SPOILER ALERT
Alright, alright I know it has been out since back in March. So why has it taken so long for me to watch the second GiJoe movie? Well anyone who knows me knows that I grew up on GiJoe. I spent many a childhood hour looking at Sears wishbooks and Hasbro Catalogues wishing I had the money for such awesome toys as the Whale, Terrordrome, or [gasp]The (seven foot long)Flagg. My brothers and I have countless memories from back then that revolve around these 3.75 inch little plastic army men. We would battle it out on the snowy mountaintops of the living room or the dense jungles of a back bedroom for summer days on end.
Needless to say, I am peculier about my Joe lore. I don't want to see some lefty Hollywood director- whose biggest project to date was Justin Beiber's documentary- imprinting his ideas for what my precious Joes should act, sound and most of all look like on the big screen. The horror that was and is Channing Tatum's acting combined with the ridiculousness of Marlon Wayons not only playing the part of white halo jumper Ripcord [i.e. where's Hardball, Alpine, Iceberg, Doc, Stretcher, Staticline, or even Stalker for goodness sake?] but playing him like it was a Scary Movie sequel in a bad Lost in Space suit on was still fresh in the back of my mind. I have put this movie on the back burner and completely intended to leave it there. Even though on other Joe sites around there here interweb --you know who you guys are-- have given this movie rave reviews.
Well, I suppose I have put it off long enough. A run to the local Redbox found me, in a moment of weakness, pressing the add button when the Retaliation pic flashed up on the screen. Now that I have finished watching the movie and stepped back with enough time to digest it in its entirety, I guess I will just have to come out and say it. IT SUCKED.
I hated almost every minute of it.
The best part was when Channing Tatum died. and how he died was even utterly stupid. I mean why get behind the secon Humvee when the bad guys just blew the first Humvee to smithereens? Well I should mention the next best part; which is a close second to the worst thesbian of our, or any other time, kicking the bucket, and that was when Rock got his butt kicked by Ray Stevenson as Firefly.
And I must mention the Rock. Grudingly I do admit he can act. He even has a few pretty good movies. That wasn't the problem here. No, unlike Tatum, who plays only one character in every scene of every movie...uh...ever, Rock plays the part of Roadblock pretty good. It is the director shaping Roadblock himself which is utter comtemptable here. Why are he and Duke best buds. In the last movie Duke was best buds with Ripcord. Why is Roadblock leading the team all of a sudden? Every Joe fan knows that the team's hiearchy is..well lets just say confusing at times. But we can all agree in the top two or three is Flint. Yes the same Flint who was in the movie!! Hello!! By the way, where was Hawk? Dennis Quaid was the only good thing in the first movie and they cut himout? Where is Scarlett? She is an integeral part of the team and she is MIA? The entire thing is mind numbing.
Here are a few things to ponder:
Why was there a airport in the middle of the desert? How did they get from said airport to Roadblock's home town in the city. BTW Roadblock is from Biloxi, Mississipi. How did Lady Jaye set up an advanced computer in a aboandoned, run down gym? Once they figured out the president was an imposter, wouldn't the Joes assume it was Zartan--Cobra master of disguise-- like the rest of the Joe universe, or did they really, really need DNA evidence? Why did Lady Jaye and Joe Colton attack the president's location in an El Camino? Why does this movie show Zartan with nanos making him look like the president when in the last movie he underwent painful surgery? Why does Storm Shadow put on his mask to fight Snake Eyes and then take off his mask for no reason like thirty seconds later? For that matter, why does Jinx do the same thing? And why does Firefly show his face at all when he is supposed to be an unknown saboteur? Everybody in the movie seemed like they were removing their masks every few seconds, why even put them on? While being chased, why did Firefly jump on a little boat with like a Mercury 90 on it when there was a turbo charged Moccasin airboat beside it, which Roadblock used to subsequently run him down and over in? How did Zartan kill a bad, ninja making dude like the Hard Master when he was portrayed in the movie like such a wuss. And why, why why were Snake eyes and Storm Shadow children at the time? Zartan would have had to be Sixty at the time of the movie if that were true. And all Joe fans know that story. It is like one of the pillars of Joe lore. Firefly who is a ninja, not a southern good ole boy, was contracted to kill Snakes. He saw a grown Snake Eyes and knew he was out-matched so he got Zartan to shoot him with a bow, not a sword. He shot Hard Master by mistake and the rest is GiJoe history. How did they convince Storm Shadow it was Zartan in the first place in like ten seconds? That was totally unbelievable. And maybe my biggest gripe, why did the Joes continue to use code names when there was nobody around but them? I mean they know who each other are. Hello Storm Shadow's first name is Tommy- not Storm...geez.
Another Hollywood effort at my Favorite toyline, and another epic fail. The movie is too choppy wothout enough lead up to some scenes and too much campiness between Duke and Roadblock in other areas. It really is all over the place. But I do realize that the fanbase are so starved for anything Joe related that the movie did well at the boxoffice. I for one can't get over all of the miscues.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Thursday, December 20, 2012
ebook review: Freedom Inc. by Peter Tylee
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7548071-freedom-incorporated" ;Freedom">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7548071-freedom-incorporated">Freedom Incorporated by Peter">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3311063.Peter_Tylee">Peter Tylee
My rating: 4">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/471706539">4 of 5 stars
I have to agree with some of the others on here when they speak of the preachiness of this book. The leftwing, anti-capitalist, tree-hugging, goin' green gobbletygoob was the entire undertone of this story and the main female protaganist made me a bit ill at times, but it bears saying that I made it past that and enjoyed the story non the less which speaks to me of the strength of the authors idea.
This book is sort of an end times story with all of the black holes and human chipping going on in it. But all I can ask for in a read is for it to be fast paced and make me want to finish. Peter Tylee did both.
View">http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4623501-kendell-watts">View all my reviews
My rating: 4">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/471706539">4 of 5 stars
I have to agree with some of the others on here when they speak of the preachiness of this book. The leftwing, anti-capitalist, tree-hugging, goin' green gobbletygoob was the entire undertone of this story and the main female protaganist made me a bit ill at times, but it bears saying that I made it past that and enjoyed the story non the less which speaks to me of the strength of the authors idea.
This book is sort of an end times story with all of the black holes and human chipping going on in it. But all I can ask for in a read is for it to be fast paced and make me want to finish. Peter Tylee did both.
View">http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4623501-kendell-watts">View all my reviews
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
from one extreme to the next
I am sitting here in my office staring at my computer screen. It is 6:10 am on Wednesday morning, and guess what. It's raining ... again. This is the eight day in a row it has rained here on my little piece of the map. Things are getting a bit soggy. The grass, which I had to figh tooth and nail to keep alive back during the dog days, now seems to grow uncontrollably. I can't keep the stuff down. I dropped the deck on the Dixie Chopper, last time I mowed it, to 2 inches and gave it a proper buzz, thinking that it would take a little longer for the unmentionable bahaia to rise again. But that was before the monsoons. Now I can barely find the mailbox in all that jungle. I can't cut it because the lawnmower--while hydraulic z turn-- isn't equipped with trolling motor and pontoons. And while it is tough to get out the driveway every morning, fishing off of the front porch is looking promising. I guess there is a silver lining to every grey cloud, as they say.
Point is, the drought is over, hurricane season is upon us. Lord help us all.
Point is, the drought is over, hurricane season is upon us. Lord help us all.
Friday, August 24, 2012
book review: Illusion by Frank Peretti
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http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1331936724m/12408735.jpg
" />Illusionhttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12408735-illusion">Illusion> by Frank">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5544.Frank_Peretti">Frank Peretti
My rating: 3">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/391349713">3 of 5 stars
I always do this. I do. I can't help it. I always get all jazzed up for a new Frank Peretti book only to end up with mixed emotions in the end.
Outside of his two DARKNESS books--which were both classics in their own right--every Peretti book I have read has had one thing in common. As bad as I hate to say it, its bad endings. Every one of his books seems to have some flaw or letdown at the end which leaves me disappointed in some way. I guess it is my own fault for getting up my hopes.
Illusion is no different. It has a solid, hollywood worthy, plot--however--there are some holes in the story which in my mind lead to an unbelievable, not in the good way, hard to follow ending. I don't want to do a spoiler review, so I will not give away any details, but the problem is that the reader is never sure exactly how the main plot element which makes everything happen in the book--actually works and why or what is the point. It also led me to wonder what made Mandy so special to the point of being able to do things with said plot point in which others, who were exposed to the same plot point, could not accomplish.
I just kinda went with it throughout the book, but looking back at it as a whole, I find the whole thing just a bit...much. The ending seemed to wrap up way to neatly. I didn't like that at all. To me it was one of the most abrupt and unsatisfying endings I can remember reading in a long time.
Overall, while I was reading it at least, I did sorta enjoy it. But looking back--ehh.
View">http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4623501-kendell-watts">View all my reviews
" />Illusionhttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12408735-illusion">Illusion> by Frank">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5544.Frank_Peretti">Frank Peretti
My rating: 3">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/391349713">3 of 5 stars
I always do this. I do. I can't help it. I always get all jazzed up for a new Frank Peretti book only to end up with mixed emotions in the end.
Outside of his two DARKNESS books--which were both classics in their own right--every Peretti book I have read has had one thing in common. As bad as I hate to say it, its bad endings. Every one of his books seems to have some flaw or letdown at the end which leaves me disappointed in some way. I guess it is my own fault for getting up my hopes.
Illusion is no different. It has a solid, hollywood worthy, plot--however--there are some holes in the story which in my mind lead to an unbelievable, not in the good way, hard to follow ending. I don't want to do a spoiler review, so I will not give away any details, but the problem is that the reader is never sure exactly how the main plot element which makes everything happen in the book--actually works and why or what is the point. It also led me to wonder what made Mandy so special to the point of being able to do things with said plot point in which others, who were exposed to the same plot point, could not accomplish.
I just kinda went with it throughout the book, but looking back at it as a whole, I find the whole thing just a bit...much. The ending seemed to wrap up way to neatly. I didn't like that at all. To me it was one of the most abrupt and unsatisfying endings I can remember reading in a long time.
Overall, while I was reading it at least, I did sorta enjoy it. But looking back--ehh.
View">http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4623501-kendell-watts">View all my reviews
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
book review: The Detachment by Barry Eisler
My rating: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/391349960">4 of 5 stars
This was Eisler's best work of the last few books he has produced. It was good to see him get back to his roots with the inclusion of Rain and Dox. However, as with his last few attempts, there are several spots in the story where he goes way overboard with his leftist agenda trying to force feed his opinions to the reader. Two, out of the blue, references to George Bush are just an example. As far as characters go, I love the way he rounded out Larison as well as the usually antics of Dox--who really made the entire story go. Trevin was not so fortunate. He was painted as a sneak and, other than at the gym, seemed in over his head the whole time. Rain also was way too passive in this book. He was almost like a different completely character than his previous appearances. Overall this was a nice read, reminiscent of his earlier books. If Eisler would just tone down some of his cooky left-wing ridiculousness, it might have been a five star effort.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4623501-kendell-watts">View all my reviews
This was Eisler's best work of the last few books he has produced. It was good to see him get back to his roots with the inclusion of Rain and Dox. However, as with his last few attempts, there are several spots in the story where he goes way overboard with his leftist agenda trying to force feed his opinions to the reader. Two, out of the blue, references to George Bush are just an example. As far as characters go, I love the way he rounded out Larison as well as the usually antics of Dox--who really made the entire story go. Trevin was not so fortunate. He was painted as a sneak and, other than at the gym, seemed in over his head the whole time. Rain also was way too passive in this book. He was almost like a different completely character than his previous appearances. Overall this was a nice read, reminiscent of his earlier books. If Eisler would just tone down some of his cooky left-wing ridiculousness, it might have been a five star effort.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4623501-kendell-watts">View all my reviews
Sunday, May 13, 2012
book review: Horns by Joe Hill
I can honestly say that I have not been quite so disappointed in a book in a very long time. I am a fan of Joe Hill. I love his writing. Heck, I even own my very own copy of Heart Shaped Box. I could not wait to get my hands on horns. It only took me to the first flashback to regret that feeling.
That is the main problem with the book. The story goes through one flashback after another. It is very hard for the reader to keep up with what is actually happening in the moment and what is a memory. Another sticking point, is that some of the flashbacks seem more like fillers than anything else. Most do absolutely nothing to further the story. Even the side characters have a flashback in the book, it is all time consuming, disjointed, and quite jarring to the pace of the book. More than once, I thought to myself, "Oh, just get on with it." That is never a good sign.
The other problem I have with the book is the main character himself. When Igg dicovers his power, he basically does nothing with it, other than talk to snakes - which, in the end do not help him at all- and scare away some teenagers. He hangs around in the woods all book long, for the most part, and gets his butt handed to him at least three times by the baddies. It just makes no sense. Another thing that makes no sense is the ending, the reader is left having no ideal what actually happened to Igg. Even when he finally does beat his arch-rival it is without any fanfare. The source and scope of his power changes too much in the story as well. Some characters who were effected in the beginning were not in the end. Some folks who saw the horns at one point seemed almost like they couldn't at other times. It is a little tough to explain without giving away the plot. But needless to say, by the end, the reader has no ideal what Igg can or can't do. That in itself pretty much ruins the whole book. I give it 2 stars - at best.
That is the main problem with the book. The story goes through one flashback after another. It is very hard for the reader to keep up with what is actually happening in the moment and what is a memory. Another sticking point, is that some of the flashbacks seem more like fillers than anything else. Most do absolutely nothing to further the story. Even the side characters have a flashback in the book, it is all time consuming, disjointed, and quite jarring to the pace of the book. More than once, I thought to myself, "Oh, just get on with it." That is never a good sign.
The other problem I have with the book is the main character himself. When Igg dicovers his power, he basically does nothing with it, other than talk to snakes - which, in the end do not help him at all- and scare away some teenagers. He hangs around in the woods all book long, for the most part, and gets his butt handed to him at least three times by the baddies. It just makes no sense. Another thing that makes no sense is the ending, the reader is left having no ideal what actually happened to Igg. Even when he finally does beat his arch-rival it is without any fanfare. The source and scope of his power changes too much in the story as well. Some characters who were effected in the beginning were not in the end. Some folks who saw the horns at one point seemed almost like they couldn't at other times. It is a little tough to explain without giving away the plot. But needless to say, by the end, the reader has no ideal what Igg can or can't do. That in itself pretty much ruins the whole book. I give it 2 stars - at best.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
book review: The Hunger Games
As you probably know by now. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a worldwide phenomenon. With the opening of the movie, this book has been introduced to the entire world, and boy has it ever taken off! To say it is the next Harry Potter or Twilight, I would guess, at this point, is a safe bet. However, seeing as I loathed both of those franchises, I was a more than little hesitant to get invloved in this one. Oh how I was wrong! I will prefacate this by saying I have only read the first book in the trilogy - and I have heard that the remaining two aren't nearly as strong.
The Hunger games, at its heart is a wonderfully painful story. It is about teenage love, unwavering loyalty and struggle, mixed with a bleak outlook for the future of mankind. Hollywood and their machine have turned this into an advertising blitzkrieg. None of that would be possible if it weren't for a great book to base it all on. That is exactly what The Hunger Games is...a great book. It is one of the best I have read in a long time. It is written on a YA level, so as not to be too sappy or wordy - which I love, and it was a fairly quick read, which left me thirsty for the next installment.
Overall, I say that Suzanne Collins deserves every bit of the praise that will be coming her way... She has authored one of the best YA books to come down the pike in years.
The Hunger games, at its heart is a wonderfully painful story. It is about teenage love, unwavering loyalty and struggle, mixed with a bleak outlook for the future of mankind. Hollywood and their machine have turned this into an advertising blitzkrieg. None of that would be possible if it weren't for a great book to base it all on. That is exactly what The Hunger Games is...a great book. It is one of the best I have read in a long time. It is written on a YA level, so as not to be too sappy or wordy - which I love, and it was a fairly quick read, which left me thirsty for the next installment.
Overall, I say that Suzanne Collins deserves every bit of the praise that will be coming her way... She has authored one of the best YA books to come down the pike in years.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
My thoughts on Tom Cruise and the upcoming Jack Reacher movie
Tom freaking Cruise?! Really?! If I made master list of all the Hollywood types, I am pretty sure he would be the last name on the list to play this role. Do you remember the good ole days where Mr Cruise played tough guys in movies like Far and Away? Me neither, these days he is something more skin to Jerry maguire. Not only does his acting chops not line up with Jack Reacher's, but the physical resemblance is too far off. I know the movie gurus work around this alot nowadays, but come on! Reacher is six foot four, two hundred fifty pounds and BLONDE! I just can't see how the producers can work with this without major changes to the story arc. And to learn that our beloved creator of said Reacher-- Lee Child--approves of the casting...huh...it boggles the mind. I think I am going to get on the ole inet and see how other fans feel. I personally think this blows.
Monday, January 3, 2011
book review: The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
***THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS***
I just had to add that tag line. I couldn't figure out how to review this book without giving some of it away. There is a simple reason for it when I sit down a think about it. Simple...it is a Sparks book. As I am sure most of you out there by now have either read one of his books, or at least seen a movie. Nicolas Sparks tends to follow a pretty basic outline when it comes to writing, which is a good thing since it works for him. Pretty much all of his books go something like this, girl hunts for love...boy stumbles upon girl...they fall for each other...some conflict comes between them...conflict is resolved in some life-changing miraculous way that makes the reader weepy eyed. Then again this has been a time-tested formula, so if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
He definitely doesn't veer too far from the standard in The Lucky One. The book closely resembles his other works like A Bend In The Road and The Guardian. From my point of view, that is lofty praise, as both of those previously mentioned books were pretty good in their own right. That is the thing with a Sparks book, even if there are flaws, usually the strength of the characters and the story prevail enough to make it an enjoyable read.
There are really a few glaring flaws in this story. The first being the main character's name...Logan Thibault. In my humble opinion, it is never a good start when the reader needs to Google the correct pronunciation of the protagonist's name. The basic premise goes a little something like this; former Marine Thibault finds a photo of a lovely girl in the sand over in Iraq. He places it on the bulletin board at the base for someone to claim. When no one does, he-- for some reason never quite fully understood-- takes it, and keeps the picture...of a perfect stranger mind you...for himself. While it seemingly brings him good fortune, his friend Victor calls it a lucky charm, those in his squad...uhhh...not some much. They pretty much are dropping like flys in the flashbacks. Course they begin to notice and stay the heck away from "Mister Lucky."
Now this is where the believability sort of comes into question. He makes it back home and then meets back up with his buddy Victor to go on a fishing trip to Minnesota. No sooner than Victor tells him he needs to go find this girl in the picture than a runaway boat cuts him in half. I'm not making this up. Then, Thibault walks across the country from Colorado to North Carolina to find the girl in the picture. Some authors would write another book out of that journey all together...i.e. Richard Paul Evans...but Sparks doesn't fill us in on those boring details..oh no. We pick up right where Thibault finds deputy Clayton taking some compromising photos of naked coeds. Because lets face it...anyone who lives in the South knows that we go skinny dipping down here as often as possible...That couldn't be just made up in Hollywood back lots now could it? As fate would have it, Clayton is the girl in the picture's ex...he is also part of the rich family who runs the town...and a first rate jerk. The girl in the photo turns out to be Elizabeth. She has a little boy named Zach and of course he takes a liking to Thibault. well Thibault gets a job working at Beth's house helping her grandma at a dog shelter...convenient, since he has a dog named Zeus with him all the time. As the story progresses Logan and Beth fall head over heels for each other...much to the chagrin of Clayton. Clayton follows around the couple spying on them throughout the book. Thibault was a highly skilled combat Marine and seems to notice every little detail about everything, but yet never notices the cop tailing them. Also, I find it a little weird That in the book Clayton and Beth still continue to go to the same church. We find this out because Thibault apparently can do a little of everything including play the piano. I'm not kidding he plays the piano at the church with the ex husband...jealous ex-husband I might add...sitting right there in the front with his family. Why didn't he get up and leave? Beth mentions in the story that Logan playing piano would be gossip talked about for years. Yet where I come, from even in church a divorced couple sharing custody of a child in the same congregation might be grapevine material as well.
In the end Clayton exposes Thibault has been looking for Beth all along, and if fact she is the reason he trekked across the country on foot. The problem is he is right Logan is a complete stalker...hello people. I know he is handsome and all but really. Sparks also does something that is a big no no for most writers starting out. He conveniently gets rid of the inconvenient character...in the form of drowning Clayton.
Yeah, I know, found a bunch of flaws with this book. Guess what? I still loved it. Like most Sparks novels even if you know whats coming, or don't believe what is going on so far...the books are still good reads. It is hard to put them down.
4 stars
I just had to add that tag line. I couldn't figure out how to review this book without giving some of it away. There is a simple reason for it when I sit down a think about it. Simple...it is a Sparks book. As I am sure most of you out there by now have either read one of his books, or at least seen a movie. Nicolas Sparks tends to follow a pretty basic outline when it comes to writing, which is a good thing since it works for him. Pretty much all of his books go something like this, girl hunts for love...boy stumbles upon girl...they fall for each other...some conflict comes between them...conflict is resolved in some life-changing miraculous way that makes the reader weepy eyed. Then again this has been a time-tested formula, so if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
He definitely doesn't veer too far from the standard in The Lucky One. The book closely resembles his other works like A Bend In The Road and The Guardian. From my point of view, that is lofty praise, as both of those previously mentioned books were pretty good in their own right. That is the thing with a Sparks book, even if there are flaws, usually the strength of the characters and the story prevail enough to make it an enjoyable read.
There are really a few glaring flaws in this story. The first being the main character's name...Logan Thibault. In my humble opinion, it is never a good start when the reader needs to Google the correct pronunciation of the protagonist's name. The basic premise goes a little something like this; former Marine Thibault finds a photo of a lovely girl in the sand over in Iraq. He places it on the bulletin board at the base for someone to claim. When no one does, he-- for some reason never quite fully understood-- takes it, and keeps the picture...of a perfect stranger mind you...for himself. While it seemingly brings him good fortune, his friend Victor calls it a lucky charm, those in his squad...uhhh...not some much. They pretty much are dropping like flys in the flashbacks. Course they begin to notice and stay the heck away from "Mister Lucky."
Now this is where the believability sort of comes into question. He makes it back home and then meets back up with his buddy Victor to go on a fishing trip to Minnesota. No sooner than Victor tells him he needs to go find this girl in the picture than a runaway boat cuts him in half. I'm not making this up. Then, Thibault walks across the country from Colorado to North Carolina to find the girl in the picture. Some authors would write another book out of that journey all together...i.e. Richard Paul Evans...but Sparks doesn't fill us in on those boring details..oh no. We pick up right where Thibault finds deputy Clayton taking some compromising photos of naked coeds. Because lets face it...anyone who lives in the South knows that we go skinny dipping down here as often as possible...That couldn't be just made up in Hollywood back lots now could it? As fate would have it, Clayton is the girl in the picture's ex...he is also part of the rich family who runs the town...and a first rate jerk. The girl in the photo turns out to be Elizabeth. She has a little boy named Zach and of course he takes a liking to Thibault. well Thibault gets a job working at Beth's house helping her grandma at a dog shelter...convenient, since he has a dog named Zeus with him all the time. As the story progresses Logan and Beth fall head over heels for each other...much to the chagrin of Clayton. Clayton follows around the couple spying on them throughout the book. Thibault was a highly skilled combat Marine and seems to notice every little detail about everything, but yet never notices the cop tailing them. Also, I find it a little weird That in the book Clayton and Beth still continue to go to the same church. We find this out because Thibault apparently can do a little of everything including play the piano. I'm not kidding he plays the piano at the church with the ex husband...jealous ex-husband I might add...sitting right there in the front with his family. Why didn't he get up and leave? Beth mentions in the story that Logan playing piano would be gossip talked about for years. Yet where I come, from even in church a divorced couple sharing custody of a child in the same congregation might be grapevine material as well.
In the end Clayton exposes Thibault has been looking for Beth all along, and if fact she is the reason he trekked across the country on foot. The problem is he is right Logan is a complete stalker...hello people. I know he is handsome and all but really. Sparks also does something that is a big no no for most writers starting out. He conveniently gets rid of the inconvenient character...in the form of drowning Clayton.
Yeah, I know, found a bunch of flaws with this book. Guess what? I still loved it. Like most Sparks novels even if you know whats coming, or don't believe what is going on so far...the books are still good reads. It is hard to put them down.
4 stars
Monday, December 27, 2010
book review: Immanuel's Veins by Ted Dekker
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a huge Dekker fan. His work in Christian fiction has been ground-breaking to say the least. But in the last few years I have noticed a shift in Ted that seems to border on self-importance. From his web-site, to his yearly gathering, to his physical appearance in photos, it seems to me like he has become somewhat of a literary rock star. Also, the last two books I have read...BURN and BONE MAN'S DAUGHTERS have been pretty disappointing.
However, with that being said, I still look forward to reading a new Dekker novel as soon as they come out. I think that is one of the hallmarks of a good author...the anticipation of the book before you read it. Ted has redeemed himself, at least in this readers eyes, with IMMANUEL"S VEINS or IV has members of Ted discussion form "The Circle" call it. It is really good book from start to finish.
Let me start off with the bad. There are few complaints that come to mind after reading the book. My biggest is the time in which the setting takes place. I'm not talking about the time period either. I mean from the start of the story to the end doesn't cover but a few days real time. this is not really a bad thing in itself, because once you read the book and get a feel for what is going on, it obviously doesn't need to be drawn out, but...this leads to the major flaw with the love story. Basically it isn't fleshed -out enough. There just aren't enough pages in the book to do it properly and move the plot along and the pace which makes the book so great. The two main characters just don't have enough time together to make the star-crossed lover thing all that believable. The only other gripe I have with the book is a minor one. Sofia, one of the supporting characters isn't given nearly enough story. Thea reader has no idea at the end why she did the things she did. Trust me when you finish, that will be on your mind. Knowing Ted though he may come back to this character in a future story.
Now, I move on to the good. The setting of the story is a step in a different direction for Ted. It works. The book makes the 18th century come alive in the readers mind. Also, true to form Ted throws in just enough morsels of his works in the circle trilogy to tie this book to that series. If you haven't read any of that series, do it now. Not only will you understand some of the back story for IV, but you will be thoroughly entertained. the ending of the book is very heart felt. It has redemptive quality that the reader will want to soak up.
Overall, this is one of Dekkers best works. I strongly suggest to anyone to pick it up for a good read. It will be in my library for years to come, as i am sure to reread it. Hopefully there will be a sequel to answer some of the questions left with the ending. Knowing Ted it is already in the works.
However, with that being said, I still look forward to reading a new Dekker novel as soon as they come out. I think that is one of the hallmarks of a good author...the anticipation of the book before you read it. Ted has redeemed himself, at least in this readers eyes, with IMMANUEL"S VEINS or IV has members of Ted discussion form "The Circle" call it. It is really good book from start to finish.
Let me start off with the bad. There are few complaints that come to mind after reading the book. My biggest is the time in which the setting takes place. I'm not talking about the time period either. I mean from the start of the story to the end doesn't cover but a few days real time. this is not really a bad thing in itself, because once you read the book and get a feel for what is going on, it obviously doesn't need to be drawn out, but...this leads to the major flaw with the love story. Basically it isn't fleshed -out enough. There just aren't enough pages in the book to do it properly and move the plot along and the pace which makes the book so great. The two main characters just don't have enough time together to make the star-crossed lover thing all that believable. The only other gripe I have with the book is a minor one. Sofia, one of the supporting characters isn't given nearly enough story. Thea reader has no idea at the end why she did the things she did. Trust me when you finish, that will be on your mind. Knowing Ted though he may come back to this character in a future story.
Now, I move on to the good. The setting of the story is a step in a different direction for Ted. It works. The book makes the 18th century come alive in the readers mind. Also, true to form Ted throws in just enough morsels of his works in the circle trilogy to tie this book to that series. If you haven't read any of that series, do it now. Not only will you understand some of the back story for IV, but you will be thoroughly entertained. the ending of the book is very heart felt. It has redemptive quality that the reader will want to soak up.
Overall, this is one of Dekkers best works. I strongly suggest to anyone to pick it up for a good read. It will be in my library for years to come, as i am sure to reread it. Hopefully there will be a sequel to answer some of the questions left with the ending. Knowing Ted it is already in the works.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
book review: Broken Angel by Sigmund Brouwer
In Broken Angel, Sigmund Brouwer has crossed the genres from Sci-Fi to Religious fiction to Thriller and back again. What makes this novel special is that he does it so flawlessly. The story is set somewhere in a non-descript future, in a new world. A world divided between over the top, extreme, religious zealots and the outsiders they try to keep out of their new country known as Appalachia. Not only do they try to keep the outsiders out, but they also want to keep the citizens of Appalachia in....and under their control.
This brings us to Caitlyn. Caitlyn is not your normal girl. But then again, this ain't your father's America. Caitlyn is being pursued by not only the outsiders, but also the leaders of Appalachia, who will stop at nothing to gain control of what she possesses. Just what that is, and why she must not fall into their hands dead or alive, as her father told her, is shrouded in secrecy. Secrets that Caitlyn's father, Jordan, can’t bring himself to tell her. Not what happened before she was born, or why she is the way she is. He says he just wants to save her life, and to give her a chance to live on the Outside and be free. Can she believe him? She has discovered that might not be the case. So she sets out on a journey against time and man. It is a race of life and death, and Caitlyn is all alone...or is she? Can she make it safely back Outside before the self-righteous leader of Appalachia has her in his grip?
This book is very well written. The characters really make you want to learn more about them, and their back story, what makes them tick so to speak. When it comes right down to it, that is the meat and bones of any good book. That is exactly what Broken Angel is..a really good book. It sort of takes a few pages to get into the flow, but after that it is a roller coaster ride. The story moves at break-neck speed, motivating along to its thrilling conclusion. Which, by the way, I found to be somewhat heart-wrenching..me being a father and all.
The only other books of Brouwer's that I have read before this one were, Out of the Shadows and The Last Disciple. Both of those were very enjoyable reads in their own right, but they were also very different kinds of books than this. Broken Angel is the first book in this saga. And I can't wait to get my hands on the next one.
This brings us to Caitlyn. Caitlyn is not your normal girl. But then again, this ain't your father's America. Caitlyn is being pursued by not only the outsiders, but also the leaders of Appalachia, who will stop at nothing to gain control of what she possesses. Just what that is, and why she must not fall into their hands dead or alive, as her father told her, is shrouded in secrecy. Secrets that Caitlyn's father, Jordan, can’t bring himself to tell her. Not what happened before she was born, or why she is the way she is. He says he just wants to save her life, and to give her a chance to live on the Outside and be free. Can she believe him? She has discovered that might not be the case. So she sets out on a journey against time and man. It is a race of life and death, and Caitlyn is all alone...or is she? Can she make it safely back Outside before the self-righteous leader of Appalachia has her in his grip?
This book is very well written. The characters really make you want to learn more about them, and their back story, what makes them tick so to speak. When it comes right down to it, that is the meat and bones of any good book. That is exactly what Broken Angel is..a really good book. It sort of takes a few pages to get into the flow, but after that it is a roller coaster ride. The story moves at break-neck speed, motivating along to its thrilling conclusion. Which, by the way, I found to be somewhat heart-wrenching..me being a father and all.
The only other books of Brouwer's that I have read before this one were, Out of the Shadows and The Last Disciple. Both of those were very enjoyable reads in their own right, but they were also very different kinds of books than this. Broken Angel is the first book in this saga. And I can't wait to get my hands on the next one.
Friday, December 24, 2010
book review: The Walk by Richard Paul Evans
I must admit that Richard Paul Evans is one of my favorite authors. I have read many of his books before and found at least some level of enjoyment in all of them. The latest book, The Walk, however has sort of left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I want to start off by admitting that I didn't read the book in the traditional sense. I listened to it on CD at work. I think that it is the best way to enjoy one of his books, because as talented as Richard Paul Evans may be as an author, he is just that much better at bringing his stories to life through narration. If you come across one of his books where he is the one reading it, I suggest you give it a try.
OK, lets start off with the book. The first third of the story is a heart wrenching tale of love and loss. I imagine there will be a lot of misty eyes, when tragedy strikes Allan. I have a few qualms with this part of the book. Although it is a truly touching love story, somethings kinda require the reader to suspend belief and worse fill in the missing details for oneself. First off, Michal, Allan's wife, asks him in one scene for some money to be transferred into her account. To which Allan confirms that she hasn't been keeping up with the bills. This leads the reader to wonder if there may be some deep rooted meaning behind her lack of financial responsibility or what she has been doing with all the money. Almost as if there could be the possibility of some dark undercurrent to the relationship of which the protagonist is unawares. But, this topic is never fully broached. It is not really discussed until, just days mind you, after his wife's untimely death that Allan's home is foreclosed on. Can you say huh? Foreclosed on and he didn't see it coming? How did that happen you ask? Well, your guess is as good as mine, because the book doesn't give you a clue. Another Hollywood moment is in the book where Michal just happens to be in her accident while Allan is in the middle of the biggest sales-pitch of his career. Of course he has to run out and leave the meeting in his, supposed best friend and business partner's hands. And that moves us on to that partner, Kyle. How exactly did Kyle steal the company in the short time Allan was out of work with his wife? How does he expect to run an ad agency when he is the business guy and Allan is the ad guy? Again the book gives you no clue on these sort of important details. To suspend belief even further, the only friend Allan has left is Faline, a super-gorgeous model with a heart of gold that Kyle hired to be office manager. At one point in the book she tells Allan she is going on a photo shoot, even though she is a full time employee of Allan's company. On top of that she handles all of his financial affairs, of which he is either too grief-stricken, naive, or just plain in too much of a hurry to get out on the open road, to do himself. One of which is to check and see if he even has any money in the bank before using in debit card. All of this, of course, after Allan tells her he is basically closing down the company and she won't have a job anymore. Can you say far-fetched?
The last two-thirds of the book reads like an old Franklin W. Dixon Hardy Boys novel. All the main character does is eat with every waking breath. Evans goes into painstaking detail to describe every little detail of this walk....monotonous detail. One of the characters that Allan meets on the road is a waitress with a name tag that reads Flo. I won't delve into this too much for those who haven't read the book, but her story is stole directly from Evan's novel Finding Noel...almost word for word.
With all these flaws I have mentioned, I haven't got to the most egregious yet. I had to check my copy to see if I hadn't gotten the unabridged version. On Amazon is the first time I saw that this was just part one of four. No where did I see this mentioned. I must say that it was a big letdown. Almost feels as if the publisher is taking advantage of the reader. The next book in the series will not come out until April 2011. My question is six months from now will anyone even care?
OK, lets start off with the book. The first third of the story is a heart wrenching tale of love and loss. I imagine there will be a lot of misty eyes, when tragedy strikes Allan. I have a few qualms with this part of the book. Although it is a truly touching love story, somethings kinda require the reader to suspend belief and worse fill in the missing details for oneself. First off, Michal, Allan's wife, asks him in one scene for some money to be transferred into her account. To which Allan confirms that she hasn't been keeping up with the bills. This leads the reader to wonder if there may be some deep rooted meaning behind her lack of financial responsibility or what she has been doing with all the money. Almost as if there could be the possibility of some dark undercurrent to the relationship of which the protagonist is unawares. But, this topic is never fully broached. It is not really discussed until, just days mind you, after his wife's untimely death that Allan's home is foreclosed on. Can you say huh? Foreclosed on and he didn't see it coming? How did that happen you ask? Well, your guess is as good as mine, because the book doesn't give you a clue. Another Hollywood moment is in the book where Michal just happens to be in her accident while Allan is in the middle of the biggest sales-pitch of his career. Of course he has to run out and leave the meeting in his, supposed best friend and business partner's hands. And that moves us on to that partner, Kyle. How exactly did Kyle steal the company in the short time Allan was out of work with his wife? How does he expect to run an ad agency when he is the business guy and Allan is the ad guy? Again the book gives you no clue on these sort of important details. To suspend belief even further, the only friend Allan has left is Faline, a super-gorgeous model with a heart of gold that Kyle hired to be office manager. At one point in the book she tells Allan she is going on a photo shoot, even though she is a full time employee of Allan's company. On top of that she handles all of his financial affairs, of which he is either too grief-stricken, naive, or just plain in too much of a hurry to get out on the open road, to do himself. One of which is to check and see if he even has any money in the bank before using in debit card. All of this, of course, after Allan tells her he is basically closing down the company and she won't have a job anymore. Can you say far-fetched?
The last two-thirds of the book reads like an old Franklin W. Dixon Hardy Boys novel. All the main character does is eat with every waking breath. Evans goes into painstaking detail to describe every little detail of this walk....monotonous detail. One of the characters that Allan meets on the road is a waitress with a name tag that reads Flo. I won't delve into this too much for those who haven't read the book, but her story is stole directly from Evan's novel Finding Noel...almost word for word.
With all these flaws I have mentioned, I haven't got to the most egregious yet. I had to check my copy to see if I hadn't gotten the unabridged version. On Amazon is the first time I saw that this was just part one of four. No where did I see this mentioned. I must say that it was a big letdown. Almost feels as if the publisher is taking advantage of the reader. The next book in the series will not come out until April 2011. My question is six months from now will anyone even care?
Monday, November 29, 2010
book review: Inside Out by Barry Eisler
I have always been able to enjoy Barry Eisler's Rain books even though I don't agree with his political views. In the Rain books the Japanese Liberal Democratic party is viewed with more than just sympathy. They are viewed as out and out good guys, with the Conservative party being shown as under-handed immoral gangsters. However, the quality writing of the books was able to shine through. As a matter of fact, the Rain series has always been one of, if not my very favorite. With that being said, lets move on to his latest work, Inside Out.
I have to say, first off, that unlike most of Eisler's other books and most other thrillers, there are no glowing reviews on the jacket from other authors or industry types. The reviews on the cover are all from left wing cooks who work for such liberal sites such as the Huffington Post. I really don't understand how anyone on that side of the fence or who are so-called experts at the terrorist torture game could actually give this book a glowing review.
This is one of the worst books ever written....period. There is no story, the characters are not developed properly, all of the action in the book is pointless, and does nothing to help move the plot along. The entire second half of the book is nothing more than a political rant. on top of that there is no conclusion. The reader is treated with some lame ending teasing with another story to come. I firmly believe had the book been written by some lesser known author with no name recognition, it would have trashed and never published.
Inside Out is the continuation of the book Faultline. The only thing it has in common with it's predecessor however is the characters of Hort and Ben. Unlike Inside Out, Faultline was action packed and told a nice story to boot. All of it's action was well paced and served a purpose throughout the book. Inside Out is obviously just Eisler's political view on the torture and treatment of detainees that he felt he needed to get out there. That is fine, but the overall feeling of the book is rushed and amateurish. If the next book in the series starts out like the series starts out like this one ended, I may be weened off of Barry Eisler for good.
I have to say, first off, that unlike most of Eisler's other books and most other thrillers, there are no glowing reviews on the jacket from other authors or industry types. The reviews on the cover are all from left wing cooks who work for such liberal sites such as the Huffington Post. I really don't understand how anyone on that side of the fence or who are so-called experts at the terrorist torture game could actually give this book a glowing review.
This is one of the worst books ever written....period. There is no story, the characters are not developed properly, all of the action in the book is pointless, and does nothing to help move the plot along. The entire second half of the book is nothing more than a political rant. on top of that there is no conclusion. The reader is treated with some lame ending teasing with another story to come. I firmly believe had the book been written by some lesser known author with no name recognition, it would have trashed and never published.
Inside Out is the continuation of the book Faultline. The only thing it has in common with it's predecessor however is the characters of Hort and Ben. Unlike Inside Out, Faultline was action packed and told a nice story to boot. All of it's action was well paced and served a purpose throughout the book. Inside Out is obviously just Eisler's political view on the torture and treatment of detainees that he felt he needed to get out there. That is fine, but the overall feeling of the book is rushed and amateurish. If the next book in the series starts out like the series starts out like this one ended, I may be weened off of Barry Eisler for good.
Friday, November 12, 2010
book review: Vanished by Joseph Finder
I have read several of Joseph Finder’s books. They have always perplexed me. It seems they are hit or miss. Paranoia was an excellent novel. It was highly original and worthy of a movie deal. Whereas, Company Man was a pretty decent read, but it was at the very least, a little far fetched. The last Finder book I tried, however, I couldn’t make it all the way through. Killer Instinct just seemed like it should have been better than it turned out to be. I thought the overall sense of dread and foreboding really took the enjoyment out of the reading process. However, this didn’t deter me from wanting to try another Finder book.
When I saw his latest work Vanished on a library shelf, I didn’t hesitate to snatch it up. I was looking forward to seeing what Mr. Finder had in store for his readers this go-round. Joseph Finder has always been known for his extensive research. Let me tell ya, it shows in his writings. Whether you enjoy the overall plot of the story or not, no one can ever say that the have read a more detailed work of fiction than any of his previous books when it comes to the corporate world.
Vanished is at it’s heart the story of the Heller family. The family has flaws and skeletons, many of which come to light throughout the book. The basic premise is that Roger Heller takes his wife Laura out to dinner where she is attacked in an apparent mugging. She wakes up in the hospital and Roger has disappeared. Roger’s step-son Gabe calls in his uncle---and Roger’s brother--- Nick to investigate. Nick is an ex-Green Beret, who works for a high–priced Washington
I enjoyed this novel even better than Paranoia. Vanished is the very definition of a page turner that just can’t be put down. I found myself devouring this book and, I must say, I can’t wait for the next in this series. That is right, the will be a four book series featuring Nick Heller, with the second book coming out next year. From beginning to end this is one of the finest mystery/thriller works of fiction to come down the pike in a long time. Read and enjoy.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
movie video review: Dear John
The movie Dear John is loosely based off of the best selling book written by Nichloaus Sparks. It stars Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried. The story is basically this: a local guy named John Tyree meets a girl on spring break named Savannah Curtis and they fall inlove. He is in the Army and has to go back, she also returns to school, but they stay in touch with a series of letters. The last letter, of course, tells John that not only is she breaking up with him, but also is marrying someone else. As with most of Spark's movies there are other circumstances and a reunion is in the works.
In all, the movie is bad. It does have some very emotional scenes that surley will have the ladies breaking out the hankies. The problem lies in the cast. Amanda Seyfried, although, beautiful, just doesn't stand out in this role. Her character comes off as almost to good to be true. That is until the end where the viewer really would feel for the character of John, if he was not played by the stone faced Tatum. Channing Tatum surely got this role on his physical appearance, he looks like what the part of John should. But lets face it, the kid can't act at all. He played the lug head in Step Up pretty well, but this is the second role in a row that he has just butchered (Duke in Gijoe was the other). He was just awful in this movie. There is one scene in which he is supposed to cry and it just comes off as comical.
I just can not get past his performance in this movie. The delivery of his lines sound more like he is getting ready to rap battle in Eight Mile rather than win a southern belle's heart. There is nothing good I can say about the video because his wooden performance ruins it for me.
In all, the movie is bad. It does have some very emotional scenes that surley will have the ladies breaking out the hankies. The problem lies in the cast. Amanda Seyfried, although, beautiful, just doesn't stand out in this role. Her character comes off as almost to good to be true. That is until the end where the viewer really would feel for the character of John, if he was not played by the stone faced Tatum. Channing Tatum surely got this role on his physical appearance, he looks like what the part of John should. But lets face it, the kid can't act at all. He played the lug head in Step Up pretty well, but this is the second role in a row that he has just butchered (Duke in Gijoe was the other). He was just awful in this movie. There is one scene in which he is supposed to cry and it just comes off as comical.
I just can not get past his performance in this movie. The delivery of his lines sound more like he is getting ready to rap battle in Eight Mile rather than win a southern belle's heart. There is nothing good I can say about the video because his wooden performance ruins it for me.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
movie review: The Karate Kid (Remake)
First off, could someone tell me why they remade the Karate Kid in China...and with Kung Fu?
Makes one wonder if the Chinese government didn't produce the movie as some sort of travel brochure, showing off the country to the west. Anyone remember the Olympics...and yes they have a cameo.
It has been 26 years since the original was made, so I guess it was way over due for a remake. The original movie is looked back on by my generation fondly more out of nostalgia than on the merit of the actual film itself. If you don't believe that then go rent the video and try to sit through two hours of Daniel-San getting his wussy butt kicked.
The new film centers around young Dre ( Jaden Smith) and his mother (Taraji P. Henson). They leave Detroit and move to Beijing for a better job opportunity at the car factory (I guess the film producers thought a communist country was preferable to the "red" states.) From there it is pretty much color by the numbers film. Dre has conflict with said bully Cheng (Zhenwei Wang), and falls for pretty chinese girl Meiyang (Wenwen Han). In steps maintenance man and secret Kung Fu master Mr Han ( Jackie Chan) to teach the boy and mold him into a warrior. The main problem with he film is it takes over an hour for it to finally get to any training scenes at all. The characters aren't believable especially Dre's mom, who appears to be no more than a prop for the storyline. Too much of the movie seems to be displaying the wonders and sites of the Chinese countryside rather than to actually progress the story.
But fear not, Jackie Chan saves the day and the film. His performance alone makes this movie worth the price of rental. Mr Han has one of the most heart felt scenes you will ever catch in a martial arts movie. Jaden Smith also plays his role surprisingly well, and his fight scenes at the end are far and away better than the original. I must also say that the ending rivals the original film's flying crane scene.
Although no one yells, "Sweep the leg!!!" The Karate Kid is an entertaining (if sometimes drawn-out) remake of an 80's classic.
Makes one wonder if the Chinese government didn't produce the movie as some sort of travel brochure, showing off the country to the west. Anyone remember the Olympics...and yes they have a cameo.
It has been 26 years since the original was made, so I guess it was way over due for a remake. The original movie is looked back on by my generation fondly more out of nostalgia than on the merit of the actual film itself. If you don't believe that then go rent the video and try to sit through two hours of Daniel-San getting his wussy butt kicked.
The new film centers around young Dre ( Jaden Smith) and his mother (Taraji P. Henson). They leave Detroit and move to Beijing for a better job opportunity at the car factory (I guess the film producers thought a communist country was preferable to the "red" states.) From there it is pretty much color by the numbers film. Dre has conflict with said bully Cheng (Zhenwei Wang), and falls for pretty chinese girl Meiyang (Wenwen Han). In steps maintenance man and secret Kung Fu master Mr Han ( Jackie Chan) to teach the boy and mold him into a warrior. The main problem with he film is it takes over an hour for it to finally get to any training scenes at all. The characters aren't believable especially Dre's mom, who appears to be no more than a prop for the storyline. Too much of the movie seems to be displaying the wonders and sites of the Chinese countryside rather than to actually progress the story.
But fear not, Jackie Chan saves the day and the film. His performance alone makes this movie worth the price of rental. Mr Han has one of the most heart felt scenes you will ever catch in a martial arts movie. Jaden Smith also plays his role surprisingly well, and his fight scenes at the end are far and away better than the original. I must also say that the ending rivals the original film's flying crane scene.
Although no one yells, "Sweep the leg!!!" The Karate Kid is an entertaining (if sometimes drawn-out) remake of an 80's classic.
Monday, October 18, 2010
book review: Obedience by Will Lavender
"A devilishly inventive debut that reads like a house of mirrors."
"A taut, clever puzzle, so artfully crafted and tightly wound that it springs open it trap door when you least expect it."
"Taut, twisty, and highly original: the pages turned themselves."
These are three of the the reviews printed on the book jacket of Will Lavender's debut novel. I have to tell you...I was completely blown away by this book. These three reviews are dead on. This book leaves you guessing right up until the very end.
I just happened across this older novel the other day. It perked my interest as I read the cover and so I took it home with me. I sure am glad I did. This is one of the very best surprises I have come across in a while. Words really can't do this book justice. Have you ever read a novel and just knew that it should be made into a movie? This is one of those.
The whole idea behind the plot is just so original, nothing else has come close to giving me that, "wholly crap" feeling at the end of a book in a long time. My hats off to the author. I just hope Lavender's next offering will be able to live up to this original work.
"A taut, clever puzzle, so artfully crafted and tightly wound that it springs open it trap door when you least expect it."
"Taut, twisty, and highly original: the pages turned themselves."
These are three of the the reviews printed on the book jacket of Will Lavender's debut novel. I have to tell you...I was completely blown away by this book. These three reviews are dead on. This book leaves you guessing right up until the very end.
I just happened across this older novel the other day. It perked my interest as I read the cover and so I took it home with me. I sure am glad I did. This is one of the very best surprises I have come across in a while. Words really can't do this book justice. Have you ever read a novel and just knew that it should be made into a movie? This is one of those.
The whole idea behind the plot is just so original, nothing else has come close to giving me that, "wholly crap" feeling at the end of a book in a long time. My hats off to the author. I just hope Lavender's next offering will be able to live up to this original work.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
book review: The Thieves of Darkness by Richard Doetsch
The Thieves of Darkness is the third book in a series about retired thief, Micheal St Pierre. I must admit that after reading the first two, The Thieves of Heaven, and The Thieves of Faith, that this, newest work from Doetsch, is the weakest of the three. That is not to say, however, that it is not a thoroughly enjoyable read. First time readers of the series will, find the novel an action-packed page turner.
As with other books in the series, The Thieves of Darkness is chock-full of exotic locales. The story moves from a desert torture prison to the streets of Istanbul, and even to the Himalayas. Those familiar with the series will already note that the books are filled with religious references and artifacts. Doetsch always does plenty of research for his novels, and it shows. His technical jargon is always spot-on, and the fictitious historical relics are brought to life well making the situations very believable.
Where this book comes up a little short of the first two, is in the character development department. One of the main protagonists in the series is a priest-for-hire, so to speak, named Simon. Without giving too much away, I will say that he is taken out of the book about a third of the way through. The story continues on without him, instead replacing his character, basically with Micheal's new gal pal, KC. While this doesn't take away from the story too bad, what doesn't sit well with me is the totally unbelievable way in which Simon is injured. The reader may find it a little far fetched. Speaking of far fetched is the antagonist, Iblis. He is presented as an emotionless robot, who is all at once a scrawny dork and an unstoppable killing machine. More than once in the book, Iblis narrowly escapes his demise. However, for a terminator-esque thief-assassin, he is inexplicably scared too death of the other main antagonist, Venue.
Why this killing machine is so afraid of a sixty year old man is anyone's guess. After reading the book I still am not quite sure. Although a good portion of the story was entirely devoted to the development of the back story of these two characters, it was not even close to the amount needed for the reader to make an attachment to either one of these guys. They need their own book. The problem is that Doestch creates such intrigue with both of the baddies here that he can't seem to fit them neatly into this story. What the reader is left with is alot of questions. Venue, in particular, was all at once explained and a total mystery.
In the end what the reader doesn't do is fear him, the way the author would like, as the story unfolds. And if the reader has no feeling toward the main bad guy, he starts to ask himself..."Why would the other characters?" That is what I found myself doing by the end of the book. I asked, "Why is Iblis afraid of this old fart?" or "Why doesn't Micheal just shoot him in the head as he rambles on and on?"
Well, even though in the end, the book doesn't wrap up all of these questions nice and neat as I would like, it is still a fun ride and a thoroughly enjoyable read. First time Doestch readers will, no doubt, be enthralled from the first page, and want to come back and read his previous works.
As with other books in the series, The Thieves of Darkness is chock-full of exotic locales. The story moves from a desert torture prison to the streets of Istanbul, and even to the Himalayas. Those familiar with the series will already note that the books are filled with religious references and artifacts. Doetsch always does plenty of research for his novels, and it shows. His technical jargon is always spot-on, and the fictitious historical relics are brought to life well making the situations very believable.
Where this book comes up a little short of the first two, is in the character development department. One of the main protagonists in the series is a priest-for-hire, so to speak, named Simon. Without giving too much away, I will say that he is taken out of the book about a third of the way through. The story continues on without him, instead replacing his character, basically with Micheal's new gal pal, KC. While this doesn't take away from the story too bad, what doesn't sit well with me is the totally unbelievable way in which Simon is injured. The reader may find it a little far fetched. Speaking of far fetched is the antagonist, Iblis. He is presented as an emotionless robot, who is all at once a scrawny dork and an unstoppable killing machine. More than once in the book, Iblis narrowly escapes his demise. However, for a terminator-esque thief-assassin, he is inexplicably scared too death of the other main antagonist, Venue.
Why this killing machine is so afraid of a sixty year old man is anyone's guess. After reading the book I still am not quite sure. Although a good portion of the story was entirely devoted to the development of the back story of these two characters, it was not even close to the amount needed for the reader to make an attachment to either one of these guys. They need their own book. The problem is that Doestch creates such intrigue with both of the baddies here that he can't seem to fit them neatly into this story. What the reader is left with is alot of questions. Venue, in particular, was all at once explained and a total mystery.
In the end what the reader doesn't do is fear him, the way the author would like, as the story unfolds. And if the reader has no feeling toward the main bad guy, he starts to ask himself..."Why would the other characters?" That is what I found myself doing by the end of the book. I asked, "Why is Iblis afraid of this old fart?" or "Why doesn't Micheal just shoot him in the head as he rambles on and on?"
Well, even though in the end, the book doesn't wrap up all of these questions nice and neat as I would like, it is still a fun ride and a thoroughly enjoyable read. First time Doestch readers will, no doubt, be enthralled from the first page, and want to come back and read his previous works.
Monday, October 11, 2010
book review: The Shimmer by David Morrell
David Morrell is widely known as the father of the modern action thriller. He has penned such best sellers as: Rambo, First Blood, Brotherhood of the Rose, and Creepers. His latest work, however, doesn't seem to live up to some of his previous works. With The Shimmer, Morrell seems to have almost veered over into SyFy territory.
Morrell can't be faulted for his commitment to this book. He puts his own spin on what is known as the Marfa Lights, an odd occurance outside of the town of Marfa in Southwest Texas. After reading about the even in a newspaper article back in 2004, Morrell learned that James Dean had been fascinated by these so called lights back when he as filming a movie called Giant nearby. Morrell expertly incorporates that bit of info into the story. What results is an superb mix of fact and fiction.
The story starts out with a lightning pace. There is plenty of action right from the opening sequence. Dan Page, a cop, witnesses, from his plane in the air, the fatal end to a police car chase. Upon arriving home, he finds his wife Tori missing. All she left behind was a cryptic letter. This is the beginning of Page's quest to find his wife, which leads him to the Texas town of Rostov and, ultimately, to the lights.
Unfortunately, what starts out with such promise of action and adventure, fizzles out into just a hodgepodge of excessive violence. Not that I am opposed to violence in books, just the opposite in fact. However the killing and mayhem in The Shimmer do little to add to the overall story, and don't help move the plot along at all. Lacking are the thought provoking explanations of the origin of the lights, or heartfelt histories of each character. I often found myself not connecting with many of the main characters in the book, and more often than not, not really caring one way or the other if they made it through to the end. Some of the questions with the protagonists and for that matter the overall antagonists, are answered in the end. But there is still confusion, and the answers seemed to be a little predictable by that point in the book.
While maybe not the most shining example of the author's considerable talents for fiction, The Shimmer is overall an enjoyable and worthwhile read, especially to fans of David Morrell.
Morrell can't be faulted for his commitment to this book. He puts his own spin on what is known as the Marfa Lights, an odd occurance outside of the town of Marfa in Southwest Texas. After reading about the even in a newspaper article back in 2004, Morrell learned that James Dean had been fascinated by these so called lights back when he as filming a movie called Giant nearby. Morrell expertly incorporates that bit of info into the story. What results is an superb mix of fact and fiction.
The story starts out with a lightning pace. There is plenty of action right from the opening sequence. Dan Page, a cop, witnesses, from his plane in the air, the fatal end to a police car chase. Upon arriving home, he finds his wife Tori missing. All she left behind was a cryptic letter. This is the beginning of Page's quest to find his wife, which leads him to the Texas town of Rostov and, ultimately, to the lights.
Unfortunately, what starts out with such promise of action and adventure, fizzles out into just a hodgepodge of excessive violence. Not that I am opposed to violence in books, just the opposite in fact. However the killing and mayhem in The Shimmer do little to add to the overall story, and don't help move the plot along at all. Lacking are the thought provoking explanations of the origin of the lights, or heartfelt histories of each character. I often found myself not connecting with many of the main characters in the book, and more often than not, not really caring one way or the other if they made it through to the end. Some of the questions with the protagonists and for that matter the overall antagonists, are answered in the end. But there is still confusion, and the answers seemed to be a little predictable by that point in the book.
While maybe not the most shining example of the author's considerable talents for fiction, The Shimmer is overall an enjoyable and worthwhile read, especially to fans of David Morrell.
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