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A Reader's reviews
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-24 01:49:46.
(Language: English)
 
This is one of my favorite books from college. It is a collection of fun, funny, strange, peculiar, and enjoyable note, stories and articles from the many worlds of science.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-23 10:58:42 for Treasure of Khan.
(Language: English)
Another entertaining story by Clive Cussler, with his son Dirk (who else?), taking an ancient historical tidbit and bringing it into a story set in the present.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-23 10:51:38 for Lost Dorsai.
(Language: English)
Another in the Dorsai series by Gordon A Dickson. In this case a Dorsai is on a foreign planet as a contract defense mercenary. However, unlike most Dorasi he enjoys, and is defined by, music. This planet idolizes a type of in-your-face honor, as is shown by a large painting in the spaceport, and at the end of the story the scene is replicated, in ultimate tribute to the honor exhibited by the Lost Dorsai. Another book I read said something along the lines of, "show me a people's art, and I'll tell you what makes the tick." This book certainly follows through on that sentiment.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-23 10:32:50 for Starship Troopers.
(Language: English)
Starship Troopers, by Robert A. Heinlein, is nothing like the movie. OK, it has insect beasts that suck your brain, but only a couple chapters at the end. This is an examination of the soldier training process, learning to depend on each other and becoming masters of their equipment. A lot of time is spent on the thoughts of the hero, Juan/Johnny Rico, about government, citizenship, military service, responsibility, and all that. In his universe only military are allowed to hold government office, and that is the source of the controversy over this book. Probably the last 25% of the book is about the bugs, but more in an incidental way, not as the focus of the story they way they were in the movie. Certainly an interesting story, and thought provoking.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-23 09:40:46 for The 13th Warrior/Eaters of the Dead.
(Language: English)
An interesting and entertaining variation of the classic Beowolf saga. The 13th warrior, as you may know, is an Arab diplomat who joins the Northmen as they go home to rescue a king from the predations of Beowolf. I saw the movie first, which was very interesting. Certainly an exciting movie, and more interesting than the Beowolf I had to read in high school....
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-23 09:28:28 for The Dragon and the George.
(Language: English)
The Dragon series by Gordon R. Dickson is interesting, taking a college teacher of medieval English from 1950's England and transporting him and his wife back to England of the 800's or so. As a dragon. Well, HE's a dragon, SHE's not. And magic works there. This is the premier book of the series, discussing the transfer of Jim Eckert and his fiance/wife to medieval England, and the unbalance of power between good and evil that resulted from this rift in the space-time astral plane. The fellowship of Jim's friends begins, and battle with evil joined. An interesting story.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-23 09:22:56 for The Dragon on the Border.
(Language: English)
The Dragon series by Gordon R. Dickson is interesting, taking a college teacher of medieval English from 1950's England and transporting him and his wife back to England of the 800's or so. As a dragon. Well, HE's a dragon, SHE's not. And magic works there. In this book he uses his dragon powers to fight and defeat a cross border threat by some disgruntled Scots, by combining the forces of the Little People with the Big People, and with his friends bringing peace to the area again. I know, sounds pretty simplistic, but the dragon conceit, along with the time travel, makes for an interesting perspective on the times.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-20 03:05:06 for The Hobbit, Or, There and Back Again.
(Language: English)
Good, but not as good as LOTR. This is important as backstory - and is included in setting up LOTR - but is written as a children's story. It is not infused with great moral issues as LOTR is. Enjoyable, entertaining, but not deep.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-20 03:00:01 for 1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four.
(Language: English)
Depressing, yet the human soul seeks freedom.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-20 02:56:27 for The Diary of a Young Girl.
(Language: English)
A moving story, helping to show that life is life, growing up is growing up, regardless of the circumstances, trials and tribulations in life.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-20 02:53:00 for The Five People You Meet In Heaven.
(Language: English)
A very moving book. I thought it was interesting how the view of events from the "other side" was not at all what they seemed from "this side", and wonder just how true that really is. I think we will be surprised. The movie, with Jon Voight, was every bit as good as the book, despite there being differences. (Does anything translate perfectly? Probably not, and that's OK.)
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-20 02:45:43 for Frankenstein, Or, the Modern Prometheus (Changing Our World).
(Language: English)
After having seen movies about Frankenstein, this book really surprised me. Not only was the story not about the monster, the monster was not a "monster", but very "human". ("Young Frankenstein" is a lot more accurate than the "classics".) The real story here I thought was very appropriate and timely given the issues and questions about genetically engineered food, stem cell research, and other issues of our "tampering" with life. I recommend that anyone read this book who is interested medical ethics, bioethics and related issues.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-20 02:29:39 for The Count of Monte Cristo.
(Language: English)
There are several aspects of this story I enjoy - beyond the excellent writing - the way the Count's innocence is vindicated, and the way he is able to manipulate events and situations to get revenge. I think we have all been in similar situations - unjustly accused of some wrong - and wished for revenge, and this story lets us enjoy revenge vicariously. And another book where the details allow me to get into the story, into the world, of the author.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-20 02:13:57 for The Lord of the Rings.
(Language: English)
One of my faves. I love the depth of detail and how it makes the fantasy world "real". The first several years after I got it I would reread it several times a year, finishing the set in about a week. Yeah - intense. Now days I reread them then watch the movies. (Great movies - don't follow exactly, but great movies none the less.) The spiritual aspects of the books are not insignificant: good vs. evil, the steadfast and single minded focus of Frodo and Sam, the way the different groups pull together despite their differences in order to achieve victory. I gotta say it makes me a bit misty-eyed.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-20 02:02:32 for Old Man and the Sea.
(Language: English)
This classic by "Papa" is a good story - a good read. I enjoyed the word picture of life in the islands in a fishing village. The tenacity of the Old Man when up against the shark reminds me of other old men doing their jobs in difficult situations: they just put their head down and do what they have to to get the job done. Young men try to muscle through the job, hurry through it, or otherwise hit it hard and quick, but fall short when they hit the wall.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-20 01:48:48 for Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
(Language: English)
I read this after the Adventures of Tom Sawyer and was disappointed. Sawyer is definitely a children's book, while this examines much more adult themes, and not in an entertaining children's style. The theme - as I remember from when I was 12 - is that people can get along regardless of race. (Or is that family is whomever you make a part of your family?) The high jinks throughout the story built up Huck's and Jim's time together, and the building of "family". Despite their age difference they wind up having a very close and respectful relationship. This contrasts with the start of the book where Huck's "real" family - his father - is uncaringly using Huck, while "the widder" is concernedly overly protective. Both parent figures result in dysfunctional situations.
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