Think & Grow Rich (Non-fiction)

Synopsis:
Mr. Hill takes us through the process of thinking like a champ and tells us it will work.

My Thoughts:
I suspect this book would be good for someone who actually wants to accomplish a large goal, or someone focused on attaining a large amount of money.

For me, I've accomplished the large goals in life I want [married, own our own place and work at a job I Iove] and money, while necessary, isn't something I want to be chasing after. I'm a Christian and the words Hill uses in describing how to attain riches are words I would only feel comfortable using about Jesus, not money.

However, there were some good tips about focusing, staying positive and other stuff. I am not a big non-fiction kind of guy. So if I read 2 non-fiction a year, I'm doing really good.

This was recommended to me by a really good friend who is a retired investment manager, so in all fairness, I actually finished this book more because of my respect of him than because of anything in this book.

Author: Napoleon Hill

Rating: 1 of 5 Stars


Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.com

Snow in the Desert (Short Story) (Polity)

I started reading this and it sounded VERY familiar. And it turns out it was in a book of short stories by Asher, The Gabble: And Other Stories, and I wasn't going crazy.

So this short story is about a man who has regenerative powers and who Earth Central wants, along with unscrupulous bounty hunters who want his powers for themselves.
And a sexy cyborg.

Neal Asher just writes enjoyable stories.

Plan B (Liaden)

Synopsis
Everyone comes together on one world to defeat an Ingxtray [or whatever the "bad' humanoids are called] invasion and the sinister Department of Something Something continues its plan to purify Liadens.

My Thoughts
I really enjoyed this. It had a fantastic blend of space battles, ground force battles, suspense, romance AND it still had a happy ending.
Sadly, the Turtles are barely in this story, but they ARE mentioned.

Name details are fuzzy for me. So while I know what they mean while I'm reading, as soon as I'm done, poof, they're gone from my head.

So far, this Liaden universe is enjoyable, light and just the right balance of fun and suspense. Thankfully there is nothing "epic' about this, but there are quite a few books to read.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Author: Sharon Lee & Steve Miller


Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.com

Honor's Paradox (Kencyrath #6)

Synopsis
I don't know where to begin. Another Equinox festival, another test at the college, more interfering by sundry and sorts.

My Thoughts
While this was the most non-cryptic book so far in the series [and it is the latest written to date], it also was the book where I figured out WHY I hate these books so much even as I like them.

The good guys are filled with nothing but indecision and fear and allow themselves to be pushed around without pushing back.
The bad guys are always breaking the unwritten rules without any consequences.

That type of disparity always pushes my buttons. I'm a small guy and I learned early on as a teenager that if someone bigger than me hits me, I hit them back twice as hard. 99% of the time, it rocked them and shut the situation down. That other 1% sucked, but hey, not everything is perfect, right? ;-)
So when I see people just giving in, giving ground, not fighting for what is right, it grates pretty bad on my psyche.

And the story isn't anywhere near finished. So I think I'm done with the Kencyrath world. At the rate the books are being written [started back in '86 I believe], they will never get done.

Author: P.C. Hodgell

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars


Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.com

Valkyrie Burning (Hayden War Cycle #3)

Synopsis
Sgt. Aida comes back to Hayden to push out the remnant of the elite alien soldiers. At the same time, Space Fleet Valkyrie must deal with another space based alien invasion. Poor Hayden, it just can't catch a break.

My Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Aida is a kickass sergeant and man, with her implants, she does a lot of damage. In many ways it reminds me of Neal Asher's Polity universe, with it's integration of humanity and A.I.

The space battle was meh, as are most space battle that I read now. After reading Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet and his in-depth explanation of space maneuvers, time, timing, communications etc, I find these simpler battles kind of like kindergarten.

Now the fight between Aida and the alien soldier, that was good! And if you ever think of elevators as boring, with sleep inducing muzak, then you need to read this book, it'll change your view, REAL QUICK.

Overall, I'm really liking Currie's works. He could use a good editor to polish him up, but the mechanics are all good and the foundations are solid. Kind of like Dean's old muscle car from Supernatural.

Author: Evan Currie

Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars


Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.com

Earthman Jack vs The Ghost Planet DNF w/ Extreme Prejudice

0 stars, author is blah, blah, blah.

Books that I can't finish aren't worth the typical review, as I don't care about who the author is [except to maybe to avoid], what the synopsis is or even what I thought of the story.

Well, to be honest, I do like to write about why I couldn't/wouldn't finish this.

I have a real problem with those who have a problem with authority. And Jack is the quintessential rebellious teen who simply doesn't care. His mom works her ass off to keep him fed and sheltered, working double shifts to pay for things, and he doesn't care. His teachers push him to succeed and punish when needed, and he doesn't care.

In fact, as far as I could tell by the time I got to 14%, Jack didn't care about anything except his own selfish desires.

This was supposed to be a comedy, and from the very ripped off from Hitchhiker's Guide tone, I suspect it might have turned into one. But I was not going to waste my time getting there.

it is pretty obvious that Jack is going to save the earth and that he is supposed to be a typical kid. But while I like reading about underdogs becoming great, I don't like reading about selfish assholes who won't accept responsibility for their actions nor think about the consequences of said actions.

I definitely won't be reading any more by this author.


Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.com

Kill Decision

Author: Daniel Suarez

Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars

Synopsis
Somebody is using unmanned drones to attack targets in the United States and their ulterior motive remains unclear.

My Thoughts
First off, there is NO A.I.! That in itself knocked a star off for me. After Suarez's Daemon duology, I was hoping for more scary super brains. Instead, we get The Hidden Powers That Be [and feel free to say that in a super SPOOKY voice] trying to make autonomous unmanned aircraft the future of war.

Only one man, deep undercover and practically rogue, along with his heroic team and one sexy ant studying lady, stand in the way.

Yeah, really, that truly sums it up. And it doesn't get any better.

Near the beginning Suarez overwhelms us with technobabble that doesn't add anything to the story except confusion. And many aspects of the story felt very klug'ed together.

On the positive side, there are lots of gun battles, action out of the whazoo and near the end, a whole BOATLOAD of killer robots, err, drones.

I'll read whatever Suarez writes next, but that is the tipping point. This just wasn't good enough.



Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.com

Panic In Philly (Executioner #15)

Author: Don Pendleton

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars

Synopsis
Bolan goes to Philly to clean out another family nest of Mafia

My Thoughts
To be honest, this is getting kind of old. Mack boldly infiltrates a Mafia family by pretending to be a high ranking Mafia member and then either wipes them out from within, turns them upon each other or a combination of the both.

There is always a mention of some girl,but she is so throw-away that she barely registers.

There is a real lack of creativity happening.  I guess it is to be expected with such a serial series, but still, it started pretty good and now it just BLAM, BLAM, BLAM alongs, like an old jalloppi.

I've got through 19 in my Calibre library. At one time I was considering buying up through 50 or 60 and cutting and scanning them in and creating my own digital versions, since the early books don't seem to exist digitally. However, now I don't think that is worth the effort.


Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.com

League of Night and Fog (Brotherhood #3)

Author: David Morrell

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars

Synopsis:
Multiple men from the WWII era have disappeared inexplicably. At the same time, Saul and Erika (from Brotherhood of the Rose) are attacked while Erika's father disappears. Also, the man and woman from Fraternity of the Stone (I simply can't remember their names, they are so forgettable) are attacked. Everything ties together in one big mish-mash.

My Thoughts:
WWII, Nazis and Jews. And covert ops, black ops, invisible ops, you name it.

I enjoyed this more than the other 2 books mentioned [and they're necessary to understand this book], but it was kind of funny to be honest. Whenever someone uses Nazis* as  the badguys in modern times, I just have to roll my eyes.

There is a twist revealed partway through when you realize there are 2 groups of disappeared men instead of 1 and that throws everything for a loop. Suddenly, some of the people you were feeling sympathetic towards, you simply don't anymore.

So while this was supposed to be a thriller, I found it more comedic than the author probably intended.


*whenever I head "nazi's", all I can think about is the scene from the movie Ratrace where Jon Lovitz accidentally impersonates Hitler in front of a whole group of WWII vets. Here's the clip:
Ratrace Jon Lovitz is Hitler Clip


Crossposted on Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.com

Midnight's Mask (Erevis Cale #3) (Forgotten Realms)

Author: Paul Kemp

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Synopsis
Erevis and Company must stop the Sojourner from fulfilling his evil plans of summoning the Crown of Flames, even though nobody except the Sojourner knows what it is.

My Thoughts
First off, Riven isn't the craven, two-faced hypocrite we were led to believe he is.

I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. There was fighting and magic galore. The Sojourner shows his true colors and while it was explained why, it still seemed like a cop out to me. A being of almost unimaginable power wants to walk on the surface of the world before he dies? It seems like there must have been easier ways. Oh well.

The whole "death isn't really the end" that is used a lot in Forgotten Realms is thought about and the implications of bringing people back from the dead are brought to the forefront.

I also came across the first mention of the Netherese, who I know play a big part in the Sundering books currently being written.



Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.com