Jake Reviews Books

Catch Up

2011-10-16T17:26:00.000-07:00

Been super busy lately, between changes in my job situation, trying to keep my other blog running, working on various projects, etc. Have been reading, but not updating. This is an attempt to catch up. I may miss a few things in my attempts.

Once and Future King, by T.H. White

One of the definitive re-tellings of the Arthurian myth. Extremely well-written. Extremely engaged. Frequently depressing. Glad I read it, finally.

Education of a Bodybuilder, by Arnold Schwartzanegger

Self-aggrandizing autobiography of the beginning of the Governators career. Interesting insights into the man's psychology and training. Quick, easy, read. More comprehensive review here.

Muscle: Confessions of an Unlikely Bodybuilder, by Sam Fussell

Rich Oxford kid rebels against intellectual parents by pursuing career as bodybuilder. Interesting look into the bodybuilding sub-culture, marred by a sense that the author has never really bought into the culture as much as he claims to have. More comprehensive review here.

A Companion to Wolves, by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette

Faux Nordo-Germanic fantasy novel about super-intelligent wolves and the men who are bonded to them. The initial premise is interesting, and the writing is solid, but the plot ends up relying on a couple of odd deus ex machina, and includes one of the most annoying, non-Nordic cliches of all ~~fantasy~~ literature. There's also way to much sex for my tastes, particularly since it doesn't really add much to the story. Decent, but I have no urge to seek out the rest of the series.

Bloody Crown of Conan (Audio CD), by Robert E. Howard

Reviewed the book here. Audio version is well-done...audio quality is solid, voice acting is good. Have another one that I need to listen too...but so far, Tantor Media seems to do good work.

I think that covers it. Hopefully, I'll be a bit more on top of things moving forward.

Championship Weightlifting, Beyond Muscle Power

2011-07-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

Championship Weightlifting, Beyond Muscle Power, The Mental Side of Lifting
by Tommy Kono

I confess that, even after reading this book, I know very little of Tommy Kono. Beforehand, I knew even less, but my father (who bought me this book as a birthday present), tells me that Kono was one of the heroes of his youth, and an inspiration for his forays in weightlifting. While still haven’t learned much more about Kono’s history, I learned a LOT from Championship Weightlifting.

Championship Weightlifting seems to be intended as a companion or follow up piece to Kono’s other book, Weightlifting, Olympic Style (which I have not read). My understanding is that Weightlifting, Olympic Style, covers the mechanics of Olympic Weightlifting in great detail. Championship Weightlifting is not about specific mechanics so much as it is about a proper mindset and attitude.

Fortunately, much of Kono’s advice, while specific to weightlifting, is really applicable to anyone who wants to do spectacularly well at a particular activity. And make no mistake—this book assumes that you want to be, well, a champion. While Kono does not disdain the “hobbyist” weightlifter, he does make it quite clear that there is a difference between being a hobbyist and champion, and that if you want to be the latter, you must think and train accordingly. Kono’s instructions and ideas for maintaining a proper mindset and focus about weightlifting are easily transferable to other activities, and I suspect I’ll be recommending this book for those ideas alone.

But there is a lot of other interesting goodness here too. Kono’s advice on programming and training I found interesting. In a nutshell, Kono vehemently decries the “Eastern European” style of training, arguing that competitive lifters should be training in short, focused sessions, three or four times a week. What should they train? The competitive lifts (snatch, clean & jerk), plus the press (which was a competition lift during Kono’s competitive career) and some squats. That’s it. Do your lifts, do THEM RIGHT, and go home.

I highlighted do them right because that was one of the other things that stood out to me about this book. Despite being a book about a sport that the author describes as being about “putting as much weight as possible over your head” (not an exact quote), Kono is adamant about the need for proper technique over strength. You could take out the weightlifting terminology and replace it with martial arts terminology, and Kono’s writing would read like that of so many martial arts instructors. Focus on technique, form, and precision, not power. Power will come.

The book also includes some excellent discussion of Kono’s coaching philosophies and methods, some technical pointers regarding the lifts, and the “ego section”, which summarizes Kono’s incredible list of accomplishments as a competitor and coach.

There is a wealth of useful information for anyone in this book. Certainly, competitive lifters will get the greatest benefit from it, but even the humble hobbyist can gain something. If you are an athlete, or coach athletes, or just want to improve your mindset…get this book.

Borders Is Going Under

2011-07-19T05:07:00.000-07:00

I first heard about this at Locus, but it is probably all over the news at this point.

Part of me feels kinda sad; I used to work for Waldenbooks, a Borders subsidiary back in the day, and liked a lot of the people I worked with, even if I didn't love the retail life.

OTOH, the few people I know who stuck with company long-term got shafted before the end. So...I dunno.

It is a sign of the changing times, at any rate.

The Fighting Man of Japan: The Training and Exercises of the Samura

2011-07-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Fighting Man of Japan: The Training and Exercises of the Samurai by F. J. Norman

My father passed this one along to me. It is a very short work, published in 1905 by an English military officer who was sent to teach the Japanese about modern warfare. Along the way, he was exposed to, and studied, several Japanese martial arts, most notably some form of Kenjutsu (he consistently refers to it as fencing).

If I had a complaint about this book, it is only that its very short. Norman really just gives a cursory overview of what I'm sure was a more in-depth understanding of the Japanese martial culture and tradition at the time. It's clear that he has a great deal of respect for the Japanese warrior traditions, though he avoids succumbing to the modern assumption that they are somehow innately superior to European methods. His discussion on that particular subject generally boils down to "it depends".

One thing that I found interesting was Norman emphasizes on several occasions that the Japanese systems, in contrast to the European methods of the time, place LESS emphasis on form and precision, and a greater emphasis on effectiveness and free play. I'll have to dig out actual quotes when I get home, but its a striking reversal of the stereotypes of both methodologies, from a guy who was actually there.

This is a good, quick, read for anyone interested in Japanese or European military history or martial arts. Check it out.

Bloodlust: On the Roots of Violence from Cain and Abel to the Present

2011-07-12T07:42:00.001-07:00

If nothing else, my reading this book is an interesting demonstration of the power of the Internet and the Kindle Dx. I stumbled across an interview with the author back in May, downloaded a sample of the book onto my Kindle, thought it was was interesting, and ended up buying and reading it. I don't think I would have done any of those things without the Kindle. Certainly not as quickly. Chalk one up for the bloodless nerds and their technology.

The book itself is interesting, though it veered into directions I was not quite expecting. The basic thrust of Jacoby's argument is that, contrary to what most modern scholars and pundits would have us believe, the most extreme violence occurs to between people with strong similarities, rather than strong differences. To help demonstrate his point, he draws on examples ranging from historical events, to modern civil conflicts, to mythical tales of fratricidal brothers (including the titualr Cain and Abel), and Freudian psychology.

As I said, it is an enjoyable book, but its focus is a bit more broad ranging than I expected, or honestly, wanted, when I picked it up. That is more my fault than Jacoby's, but still worth noting. While Jacoby mentions the fact that we are in far greater danger from a family member than from the random stranger in the dark, he spends virtually no time taking about the realities of familial crime or violence on a smaller scale. I understand why he moves away from it, because his focus is a larger historical perspective, but I was hoping for more on that particular subject. Again, that may be my fault for not reading the reviews and descriptions more carefully, but I reserve the right to be a little disappointed anyway.

As a broader historical work, Jacoby has some interesting insights. I think his rejection of the entire "Clash of Civilizations" notion is worth thinking about, as are some of his perspectives on antisemitism in Germany leading up to the Second World War. I do wonder if he isn't cherry picking examples just to suit his theories, particularly in regard to the treatment of siblings and twins in mythology, but the book is at least thought provoking.

This book is as much about history and politics as it is about psychology. If that interests you, or if you're interested in a different persepctive on the whole "Clash of Civilization" notion, this is worth the read. If you are looking for some insights into interpersonal violence, there isn't a lot here...the concepts are just too broad to apply to specifics.

Locus Award Winners Announced

2011-06-26T14:26:00.000-07:00

For those interested in such things

NPR Wants To Know...

2011-06-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

Best Sci-fi/fantasy books ever?

I haven't voted yet. Honestly, besides Lord of the Rings, I don't quite know what else I'm going to put on it. This requires thought.

Holy Crap

2011-06-13T12:48:00.001-07:00

Um. I'll have more to say about this later.

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/06/gaimans-american-gods-set-to-become-hbos-next-genre-series

Facing Violence

2011-06-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

A while back, I wrote a short facebook status that said "Finished my first read through of Rory Miller's Facing Violence last night. Will be starting a second read through before reviewing it. Short version: if you teach or train self-defense, read this book."

Upon a second reading, my views have not changed substantively. Facing Violence is an extremely important book, and anyone who has any reason to want to understand how to deal with violence should read it. Martial artists and self-defense instructors will get the most value out of it, but it has ideas that are useful for LEO and Military Combatives trainers as well.

Facing Violence is broken into seven chapters:

1. Legal and ethical implications.
2. Violence dynamics.
3. Avoidance.
4. Counter-ambush.
5. Breaking the freeze.
6. The fight itself.
7. The aftermath.

The astute out there will notice that the book takes three chapters to even get to any kind of physical assault, and another two dealing with what is essentially the first micro second of the fight (the ambush moment). There is only a single chapter about the fight itself, despite the fact that that single chapter is where most martial artists spend the vast majority of their training time. Think about how backwards that is for a minute. Maybe longer.

The chapter on legal and ethical implications of violence is interesting. The legal advice is, by necessity, a bit generic, and Rory advises readers to check up on their local statutes. "A book I read by a guy from the Wet Coast said this was okay" is not a valid legal defense. The ethical ideas are more universally applicable, and approach some similar ground to ideas that Tony Blauer covers in his FEAR Management and Performance Enhancement Psychology material. One thing that Rory highlights nicely is the issue of "glitches": things that, rather than motivating you to fight, might cause you to hesitate when you might need to fight. That's a topic that rarely is addressed by instructors, but it may be just as important as finding the things that do motivate you.

The violence dynamics chapter is solid gold. Rory does a solid overview of different types of violence, how and why they occur, and why solutions for one type of violence may not be appropriate for the other. Rory draws a distinction between social and asocial violence, which I have found very useful in framing discussions about scenarios and training in general. There's some good advice here about how to tell what kind of violence you are dealing with, and what strategies may or may not work. And some good mental exercises as well.

The avoidance chapter drifts into territory that others have covered, but Rory has a lot of solid insights here as well. This is the first book I've read, for example, that actually tells the reader how to scan a room. I'm sure it has been written about in other places, but finally seeing an author say something more concrete than
"be aware of your surroundings" was refreshing beyond belief. Good stuff here.

The counter ambush chapter starts to get into some physical material, which adds two things. Drills, and pictures. Rory demonstrates his two preferred counter-ambush methods, the "Dracula's Cape" and the "Spear-head" entry. Rory covers using these methods for dealing with attacks from the front and behind, and some drills for drilling these entries.

It is solid material; I confess, I'm waxing less poetic about it because it covers a lot of the same ground that is covered in the SPEAR System, and I think that the SPEAR is a more refined teaching/training methodology for dealing with the same problem. That is not to say that Rory's methods don't work (please, please, do not think I am saying that), or that you shouldn't train them. It is a personal preference thing.

The chapter on breaking the freeze covers what happens immediately after the counter ambush. There is a tickle in the back of my brain about this chapter: in short, I worry about memorizing the idea that you WILL freeze, because, hey, maybe you won't? Rory may even mention this...I can't remember off the top of my head, and I don't have the book here in front of me. In any case, the freeze certainly happens, and Rory's advice for dealing with it is excellent. Some of it, interestingly, mirrored advice that I give to the students I tutor for the SAT. Different freeze, similar strategies.

The chapter on the fight itself is about fighting. It is is short, and to the point. It is more conceptual than drill oriented. If all you want is more stuff to add to your physical practice, Rory's Drills: Training for Sudden Violence covers his approach to this better. Of course, if that was all you were looking for, you missed the point of this book.

The chapter on the aftermath likewise covers those things that martial artists and self-defense instructors rarely cover, but need to, desperately. Not just the legal aftermath, but the emotional and psychological aftermath as well. There is advice here not only for survivors of violence, but also for instructors and concerned friends. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but for those who have never investigated this stuff, it's a pretty good start.

So who should read this? Again, just about anyone interested in self-defense, violence prevention, martial arts, or whatever. In some ways, Facing Violence is actually more accessible than Miller's previous book, Meditations on Violence, though both are excellent and well worth reading. It certainly is now on my fictitious required reading list (it's fictitious because there is no one who I actually impose such requirements on). Go read it.

UKL On E-Books In Libraries

2011-05-27T06:21:00.001-07:00

Worth reading

Books Into TV

2011-05-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

Leila shared this one: what science fiction or fantasy series would translate well into television? There are a lot of good suggestions there already. Though I'm torn on Earthsea. It's a wonderful series, but I'm not convinced it would translate outside of the pages of the book. Particularly the Farthest Shore, but maybe that's just my memories of it. The suggestion of the Prydain Chronicles is brilliant.

Not really SF/F, but I'd love to see Lawhead's King Raven series done as a weekly show. And frankly, a well-done Conan show, based on REH's actual stories, could be really excellent. A Solomon Kane show would work too.

Oh, and Zahn's Conqueror's Trilogy. It'd be super SFX heavy, but I can dream.

Book Dealbreakers

2011-05-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

Stolen from Lizard.

I had to think about this one a bit. There are whole genres I just don't bother reading (romance, chick lit, most modern political screeds), but those don't seem fair to count, since I won't even try picking them up. In terms of things I will consider...

1. Unsympathetic characters; if I cannot find something about the characters to like, I will not read the book. If I want to read about hateful people doing things I don't care about, I can read a newspaper.

2. Ultra long series. Doubly so if it's unfinished. With the exception of Glenn Cooks Black Company series, I have no interest in reading fifteen books just to get to the damn point. And Cook's series is broken into manageable chunks.

3. Shock gore/violence. I don't mind violence in my reading, even extreme violence. I do mind when I feel like it has no point other than to be shocking. Again, I have a newspaper, and friends in the law enforcement industry. If I want shocking acts of violence, I won't read a book for it.

That's about all I can think of, really. I'm pretty open minded that way.

Periodic Table of Storytelling

2011-05-17T16:13:00.001-07:00

Because it is so cool.

Thanks to Bookshelves of Doom for the head's up.

Drills: Training for Sudden Violence

2011-05-17T15:22:00.001-07:00

I was traveling all weekend, which meant I wasn't home when my new copy of Facing Violence arrived. So I contented myself with re-reading Drills: Training for Sudden Violence instead.

I'm now getting deep into Facing Violence, but I haven't hit the drill section of that book, so I don't know how much overlap exists between the two. It hardly matters. The Drill Book is worth getting, especially at the stupidly cheap price that Rory charges for it.

The title is actually slightly misleading. Well...perhaps that's unfair. The title is not misleading. But the book contains a bunch of things that people won't expect. There, of course, lots of physical drills; Rory starts with the one-step, which is the foundational drill he tends to build everything off of, and a whole bunch of variations. If you have done one of his seminars, you will have experienced some or all of these. In point of fact, having seen the drills in action will enhance the value of this book (though that almost goes without saying), but a reasonably intelligent instructor/advanced practitioner should be able to make sense of most of the material here on their own. Brand new students might have trouble, but I'm not sure that those are the people this book is targeted at.

The reason I stay the title might be considered misleading is that there is a whole of stuff in here that,on the surface, has very little to do with violence. It actually has a lot do with it, but it's big picture, "how do you view/understand/value the world" kind of stuff, not "how do you eye-gouge a mugger" kind of stuff. The latter is what most people expect. The former is, in my opinion, infinitely more useful. Rory's version of the bucket list (and the follow up exercises) are gold for any human being, regardless of their interest in self-defense training. Seriously. Every person on the planet should do those exercises. (And do them right. Don't skip ahead. I did not, and I am glad I did it the right way).

More and more, I am becoming convinced that self-defense training has very little to do with martial arts, and a lot to do with just understanding how to live life. Martial arts are fun and dandy, but there's a huge disconnect. Frankly, it's rather liberating, in both directions.

Anyway. I'm rambling now, and this will detour into non-review territory, so let me sum up.

If you are self-defense instructor or student, buy this book. If you are a human being, it may still hold value (especially at less than $10). If you are meat popsicle, it may be lacking.

Locus Award Winners Announced

2011-05-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

At Locus, duh.

Amazon tells me...

2011-05-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

That my copy of Facing Violence, Rory Miller's new book, is on it's way. Apparently it is somewhere in Pennsylvania right now.

Did a re-read of Meditations on Violence over the last couple of days. It is still a very good book (duh). Lot of useful ideas. And I realized that Rory articulates something in it that I've been trying to think of a way to articulate for months now. Which is kinda cool, but also kinda embarrassing.

Also realized that I keep meaning to review Rory's drill manual, and never got to it. I need to. Whoops.

Lotta thoughts in my head. Maybe I'll have time to get 'em out soon.

As Long As I'm Lamenting

2011-05-05T14:25:00.001-07:00

Is a Conan movie that is remotely faithful to REH's stories too damn much to ask?

(Note: Most recent trailer for the new movie says, "yes, it is"

Booking the Movies

2011-05-05T09:04:00.000-07:00

Lizard shares some interesting thoughts on making books into movies, and really failed attempts to do the same. I have to admit that the idea of an American Gods mini-series is pretty awesome, if it were done right (though I would fear it wouldn't be).

She steals two questions from Booking Through Thursday, both of which I realized I had...odd...answers too.

If you could see one book turned into the perfect movie–one that would capture everything you love, the characters, the look, the feel, the story–what book would you choose?

At the risk of calling down the geek wrath of the Interwebs, my answer is

The Lord of the Rings.

Yeah, I know. Peter Jackson made those movies. They were amazing, blah, blah. I will grant that Fellowship of the Ring is a pretty good movie, and as near to perfect as I would require of any LOTR movie. Two Towers, however, was so awful that not only did I hate it, but I nearly skipped Return of the King because of it. Return of the King turned out to be a good movie, but it missed out on what I consider some really key parts of the series. I'm sorry, but when you take out the Scouring of the Shire, you lose a lot. And yes, I know the movie was super long, but the question was about a movie that would capture everything you love, and Jackson's movies do not do that for me. I want MY version of the LOTR on-screen. (It will never happen, but I wants it, precious)

And–the reverse of last week’s question. Name one book that you hope never, ever, ever gets made into a movie (no matter how good that movie might be).

Unfortunately, my first answer to this question already happened. At some point the past A Wizard of Earthsea was transformed into a movie, a travesty so awful that LeGuin publicly denounced the whole project. (Here's a tip movie people: if the author of the work you're adapting tells you you're fucking it up, you probably are fucking it up.)

I have a hard time with this one, because I generally don't want to see books turned into movies. In the spirit of my earlier answers, however, I will say neither Children of Hurin nor Lavinia should ever been made into movies. They'd fuck up Children of Hurin and somehow try to make it cheerful, and I can only imagine how badly Lavinia would be screwed up. Undead Virgil would probably come and give Lavinia superpowers or something.

Happy Star Wars Day!

2011-05-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

May the Fourth Be With You!

In honor of Star Wars day, I'm taking a moment to recommend Timothy Zahn's many and varied Star Wars books, but particularly his original Thrawn trilogy. Zahn is one of the few Star Wars authors who really seems to have captured the pacing, tone, and characterization that made the original trilogy so wonderful. Honestly, I wish they had gotten him to take care of the prequel trilogy...the hints we get of his vision of the clone wars is WAY more interesting that the version we got in the films.

Check them out!

Violence, A Biography

2011-05-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

An interesting little interview with Russell Jacoby. The book sounds interesting too.

One of the things that we talk about in the PDR program is how violence can often come from people we know. The looming stranger in the dark seems scary in principle, but the reality is sometimes worse.

Anyone out there read this one?

Better Book Titles

2011-05-03T06:03:00.000-07:00

Another find thanks to Lizard.

A New World (Age of Discovery, Part III)

2011-05-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

I will say this for Michael Stackpole; he is the first author in years who has managed to get me to read two books in a series consecutively. Lately I’ve been in the habit of reading a book, putting the series aside for a while, coming back to it, and so on. Even with Lawhead’s King Raven trilogy, which was also awesome, I felt inclined to take a break between the second and third books (albeit a short one). Granted, Stackpole pulled a dirty trick by ending Cartomancy on a huge cliffhanger, but still…it was a pretty captivating series anyway.

A New World picks up on the action more or less where Cartomancy left off, and follows Cartomancy’s pattern of upping the ante from there. Stackpole slowly ramps up the trilogy over the course of three books, from being a story about essentially human political conflicts and adventures in the first book to a story about nations, gods, and the nature of reality and perception by the third book. The build up happens naturally enough so that it doesn’t feel odd or awkward, but when I stop to reflect on it, it’s actually a pretty dramatic shift.

While the action may be taking place on grander scales by the third book, it is still (mostly) focused around the same group of characters. With the exception of a single minor character, whose sole role in the trilogy seems to have been to kill someone else, the other major characters all have purposes and roles to play in the story. Some of them are a bit predictable, but they’re all pretty fun. There is a “big twist” about a couple of the characters and their influence on the world that I called somewhere in the first book, but some of the other twists and turns actually kind of surprised me.

If I have a complaint about this book, it’s that the ending seems to come up awfully fast, and feels a bit rushed (to the point where a couple of characters have a conversation about how they can end something as quickly as possible). While I wouldn’t have wanted the series to drag out into a fourth book, a few extra pages wouldn’t have hurt it.

But overall, this is a really excellent, fun series. Stackpole does some very interesting stuff with his world and his characters, particularly with his ideas about skill, magic, perception, reality, and how all of those things interact. Fans of the Matrix (or geeks who remember Mage: The Ascension fondly) definitely will enjoy it, but it is really worthwhile for any fantasy fan. Check this one out.

Hugo Finalists Announced

2011-04-25T05:07:00.001-07:00

As usual, I'm stupidly unfamiliar with most of it.

An Open Letter to the Tolkien Estate

2011-04-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Tolkien Estate,

Dude, I really love your father’s work, and understand why you want to be sure that people do not unjustly infringe upon it. It is, after all, one of the more influential works of fiction of the 20th century, and has provided me (and many others) with a great deal of enjoyment, comfort, and introspection.

J.R.R. himself seems to have been a decent fellow. He told the Nazi’s where they could go stick it, which gives him major points in my book. He generally seems to have believed in the power of stories, the importance of courage, that it is good to go out in the woods sometimes, and a number of other things which I also hold to be valuable.

In deference to that legacy, could you consider, perhaps, NOT BEING ASS-HATS?

I mean, seriously dude, it’s a kid’s summer camp in Calgary. I don’t think their using the name “Rivendell” is going to terribly impact your bottom line (if anything, it might help it).

Besides, it’s hard enough to get kids out into the woods these days without you shutting down summer camps.

Just sayin’

On Shelves

2011-04-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

I don’t specifically follow Booking Through Thursday, especially since Lizard writes about it, and I can just steal it from her if I like it. This week’s is actually pretty interesting.

My wife will attest to my love of (obsession with) bookshelves. When we first moved in together, she was baffled not only by my concerns about where we would put our shelves, but how it could possibly take so long to unpack books (answer: I organize them.). The second move, she at least understood why it was taking me so long, though she still thought I was ridiculous.

I come by my love of books honestly. Both of my parents are book lovers, though my father is more the “own and shelve” type, while my mother is the “weekly trips to the library” sort. I’ve tended towards owning, though in recent years, borrowing and e-books have also become an attractive option. With some of my recent experiments/readings on minimalism, I’ve been starting to think more selectively about what is on my shelves.

Part of this is the knowledge that what is on my shelves does say something about me. I enjoy having the big honkin’ 50th Anniversary Edition of Lord of the Rings sitting there because Tolkien’s work has been a huge influence on my reading habits and thoughts (among other things). My book shelves are unquestionably a means by which I declare my identity.

At the same time, there are books that I read that I don’t necessarily feel the need to display. The random murder mystery read because some suggested it, yet another random fantasy novel (YARFN?), or the cheap martial arts book that I picked up because I thought it might be interesting, but actually turned out to be crap. Those are books I don’t necessarily need or even want on display.

I want the books on my shelves to be ones that I love; that speak to me, or something about me. They should be books I enjoy returning to, in part or in whole, on a regular basis. Those books deserve my shelf space.

Where I find value in e-books are those books I’m not sure I’d return to, or wouldn’t necessarily want to make shelf space for. At this point, my guideline has become “if I’d buy it in mass market paper back, I’ll buy it on my Kindle.”

Will bookshelves disappear? I don’t know. I sure hope not…I like my shelves. I’ll certainly do my part to keep them around.

Cartomancy: Book Two of The Age of Discovery

2011-04-15T07:29:00.000-07:00

Cartomancy: Book Two of The Age of Discovery
Michael A. Stackpole

Damn you Michael Stackpole. Damn you to hell.

I have written before about this, but, for those who missed it; many years ago, I attended a short lecture by Michael Stackpole on writing, and writing speculative fiction (that’s the cool term for sci-fi/fantasy these days, right) in particular. It was valuable, and probably would have been more valuable if I was a little older and a little better focused, but such is life.

One of the most explicit things I remember from that lecture is that Stackpole described one of his recurring nightmares as being “stuck in an airport where the bookstore only stocks the second book in a trilogy.” His advice was that each book in a series should be reasonably self-contained, so that a reader could comfortably pick up a book and start reading without feeling as though something was lacking.

And here I am, reading the second book of his Age of Discovery series, Cartomancy.

Let me say, straight up, that there is a lot to recommend Cartomancy. If you enjoyed a Secret Atlas, Cartomancy takes many of the events from that book and revs them into high gear. Unlike some authors, Stackpole doesn’t introduce too many new characters here (and finally eliminates one that I really found repulsive, and saw little point to), but rather, keeps on with ones he’s already established, building on the plot threads that were present at the end of a Secret Atlas. The pacing of Cartomancy felt like it was much faster, though I think I may be taking that impression more from the latter half of the book. The first half is still some build up, and Stackpole does a fine job of refreshing the reader on critical points and ideas, to the point where, yes, you probably could pick this book up and read it without having read a Secret Atlas.

So why the damnation?

Because while the book is a great read, it’s definitely not self-contained. In fact, it ends on a cliffhanger that, while not quite as bad as “Frodo was alive but taken by the enemy” it’s pretty close. If I was in the airport, I would be mighty pissed to discover that they didn’t have a copy of a New World close on hand.

Which, I guess, is a pretty strong recommendation for this book, and the series thus far. A New World will be going onto my Kindle DX ASAP.

Fantasy fans, give this one a look.

Do Not Want

2011-04-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

Long story short; I'm in the process of trying to purge a bunch of stuff from my bookshelves. Yes, I'm aware of things like donation centers and those will eventually be on the list. However, before I start donating things to people I don't know, I figured I would offer them up to people I DO know. Or at least, sort of know. I don't know everyone who reads this thing.

So here's the deal. I don't want this stuff. If you would find some value in it, let me know. If you live locally, we can arrange a hand-off. If you live not locally, I may ask you to help with shipping costs, depending on what it is/how much it costs to ship. All I ask is if you take this is that you take it to read and enjoy, not to sell if off.

Here's the list. Things that are starred/have a link are books I've reviewed . If you have concerns about the relative condition or whatever, ask me.

A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America (Trade Paperback)
*A Feast for Crows (Hard Cover)
Breaking Ships (ARC)
Chicken Soup for the Volunteers Soul
Clash of Kings
Crossing the Line (ARC)
Dead Witch Walking (ARC)
Devils Armor
Eagle of the Ninth*
Experience and Education
Eyes of G-D
Fountainhead
Gardens of the Moon
Going Ballistic: Circular Strength Training for Boxing*
Growing Up Poor: A Literary Anthology (Trade Paperback)
Guenevere: Queen of the Summer Country (Trade Paperback)
How to Start a Business in Massachusetts (Trade Paperback)
In Northern Twilight
Karate & Judo Exercise (Bruce Tegner)
Lord of Snow and Ashes
My American Journey (Colin Powell)*
Only Yesterday: An Informal History Of The 1920s
Paula: A Memoir (Trade Paperback)
Secret Atlas
Ship of Magic (Somehow, I read this without reviewing it. I'll put one up soon)
Shutter Island
South: The Endurance Expedition
Star Wars: Vector Prime
Storm of Swords
Swordspoint
The Glorious Cause: A Novel of the American Revolution (Hard Cover)
Through Violet Eyes (ARC)
Trigger (Arthur C. Clarke/Michael Kube-Mcdowell)
Uprooted (Trade Paperback)
Wayfarer Redemption
Web of the Witch World
Weekly Bookkeeping Ledger (Blank)
Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Volume I
Writing For an Endangered World

What Your Favorite Kid's Book Says About You

2011-04-12T05:28:00.000-07:00

From Flavorwire, by way of Lizard.

No Hobbit. And I didn't think Ender's Game was a "kid's book". Of the list there, the Book of Three is actually probably my tops from when I was a child.

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
Sure, your job sucks now, but you’re not about to sweat it. As soon as you pay your dues, you’re going to shoot right to the top of the company.

More LeGuin on Copyright, Etc.

2011-04-11T07:40:00.001-07:00

Interesting reading

Forbes on Smaug's Horde

2011-04-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

Apparently, Smaug's horde was worth about $8.6 billion.

This is assuming that Smaug conforms to the standards outlined by Dungeons and Dragons. Which is somewhat questionable, but I guess they had to start from somewhere.

Yes, I thought of that. Worse, it took me about ten seconds to think of. Make of that what you will.

Locus Mag Announces 2011 Science Fiction Hall of Fame Inductees

2011-04-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

Story here

The Shadow War of the Night Dragons, Part One

2011-04-05T07:44:00.000-07:00

John Scalzi's annoucement.

The prologue.

More news.

It's awesome.

No Prize for John Le Carre?

2011-03-30T09:35:00.000-07:00

John Le Carre has apparently asked that his name be withdrawn from the Man Booker International Prize shortlist.

Interestingly, some of the committee members say he can’t withdraw, because it’s not the sort of prize which one enters for. It’s just given.

Crazy times.

Tuck (King Raven, Book Three)

2011-03-30T05:44:00.000-07:00

Tuck
Stephen R. Lawhead

The final book in Stephen Lawhead’s King Raven trilogy, Tuck picks up almost immediately where Scarlet left off. It’s hard to be more specific than that without giving away spoilers, but suffice to say, Rhi Bran and his Grellon are on the run. Again. And the monk known as Friar Tuck is with them.

Unlike Scarlet, which shifted between a first-person narrative by the titular character and a third person narrative focused on other events, Tuck is written entirely in the third person. In fact, while Tuck is the titular character, the book isn’t necessarily heavily focused on him. TO be sure, he is involved in many of the major events of the book, and plays a singularly important role in the final resolution of the story, but the book really isn’t ABOUT Tuck in the same way that Scarlet was about Will Scarlet.

That’s more a complaint about the title than about the book though.

The book itself is consistent with the other two books, which is to say that it’s awesome. Lawhead manages to balance a sense of historical verisimilitude with the swashbuckling adventure that should come in any good Robin Hood story. There are chases, disguises, evil nobles, battles, and all the other things that you expect from Robin Hood. A chunk of the book is devoted to what can only be described as a side quest, where Bran goes off seeking some allies in a distant land, but honestly, it’s so much fun that the distraction is totally worth it.

I can’t think of many people who I wouldn’t recommend this series to. I guess if you don’t like Robin Hood, don’t like Historical action/adventure stories, and don’t want a rousing good time, don’t read these books. If any of that stuff sounds fun, check this out.

Ursula K Le Guin on Google, Copyright, and Other Such Things

2011-03-28T05:16:00.000-07:00

Worth reading. Go read it.

Never Let Go: A Philosophy of Lifting, Living and Learning

2011-03-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

Never Let Go: A Philosophy of Lifting, Living and Learning
by Dan John

Someone once shared with me the piece advice that you should never trust a man with two first names. Dan John is making me reconsider that particular piece of wisdom. Apparently something of a living legend in certain strength and conditioning circles, I only found him after reading a few posts of his on a random internet forum. I subsequently discovered his website, blog, and articles; I liked what I read, so I bought Never Let Go.

The book is a collection of articles, some of which were previously published online. Of course, having them in print form has a number of advantages, particularly if you haven’t read them before. I had only read one or two of them, so a lot of the material was new to me.

There is a lot of good information in here, from specific programs for developing strength, size, or endurance, to more philosophical thoughts on structuring programming, training for the long term, and evaluating the utility (or lack thereof) of certain programs. John’s background as a religious studies teacher gives him some interesting insights into the way people tend to think in regard to their strength and conditioning programs. He also has been around the block more than a few times (someone apparently made a joke about Dan John having coached Milo while he was lifting the bull), and isn’t afraid to acknowledge his failures along with his successes.

Indeed, one of the things I appreciate most about this book is that Dan John has used himself as a bit of a human guinea pig, and is willing to talk about his experiences doing so, both good and bad. I’m sure that his willingness to point out the flaws in various training programs hasn’t made him a lot of friends, but I appreciate his candor and forthrightness.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Dan John is just fun to read. One of the great difficulties in trying to learn more about strength and conditioning is that sometimes even the good information is presented badly. Dan John’s writing is clear, but it’s also engaging, and at times, insanely humorous. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much reading a strength and conditioning book (or rather, I’ve never laughed so much WITH the author, rather than AT him). Hell, even my wife found some of the parts I read aloud funny.

This book is accessible to anyone, though it’s worth noting that you can’t follow every program in this book at once. Well, you could try, but you’ll probably die. This is the kind of book you read, enjoy, and then go back and cherry-pick ideas from. Right now I’m playing with the “one lift a day” idea, though I’m not doing it exactly as outlined in the book, because of time and strength factors. There’s a lot of other stuff I’d like to play with in here too; I’m sure I’ll get to it sooner or later.

If you must trust a man with two first names, Dan John seems like a good place to start.

Scarlet (King Raven, Book Two)

2011-03-14T06:12:00.000-07:00

Scarlet
Stephen Lawhead
A couple of years ago, I stumbled across Hood, the first book in the King Raven series. I grabbed it partly because Stephen Lawhead was one of those prolific and apparently well regarded fantasy authors I had never gotten around to reading, and partly (perhaps largely) because it appeared to be a book about Robin Hood. And I am a huge mark for a Robin Hood story.

Hood presented a re-imagining of Robin Hood, not as a rebel against John Lackland, but as a Welsh rebel fighting the Normans after the Norman Conquest of England. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, stop reading this review and go learn some basic history. I’ll wait.

I enjoyed Hood, which struck a nice balance between a sense of historical verisimilitude that Lawhead was striving for and the sense of adventure required of any good Robin Hood tale. My long delay in reading Scarlet was less a matter of lack of interest, and more a matter of my apparent inability to read any series straight through. Having finally gotten around to it, I’m very glad I did.

Scarlet, as the title suggests focuses primarily on the character of Will Scatlocke (aka, Will Scarlet), who begins the book having been captured as a result of some botched mission. In an odd, but ultimately effective method, the narrative moves between a first person account of Will’s life, as he dictates it to the Norman scribe Odo, and a third person account of various events going on around England, Wales, and France. The transition is a little startling the first time it happens, but once you get used to the flow, it works very well. Scarlet has a nice, unique voice that is notably distinct from the tone of Bran (Robin Hood), but it flows well with the previous book in the series.

Like Hood, this has all of the elements one would expect from a Robin Hood story, and several that you might not. There’s some heavy intrigue involving the church and papal successions, but like any good Robin Hood story, that intrigue is mostly in the background, and serves to drive the action forward.

What is most impressive to me about this work, and the previous book is that Lawhead is successfully constructing a story that makes the reader think “okay, I could see how this would transform into our modern legends of Robin Hood”. I know that was his stated goal, at least in part, but he does it so well that I have to remind myself that this is, in fact, just a work of fiction. But it’s a damn fine one. Totally worth it.

The Shadow War of the Night Dragon Trilogy

2011-03-11T09:25:00.000-08:00

As part of their Best SFF Novels of the Decade event, Tor assembled a statistically probably name for a fantasy trilogy.

The Shadow War of the Night Dragon, Book One: The Dead City
The Shadow War of the Night Dragon, Book Two: Dark Blood Magic
The Shadow War of the Night Dragon, Book Three: Dream World of the Fire Wolf

As the Tor site itself notes, this trilogy sounds frighteningly plausible. John Scalzi commented that he'd write it. And sucker that I am, I bet I'd buy it, for the humor value if nothing else.

Focus: A simplicity manifesto in the Age of Distraction

2011-03-08T06:05:00.000-08:00

Focus: A simplicity manifesto in the Age of Distraction by Leo Babauta

This review applies to the free version of Focus; there are larger, more extensive versions available for purchase, both on Kindle and on the Focus Manifesto website (see link above). I cannot comment on either one.

I came across this during my recent reading and thinking on minimalism, and download it because a) focus is something that I can always use practice on and b) the price was right. I realize that the second may not be the noblest reason for getting a book, but hey, it worked for me.

The free version of Focus is (as you might expect from an author writing about Zen and minimalism), short and to the point. Babauta breaks the book up into five sections. The first, “stepping back”, is sort of a manifesto of the manifesto. It explains what the purpose of the book is, who the author is, and why he believes focus is both extremely important, and extremely difficult to come by.

Sections two, three, and four, provide the meat of the book, with a variety of solid ideas, drills, and tools to help the reader clear distractions away from their life. I don’t know that any of them are extremely groundbreaking, but they are all worthwhile.

The fifth section discusses dealing with others in your question for focus, particularly those who aren’t as supportive as you’d like them to be. It also includes a chapter for parents, and a chapter for business managers.

I liked this book. A lot. Babauta writes in a simple, clear, and unpretentious tone, which is extremely refreshing. One of the things that has bothered me about some of the minimalist writers I’ve read is that they come across with this holier-than-thou, “just throw all of your possessions in a dumpster, you worthless human being” sort of way that is not only uninspiring, but downright unhelpful. Babauta, by contrast, acknowledges that some of what he’s suggesting is challenging (if it was easy, everyone would do it), but offers a lot of useful guidelines on how to make his ideas work for you. With each activity, he suggests a few variations if one doesn’t work, but always reiterates the point that the goals is to find something that works for you.

I don’t know if I will buy the full version of this book or not. Probably not yet…frankly, there’s enough stuff in the free version for me to work on without adding things, and it seems silly to purchase more until I feel like I need it. But if you’re one of those folks who feels like there is never enough time, or that you just can’t find your focus, I suggest grabbing some version of this. It’s worth the read.

Kill or Get Killed

2011-03-04T08:12:00.000-08:00

Kill or Get Killed
Rex Applegate

This is not a review of the entirety of Kill or Get Killed. Of sixteen chapters, I only read six. There is a perfectly good reason for that, as I will explain shortly.

Kill or Get Killed is the textbook complied by Colonel Rex Applegate, one of the grandfathers of the modern combatives systems developed by the British and Americans during the Second World War. This review focuses on the version published by Paladin Press, which originally was released in 1976.

I had heard of Applegate vaguely for years, mostly in conjunction with my father’s stories about the Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife (of which I own at least one replica), and the men who developed it. More recently, there has been a movement to revive and re-popularize some of the World War II Combative methods as viable forms of self-defense training, and it is in that context that I chose to read this book.

The book is broken into sixteen chapters, as follows:
1. Introduction to Unarmed Combat
2. Offensive Unarmed Combat
3. Defensive Unarmed Combat
4. Knife Attack and Defense
5. Combat Use of the Hand Gun
6. Combat Firing With Shoulder Weapons
7. Disarming
8. Prisoner Handling and Control
9. Raid and Room Combat
10. Training Techniques and Combat Ranges
11. Elementary Fieldcraft
12. Police Baton and Miscellaneous Weapons and Techniques
13. Chemical Munitions for Control of Mobs and Individuals
14. Civil Domestic Disturbances and Their Control
15. Communist Tactics and Strategy in Directing Mob Violence
16. The Professional Riot Control Unit

Of those, I only read 1-4, 7, and 12. I suppose that if I owned and carried a firearm, I might have read the chapters that deal with the use of, and training with, firearms. But frankly, I’m totally unqualified to evaluate those chapters, so I didn’t bother. I also skipped the chapters that I deemed completely irrelevant to self-defense for the average person; I have no need to learn how to use chemical munitions, nor am I concerned about how to create a professional riot control unit. Police or military trainers might find those chapters useful. I really don’t know.

For the average person concerned with self-defense, the first three chapters of the book are unquestionably the most valuable. Applegate presents a small curriculum of strikes, gouges, chokes, and throws, along with instruction about how to apply these tools against what he perceives as common types of attacks. The small toolbox appeals to my recent thoughts on minimalism, and while I might make some different choices in my selection, Applegate does give the reader enough material to practice without overwhelming them. Perhaps my only quibble is that he ignores any sort of ground-fighting, except to say that fighting on the ground is a bad idea, which is the sort of useless truth in line with saying “don’t get stabbed”.

Despite the books occasional statement to the contrary, however, this book really is aimed at the military and law enforcement. While there are a number of techniques that are appropriate for civilian self-defense, some of the techniques have no particular application outside of the military or law enforcement (I have not needed to remove a sentry any time in recent memory). Even the defenses against attacks that a civilian might face are extremely vicious; used imprudently they’d likely land the average citizen in court, if not in jail. Of course, that’s a weakness inherent in a lot of military combatives systems when they are transferred over to the civilian environment. Of course, there are scenarios where these kinds of techniques are appropriate, but the book doesn’t address the distinction.

The knife attack and defense material is interesting; the attack material I was curious about mostly academically. I don’t carry a knife either, but I like knives, and find their use interesting. The knife and firearm defense material certainly has some potential application for a civilian…some of it does not line up with the material that I’ve learned from Tony Blauer, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be worth exploring.

The baton stuff was just a lark. Again, I like weapons. I guess you could train this stuff if you carry a stick, or are involved in a stick-based system (like one of the many Filipino Martial Arts), but ultimately, it’s probably not a priority for the average person.

So is this a good book? Actually, yes, I think it is. It does a very nice job of clearly laying out a program for instructing soldiers and police in close quarters combat techniques. The writing is straightforward, and accompanied by reasonably clear diagrams and photographs. Applegate outlines his rationale for each of his choices, and I think many of his choices are sound.

That said, given the size and cost of the book, I don’t think it is a very good purchase for the average person looking to protect themselves. The military emphasis leaves too many holes that require patching, and used injudiciously, this material could land the reader in jail for a very long time. Experienced practitioners or instructors will probably get more out of the book, as they’ll be able to pick and choose the portions that are appropriate to their needs or the needs of their students. Finally, those with an interest in military history, WWII history, or martial history should definitely give this a read. It’s an incredibly influential textbook, and deserves to be examined on those merits alone.

A Dance With Dragons Release Date Set

2011-03-03T06:53:00.000-08:00

The interwebs says that the next book in GRR Martins Song of Fire and Ice is coming out in July. GRRM says so too.

I wish I could be excited, but I find that I honestly don't care. I mean, I'm glad it's coming out, because that means the series is one step closer to being finished, but I'm still not going to bother picking it up. I can't be bothered to re-read the whole thing, especially since I just gave away my copy of A Game of Thrones the other weekend.

Still, it gives me hope that the series might end someday. I'd love to read the whole thing.

Tor's Top Ten Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novels of the Decade

2011-03-01T08:44:00.000-08:00

The folks over at Tor.com did a poll about the best SFF Novels of the Decade. The results are interesting.

Of the ten, I’ve read four:

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
American Gods by Neil Gaiman - Which I have not reviewed here, but remember fondly.
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin - I have also not reviewed this one. I refuse to read any of Martin's Song of Fire and Ice until it is done, or he's dead. Whichever comes first.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrel by Susanna Clarke

Of the remainders, I’m torn. Anathem has floated on my “I should probably read this” list for a bit, and I feel like someone (or Amazon) keeps suggesting that I should read Name of the Wind and/or Mistborn: The Final Empire (which may be a good book, but the title puts me off). The one human being I know who’s read Perdido Street Station says it’s AWFUL. I remember seeing Kushiel’s Dart while working at Waldenbooks, but I could never decide if it looked worthwhile or not. I may have to check out some of them.

Tolkien Estate Goes Crazy Nuts

2011-02-28T10:58:00.000-08:00

Apparently, the Tolkien estate has decided that they want to destroy a novel that uses JRR Tolkien as a character.

Not that rips him off, but actually includes him as a character.

I have to imagine that they have very little legal ground to stand on, but come on guys. Seriously? I don't think JRR would mind being part of a novel. Hell, he might be flattered.

Links here

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/02/tolkien-estate-set-on-destroying-a-handful-of-books
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/feb/26/mirkwood-jrr-tolkien-legal-battle

Living the Martial Way

2011-02-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

Living the Martial Way
Forrest E. Morgan

This is my second time reading this book. The first time was probably about ten years ago, and back then, I thought it was awesome. This time around, I have considerably more mixed feelings.

Living the Martial Way is "is a concise manual for training in warrior-ship". The goal, according to the author, is to provide an outline whereby someone seeking to follow the true warrior's path can learn how to do that. Morgan breaks his book into three sections: the first, The Way of Training, discusses the actual physical training, from how to choose a style and school, to how to adjust your training to meet your goals. The second chapter, the Way of Honor, gets into a variety of philosophical discussion about codes of behavior. The last section, the Way of Living, is a sort of catch-all section that includes fitness, the relationship between martial arts training and religion, and the subject of "mastery" in the martial arts.

So what's good about this book? Honestly, a lot of things. The first section is probably the most valuable; Morgan provides a solid outline for a practitioner to decide what kind of martial art they should be studying, or how to adjust their practice if they are already training. Morgan's ideas about strategy and tactics are extremely useful, and anyone who wants to be even vaguely successful in the martial arts would do well to understand them. Some of the "mystical" ideas I found a bit hard to swallow, though Morgan apparently has become a greater skeptic as he's gotten older.

The section on honor is...interesting. How valuable it is will probably depend on how much the reader has thought about these sorts of issues previously, and how much they sync up with Morgan's attitudes. More on that in a minute.

The final section, as I said, is a bit of a hodgepodge. I actually didn't re-read the Fitness section, since Morgan himself admits that the information contained therein is hopelessly out-of-date. The religion and mysticism section didn't have much for me, but it might be a good starting point for a new martial arts student. If nothing else, Morgan warns prospective martial artists about the dangers of martial cults, something that should be repeated loud and often.

So, there's a lot of really useful, interesting ideas here. What's the issue?

The issue, for me, is Morgan's voice, tone, and the way he chooses to phrase, well, everything. I am, at this point in my life, skeptical of the idea that practicing a martial art is in any way concurrent with being a warrior. I am certainly skeptical of the idea that warriors are the sort of magical elite that Morgan holds them up as being. Understand that I have the utmost admiration for those people who actually willingly suit up to go into combat in service of their country, and I even understand the idea that one can be a warrior in a philosophical sense without being an actual serviceman or woman. I am, however, quite skeptical of the idea that spending your time outside of your office job devoted to the study of a combative system that hasn't been relevant to modern warfare for half a century somehow makes you into a warrior.

Morgan's information is good, but it's buried under a constant self-aggrandizing tone that manages to come across not as the humble warrior he exhorts his reader to be, but as a pompous ass who thinks he largely superior to everyone around him. While that tone is not constant, it pops up more frequently than I like, and enough that I found it setting my teeth on edge more than a few times.

Do I still believe this book is worth reading? If you're a practicing martial artist, probably. While the writing sets my teeth on edge at times, it does contain some ideas that are certainly worth considering. The entire first section alone makes the book worthwhile. The rest of it, I would approach with a bit of skepticism.

If you are not a practicing martial artist, but are considering it, I'm not sure this is the place I'd want you to start. While there are ideas I'd want you to consider here about goals and directions, I think that there are better, more reasonably written books out there that might serve you better. Rory Miller's Meditations on Violence will give you a better reference point, without all of the "you must become a samurai warrior!!1!" stuff.

If you aren't a practicing martial artist, and aren't considering, I have no idea why you would even be considering this book.

Old Man's War Movie?

2011-02-23T12:42:00.000-08:00

Apparently, Paramount has purchased the rights to John Scalzi's Old Man's War (see my review here).

As with all books-gone-movie, I have mixed feelings about this. Though I think Old Man's War probably will translate to the big screen better than say, Ender's Game, I'm always wary of this sort of thing. Basically, I'm too much of a grump to accept the changes that sometimes come with a book going Hollywood. But you never know.

Story first seen at TOR.

Dwayne McDuffie Passes Away

2011-02-22T11:57:00.001-08:00

Story here.

Edit; this letter from McDuffie is the awesomest thing the internet has produced in a while. Though it is made sadder/funnier by the fact that both “Rocket Racer” and “Night Thrasher” were real characters—who were black men on skateboards.

Nebula Nominess Announced

2011-02-22T07:35:00.000-08:00

As with so many awards lists, I've not read any of these. Where the hell have I been?

Batman: The Black Glove

2011-02-22T07:33:00.000-08:00

Batman: The Black Glove
Grant Morrison

"Advantage: Evil. Place your bets with the Black Glove"

The Black Glove is sort of a "bridge book" that connects Batman and Son with Batman: RIP. It's all part of the same story...a Bat-Morrison trilogy if you will.

The book leads off with the "Island of Mr. Mayhew" a Ten Little Indians style murder mystery focused around the "International Club of Heroes", a collection of Batman knock offs that could only have been created in the sixties (Man-of-Bats? Seriously?). Brought back together for a reunion by the mysterious John Mayhew, the heroes face all of the usual suspicions and intrigues that you'd expect from trapping a bunch of Batman knock offs on a island, and then murdering some of them. It's a fun time, actually, if you like this sort of story.

The second story is where things start to get a little less...coherent. There's a whole bunch of wackiness that starts to pop up, including a return of the Bat-impersonates from Batman and Son (and an explanation about where they came from), some reflections on Bruce's experiences in an isolation chamber, and his participation in the Thögal Ritual, and a whole bunch of other insane wackiness. This is basically a huge flashback, and establishes a bunch of things that become more important/relevant once Batman: RIP gets underway.

The story culminates not in a fight (though there is one), but in a revelation, as a dinner date between Bruce Wayne and Jezebel Jet goes horribly awry, and Jezebel learns a surprising truth about her lover...

I really enjoyed this collection, but in fairness, it's not for everyone. If you're not a fan of Morrison's gonzo, weird psychosis kind of writing, this collection will not do it for you. Except for the Island of Mr. Mayhew, it's largely unreadable as a stand-alone book...read it with Batman and Son, and follow it with Batman: RIP to get the full picture.

The Truth About Self Protection

2011-02-18T07:02:00.000-08:00

The Truth About Self Protection
Mas Ayoob

The Truth About Self Protection is, in some circles, regarded as a seminal work on personal safety. It’s pretty easy to see why; this book has a lot of positives to it. At the same time, I confess to being hesitant to recommend it to the layperson seeking advice on self defense for the first time. While there are a lot of good things in this book, there are a couple of flaws that really hurt its utility for the modern audience.

Let me start with the good. The Truth About Self Protection is an incredibly comprehensive work on the subject of self-defense. With close to fifty chapters and nearly 400 pages, Ayoob touches upon aspects of personal safety that most writers and instructors never even consider. In addition to material about unarmed combat, improvised weapons, legal weapons (like kubotans and defensive sprays) and firearms, Ayoob touches upon far less often considered subjects like locks for your home, electronic alarm systems, and even choosing a dog for protection. At every stage, Ayoob offers relatively comprehensive advice in a clear and easily understand format. He is careful to address not only the realties of each piece of security equipment, but also the legal, moral, and ethical considerations behind them. The book is written in a very conversational style that makes the material very accessible; reading this book feels like sitting down and having a conversation with an old cop (complete with some slightly politically incorrect language, though nothing truly offensive).

If there is so much good here, why would I hesitate to recommend it? Simple. This book was published in 1983, and has not been revised or updated since then. While the concepts in this book are, on a certain level, valuable, the information overall is nearly thirty years out of date, and it shows. Ayoob writing about rotary version push button telephones may have made sense when this book was written, but in the era of the iPhone vs. the Android, it seems about sensible as worrying about whether to compose letters on vellum or parchment. The technology is so different as to make some of Ayoob’s concerns seem completely irrelevant.

I found Ayoob’s section on choosing a martial art particularly problematic; while I actually agree with his recommendation that a good Judo school is one of the best places you can go for training in a martial art with a lot of self-defense value, his suggestion that Aikido is an excellent choice is completely contrary to my own experiences with that art. I have nothing against Aikido, but in my experience, most Aikido schools do not authentically prepare their students for real violence, and the skills that they teach do not transfer well without a huge investment of time and energy. Furthermore, Ayoob offers no comment or opinion on either Brazilian Jujitsu or Mixed Martial Arts, two phenomena that were unknown or non-existent at the time this book was written. He does speak highly of Jim Arvanitis’s re-creation of the Greek Pankration, which is similar to modern MMA, though Arvanitis himself is a controversial figure at best.

Is this book worth reading? If you are a self-defense instructor, I would say so, if for no other reason than it is a particularly seminal work in the field. If you are a dedicated student of personal protection, this can give you some excellent ideas for areas to consider investigating further. I wouldn’t give this to a layperson looking for a first-time guide to self-defense, simply because so much of the information needs updating. There is a lot of good information here, but to really make use of any of it, you’ll want to do enough research to find out if it’s still accurate.

Borders Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection

2011-02-16T13:23:00.000-08:00

Yikes. I knew they were having problems, but did not realize the extent of them.

On the one hand, I kinda liked Borders; and a good friend of mine lost her job because of this.

On the other hand, there was a Borders near me that was down to 40% sales on their stuff...

Must remind myself that I'm trying to NOT buy more stuff...

Details at various links below:

Locus

Publisher's Weekly

Wall Street Journal

Borders on reorganziation

The Blade Itself

2011-02-14T07:43:00.000-08:00

The Blade Itself
Joe Abercrombie

“The blade itself incites to deeds of violence.” Homer

I know that I had heard of The Blade Itself from several different sources, but credit must go to Stu for finally getting me to read it. Having both a physical copy and a Kindle version made me feel even less justified about having even cracked a page on it.

I ended up reading the book on my Kindle DX, for the record. This is not a review of the Kindle, but I will say that I found the experience perfectly enjoyable. I like my DX, and will likely not only continue using it, but expand my purchasing of e-books. (Honestly, part of me now wants a second, smaller Kindle. And to check out an iPaD. None of these things are a good idea.)

Like a lot of modern fantasy novels, The Blade Itself uses the convention of following several different characters, chapter by chapter, and then gradually bringing them together. Most of the action focuses around four characters: Logen Ninefingers, a Conan-esque barbarian on the run; Jezal dan Luthar, a noble fop turned duelist; Ferro Maljinn, an escaped slave whose entire life is dominated by her bloodlust and quest for vengeance; and Inquisitor Glotka, a former dueling champion and warrior, now crippled beyond repair, and given over to torturing people in the name of his king. There is also a fair amount of attention given to the rest of Logen’s former companions as well, and their involvement with troubles in the north.

Oh yes, there are troubles in the north. And in the south. And there’s something big and crazy going on with the Bayaz, the first wizard. Or the first student of the first wizard. I don’t quite remember right now. But if I know nothing else from reading this book, I know that this book is set in a world where shit is going wrong all over the place. Which makes it not terribly different from many other fantasy settings, but it’s compelling all the same. Let’s face it…a world where everything is honky-dory would be pretty damn boring.

I can find faults with The Blade Itself, but boring is not a charge I would level at this book. There is always something happening: duels, intrigues, mysteries, wizard battles, interrogations, mass battles, rooftop chases, skulduggery, politics, love, honor, betrayal…all that cool stuff is in here. Everyone has something going on. If there’s a fault to this, it might be that there is TOO much going on. Most of the characters don’t interact with each other in any fashion until almost the last quarter of the book, and are then separated from each other by the end.

Which brings me to my biggest issue with this book; it doesn’t end. Not really. I know that it’s part of a trilogy, but I hold to Stackpole’s Law (a term of my own creation) that says that any book, if part of a trilogy, should be basically self contained. This one is not. The ending resolves nothing, and leaves the reader hanging as to the fate of any of the characters involved.

Now that said, I do want to read the rest of the series, so I’m not too grouchy about this; at the same time I really, really, dislike getting to the end of a book and realizing that nothing has been resolved. It is quite possible to write a series of books in self-contained units (Glen Cook does this marvelously with a lot of his Black Company books), and I wish more authors would actually do it.

Despite the ending, I still enjoyed the Blade Itself; Abercrombie’s writing is crisp and fast, and he populates his world with some very memorable and fun characters. Glotka stands out as a personal favorite of mine (and several others, it seems). I enjoy Logen as the barbarian thrust into circumstances beyond his comprehension, despite some stuff about “the Bloody Nine” that pop up as a weird splinter personality towards the end. It reminds me a lot of “the Hunter” device that RA Salvatore uses in his Dark Elf books, and I was never entirely sold on it there either. Logen stands out as a fine and fun character all on his own, without needing the extra psychosis thrown in.

If you like your fantasy hard-boiled and gritty fashion this is a book worth reading.

American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House

2011-02-09T10:06:00.000-08:00

I don't remember how Andrew Jackson came up at our Channukah party, but somehow, he did. Mostly as being one of those presidents that everyone feels completely justified in disliking, because, let's face it, some pretty horrible things happened on Jackson's watch (Trail of Tears, anyone?). But despite that, I felt as though I really didn't know much about him.

So when I stumbled across a copy of this book at a closing Borders for something like $3, I figured it was worth taking the opportunity to learn a bit more about the man who graces the face of yuppie food stamps across America.

As the subtitle indicates, Meacham's book is not mean to be a complete biography. While there is some brief discussion of Jackson's life prior to his ascension to presidency, most of the book is focused on Jackson’s time as president. While Jackson is ostensibly the focal character of the work, Meacham spends a fair amount of time discussing many of the other players surrounding Jackson, from the loyal but extremely controversial Eatons (who would be splattered all over the tabloids if they were alive today), to the inevitably hostile Henry Clay (who would be delighted to learn that many modern Americans remember Jackson as a jerk). In some respects, I felt like I learned more about the people around Jackson than I learned about Jackson himself, who feels by the end of things like a still enigmatic, if slightly more understandable figure.

Meachem’s focus on Jackson and those around him leads the book in some strange directions. There is an enormous amount of attention given to the “Eaton Affair”, an influential bit of Capitol Hill scandal and gossip-mongering, but almost no attention is given to Jackson’s policies towards the Native Americans. I don’t know if Meachem felt that those things had simply been hammered enough, or if he just had nothing new to say about them, but it seemed like a rather glaring omission.

And it’s an unfortunate one, because Meacham generally presents a nicely balanced view of Jackson that paints him not as a monstrous caricature, but as a human being who was capable of great sensitivity, kindness, and compassion. While he does not completely lay bare Jackson’s soul (not that I would imagine he could), he does provide enough insight to allow the reader to see Jackson in a broader light than the simple eighth-grade summary of “the Trail of Tears guy.”

As a biography of Jackson, this book falls a little short, partially due to its narrow focus (it really is just about his presidency), partially due to Meacham’s apparent unwillingness to get much into some of the harder questions about Jackson’s presidency. Still, it does provide some interesting insight, and those interested in American history, and Jackson in particular, will probably enjoy reading it.

Baltimore Museum in the Poe House

2011-02-08T11:29:00.000-08:00

Apparently, the city of Baltimore has decided to cut funding to the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum.

While I am not deeply familiar with Poe's work, I admire and respect the man enough to hope that this trun of events can be reversed somehow. As a fan of history and of literature, I'd hate to see this place dissapear.

(I learned of this story through Tor)

Brian Jacques Passes Away

2011-02-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

via Locus.

I only ever read the first Redwall book, but I recall liking it. Maybe I'll try to pick it up again.

Macmillian and Amazon Pay Lost Royalties

2011-02-07T06:14:00.000-08:00

From Locus. Nice to see the authors getting some payback.

Ender's Game Movie?

2011-02-07T05:34:00.000-08:00

Do Not Want.

Mostly because I'm a cynic, and think that movie adaptations of books mostly suck. And yes, I'm including the Lord of the Rings movies, because, while I enjoyed 2/3rd of them (Two Towers is a god-awful piece of crap that I can't even rewatch...and I've tried), ultimately, I think they completely miss out on some very important elements of the books, and keep/add some crap that wasn't necessary.

I've enjoyed the first two Narnia movies though. Go figure (I haven't seen the third one yet).

Anyway, I love Ender's Game, and would love it if the movie didn't suck. But honestly, the book is more cerebral than actiony, and I think a movie will probably miss that and go the other way. But you never know.

(For the record, if you haven't read Ender's Game, go read it. It's amazing. Even Tony Blauer thinks so. So does my friend Lizard, who got me to read it.)

A LETTER TO HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, ASLAN

2011-02-04T08:20:00.000-08:00

This is clearly a bit old, but I am entertained by it nonetheless.

Locus Magazine Reccomended Reading

2011-02-02T18:11:00.000-08:00

Locus has released a recommended reading list for 2010.

I haven't read any of it, I don't think. Oh well. More for later, I guess.

Batman and Son

2011-01-31T12:03:00.000-08:00

"Ninja Man-Bats. Alarming twist."

Batman and Son marks the beginning of Grant Morrison's (JLA, The Invisibles) run on the Caped Crusader, though it's not the first time he's written about him. Arkham Asylum is still considered one of the best Batman stories ever written, and his portrayal of Batman in his JLA run (sometimes affectionately known as the “Bat-god”) certainly had a huge influence on Batman’s portrayal in a lot of recent writings.

Batman and Son offers a somewhat different, though no less Morrison-esque take on the Bat-mythos. As the title suggests, the bulk of the plot revolves around the revelation of the existence of Damian Wayne, Bruce’s son by Talia al Ghul, daughter of the villain Ra's al Ghul. Damian is about as much of a brat as you’d expect from a wunderkind raised by the daughter of a psychotic criminal mastermind and trained to be a perfect ninja assassin. In other words, he’s a complete snot, but understandably so. Not surprisingly, his relationship with Bruce is a bit tenuous at best, and isn’t helped by his constant disobedience, and his apparent desire to kill anyone and everything he doesn’t like (including Alfred and Tim Drake).

This collection also introduces the “Three Ghosts of Batman” (not their actual name), a group of Gotham Police Offices trained to replace Batman in the event hat something happened to him. Of course, something went horribly wrong, and they’re all crazy. Let’s face it, Batman himself isn’t the most stable guy in the world, and trying to make someone into him probably isn’t going to work out to well.

The collection also includes one very odd story about the Joker, in much the same style of Arkham Asylum. This is one of those stories you either love or hate…it’s hard to find a middle ground on it. And one story about the future of Damian, where he’s taken on the mantle of Batman, made a deal with the devil, and is still fighting to save Gotham from the apocalypse.

Seriously.

This is a fun collection, but it’s really just a prologue to the Black Glove and Batman: RIP stories that follow it. There’s a ton of things that are introduced here that really don’t get resolved at all. You cannot read this as a stand alone collection. Well, I guess you can, but it won’t be very satisfying.

On the flip side, if you haven’t read much Batman before, this is a decent place to start. Morrison pretty much tells you most of what you need to know in the first few pages, and other relevant details come along as they must. Sure, there are probably some obscure references you won’t understand without Wikipedia and a whole lot of time on the Internet, but it’s perfectly enjoyable without that.

Edgar Nominess Announced

2011-01-25T05:31:00.000-08:00

The Mystery Writers of America have announced the 2010 Edgar Award nominees. I confess to not having read any of them, but it looks like there is some interesting stuff on there.

JLA: Earth 2

2011-01-24T17:00:00.000-08:00

by Grant Morrison

JLA: Earth 2 is Grant Morrison’s take on one of the classic plots of science fiction and superhero stories, the “Mirror Universe”, where good is evil, evil is good, and everything is backwards.

The concept of an alternate earth has a long history in comics, and even in the pages of the JLA, where Earth 2 was originally a home for the silver age versions of the DC characters. Earth 3 was actually the earth where good was evil, etc…

Yeah, don’t ask. This shit doesn’t make any sense to me either.

JLA: Earth 2 pretty much ignores all of that. It is basically a stand alone story (though Kurt Busiek would trot it back out later), written at a time when DC had dispensed with all of this multi-verse nonsense. So Morrison basically has a free hand to do whatever he feels like. Of course, he only has one small graphic novel to do it in, so this is not the sort of crazy, sprawling, epic that you might expect out of Morrison. Instead, it’s a tight little story about the JLA reacting to meeting their evil counterparts.

Whether or not you’ll like this story mostly comes down to a question of whether or not you like Mirror Universe kind of stories. If you do, this one is a pretty fun one. Morrison plays fast and loose with the inversions, with members of the CSA (Crime Syndicate of Amerika—the evil JLA) using expressions like “God Below”, and all the people on the Evil Earth having their hearts on the left side of their bodies. The idea of a universe where evil always wins actually turns out to be a central plot point, and the key to victory on the part of the JLA actually turns out to be exploiting that entire concept. It’s not quite as “meta” in its plot as some later stories (like Infinite Crisis and Final Crisis), but it’s definitely in there.

If you don’t like Mirror Universe stories, but like superheroes, and the JLA, then this is a fun ride. If you like none of those things, I don’t know why you’re even considering reading this book, frankly.

[Side note/nitpick: I know that this is not Morrison’s fault, but why is Batman’s counterpart Owlman? In what way are Owls the opposite of Bats? And why does my spellchecker actually recognize the name Batman, anyway?]

On Theft

2011-01-20T12:37:00.000-08:00

Got this from Bookshelves of Doom. It's a pretty clear, compelling statement about why stealing (I'm sorry, pirating) books is wrong.

And yeah, I do think it's wrong. There's enough free public domain stuff out there, if you want to download something and read it.

Going to start trying to post more about books, instead of just review of them. We'll see how I do.

We3

2011-01-14T18:01:00.000-08:00

We3
Grant Morrison

"Home is run no more."

I was trying to describe this book to my wife, and realized that, even at face value, it's tough to describe in a way that conveys how well done it is. "It's like the Incredible Journey, except that it's a dog, a cat, and a rabbit, and they've all been turned into cybernetic super-weapons by the US Government, which is trying to 'de-commission' (read: kill) them."

And honestly, that is a pretty fair synopsis of the book. A dog, cat, and rabbit, fleeing from the U.S. Gov't, Jason Bourne style. Right down to the fact that they're more bad-ass than everything that the government sends after them. Almost.

Also, they can talk. Not WELL, mind you, but they can talk. Which is good, because otherwise, there would be zero dialogue in the story. Though honestly, Frank Quitely's artwork conveys enough emotion that dialogue isn't necessary (or present) a lot of the time. While the human dialogue is more conventional, the animal dialogue is short and stunted. Honestly, it almost reminds me of the modern day LOLCATS (someone on another review pointed this out as well).

This is a very fast-paced story. No extraneous padding, nothing put in there to up the page count. Short, to the point, but poignant all the same. Morrison sometimes takes flack for having confusing stories, but there is nothing confusing about this one.

What there is here, in spades, is a lot of emotion. The stories not particularly morally ambiguous (the animals are clearly the good guys), but there is a lot of poignancy in their actions. Not surprisingly (at least to me), the dog comes across as the most sympathetic, perhaps because he's the most tortured/eager to get along with humans. There is an absolutely heartbreaking scene where he realizes that he's killed a man, and sits, head hanging, saying "bad dog" to himself.

I confess, it's possible that I'm more susceptible to this because I'm a dog lover, but I don't think so. This is just a genuinely wonderful piece of writing. Even if you are not a reader of graphic novels, this is worth reading.

Eagle of the Ninth

2011-01-08T19:53:00.000-08:00

The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff

I really wonder about my reading habits sometimes; specifically, I wonder how I keep ending up reading books with absolutely no idea how I came across them. Such is the case with Eagle of the Ninth, a work of historical fiction that apparently is relatively well known, as is the author. In any case, I had not heard of her until recently, nor do I remember how or where I heard of her. But however it happened, I'm glad I dug her up.

Centurion Marcus Flavius Aquila is the son of one of the members of the Ninth Legion, a Roman legion deployed to Britain that vanished under mysterious circumstances. Assigned to a command in Britain, Marcus eventually undertakes to discover the facts behind the disappearance of his father's legion, and to recover the legion's missing eagle. Along the way, Marcus acquires a number of companions and aids, most notably Esca, a British slave who becomes Marcus's guide and companion on his quest.

Eagle of the Ninth is a fun book; the plot takes some interesting twists and turns, and the circumstances that lead up to Marcus's search are not quite what I expected. The characters are sometimes a bit simplistic, but they are still engaging, and the evolution of the relationship between Marcus and Esca feels natural and right. There are a number of ancillary characters that get introduced early on, but seem to have little purpose for the majority of the story (the most notable of these being the wolf Cub, who does surprisingly little given his nature and introduction into the story). Sutcliff strikes a nice balance between creating a fast paced adventure and taking the time to create a vivid picture of life in Roman Britain.

Classical history buffs looking for a fun adventure read would probably enjoy this one, as would anyone else who enjoys historical fiction. Historians who take history to seriously to enjoy someone messing with it will be annoyed, but those people are annoyed by everything. This one is definitely worth checking out.

*Side note: I did not realize it until I went to see The Fighter, but apparently, this book has been made into a movie (the Eagle). From what I saw in the trailer, they have botched up the plot royally, and made Marcus into a way bigger asshole than he actually is in the book. Fuck you Hollywood.

**Side note two: Apparently, this is part of a series. I did not realize this when I bought it, but I'd be willing to read the rest of it. And may, since I signed up for this "Historical Fiction Challenge".

The Art of Racing in the Rain

2011-01-08T19:17:00.000-08:00

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

I read this one at the insistence of my wife, who read it herself on our honeymoon. I wasn't entirely sold on the idea, but the flight home from Italy was a long one, and I found myself needing something to do.

The gimmick (or "High Concept") of the book is that the narrator, Enzo, isn't human. Enzo is a dog (some sort of terrier mutt), adopted by a man named Denny, who works as an auto-mechanic while pursuing a career as a race car driver. Enzo considers himself something of a philosopher, and muses upon the nature of people, dogs, and other things, while simultaneously telling the story of Denny's marriage, his wife's struggles with cancer, and his subsequent struggles regarding the custody of his daughter.

As a narrator, Enzo is kind of fun, though he sometimes sounds less like a dog wishing to be human, and more like a human who wants to sound like a dog. Ezno's admiration for all things human is taken to a point where he seems to find certain aspects of being a dog distasteful, which makes his whole narration on that subject seem a bit unreliable. That said, he serves as a breezy, and fun storyteller, and the book moves along at a reasonable clip under his direction. There are a few moments that do seem to capture a more canine view of the world, such as his choice to destroy a stuffed animal that is clearly taunting him.

What hampers this book is not so much Enzo, but the plot itself. A string of unbelievable coincidences, both good and bad, assail Denny's life, and ultimately, make Denny seem like a puppet of much larger (or random) forces. The great struggle of the book (Denny's battle for custody of his daughter with his former in-laws), is resolved by nothing more than a chance meeting. For a book obsessed with racing, and understanding how to find control in dangerous situations, there's very little sense that the main characters have any control at all. With one or two exceptions, Denny does very little. Events just sort of happen to him, and he hangs on as best he can.

Ultimately, this is a CUTE book, but I'm not sure it's a GOOD book. Dog loves and race car fans may enjoy it, and it's a decent lazy Sunday read. If you want deep and profound insights, look elsewhere.

Beyond Bodybuilding

2011-01-07T13:03:00.000-08:00

Beyond Bodybuilding Muscle and Strength Training Secrets by Pavel Tsatsouline

Pavel Tsatsouline is one of those guys who produces stuff I like, backed by marketing I usually hate. He is one of the kings of the "OUR SYSTEM IS THE UBER BESTEST" style of marketing, which drives me crazy. On the other hand, I cannot deny that he has put out some good stuff, and Beyond Bodybuilding is no exception.

This is not so much a book as a collection of articles, many of which first appeared in Muscle Media. The book is divided into eight sections, covering power training, training planning, training for various body parts (legs, chest, back, arms), and a section on bodyweight training. Each section includes several articles relevant to the section at hand, as well as a large Q andA section addressing many common concerns from trainees.

The good thing about this book is that it contains a ton of information. The bad thing about this book is that it contains a ton of information. The information is all good, but the book isn't designed as a single, unified, plan. Indeed, there are easily a dozen different training plans in here, and some of them are contradictory. You cannot do everything in this book at once; pick and choose carefully based on your goals.

For that reason, I wouldn't recommend this book to a new lifter. There's just too much info here, and it's too confusing. If you are new to lifting, and want some solid, basic, strength training, check out Pavel's Power to the People, or a similar book (I hear good things about Starting Strength, but haven't read it yet). On the other hand, if you've been lifting for a while, and are looking for a new routine or some ideas to spice things up, this is a great resource to have on hand. I know I'll be using it.

Rory Miller's New Book

2011-01-06T13:31:00.000-08:00

Is available for pre-order on Amazon.

Obviously, I haven't read it yet, but I highly recommend Rory's writing. His stuff is gold.

His actual training is cool too, though I have much less experience with that.

Oh, Hey, It's 2011

2011-01-03T12:58:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I've been offline for a while. Well, not really. I've just gotten behind on reviewing books. I've got quite a stack too. I'll get there though. I've got some time to play catch up this week.

I'd like this blog to be a little more active this year, so, well, I'm going to try and make it more active. I may start writing about stuff besides books. Who knows? We'll see what happens.

Until then: several folks I know (okay, two) are participating in the Historical Fiction Challenge. I like Historical Fiction, so I think I'll try jumping on. I may jump off, but at least I'll have a starting point.

Here's to a 2011 full of good reading!

Ghosts in the Snow

2010-11-21T08:13:00.000-08:00

Ghosts in the Snow
Tamara Siler Jones
Publisher: Spectra
ISBN: 0553587099

Like many books I’ve read recently, I acquired this one on a whim; it showed up at Waldenbooks, and there was some confusion over whether it should be shelved in the fantasy or the mystery section. Eventually, it ended up in fantasy. Given my enjoyment of fantasy, and my recent rediscovery that I love mystery, I thought I’d check it out.

The Basics:

At its heart, Ghosts in the Snow is a modern-day thriller that’s been transplanted into a fantasy setting. The book follows Dubric Bryerly, head of security at Castle Faldorrah and investigator par excellance. Dubric is also the victim of a strange curse—the ghosts of people murdered at Castle Faldorrah appear to him, and won’t go away until their murders are solved. Generally speaking, the ghosts can’t DO anything, and no one but Dubric can see them (or knows about the curse). Normally, it seems, this isn’t a big deal; someone gets murdered, Dubric solves the murder fairly quickly, the ghost goes away. At least, that’s the impression that I have. We never see Dubric solve a simple case, because, let’s face it, that wouldn’t make for a very interesting novel.

Instead, Ghosts in the Snow pits Dubric against a Hannibal Lector-style serial killer who is murdering, dismembering, and eating parts of various serving girls around the castle. As the murders and ghosts pile up, Dubric is forced to deal with political pressure, servant revolts, crazy nobles, and a variety of other problems, in addition to the killer himself.

The Good:

Jones has set up a fairly interesting story, an interesting setting, and populated it with some fun, if not terribly deep, characters. Dubric himself is a bit of a classic embittered cop who’s lost his faith, his wife, and is wholly dedicated to his job. He has some classic sidekicks, including the geeky peasant made good Otlee, the physically formidable Dien, and Dubric’s understudy Lars, who occasionally perceives the ghosts that plague Dubric as the murders continue. Nella, one of the serving girls who is a focal point for part of the story, is also a fun character, if a bit of a stereotype. In short, Jones does a marvelous job of translating the classic tropes of modern thrillers into a fantasy setting.

Jones is sparse on the world-building, which is a nice touch in an age where fantasy writers seem to feel that everyone needs to write like Tolkien, and that problems can only be resolved over a twelve-book series. She introduces information as it’s needed to advance the story, and not much more. It’s well done, and keeps the story moving at a brisk clip.

The killer’s identity is appropriately obscured; I gave it my best shot, but totally failed to figure it out until the big reveal.

The Bad:

Jones does commit a minor version of the great cardinal sin of mystery’s (and writing in general)—she introduces something that seems relevant or important, but never appears to be. The killer’s means of turning invisible also grants him the ability to perceive the victims internal fluids, blow flow, etc. It’s neat, and gives the killer a sort of Predator-vision that makes him creepy, but nothing ever really comes of the ability. It’s not clear why it matters, or what it’s supposed to be used for.

The red herring in the story is bright red, with flashing red lights that say “Red Herring Here.” Or pretty close. Jones keeps pushing it to the point where it becomes obvious that it can’t be the right explanation, at which point, the continued pushing becomes a bit annoying.

The Ugly:

The killer murders, dismembers, and eats people. He also ties someone up with someone else’s intestines; someone else is literally ripped apart. If gory details aren’t your thing, this book is emphatically not for you.

Overall, Ghosts in the Snow is fun book that, while interesting, doesn’t quite live up to it’s potential. The plot is a little too straightforward, and the overemphasis on the red herring eventually starts to make Dubric seem a bit thick (though even HE gets frustrated with it). It is a first novel, so I’m willing to forgive some of the clunky writing. It’s also apparently the start of series, which is interesting, but leaves me a bit skeptical. The premise doesn’t really seem to allow for a lot of interesting stories except for more of the same. Dubric is a neat character, but a single castle and the surrounding lands seems a bit small to work as a setting for a series of murder mysteries. But I guess we’ll find out.

Fans of mystery, fantasy, or both will probably enjoy this, provided they aren’t looking for anything genre-breaking or mind-blowing. But it’s a fun read, and if you like both those genres, it’s definitely wroth checking out.

Core Performance

2010-11-18T09:05:00.000-08:00

I picked this one up a while back on Paul's recommendation. I had seen the book in stores for years, but there was something about it that put me off buying it. Which is unfortunate, since it turns out to be a pretty good book.

What's Good

If you're looking for a comprehensive, one-book kind of exercise program, Core Performance delivers. The book contains advice and instruction on warming up, strength training, cardio (or energy system development, in the Core Performance lexicon), explosive power development, and post-workout stretching routines. It's even got a short, but informative nutrition session. There's a very clearly laid out twelve week program to get you started, and advice for what to do once you complete that twelve week program.

So, yeah, there is a lot of information in here.

The program follows a nice, steady progression that is pretty easy to work into. I actually was using it after coming off of a really bad injury (Piriformis Syndrome, which still plauges me), and used the optional three week starter program before jumping into the full program. My wedding and honeymoon stopped me from doing the last week of the program, but overall, it seems pretty solid.

Even if you're not following the program precisely, there's a lot of good ideas and information in here. The movement prep and pre-hab concepts are invaluable for anyone involved in an athletic activity, particular combat sport. A lot of Verstegen's concepts tie in nicely with the material on Kevin Kearns DVDs, and if you're a fan of one, you will find a lot of value in the other.

What's Bad?

While Verstegen insists that you can follow this program with a minimum of equipment, the actual program does not bear that out. In order to complete the program as outlined in the book, you'll need a heart-rate monitor (or a piece of cardio equipment that has one), barbells, dumbbells, a bench, a physioball, a foam roller, some rope...and that's just what I can think of off the top of my head. If you're a member of a well-equipped fitness facility, you'll probably be fine. If you're like me and mostly workout at home or in a martial arts school, you may have a hard time following the program to the letter.

If you have access to a fully-equipped fitness facility, this is a great "one book" for fitness. If you don't, I'd recommended Ross Enamait's Never Gymless instead. It's just as comprehensive, but not nearly as equipment intensive. Still, the movement prep and pre-hab routines make Core Performance a worthwhile purchase in it's own right. Check it out!

Fighter's Mind: Inside the Mental Game

2010-09-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

The Fighter's Mind: Inside the Mental Game by Sam Sheridan

In The Fighter's Mind, Sam Sheridan follows up his previous work by digging into the question of how great fighters think. Where A Fighter's Heart is mostly about Sheridan and his own experiences, The Fighter's Mind is essentially a collection of interviews and talks with various combat athletes and coaches, along with a few less combatively oriented candidates, like ultrarunner David Horton.

I unashamedly love this book. It's great. I say that as someone who believes profoundly in the supreme importance of mental strength in the success of a fighter (or anything else, for that matter), so I'm biased. As a practitioner, the challenge of combat sports has always been as much mental as physical; indeed, the thing that drew me to combat sport (and to Tony Blauer and his research) was my recognition that I needed/wanted to challenge myself mentally as well as physically. A lot of the last decade of my training has involved my own search for ways to strengthen my own mental game, and for wasy to improve the mental strength of those I coach.

For me, this book is a gem. It offers an opportunity to get in the minds of a number of legendary fighters, some of whom I'd never have the opportunity to speak with otherwise (Kru Mark Dellagrotte being a notable exception), and learn a bit about what motivates them. I felt like there was probably something useful I could take away from every chapter. It's one of the few books I've read recently tht I'm likely to re-read SOON, rather than eventually.

If you are a combat athlete, read this book. If you are interested in sports psychology, read this book. If you want some idea of how champions are made, regardless of the sport, read this book. It's worth it.

A History of Warfare

2010-09-11T19:35:00.000-07:00

A History of Warfare by John Keegan

I decided to read this one after listening to a course on Military History from the Teaching Company. I've always had a fondness for military history, and figured that this would expand my knowledge and baseline.

This book turned out to be a bit more than I expected, though not in a bad way. More than just a military history, Keegan's History of Warfare is an attack against the Clausewitzian notion that "war is a continuation of politics by other means". Instead, Keegan argues that war is a cultural phenomenon, and that culture, not politics, is one of the driving forces behind warfare.

The book itself is broken up into five main sections: War in Human History, Stone, Flesh, Iron, and Fire. These are separated by smaller sub-chapters, Limitations on War-making, Fortification, Armies, and Logistics and Supply. In each section, Keegan examines the history of warfare as it relates to a particular technology or development (the Flesh chapter, for example, focuses a great deal on the Steppe nomad cultures).

The scope of this book is, not surprisingly, quite wide. Keegan is trying to cover the history of warfare throughout the globe, which necessitates a superficial look at any particular conflict. Readers interested in an in-depth look at any particular conflict would be better served by looking at something else. On the flip side, this book is intellectually rigorous enough to not quite qualify as "light reading". This book is not a "History Channel" summary of battles and conflicts; Keegan is seeking to illustrate a particular idea, and much of his discussion and writing is focused on that notion. If you're not into military history, or if you are simply looking for a quick and dirty summary of some battles, this book will not serve you well at all.

Personally, I enjoyed the book and found reading it quite valuable. A very brief web search indicates that the book is a source of some controversy among historians, which means nothing except that it was published and some historians read it. Given Keegan's widespread popularity as a writer of military history, I think that anyone interested in the subject would find reading this worthwhile. Even if Keegan's argument does not convince you, the man is influential enough to be worth reading.

A Fighter's Heart: One Man's Journey Through the World of FightingA Fighter's Heart: One Man's Journey Through the World of Fighting

2010-09-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

A Fighter's Heart: One Man's Journey Through the World of Fighting
Sam Sheridan

A Fighter's Heart has spent years on my "I need to read this" shelf without me ever actually reading it. Having finally done so, I'm very glad I did.

A Fighter's Heart is the story of Sam Sheridan's exploration into what it is that makes competitive fighters tick. Along the way, he explores Muay Thai, Boxing, Brazilian Juijitsu, Mixed Martial Arts, and (of all things) Tai Chi. He also explores dog and cock fighting, spends some time in a Buddhist monastery, and does a little bit of stunt fighting work. At each stage, he comes back to the same burning question "why is it that people like doing this stuff, anyway?".

Some of the fun of this book is just the travelogue aspect of it; Sheridan literally travels the world, meeting all kinds of strange and fun people, and his writing style gives the whole book an air of easy conversation. But it also contains some serious introspection into the mind of what drives some people to jump into confined spaces and try to beat each other up for no particularly apparent reason.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was, predictably, the section on dogfighting. While Sheridan does an admirable job of trying to find something good and noble in the activity, I just can't get behind it. Despite his best efforts, I will continue to view people who fight dogs as scum--if they are that invested in testing their gameness, they can get into the ring or on the mat themselves. Having someone (or something) else fight for you by proxy does not prove anything.

While combat athletes will doubtless enjoy this book (and find a lot of themselves in it), those are not the first people I would recommend it to. Instead, I would recommend it to those people who are close to combat athletes, but cannot, for the life of them, make sense of why they do what they do. For those trying to figure it out, Sheridan's book may offer some insight.

Overall, I really enjoy this one. If you have any interest in combat sport, it's worth the read.

Swordspoint

2010-09-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

Swordspoint
Ellen Kushner

I should really like this book.

There's a lot to like about it. Action and adventure. Swordsmen dueling in darkened schools dedicated to their art. Nobles plotting intrigues against each other. A noble seeking to become a swordsman. An man with a hidden past. An opera that no swordsman will watch, because every swordsman who sees it dies in their next duel. Vengeful nobles. Mysterious benefactors, and mysterious women.

Swordspoint is fantasy only in the sense that the story takes place in a world clearly not our own. It takes place in an unnamed, but socially highly stratified, city. That this is not a real city is about all that separates it from just being a period piece; there is no magic, no fantastic creatures, nothing really "fantasy" about it. Not a bad thing, by any means, but it makes it hard to classify.

The story mostly focuses around Richard St. Vier, the greatest swordsman in the city, and his lover, Alec, who is some sort of disgraced noblemen. Herein, perhaps, is the weakness of the story for me. I don't really care for either of the main characters. Looking at the reviews on Amazon shows men that many people feel they're quite brilliant, but I just don't get it.

In a lot of ways, I feel badly. This is well-written book. Kushner crafts a story full of intrigue, populated by well-developed, and at times, unconventional, characters. The very fact that the two main characters are gay lovers sets this book far outside the conventions of the genre.

And yet, for all that it has to recommend it, I just didn't like it. I can't entirely explain why. I wouldn't steer anyone away from it, but I doubt I'd pick it up a second time.

Catching Up

2010-07-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

For a variety of reasons, I've been way, way, behind on my reviews lately. So, while I've tried to avoid doing this on this blog, I'm just going to do a quick catch-up post, and cover a bunch of stuff at once. Hopefully, it will actually work, and get me back on track with this.

Barney Ross

A fascinating look at the life of one of the great Jewish boxers, from a time period when there were a lot of great Jewish boxers. Douglas Century does a fantastic job of exploring Ross's seemingly contradictory life, and presents a very complete picture of a man torn between his upbringing, religion, and personal self. I, of course, am no Barney Ross, but the story of a Jewish boy pursuing a decidedly non-Jewish career resonated with me very strongly. Boxing fans should definitely read this one.

The Core Performance: The Revolutionary Workout Program to Transform Your Body & Your Life

Interesting strength and conditioning book. Program seems solid, if rather equipment-intensive. Am now experimenting with the "preliminary" phase, as I'm coming off a two month injury. Will post about progress.

Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why

Gonzales has some very interesting insights into who survives desperate circumstances, and who doesn't. Gave me a lot to think about in regards to training, mindset, and life in general. While not directly about self-defense, anyone who teaches any kind of survival skill ought to read this (if for no other reason than its extreme popularity). Lots of good info here.

Mastery of Hand Strength

An older book, but a good one. If you have ever wanted stronger hands, for any reason (or no reason at all), there is plenty of good info in here. Aside from a few out-of-date comments (Kettlebells aren't the rare antique Brookfield describes), this one is very solid. Obviously great for combat athletes, martial artists, and other similar folks, but good for just about anyone who works with their hands a lot.

Sharpening the Warrior's Edge

I'm not entirely sold on Siddle's premises about heart-rate and performance, BUT, he does have some good ideas about using scenarios and simulations to train people for high-stress events. Again, folks who deal with survival situations should read this, simply because of it's "classic" nature, but I think some of the assumptions are worth challenging.

Book of Jhereg

2010-05-26T12:05:00.000-07:00

Like so many authors, I’d heard of Steven Brust and his “Vlad Taltos” series for years before actually getting around to reading it. I am very slow about these things. Fortunately, in this case, my friend Jason just showed up and put it in my hand. Since I’m moving in a few days, I felt obliged to finish the book before I left my current abode, and so, here we are.

The particular book that Jason lent me is, in fact, an omnibus of the first three Vlad Taltos novels, Jhereg, Yedni, and Teckla.

There are some common truths to all three novels; they are, on the surface, fantasy novels (though there’s a science fiction veneer behind it all that gets revealed relatively quickly). They all focus on Vlad Taltos, a human living in the Dragaeran Empire, where humans are second-class citizens to the longer-lived and generally more powerful Dragaerans. They all generally involve Vlad, who is a professional assassin and criminal, getting caught up in a larger conspiracy or event of some sort, and dealing with the fallout of that. There are a variety of secondary characters that flit in and out of the series.

All three novels are written in the first person, from Vlad’s point of view. Brust gives Vlad a very unique and memorable voice, and if Vlad’s sarcasm sometimes gets to be a bit much, it is offset by some truly touching moments of honesty. Brust uses Vlad’s voice, and his interaction with the other characters, to carefully reveal the world that he’s built, always giving enough information to make the reader understand what’s happening, without digressing into what amounts to fake history lesson. My only complaint is that I still don’t know what a Yendi or Teckla actually are, though Jo Walton seems to. Not sure how she or other people figured it out.

Interestingly, the novels are not sequential. Jhereg clearly takes place earlier in time than Yendi (which ends up being kind of an “origin story” of sorts), while Teckla follows very shortly behind events of Jhereg. This is all part of Brust’s much larger “plan”, I’m told. All three novels work fine as stand-alone works, however, in keeping with Stackpoles’ Law.

Of the three, I think I enjoyed Jhereg the most. It’s got a nice mixture of tension, intrigue, mystery, and revelation without going overboard on any of them. Yendi was a lot of fun too, though I remember it being “lighter” for no good reason. Probably because of the love story, which would seem less plausible if it hadn’t been foreshadowed in Jhereg. Teckla is very, very, well written, but I had a very hard time reading it. It includes a huge amount of marital stress as an integral part of the plot, and I just don’t handle reading about that stuff very well. That’s totally a personal issue—Brust writes the relationship, and the tension, brilliantly. I just hate reading about it.

Definitely a fantasy series worth reading.

A Secret Atlas (Age of Discovery, Book One)

2010-04-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

A Secret Atlas by Michael A. Stackpole

Many, many years ago, I attended a lecture by Michael Stackpole, in which he advanced a theory that any book in a series should form an essentially self-contained novel, so that one could pick it up, read it, and enjoy it without necessarily having to read the whole thing. (His particular example involved being stuck in an airport with nothing but the second book of various trilogies available to him).

The example stuck with me for a long time, but oddly, I never read any of the man's work itself. Partly that was because he wrote a lot of Battletech and Star Wars fiction, and I never liked the former, and burned out on the latter as a callow teenager. At some point, I stumbled across this one, thought it looked interesting, and, after having it occupy space for a little bit, decided to give it a shot.

The book had me concerned even before I started the story. The dedication is to Senator John McCain, and for a brief moment, I worried that the book was some kind of political screed in disguise (something which sci-fi/fantasy authors are occasionally guilty of...see also, brain-eater). But it was to the Senator, not the presidential candidate, and it was focused mostly on McCain's triumph over horrific circumstances. Like McCain or not, he went through some rough stuff, and I think he deserves admiration for that. So, okay. Moving on.

My concerns deepened when I saw that Stackpole was crediting/referencing the team behind Gavin Menzies's "controversial" book 1421: The Year China Discovered America. By "controversial" I mean that it's largely BS, as near as I've ever been able to determine. But,I told myself, this is a fantasy book, and Stackpole says he's using them as reference for ship dimensions. That shouldn't mess anything up, and besides, this is fantasy. I cannot criticize the historical validity of something set in a made-up world.

On to the book itself.

Stackpole builds an interesting setting, which is an odd mixture of Medieval Italy and Imperial China set in a world recovering from a magical apocalypse. There are a lot of odd, made up words here. I don't know if Stackpole went to the same lengths that Professor Tolkien did in his world building, but he definitely has a lot of words here. Sometimes, they get a bit confusing, but for the most part, they're manageable.

The story itself follows a number of different characters, but primarily revolves around Jorim and Keles Anturasi, grandsons of Qiro Anturasi, the chief cartographer of the particular kingdom in which they live. Their family skill at cartography is what has enabled the kingdom they live in to rise to prominence, and they are considered extremely valuable by the Prince of that particular realm. Through a series of intrigues, Jorim and Keles end up being tasked with two different exploratory missions. Jorim sails west to look for a route around the world (sound familiar?), while Keles is sent to explore the post-apocalyptic wasteland to the north. A number of other sundry characters get tangled up along the way. And there are intrigues in the capital city back home.

There's some really interesting stuff in here; the jaedunto, for example, are those who are so skilled as to effectively be doing magic with their craft (this is Kung Fu in it's more literal sense, as opposed to what most of us here in the States think of as Kung Fu). The characters, for the most part, are engaging, particularly the two brothers. I found some of the courtly stuff actually a bit dull, but there you go. There SEEMS to be an evolving plot about the power of people to define their world, and how the role of mapmakers plays into that, but I haven't gotten far enough to know if that's the case.

On the downside, there's some problems. There are a LOT of weird names, and I had trouble keeping track of all of the places, players, and characters. Worse, there were a few characters I just didn't care about, including one whose rather gruesome murder seems completely out of left field, and rather pointless. I suppose I should have felt sympathy for the character, but I just never clicked with her, and then she was dead. It seemed like gruesome violence for gruesome violence's sake, as though the book didn't have enough Hannibal Lector, and was running out of time.

Problems aside, however, I did enjoy this book. So much that I ignored some of my other current readings just to finish it. And I want to read the next one. So that's a good sign.

And, no, it's not one complete story. I mean, I could stop reading here, but I wouldn't feel like things really resolved. So either Stackpole has revised that rule, or he's given it up. It's okay. I like the book anyway.

Facing Ali: 15 Fighters / 15 Stories

2010-04-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

Facing Ali: 15 Fighters / 15 Stories
Stephen Brunt

What would it have been like to stand across the ring from one of the greatest fighters of the twentieth century? How does fighting a legend change or influence a person? Those questions are at the heart of Brunt's Facing Ali, which traces Ali's career not through the man himself, but through the men he fought.

Brunt begins chronologically, starting with Ali's first professional opponent, and moving through until he comes to Larry Holmes, the man who beat Ali in Ali's final night in the ring.

Each man gets a chapter all to himself, in which Brunt recounts the interviews he's conducted, along with providing some background on the men before the faced Ali, and their fate afterward. His writing is casual, but engaging, and he does a wonderful job of bringing the men he's interviewing to life.

While all of Ali's big name opponents are featured here, I actually found the stories of the lesser known men more fascinating in some ways. While Brunt does have some good things to say about Foreman, Fraizer, Holmes, and Ken Norton, it was the lives of men like Tunney Hunsaker (who spent most of his life as well-respected small town sheriff), or Jurgen Blin (a German boxer, who fought Ali when Ali couldn't fight in the states). These are the stories of men who were caught in the wake of a legend, who brushed with him, but are somehow forgotten when the legend itself is told.

Fans of any combat sport, particularly boxing, ought to pick this one up, as should anyone who's just interested in the legendarium that grows up around our modern athletes.

(Like this review? Visit my Amazon store and pick up a copy, or any number of other titles I've reviewed and recommended.

Tolkien Reading Day

2010-03-25T14:29:00.000-07:00

Unbeknownst to me, today apparently is Tolkein Reading Day. It's only thanks to the Cimmerian that I'm aware of this.

Through no particular planning of my own, I'm wrapping up listening to the Hobbit again. It's always a fun and interesting listen or read. While the Lord of the Rings is arguably a more "mature" work (it is certainly much more developed), the Hobbit is filled with a lot of wonderful and thought-provoking moments as well.

Also, Rob Ingles is a wonderful narrator. Just sayin'.

The Books of the South: Tales of the Black Company

2010-03-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

The Books of the South: Tales of the Black Company
Glen Cook
Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (June 10, 2008)

The Books of the South is an omnibus that collects three books in the Glen Cook's Black Company Series. The first two books, Shadow Games and Dreams of Steel, deal with the company's journey south after the events of the White Rose. The last book, the Silver Spike, deals with the titular object, and events surrounding it's fate.

Shadow Games picks up shortly after the end of the White Rose, with Croaker now in charge of the remnants of the Black Company. He's decided to march them south to the city of Khatovar, which is where the Company supposedly originated. Of course, the book would be pretty boring if they just got home fine, so there's a lot of complications, mostly courtesy of the Shadowmasters, a new group of antagonists who have a problem with the Black Company...

Like previous books in the series, the narration jumps around in perspective and person; Croaker narrates the portions he participates in directly, while other chapters switch to the third-person narrative. It's a little jarring at first, but Cook's writing is engaging and consistent enough in tone that it's easy to get absorbed in pretty quickly. Despite not having revisited the Black Company series in a few years, I was able to get caught back up pretty quickly, which was nice.
Nothing is worse than jumping into a new book and realizing you need to re-read three other ones just to know what's going on (GRRM, I'm looking at you).

While Shadow Games is fun and engaging, the plot of it is glacially slow. Really. The whole book is set up for Dreams of Steel, which isn't much of a problem when you've got a collection, but I can't imagine how frustrating this would have been to read by itself. I found myself constantly checking the page count, wondering how much I had left, and when something was actuallygoing to happen. Fortunately, I was able to just jump right into Dreams of Steel .

While the plot of Shadow Games is almost all set up, Dreams of Steel is a plot in motion. The first-person narration duties get shifted to another character (for reasons I won't get into), and the plots that were set up in Shadow Games start crashing forward at a rapid pace. There's a lot more twists, turns, and double crosses, but it's all very, very engaging.

It also does not resolve itself at ALL.

Which leads me to my big complaint about this collection.

Many, many years ago, I attended a writing lecture by Michael Stackpole (an author I still have yet to read, oddly). In it, Stackpole said that his worst nightmare was to be stuck in an airport where the airport bookstore was stocked only with the second book in a trilogy. His reasoning was that most authors tend to write the middle book of a trilogy as a cliffhanger, which makes it totally unreadable on it's own.

This is precisely the problem with the Books of the South. Or rather, it's the problem with two-thirds of the Books of the South; they set up a very interesting story and scenario, but don't end it. Frankly, it doesn't even give you an acceptable stopping point. Now, my beloved JRR Tolkien does the same thing in the Two Towers, but that doesn't make it right.

The third book, the Silver Spike, is actually a self-contained story, but has very little to do with the previous two books. It moves back up north to revisit Darling, Raven, and a few other characters who were left out of the Books of the South. It's a well-written novel, and I enjoyed it, but I also found myself wondering why I cared about this story when stuff down south hadn't resolved. I thought maybe things would all tie together at the end, but no such luck. If there is a tie-in, it happens in a later book.

So is this collection worth it? If you read the first Black Company Series. , and want more military fantasy action, yes. If you DIDN'T read the first trilogy, start with that before moving on to this one. Reading this the collection alone will just give you a headache.

(Like this review? Visit my Amazon store and pick up a copy, or any number of other titles I've reviewed and recommended.)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2010-02-28T18:33:00.000-08:00

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) (Hardcover)
by J. K. Rowling (Author), Mary GrandPré (Illustrator)
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books; 1st edition (July 21, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0545010225

What’s more frightening than “You-know-who”? How about trying to write a review of the last installment of Harry Potter?

I always get a bit nervous at the thought of voicing my opinions on anything Harry Potter. After all, Harry inspires some pretty strong (and crazy) emotions. Say the wrong thing, and legions of rabid fans could descend on you, screaming latin-esque words and poking at you with sticks.

But I dawdle.

Ending a story is no easy task; anyone who has read or watching any of JMS’s works knows exactly how difficult it is to end a story. And the larger and grander the story, the harder it is to end. Capping off a story about a man going to the grocery story is relatively simple. Capping off a story about The Boy Who Lived, which has captured millions of readers around the world…well, that’s a bit more difficult. So I went into this book with a certain amount of trepidation. Would Rowling be able to succeed where so many writers fail? Would she, at the last possible instant, cave into the fever that seems to have gripped Robert Jordan and other fantasy authors, writing book after book without end? Or would she tie everything up in a satisfying, reasonable, and authentic fashion.

Without spoilers: I think Rowling did do a good job of wrapping up her story. The themes of the Harry Potter series finally come to the forefront, and she manages to tie up many of the lose ends, and answer many questions that have plagued reader’s throughout the series. When you finally reach the end of the book, there are no unanswered questions, and if Harry’s ultimate fate is doubtless not to everyone’s tastes, it is, I think, a very reasonable conclusion to the character’s story.

Of course, getting there is half the fun, and in this book’s case, I believe that statement can be taken literally. The first half of the book has some excellent moments, but there are certain story elements that go on a bit too long, and the really excellent parts of the book get somewhat short-changed at the end. It’s only in the second half that the pace really picks up, but once you break past that second half, it’s very difficult to stop (believe me, I tried).

If you are fan of Harry Potter, there is no reason not to read this book. It’s the end, and it’s a worthy one.

If you’re not a fan—well, you probably have your reasons. Personally, I was a skeptic, but, to borrow a line from my favorite fantasy author, I’m glad to have followed Harry, here, to the end of all things.

This book has two halves: the Harry as adventurer half, and the Harry back at Hogwarts half. The second half is much better. Which is not surprising to me—I’ve always felt that Rowling writes Hogwarts better than anything else in her universe, with a few other significant magical locations running a close second. The adventuring half could have been ok, but it just goes on too long, and too not enough purpose. It eventually starts to feel like a very bad Lord of the Rings knock-off, especially when Ron loses it because he’s been carrying a Horcrux for too long. That, honestly, I thought was the worst moment in the book—not only does it feel far too much like the Frodo/Sam/Gollum conflict (and not in a good way), but it ends with these statements of grand finality “Something broke between them” that is repaired a few chapters later. If that really had been the end of Ron and Harry’s friendship, that would have been interesting…but it wasn’t. And would be surprised to learn anyone really thought it would be.

The events back at Hogwarts are a lot more compelling and interesting, and I wish Rowling had spent more time there. The battle of Hogwarts is fantastic, and some of the final confrontations are done very well. I enjoyed the showdown with Voldemort, and was happy to see that Neville gets his due (though in doing so, he makes the entire plot about stealing/losing Gryffindor’s sword completely irrelevant). It was nice to see Mrs. Weasley get her due (and, indeed, ties into my martial theories about the Potter-verse, but I’ll save that for another day). Snape, I thought, got one of the best deaths, going out with a plot and plan that works well.

The one character that I feel really gets the shaft in all of this (and this will sound strange) is Draco Malfoy. After being Harry’s foil and nemesis for the first three or four books, he slowly fades into the background until he’s just irrelevant by the end (except for being the victim of some rules-lawyering on Harry’s part). Sure, he gets a brief appearance in during the final scenes of the book, but he just ceases to be anything interesting or worthwhile at some point, and it’s a wasted opportunity. I would have loved to see him either a)recognize the evil of his actions and turn around, or b)just give in to evil completely. I guess there’s something in his character about the nature of cowardice, and how many people will side with evil simply because they’re afraid to do otherwise, or about the nature of bullies, and how they’re really cowards at heart, but ultimately, I think his final fate is kind of a let-down.

Speaking of final fates: I have really, really mixed feelings about the epilogue. On the one hand, I like the EVENTS themselves—I like the fact that Harry isn’t a professor at Hogwarts, or the head of the ministry of magic, or anything like that. He’s just a guy with some kids, and while he’s famous, he’s just living a seemingly relatively normal life. I like that. I was slightly surprised that Teddy Lupin doesn’t already live with Harry…I could have easily seen Harry adopting the orphaned boy of Lupin and Tonks. Of course, as I write this, I also realize how odd the timeline of everything is…why is Teddy still going to Hogwarts nineteen years later? Now I’m just confused.

Which, in a way, brings me to the problem I have with the epilogue: while the events are ok, and I really enjoy Harry giving Snape a bit of posthumous respect, the writing in that section is clunky at best. It almost feels like Rowling tacked it on to avoid the endless questions about who ends up marrying whom, rather than because her heart was really into it. I don’t know.

I am, however, grateful for one thing: thanks to E, I saw several “alternate endings” written by people, based on the (faulty) information that the last word of the book was “scar.” In many of those endings, Harry’s scar disappears with Voldemort’s death. I’m very, very, glad that didn’t happen. Having it vanish would trivialize the whole story. Even in a world of magic, the scars of childhood should not be so easily erased.

The Onion Picker

2010-02-28T18:27:00.000-08:00

The Onion Picker: Carmen Basilio and Boxing in the 1950s

by Gary B. Youmans
Publisher: Campbell Road Press North (August 30, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0815681755

I came across this book rather randomly, which is to say that it was a surprise Channukah present from my father. My first boxing coach had been a student of Basilio’s, and while I had heard a few stories about Basilio from him, I didn’t really know that much about him. This book seemed like a cool way to learn something—besides, it was autographed by the man himself, which makes any book cooler (well, potentially cooler, anyway).

The book primarily focuses on Basilio’s life, from his childhood growing up in Canastota, NY, through his boxing career until his two championship bouts with Sugar Ray Robinson. At times, the book drifts away from Basilio into a more general discussion of 1950s boxing culture, and the corruption that was rampant during that era (not that modern boxing is filled with paragons of virtue, mind you). “Drifts” is probably an inappropriate term, since the chapters are very clearly and cleanly broken up by subject. Youmans also devotes a few chapters to Sugar Ray Robinson, the man that Basilio would ultimately seek to dethrone.

Youmans’ writing style itself is nice: clear, fluid, and appropriately vivid. Where the book suffers in from Youmans’ use of quotations. Large chunks of some of the chapters (in one case, an entire chapter) are composed of nothing but quotes with names appended, usually the following format.

Jake, amateur book reviewer: Gary, what the hell is this quote doing here? Didn’t you learn how to properly integrate quotes into a text at some point in your life? Wait…I think I’ve answered my own question.

Needless to say, this is an incredibly frustrating, especially when it isn’t clear if the quotes that Youmans’ is using are contemporary to the time period he’s writing about, or the modern day. Some of them are interesting, entertaining, or insightful, but they feel as though they were tacked on in a fashion reminiscent of a student trying to pad out a term paper. As a result, the book ends up feeling like it’s got more fluff than substance, which is unfortunate, because it seems like Youmans’ has a lot more information to present than he ends up putting forward.

Still, I can’t deny that I enjoyed the book, in a fluffy sort of way. Youmans’ does a good job of capturing some of the spirit of Basilio, and giving the reader a good overview of the whole culture and spirit of boxing at the time. If nothing else, it got me interested enough to want to learn some more about a sport that has sadly dwindled in the past several decades, in no small part because of the loss of men like Basilio.

Armor

2010-02-28T18:25:00.000-08:00

Armor
by John Steakley
Publisher: DAW (December 4, 1984)
ISBN-10: 0886773687

Armor is one of those novels that I saw sitting around bookstores for years, and always thought it look vaguely interesting (in the way that I think any book with a picture of a guy in a giant suit of power armor on the cover looks vaguely interesting), but was never necessarily inspired to. Eventually, as time went on, I heard from various sources that it was good, and was finally inspired to pick it up after Poe Ghostal reviewed it on his own site. As with so many books I buy, it took me a while to get around to reading it (my reading pace has slowed a lot lately), but I finally did manage to finish it off over the course of several lunch breaks.

If you’ve ever read Starship Troopers, you’re fairly familiar with basic setup of Armor; sometime in the distant future, mankind has achieved space travel, found alien life, and it’s bugs. Big, nasty bugs that want to kill us. Or maybe we want to kill them. Either way, it’s war, and that war is being fought by men in giant suits of powered armor and armed to the teeth with weapons of various degrees of lethality. I’d tell you more than that, but Steakley doesn’t spend very much time fleshing out the universe beyond what is immediately relevant to the plot, and for the first third of the book, that’s about all that you need to know.

The book begins with a focus on Felix, a soldier in man’s war with the ants who, due to a series of bureaucratic snafus, is sent on mission after mission without appropriate recovery time. He continues to survive and fight, partially thanks to The Engine, a sort of separate personality/psychological state that empowers him to keep fighting, even when on some level, he’s given up all hope of survival. This is the portion of the book that is perhaps most like Starship Troopers, but there is less of a focus on the philosophy, and more of a focus on the psychology and the action. This one of the places where Steakley really shines; he writes actions scenes amazingly well, providing just enough detail to give the reader a clear picture of what’s happening without providing so much that it bogs down into a blow-by-blow account. The action is vivid, engaging, and intense—exactly what it should be in a book so focused on combat.

The second third of the book is a radical scene shift: the story changes to follow Jack Crow, a bad-ass space pirate with a flair for kicking ass and picking up women. Jack has been freed from prison by a pirate lord, and then sent to the planet Sanction, where he is supposed to do…stuff. I won’t get into the whole plot, since that’s part of the point of the book.

The two halves of the story do eventually intersect in the final third of the book, but I have to admit, I found it a little clumsy. While I enjoy the Jack Crow portions of the novel, they feel almost unnecessarily tacked on, as though Steakley felt like he needed to break up Felix’s story with some other event for some reason. Likewise, the conclusion to Felix’s story arc contains some events that I found a little bit random and confusing. It actually took a couple of read throughs, and I’m still not entirely convinced I got it right.

Despite some of the weaknesses in the plot, however, Armor is still a fun read. The action is intense, the pacing is generally strong, and there’s enough interesting psychology among some of the primary characters to give you at least a little something to think about when you’re done. Sci-fi fans, particularly military sci-fi fans, should give it a look.

Fragile Things

2010-02-28T18:21:00.000-08:00

Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders
Neil Gaiman
Publisher: William Morrow (September 26, 2006)
ISBN-10: 0060515228

Continuing in my quest to work through a book by each of my favorite authors, I moved on to Fragile Things, the latest collection of short stories from Neil Gaiman. While there are a few older works of Gaiman’s I haven’t gotten around to reading, I figured this one was new and fresh, and so I should give it a shot. I’ve also been wanting to do some short story writing of my own, and figured this would be a good way to explore that particular medium a bit more.

Technically, Fragile Things is actually a collection of several short stories, some poetry, and one novella. By and large, these stories are unconnected to anything else that Gaiman has written, except for the novella, which takes place after the events depicted in American Gods, and which follows the further (mis?)adventures of Shadow after he leaves the US.

I started out trying to do a story by story review of this book, but I realized halfway through that it wasn’t going to work. There are too many stories (and I was skipping the poems), and much of what I was saying about them ended up being too similar. A lot of these stories are similar in tone and theme—which is to say that they are “weird tales”, some of which have a purpose and point, and many of which just seem like they are good stories. Which are, of course, my favorite kind. A few of the highlights include:

“A Study in Emerald”—Neil Gaiman writes a mash up of Sherlock Holmes and H.P. Lovecraft; not being familiar with the source material for either (no, I’ve never read any Lovecraft…he’s on my list), I’m hard pressed to say how “faithful” he is to either source, but damn if it isn’t an entertaining and creepy read.

“October in the Chair”—The frame story, about the months of the year getting together to tell each other stories is neat; the actual story that October tells is sometimes warm, sometimes cold, gradually creepy, a little bit happy and a little bit sad. It’s a very October story, in other words.

“Other People”—A very scary version of hell, and a very poignant story about the pain of confronting one’s personal demons.

“The Facts in the Case of the Disappearance of Miss Finch”—A lot of very nice imagery in this one.

“The Problem of Susan”—Gaiman’s attempt to address the most problematic character in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia: Susan, the girl who chooses to grow up, and is apparently punished for it. I know her very existence and fate in the novels pisses a lot of people off, though I never quite felt the outrage. I suspect that’s partially a result of having only read the first novel when I was a kid, and partially a result of not at all understanding that the novel’s were allegory for anything (the odd advantages of being a Jewish child reading a Christian allegory). In any case, Gaiman’s story works very well, I think.

“Pages From A Journal Found In A Shoebox Left In A Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between Tulsa, Oklahoma And Louisville, Kentucky”—I really enjoyed this story, which sort of reminded me of Griffin and Sabine. Other than that, I couldn’t quite tell you why.

“How To Talk To Girls At Parties”—While this story contains little useful for a shy bachelor, it does contain a very weird and creepy party.

“Sunbird”—The story itself is fun and enjoyable. The background behind it is even better (it was written as a birthday present for Gaiman’s younger daughter).

“The Monarch of the Glen”—The follow-up novella to American Gods (not be confused with Anansi Boys, which is a novel set in the same universe), sends Shadow to

Scotland

to provide security for a very posh party. Not surprisingly, the party is not all that it seems, and Shadow’s role in the events is as something much greater than that of being a security guard.

Overall, this is a fun collection. In many of the stories, Gaiman is apparently going for a Ray Bradbury/Harlan Ellison type of feeling, but I’m sadly not familiar enough with either author to say if he succeeded. Regardless of whether or not he did, the stories he crafts are all fun, exciting, and extremely engaging. It’s a hard book to put down.

Island of Doctor Moreau

2010-02-28T18:18:00.000-08:00

Island of Doctor Moreau
H.G. Wells
Publisher: Barnes and Noble
ISBN: 0-7607-5584-1

For many years now, H.G. Wells’ Time Machine has been one of my all-time favorite books. Despite this, I had never actually gotten around to reading anything else written by him. I tried the Food of the Gods once as a teenager, but for reasons I can’t remember, couldn’t quite get into it. I was lamenting this when I reviewed the Time Machine recently, and Jeff suggested that I check out this book as my next Wells novel. It was a good suggestion.

The Island of Doctor Moreau tells the story of a sailor who, rescued after the destruction of his ship, ultimately ends up on an island inhabited by the titular Doctor, his servant Montgomery, and a large number of animals who have been “uplifted” via the Doctor’s vivisection techniques. Of course, raising animals to human levels of intelligence is fraught with problems, and things go wrong rather quickly. It’s a story that has been replicated all over the place, but I can’t fault Wells for establishing a cliché any more than I can fault Tolkien for the bad knock-offs of his work. Indeed, part of the reason that I think this book holds up so well is that, while the actual science behind it is a bit dated, the basic concept is something that still seems plausible in modern society. A modern day Wells would replaced vivisection with DNA re-sequencing, but the idea of manipulating animals to make them more intelligent is still one that constantly floats around science fiction (David Brin’s Uplift series, for example).

I really enjoy Wells’ writing style; like the Time Machine, the Island of Doctor Moreau is presented as the diary of the man in question. Unlike the Time Machine, the main character, Mr. Prendick, actually gets a name, and has the added advantage of being able to talk to the other characters in the book. Indeed, the fact that he CAN talk to some of the other characters is precisely the source of his, and the readers, discomfort. Wells does an amazing job of making the beastmen incredibly creepy and disturbing. Most of the humans aren’t much better. Wells’ writing is very tight and well-paced; there’s no wasted words or space here, something that I can’t help but appreciate in an era of multi-thousand page epics.

Fans of horror, science fiction, or just good writing really ought to check this one out.

Rocannon's World

2010-02-28T18:16:00.000-08:00

Rocannon’s World
World’s of Exile and Illusion
Ursula K LeGuin
Publisher: Orb Books; Reprint edition (October 15, 1996)
ISBN: 0312862113

This is actually reprinted in a collection called World’s of Exile and Illusion, which collects three of LeGuin’s earlier works into a single book. I haven’t gotten around to reading the other two yet, and since I’m not sure when I’ll get back to it, I figured I’d just review this one now. The publishing info/ISBN is for the collection.

All three books are part of LeGuin’s ongoing “Hanish” universe. The conceit of the universe is pretty simple; long ago, there was an enormous interstellar human empire (Hain), which collapsed (as empires are wont to do). Thousands of years later, the Hanish people are rediscovering their universe, and the lost colonies that have survived without them…some in very odd and interesting ways.

The Basics: Rocannon’s World is really a story in two parts. The prologue, which was originally published as “Semley's Necklace”, is a fairy tale with sci-fi trappings. It tells the story of the princess Semley, who goes on a quest to find her ancestral necklace. Her journey takes her to strange lands, and eventually into the kingdom of the Claymen, cave dwelling humanoids with fantastic technology. After much negotiation, they agree to take her to where the necklace is, and she is transported to a strange place, where she meets a man named Rocannon, who gives her the necklace, and sends her home. Though the journey lasts only a night, she returns to find that eight years have passed, and that her husband has since passed away.

The rest of the book picks up years later, with the story of Rocannon himself, who is now living on that world, doing research on the people who live there. When a group of men with helicopters and other advanced weaponry begin destroying local villages, Rocannon sets out with some companions to try and stop them. Like the prologue, it’s a fantasy epic shrouded in sci-fi trappings (or perhaps the other way around). Rocannon’s technology makes him more powerful than mortal men, he encounters violent men, strange creatures, and has all sorts of adventures before finally reaching his destination.

The Good: As stated earlier, I love LeGuin’s prose. It’s just gorgeous. Very simple, but it flows beautifully. This is the sort of story you can just glide through, enjoying every minute of it, and not realizing just how many minutes it’s really been.

LeGuin is a great world builder, and while Rocannon’s World isn’t her most unique creation, she still does a marvelous job of filling in the details in a believable way. And there are a few surprising twists about the world, especially regarding the nature of the “fourth sentient race” that is hinted at from the prologue on…

Rocannon himself is an interesting character—he’s an anthropologist and scientist who has had a fight thrust on him, and is not entirely glad about it. He definitely fills the “reluctant hero” role, but he does it well. The supporting characters are all equally interesting.

The Bad: I wasn’t bothered by this, but Rocannon’s World really is a fantasy novel with some sci-fi trappings. This might bother some readers.

The ending is a little vague; not awful, certainly not JMS level of disappointing, but definitely vague. Could have been better.

The Ugly: Meh. I got nothing.

Overall, it was a good read. It’s particularly impressive when you consider that this was one of LeGuin’s early offerings—her later stuff is even better.

Songs of Earth and Power

2010-02-28T18:14:00.000-08:00

Title: Songs of Earth and Power
Author: Greg Bear
Publisher: Tor Fantasy
ISBN: 0812536037

I was lent this book by my assistant manager, a generally wonderful human being who responded to my complaints about having packed up all my books before moving by lending me this, and several other things as well. I started with this because it’s out of print, belonged to her son, and frankly,looked the most interesting.

According to Amazon, this was originally actually two separate books, which Bear re-wrote and connected to make one large story. He did a fine job of joining them, since honestly, if I hadn’t looked at Amazon, I would never have known. Songs of Earth and Power tells the story of Michael Perrin, a sixteen year old boy who, thanks to a gift from a dead friend/mentor, wanders into the Realm of the Sidhe, and finds himself caught up the struggles and politics of a foreign world. He spends a fair amount of time traveling and learning about the Sidhe, their Realm, and their magic, before eventually making his way back to LA…at which point, things from the other side start spilling over too.

It’s a very interesting book, with some neat ideas, and a very, very, interesting setting The whole structure of the Realm, the nature of the Sidhe and how they interact with humanity, and so on, is thought out and explicated in a way that makes them seem very odd, alien, and well, fantastic.Which is cool. This is not a knock off of Tolkien, Narnia, or any other fantasy world, and seems to have a lot of roots in authentic mythologies, in feeling,if not in actual fact. I found the character’s not quite as engaging as the world, however…Michael is interesting, and is not horrifically angsty for a teenage protagonist (though he does have his moments), but a lot of the other characters are less memorable. As I think of it, the only one’s that really stick out are Nikolai, a Russian fisherman who shows up halfway through the story, and the Crane Women, who are a set of three half-Sidhe crones that train and mentor Michael.

The book is out of print now, but it’s definitely worth tracking down a copy if you’re a fantasy fan. Bear has some really neat ideas,and plays them out in some very interesting ways. The book drags a little in the middle while Michael stops for a training sequence, but once he gets moving, the book picks back up again too.

Worth the read.

Time Machine

2010-02-28T18:07:00.000-08:00

I have no recollection of how I stumbled across the Tantor Media website, or how I discovered that they were giving away free audiobooks if you filled out a free survey. But I did, and they are, so I filled out the free survey. I was expctegin a download in return, so imagine my surprise when I actually received a package in the mail, complete with a copy of H.G. Wells Time Machine on four CDs. I was thrilled!

Having now had a chance to actually sit down and listen to it, I'm even more thrilled. Scott Brick's reading of H.G. Wells classic story is a solid one. Either he's British, or he does a passable British accent, but either way, the accent does help the story. I think it also helps that the book is written as a narative, which translates to an audio format very well. If you close your eyes, you might almost imagine that you are sitting in a proper British study, listening to your friend discourse on his travels through time (you might also crash your car, so don't do that unless you're at a stoplight or something).

I've written before about my love of the Time Machine before, and won't repeat myself here. But if you like audiobooks, this one is definitely worth checking out. I'll probably be looking into Tantor's materials more in the future.

On Boxing

2010-02-28T17:53:00.000-08:00

On Boxing by Joyce Carol Oates

If it seems to you that my reading of this book is slightly random, you're only partially right.

I know very little about Joyce Carol Oates as an author. Truth be told, I never really bothered to learn much about her or her writing. Not for any good reason, mind you. She just struck me as a writer of the sort of fiction that is no doubt well written, but does not necessarily capture my interest. I have a peculiar bias against bestsellers which has occasionally steered me past some good writing, and occasionally, saved me from utter drek.

But I love boxing. I really do. I think it's a fascinating, exciting, and amazing sport. MMA is the current combat sport de jour, and I enjoy it, but there is something I find just as enjoyable about a good boxing match. Ms. Oates apparently enjoys boxing too.

On Boxing is a collection of essays in which Oates explores her fascination with the sport of boxing, something apparently inherited from her father. It's a very interesting book, and in some cases, a very insightful one. Although Oates has never set foot in a boxing ring, she's clearly observed enough of the sport to have a very strong sense of it.

As boxing books go, this is definitely a more intellectual look at the sport; there is little technical material in here, and some of Oates deeper philosophical thoughts may come across as overblown to some readers. Personally, I think Oates gets a lot of things right, and offers some really fascinating insights into the sport. Honestly, the population I'd be most likely to recommend it to would be my many intellectual friends who have trouble understanding my own enjoyment of combat sport. The more intellectual combat athlete will probably enjoy this one too. Good stuff.

Aikido, The Dynamic Sphere, and Me

2010-02-11T13:59:00.000-08:00

During one of my recent visits back to my parents house, I stumbled across my copy of Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere. I had memories of it being a good book, and figured that I could always use more material for my Examiner column, so I grabbed it and started flipping through it. As it turned out, I still think it's a good book.

What was also interesting to me, however, was the various notes and ideas I had jotted in the margins of the book. There's a lot of me trying to draw connections between the philosophy of Aikido (as Westbrook outlines it) and the Personal Defense Readiness program concepts and ideas (as I understood them at the time). In some places, there's actually a fair amount of overlap; in others, there's some pretty big disparities.

I'm reminded of how much my Aikido experiences really shaped, and continue to shape, my own perceptions of martial arts training. Many of the physical skills I value, like footwork, distancing, timing, and proper body placement are all integral to Aikido (at least, in theory). My belief that a small, well understood toolbox is more useful than a large, poorly understood toolbox began in Aikido too. Aikido gets a rap as being a pretty worthless martial art for learning how to actually fight, but it's got some intriguingly useful ideas buried in it. Actually, they're not really buried. They're right on the surface.

In some ways, I really regret the fact that Aikido turned out to be a poor environment for me to explore in. I have no idea where I might have taken those explorations, but there was something exciting about playing with a conceptual framework and trying to make sense of it in a variety of contexts. I tried experimenting occasionally, especially at Brandeis, where I was the guy in charge half of the time, but it never quite worked. No one wanted to explore. They just wanted the standard, cookie cutter Aikido program.

Was the fault with them, for not wanting to change? Or with me, for trying to make it happen?

In the end, I left Aikido, for a whole variety of reasons, but the biggest was just the sense that I was being stifled. I didn't have room to grow.

It's an experience I don't ever want to repeat. Nor is it one I want to foster on my own students. So for those students of mine who are reading this, listen carefully: you are in control of your own martial journey. No one else. Explore, experiment, grow. Learn whatever you can, from wherever you can. At the end of the day, it's your journey, not mine.

Conan and the Emerald Lotus

2010-02-03T15:00:00.000-08:00

Conan and the Emerald Lotus by John C. Hocking

I have, up until now, avoided the various Conan pastiche novels, whose number and poor quality are both as legendary as the mighty thewed barbarian himself. I have a very long list of good books I'd like to read, and it seemed silly to waste time trying to read bad ones along the way. But when Poe Ghostal lent me what is (at least, according him) one of the better quality pastiches, I figured I might as well give it a shot.

I have to say, if this is the best that the pastiches have to offer, I'll pass on the rest of them.

Which is not to say that this book is awful. I was able to FINISH it, which puts it ahead of several other books. It's just not...well, it's not Howard. It tries, and makes a valiant effort, but in the end, it just doesn't quite cut it.

Conan and the Emerald Lotus uses a lot of classic Conan tropes. There's an evil sorcerer (and a not so evil one). Conan is blackmailed into a quest. There are bandits. A monster. And a beautiful woman or two.

Yet somehow, it doesn't quite hang together for me. Part of it was some of the plot elements, like the fact that the big bad is basically a drug dealer peddling magic-enhancing cocaine. Some of it was Hocking's habit of ending every chapter as a cliffhanger, which reminded me less of REH, and more of the Da Vinci Code (a truly awful book). Part of the problem, I think, is that it seemed to me that Hocking was more interested in his own characters than he was in Conan himself. And hey, the rocking adventures of Heng Shih the mute Khitian could be fun. But I didn't want his adventures, I wanted Conan's.

This is not, lest I get carried away here, a terrible book. If you want fun sword-and-sorcery style adventure, you could do a lot worse. But you could do a lot better too.

Accountability

2010-01-29T14:00:00.000-08:00

In an effort to get myself posting on this thing a little more, I'm going to make a list of the books on my review table. Maybe that will help get me going a bit...

So, to review

Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere: An Illustrated Introduction
Conan and the Emerald Lotus
Living the Martial Way : A Manual for the Way a Modern Warrior Should Think
Mastery of Hand Strength
Northlanders Vol. 2: The Cross + The Hammer
Sharpening the Warrior's Edge

Some of those belong on both blogs, some just on one. Either way, I need to get to it.

Kull: Exile of Atlantis

2010-01-29T13:55:00.000-08:00

Kull: Exile of Atlantis
Robert E. Howard

I have not forgotten about this blog, I've just been really behind on my reviews. I'll do my best to catch up. Really, I should just start posting on this thing more, but with another blog and an examiner column going, among other things, it's tough to stay on top of it all.

In fairness to myself, part of the delay on this one was that I wanted to be able to find something interesting to say about these stories beyond "they're really good" and "I liked them". I'm not sure I've come up with anything better than that, but here goes.

For those who don't know: Kull was a character created by Robert E Howard prior to his creation of his better known Conan. In many ways, Kull is a bit of a proto-Conan: a barbarian who eventually becomes king of the most powerful civilized nation of his time (an interesting side note-in the Kull stories, Atlantis is the barbarian land, NOT the height of civilization. That presumably happens later).

Unlike Conan, whose adventures we see over the course of his life, all of Kull's adventures take place after he has become king. And he has some very strange and unusual adventures, battling with shape-shifting serpent men, murderous conspiracies, wizards, and the living embodiment of silence. Seriously. The living embodiment of silence. I told you some of them were weird.

Readers expecting mindless hack-and-slash fantasy (or worse, a character resembling Kevin Sorbo) will be disappointed. Kull is actually a very philosophical character, given as much to thinking about the nature of his foes as he is hacking them to bits. There is more depth in these stories (and, indeed, in all of REH's work) than the stereotype would hold. That is not a bad thing, by any means. Quite the opposite. These stories are engaging and thoughtful in a way that few would expect by glancing at the cover.

Fans of REH, or of Conan, would be well advised to pick up this book. Kull is much more than a prototype--he's a carefully crafted, fully realized character who stands well on his own.

Amazon Store Update

2009-12-21T12:44:00.000-08:00

Made some massive changes to my Amazon store the other day. Will continue to try and update it as the reviews keep on rolling.

I've done my best to populate it only with books I've actually read and think are worth buying. Many of them I've reviewed here. If I haven't, feel free to ask me about them.

If a review I write inspires you to buy a book, and you buy through Amazon, please, buy it through my store. If you buy from other sources, then, hey, more power to you.

More reviews on their way soon.

The Last Kingdom

2009-12-17T14:11:00.000-08:00

I don't remember exactly when my father passed The Last Kingdom on to me. It may have been in one of my more recent trips home, or it may have been a while ago. I'm not really sure. I know that he had previously gotten me hooked on Cornwell's Grail Quest trilogy, so I figured that this one was worth a shot. Of course, I didn't know it was also part of a trilogy until I started reading it. Oh well. To late for recriminations now.

The Last Kingdom tells the tale of the Danish invasion of Britain and the rise of King Alfred the Great, through the eyes of Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Uhtred, the son of a minor duke, is only ten years old when the Danes kill his father and capture him. Fortunately, Uhtred impresses his captor, Ragnar the Fearless, through an act of either colossal bravery or colossal stupidity, and so rather than being ransomed or killed, Uhtred becomes a foster son to Ragnar. As he grows older, he learns the Danish ways of war and life, before ultimately being brought back into contact with the English, and being forced to choose between his heritage and those who raised him.

There is a lot to recommend this book; Uhtred himself is an interesting and well-written character, and I really enjoyed following his musings about his relationship with both the Danes and the English. The many historical figures that Uhtred interacts with (Alfred being the most notable) seem quite human, with sufficient virtues and flaws to seem human, without coming across as either unbelievably saintly or unbelievably villainous.

As much as I love his characters, in some ways, I love Cornwell's England in this novel even more. His descriptions of the abandoned, mysterious Roman ruins, ancient pagan halls, and the wide panoply of the English landscape give his characters a place to live that manages to feel real and mythic by appropriate turns. It's very convincing, and very enjoyable to boot.

Hard core historians will be proud of many of Cornwell's word choices; he eschews the term "Viking" for the Danes (correctly noting that "Viking" is an activity, not a person), London becomes Lundene, and so on. I do appreciate his attention to detail, though I have to confess that at times, I had trouble translating the Saxon names into their contemporary locations. But it's a small matter, and does not detract at all from the general quality of the book. Fans of historical adventure should definitely give this one a look.

Jirel of Joiry

2009-11-20T09:29:00.000-08:00

Jirel of Joiry by Catherine Lucille Moore

I had never heard of C.L. Moore or her stories until Poe Ghostal lent me this book, which is a bit sad, since she seems to have been quite a figure. Specifically, she was one of the earliest women writers to enter into the sword-and-sorcery genre, publishing stories in the same magazines as Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft.

Jirel of Joiry collects some of those stories, specifically the ones that deal with...Jirel of Joiry. Jirel, the ruler of a fictional kingdom located somewhere in medieval France, is very much what you might expect from a female version of a pulp protagonist. That is to say, she's a bit like Conan, if Conan were a woman. She is skilled, strong, attractive, and angry. Oh man, is Jirel angry. A number of the stories revolve around Jirel's quests to take revenge on someone for slighting her, and in several cases, it is her rage that allows her to prevail against supernatural odds.

Which is good, because the supernatural is what Jirel spends a lot of her time dealing with. With one exception, all of these stories feature Jirel journeying to another reality or plane of existence, where she does battle with the supernatural forces that live there. Those force are often powerful, terrifying, and largely incomprehensible to Jirel. Lou Anders points out that there is something almost Lovecraftian about the realms that Jirel visits, but philistine that I am, I have not read Lovecraft, and so cannot compare. They definitely are strange places, however.

The first two stories in this collection, "Black God's Kiss" and "Black God's Shadow"are very short on human (or even non-human) interaction, dealing mostly with Jirel's wanderings through strange, alien lands on her quests. Moore's descriptions of these strange dimensions are exquisite, but by the second story, I was starting to wonder if all Jirel stories were mostly tourist narratives. Of the two, I found the first one to be much more compelling, in part because I found Jirel's motivations for the quest much more convincing than I did in the second one.

In "Jirel Meets Magic", however, we finally get to see Jirel in a confrontation with forces that, if she cannot comprehend them, she can at least interact with them. This is about as classic sword-and-sorcery as you can get, with Jirel out on a quest to kill a wizard, something which is never easy, especially in these stories. Very fun stuff.

"The Dark Land" sets up an interesting confrontation, wherein Jirel's world-hopping comes back to haunt her. Of all of these stories, this one is the most "high fantasy" of them all, featuring a very new and very weird dimension that gives Jirel no end of grief, and may give the reader a headache as well.

The last story, "Hellsgarde", is interesting in that it takes place more or less on Earth (though the castle known as Hellsgarde is hardly a normal place). It's basically a haunted house story, with a bunch of weird characters for Jirel to interact with, a ghost, and a lot of creepy weirdness.

While Conan has made his mark far beyond the sword-and-sorcery genre, I get the impression that neither C.L. Moore nor her creation are nearly as well known. Which is a shame. Jirel of Joiry is every much a sword-and-sorcery protagonist equal to Conan, and ought to be remembered better. If you enjoy this type and style of writing, go pick this one up.

Night Train to Rigel

2009-11-19T15:14:00.000-08:00

Night Train to Rigel by Timothy Zahn

Yes, I know I am deeply, deeply behind on my reviews. In my defense, I tried to write a review of this one, but it got lost by the Interwebs, and now I'm trying to do it again. Hopefully, it will stick this time.

In short: Night Train to Rigel is a pulp/hard boiled detective novel that has found it's way into a science fiction setting. Adventure ensues. Good times are had by all.

The slightly longer version: Night Train to Rigel is the story of Frank Compton, a retired (read: fired) government investigator (read: private eye), who is hired by the Spiders, a race of mysterious entities that run the Quadrail. Which is basically a train through space.

No, that last sentence is not a typo. There is, in fact, a space train. The reason WHY there is a space train is eventually explained in the course of the novel, but I won't spoil it for you. For now, suffice it to say that there is a space train.

There are also vast interstellar conspiracies, treacherous aliens, friendly aliens, corrupt government officials, mysterious employers, even more mysterious enemies, and a fair share of fist-fights, double-crosses, and a space battle or two.

In short, it's just about everything you could want out of this kind of novel.

It is, of course, a very Zahn novel. If you aren't a fan, this novel isn't likely to make you into one. If you are a fan, then you'll definitely enjoy it. If you're just generally into space opera or pulp detective thrillers, this one is probably worth checking out.

Marley and Me

2009-10-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan

What I learned from this book: John Grogan is a jackass.

I listened to this book on audio CD for two reasons: one was that it was about the only thing I had available to listen to recently, and I was sick of surfing the radio. The other was that several people I knew had spoken highly of the book to me. It was a bestseller (of course, so was the Da Vinci Code)! It got made into a movie (so did the Da Vinci Code. There was a clue here...).

Marley and Me starts with a simple premise. John and Jenny Grogan are happily married newlyweds living in Florida, when they get a plant. I don’t remember what kind of plant, but it hardly matters, because the plant dies. Jenny waters the thing to death.

Now, planticide is not a punishable offence in Florida, nor is a Federal Crime, but Jenny Grogan is nevertheless distraught. After all, the Grogans want to have children some day. If they cannot care for a sessile organism that requires nothing more than light and water for survival, how will they care for a mobile, sentient, organism that requires food, drink, play, education, and so on? It seems so discouraging! But then, Jenny his upon a solution. The Grogans will get a DOG!

Let me go over that thought chain again: I cannot successfully raise a plant, so I will raise a dog instead. That’s sort of like saying; I cannot successfully pick up a fifty pound rock, so I will deadlift 500 pounds as practice. Or, to paraphrase the Internet: sense. This thought process makes none.

But hey, fine, they want a dog. At least they go out and carefully research and plan to acquire their new family member, right?

Wrong. Rather than actually learning anything about what they’re getting into, the Grogans decide that they can just flip through the classifieds until they find something that catches their eye. They chug off to buy their AKC purebred Labrador retriever without the foggiest idea of what a purebred Labrador retriever actually is. Once they arrive, they are delighted to learn that the breeder is willing to part with one of the puppies that shows interest in them at a $50 discount! Why, that’s wonderful. They not only got a new dog, but they got him at a bargain! (Never, apparently, does it cross their minds that there might be a REASON why this dog is being offered so cheaply, and that it might not be a good one.)

What follows is less a litany of the struggles of the Grogans with a bad dog, and more of a litany of the Grogans failure to properly raise and care for a very difficult animal. While the book cover makes much of Marley’s faults, the faults are most Grogans.

The book cover tells us that “Obedience school did no good. Marley was expelled”. Which is true, except that “obedience school” consisted of the cheapest class that the Grogans could find, run by amateur dog trainers in a parking lot. When the woman running the class proves unable to control the dog, the Grogans simply give up. It apparently never crosses their mind to seek out a professional dog trainer to help them. Rather, they just decide to take matters into their own hands. The gouged drywall and tranquilizers mentioned on the book cover are both related to Marley’s psychotic fear of thunderstorms, which is apparently quite bothersome to Grogan, but not so bothersome that he bothers to find a solution other than leaving the dog locked in a metal grate and cleaning the blood off when he gets home. (And the tranquilizers, but those don’t help).

At every turn in this book, I’m consistently amazed by the ability to not only be ignorant, but to remain ignorant. According to the book, Grogan is a journalist, but apparently, it never occurred to him to actually do anything resembling research either before or after getting his dog. It takes him years to read anything on the Labrador retriever, or learn that there are actually two varieties of the dog. He is completely unaware of the existence or possibility of bloat until Marley has a case of it (which nearly kills him). It’s absolutely disgusting. He ties the dog up to a table at an outdoor restaurant, and is shocked that the dog drags the table off when chasing a poodle (despite the dogs habit of chasing after damn near everything).

To be fair, Grogan is not deliberately malicious. This isn’t Michael Vick’s autobiography, and Grogan does honestly seem to want to help Marley a better, happier dog. He’s just to ignorant to know how to, and to arrogant to ask for more than the cheapest help.

Are there some cute stories about Marley here? Certainly. But honestly, they are a lot of the same kind of cute stories you’ll get out of any friend that owns a Labrador retriever. They’re really not particularly wild.

Grogan himself reads the book, which is a poor, poor, choice. He narrates the entire story in the same jovial tone, with no variation in his voice except for some poor attempts at an Irish accent, and one dog owner who transitions from southern hick to surfer dude in the space of a chapter.

I don’t doubt that Grogan really loved Marley, but I can’t help but be annoyed at the way he treated him. For all his talk of the lessons he learned from Marley, it seems to me that he missed the most important one: dogs are a whole lot of friggin responsibility, and you ought to think very carefully about how you go about getting one.

I wish I could recommend this book, but I can’t, except maybe as a “how not to” guide for future dog owners. Take what Grogan did, and do something different. Otherwise, the only person to blame is you.

My American Journey

2009-10-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

My American Journey
Colin Powell

Again, I'm going to try and keep this short and sweet.

This book was a bit outside my usual reading habits, but Tony Blauer had it on his list of recommendations, so I thought it would be worth checking out. And I was right. It was worth it.

As the title implies, My American Journey is the story of how Colin Powell went from sub-average school student of Jamaican immigrants in the Bronx to being the commander of the one of the most powerful militaries in the world. It is a quintessential rags-to-riches sort of story that many Americans enjoy as children and dismiss as propaganda as teenagers (adults fall on all sides of the debate, of course). This is all nice, of course, but not necessarily worthwhile reading on its own. There are plenty of books that tell a similar kind of story, either factual or fictional, and if all you want is a feel good read, this isn't necessarily what you want.

Powell works his way through the story of his life with a level of introspection that might surprise readers who expect him to be a military-minded thug. His voice comes across as honest and genuine, and he is more than willing to admit when he thinks mistakes were made--especially if they were his own. This may be a success story, but it's not one where the author is gloating; Powell acknowledges when he screwed up, if he feels he does. And he acknowledges when OTHER people thought he screwed up, even if he doesn't think so.

And that, really, is what makes the book so fascinating; not just the life Powell has lived, which is admittedly impressive an interesting, but the way he thinks about that life. The book is a fantastic insight into the thinking of a very successful man. Even if you find his politics abhorrent, his thought processes are still worth understanding and thinking about. This is a man who knows how to succeed, and there's a lot to be learned from this.

Dragon and Liberator: The Sixth Dragonback Adventure

2009-10-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

Dragon and Liberator
Timothy Zahn

Okay; I am way, way, WAY behind on this thing. I'm taking advantage of a trip out of town to try and catch up, but I'm trying to catch up on a couple of other things as well. So, while I will do my best to provide you with my usual scintillating reviews, I will also apologize in advance if some of them seem a bit rushed.

On with the show.

Dragon and Liberator is the final volume in Timothy Zahn's Dragonback cycle, a six-book science fiction series aimed at young adults. I started reading it because I'm a huge Timothy Zahn mark, and kept reading the series because I discovered I actually enjoyed it. It's not deep literature, but it's enjoyable in the usual Zahn fashion: interstellar conspiracies, action, mystery, and more plot twists than you can shake a stick at. In short, it's fun.

Dragon and Liberator is the endgame of the long plot which Zahn has been building over the last six books. The K'Da fleet is on its way, and Jack and Draycos need to make one final, desperate push to stop the conspiracy that plans to kill them--and is tied into the one that killed Jack's parents.

Like any Zahn series, this one has a lot of plot threads kicking around that need to be wrapped up. Zahn manages to tie everything together, and even to give readers introductions to a few new characters along the way (we finally meet the Valahgua who have been lurking menacingly in the background for the whole series). The new additions don't create any new plot strands, fortunately, and the whole series manages to tie up in a nice, neat, but satisfying way (while still leaving some room for more, if Zahn really wanted to do it).

Of course, there's all the action and adventure that the previous entries into the series promise. And there's the shades-of-grey morality as well. This series is very much a coming of age story, and is as much about Jack's growth from a selfish, immature thief into an honorable, mature young adult. Not always entirely subtle, but satisfying nonetheless.

If you've been following this series, finish it. It's worth the wait.