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.