“44 Horrible Dates” by Eddie Campbell, 2012

“44 Horrible Dates” by Eddie Campbell, 2012

Just as the title spells out, this book is about 44 horrible dates. Each story is short enough that even a cat with attention deficit disorder can complete a story before getting the urge to “play the violin”. For those of you who don’t own, nor have ever seen a cat “playing the violin”, it’s when a cat lifts own leg up over its head up in the air while keeping the other leg down, and licks its private parts for hygiene.  Gross, I know, but some men just love their pussy.

Each short story is a chapter and is titled with the date’s name. At the end of the 2 or 4 page long chapter, the horrible date perpetrator is assigned a witty “A.K.A.”. For example, the first story involves a gentleman named Tim who the author fell quickly enamored with. His infatuation fell short lived due to his beaus’ gastric-winded interruptions throughout the date. The date came and gone like a short gust of wind and the author cleverly nicknamed Tim, “inflatulation”.

The general locale of the horrible dates is and around Los Angeles.  Localites would probably relate to the authors general opinions of the bars, clubs, and restaurants he mentions—Oil Can Harry’s, Roosterfish, Gauntlet (now The Eagle), WeHo, etc.

Some have described this book a “hilarious romp of true life”, while others describe it as an “emotional catharsis for anyone who has ever come home from a horrible date”, but just prefer file the book under, “disaster dates and the snarky queen”. And I say “snarky queen,” only because that is the image my brain involuntarily conjures in my pedantic mind when the stories seem to cross the delicate line of witty back-handed bitchy humor to just plain mean queen territory. And yes dear author Eddie, I took the un-pusillanimous route like you and spoke my mind.  Should I “LOL” that? Oh, I just did. Dastardly!

While I enjoyed this book, as far as I can remember—what can I say, I was vacationing in Palms Springs, sprawled out in the sun whilst some scantily clad boy poured my libations heavy.  I wouldn’t recommend reading it in its entirety in one sitting. It’s a coffee table book, or a beach book. Better yet, a pool book in Palm Springs while the drinks are poured heavily. –Excuse me, I digress.  Read a chapter or two and get a laugh, and when you are done with the entire book, pass it forward to someone who will do the same.

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars) - I really liked it.

Various Media/Art from the internet:

Author: Eddie Campbell

“I, Robot” by Isaac Asimov,1950

“I, Robot” by Isaac Asimov,1950

“I, Robot” is a collection of nine (9) stories loosely threaded together throughout the life of one scientist, a “Robopsychologist” named Susan Calvin under the employ of U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc. The story is delivered through the narration of a reporter, as told by Susan Calvin in the 21st century.

This novel also shares the name of a movie released in the year 2004, starring Will Smith, called “I, Robot”. The movie was inspired and borrows from “Little Lost Robot”, some of Asimov’s character’s names, and the “Three Laws of Robotics.” The similarities end there and the movie, for the most part, is original from the book.

Each story involves a witty premise in which the “Three Laws of Robotics” are stretched to a breaking point and causes aberrant behavior in the robot, leaving the protagonist(s) in search of logical explanations to solve the problem.

The individual stories share themes of morality, and examine the interactions and relationship between humans and machines from the time when robots were relatively crude mute household appliances to when they grow into lifelike androids indiscernible from humans. Combined, the series of vignettes tell a larger story of Asimov’s history of robotics.

The short stories are:

“Robbie”- A touching story about a little girl’s attachment to her mute, appliancelike robot, is simply splendid and my favorite.

“Runaround” – We meet a pair of field testers of new robot model, Donovan and Powell, who are almost stranded on Mercury when a new robot model has trouble reconciling the Second and Third Laws. The robot is described as seeming to behave intoxicatedly, and with that, sets a farcical tone to the story.

“Reason” – A robot becomes fanatically religious and refuses to believe that weak and frail humans are its creator.

“Catch that Rabbit” – Donovan and Powell troubleshoot a “multiple-robot”, a set of mechanical workers with one master robot controlling six subordinate parts.

“Liar” – A robot factory accidentally creates a mind-reading robot and Susan Calvin tries to determine how this happened. The story also explores what happens when what people say and think (mean) are not the same things.

“Little Lost Robot” – A potentially dangerous military robot whose First Law has been slightly altered is hiding among a shipment of physically identical robots. Susan Calvin tries to determine which robot is the dangerous one.

“Escape” – A mischievous robot send Donovan and Powell unwillingly on an intergalactic test flight. Susan Calvin must convince the jovially mischievous robot into returning them home.

“Evidence” - A short story positing the existence of difference between robots and politicians contains neat twist in the end and ranks in as my second favorite.

“The Evitable Conflict” – Delivered as a conversation between humans analysts, consider the consequences of turning over control of the global economy to the Machines, was for me, dull and uninteresting.

Here, are Asimov’s lasting and famous “Three Laws of Robotics” introduced in this book:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars) - I really liked it.

Related art from various sources on the internet:

“Amped” by Daniel H. Wilson, 2012

“Amped” by Daniel H. Wilson, 2012

In a future reality, the government is implanting technology, in the form of a tiny device into brains of people to correct defects and disabilities, or increase intelligence, or control other augmentations to the body.

However, after some decades, a Supreme Court decision declares "amplified humans", or ”amps”, to be an unprotected class, Owen Gray learns his implant to control his epilepsy makes him not just a second class citizen, but a criminal and a fugitive. And moments before the lab explosion that kills his father, Owen Gray learns that his implanted amp is more than an antiepilepsy device and in fear, flees for his life.

Owen heads for an amp haven in Oklahoma called Eden and meets an ex-military soldier implanted with a zenith-class amp, called Lyle Crosby. The zenith-class amp, was government classified and was bestowed to a select few, turned soldiers into supersoldiers and was secretly given to Owen by his government scientist father.

With the help of the unpredictable and violent Lyle, Owen slowly unlocks the powers of his supercharged zenith-class amp and struggles through acceptance of the possibility of becoming prone to violence.

“Amped” is an action adventure speeding across the landscape of a paranoid society that needed to stop for gas halfway through the novel. The novel had a strong start that left questions that drew me in immediately, a somewhat sputtering middle with thought provoking concepts and intriguing ideas that eventually gain momentum, and a high-impact explosive action ending.

The novel falls on its face a bit, for me, on its social commentary of the world the author painted in this novel. For the hero to be an underdog, the author had to create a society that hated and persecuted amps. Membership into this society means either extreme hatred for amps or be an amp. I just couldn’t buy into it. Where is the gray in this society? Perhaps the author intended Owen Gray to be the representative as suggested by his namesake.

Thoughtful and well-written, like the author’s previous novel Robopocalypse, the tense interplay between humans and machines is provocative and intriguing. The action sequences delivered through its conjured situations that explore boundaries between humankind and its technological creations made up for the, in my view, weak character development and thin plotting.

My rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 out of 5 stars) - I liked it.

Fan Art from various sources on the internet:

 

"Children of the Mind (Ender's Saga #4)" by Orson Scott Card, 1996

"Children of the Mind (Ender's Saga #4)" by Orson Scott Card, 1996


Children of the Mind is the fourth installment and conclusion in the Ender's Game series. Originally the second half of Xenocide, the third installment in the Ender's Game series, it was split into a separate novel.


Jane, the evolved computer artificial intelligence living the computer networks of the Hundred Worlds of the Starway Congress, is racing to find a way to transfer her aiua or soul into another body, human, pequenino, or bugger before the ansible is shut down.


Peter Wiggin, a creation of sorts by Ender, along with Wang-Mu of the planet Path, travel from world to world instantaneously through Jane's newly developed ability of transporting people and ships faster than light. Peter and Wang-Mu hope to convince highly regarded philosophers to sway the Starways Congress to call off the fleet ordered to destroy the planet Lusitania.


Meanwhile, Miro and Val-Jane travel the stars through Jane's new faster-than-light ability to search for colonizable planets for pequeninos, buggers, and Lusitanian humans to escape to in preparation of the impending destruction of the planet Lusitania.


Ela and Quara, two of Ender's adopted children who are brilliant Xenobioligists from Lusitania, travel to a planet where the "descolada" virus may have originated from to try to communicate with the Descoladores, a new and possibly sentient species introduced in this novel, to stop attacking other inhabited worlds.


The blend of science fiction with philosophy was slightly heavy and somewhat detracted from my full enjoyment of the story. The preachiness peppered throughout the book was less of a religious nature, which was predominant in Xenocide, but rather more of mind, body and soul.


Ideas and questions like "what makes a person a person?", and "are you a part of your soul who lives in you and makes you moral being?", or "are you merely a collection of memories?" are presented head on in this book and quite uniquely.


There is a bittersweet feeling that lingers with me after reading the end of the novel. All the outstanding questions, along with minutiae, stemming from the previous three books are resolved with a sense of peace that follows a life of imbroglio. As the saying goes, a good life is a messy life, so goes this novel.


My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)

“Piper in the Woods” by Philip K. Dick, 1953

“Piper in the Woods” by Philip K. Dick, 1953

Henry Harris, an army doctor on Earth, receive a patient who, after returning from a mission on asteroid Y-3, claims to be a plant. Harris’ diagnosis of post-traumatic stress syndrome was dispelled when a several more soldiers returning from asteroid Y-3 exhibit the same symptoms—the soldiers claim they are plants, they sit in basking in the sun during daylight hours, remain in a catatonic state at nighttime hours, and refuse to perform any kind of work.

Harris travels to asteroid Y-3 and investigates for a cause of the soldier’s conditions and learns from the soldiers of an indigenous people living in the woods called “Pipers”, and that it was the “Pipers” who made the soldiers realize they were plants.

Harris ventures out to the woods and meets an indigene woman. The woman seems gracefully beautiful yet mysterious. She leads him deeper into the wood with promise of a meeting with the Piper.

Harris returns to earth and decides that the “Pipers” were created by the soldiers to cope with their high-pressured military jobs; allowing them to simply “tune out” and relax by turning into plants. Harris contemplates all the work that lies ahead of him as he unpacks his suitcases, which, rather than contain clothes, contain soil from Asteroid Y-3. Harris spreads the soil on the floor, sat squarely in the middle like a plant, and goes to sleep.

This science fiction short story seems fairly straight forward. The characters were relatively well developed given the number of pages. I can see this story as a basis of a Twilight Zone or Outer Limits television episode. I surely would recommend adding this to your reading list of short stories.

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)

Here is a link to the full story:http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Piper_in_the_Woods

“The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James, 1898

“The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James, 1898

Told through a third-party narrator, the story is about a governess who is hired to watch over two children, Miles and Flora, in a manor named Bly in Essex. The kids are charming at all accounts with the exception of Miles expelled from school for reasons that are never clear.


Life at Bly proceeds normally until two strangers, later to be identified as Peter Quint and Miss Jessel, start materializing on the grounds of Bly, and then vanishing just as quickly.


We later learn from Mrs. Grose, the person in charge of all things “below stairs”, that Peter Quint, the valet, was Miss Jessel’s hunky stud, and Miss Jessel was the previous governess to the children. The problem is, Peter Quint and Miss Jessel, are both dead.


Throughout the entire book, the governess is the only person who actually sees the two ghosts, or is, for any account, the only person who will admit to seeing the apparitions. For this reason, a plentitude of scholarly discussions, whether this is a ghost story or a story of a mad woman’s downward spiral into dementia, exists.


Personally, I thought of the book as a ghost story because of the fact Mrs. Grose had so easily been able to put a name to the detailed descriptions of the ghosts who the governess describes, but had never seen before. Other readers, though, may disagree on this, and it is very much, I suppose, open to interpretation.


“The Turn of the Screw” is around 120 pages, a short but clever story, and still the author manages to make the two children with angelic exteriors, Miles and Flora, at times seem rather sinister. Were Miles and Flora really aware of the ghosts? Were the children hiding dark secrets of sexual abuse? Did the Miles witness and commit homosexual acts; encouraging other boys at school which led to his expulsion?


All told, I would have to say the novel is an uncommonly good story and is one that tends to stay with the reader (me anyway) even after the final and rather abruptly shocking page has been turned.


My rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars)

“Xenocide (Ender’s Saga #3) ” by Orson Scott Card, 1991

“Xenocide (Ender’s Saga #3) ” by Orson Scott Card, 1991

The story takes place on two planets; the Catholic colony world of Lusitania, home of the porcine indigenes known as the pequeninos and the Chinese Taoist colony world of Path, home of genetically modified humans. The human colonists on Lusitania are racing to find a solution to the “descolada”, a virus necessary to the three-stage life cycle of the pequeninos but fatal to human beings, before the Starways Congress fleet to destroy Lusitania arrives.

The introduction of subatomic particles the author has invented called “philotes” links everything together and is utilized by the “ansibles” for faster than light communications in the Ender universe, gives rise to the question of faster than light travel. Within the “ansibles”, “philotes”, and computers of the “hundred worlds”, Jane an evolved artificial intelligence with whom Ender and the other aliens are in communication, comes to question her sentience and attempts to develop faster-than-light travel.

With help from the world of Path, the xenobiologists on Lusitania find the solution to the “descolada” and in part also discovering the solution to the “super obsessive-compulsive disorder gene” problem suffered on Path. And with the help of the other aliens, the buggers and the pequeninos, Jane develops faster than light travel; enabling the physical transport and exchange of the “solutions” between the worlds of Path and Lusitania before the arrival of the Starways Congress fleet.

While themes of duty and absolution pervade the novel, the question of the very nature of life itself is at the heart of the novel. Although Xenocide is long with frequent, irksome, and interminable theological/philosophical interludes and wrestles with fundamental questions of faith and free will, it was quite an enjoyable read.

My rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars)




Fan art:

 

“Glory (Podvig:Подвиг)“ by Vladimir Nabokov, 1931

“Glory (Podvig:Подвиг)“ by Vladimir Nabokov, 1931


Glory is a tale of adventure and "coming of age" during pre-revolutionary St. Petersburg. We follow the life and development of Martin Edelweiss, a Swiss-Russian, from childhood to university graduate of Cambridge in England. As the years pass, Martin finds himself in situations, with increasing loftiness and grandiosity, where he feels the need to conquer in order to achieve, in his eyes, a sort of heroic status. Much akin to the “perfect throw” in football—whatever that is.


The crux of the problem is the impotence of the main character; that being, the drive and ambitions without the means and wherewithal to accomplish. Atop those dispositions, there is nothing of notable account about Martin. I found difficulty in growing attached to the protagonist.

With leitmotifs of “light and dark”, “winding paths that disappear into the forest”, “the sound of water”, and the various modes of “journey”, a fairy-tale like quality to the novel is stylistically painted and lends to the enchantment of the story.

However, I found the development of the story sleepy and the stark conclusion dissatisfying. There are some nice turns of phrase and trademark drollery, but an uninspired protagonist and subtle multiplicity of meaning absent made a rather weak story. Overall I found nothing compelling about the novel.



My rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2 out of 5 stars) 

"The Currents of Space (Galactic Empire #2)" by Isaac Asimov, 1952

"The Currents of Space (Galactic Empire #2)" by Isaac Asimov, 1952

The story's backdrop takes place during Trantor's rise to Galactic Empire. The plot opens with a "spatio-analyst" earthling named Rik left on the planet Florinia after his mind was scrambled by a botched "psycho-probe" session and a woman named Valona to care for him and keep him out of trouble.

The story unfolds as Riks memory slowly returns and as his memory returns the danger and plot thickens. The interplay between flashbacks and the current time frame builds depth in the mystery and assists in connecting characters together while moving the story along.

Categorized as science fiction, I found this book more like a mystery or detective novel. Hints of espionage, major amnesia, political crisis, and government interdictions spells "The Borne Identity" but without the ass-kicking action-- typical of an Asimov novel, all talk no action.

I found the book somewhere between bland and enjoyable. The switching between flashbacks and current time frame isn't always apparent until a couple of paragraphs in the chapter was a bit annoying; causing me to backtrack some paragraphs back.

My rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2 out of 5 stars)

"Mr. Spaceship" by Philip K. Dick, 1953

"Mr. Spaceship" by Philip K. Dick, 1953

Earth is at the losing end of a war with an alien race, called Yuks, who are able traverse the universe without spaceships. To turn tides, Earth's military engineer Kramer devices a method of installing a human brain into a man made mechanical spaceship.

Professor Thomas, who is in the declining years of his life, volunteers to transplant his brain into the spaceship and to strike at the emeny. However, after brain transplant, Professor Thomas kidnaps Kramer and Kramer's ex-wife Dolores.

Instead of war, Professor Thomas decided a regenesis of the human race, with Kramer and Dolores cast as "Adam & Eve", on a far away planet would reevolve the human race sans the cultural proclivity to war.

Other than the ending of the story feeling a bit rushed and "cheesy", it is short and straight forward, and the story is an enjoyable read in-between longer novels.

My rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 out of 5 stars)

“A War of Gifts (Ender's Saga, #5)” by Orson Scott Card, 2007

“A War of Gifts (Ender's Saga, #5)” by Orson Scott Card, 2007

Set in the Ender’s early years in Battle School, a rebellion among students of different faiths and faculty must settle their religious conflicts while being trained for war.

Other than the fact that the events takes place in Battle School during Ender’s early years in training, this story has no substantive relevance to “Ender’s Game”.  It was more a story of religious fanaticism, exploration of guilt, and Santa Clause.

I don’t really have much to say about this book other than the relief that it was only 128 pages.  Even so, the book was 127 pages too long. The novel read more like a sermon than science. I wouldn’t be surprised to find a copy of this book behind a pulpit somewhere.

My rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1 out of 5 stars)

"Ten Books That Screwed Up the World: And Five Others That Didn't Help" by Dr. Benjamin Wiker, 2008

"Ten Books That Screwed Up the World: And Five Others That Didn't Help" by Dr. Benjamin Wiker, 2008

I can’t recall ever reading a book that makes me want to commit violence or some other heinous crime against the author except for this one.  I was sorely pissed off by the end of the book. I felt bamboozled into keeping an open mind only to find myself struck with a final-uppercut-blow of the author’s seething  missives and tainted biases.

In fairness and in the spirit of constructive criticism, which the book lacked, the author seem to do a decent job of exposing fallacies in the arguments he covers and explaining how dangerous the philosophies can be if applied incorrectly or with hidden personal motives.

I was drawn to this book by its title and intrigued by its criticisms as I read on. There are some good points discussed, however, as soon as the critiques became nonconstructive and became a flame fest against modern philosophy and a roast of philosophers, it just became negative, and I was downright disgusted.

After closer inspection, the book content simply amounts to circumstantial fallacies, ad hominem, personal attacks, uncritical diatribe, no scholar value, all veiled under “cutesy” sarcasm.

One of the things I noticed, the author Dr. Wiker, equates atheism with immorality and, therefore, the undoing of man.  A common thread with every book, he notes, that the author was an atheist or simply rejects Christianity.

I think only people like Dr. Wiker himself will like this poor excuse for a book; that is, conservative evangelical Christians with very narrow minds. This book is a perfect example of the twisting of knowledge to justify one’s personal morality rooted in antifeminism, antihomosexuality, antiwomen, anti-choice, antiscience, anti-intellectualism..

The following lists the books covered:

Machiavelli – The Prince (1513)
Descartes – Discourse on Method (1637)
Hobbs – Leviathan (1651)
Rousseau – Discourse on Inequality (1755)
Marx – Communist Manifesto (1848)
Mill – Utilitarianism (1863)
Darwin – The Descent of Man (1871)
Nietzsche – Beyond Good and Evil (1886)
Lenin – The State and Revolution (1917)
Sanger – The Pivot of Civilization (1922)
Hitler – Mein Kampf (1925)
Freud – Future of an Illusion (1927)
Mead – Coming of Age in Samoa (1928)
Kinsey – Sexual Behavior in Human Male (1948)
Friedan – The Feminine Mystique (1963)

My rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ (0 out of 5 stars)

“Lolita” by Vladimir Nabokov, 1955

“Lolita” by Vladimir Nabokov, 1955

Lolita, one of the best known and most controversial examples of 20th century literature, tells the story of an aging man, Humbert Humbert’s obsessive and doomed passion for the minor Dolores Haze (Lolita).

Dolores, a twelve year old girl, lives with her widowed mother Charlotte who runs a boarding house to support the both of them. Humbert, who has an unhealthy interest in young girls, becomes a boarder and immediately becomes smitten with Dolores. Humbert marries Charlotte in order to stay close to Dolores. When Charlotte discovers Humbert’s dark secret, she runs out of the house in haste and is killed by car, leaving Humbert to raise Dolores by himself.

The incestuous relationship between stepfather and stepdaughter is exposed with beautiful style, prose, and clever linguistic word play that the reader is seduced into reading further regardless of the shocking content and renders this dark tale into an enchanting form.

I would unquestionably recommend this book to bookworms and non-bookworms alike. The overall darkly comic tone and alternating bemused weariness with sweeping romanticism elicited more than a few chuckles out of me at moments generally where sympathy for the victim should be regarded.  One will learn, if for anything else, the origin of how the name “Lolita” has entered pop culture to describe a sexually precocious girl.

My rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars)

“Washington Square” by Henry James, 1881

“Washington Square” by Henry James, 1881

Washington square tells the story of a father (Dr. August Sloper), daughter (Catherine Sloper), and suitor (Morris Townsend). Morris Townsend’s, a man-about-town, proposal to Catherine Sloper is met with resistance by Dr. Sloper and forbids the marriage. Dr. Sloper believes Morris Townsend is only after his daughter, Catherine’s, fortune and inheritance.

Selfishness, cruelty, and manipulation were central themes in this novel; which I think may not be traditional of 19th century novels. I found Dr. August Sloper insidious, yet genial. Catherine Sloper was frustratingly a model of passive resistance, yet present the strength of innocence in the face of manipulation. The spinster aunt Lavinia adds to theme of manipulation through the use of her niece’s courtship as a way to work out her own foiled romantic desires.

I honestly can’t say which character I disliked the most. They were all pretty much despicable. If they had any redeeming qualities I would get a whiff of it, or I may have not been paying attention closely enough. Overall, I found style in which the book was written, well, boring. The plot is fairly straight forward and predictions unnecessary.

My rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1 out of 5 stars)

“The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925

“The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925

Set in the summer of 1922, The Great Gatsby is a love story of Gatsby's passion for Daisy Buchanan. It is also a picture of the Jazz Age in all of its decadence and excess.

Avarice, social-strata, ambition, nouveau riche vs. old money, reckless driving, the “American dream”, booze, parties, infidelity, and a mystery man were enough to make this an enjoyable read for me. Touching on the decline of “The American Dream” in 1920s, the hollowness of the upper class, the social immobility despite the geographical closeness between East Egg and West Egg, regrets, and recapturing the past is what made this novel considered by many a Great American Novel and a literary classic.

I also noticed some gay overtones-- Nick kind of falling in love with Gatsby and what he represents, Nick going home  with a photographer named Mr. Mckee after a party, and Nick constantly keeping track of Gatsby. Then there is the material girl-- Daisy crying over exquisite shirts at Gatsby house, going from plain rich to mega rich by marrying Tom, and attending lavish posh parties. And what to say about Myrtle—oh poor Myrtle. She was just a play thing for the hollow rich folks. She certainly didn’t deserve to be run over even if she committed adultery.

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)

"Tropic of Capricorn" by Henry Miller, 1938

“Tropic of Capricorn” by Henry Miller, 1938

“Tropic of Capricorn” is considered by many a cornerstone of modern literature and part of the Henry Miller’s contribution to cause of free speech in publications. As with its companion novel “Tropic of Cancer”, “Tropic of Capricorn” was banned in America as obscene for 30 years. Only a historic court ruling that changed American censorship standards permitted their publication.

Personally, I quite enjoyed the semi-autobiography. I do wonder how much of the filth is evocative of truth and how much of it an invocation of fantasy. I cull and quote Miller himself, “Obscenity is a cleansing process, whereas pornography only adds to the murk"; More obscenity and more murk, please.


My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)

"Foundation and Earth" (Foundation, Book 7) by Isaac Asimov (1986)

"Foundation and Earth" (Foundation, Book 7) by Isaac Asimov (1986)

Several hundred thousands of years in the future, two citizens of the Foundation, Pel and Trev, seek to find the planet of human origin called Earth. At each step that brings them closer to Earth, they are met with danger, wonderment, and forms of human life more culturally alien to them than they anticipated.

Geriatric sex, hermaphrodites, robots, hive mind, and plenty more sex. What a departure from the other Foundation books in the series; neither in a good or bad way. I have to admit I enjoyed this installment much more than the original Foundation trilogy and maybe as much as the prequels. The addition of Fallum to Trev (not to mention Daneel), Pel, and Bliss was the right device to introduce the ideas of "whole human beings" and in turn merging of Man and Machine. Asimov unquestionably tied all of his "big ideas" and worldbuilding from his various works together remarkably well with this novel.

My rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars)

“Foundation's Edge” (Foundation, Book 6) by Isaac Asimov's (1982)

“Foundation's Edge” (Foundation, Book 6) by Isaac Asimov's (1982)

About 500 years after Hari Seldon setup the Foundation(s), Trevize is convinced of the existence of the Second Foundation (and its harmful interest towards the First Foundation) and set out to search for it. Pelorat, occupied with the origin question and myth of Earth, accompanies Trevize.

I found the premise of the novel a refreshing change of pace from the previous three installments. The addition of Gaia, for me, was an invigorating shot into the Foundation plot(s). The momentum build up and culmination of characters definitely came to satisfying end; but not without questions. Hints of "Caves of Steel", "End of Eternity", and "Currents of Space" peppered throughout the book definitely got me giddy. Enjoyable. Or as "Pel" would probably say, "Bliss-ful".

“Second Foundation” (Foundation, Book 5) by Isaac Asimov (1953)

“Second Foundation” (Foundation, Book 5) by Isaac Asimov (1953)

The novel is broken into two parts; “Search for the Mule” and “Search by the Foundation”. “Search for the Mule” is about the Mule’s, a mutant with mental powers, search for the Second Foundation to conquer it. “Search by the Foundation” takes place 60 years after the Mule’s death and is about the conflict between the First Foundation and Second Foundation.

I quite enjoyed this novel and found it particularly satisfying compared to its two previous installments. Unlike the other two novels in the “Foundation Trilogy”, the characters had more depth and their actions had a greater impact on “psychohistory”. The clever Arkady Darrel was clearly the highlight for me— her bratty, yet smart attitude and romantic notions held my attention tightly and even made smile.

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)

Foundation and Empire (Foundation, Book 4) by Isaac Asimov, 1952

Foundation and Empire (Foundation, Book 4) by Isaac Asimov, 1952

The first half of the book describes the Galactic Empire, well into its collapse-as predicted by Hari Seldon, launching a failed attack on the first Foundation. The second half of the book is about a mutant with extreme mental abilities taking over the Foundation—which takes place about 100 years after the first half of the book and the Empire gone, and seeks to destroy the Second Foundation.

Although during initial reception of this book was described as “swashbuckling galactic adventure”, I found it to be quite boring. It was hard to care about the characters introduced in this novel. I struggled to pay attention and found myself rereading portions twice just to make sure I didn’t miss any details or important subplot. Snooze.

"The Informationist" by Taylor Stevens (2011)

"The Informationist" by Taylor Stevens (2011)

Set mostly in equatorial Africa, the flawed feral heroine Vanessa Michael Munroe searches for the vanished daughter of a Texan billionaire. Not her usual line of work of dealing in expensive information trade, Munroe took on the challenge and finds herself mixed up with gunrunners, criminals, corrupt government, duplicitous allies, and other shady characters.

Fast paced with twists that are satisfyingly unraveled at the end. I would undoubtedly say this book falls in the genre of "strong-but-flawed kick-butt female lead" that Stieg Larsson popularized with Lisbeth Salander from his Millennium Trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, etc..). Definitely an enjoyable, high action thriller.

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)

“Foundation” (Foundation, Book 3) by Isaac Asimov (1951)

“Foundation” (Foundation, Book 3) by Isaac Asimov (1951)

Originally published as 5 short stories, was interwoven to form a single plot and published as a book. It tells the story of a group of scientists preserving knowledge in a Galactic Encyclopedia as civilizations around them regress and break down.

Though considered to be one of the great masterworks of science fiction, I found it boring. I was disappointed to find remarkably little mention of “Hari Seldon”- an expectation probably set by reading the preceding 2 novels. This novel, feels disconnected, and I couldn’t care less about the characters. With technology, not in the foreground and socio-political machinations as the driving device, I was deathly bored. Snooze.

My rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2 out of 5 stars)

“Behind the Palace Doors: Five Centuries of Sex, Adventure, Vice, Treachery, and Folly from Royal Britain” by Michael, 2011

“Behind the Palace Doors: Five Centuries of Sex, Adventure, Vice, Treachery, and Folly from Royal Britain” by Michael, 2011

500 years of Royal British scandal, secret lives, sex stories, treacherous children, and “not-so-great” moments is revealed in this book; featuring: from horny Henry VIII to reserved Elizabeth II, form Tudors to Windsors, just to name a few.

I found the book to be entertaining when I first picked it up. As the chapters wore on, I quickly realized the sordid scandals and sex stories were all pretty much variations of each other, just with different Britons. By the time I reached the end, I couldn’t care less about which royal was seduced, tricked, or assassinated.

My rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2 out of 5 stars)

“The Night Eternal (The Strain Trilogy #3)” by Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan

“The Night Eternal (The Strain Trilogy #3)” by Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan

After a mass extermination of humans by the Master vampire, the future of humankind are the hands of Dr. Eph Goodweather and Dr. Nora Martinez; whose job is to overturn the vampiric world order.

I had to take a break from reading this book about 33% in; telling myself, "I will come back to it because it will get better."

A month later, after picking it up and reading 3 or so chapters, I was in tears from boredom of the book; and "misplaced" the book. Somehow a month later, this book miraculously showed up. I started reading with a renewed hope that it would be turn out great real fast. Wrong! I got 80% percent of the way through and just had enough.

I am abandoning this book; incredibly dull, monotonous, and a seeming rehash of a brokedown “Blade.” Yes, “Blade”, but rather than kicking ass, Eph, the main character, just flees and hides. While I am not one for book burning...

My rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1 out of 5 stars)

“We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Young Family, a Broken Down Zoo, and the 200 Wild Animals That Change Their Lives Forever” by Benjamin Mee, 2008

“We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Young Family, a Broken Down Zoo, and the 200 Wild Animals That Change Their Lives Forever” by Benjamin Mee, 2008

A memoir in the style of “Marley & Me”, according to the book’s self-description, recounts the Mee’s family purchase of a brokedown zoo. Tribulations with animals, tragedies of cancer in the family, and triumphs over it all are told with eloquence and hope.

I decided to read this book before the Netflix DVD arrived; thinking I may not enjoy the movie. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if it spent less time about the wife’s brain cancer or as much of it with the animal issues. Overall, it was just so-so. It managed to keep my attention. There were no “aww” or “hmm” or “that’s interesting” moments in the book.

My rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2 out of 5 stars)

"The End of Eternity" by Isaac Asimov, 1954

"The End of Eternity" by Isaac Asimov, 1954

Harlan, a technician from an organization called Eternity, alters time's cause-and-effects relationships for the betterment of mankind. One day, Harlan falls for a woman who will be erased from time, which leads him to mold time for personal gain-- to keep his love and live together.

I have to admit that I really had to focus and take scrupulous mental notes to make sense of the time travel; safe to say, probably, one of the most complicated time travel stories I've read. If you are a fan of hard sci-fi, time travel, and paradoxes, you will enjoy this book.

My rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars)

“Love in a Nutshell” by Janet Evanovich & Dorien Kelly, 2012

“Love in a Nutshell” by Janet Evanovich & Dorien Kelly, 2012

From the author of book-turned-movie, “One for the Money” starring Katherine Heigl, Evanovich teams up with Kelly bring you the story of Kate Appleton. Kate gets fired, divorced, and moves into her parents decrepit summer home. With her mortgage behind, she takes a job at the local brewery to spy and determine who is causing the sabotage.

Slightly amusing, slightly romantic, slightly suspenseful, and I strongly emphasize the usage of slightly. There were no “laugh-out-loud” moments, no “awws”, and no “Eureka! I know whodunit!” moments. All in all, it was slightly—err, barely mediocre at best. You can speedread this book and won’t miss much.

My rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2 out of 5 stars)

“Forward the Foundation” (Foundation, Book 2) by Isaac Asimov, 1993

“Forward the Foundation” (Foundation, Book 2) by Isaac Asimov, 1993

In this novel, Hari Seldon’s life is chronicled; from his rise to First Minister to the Emperor, the development of psychohistory, the loss of all those close to him, all the way to the end of his declining years.

The first half of the book was terribly slow; I truly had to force myself not to skim for fear of missing something crucial. The second half picked up and continually accelerated until the very end. The novel’s pervasion by an undercurrent of mortality left me with a certain sense of sadness.

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)

The Caves of Steel (Asimov's Robot #2) by Isaac Asimov, 1954

The Caves of Steel (Asimov's Robot #2) by Isaac Asimov, 1954

The story is set 3,000 years into the future. Earth humans live in totally enclosed underground cities (caves of steel), while their robot servants work in mines and farms in the open country. Space Humans (Spacers) live in outer space and on many other extra-solar planets. They live for 350 years and are disease-free. Sarton, a Spacer, is killed in a Spacer colony just outside New York City. An Earth human detective, Baley, from New York, is assigned to investigate this murder case. To Baley's dislike, the Spacers insist that he partner up with, R. Daneel Olivaw, an android, to assist him with the case. Baley and Olivaw eventually solve the case and become friends in the process.

The Caves of Steel is, quite simply, a little mystery. I like to think I'm pretty adept at pegging the endings of detective novels I read about half the time, but Asimov stayed several jumps ahead of me throughout this story.

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)

“Speaker for the Dead” (Ender’s Saga #2) by Orson Scott Card, 1986

“Speaker for the Dead” (Ender’s Saga #2) by Orson Scott Card, 1986

This sequel to “Ender’s Game” takes place about 3000 years after Ender’s victory of the Buggers war. Ender is called to “speak for the dead” on the planet Lusitania, where another race of young sentient beings is being studied.

Beneath the biological concepts raised, the mystery of the murders, human drama and dynamics, and questions of sentience lay philosophical questions. The book is quite different from “Ender’s Game”; at times preachy and allegorical. Enjoyable, nonetheless.

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)

“Prelude to Foundation” (Foundation, Book 1) by Isaac Asimov, 1988

“Prelude to Foundation” (Foundation, Book 1) by Isaac Asimov, 1988

The novel starts with a mathematician, Hari Seldon, delivering his paper on psychohistory (theory of prediction) on the planet Trantor. With this prophetic ability, Hari becomes the most wanted man in the Galactic Empire and goes on the lam.

I loved the hugeness of imagination and ideas conveyed in the story. What it lacked in pace certainly made up for in the richness of the worldbuilding and the triple-plot twist at the end.


For a free eBook copy of "Prelude to Foundation":
http://getebook.org/?p=87477

“Time’s Eye” by Stephen Baxter, Arthur C. Clarke, 2004

“Time’s Eye” by Stephen Baxter, Arthur C. Clarke, 2004

This is the first or three installments in Clarke and Baxter’s “Time Odyssey” series in which Earth is fragmented into different eras of time when orbs called eyes appear at various location. Inhabitants from the different eras interact, form allegiances, and fight wars; whilst trying to make sense of the time discontinuity.

The story takes a while to pick up and ramps up towards the middle of the book. After adjusting to the main characters not having traditional “Western” names, the book became easier to read. Overall, enjoyable.

My rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 out of 5 stars)