For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1st Corinthians 1: 18
Despite a world experiencing increasing lawlessness and chaos, despite whatever issues I am experiencing, the truth is that God is in control. He had a plan for the salvation of mankind before He even created the cosmos. He knew me by name. When I stand before the throne of Judgement on the last day, all of my sins, all of my faults, all of the evil within me, will have been paid for by Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross. The proof is His resurrection. And I celebrate that today. And you can too.
You are not perfect. You know this. And God demands perfection. Not because He is a hateful tyrant but because He is perfect and can accept nothing less. He is Perfect Justice. He is also Perfect Mercy. He has shown you that mercy by giving you the chance to accept His Son Jesus as your Savior and your Lord. Jesus was perfect and He will take your sins and imperfection if you give them to Him. For the love of God people, don’t turn away and reject that!!! Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. The least you can do is ASK! It costs you nothing. A mere five seconds of your time.
I know most of the time I deliberately try to be positive and upbeat about what the Resurrection of Jesus means to me personally. But I have that hope and I don’t know that you do. I want you to have that hope and eternal assurance. So please, I beg you, ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you.
This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: Red War Series: Mitch Rapp #17 Author: Vince Flynn & Kyle Mills Rating: 3 of 5 Stars Genre: Thriller Pages: 316 Words: 96K
On his author page for the book, Kyle Mills shows how his speculation about powerful world leaders and specifically Putin, formed the basis for this book. Published in 2018, it was very prescient of how Russia would act in the coming years. Thankfully for us, Russia chose to invade Ukraine instead of starting World War III by invading some NATO countries. So I consider this book alternate future history.
At the same time, it was very uncomfortable as we know how the conflict actually has turned out and there is no super action hero to save the day. Men like Mitch Rapp are purely fictional, unfortunately. I’d have much preferred a truly fictional story for a truly fictional character. War is only enjoyable to read about if you know what is happening isn’t real, can’t be real and never will be real. Once it takes a turn into the possible, then you are forced to deal with the horrors of real war.
It was a great action story. With the retired assassin Azarov being forced out of retirement and working alongside Rapp, the dynamics were great. I was able to put aside my dislike of Mills’ handling of Rapp as a purely action hero’y kind of guy and just let the story carry me along, like I had just jumped out of an airplane for a HALO insertion.
And I just landed in your back yard. And killed you. With my nuclear bazooka. So I win! Just like I did when I read this book.
★★★☆☆
From Kylemills.com
Synopsis – Click to Open
When Russian president Maxim Krupin discovers that he has inoperable brain cancer, he’s determined to cling to power. His first task is to kill or imprison any of his countrymen who can threaten him. Soon, though, his illness becomes serious enough to require a more dramatic diversion—war with the West.
Upon learning of Krupin’s condition, CIA director Irene Kennedy understands that the US is facing an opponent who has nothing to lose. The only way to avoid a confrontation that could leave millions dead is to send Mitch Rapp to Russia under impossibly dangerous orders. With the Kremlin’s entire security apparatus hunting him, he must find and kill a man many have deemed the most powerful in the world.
Success means averting a war that could consume all of Europe. But if his mission is discovered, Rapp will plunge Russia and America into a conflict that neither will survive.
This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot, by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
I don’t know why I keep “reviewing” these. Mainly to keep track I guess. I mean, these are regularly funny. Every time I read one I enjoy myself. How many ways can I say “I enjoyed this funny comic because Groo is an idiot”. So far, I’ve said it 27 times. I guess that’s enough. I think after this I’ll just start using this “review” place to talk about whatever is on my mind at the time. So be prepared to be wowed and amazed as I pontificate on matters most important.
★★★✬☆
From Bookstooge.blog
The Minstrel and the Sage are captured as spies and they tell a couple of stories about Groo as a spy to fend off their deaths. Groo is in the camp and when everyone starts making fun of him he attacks them. Minstrel and Sage use the chaos to escape and the issue ends with Groo furiously attacking everyone.
So, somebody had a birthday this month. And somebody requested the First Cycle of Marvel Champions. And what is more, somebody got the cycle too. Somebody is a lucky rat barstard. And he’s obviously devilishly handsome to boot!
I made out like a bandit this year. At this time in my life, gifts are becoming harder and harder as I have most of what I already want. But introducing a new hobby has introduced new things to acquisition (hence the title) and this make it easier to send out lists for the family. I got the Base Game for Christmas and finally got it Sleeved Up earlier this month.
The Green Goblin scenario pack
Wrecking Crew scenario pack
Thor hero pack
Captain America hero pack
Ms Marvel hero pack
Hulk hero pack
Dr Strange hero pack
Black Widow hero pack
Now that I am the proud owner of the first cycle, Let the Playening Begin! Well, maybe next month. Wouldn’t want to rush into anything now, you know? 😉
This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: Portraits of Murder Series: ———- Editor: Alfred Hitchcock Rating: 4 of 5 Stars Genre: Crime Fiction Pages: 607 Words: 241K
This is the final Alfred Hitchcock collection that I have access to. After this, I have several of the issues of the new magazine. So it seems fitting to end this reading journey, which started in 2021 with “Death Mate”, with a gigantic collection (it is over 600 pages after all) of murder, almost murder and revenge.
Of the 47 stories, I found that only 2 or 3 were repeats and they were good enough that I didn’t mind reading them again. This kept me occupied for almost a week, as I would just dip my toes into its pages each night until I was tired enough to go to sleep. That’s a great way to read a collection of short stories.
The final 10 or so stories dealt with the supernatural. There was a clear demarcation up to that point. Everything up to then had been plain old people doing dirty or being done dirty. Then suddenly things got all supernatural. It was kind of jarring, as it felt like a completely different collection. Murder was still the main dish, but suddenly the menu with all the sides had changed, dramatically. It was like I went from having the option of ordering loaded baked potatoes, cheese sticks or onion rings to carrot sticks, apple slices or plain yoghurt. And that is why this collection was 4stars and not more. It was too much of a change for me to comfortably enjoy.
★★★★☆
Table of Contents:
Click to Open
EDWARD D. HOCH—Shattered Rainbow
DONALD HONIG—Wonderful, Wonderful Violence
LAWRENCE BLOCK—The Most Unusual Snatch
NEDRA TYRE—A Murder Is Arranged
HENRY SLESAR—The Poisoned Pawn
DON TOTHE—The Lifesaver
JACK RITCHIE—What Frightened You, Fred?
HAROLD Q. MASUR—Doctor’s Dilemma
CLARK HOWARD—Money To Burn
BABS H. DEAL—The House Guest
WILLIAM LINK and RICHARD LEVINSON—The Man in the Lobby
Nadesico was a 26 episode anime series released in 1996 in Japan and eventually made it to the US on dvd in 2002. Those were not the days of simultaneous releases. Pirate subbers roamed the interwebz and the battleships of Legality were hounded by impatient fans as well. When I originally watched this, I thought it was the most funny thing ever. I recommended it as one of the handful of “Auto-recommends” to non-anime people who wanted to know what “anime” even was.
Over the last couple of years with reading various old and new manga and rewatching some of my old favorite anime I have realized that I have aged out. Maybe “aged” isn’t the right word, but my circumstances have change enough that the messages anime promotes and counts on to attract viewers don’t appeal to me any more. This was quite apparent to me watching Nadesico.
I chose to binge watch all 26 episodes, back to back. That was a mistake and yet it was the only way I made it through at the same time. 10 1/2 hrs of youth, angst, love, uncertainty and trying to find one’s place in the grand scheme of things. Having it compressed into one viewing made those things very obvious. It is why I said I have aged out of anime. I am no longer young (even though I hate to admit that). My angst now concerns whether to make double mortgage payments or put the extra money towards savings for when a car inevitably breaks down. I’ve been happily married to Mrs B for over 15 years now and she still loves me. I have 24years experience doing my job and know what I am and am not capable of. I know where I fit in life and I am satisfied with that place. Maybe if they made middle aged anime? But that wouldn’t sell very well, not even to me, hahahahaa.
What did happen to me, that I wasn’t expecting, was the emotional impact of watching so much all at once. While I am stable, the built-in instability of the show affected me quite a bit. It made me anxious and depressed. I suspect that watching a tv screen for that long also played a big part of that. But I don’t want to experience that again. I want to make this clear, anime didn’t change, nor has it changed. I have changed. So if you can still enjoy anime, then do so, with gusto.
Which means I need to start getting rid of the majority of my anime. I don’t plan on rewatching 95% of it any more and sadly, this watch of Nadesico shows that even my favorites were for a different time, a different place, a different me.
