The Plague

Frank Herbert's book "The Plague" left me with "Wow!".  It was very thought-provoking and rather scary in that it could happen.  This was written in the 80's-a time before a lot of the technology he mentions was a reality.  A scientist gets revenge when his wife and children were killed in a bomb set by the IRA in England.  He creates a virus that only kills women.  There are lengthy descriptions of the methods of altering dna.  I could have just taken his word, but true science fiction fans would appreciate the details.  Toward the end I was skipping over that.  For Shame!  And his ongoing explanations of the Irish angst was a little much.  However, the scary part is you could totally see the world's reactions in the way he explained.  And right now there is a meningitis fungal killer caused by contaminated medicine.  I have got to stop reading apocalyptic novels.  It is just too scary.  Oh, did I mention I am reading the book "The Island-Fallen Earth" by Michael Stark?  They do it in parts, doggone it, but the second part is when I really got spooked.  

A Place of Rest

Just finished a Kindle/Amazon book called "A Place of Rest" by Luke Spychalla.  It was a good book that held my interest but seemed to jump from one genera to another.  It started out very futuristic sci-fi then evolved into spiritual/mythical.  The author fluctuated between the future date and past dates.  That was done smoothly, I thought, even though it did not say when it was each time.  The descriptive pictures painted by the author were lovely and you felt a part of them, although sometimes it was over-done and carried on too long.  Those seemed to slow down the narrative and bring you back from being engrossed by the story.  I thought the science descriptions were done well without going into too much detail.  All in all, would I recommend it?  Yes.  I had to read it all to find out the ending.  Was I satisfied with the ending?  Not quite but it did not leave you hanging.   

Cowardly Reader

Do you find that sometimes you are afraid to continue reading because you know something bad is going to happen?  I call it my cowardly streak.  I just want to yell, "Don't go in there!" or "Don't do that!"  Now it seems that I am really into the story but could it be that not enough of my conscious is caught in the story that I can still think rationally?  Ah, yes, blame it on the author.  I did finish one book like that called "Kinesis" by Ethan Spier.  It has a very interesting premise that people who discover they have telekinetic abilities, deteriorate into madness, so anyone with that ability is put into a special prison.  Of course, there is always the fear of people that are not just different but have extra abilities.  It was a good story and I do recommend it but Oh, My!  I knew what was coming.  Okay, so now should I go finish the third book in the Hunger Games, "Mockingjay"?  I can't see any good way out of this.  And too many characters that I had grown to like have died.  However, a charming young man has told me it comes out well at the end.  We will see.

Andrew Mayne's Latest

Andrew Mayne has become one of my favorite authors...until I read his current book "Angel Killer".  I know that he has vast experience in doing magic tricks and has written definitive books for magicians, but some how his being a beautiful woman magician turned FBI agent just does not click.  This was not a book that I could not put down nor did it have moments where I held my breath.  There were interesting explanations for some illusions.  All in all, was an interesting book, but not up to what I expected from Mr. Mayne.  I do love his site Weirdthings.com.  People send in weird news stories. 

Unexpected

Yes, I read "The Hunger Games".  I had not planned to but my sister assured me I would like it.  I really did not want to read about children having to kill other children.  Much to my surprise, it was so good I could not put it down.  It was one of a few books that really stay in my mind and I will pull out parts to mull over.  It was well done and handled with finesse.  I did realize that there were parts that I related to only too well as having grown up in a poor rural environment.  Now I am ready for the next book.  Can it be as good?

Lots of Time to Read

Being ill and impending surgery looming, I find I have time to read.  In fact, read the other two Andrew Mayne books - 'Public Enemy Zero' and 'The Grendel's Shadow'.  Both were really good and was hoping he would write more.  Well, he just came out with 'The Chronological Man - The Martian Emperor'.  am into it but have not held my breath yet.  I guess if I am going to be incapacitated, I might as well take advantage of it.  

Pleasant Surprise

As I sell at military exchanges, I meet self-published authors that sell their books there.  Recently I purchased one by J. Daniel Stanfield called "Tales of the Faerevold Nil's Passage".  He categorized it as fantasy.  I was very pleasantly surprised when I started reading it.  It was well-written and really kept my interest.  I would call it sci-fi/fantasy as it seemed to have elements of both.  Nils goes into a parallel universe.  All I can say is if you like a good adventure, this is one.  He does slip a moral or two in there, but universal truths never hurt.

Old Friend or Boring

I can read some authors' books and feel like it is going back to an old friend while others I get tired of and it just seems like the same old thing.  Wonder what makes the difference.  Andre Norton's books are in the friend category.  I know I have read over a hundred of her books and will even re-read some, which I almost never do.  Where as Sue Grafton's alphabet novels were enjoyable at first but eventually I felt like they were the same old thing and quit reading the last one about half way through.  I just finished one of the Dragon Lance Chronicles Vol 3 Dragons of Spring Dawning.  It was enjoyable and had new adventures even though it was populated with characters I knew.  What is the difference?  Is it me or the authors?

When to Quit a Book

Began reading a book called "Centaurs  (Parallel Worlds)".  The dialog was so stiff and preachy.  I stopped reading it before my usual stop of 1/4 of the book or 50 pages.  At that point, if I don't care how the book ends, it is not worth my time.  What other criteria have you used?  Well, I must confess, if I have paid for a book, I feel compelled to get my money's worth and read all of it.  Used to think if an author went to the trouble of writing the book, I should finish it. Too many good ones out there I want to read.