Space Drifters: The Iron Gauntlet, by Paul Regnier

Captain Glint Starcrost and his crew are back for more adventures in Space Drifters: The Iron Gauntlet.  The bulk of the story involves Starcrost's competition in a reality show where he his life is on the line for the Iron Gauntlet and a huge prize.  He's assisted by the Emerald Enigma, which, readers of the first Space Drifters book will remember, is a necklace that gives the wearer some extraordinary abilities.  He quickly finds that he is a pawn in a larger game that is playing out as the reality show competition is playing out.

The Iron Gauntlet retains the character--and characters--of the first book.  We learn a little more about the backgrounds of Starcrost's motley crew.  Regnier even includes a few chapters told from their perspectives.  In the first book, The Emerald Enigma, Regnier worked in a few theological questions and the characters dealt with the Christian faith.  The Iron Gauntlet scales that down quite a bit, with very little mention of faith in passing.  Also, lizard guy Blix's gift/curse of things coming into reality from his imagination is strangely absent.

Regnier's story is great fun to read.  It has the feel of YA fiction with its action-packed, dialogue-heavy pace and light-hearted tone.  Don't expect hard science fiction when you pick up the Space Drifters series, but look forward to a wild, imaginative ride.

The Bastard Brigade, by Sam Kean

In the long years and global reach of World War 2, there seems to be no limit to great stories and brave exploits.  Sam Kean's new book tells the story of a loosely assembled team of spies and scientists whose goal was to prevent Hitler's Germany from developing a nuclear bomb.  Kean's account includes the personal stories and the developing plot that involved famous Americans such as baseball player Mo Berg and Joseph Kennedy, Jr., as well as Nobel-winning scientists on both sides of the conflict. 

Kean brings the events alive, placing the events into the larger picture of what's going on in the war.  For obvious reasons, these exploits were little known during the war, and, in some cases, for many years after.  I found his accounts of the relationships among the scientists to be particularly interesting.  In the close-knit community of physics, all of these scientists knew each other.  As the field transformed from an eccentric specialty to playing a central role in a global war, their relationships with each other and with their research interests were strained.

Reading about the espionage element, including raids, sabotage, theft, and general sneaking around, I was reminded that these people are merely human, and Murphy's Law rules.  There were so many close calls, bungled projects, and miscommunications, that it's a wonder the Allies came out on top.  That also tells me the Axis powers were probably subject to a similar level of chaos.

Kean is one of those writers of history who finds great stories, thoroughly digs into the stories, and puts the stories together in a captivating, readable format.  Who says history is boring?  Kean shows quite the opposite.


Thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary electronic review copy!

The Case for Nationalism, by Rich Lowry

Politically aware conservatives will remember that National Review was a the chronicler of the Never Trump movement, those Republicans who opposed Trump throughout the 2016 election and into the first years of his presidency.  Some Never Trumpers have warmed to Trump, others persist in their opposition.  NR editor Rich Lowry may not be a big Trump fan, but on at least one issue, he will readily stand in Trump's corner.  In The Case for Nationalism: How It Made Us Powerful, United, and Free he tries to redeem the word nationalism from those who responded negatively to Trump's use of the term.

Given that fact that the left (as well as many on the right) will take every word Trump says and twist it beyond all recognition, it's not surprising that when Trump says "nationalism" they hear "Nazi."  Now, it's true that "Nazi" stands for "national socialism," but Lowry points out that "Nationalism has been a current in the world for centuries, touching every corner of the globe, and somehow only the Germans produced Nazism."  In other words, as Lowry examines socialism around the world and through history, only 20th century Germany produced that toxic, deadly perversion of nationalism.

Trump's nationalism is simple, non-race-based, and should be non-controversial: "We need to adopt immigration and trade policies with our own interests foremost in mind."  Lowry digs deeper than that, providing some historical background of nationalism generally, and specifically the American experience.  His biggest target is the idea that American is a nation of ideas.  He argues instead that at the American founding, "no one believed they were creating 'an idea,' rather than a nation-state."  Over time, historical events such as the Civil War, the moon landing, and the Civil Rights Movement solidified our national identity.

The decades since those unifying eras, especially the last 20-30 years, have seen an increase in immigration accompanied by a decrease in national unity.  The rise of identity politics and the deemphasis of cultural assimilation have contributed to the fracturing of American identity.  Lowry states that "wanting immigrants to become fully part of us [via assimilation] is not xenophobia but the opposite.  It reflects a belief that our culture can and should be embraced by people from varied backgrounds."

All things considered, "the focus of US policy should be the national interest.  We can know (and should) about the world, we (and should) forge international alliances, we can (and should) trade with the rest of the world.  But the animating goal of our government should be promoting the interests of its own citizens."  That is what Trump believes, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.


Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

Chilling Effect, by Valerie Valdes

Captain Eva Innocente, who is just trying to make a living as a trader without resorting to the illegal tactics of her family and peers, finds herself hunted across the universe by an ultra-wealthy warlord (because she refused his offer to join his harem).  To make matters worse, her sister has been kidnapped by a major criminal syndicate, and they demand Eva's servitude to set her sister free. In Chilling Effect, Valerie Valdes tells Eva's story with a sense of humor, action, and attitude.

Chilling Effect is a book for readers who are not too concerned with the "science" part of science fiction, but who love a rollicking adventure story.  I love the way that, in stories like this, a trip to another planet takes less time than it takes me to commute to work.  It certainly helps the story move along. . . . Valdes relies on mysterious technology from a mysterious, extinct race for the quick travel times.  A relic from that race factors into the plot in a big way later, giving other applications of the same technology to strategic and comedic effect.

A fun attitude, well-written action, lovable characters, and twisty plotting make Chilling Effect an entertaining page turner.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

Running With Sherman, by Christopher McDougall

Christopher McDougall had a huge role in the exploding minimalist running trend with the publication of Born to Run in 2009.  I would guess that Running With Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero will play a role in increasing interest in burro racing, but I'm pretty sure your local running store won't start stocking halters and saddle bags.  As his readers will expect, McDougall's writing is quite entertaining and, despite the fact that he's writing about a niche sport that a tiny handful of people in a tiny geographical area participate in.

If Running With Sherman were just a book about burro racing, it would be easy to ignore.  But McDougall explores so much more.  Sherman is a rescue donkey that was sick, almost crippled, and surely near death.  McDougall's family took Sherman in, cleaned him up, fed him, and got him healthy.  He quickly turned his mind to burro racing, and decided that he would train Sherman to run a burro race in the mountains of Colorado.  This was no easy task, given Sherman's health, the fact that they live near sea level in Pennsylvania, and the fact that McDougall knew next to nothing about the sport.

A major theme of Running With Sherman the link humans have with animals.  Many of McDougall's neighbors are Amish.  He notes that they tend to be healthier, happier, and longer-lived than most any other group of people.  That is, of course, due to their active lifestyles, diets that don't include American junk food and packages food, and their religious devotion and discipline.  But McDougall also argues that the connection with animals, a connection that people who live in cities, drive cars, and use mechanical implements instead of beasts of burden, simply don't have.  Any pet owner will confirm this, if to a limited extent.

Running with Sherman is fun to read and furthers McDougall's reputation as one of the best writers about running.


Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

Shameless: A Sexual Reformation, by Nadia Bolz-Weber

Nadia Bolz-Weber has a message of comfort for anyone whose sexual inclinations and practices fall outside the norms of traditional Christian ethics.  In Shameless: A Sexual Reformation, Bolz-Weber assures her readers that they need not worry about their sexual pasts or presents.  Gay sex?  Not a sin.  Extra-marital sex?  Not a sin.  Abortion?  Not a sin.  Pornography?  Not a sin.  Promiscuity?  Not a sin. One-night stand?  Not a sin.  Basically, "Whatever sexual flourishing looks like for you, that's what I would love to see happen in your life."  This is a destructive message.

To her credit, Bolz-Weber does draw some delineation regarding what is acceptable sexual behavior.  It's a problem if "your sexual desires are for minors or animals, or your sexual choices are hurting you or those you love."  And certainly sexual activity should be marked by consent, mutuality, and concern.  (I like that last bit--a lot of people talk about consent and mutuality, but she adds concern for the other as essential.)  So she rules out pedophilia, bestiality, and rape.  Good for her.

But really, she takes too much delight in jettisoning centuries of church teaching and biblical interpretation to come down to her version of sexual free-for-all.  Here's what bothers me: when people like Bolz-Weber, a theologically trained Christian pastor, draws her sexual ethic from a culture that is increasingly permissive and tries to dress it up in spiritual, biblical terms.  She can say she starts from the Bible, but the current crop of Christians who want to defend homosexuality and endorse premarital sex are more the product of the sexual revolution and gay pride than serious biblical scholarship.

She is right that there have been abuses by the church, in both teaching and practice, regarding sexual ethics.  She gets particularly incensed by the recent purity and abstinence movements.  Yes, teens will have sex.  But does that mean we should encourage it?  What about holding up a standard and teaching why that is most fulfilling and in line with scripture?  (It is, on both counts.)  You might argue that men will cheat on their wives, so we might as well accept it and make it work.  Actually, nothing in Bolz-Weber's formulation excludes an open marriage, as long as it's consensual, mutual, and shows concern for others involved.

Much about this book really irked me.  She virtually ignores sociological evidence that faithful marriage between a man and a woman is more beneficial for the family and for society.  As a divorcee, she is dismissive of heterosexual marriage as just another choice.  But her statements on abortion are appalling.  She writes about how attached she became to a baby her family fostered while she was a teen, and realized that she could never give up her own baby for adoption.  When she became pregnant, young, unmarried, and penniless, she said "if I couldn't give a baby and I couldn't keep a baby, then I just couldn't have a baby."  SO SHE KILLED HER BABY.  I will never understand a woman who says she could never give up her own baby, so she kills it instead.  This is evil.  Yet she goes on to say that "never once for a single minute did I regret my choice."

We as Christians must teach and speak with grace and compassion to those who are considering or have had abortions.  We must reach out to people who have been sexually abused.  The church must be a place of healing and reconciliation to God for those who feel like they were created or wired the wrong way.  But the church must not be a place where sin is no longer called sin, where the Bible is distorted to defend societal perversions, and where the healing and redeeming work of Christ is ignored so that people can follow their sexual whims and desires.  This is exactly what Bolz-Weber does.


Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

Why My Cat is More Impressive Than Your Baby, by The Oatmeal

Matthew Inman, a.k.a. "The Oatmeal," has an odd sense of humor.  That's one of the reasons I like him.  In My Cat Is More Impressive Than Your Baby, he collects some of his cartoons and musings about cats, babies, dogs, and life.  It's silly, foul-mouthed hilariousness.

Parents in particular will laugh at his portrayal of babies as puking and pooping annoyances.  Yes, babies "siphon milk from boobs and then spray it out of its a--."  For some, babies may transform "interesting, hopeful people into bald, sallow, regretful barf-slaves."  We can laugh, but it all seems rather sad, coming from someone with no children and apparently a sad and lonely conception of parenthood.  I know, I know, it's a humor book about cats, but it still seems so unbalanced and despairing.

The cat stuff is pretty funny.  They rule the home.  They are not to be owned (they own you).  They are far superior to dogs.  Etc.  If you like The Oatmeal, and if you like cats, you'll get a kick out of this book.  (I was a bit disappointed.  Inman's The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances was brilliant.  More like that, Inman!)

Never Trust a Liberal Over Three, by Ann Coulter

If you have seen Ann Coulter on TV, you know she's a hard-core conservative firebrand, never afraid to step on toes or offend, ever ready to call out hypocrisy and decry political shenanigans.  In Never Trust a Liberal Over Three--Especially a Republican, you get all that and more.  Here she collects nearly 400 pages of columns, written over the course of more than a decade.  First published in 2013, many of these columns are set in the Obama years, and serve a great reminder of what a horrible president he was.

Yes, I must say I found myself in agreement with Coulter in many of her conclusions, including her less-than-admiring view of Obama, his corrupt secretary of state Clinton, and his whole administration.  As the title suggests, though, she has plenty of ire to go around, and lets loose on some leading Republicans as well.

Even though the book is six years old, putting some of the events she covers back in the early years of the century, this was a great way to be reminded of key events of the last couple of decades.  Coulter continues to be a firebrand, not even holding back for Trump when he disappoints her.  I find her to be deeply principled and consistent in her conservative ideology, thus will readily pay attention to her opinion, whether I end up agreeing with her or not.

Sorry I Ruined Your Childhood, by Ben Zaehringer

With a strong shot of nostalgia mixed with a very contemporary feel, Ben Zaehringer probably won't ruin your childhood (and your adulthood), but he'll make you laugh about it.  His cartoons in Sorry I Ruined Your Childhood hit the sweet spot with me generationally and with his not-crude-but-sometimes-bizarre-and-irreverant tone.  His pop culture references range from "Sesame Street" and Disney movies to The Shining, Ghostbusters, and Alien. 

It's not just pop culture, though.  Zaehringer's sense of humor is a bit dark, maybe a bit obsessive about death, and super punny.  I was laughing out loud on almost every page, but when I shared with my wife and son, they weren't as impressed.

It's always fun to find someone whose sense of humor is just as twisted as my own.  Zaehringer is that cartoonist for me.  Maybe he is for you, too.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!