Goliath through Audible when it came out so I thought I would give it a go. Our group is only four people, but I like them all and am looking forward to the discussion later this month. Like with the other non-fiction books I've reviewed the "plot" section of this review will include an overview of the points that Gladwell makes. In many ways, Gladwell reminds me of Taleb and Black Swan in that he introduces ideas that seem contradictory or highly unorthodox, but with consideration make sense and should be the logical choice. It was a good read, although it wasn't always easy. Gladwell requires you to reflect on the people and situations that he presents and some of the situations can be painful. In any event, the book was a good read and worth considering.

Plot: Why was Goliath surprised when David slew him? A thing like that hadn't entered his head before. David is the mascot of any underdog taking on the superior foe. However, was David really at a disadvantage when he fought Goliath? If you look closely at the situation, even without considering possible physiological considerations/limitation, David was armed with a projectile weapon against a man with a sword. He had essentially brought a gun to a knife fight. There's no wonder he won. However, the fact that don't tend to consider the details but rather make assumptions based on imperfect information. Gladwell looks at the strengths that come with being an underdog and the weaknesses of giants that are not readily apparent. He demonstrates these ideas through relating actual events and through interviews with those that were the underdogs. The clincher of the book is that you might not be as disadvantaged as you originally thought.

My personal favorites: This book causes you to shift you mindset and consider some things that may be perceived as laws, but are in fact just customs or traditions. It is inspiring in that it lets you see what kinds of advantages you can have because of disadvantages. It also encourages you to consider what's the worst that can happen and what that enables you to do.

Considerations: There is no language or sensuality of course. There are some descriptions of childhood leukemia that showed it's devastating impact, but nothing graphic. I found some of the examples he gave were of people that pushed the lines of ethics in my opinion and consequently their behavior should not be emulated, but Gladwell might argue that point. As ethics is determined by social and cultural norms more than rigid laws and this book is about looking beyond those norms his examples make sense and show exactly what he is discussing. The only other thought I have on this book is one that I have with many such books or stories when I come across them - for every person who succeed how many failed? My (albeit small) inner skeptic knows that books like this are only written about success and that stories about failures are not often published which gives us a skewed view of success. With that said, Gladwell does look at some examples where someone failed to achieve what they wanted to despite doing what appeared to be the right thing. He also acknowledges the fact that the disadvantages that can create an advantage are still disadvantages that we won't wish on anyone and we should not seek for them. Regardless of my small misgivings about these kinds of books, I feel and know that they need to be written for the simple reason that they show that success is possible. If a person is unable to see the potential of success they will never strive for it. This book encourages us to look at that potential and rise up to meet it.

The book was very good and it was a relatively quick read for non-fiction. It's well written, expertly organized, and engaging. I've already got an eye on one of Gladwell's other books and do not expect to be disappointed. The total length was 295 pages.

Book Review - Her Brother's Keeper by Mike Kupari

I pre-ordered Her Brother's Keeper back in June and have been waiting anxiously for it. This is for two reasons. First, I really like Mike's work with Larry Correia in Dead Six and Swords of Exodus. Those two books have awesome characters and action and a plot that is more complex than a whole lot of other books out there. I recently read some books through a free ebook service and I have not reviewed them here because they felt very mediocre. I once asked my Mom if Jane Eyre was a Gothic novel and she replied by saying Jane Eyre is what Gothic novels aspired to be. Dead Six and Swords of Exodus are to action and military thriller as Jane Eyre is to Gothic. Because of how Mike and Larry wrote those books, you can tell when you're reading Mike and when you're reading Larry. This is not due to a difference in quality but rather style, and Mike has established a great writing style. I would say that Mike has a great way with characters, specially ones that have to deal with all kinds of troubles and still keep on moving. Second, for a brief period, before he cleared out his Facebook friends, I was able to interact with him and see a bit of his life. He was a really nice guy. Somebody that impressed me in several different ways. I don't know that I would be able relate to him or that we would have a lot in common, but he was somebody that I wanted to see succeed. Her Brother's Keeper is his first solo book and if it did well then he might be able to get a contact with the publisher that would help support him. Between his good writing and my desire to see him succeed, I wanted to support him. That is why I pre-ordered his book. And I'm glad I did.

Plot: Cecil Blackwood is the heir to the Blackwood clan's fortune and power on Avolon. He is also a bit of a scoundrel. His latest adventure has sent him to the far distant, tumultuous planet of Zanzibar, hunting alien relics where he was quickly captured by a local warlord, Lang. Now he is being ransomed off to his family. Captain Catherine Blackwood runs a tight ship and has a reputation for calm efficiency. That's one of the reasons her father hired her to get her brother back despite not being happy with her chosen career. Catherine's job is to travel the months long journey to Zanzibar and get her brother back. Her father simply intends to pay Lang, but Catherine knows that most jobs don't always go according to plan so while stopping for supplies she hires a few people who specialize in getting people like her brother away from warlords like Lang. With a ship for of supplies and some people who are very good at breaking things She sets off to rescue her brother. But Cecil won't be ideal for that time and what he and his colleagues find might just change Zanzibar for the worst.

My personal favorites: As with his other work, I liked the characters. Kupari has created a good cast. I would love to follow any of the characters into other stories whether it's Catherine into space, Cecil on a dig, or Marcus at home with the police. The world/galaxy Mike set up is complex. It explains the idea of "lost technologies" far better than I've seen it anywhere else. The action was, of course, well done. Mike knows his stuff having been in firefights and disarmed actual bombs himself. The story was also more than just your standard space opera. There was a mash of different genre stories throughout and it made it a lot of fun. It was difficult to put the book down once I started.

Considerations: There is little strong language, certainly a lot less than Dead Six. There wasn't any graphic violence, despite there being a fair amount of action. It was tastefully done. There was some sensuality with nothing graphic or too descriptive - along the lines of Dead Six again. All in all, I would recommend it to a older young adult and above audience - 18 or so.

I loved every minute of Her Brother's Keeper. It was a great action Sci-fi with classic elements such as space ship battles, FTL travel, new cultures and aliens and, where rocket ships take off and land on their tails, "...as God and Heinlein intended." I'm glad to have it in my collection and I look forward to future stories set in this world. The total length was 384 pages.

Book Review - The Aeronaut's Windlass:The Cinder Spire Series book 1 by Jim Butcher

I've reviewed a couple of Butcher's Dresden Files books and I enjoyed them quite a bit. I would like to read more of his stuff, but my library doesn't carry the next one I need. Luckily, I was able to get The Aeronaut's Windlass through my library's eBook collection. I was excited because I really liked Butcher's other stuff and I can appreciate, and enjoy, a good steam punk. Windlass was not a good steam punk, it was a great steam punk. It was accessible, mysterious, funny, intriguing, exciting, and captivating. Because I have a lot of reading time on the bus, I don't tend to read to myself at home. However, I couldn't get enough of this book and finished in traditional fashion, lying in bed unable to sleep until I finished it. It's the third of six books that I've got on my plate at the moment. And I'm glad that I was able to enjoy it.

Plot: The Spires are community that rises into the sky in structures built by unknown hands that are connected via airships powered by crystals grown over years, decades, and centuries. While they usually get along, every once in a while there are difficulties. Spire Albion is a prosperous "country", ruled by a council of noble houses and protected by the Fleet. Captain Francis Madison Grimm is not with the fleet. He was, but he was drummed out for cowardice, or at least that's what the official report said. Since then he's been making his way as a privateer wreaking havoc on Spire Aurora's merchant shipping. Enough that they decided to try to shoot down his ship. Limping home Grimm arrives in time to help repel a full scale assault on Spire Albion by Spire Aurora. Grimm isn't the only one that is able to lend a hand at the time of the assault. Gwendolyn, Benedict, Bridget and Rowl (a cat) are recruits finishing their training in the Guard who find themselves faced with the enemy. Showing great coolness and cunning while under fire they catch the eye of the man in charge and are tasked with a mission of finding out what the attack was trying to cover. There is more than meets the eyes going on.

My personal favorites: I liked everything about this book, the characters, the plot, the world, the action. Everything. It was gripping and complex, yet easy to follow. The cats were wonderful, adding intrigue and comic relief in turn. Yet everything was balanced so well that it didn't feel too much at any time. The tension was consistent but I didn't get desensitized. The learning curve was fairly lengthy but it was a gradual and, again, easy to follow. Butcher does a great job with action and suspense and there were several stand up and cheer moments. All in all it was a great read and an awesome ride.

Considerations: There was plenty of violence, but little of it was graphic. Some strong language, but nothing my that jumped out - a lot of it was in world language. Some sensuality, but very, very little, and nothing descriptive. I would probably recommend it for more of a mid to later young adult (sixteen and up) more for situation and technology considerations than for anything else.

I loved The Aeronauts's Windlass. It was a great action/adventure story told in a fun world and by an expert storyteller. It would be a great read for someone interested in steampunk or someone looking for a fun take on sci-fi. Either way, it's a total win. I got it on ebook, so I cannot say how long it was.

Audible Book Review - Son of the Black Sword by Larry Correia, Saga of the Forgotten Warrior book 1

This is my last Audible review for a time. We are already trying to figure out how to get the means to support our audio book addiction, but for now, this is the last book I got from them. I preordered it a while ago and, clearly have been looking forward to it ever since. While Corriea is known for his "gun" fiction, this is his first shot (pun intended) at epic fantasy. You might think that Into the Storm would be his first shot, but remember that he was given a world to work with and got to write a great story within that world. Even his other books are based on worlds that already existed (for the most part) that he just tweaked. His tweaking is really, really good in my mind but Son of the Black Sword is 100% his own creation. And he does great. It feels different from his other books. There are some similarities, but I didn't feel that I was rereading anything. You could argue that Jake Sullivan, Agent Franks, and Ashok Vadal are the same person, but I say no. They act in similar ways but for very different reasons. And the difference in those reasons produces different people. Here is a link to the Audible page for the book. It was strange to listen to a book by Correia that was not narrated by Bronson Pinchot or Oliver Wyman, but Tim Gerard Reynolds who did a fantastic job. All in all I was very pleased with the story and am looking forward to the next in the series.

Plot: Lok is a continent surrounded by Hell. Demons possess the oceans and water is considered impure. Yet, water is necessary for life. This is just one of the contradictions that exist in Lok. There is no king, there is no ruler, there is only The Law that dictates all. But the law only applies to people and, due to a brutal caste system, there are hundreds of thousands of Untouchables - people that have no caste - that are treated as less than property. When ranked in order of importance cattle rank higher than the caste-less. Everyone has a place, except for them.

Ashok, of house Vadal's, place is that of enforcer of The Law. A member of the order of Protectors, he is sent to fight demons, kill criminals, end house wars, and fulfill the commands of those that oversee The Law. Ashok is known throughout Lok as "the Blackheart" because he is merciless and unflinching in his duty to The Law. To him, The Law is everything.

So when he learns that he is not who he things he is, that he is, in fact, the result of criminal activity, his world starts to collapse. Driven almost mad with the discovery he turns on those responsible and then turns himself in. While this would normally be seen as a good thing, Ashok holds one of the legendary ancestor blades - swords that can remember every person, every battle, every cut, slash, and parry and passes that information on to it's barer. They are swords that turn their bearers into men capable of defeating armies. But the swords are picky about who they choose. Anyone unworthy of wielding one of the black steel blades will find the sword unmerciful - usually by removing valuable body parts when they pick it up. A bearer of one of these swords is a force of nature and cannot be treated as a common criminal. So Ashok sits in his jail cell, confined only by his unwavering duty to The Law while those in power plot not only his demise but also that of hundreds of thousands. While The Law may be perfect, those that uphold it may not be so pure.

My personal favorites: One, the picture I have here. It was the original cover art, but the publisher included it as an art plate when they decided to go with the simpler cover. As usual, Correia shows great skill and establishing the world his characters inhabit. In this case he has created this world and I could believe it. From the politics to the castes to the magic and the time scale I got it. The characters were great as well. They have some good complexity and aren't just one sided. There are some great contradictions that provide some good conflict and intrigue. The book reads like a classic fantasy but with Larry's flair for action. I look forward to seeing where the story and characters go.

Considerations: Despite his other books, Son of the Black Sword does not have as much language as may be expected. Rather, I should say that Larry does a good job of creating in-world language. As water is considered evil most of their curses invoke it. "Oceans!" and "Fish eater" are some examples. While there is some gore, he does not dwell on it, nor is it gratuitous or visceral. There is plenty of violence - this is a Larry Correia book after all - but again, it does not dwell on the gruesome parts of it. It read like many of the classic fantasy books I read as a young adult. As usual there are no sex scenes and no real instances of sensuality or sexuality.

The book did not feel as long as it was and that was because I got sucked in pretty quick. It was a very enjoyable listen and I look forward to the future books. The total length was just under 16 and half hours.

Book Review - Silver in the Blood by Jessica Day George

This is the first of six books that I've currently collected and feel a need to finish in the next couple of weeks. This one came first because 1) it is a library book, so I needed to finish it in a timely manner, and 2) I've been trying to get my hands on a copy of it for a couple of months now. I really like Jessica Day George as you may be able to tell from the other six books I've read and reviewed. I was particularly interested in this one after my mother reported on going to hear the author talk about. George got many of the ideas from actually going to Romania and pulling on local legends. What some may not know about Romania is that within its boarders exists an area that is known around the world as the lair of a terrible beast - namely Transylvania. You can imagine some of their legends. Being a fan of the original Bram Stoker's Dracula and having spent time in Eastern Europe (if on the other side of the Black Sea, literally), I was very interested. Plus I like her stuff. I've been trying to borrow the book from my mother for a couple of months now, but my older sister, Muscles, got it first. Than Darpa, her husband, got it (pesky married couples!) so I had to wait. Fortunately our library had it this last time around and I picked it up, even though I wasn't planning on getting anything (I had enough other books to read first). However, I got sucked in and wrapped it up last night - within 72 hours or so of starting it. While that is slow in some ways, considering I have four other books I'm working my way through, it says something that I jumped straight to this one. I was not disappointed.

Plot: Dacia and Lou are cousins whose fathers are from upper crust New York and whose mothers are from a very, very old Romanian family. They are both on their way to Romania for the first time, Dacia by boat and Lou riding the Oriental Express from Paris. It is nearing the turn of the 20th century and Bucharest is known as "Little Paris" and is one of the jewels of Europe. However, Dacia and Lou are not there to enjoy the sights, they are there to learn about who they are and the tradition they bear. For two proper young ladies from cosmopolitan New York they have an awful lot to learn about what it means to have family connections.

My personal favorites: The format was great - the story was told from both of the girls' points of view as well as through letters, newspapers, and diary entries. It hearkened back to the original Dracula but also allowed for suspense and tension from the POV points. I also liked the characters and the way they developed. I thought found it plausible and believable. The story also kept me guessing, even tough it seemed like I should be able to guess where it was going.

Considerations: While some of George's other books (the Castle Glower books and I would also say the Dragon books) are more middle grade, Silver in the blood is more young adult. There is a little language, blood and violence, and rather nasty villain of the "do this or I make you watch your loved ones suffer" variety. With that said, I found nothing objectionable to a young teen .

Again, I really enjoyed the book. It was exciting, suspenseful, intriguing, and of course it was romantic. I mean that in the classical, literal sense. Since Romania takes it's name and language from ancient Rome. "Roman"-tic. (sigh).

The total length was just over 350 pages.

Audible Book Review - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

Pride and Prejudice is one of the most well known stories in the world. Written just over 200 years ago, it still strikes a chord in audiences today. I've read the story (both the original and the one with zombies), seen two period versions of the movie, one contemporary version, and one movie based on it. In fact, just this week my wife and I had a getaway and watched the five hour version while we were gone. While we were watching it, I wondered at the how the story has continued on for so long and been so universally received. When you look at the particulars, I would wager that most modern readers don't understand the significance of the Bennett's position. For instances Lady Catherine de Bourgh rants about Elizabeth's uncles and aunts and other relations, and her lack of "connections." I don't know if even I fully appreciate what that meant when Austin wrote it. The intricate social nuances that were a part of that era's manners and such are not the same as the more causal social norms we have now. With that said, I think that Austin's content, the details of which may be unfamiliar to modern readers, is such that it speaks to universal concepts of love, shame, pride, and, well, prejudice. The other Austin books that I've read and own videos of, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion, are similar in this application of universal themes. Here is a link to the Audible page for the book. It was narrated with great skill by Carolyn Seymour.

Plot: The Bennett sisters (five in all) are varied in their differences. Jane, the eldest, is kind, tender, and very beautiful. Elizabeth is witty, if cynical, but also considered a local beauty. Mary is sever, introverted, and a tad plain. Kitty and Lydia are both impulsive, rather silly and delight in society. Lydia, although being the younger, tends to be the one that directs their paths. Their mother is anxious to get them all married off, particularly since their father's estate will, upon his death, revert to a distant cousin. The action begins when a single young man of independent wealth moves into the neighborhood. He brings with him a friend who is also single and far more wealthy. What's more, Mr. Bennett's cousin seeks to "heal the breach" between himself and his fair cousins from whom he will inherit. To top it off, the militia is in the area and officers make very dashing husbands. With all of the choices available is there any way this can go wrong?

My personal favorites: Mr. Bennett is my favorite character. I can see myself in him a bit - and that is not always a good thing. The character interactions are fantastic and their personalities feel real and unique. While considered the epitome of "chick lit" I know of several men who enjoy the story as the character drama it is.

Considerations: As I mentioned above, some details may not be as significant to modern readers, particularly younger ones, so I would suggest this as a mid young adult read. Beyond that there is nothing promiscuous or of questionable content.

It was a great listen and I'm glad to have it in my audio library. The total length was 11 and half hours.

Book Review - Vatta's War Series by Elizabeth Moon

The last of the first set of borrowed book from Dad. Vatta's War consists of five books: Trading in Danger, Marque and Reprisal, Engaging the Enemy, Command Decision, and Victory Conditions. These are military sci-fi with a good dose of intrigue and character drama. Dad recommend them since I enjoyed Honor Harrington and I'll agree that the two feel similar. I would have to say that a big chunk of that similarity comes from the strong, competent female lead, but there was a lot that was different about them too. For instance Honor Harrinton is a mature, up through the ranks officer while Ky Vatta got never graduated from the academy (not from lack of trying) and is young and impulsive. In short, so as to keep this from being an unnecessary comparison of two excellent worlds, I liked both of them a lot and they are quite different. There are a lot of good things I want to put in the personal favorites section.

Plot: Ky Vatta is the daughter the CEO of widely successful Vatta Enterprises. A family owned and operated shipping company, Vatta is widely respected across interstellar trade routes. Ky, however, is more interested in joining the Spaceforce than in running cargo or sitting behind a desk. That all comes crashing down when she gets kicked out of the Academy. Sent by her family to run an old ship to the scrapyard, Ky is not looking forward to the quite life of a trader. Unfortunately, fate has a way of giving people exactly what they ask for but don't want. Ky's first "milk run" of a trade attempt lands her in the middle of a civil war. While Ky is able to address the challenge and rise above it, fate has much more in store. When her family is attacked and interstellar communications go down Ky decides to put her training to good use. While Vatta started out as the victim Ky intends to make them the avenger.

My personal favorites: There are lots of good characters and great situations that they have to work through. Moon does a good job at keeping the tension going without it feeling overdone. All of the conflicts felt authentic and believable. Ky is a bit of a loose cannon (at first) and grows through her challenges well. The character dramas between the players felt real as well and provided a great context to the over-arching challenges the characters faced. The action was well done and there was some great stand up and cheer moments. I also liked how the characters had their own competencies and weaknesses and how they all played off each other. I was surprised by the direction the story, or elements of the story went at times and wasn't disappointed at all.

Considerations: There is violence, but nothing graphic or gratuitous. And there were some sexual references, but again, nothing overt, graphic, or explicit. There was not any strong language used and the writing was age appropriate for late young adult. In a final comparison with Honor Harrington, these books are lightly more appropriate for a younger audience.

I'm always a little anxious when starting a new series, worried that I'll be able to get into it and will find it enjoyable. The series starts off quickly and just keeps going, ramping up the challenges without leaving you feeling burned out. Trading was just over 300 pages, Marque was about 400, Engaging was just over 400, Command was just under 400, and Victory was just over 400.

Audible Book Review - Dune by Frank Herbert

I'm getting caught up on book reviews, as you can probably tell. I'm also in the middle of a series and am waiting until the end to review it. If I followed my past model (reviewing each book as it comes out) I would have to write two more book reviews. Dune is the second to last Audible review I will do for the present. I have one more book I pre-ordered coming at the end of October so I'll get to that one when I can. Dune is one of my favorite books. Considered one of the outstanding landmarks in the sci-fi genre, my father suggested it to me when I was in high school. There are a lot of books in the series, but I have only read the first book, and I'm okay with that. The book had a full cast, but did not always use it. The chief narrator was Scott Brick, who read the sections that were none dialog and limited dialog. The full cast was utilized for sections that had excessive dialog, particularly those without dialog tags, where two people are talking rapidly back and forth. There were also sound and music cues that were very effective at providing atmosphere and ambiance. I'm not surprised the production won a Audie award in 2008. I liked the different voices cast for the characters. Baron Harkonnen was particularly good.

Plot: Arrakis, Dune, is a planet of sands and Spice. The chemical Melange, known as Spice, is critical for interstellar travel. It is beyond important. It is essential to the present and future of the empire. But any Spice mining draws the justifiably feared Makers, sand worms so large they can eat factories whole. What's more, Dune is so dry that water of all kinds is richly cherished, so much so that when someone dies the water is reclaimed from their bodies prior to burial. Paul Atredies, the son and heir of Duke Leto, comes to Dune as a young man when the emperor grants his family the fiefdom of Dune. The previous rulers, House Harkonnen, House Atredies' rival, nemesis, and greatest threat, sought to subjugate the natives through force and violence. But Leto seeks to alley himself with the natives - the Fremen. These desert nomads grow up in the most harsh conditions in the galaxy. If he is successful, he will have the finest worriers imaginable - more fierce than the Emperor's terror troops. So it is no surprise that there is a trap waiting for Paul and his family, set to wipe them out. However, Paul and his father know that the first step of defeating a trap is knowing that it's there...

My personal favorites: Dune has got all the hallmarks of sci-fi, inventive technologies, strange cultures, intriguing alien creatures, new societies, and then it throws in a chunk of political and religious intrigue. One of Dune's motto's is "plans within plans, within plans, and it's important to remember than as you listen to it. The character's are great and the depth of the conflicts is captivating. The book is over 20 hours long, but it didn't feel like it. There are moments of reflection as well as moments of action. And let's face it, the idea of riding a sand worm is just awesome.

Considerations: In terms of descriptions there is nothing that I would object to a young teen reading. There is nothing graphic or gratuitous in the writing. The only consideration is the steep learning curve and the more adult level intrigue and themes. As I stated at the beginning, I was in high school when I read the book.

I try to re-read this book every couple of years, but because it's a great story with good intrigue and characters that I love. I'm glad to have it as part of my audio library now as well, particularly since the production is very good. The total length was just over 20 hours.

Book Review - Farmer in the Sky by Robert A Heinlein

When I was a boy scout I was told that I should read Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein. I was told that it was published, in an abridged format, in the Boys Life magazine. The inside cover conveys this as well, mentioning that it was titled, "The Satellite Scout." As the more hard core sci-fi was not my usual cup of cocoa, all I knew about the book was that the main character was an Eagle Scout. As I was borrowing books from Dad and exploring more sci-fi, I figured that it was time to finally sit down and read Farmer in the Sky. While it takes me a while, I try to read the books my parents recommend. As per the usual, I was not disappointed. Heinlein is one of the grandfathers of sci-fi, and as I recently pre-ordered a sci-fi book,Her Brother's Keeper by Mike Kupari, I figured that I ought to establish some roots. Especially since Kupari pointed out that the space ships in his book, "land on their tails as Heinlein intended." Farmer in the Sky was published sixty-five years ago and while dated (no references to calculators but several to slide rules) I would say it still holds up.

Plot: Bill and George are headed to Ganymede, emigrants headed for the small colony on Jupiter's largest moon. The trip will take two months and they're not sure exactly what will happen when they get there, but they know that they are going. This means some big changes for the father and son team. Bill suddenly finds out that he's getting a step-mother and step-sister. He won't be going to school in the near future. And he will be leaving his scout troop. But the changes continue when they reach the Jovian moon and find out that the planners back on Earth hadn't listened to the colony's demands for less people and more equipment. Now Bill has to decide how he, George, and their new family are going to survive in this outer world wilderness.

My favorite parts: The narrative was great. Bill was a solid narrator that felt natural and had his imperfections. I liked the characters and even though I didn't feel myself getting sucked into the book, I realized halfway through that Heinlein had enticed me deep enough that I really cared for the characters, and was invested in the story. The book did a great job of balancing sci-fi's traditional tech heavy dialog with good story telling. You learn how they are able to do everything but I didn't get bogged down in the descriptions.

Considerations: There's a reason this book was released in a middle grade level publications. There wasn't anything that was questionable and it would read well for many ages. It's clear to me why my parents recommended it to me as a young boy scout (age 11-12).

If I were to introduce my children to sci-fi, I would probably start with this book. It's clean, it's a traditional sci-fi story format, and it's not too long. I'm sure that's what my parents were trying to do. The total length was 224 pages. 

Book Review - Thursday with the Crown: Castle Glower book three, by Jessica Day George

It's been awhile, but I finished the most recent book in the Castle Glower series. I wish I hadn't waited so long, but I figured that I would get it from my mom. In the end, I checked it out from the library. When were were at the check out desk the librarian asked if Kanga was the one checking it out. I didn't have any problems saying that I had selected it. I would like to read the series with Kanga, but she hasn't expressed an interest... yet. The series does a good job of keeping you on your toes. It continued to feel like a children's book but certainly deals with grown up challenges.

Plot: Celie, Rolf, Lilith, Probst, and Lulath, along with Rufus the griffin, have been taken by the castle to where the rest of it is. Arriving at the ancestral home of the castle places them all in great danger and not just from starvation or exposure to the elements. It turns out that there is a poisoned lake, wild griffins, and an ancient vendetta between two peoples who both claim the castle. Cast into the middle of the remains of this feud Celie and the others must figure out what is going on and how they are going to get back.

My personal favorites: Jessica Day George is great at writing children's stories that expose their readers to serious questions. Thursdays with the Crown is no exception. I also like Lulath. A lot. I love how Lulath, correctly, had an accent when speaking his non-native language, but when they talked in his language he didn't. George justifiably hangs a lantern on the first time it happens and I thought it was great.

Considerations: This book is very age appropriate and I don't have any reservations with this book.

I thought there were only going to be three books in the series, but, after speaking to my mother, learned that there should be a Friday and a Saturday forthcoming. The total length was 224 pages.

Audible book review - The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

Due to changes in our finances Angel and I have suspended our Audible subscription . Before doing so, however, I was faced with the choice of three credits and how to spend them. I wanted books that I would enjoy listening to multiple times. Nor did I want to take a risk on an unfamiliar author. In the end, I pre-ordered the latest Larry Correia book (as I have re-read and re-listened, multiple times, to every one of his books that I own), Dune by Frank Herbert (one of my favorite books), and The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley (another all time favorite). With Blue Sword, I wanted something that Angel might enjoy as well. Turns out she's read the book, but is enjoying listening to it now. The Blue Sword was narrated by Diane Warren who did a decent job when all was said and done. At first, it seemed like she put pauses in at strange times - it would sound like a chapter break, but then the scene would continue. Either she stopped doing it after a while or I got used to it because I only noticed it at the beginning. I didn't think the narration detracted from the story and she had a nice voice.

Plot: The Homelanders came to Damar decades ago, but Harry Crewe is a new addition to the desert country. When her father died in the Homland across the sea her brother, Richard "Dicky", arragned for her to live with the local government representative. Harry is a young lady who prefers to be on horseback and loves being active, traits that, while not unacceptable, are not often encouraged. Life appears to be set on a fairly boring, but satisfying track when Harry is dragged into international politics and war. Kidnapped by the king of the mysterious Hill Folk, Corlath, after his appeal for aid is refused, Harry doesn't know why she has been taken. But then, neither does Corlath, only that she must.

My personal favorites: I love the world that McKinley sets up. I totally eat up the scenes where Harry learns the language, customs, and skills of the Hill Folk. I wish I could wear a sash and complete in the Laprun trials. I don't know how accurate the information is about horsemanship, but I like the detail and time spent on it. I like the characters as well.

Considerations: This book won the Newberry Medal for children so you would expect it to be good for kids of almost any age - And it is. The only consideration I've heard against it is that it seems to be an example of Stockholm Syndrome - where a person who is kidnapped sides with the kidnappers. I don't see that as as a mark against the book - I only mention it because the argument has been made. I don't see it that way.

I'm glad to have this story in my Audible Library and I know there will come a time when my family will listen to this story as we travel. Perhaps we will be in the desert, headed for the mountains, much like Harry does on her first trip on a hill horse. The total time was a little over 12 hours.

Book Review - The Ethos Effect by L.E. Modesitt, jr.

I've mentioned before that my father is much more of a science fiction fan than I am. I've also mentioned that I will regularly talk books with him and get some recommendations. The Ethos Effect is one of his recommendations based on my enjoyment of Dune. Both Dune and The Ethos Effect include hard sci-fi elements (important technologies, space battles, and galactic cultures) but also include huge social and political components. With classes and limited reading time it's taken me a while to get to it, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. The book takes the long view, taking place over several years, but keeps the perspective to one character with a returning cast. It wasn't really difficult to keep track of everyone. My father's copy was personalized with the statement "For the ethics!" and I wasn't sure why until I was about half way through it. There is an overarching question throughout the book of what is ethical, why ethics are important, and to what extent is someone willing to go to preserve ethics. Some might call the book message fiction, but like Pratchett's books, I didn't feel that I was being influenced to think a certain way, but rather to consider an idea and its possible implications. There are plenty of hot-topic buzz words, but they did not captivate the story - I didn't feel like Modesitt was trying to check things off a list.

Plot: Van Albert is a capable commander who has had some bad luck. A previous attempt to destroy a marauder resulted in a freak accident that killed a colony ship of innocent bystanders. Even with it proven to be beyond his control, with such a black mark on his record he knew that he would never be considered for important missions. However, he received an important mission when he is called to be the military attache in a highly pivotal system. Things get stranger after he foils an assassination attempt. and finds himself forcibly retired for "medical reasons." Cast adrift and cut off we tries to find something to do with his time, but nobody wants a ex-career military pilot. Nobody by a strange information group that not only offers him his own command, but a salary that is obscenely high. Is it too good to be true, or is it too little compensation for the lengths that Van will be required to go?

My personal favorites: Van was a good character. He was competent and likable. The other supporting roles felt real too. The conflict was a balance of physical and mental and wasn't heavy handed or heady. Modesitt was an economist by trade - one of the reasons my father likes him - and I liked the way that he discussed the economic and ethical aspects of the story. They were not complicated, but were though provoking. The tech was well handled without being burdensome, focusing on the story.

Considerations: The only consideration that is needed is how the reader feels about the actions taken in the book. There is no graphic violence and no sensuality. What the book does contain is people making choices that the reader is asked to judge for themselves.

While I had to remind myself that many classic sci-fi tend to take a while to build up, I enjoyed it and found it rather engaging. It was certainly thought provoking. I just read through some of the one star reviews on Amazon and while I can see why some people may not enjoy it, I did. The total length was 544 pages.