Category: books

Assassin’s Apprentice – a review

On By Rick McIn booksLeave a comment

Having finished the “Game of Thrones” series of books, several people recommended Robin Hobb‘s Farseer Trilogy as a follow-up.

The Farseer Trilogy follows the life of FitzChivalry Farseer (Fitz), a trained assassin, in a kingdom called The Six Duchies while his uncle, Prince Verity, attempts to wage war on the Red-Ship Raiders from The OutIslands who are attacking the shores of the kingdom by turning the people of the Six Duchies into Forged ones; still alive, but without any emotion or soul.

I downloaded book 1 Assassin’s Apprentice.

It’s good. Subtle. Slow moving compared with Game of Thrones, however. I recommend it.

AA

On the other hand, I didn’t enjoy the book enough to continue on to book 2.

Leave a comment if I’m wrong on that.

Influx by Daniel Suarez – a review

On By Rick McIn books, governmentLeave a comment

… a world in which decades of technological advances have been suppressed in an effort to prevent disruptive change. …

Particle physicist Jon Grady is ecstatic when his team achieves what they’ve been working toward for years: a device that can reflect gravity.

Their research will revolutionize the field of physics—the crowning achievement of a career. Grady expects widespread acclaim for his entire team. The Nobel Prize. Instead, his lab is locked down by a shadowy organization whose mission is to prevent at all costs the social upheaval sudden technological advances bring. This Bureau of Technology Control uses the advanced technologies they have harvested over the decades to fulfill their mission. …

Amazon

influx

“Influx” isn’t different, deep down, from the “suppressed new invention” plot used by Robert Heinlein, Ursula K. Le Guin, Poul Anderson and many others going back to H.G. Wells himself. …

WSJ review

The highlight for me were scenes where people can alter their own gravity fields, with very interesting effect. It would make a great film.

An Artificial Intelligence is directed to kill the heroes of the book. But the AI is conflicted. The computer does both. Tries to kill. And tries to save, both at the same time. 🙂

Daniel Suarez is a darling of the Tech / Geek crowd.

Daniel Suarez (born December 21, 1964) is an American information technology consultant turned author. He initially published under the pseudonym Leinad Zeraus (his name spelled backwards).

His career as an author began with a pair of techno-thriller novels. The first one, Daemon, originally was self-published under his own company Verdugo Press in late 2006. It was later picked up by the major publishing house Dutton and re-released on January 8, 2009. His follow-up book Freedom TM was released on January 7, 2010.

… Kill Decision, was released on July 19, 2012. His latest book, Influx, was released on February 20, 2014 …

The Daemon (2 book series) is brilliant. Kill Decision and Influx are not nearly as brillian. But they are still good.

I recommend Influx. And will continue to buy his books into the future.

rated 3.92 / 5.00 on Goodreads

finished book 5 – Game of Thrones

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

A Song of Ice and Fire is a series of epic fantasy novels written by American novelist and screenwriter George R. R. Martin.

A_Game_of_Thrones_Novel_CoversMartin began the first volume of the series, A Game of Thrones, in 1991. He published it in 1996.

It’s a massive, sprawling, confusing tale. If you are still deciding whether or not to read the series, I’d advise against.

Watch the TV series instead.

If you insist on the book, I’d say book 1 Game of Thrones is the best. Book 4 the worst.

If gratuitous sex and violence turn you off, avoid both the book and TV show.

Like many others, I’m waiting on book 6 — The Winds of Winter — and have no idea when it will finally be released.

“Honest Trailer” for Game of Thrones

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

Lara Zarum:

The brilliant minds at Screen Junkies have made one of their signature “Honest Trailers” in anticipation of Game of Thrones’ fourth season, which premieres on HBO this Sunday, and this one doesn’t disappoint. “It’s the abusive show you keep watching, no matter how many times it hurts you,” …

The trailer covers the first three seasons and skewers everything from Westerosi nomenclature (“Travel to Westeros, a place where everything is the [thing] of [nouns]”) to, perhaps inevitably, its tendency to offer naked ladies as eye candy while old men with beards deliver monologues. It’s more or less safe for work, despite all this, but those who haven’t caught up with the show should beware: Spoilers abound.

Slate

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

___ Meanwhile, I’m about half way through reading – A Feast for Crows … meh

A Feast for Crows is the fourth of seven planned novels in the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by American author George R. R. Martin. …

In comparison with the previous novels in the series, A Feast for Crows received more negative reviews. … many critics felt that this novel consisted of characters that people were less interested in.

Agreed.

I had very little interest in:

The Iron Islands:

• The Prophet, The Drowned Man: Aeron “Damphair” Greyjoy, and the rest.

• The Kraken’s Daughter: Princess Asha Greyjoy, daughter of Late King Balon of the Iron Islands

• The Iron Captain, The Reaver: Prince Victarion Greyjoy, Captain of the Iron fleet

In Dorne:

• The Captain of Guards: Areo Hotah, Captain of the Guards to Prince Doran Martell of Dorne

• The Soiled Knight: Ser Arys Oakheart of the Kingsguard

• The Queenmaker, The Princess in the Tower: Arianne Martell, daughter of Prince Doran and heir to Dorne

… there was also a sense in A Feast of Crows that Martin had lost his way. The characters whose stories he did tell wandered back and forth across a landscape devastated by war and
oncoming winter, but didn’t seem to be headed anywhere in particular. …

… “sprawling and incoherent” …

It sounds like A Dance With Dragons (book 5) is better.

Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom

On By Rick McIn books, government, movies, philosophy, travel1 Comment

Long Walk to Freedom is an autobiographical work written by South African President Nelson Mandela, and published in 1995 …

Long_Walk_to_FreedomThe book profiles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison. Under the apartheid government, Mandela was regarded as a terrorist and jailed on the infamous Robben Island for his role as a leader of the then-outlawed ANC. He has since achieved international recognition for his leadership as president in rebuilding the country’s once segregated society. The last chapters of the book describe his political ascension, and his belief that the struggle continues …

His childhood name was Rolihlahla, which is loosely translated as “pulling the branch of a tree”, or a euphemism for “troublemaker“.

Indeed, many of the most winning anecdotes are stories of how the now sainted man bungled, cheated or lied.

Mandela oversaw the formation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate crimes committed under apartheid by both the government and the ANC, appointing Desmond Tutu as its chair. To prevent the creation of martyrs, the Commission granted individual amnesties in exchange for testimony of crimes committed during the apartheid era. Dedicated in February 1996, it held two years of hearings detailing rapes, torture, bombings, and assassinations, before issuing its final report in October 1998. …

Though Mandela was influenced by his older contemporary, Gandhi, he did not subscribe to Gandhi’s non-violence. Nelson felt that non-violence worked in India because the British government was reasonable. But that it would not work in South Africa government.

I’d previously read the interesting and controversial book by his warder/censor James Gregory, Goodbye Bafana: Nelson Mandela, My Prisoner, My Friend.

Mandela said that he actually didn’t know Gregory very well. But did state:

“He was one of the most refined warders. Well-informed and courteous with everybody. Soft spoken. Very good observations. I developed a lot of respect for him.”

They made a film I’ve not seen of Gregory’s book.

I’ve also not yet seen the 2013 British/South African biographical film – Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

Inferno – ridiculous & entertaining

On By Rick McIn books, moviesLeave a comment

Repetitive. Pedantic.

Yet another “book-length scavenger hunt” featuring Robert Langdon, professor of symbology at Harvard University.

Yet another beautiful, talented young woman — Sienna Brooks — somehow pushed into Tom Hank’s life.

Inferno received mixed reviews from critics. But the important and thoughtful plot did keep me going.

Scenes in Florence and Istanbul kept me going, as well.

Dan Brown Inferno book cover

If you liked the other Dan Brown books (as I did), you’ll like this clone.

Sony Pictures has dated a film adaptation to be released on December 18, 2015 with Ron Howard as director, David Koepp adapting the screenplay and Tom Hanks reprising his role as Robert Langdon.

visiting Soweto

On By Rick McIn books, travelLeave a comment

Soweto is an urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city’s mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships. …

Population anywhere from 1.5 million to 5 million.

Melani took me on a guided van tour.

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Africa’s largest hospital, the Chris Hani Baragwanath.

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A new symbol of Soweto today — the Orlando Towers.

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That’s a guy bungie jumping. 🙂

New to me was the Hector Peterson Memorial.

Hector was an innocent bystander killed in an anti-Afrikaans Soweto Uprising. The photo of his body became a rallying image for the ANC.

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Mandela House – 8115 Vilakazi Street, Orlando West, Soweto. Mandiba is a hero of mine. It was a pilgrimage for me to visit.

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Mandela moved here 1946. His family lived here off and on until it was turned into a museum after his release from prison in 1990.

Winnie and Desmond Tutu have houses nearby. We saw Tutu’s son arriving. Desmond spends most of his time in Cape Town, these days.

Like near every tourist who visits Soweto, we had a meal in Vikakazi Street.

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Soweto on a tour looks pretty good. But here are the real squatters, many of them illegal immigrants.

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The Obamas stayed at this hotel while attending Mandela’s funeral.

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It’s in Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, a monument commemorating and celebrating South African Charter of Religious Rights and Freedoms.

I’ve downloaded Long Walk to Freedom. The history will be more real to me after visiting some of the historic sites.

more photos

related – Nelson Mandela leaves nothing for Winnie in will

Game of Thrones season 4

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

Coming April 6th, 2014.

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.

I’ve just finished book 3 and season 3 of the series, still impressed with the TV adaptation of the complex novels.

If you can get past the ultra violence, there’s plenty to praise.

The end of season 3 was weakest, so far. But season 4 looks great. 🙂

I’m liking Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark, The Unsullied, Brienne, Ygritte, Daario Naharis, Samwell Tarly, Jon Snow …

Jaime Lannister’s character has developed well.

The Bible: A Biography

On By Rick McIn books, philosophyLeave a comment

The BibleThe Bible: A Biography (Books That Changed the World) by Karen Armstrong (2008)

… the world’s most widely distributed book and its best-selling, with an estimated six billion copies sold in the last two hundred years. But the Bible is a complex work with a complicated and obscure history. Its contents have changed over the centuries, it has been transformed by translation and, through interpretation, has developed manifold meanings to various religions, denominations, and sects.

… acclaimed historian Karen Armstrong discusses the conception, gestation, life, and afterlife of history’s most powerful book. Armstrong analyzes the social and political situation in which oral history turned into written scripture, how this all-pervasive scripture was collected into one work, and how it became accepted as Christianity’s sacred text, and how its interpretation changed over time. …

Amazon

Great idea.

A biography of The Bible.

Karen Armstrong is expert. I respect her opinion.

At one point she asks, Why so much hatred in sacred texts?

Joshua 8 – “The Capture of Ai; Blesses and Curses at Mount Ebal” …

1-2: The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be frightened or dismayed. Take all the fighting troops with you, go and march against Ai. See, I will deliver the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land into your hands. You shall treat Ai and her king as you treated Jericho and her king; however, you may take the spoil and the cattle as booty for yourselves. Now set an ambush against the city behind it.”

18: The LORD then said to Joshua, “Hold out the javelin in your hand toward Ai, for I will deliver it into your hands.” So Joshua held out the javelin in his hand toward the city.

24-25: When Israel had killed all the inhabitants of Ai who had pursued them into the open wilderness, and all of them, to the last man, had fallen by the sword, all the Israelites turned back to Ai and put it to the sword. The total of those who fell that day, men and women, the entire population of Ai, came to twelve thousand.

29: And the king of Ai was impaled on a stake until the evening.

via The Daily Chapter

The Koran is criticized as violent.

I’d make the same criticism of our current version of The Bible. It was translated into Latin more by one man than any other — Sophronius Hieronymus (Saint Jerome 342-420).

Did Jerome get it right?

There are all kinds of stories like the Capture of Ai  out of line with my understanding of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Slavery. Polygamy.

Anyone who takes the Bible literally has not read it.