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David McK (3692 KP) rated Quantum Leap: Too Close for Comfort in Books

Sep 22, 2024 (Updated Sep 22, 2024)  
Quantum Leap: Too Close for Comfort
Quantum Leap: Too Close for Comfort
Ashley McConnell | 1993 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
"Theorising that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Doctor Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished... He woke to find himself trapped in the past, facing mirror images that were not his own, and driven by an unknown force to change history for the better. His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time, who appears in the form of a hologram that only Sam can see and hear. And so Doctor Beckett finds himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home…”

That's the intro from the original, 1990s, show (as opposed to the more modern 2020 reincarnation).

Why am I posting the above?

Because this novel itself is from the 90s, long before Dr Raymond Song or any of the newer bunch, and so focuses on the original Leaper Sam, and his hologrammatic observer Al.

It was also obviously written whilst the show was still on air (or, at the very least, not long after it ended), and very much could have been a episode of that original show, which was far more episodic in nature than the newer version.

Here, Sam finds himself in the body of a college graduate in what-I-believe-to-be the early 1990s, leasing a room from a college professor who is very much into the whole Men movement of the era, so much so that said professor does not even realize when his family life is falling down around him.

Being the early 1990s, this is far too close to the timeline from which Sam leaps (1999), with Al Calvacci also involved here both as Sam's hologram, and as an actual person who Sam encounters as a member of Dr Wales encounter group. Hence the title 'Too Close for Comfort', which can be construed in multiple different ways!
  
The Crown  - Season 2
The Crown - Season 2
2017 | Drama
Another stirring season of The Crown
The Crown returns with another great season, very different from the initial series, with less focus on an ongoing story. It delves further into the relationship between the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, and the clear tension that arises from his alleged infidelities. But the more interesting part is the fact that it feels educational, going through real-life situations such as diplomatic conflicts - the Suez crisis, former King Edward VIII's collusion with Nazis, and even the Profumo affair, all while showing actual images of the incident after the episode.

In this season, the Queen appears less timid, far more self-assured and stoic as a ruler, all the while attempting to hold the fort in her own growing household. Great Britain is flailing, with various political scandals arising, and as a result, she is heavily scrutinised. We see more of the Duke of Edinburgh's background as a child, while disturbing, it is also utterly heartbreaking. It's a much more realistic portrayal of the royal family than in the first series.
  
Latin Grill was amazing. That's really the only word I have to describe it. This book has everything: Salads, Meat, Shellfish, Desserts, and even Beverages. There's also information in the front about various grill-type-things like which kind of grill to use, what kinds of tools you need etc.

And the photographs… make me… drool. More than just hungry. drool. *wipes computer off* I've never wanted a salad so badly in my whole life. Grilled avocado on Caesar Salads, grilled Sea Scallops with Avocado and Apple, recipes for lamb, beef, chicken, even duck. It's hard to find a good recipe for Churros (with chocolate sauce!) Semisweet Chocolate and Coffee Brioche Bread Pudding… reading that one almost made me cry. There's a whole slew of lemonades and martinis in the back to top off a fantastic full-course grilled dinner… or just to go with your Sunday-night family barbecue.

Recommendation: hey moms, this would be a great fathers' day gift! There's a recipe in here for everyone.
  
They Both Die At The End
They Both Die At The End
Adam Silvera | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.0 (22 Ratings)
Book Rating
Great Characters (2 more)
Thought provoking
Original
That it had to end (0 more)
What would you do if you were told you would die within the next 24 hours?
You didn't know how or when it would happen just that it was inevitable and would happen before midnight?
Would you spend your time at home with friends and family, just being together and enjoying that time?
Would you go out and do things you had never done before and pushed the boundaries of your bravery?

This is where Mateo and Rugus find themselves. One 17 and the other 18 and today they are dying.
But rather than sit around and wait for death they find each other and start one last grand adventure on their End Day.

This book really makes you think, makes you assess your life and if you are living it to its full potential. It doesn't leave you feeling sad that these two characters know they are dying, it makes you feel happy and uplifted that for their last day they lived it to the fullest possible.