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David McK (3562 KP) rated Aliens: The Female War in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The third book in Dark Horse's spin-off series of novels and comics to include Billie and Wilks, this also throws Ripley into the mix, and finishes the story first began in [b:Aliens: Earth Hive|343281|Aliens Earth Hive|Steve Perry|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1366133734s/343281.jpg|333628] and continued in [b:Aliens: Nightmare Asylum|20873|Aliens Nightmare Asylum|Steve Perry|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388857061s/20873.jpg|22061]. Wheres the 1979 film 'Alien' had a single Alien stalking the crew of the Nostromo after they picked up the transmission, with the 1986 film 'Aliens' then introducing the concept of the Alien Queen, this extrapolates even further than that with the introduction of an Alien Queen Mother providing the deus ex machina for the plot.
Talking of the plot: this is maybe a bit slower than those previous two novels, with more emphasis on character development (I know, I know: is such a thing even possible in these types of books?).
As before, not going to set the literary world alight nor win any awards, but an enjoyable enough quick diversion for a day or two.
Talking of the plot: this is maybe a bit slower than those previous two novels, with more emphasis on character development (I know, I know: is such a thing even possible in these types of books?).
As before, not going to set the literary world alight nor win any awards, but an enjoyable enough quick diversion for a day or two.
David McK (3562 KP) rated Tatooine Ghost (Star Wars) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
How do you link a Star Wars book set after the classic trilogy (and almost immediately after "The Courtship of Princess Leia") to the events of the prequel trilogy, without knowing how Episode III is going to play out?
Troy Denning's answer to that question is simple: by having his main characters (Leia, Hand, Chewbacca and C-3PO) return to the Skywlaker home planet of Tattoine, on the trail of a stolen Alderaanian painting; a painting that holds secrets that the New Republic don't want discovered by the Empire. As the novel is set on Tatooine, that then allows Denning to continue the story of some of the minor (and major) characters from "The Phantom Menace": what happened to them after Anakin left the planet in the company of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn? How had his leaving affected their lives?
As in all official Star Wars novels, the events of this one also ties into voth previous and sebsequent novels: although he himself never really plays a main role within, we also have an early (chronologically speaking) appearance of Grand Admiral Thrawn, and some clues to future events in the Star Wars mythos.
Definitely worth reading.
Troy Denning's answer to that question is simple: by having his main characters (Leia, Hand, Chewbacca and C-3PO) return to the Skywlaker home planet of Tattoine, on the trail of a stolen Alderaanian painting; a painting that holds secrets that the New Republic don't want discovered by the Empire. As the novel is set on Tatooine, that then allows Denning to continue the story of some of the minor (and major) characters from "The Phantom Menace": what happened to them after Anakin left the planet in the company of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn? How had his leaving affected their lives?
As in all official Star Wars novels, the events of this one also ties into voth previous and sebsequent novels: although he himself never really plays a main role within, we also have an early (chronologically speaking) appearance of Grand Admiral Thrawn, and some clues to future events in the Star Wars mythos.
Definitely worth reading.
MI
Madness in Black Women's Diasporic Fictions: Aesthetics of Resistance: 2017
Book
This collection chronicles the strategic uses of madness in works by black women fiction writers...
Wonderland
Book
Joyce Carol Oates's Wonderland Quartet comprises four remarkable novels that explore social class in...
David McK (3562 KP) rated Map of Bones (Sigma Force, #2) in Books
Jan 28, 2019 (Updated Sep 12, 2021)
<2021 update>
It's interesting going back to the beginning ('Sandstorm') as I did recently, and seeing how the series as a whole develops. This one is not quite as good as I remember it being, perhaps due my having read the the later novels ... ?
While this may not be the first SIGMA force novel, it is the first in which (what I would term) the core team of Commander Gray Pearce, Monk Kokkalis and Kat Bryant are first put together, and is also the first novel in the series which I read. Thankfully, while there may be the occasional reference to other events, it is not necessary to read the books in order.
SIGMA is best described as, basically, scientists with guns, and these novels invite (perhaps, even, demand) comparisons with Dan Brown as they are based on the same type of subject matter and follow the same plot outlines: secret orders, puzzles to be solved, races against time, and so on.
Based on this book, I would (and have) read more by this author (although I'll admit to being extremely annoyed with some of the characterisations in "Excavation").
It's interesting going back to the beginning ('Sandstorm') as I did recently, and seeing how the series as a whole develops. This one is not quite as good as I remember it being, perhaps due my having read the the later novels ... ?
While this may not be the first SIGMA force novel, it is the first in which (what I would term) the core team of Commander Gray Pearce, Monk Kokkalis and Kat Bryant are first put together, and is also the first novel in the series which I read. Thankfully, while there may be the occasional reference to other events, it is not necessary to read the books in order.
SIGMA is best described as, basically, scientists with guns, and these novels invite (perhaps, even, demand) comparisons with Dan Brown as they are based on the same type of subject matter and follow the same plot outlines: secret orders, puzzles to be solved, races against time, and so on.
Based on this book, I would (and have) read more by this author (although I'll admit to being extremely annoyed with some of the characterisations in "Excavation").
David McK (3562 KP) rated The Truth (Discworld, #25; Industrial Revolution, #2) in Books
Sep 11, 2022
The Truth shall set you Fret!
<2022 update>
Still as good as ever!
<original review below>
So, over the weekend I watched a BBC documentary about the late, great, Sir Terry Pratchett (Terry Pratchett: Back in Black) as part of which they brought up the fact that his earliest job had been as a reporter for his local paper (and saw his first corpse a few hours later, work experience meaning something in those days ...) .
Experience that shows in this novel.
The second of the so-called Industrial Revolutions (after Moving Pictures) sub-series of the Discworld novels, this is - IMO - the first to really get into the meat of said revolution, and concerns itself with Ankh-Morporks first newspaper, alongside a plot to depose the Patrician - a character, I feel, who (whilst mostly in the background in the earlier novels) comes more to the fore in this, as do the likes of Foul Ol' Ron, Coffin Henry, The Duck Man and Gaspode
Of course, it wouldn't be a Pratchett novel without a generous portion of puns running alongside the satire, parody and memorable characters (such as, say, Otto von Chriek: the vampire with a thing for flash photography ...)
Still as good as ever!
<original review below>
So, over the weekend I watched a BBC documentary about the late, great, Sir Terry Pratchett (Terry Pratchett: Back in Black) as part of which they brought up the fact that his earliest job had been as a reporter for his local paper (and saw his first corpse a few hours later, work experience meaning something in those days ...) .
Experience that shows in this novel.
The second of the so-called Industrial Revolutions (after Moving Pictures) sub-series of the Discworld novels, this is - IMO - the first to really get into the meat of said revolution, and concerns itself with Ankh-Morporks first newspaper, alongside a plot to depose the Patrician - a character, I feel, who (whilst mostly in the background in the earlier novels) comes more to the fore in this, as do the likes of Foul Ol' Ron, Coffin Henry, The Duck Man and Gaspode
Of course, it wouldn't be a Pratchett novel without a generous portion of puns running alongside the satire, parody and memorable characters (such as, say, Otto von Chriek: the vampire with a thing for flash photography ...)
First, the obvious question: if this novel was only released in 2024, and Michael Crichton died in 2008ish, how can he possibly be the author?
The answer is he left notes for a project he had been working on, which his wife held in trust until she could find another author to take forward the story (enter, James Patterson).
While I've only read a few Patterson novels before, I have read more of Crichton works (Jurassic Park , The Lost World, Sphere, Timeline, Congo, Next, Micro, Eaters of the Dead, Prey and Pirate Latitudes all come to mind).
And, unfortunately, I have to say I was a little bit disappointed in this one.
I don't know why: maybe because I didn't really find any of the characters all that fleshed out, the set-up didn't grab me nor did the exotic location (Hawaii) but, for me, this was just one of the weaker entries in the afore-mentioned list of Crichton novels I've read: definitely not up there with the pinnacle of Jurassic Park or Prey; maybe more in line with (IMO) the weaker Pirate Latitudes or Next.
Your mileage, of course, may vary.
The answer is he left notes for a project he had been working on, which his wife held in trust until she could find another author to take forward the story (enter, James Patterson).
While I've only read a few Patterson novels before, I have read more of Crichton works (Jurassic Park , The Lost World, Sphere, Timeline, Congo, Next, Micro, Eaters of the Dead, Prey and Pirate Latitudes all come to mind).
And, unfortunately, I have to say I was a little bit disappointed in this one.
I don't know why: maybe because I didn't really find any of the characters all that fleshed out, the set-up didn't grab me nor did the exotic location (Hawaii) but, for me, this was just one of the weaker entries in the afore-mentioned list of Crichton novels I've read: definitely not up there with the pinnacle of Jurassic Park or Prey; maybe more in line with (IMO) the weaker Pirate Latitudes or Next.
Your mileage, of course, may vary.
Nicole (2 KP) rated Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children in Books
Nov 12, 2017
Fantastic Read!
These books were wonderful. I love books that can pull you into a whole new place. Riggs hit a home run at that. The descriptions are vivid and bring you right into the world of the peculiars. The pictures throughout the book really make the characters come to life. I read every book in a couple days and I waited anxiously for each book even the graphic novels. If you are a fan on fantasy books, this is one that is definitely worth reading.
Tron (26 KP) rated Monstrous Regiment: (Discworld Novel 31) in Books
May 15, 2017
Surprisingly inspiring for young ladies (2 more)
Beautifully satirical look at the impact of war on small communities
Terry Pratchett's amazing sense of humour
Re-readable again and again!
I love this book to Death. It's one of my go to reads because it's so easy to relate to the characters, to have a good laugh and to still have a deep think about the world all at once. It's easier to follow than a lot of Discworld novels and is a stand alone story so give it a go!