Sunday, December 13, 2015

ATLAS 3 (Atlas #3)


ATLAS 3 - Isaac Hooke This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: ATLAS 3
Series: Atlas
Author: Isaac Hooke
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 496
Format: Kindle




Synopsis:
In a last gasp move, Humanity is sending in the MOTH's to nuke the brains of the 2 skull ships. If they don't succeed, humanity is doomed.
And more aliens.

My Thoughts:
I read over my review for ATLAS 2 before writing this and felt that I could almost copy/paste that review for this book. Too long, too many acronyms explained in the moment and not worth your money.

With that being said, I think the action was better this time around even while being described blow by blow. I didn't feel like my time was wasted, but it did get close. The ending was satisfactory but I don't think I'll be reading any more by Hooke as his writing just doesn't do it for me.

If you're looking for good military scifi, this is adequate. I would recommend Evan Currie or Marko Kloos over this though.

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Odd Apocalypse (Odd Thomas #6)


Odd Apocalypse - Dean Koontz This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Odd Apocalypse
Series: Odd Thomas
Author: Dean Koontz
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 370
Format: Kindle





Synopsis:
Odd and Annamaria are just hanging out at a billionaire's mysterious house where things are weird.
Odd meets a ghost who wants him to help her son, sees some sort of human/swine hybrid creatures wandering the grounds and sees the sky turn yellow instead of blue.
Annamaria simply sits in her room and tells Odd to believe in himself.

My Thoughts:
As much as I don't care for Annamaria, she really helps anchor Odd. She gives him a purpose that he can hold onto and a center that he can return to when things are simply beyond his understanding. I still don't like her though.

While this is touted as book 5, it really is book 6, as Koontz interjected that serial novel Odd Interlude, into the stream of things part way through.

Things get really weird in this book. It seems like reality itself is shifting at random, but only on the estate. Koontz wrote these sequences in such a way that I felt just as confused and disoriented as Odd when these shifts happen. And bad things happen during these shifts as well, so the tension was ratcheted up pretty good.

The whole Tesla and time and copper thing was a means to an end for the story but it didn't do much for me. I'm not one of those who think that Tesla was some sort of super-genius who got bypassed in history because of politics and business maneuverings.

The ending was a bit more violent than I was expecting, but that isn't really a bad thing.

Wednesday, December 09, 2015

The Silver Spike (The Chronicles of the Black Company #4)


The Silver Spike - Glen Cook This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: The Silver Spike
Series: The Chronicles of the Black Company
Author: Glen Cook
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 318
Format: Kindle





Synopsis:
Since the Dominator's essence was put into a silver spike and embedded into a young tree godling, the Lady is without her power and the White Rose is now just a girl, things should be just fine, right?
Ha.
A bunch of amateur criminals steal the spike and set off a chain of events that lead to the utter destruction of one of the Taken, the Limper, and a grand adventure.

My Thoughts:
This was a FUN read. Bumbling low level criminals get in way over their heads, a Taken just goes nuts and cuts a huge swathe of destruction through the continent and the White Rose leads one final mission for the rebellion.
It was everything I wanted in a fantasy book. There were no real good guys, but since this was a Black Company book, I wasn't expecting there to be any. Just a bunch of neerdowells mixed in with some really powerful guys.


And the White Rose hooking up with a potato farmer turned soldier and returning to potato farming at the end? It made me laugh and yet it was the perfect ending for her. She needs a lifetime of the mundane to make up for all that came before.

The journalistic approach of the previous books was kept for this one as well. I like that.

Monday, December 07, 2015

Warship (Black Fleet #1)


Warship - Joshua Dalzelle, Monique Happy This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Warship
Series: Black Fleet
Author: Joshua Dalzelle
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 320
Format: Kindle





Synopsis:
Captain Jackson Wolfe is an Earther, a drunk and the only half-decent "warrior" aboard the last of 4 Warships remaining to humanity.
On the last mission of the ship, engineered to destroy Wolfe's career, they come across obliterated planets. Against orders, surviving mutiny and with a secret helper from the Spooks, Wolfe is determined to find out who did this to humanity and to make sure we are ready to fight back.

My Thoughts:
This started out kind of rough, with the author giving all sorts of immaterial descriptions and stuff that didn't really add to the plot. It was typical indie writing and I was getting all set to blast it.

Then it seemed like the author switched gears or something because things just smoothed out. I don't know if it was because we got into the action scenes or this was of particular interest to the author, but it suddenly was something that I wanted to read.

In some ways, this reminded me of most of the other kind of Indy military SFF I've read before. But I like that kind of stuff, so that didn't bother me. But if you're looking for something new, bold and brash, this isn't it.

Sunday, December 06, 2015

Slaves of Socorro (Brotherband Chronicles #4)


Slaves of Socorro - John Flanagan This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Slaves of Socorro
Series: Brotherband Chronicles
Author: John Flanagan
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 482
Format: Kindle





Synopsis:
Hal and Crew are assigned to Araluen to be at the King's disposal. However, as soon as they arrive, they are met by Gilan, a Ranger and news that a village has been attacked by pirates and people captured.
Said pirates are some rogue Skandians and Hal feels it is their duty to end this problem once and for all.
A rescue mission is mounted to the slave town of Socorro.

My Thoughts:
I was ok with the first trilogy of the Brotherband Chronicles and was satisfied with how it ended. After my experience with Flanagan trying to continue the Ranger's Apprentice series I wasn't  expecting much from this "second" trilogy and in many ways was kind of dreading it.

Thankfully, this stays faithful to the original trilogy and intent, ie, a boys adventure story. And this WAS an adventure story. Fights on the sea, fights in slave markets, Aruluen Rangers shooting the crap out of people, that tiniest hint of romance, it was just right. I really have to admire Flanagan for walking that line of writing about emerging adults/adults [because this series starts out with everyone being a kid] for kids and younger adults without crossing the line into inappropriate material for 10 year olds.

I still didn't like this as much as the original Ranger's Apprentice dekalogy, but I wasn't expecting to and hence things were good.

Saturday, December 05, 2015

Diggers (Bromeliad #2)


The Bromeliad Trilogy: Diggers - Terry Pratchett This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Diggers
Series: Bromeliad
Author: Terry Pratchett
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 224
Format: Kindle




Synopsis:
The Store has been destined for destruction. Masklin convinces all the elves to hijack a truck and head to a quarry, where they can live in peace.
Only they can't.
Masklin heads out on a quest given to him by the Thing and the rest of the crew must keep the group of elves together and unified. Good luck with that!

My Thoughts:
Pretty much the same exact thoughts as for the previous book, Truckers.
Amusing and yet mocking.

I really shouldn't have read these first 2 back to back. The funny, amusing parts don't come off as well and the simplisticness of it all is much more in the forefront. Even though things kind of end in a cliffhanger [UFO's anyone?], it just isn't worth it it. I need some time before I plunge into the final book.

Truckers (Bromeliad #1)


Truckers - Terry Pratchett This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Truckers
Series: Bromeliad
Author: Terry Pratchett
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 292
Format: Kindle





Synopsis:
A group of elves living by a truckstop hop on a truck to find a new place to live. They come to The Store and find a whole enclave of elves who are convinced that the Store is the All of Existence. Can this small group convince them that there is more to the world than just the Store?

My Thoughts:
If elves were little gnomes from space that had forgotten their origins due to them living much faster than us, then you would have this book.
Throw in Pratchett's amusing mocking of organized religion, all written at a younger person's level and you have this book.

I found it amusing, slightly sacrilegious and generally a good read. I think Pratchett points some very good fingers at things that I as a Christian need to answer. It would also be a great book to discuss philosophy and the basis of religion with one's children.

That being said, while I have no problems answering, and shrugging off, Pratchett's mocking, I wouldn't give this to my kids as a steady diet. Not until they've formed their own base of Faith and have at least asked some hard questions about what they believe.

Friday, December 04, 2015

Children of Fire (The Chaos Born #1)


Children of Fire - Drew Karpyshyn This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Children of Fire
Series: The Chaos Born
Author: Drew Karpyshyn
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 512
Format: Kindle





Synopsis:
A Long Time Ago, In a Galaxy Far, Far Away...

The gods gave a human all the power he needed to fight the creatures of Chaos. After winning, said human turned on the gods themselves. They banished him and his followers from the world and then pretty much disappeared.
That "Legacy" of banishing is weakening and the Destroyer has sent his essence to be reborn into the world so that his work can be finished from that side.
This is the story of those 4 children.

My Thoughts:
I've had some up and down's with Karpyshyn's Star Wars books, so wasn't sure what to expect from his own series. Overall, I enjoyed this. His videogame background shows, a lot, however. The way the chapters were set up was very "cut scene".

Cliched fantasy. Thing is, most of the time I LIKE cliched fantasy, so this was A-OK. I think my only "huh?" moment was when it appears that the Destroyer's children are as much a danger to him as possible allies. With him being able to now send his minions through the Legacy, why did he send over his essence to be reborn? I didn't see the point of that.

This was in no way bad. It simply didn't stand out from anything in the SFF field that I've read before. It was enjoyable and I'll be continuing the series until it either ends or goes bad :-)

Thursday, December 03, 2015

Moon-Flash


Moon-Flash - Patricia A. McKillip This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Moon-Flash
Series: -----
Author: Patricia McKillip
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 304
Format: Kindle





Synopsis:
This omnibus edition combines the acclaimed Patricia A. McKillip's two science-fiction novels, Moon-Flash and The Moon and the Face.

Kyreol's small world begins at the Face, a high rock cliff, and ends at Fourteen Falls, a series of rapids. Each year, her people celebrate Moon-Flash—a spark of light that seems to come from and go into the moon, a symbol of life and joy. When a mysterious stranger arrives, Kyreol wants to know more about him, as well as the Moon-Flash, and soon she and her childhood friend Terje leave their home to look for answers. Those answers will pluck Kyreol from Riverworld and transform her life forever—by fast-forwarding her into a future she can barely comprehend.

My Thoughts:
I have yet to read a book by McKillip that I don't like. This was no exception. Beautiful, flowing, as much about the pacing of the words and sentences as the story itself. In all honesty, the story itself didn't do a thing for me.

Tuesday, December 01, 2015

November '15 Roundup








14 reads this month. Only 1 DNF and several really good ones. I think my favorite book this month was Jim Butcher's The Aeronaut's Windlass.