Book Reviews
The Door To December, By Dean Koontz, 510 pages
This book tells of a girl who, kidnaped from her mother by a crazed father, is recovered but is no longer a normal 9 year old girl. The story quickly unfolds, and a clever detective must solve a string of inexplicable murders surrounding the girl's case, all while trying to keep the girl and her mother safe from unknown enemies. This is the first Koontz book I've ever read, and it interested me because of it's paranormal ties. I guess the only problem I had with it was that it's ending was rather abrupt, the ending comes 2 1/2 pages after the climax, certainly not enough time to resolve everything to my liking. Still, it was a good, yet not difficult to read, book... It kept me turning the pages chapter after chapter.
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Intensity, Dean Koontz, 436 pages
This novel tells the story of Chyna Shepard, a young, shy woman with a troubled past, who finds herself in the path of a serial rapist and murderer. I can't say I enjoyed this book much, the story was gripping and of course I wanted to know how it ended, but I was frustrated at the "cheap" writing style of Koontz that keeps the reader interested, and turns a 24-hour ordeal into a 400+ page book. The ending was alright, but it felt rushed, like Koontz struggles with resolutions, or maybe he does this intentionally to satiate his impatient audience? Unless I hear awsome reviews from someone I trust I think I'll stear clear of his books in the future...
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Swan Song, by Robert McCammon, 956 pages
Swan Song takes place just before and after a nuclear attack. The survivors struggle to make it through the years of nuclear winter that befall them. Some people cling to objects of hope, others with family, some with cope by inflicting violence. Some parts of this book get rather "surreal." There are issues with objects being "magic" and there is a "demon" that preys upon people who have hope, and a young girl who can make plants grow from the dead and damaged earth. All these characters eventually come together after years of roaming the United States, and it all comes to a head where the fate of the world hangs in the balance. It was a sad book, a bit descriptive in some parts, but not overly disgusting or sexual, and so I can deal with this sort of book from time to time. I guess taking a look back at the book as a whole, I did enjoy reading it, gave me a lot to think about and be greatful for.
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The Last Hurrah, by Edwin O'Conner, 376 pages
This is a book I really didn't think I'd enjoy much, and it turned out to be really good. It told the story of an old time politician in the early 1950s, a time when old style politics was dying out. He is one of the last true American city "bosses" and the story follows his last memoriable campaign as he tries to reclaim the office of the mayor. In the story he reaches out to his nephew, a young non-political cartoonist who is his last strain of hope for a strong familial confidant. With the cover of showing his nephew the politics of a race for Mayor, this book is able to penetrate the life of a man who some hated, some loved, and all were charmed by.
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1984, By George Orwell, 267 pages
This was my third time reading this book, and it was as good as I remembered. It tells of a future where the government has complete control over it's civilians, primarily through around-the-clock survelence. Every word you say, movement you make, expression you show can be watched, and scrutinized. This book tells of two rebels, Smith and Julia who vaguely think they can cheat the system, but quickly learn how futile it is. But the plot is really secondary to the message, and warning, of this book. The message makes this book a nightmare, more scary than a Stephen King novel, and what makes this book so wonderful. When the government has complete control, your thoughts, your feelings, your soul, is not your own. Humanity as we known it today ceases to exist. If you haven't read this book than you must, it is vital for our time, and an absolute classic.
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The Color Of Magic, By Terry Pratchett, 210 pages
This review is being written after my second time reading this book (the first time was a couple years ago). Amused by Pratchett's excellenct use of satire in his work, I enjoyed this book again. I do however have to say that his later books definately show a more masterful storyteller in Pratchett. Moving along, this is the first book in the Discworld series. It is split into four consecutive adventures of the four-eyed tourist TwoFlower and his relucant failed wizard tour-guide Rincewind. They travel the disc meeting Gods, Heros, and countless magical creatures. This is the first of Pratchett's books that I ever read, and it lured me into this wonderful series.
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Equal Rites, By Terry Pratchett, 213 pages
This is the third book in the Discworld series. It tells of a girl who has been given wizard powers at her birth accidentally (they think she is a son), and as everyone knows... women cannot be wizards. I really enjoyed this book. As always with Pratchett the humor was clever and the characters were charming. Unfortunately I was disappointed with the end. While most of the book kepst a healthy pace, I couldn't help but feel that the ending was a bit rushed, the resolution was a bit sloppy and I feel a bit cheated...
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Mort, By Terry Pratchett, 242 pages
The 4th book in the Discworld series, this book focuses on a character that has been spoken about and even present in a few of the previous books, Death. Death recruits a young boy named Mort to be an apprentice. Death leaves his job to the boy when he decides that he wants to have a taste of what it's like to be a human. And inevitably the boy makes a mistake and starts to unravel the fabric of time! This story of love, adventure and Death is definitely one of the funniest yet, I really recommend it, even if you have not read the other books in the series.
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Sourcery, By Terry Pratchett, 260 pages
This is another book in the Discworld series. It tells of the eighth son of an eighth's son's eighth's son, who is a sourceror of course, named Coin. Directed by the staff that holds the soul of his father, young Coin sets out to take over the world. As usually is the case, the wizard Rincewind is pulled into being the hero throught coincidence and mistake. A group of witty and funny characters, included the beloved luggage, fill every page of this book with "I can't put it down" humor. Great book.
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Wyrd Sisters, By Terry Pratchett, 265 pages
This next book in the Discworld series focuses on three witches, Gytha "Nanny" Ogg, Magrat, and Esmeralda "Granny" Weatherwax. The small woody kingdom that they call home is taken over by a foriegn duke and the witches are asked, for the first time ever, to pay taxes. When they refuse it's obvious to the duke that these women are evil! Personally, I prefer the Discworld novels that concern themselves with wizards, but I really liked this book. The amusing antics of the witches, combined with a wonderful cas of characters, which included a dwarf playwrite, a lost prince, and a very uncontent Fool, make for another fun-filled glimpse at the life on the Disc.
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Pyramids, By Terry Pratchett, 323 pages
This is another book in the Discworld series. It takes place mostly in an "Egyptionesque" kingdom of Djelibeybi, where the new young Pharaoh Teppic (a trained assassin despite his royal lineage) has a few problems, among them being that his Old Kingdom is now a Lost Kingdom. As always, Pratchett's characters are entertaining, while the story pokes fun at culture. I found this book to be a bit slow at first, and I wouldn't say it's one of Pratchett's best, but it certainly was fun. I was greatly entertained by the camel.
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Guards! Guards!, By Terry Pratchett, 355 Pages
This, another book in Pratchett's Discworld series, tells of a group of people who decide to cas a spell to raise a dragon. Of course things don't go according to plan and we are introduced to that Ankh-Morpork City Watch. I really enjoyed this book. Not only was a lot of attention paid to the big dragon, but more than ever there is a great amount of time spent focusing on the small swamp dragons! I love the dragons. So Pratchett's usual with, humor and memorable characters is paired with a story that will entertain all sorts of dragon lovers, a great book.
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Eric, By Terry Pratchett, 197 pages
This is another book in the discworld series, and it brings back the Wizard Rincewind! Eric is a teenage demonologist who follows in his grandfather's footsteps by being terribly unsucessful. Instead of a demon, he summons Rincewind (who is stuck in another dimention, after events in a previous book, Sourcery), much to the dismay of the demon king Astfgl. Not believing that Rincewind is not a demon, Eric demands him to grant him three wishes. While executing this request, they travel on a humorous journey through time and space, and quite literally to Hell and back. I enjoyed this book, the luggage tags along as always, and Rincewind's clumsy cowardice is as entertaining as is always is. Short but sweet!
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Moving Pictures, by Terry Pratchett, 337 pages
This book is another in the Discworld series, it tells of a strange, magical, occurance that allows ideas of another place and time to drive into Discworld. What kind of ideas? In this case, the "idea" of "Holly Wood" (or Holy Wood, as it is known as on the Disc). Armed with cameras (a box with artist goblins drawing really fast inside), a dream, or just a hunch, people flock to Holy Wood to become famous. A milkmaid and an "almost wizard" are unlikely stars in this parody of Holly Wood. The directors are artful, the producers are scam artists, and the actors are just trying to find their way, and they all are literally star-eyed ("what's wrong with your eyes?"). As if that wasn't enough, there are talking animals. I enjoyed this book, finished it rather quickly, and I can't say that I was every bored, another great one by Pratchett!
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Reaper Man, by Terry Pratchett, 374 pages
This is yet another book in Terry Pratchett's discworld series. Death is fired and while a replacement is trying to be found the dead don't have anywhere to go. This book takes us from high in the Ramtop mountains to down into the city of Ankh-Morpork. Death gets a chance to see what life is like for mortals, while wizards and priests argue whose fault the whole mess is. I enjoyed this book, as I do most of Pratchett's discworld series books. The wizards where hopelessly inept, the whole cast was querky and amusing, and the plot was a humorous ride through foolishness that seems to make sense. Precisely what I have come to expect from Pratchett!
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The Last Hero, By Terry Pratchett and Illustrated by Paul Kidby, 160 pages
This large, illustrated book really intrigued me, I found it at one of those warehouse bargin bookstores and immediately grabbed it. It is a book of Pratchett's discworld that tells of a group of older heros on a quest to "return the fire to the gods" and the journey by some of Discworld's more powerful leaders to stop them, as this would destroy the world. As always, I greatly enjoyed Pratchett's wit, and how wonderfully funny his characters are. The story itself was wonderful and greatly entertaining. It was also quite a treat to see visual adaptations of our beloved wizard Rincewind, and Death, and the spectacular pictures of the disc itself. I belive those who havent read any of Pratchett's other books would even enjoy this, I will definately be reading this again and again
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The Shipping News, By E. Annie Proulx, 337 pages
This book tells the story of a man, born and raised in New York, who after losing his adulterous wife in a terrible car crash, decides to retreat with his two young daughters to an old family home in Newfoundland. It's a pretty typical tale of someone who is at "rock bottom" and takes a chance at being content. As a Pulizer Prize winner I guess I expected more, but even 100 pages into it I started guessing that the reviewers fell asleep while reading it and just dreamed it was a good book. A little harsh? Maybe. I think it's just one of those books that they will make kids read in high school and pull all sorts of deep meaning out of, which we all know to be complete bs! The characters were boring, story-line predictable, and the setting couldn't have been more dull. I only finished it because it's one of the last books on my shelf I hadn't read...
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The Celestine Prophecy, By James Redfield, 246 pages
I wasn't sure what to expect when I began to read this book, checking the cover for some sort of distinction into a class (non-fiction, fiction, religious...) and couldn't find one. The story is an adventure of one man who travels to Peru on a whim after hearing about a revolutionary manuscript that was discovered. Through a series of coincidences he discovers the "9 insights" of evolving humanity... where we have all come from and where we are all going as humans and a culture. The book in itself as a story (fiction, used only to demonstrate the ideas) was full of surprises, the church has convinced the Peruvian government that this manuscript must be destroyed, so our main characters are forced to run throughout the novel to avoid capture... but the coincidences, so avidly described tended to get on my nerves a bit, as much as they were necessary for the point to get through. But of course the adventure was not what the book was about. This books was one man's vision of spirtuality in this changing world. I was hesitant about his views at first because he believes that we are living in a special, profound time... and I think that everyone who has ever lived would have liked to think of their time period as a special turning point in history, every christian thinks their generation will be the one to see christ return. The insights pretty much outline a better way to treat our fellow beings, and it does make a lot of sense, even without his "energy fields"... Energy Fields, these were described as coming from everything living, energy that can be moved among things through different actions, and although I thought on this for some time, I really couldnt accept it, in the book the characters could actually see these (which I assume would sorta be like auras). Ok, so in all? I liked this book, it's another one of those pychological books that got me thinking. I don't believe that we will reach a perfect conciousness someday and transend material possessions, but treating fellow humans with respect and love is something we all could use a bit of practice with and this book outlines a very good way to doso.
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Armor, By John Steakley, 426 pages
This science fiction book tells of a man named Felix. Felix is a carefree (as in he is free of cares...) soldier in a galactic fleet and by a cruel twist of fate, he is thrust into inhuman conditions of battle. But Felix is not what he seems. The structure of this book is a bit confusing at first, but by the end, when everything comes together, it's really amazing. I guess my only problem with this book was that it contained a few lengthy battle-scenes that really don't interest me. As far as the story goes however, and the way it was written, as a whole, the book was very very good.
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Snow Crash, By Neal Stephenson, 448 pages
I first heard about this book a couple years ago, and it interested me, but I never really had the time to read it until recently. Often compared to William Gibson's Neuromancer, this book takes a look at what the futuristic Internet might look like. The Metaverse, world of 3d, reproduced in front of your eyes, a world you can become lost in, and as the book tells, a world you can become hurt in. It's the tale of Hiro Protagonist, and his efforts to deify himself and save the Metaverse from "Snow Crash" a virus that infects a 'hacker' and causes real physical harm. This exciting book takes place in fragments, between several characters and in the real world and the Metaverse, and explores a cult, some ancient Sumerian history, and paints a picture of a society ruled not by laws and countries, but by corporations. Even if you are not into "cyber-type" novels, there is really something for everyone in this book. I loved it.
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Dracula, by Bram Stoker, 381 pages
It took me a long time to finally read this book, but just recently I did... Written in journal style (the journals kept by several characters) the story tells the tale of Count Dracula. I know this story is well-known by most, but reading the book is a very refreshing view of the tale. As with any book, you get to know the characters so much better than with a movie. And although it's difficult, if you leave all preknowledge of the story behind you before reading, it's really much better... The only problem I have with the book is the last few chapters, it unfortunately tends to drag on towards the end, and I wasnt sure why... but this probably explains why, as close as a movie may follow this book, the end is changed and hyped up a bit more %)
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The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, 287 pages
This book is a fantasy classic. Set in the world of Middle Earth, it tells of the adventure of Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit. In this magical world, wizards, dwarves, elves, and goblins co-exist (if not always peacefully), and Bilbo is swept up into an adventuer to reclaim gold from a murderous dragon. Along the way, he discovers a magical ring, which becomes much more important in stories to come (Lord of the Rings Trilogy). I love this book, and I've had exposure to it since before I can remember. As a young child I listened to the audio telling of the story on my father's records, and when I was old enough, I picked up the book and read it myself. The story has never failed to enchant me. Maybe part of it is that you never merely read this book, but are "told a story", Tolkien's narrative speaks directly to the reader in a way that makes you truly believe the story, as fantastic as it is. If you haven't read this book you MUST put it at the top of your "to read" list, it's not one to miss.
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Between The Rivers, By Harry Turtledove, 408 pages
I found this book very difficult to get into, and as a whole, rather boring. It was the tale of the world at the dawn of civilization, when gods ruled each town, and men were subject to their direct rule. It tells of the city and people of Gibil, the city of the lazy god, and how this god's laziness struck fear of man's independence in neighboring gods. Of course it is only a matter of time before the weakness of the gods is found and men elsewhere begin to rule themselves. I guess I would have enjoyed this book more if the characters were more developed, if was difficult for me to feel for even the MAIN character because he just was not believable enough. During the whole book I was waiting for something substantial to happen, and although the end does get a bit better, it was not really worth it, I don't think I'd recommend this book.
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Guns Of The South, by Harry Turtledove, 556 pages
This book is about a group of radicals from the distant future coming to the civil war time and helping the south win the war by supplying them with AK-47's. The physics of how the time travel works are never explained, but even with my lack of civil war knowledge I found myself captivated by this book. It really sheds light on how things were at that time in history, how brutal things were, and how amazing that it's merely two lifetimes since that time. I do have an interest in history, which may have compelled me to read this book, but I do believe almost anyone would enjoy it. Well-written, and while some of the historical things may not be perfect (the author admits this), the general idea of the whole book is intact. I'll be reading more of Turtledove's alternative history.
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The Outline of History, Volume I - Ancient History, By HG Wells, 412 pages
I started reading this book when I realized that my knowledge of the whole of world history was quite lacking. It was written around 1920, revised in 1930, revised again in 1940 (and after that, but not by Wells himself), the copy I have was published in 1940. It's obviously a generally European-centric view of history, and since this records history from the "beginning of time" it does have a few facts out of place, but generally I learned to take that with a grain of salt. It did try to gather some Asian history, although at the time of writing a lot of that history was still closed off to the western world. Still it did give me quite a good outline for reference. And since it was written by Wells it was not as dry and boring as most historical accounts. I really did enjoy this, and read it slowly, over the course of several months along with other books, to get a firm grasp on the information, so I'd remembered more. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to further their basic knowledge of ancient history.
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Quantum Psychology, By Robert Anton Wilson, 202 pages
In this book, the author tries to draw parallels between the scientifically world changing concepts behind quantum physics and his new way of looking at how our mind works and interacts with the universe. With no "formal" education in Quantum Physics (no degrees in this field, etc.) he takes both the simple and more complex theories in Quantum Physics and makes them understandable to the casual reader, while also describing how they reflect our own human psychology. He brings forth examples like how a photon "is" a particle, and "is" a wave, and puts this into real life, intellectual, situations (where many people say quantum theory has no place). In all although I am not sure I agree or completely understand all of what he says in this book (I guess it *does* require a bit of a mind for understanding pretty abstract, "unnatural" concepts), I can say that this book DOES get you thinking about things you might not otherwise think about.
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Wilhelm Reich In Hell, By Robert Anton Wilson, 164 pages
This book is a play that depicts Wilhelm Reich, a radical psychologist and philosopher in a circus themed court, trying to express his views and prove his sanity. In 1957 his books were ceased by the US Government and burned, because at the time his views were seen as dangerous to society. A year later he died in prison. This play expresses his views by making one see the fundamental, if not unavoidable, flaws in modern society, or the "Emotional Plague". Reich believed that all physical sickness was linked to this Emotional Place, and could be cured with treatment of the mind. He was deemed insane, and in this play he fights that off, saying he is not the one who is dangerous and insane, the governments are, the governments are "building the bombs" not him! Although I don't agree with everything Reich believed, I was truly impressed with the way this play described his beliefs, it really gets the reader (or audience) to see where he was coming from, what his beliefs stemmed from, so one is able to play with the ideas he is proposing... Mixed with humor and utter seriousness it keeps the reader involved and focused. The introduction to the written play, 3 introductions really, are aimed at getting the reader of the play to look at the play objectively, without the natural adversion to these believes, or particular "glosses". This was acheived very well I think. In any event, this book made me think quite a bit about how I look at myself and the world around me.
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