Have you ever picked up a book that sounded so cool, but the plot and style didn't end up appealing to you? That's Malka Older's Infomacracy for me. In this near-future sci-fi novel, nation-states have gone the way of history, and now governance is done by competing organizations, selected democratically by each centenal, which is 100,000 people.
The story revolves around several people gearing up for the next election, in which some of the organizations are seeking to gain a supermajority, expanding their control. There are obvious opportunities for interesting political and social commentary here, and Older does have her moments. But I didn't enjoy the story, which was lots of talking, was sort of confusing (there I go, once again proudly displaying my intellectual shallowness), and did not engage me.
In one of her moments of brilliance, Older comments on the response of the governments to a major earthquake: "They're getting help, probably more than they need, because of the election. Because it looks good. Because these damn governments are competing with each other to help the most." Nobody wants to be Bush after Katrina. . . . She goes on to point out other persistent problems around the world that are routinely ignored. That always bothers me, too. Have a big disaster like the earthquake in Haiti, and suddenly the whole world cares. But have generations stuck in poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, and just try to get the world to pay attention. . . . Good luck with that.
Later on, she talks about the evolution of news coverage: "We find that people who hate each other that much rarely view the same types of information." That made me think of Hillary voters and Trump voters. The internet has made information access so customizable that one voter can read only articles critical of Hillary, while another can read only articles critical of Trump. She says, "despite all the information available, people tend to look at what they want to see." Ain't that the truth.
Older has some interesting passages like this in Infomacracy, but I couldn't get into the story much. What about her overall idea, the fall of the nation-state and the rise of specialized democratic governance, some of them corporate concerns like Philip Morris and Coke? The concept of "nano democracy"? I guess we'll have to wait a few decades to see if she is a prophetess. . . .
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Monday, June 13, 2016
Persuader, by Lee Child
Jack Reacher is one of those fictional characters I never get tired of. I do have to admit that Persuader wasn't one of my favorites, but I did like it. It's classic Reacher. Lee Child, creator of Jack Reacher, writes about Reacher in such a way that the books can be read in any order, but in case you're counting, Persuader is book seven of twenty (and counting).
As Persuader opens, he has a brief encounter in Boston with a man he killed ten years prior. As he attempts to find out more, he gets caught up in a DEA investigation of a Maine-based rug importer and suspected drug trafficker. DEA agents convince him to go undercover, find an inside track to the rug importer's operation, and find another agent who has disappeared. These rug guys are really bad dudes, and Reacher has a way with really bad dudes. It's a twisting and turning tale, with lots of gun violence and hand-to-hand violence, and, especially, lots of cleverness on Reacher's part.
Things don't turn out like anyone expects, but Reacher gets his man (as Child's readers expect!). Just as in the other Reacher novels, he comes and goes with only the clothes on his back, and in between he picks up what he needs to get the job done. In the end, he drifts away to somewhere else, where eventually he'll get caught up in some other exciting crime-fighting adventure. That ease of drifting away and blending in is one of the things that I like about Reacher, but at the same time bothers me as unbelievable. The other thing is the coincidences that get him into these cases. He kills a guy in California 10 years ago, then randomly runs into him on the street in Boston? Why? In the end, though, I don't really care. It's an unlikely set up, but Child can be forgiven, since the ensuing story is so engaging.
As Persuader opens, he has a brief encounter in Boston with a man he killed ten years prior. As he attempts to find out more, he gets caught up in a DEA investigation of a Maine-based rug importer and suspected drug trafficker. DEA agents convince him to go undercover, find an inside track to the rug importer's operation, and find another agent who has disappeared. These rug guys are really bad dudes, and Reacher has a way with really bad dudes. It's a twisting and turning tale, with lots of gun violence and hand-to-hand violence, and, especially, lots of cleverness on Reacher's part.
Things don't turn out like anyone expects, but Reacher gets his man (as Child's readers expect!). Just as in the other Reacher novels, he comes and goes with only the clothes on his back, and in between he picks up what he needs to get the job done. In the end, he drifts away to somewhere else, where eventually he'll get caught up in some other exciting crime-fighting adventure. That ease of drifting away and blending in is one of the things that I like about Reacher, but at the same time bothers me as unbelievable. The other thing is the coincidences that get him into these cases. He kills a guy in California 10 years ago, then randomly runs into him on the street in Boston? Why? In the end, though, I don't really care. It's an unlikely set up, but Child can be forgiven, since the ensuing story is so engaging.
Friday, June 10, 2016
The Reivers, by William Faulkner
When I picked up The Reivers, William Faulkner's final novel, published in 1962, I had a couple of questions. First of all, what is a reiver? Second, why have I never heard of this novel? The first question is easy. A reiver is one who takes away by violence or stealth, snatches away, or robs. The second question, well, that's probably easy, too. It's because I'm ignorant. The Reivers won a Pulitzer Prize, after all. But I now realize I just haven't read much of Faulkner. As I peruse a list of his novels, I'm not sure I've read any of them. My bad.
The Reivers is not one Faulkner's better-known books, and people who know Faulkner say it's not one of his best. But it's a fun story. When 11-year-old Lucius's family leaves town for a funeral, the so-called responsible adult left to care for him takes him along on a trip to Memphis is Lucius's grandfather's car--certainly without Grandfather's permission! (One might say they reived the car.) Their black employee comes along for the ride and they have quite the adventure in the city.
It's a coming-of-age tale for Lucius, who learns all about bordellos, knife fights, car theft, horse racing, gambling, and more very enlightening parts of life. Faulkner tells the story from Lucius's point of view, keeping his innocent prospective on these very grown-up pursuits. In the end, he was a little surprised that back home, nothing had changed. He thought :
Faulkner's story-telling style is enjoyable, capturing the early-twentieth century south and the voice of the young protagonist. In a sense the novel felt like a long run-on sentence (and the excerpt above might demonstrate). One stylistic characteristic that I got a kick out of, which I wonder if it is characteristic of Faulkner's other fiction, is what I will call "amplification." Have you ever read The Amplified Bible? They add lots of alternative words to "amplify" the translation, e.g. "In the beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned,) and created the heavens and the earth. . . . And God saw the light, that it was good--suitable, pleasing--and He approved it." Faulkner does this a lot in the The Reivers: ". . . with Boon beside me, over me, across me, one hand on mine. . ." ". . . we were reaching, approaching the other side of the swamp. . . " "Because you should be prepared for experience, knowledge, knowing: not bludgeoned unaware in the dark. . ." Examples abound in every chapter.
I'm no one to judge where The Reivers ranks among Faulkner's work. It may not be his best-known novel, but it's certainly worth reading, thoroughly entertaining and thoughtful.
2016 Reading Challenge: A novel that won the Pulitzer Prize
#vtReadingChallenge
The Reivers is not one Faulkner's better-known books, and people who know Faulkner say it's not one of his best. But it's a fun story. When 11-year-old Lucius's family leaves town for a funeral, the so-called responsible adult left to care for him takes him along on a trip to Memphis is Lucius's grandfather's car--certainly without Grandfather's permission! (One might say they reived the car.) Their black employee comes along for the ride and they have quite the adventure in the city.
It's a coming-of-age tale for Lucius, who learns all about bordellos, knife fights, car theft, horse racing, gambling, and more very enlightening parts of life. Faulkner tells the story from Lucius's point of view, keeping his innocent prospective on these very grown-up pursuits. In the end, he was a little surprised that back home, nothing had changed. He thought :
It should have been altered, even if only a little. . . . I mean, if those four days--the lying and deceiving and tricking and decisions and indecisions, and the things I had done and seen and heard and learned that Mother and Father wouldn't have let me do and see and hear and learn--the things I had had to learn that I wasn't even ready for yet, had nowhere to store them nor even anywhere to lay them down; if all that had changed nothing, was the same as if it had never been--never smaller or larger or older or wiser or spend for nothing; either it was wrong and false to begin with and should never have existed, or I was wrong or false or weak or anyway not worthy of it.The fleeting innocence of youth. The mystery of fitting worldly wisdom into what we thought we knew as children.
Faulkner's story-telling style is enjoyable, capturing the early-twentieth century south and the voice of the young protagonist. In a sense the novel felt like a long run-on sentence (and the excerpt above might demonstrate). One stylistic characteristic that I got a kick out of, which I wonder if it is characteristic of Faulkner's other fiction, is what I will call "amplification." Have you ever read The Amplified Bible? They add lots of alternative words to "amplify" the translation, e.g. "In the beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned,) and created the heavens and the earth. . . . And God saw the light, that it was good--suitable, pleasing--and He approved it." Faulkner does this a lot in the The Reivers: ". . . with Boon beside me, over me, across me, one hand on mine. . ." ". . . we were reaching, approaching the other side of the swamp. . . " "Because you should be prepared for experience, knowledge, knowing: not bludgeoned unaware in the dark. . ." Examples abound in every chapter.
I'm no one to judge where The Reivers ranks among Faulkner's work. It may not be his best-known novel, but it's certainly worth reading, thoroughly entertaining and thoughtful.
2016 Reading Challenge: A novel that won the Pulitzer Prize
#vtReadingChallenge
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
The House of Secrets, by Brad Meltzer and Tod Goldberg
Brad Metlzer is back with another political conspiracy mystery thriller. His recent books have focused on the Culper ring. In his latest, The House of Secrets, which he coauthored with Tod Goldberg, readers will appreciate a cameo by archivist Beecher White. Other than that, there's little connection, either in style or content, with the Culper ring.
Jack Nash is the long-time host of The House of Secrets, a TV show dedicated to uncovering the great mysteries of history. When he dies in a car accident, his daughter Hazel sets out to uncover some mysteries about her dad. The problem is that she was in the accident with him, and has lost a good deal of her memory.
The addition of Goldberg as a coauthor changes the style to a certain degree, but The House of Secrets is still very much Meltzer. The mystery they lay out, about Jack's killer, about the shows taped overseas, about the pages of Benedict Arnold's bible, and about Hazel herself and her memories, all combine for a convoluted story. I felt like the partial amnesia story element was contrived and didn't add that much to the story, other than slowing down the development. I did like the idea of Jack's show as a cover for CIA operations. Ultimately the revelations and resolution were unexpected but not impressive. By the time I got to that point, I wasn't all that interested.
The House of Secrets seemed like a step down from the Culper ring series, and certainly from some of Meltzer's earlier books. I think even die-hard Meltzer fans will be disappointed.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Jack Nash is the long-time host of The House of Secrets, a TV show dedicated to uncovering the great mysteries of history. When he dies in a car accident, his daughter Hazel sets out to uncover some mysteries about her dad. The problem is that she was in the accident with him, and has lost a good deal of her memory.
The addition of Goldberg as a coauthor changes the style to a certain degree, but The House of Secrets is still very much Meltzer. The mystery they lay out, about Jack's killer, about the shows taped overseas, about the pages of Benedict Arnold's bible, and about Hazel herself and her memories, all combine for a convoluted story. I felt like the partial amnesia story element was contrived and didn't add that much to the story, other than slowing down the development. I did like the idea of Jack's show as a cover for CIA operations. Ultimately the revelations and resolution were unexpected but not impressive. By the time I got to that point, I wasn't all that interested.
The House of Secrets seemed like a step down from the Culper ring series, and certainly from some of Meltzer's earlier books. I think even die-hard Meltzer fans will be disappointed.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Monday, June 6, 2016
The Reason I Run, by Chris Spriggs
Like many runners, myself included, Chris Spriggs took up running rather late in life. As he got into running, he looked to his Uncle Andrew, an avid runner, for advice. Andrew was one of those nuts (I mean that in the most affectionate, admiring way) who ran several marathons and ultramarathons every year. His passion for running rubbed off on Chris.
When Andrew was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), it was a shock to Andrew and all who knew him. (MND is what we Americans call ALS. According to the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations, "Although MND is the widely used generic term in the United Kingdom, Australia and parts of Europe, ALS is used more generically in the United States, Canada and South America.") Once Andrew was no longer able to run, Chris decided to ask Andrew if he would agree to running a marathon together, with Chris pushing his beloved uncle in his wheelchair.
This is the story Chris tells in The Reason I Run: How Two Men Transformed Tragedy Into the Greatest Race of Their Lives. Chris writes with such passion, heart, humor, and love, that I couldn't help but be inspired by the joy with which he runs and the love and admiration he has for his uncle. I felt like I was welcomed into Chris's extended family and into the family of runners.
As part of his research and preparation, Chris tracked down "Mick n Phil, Marathon Lads." Mick has pushed his son, Phil, who has cerebral palsy, in dozens of races, including 12 marathons. Besides practical tips about the chair and running form, "Mick helps [Chris] see that running is many things. It is friendship. It is sacrifice. It is dedication. It is also play." Chris and Uncle Andrew seems to keep a good grasp of running as play. Children "remind us that running is more than obsessive clock-watching and teeth-clenching defiance as we lunge across a finish line. What do children to most easily when they run? They laugh. Like the two are twins, running and joy, hand in hand." I love that! It's so easy to forget when I'm cranking out miles on a training run or in the second half of a tough race.
It's not always easy. Chris shares the experience of many runners: "Rarely do I feel in the mood for a run. . . . Yet I'm always glad I've conquered the apathy and clocked up a single mile, or many miles in one go." By Chris's account, he has been pretty successful in overcoming that apathy and accomplishing the goals he and Andrew have set. But it goes way beyond running. Uncle Andrew taught Chris "to live like I'm running at my best. With my head up, leaning into the day I'm given. To cherish the body I'm resident in and encourage others along the way. To remember that some miles are for enjoying, while others are for enduring, but that we should live them all until the finish, always searching for our personal best."
The Reason I Run is an inspiring read for runners, non-runners, and future runners. If you have forgotten why you run, Chris and Uncle Andrew can help you find a reason.
Here's a nice article about the pair: http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/590618/running-MND-stephen-hawking-illness-muscles-marathon
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
When Andrew was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), it was a shock to Andrew and all who knew him. (MND is what we Americans call ALS. According to the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations, "Although MND is the widely used generic term in the United Kingdom, Australia and parts of Europe, ALS is used more generically in the United States, Canada and South America.") Once Andrew was no longer able to run, Chris decided to ask Andrew if he would agree to running a marathon together, with Chris pushing his beloved uncle in his wheelchair.
This is the story Chris tells in The Reason I Run: How Two Men Transformed Tragedy Into the Greatest Race of Their Lives. Chris writes with such passion, heart, humor, and love, that I couldn't help but be inspired by the joy with which he runs and the love and admiration he has for his uncle. I felt like I was welcomed into Chris's extended family and into the family of runners.
As part of his research and preparation, Chris tracked down "Mick n Phil, Marathon Lads." Mick has pushed his son, Phil, who has cerebral palsy, in dozens of races, including 12 marathons. Besides practical tips about the chair and running form, "Mick helps [Chris] see that running is many things. It is friendship. It is sacrifice. It is dedication. It is also play." Chris and Uncle Andrew seems to keep a good grasp of running as play. Children "remind us that running is more than obsessive clock-watching and teeth-clenching defiance as we lunge across a finish line. What do children to most easily when they run? They laugh. Like the two are twins, running and joy, hand in hand." I love that! It's so easy to forget when I'm cranking out miles on a training run or in the second half of a tough race.
It's not always easy. Chris shares the experience of many runners: "Rarely do I feel in the mood for a run. . . . Yet I'm always glad I've conquered the apathy and clocked up a single mile, or many miles in one go." By Chris's account, he has been pretty successful in overcoming that apathy and accomplishing the goals he and Andrew have set. But it goes way beyond running. Uncle Andrew taught Chris "to live like I'm running at my best. With my head up, leaning into the day I'm given. To cherish the body I'm resident in and encourage others along the way. To remember that some miles are for enjoying, while others are for enduring, but that we should live them all until the finish, always searching for our personal best."
The Reason I Run is an inspiring read for runners, non-runners, and future runners. If you have forgotten why you run, Chris and Uncle Andrew can help you find a reason.
Here's a nice article about the pair: http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/590618/running-MND-stephen-hawking-illness-muscles-marathon
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Friday, June 3, 2016
Saturn Run, by John Sandford and Ctein
Saturn Run is my favorite kind of science fiction. John Sanford is well known for his mystery and suspense novels, specifically the Prey series. With Saturn Run, he has teamed up with writer and photographer Ctein to venture into the world of sci-fi. When an alien presence is detected around the rings of Saturn, both the US and China retool their Mars missions for a race to get to Saturn first. Everyone knows that the country with exclusive access to advanced alien technology will be able to dominate militarily and economically.
Sandford and Ctein set the story a few decades in the future. All of the scientific and technological elements are currently available or can be developed or extrapolated from current technology. I appreciate the absence of "magical" or completely made-up technology. I don't mind such things all the time. Light sabers, warp drives, transporter devices, etc., all have their place in sci-fi. But it's refreshing to read something as believable as Saturn Run. (Caveat: I am a lay person, with no scientific background beyond my college science classes for liberal arts majors.)
In this realistic scientific setting, they also happen to tell a great story. The preparation, the voyage, the difficulties along the way, and ultimately the unique form of "contact" with the aliens and the subsequent run-in with the Chinese are very well-done and make for an exciting read. Hard science, a great story with personal and political intrigue, and imaginative use of current and projected technology combine for a terrific book. I know Sandford's readers love his police novels, but I hope he has enough success with Saturn Run that he and Ctein can be convince to collaborate again.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Sandford and Ctein set the story a few decades in the future. All of the scientific and technological elements are currently available or can be developed or extrapolated from current technology. I appreciate the absence of "magical" or completely made-up technology. I don't mind such things all the time. Light sabers, warp drives, transporter devices, etc., all have their place in sci-fi. But it's refreshing to read something as believable as Saturn Run. (Caveat: I am a lay person, with no scientific background beyond my college science classes for liberal arts majors.)
In this realistic scientific setting, they also happen to tell a great story. The preparation, the voyage, the difficulties along the way, and ultimately the unique form of "contact" with the aliens and the subsequent run-in with the Chinese are very well-done and make for an exciting read. Hard science, a great story with personal and political intrigue, and imaginative use of current and projected technology combine for a terrific book. I know Sandford's readers love his police novels, but I hope he has enough success with Saturn Run that he and Ctein can be convince to collaborate again.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Kill Devil, by Mike Dellosso
Jed Patrick thought his days of dealing with Centralia, an off-the-books government agency, were behind him. In Mike Dellosso's book, Kill Devil, the second Jed Patrick book, Jed and his family are on the run again. Kill Devil is a thriller that might be compared to Lee Child or Robert Ludlum. Full of action and psychological twists and turns, Dellosso keeps the suspense meter on high.
I did enjoy Kill Devil, but it didn't have the convincing level of detail and complexity of plot development that some of these more experienced thriller writers have. That said, I wouldn't mind checking out Dellosso's first Jed Patrick book to get a better picture of what Centralia was all about. I have a feeling that Patrick will be back for more action in another book.
Thanks to the Tyndale Blog Network for the complimentary electronic review copy!
I did enjoy Kill Devil, but it didn't have the convincing level of detail and complexity of plot development that some of these more experienced thriller writers have. That said, I wouldn't mind checking out Dellosso's first Jed Patrick book to get a better picture of what Centralia was all about. I have a feeling that Patrick will be back for more action in another book.
Thanks to the Tyndale Blog Network for the complimentary electronic review copy!
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