Book reviews!
still working on the latest story part, for those keeping up. It will be a while because its a pretty important part and I don't want to break it prematurely so bear with me.
In the meantime, how about some book reviews!
Side Jobs by Jim Butcher. This was a collection of short stories and other bit publications that Butcher had produced over the years while making the Dresden Files. I had read two of them prior in Mean Streets and the graphic novel Welcome to the Jungle. I enjoyed each story and I think that done properly that Dresden works well in short form as well, not every thing does. I especially liked the teaser that takes place after the events of Changes. All very good, a must for any Dresden fan.
Citidel by John Ringo. This is Book 2 in the Troy Rising series that is based in the universe of Schlock Mercenary. Most of this book is set up for what happens in the third story, but its not boring set up, like Kildar was. We are introduced to one Dana Parker, an engineer who has joined the navy and just looking to get a job done and done well. After she has to race through the closing door of the Troy battlestation and nearly bounce off the opposing wall, "Comet" Parker is never again just an ordinary engineer or pilot. War comes to Sol system as the friendly but lacklustered race called the Glatun fall to the "Liberation" forces of the Rangora. Humans do well when we are given the right tools and motivations and trying to keep Earth alive is pretty good motivation. The entire series is fun and honestly one of the best introductions to the writing style of John Ringo.
The Hot Gate by John Ringo. Book 3 picks up right where two left off. Humanity now has two fully operational battlestations that are the size of asteroids and about as tough, armed with lasers and missiles. But it takes a lot of manpower to operate a station and forces of that magnitude so naturally the new Alliance is not entirely composed of just old NATO forces. Thermopolye has an array of South American forces who, number one, do NOT get along with each other, hate "gringos" and have an entirely differenlt work ethic of how to get things done that do not fall in the same lines as the US military. Most of the story revolves around those cultrual struggles and how to work around them to protect humanity. Because while we are building so were our enemies and they do nothing but watch us in order to exploit a weakness. This was one of the more intense finales and I do hope he makes more, I know he originally said it was to be a trilogy but I would like more from this universe.
American Gods by Neal Gainman. Ohhhh boy, where to begin with this one. So this one was not one I would have picked up, it was given to me by my father in law and I had heard of it too. Suppose to be critically acclaimed and ground breaking and all that shit.... Too bad for me I must be uncultured because all I found was the shit part. I personally found this to be a TERRIBLE book. First off, NONE of the characters are likeable, hell you can;t even relate to them that much so even when bad things happen you really don't care. There are loooooooong loooooooong gaps between any scenes were anything actually happens. so not only do you not give a crap of Shadow or anyone they are boring you to tears! I felt like most of the scenese where they were not talking and things were going on that it was for the shock value, like say a woman eating a man with her vagina... no, seriously. Now to be fair,t he concept is interesting that the beliefs of humans are so strong that we actually manifest a being that represents that thing we worship, even odd mundane things like, "All hail the Auto God!" well if enough people hailed the Auto God he would come into being. Too bad the book itself only became even remotely interesting once you had dredged thorugh nearly 3/4s of it piled high and deep. And then! its over! and there is a very anticlimatic conclusion but you reall don't care.
In the meantime, how about some book reviews!
Side Jobs by Jim Butcher. This was a collection of short stories and other bit publications that Butcher had produced over the years while making the Dresden Files. I had read two of them prior in Mean Streets and the graphic novel Welcome to the Jungle. I enjoyed each story and I think that done properly that Dresden works well in short form as well, not every thing does. I especially liked the teaser that takes place after the events of Changes. All very good, a must for any Dresden fan.
Citidel by John Ringo. This is Book 2 in the Troy Rising series that is based in the universe of Schlock Mercenary. Most of this book is set up for what happens in the third story, but its not boring set up, like Kildar was. We are introduced to one Dana Parker, an engineer who has joined the navy and just looking to get a job done and done well. After she has to race through the closing door of the Troy battlestation and nearly bounce off the opposing wall, "Comet" Parker is never again just an ordinary engineer or pilot. War comes to Sol system as the friendly but lacklustered race called the Glatun fall to the "Liberation" forces of the Rangora. Humans do well when we are given the right tools and motivations and trying to keep Earth alive is pretty good motivation. The entire series is fun and honestly one of the best introductions to the writing style of John Ringo.
The Hot Gate by John Ringo. Book 3 picks up right where two left off. Humanity now has two fully operational battlestations that are the size of asteroids and about as tough, armed with lasers and missiles. But it takes a lot of manpower to operate a station and forces of that magnitude so naturally the new Alliance is not entirely composed of just old NATO forces. Thermopolye has an array of South American forces who, number one, do NOT get along with each other, hate "gringos" and have an entirely differenlt work ethic of how to get things done that do not fall in the same lines as the US military. Most of the story revolves around those cultrual struggles and how to work around them to protect humanity. Because while we are building so were our enemies and they do nothing but watch us in order to exploit a weakness. This was one of the more intense finales and I do hope he makes more, I know he originally said it was to be a trilogy but I would like more from this universe.
American Gods by Neal Gainman. Ohhhh boy, where to begin with this one. So this one was not one I would have picked up, it was given to me by my father in law and I had heard of it too. Suppose to be critically acclaimed and ground breaking and all that shit.... Too bad for me I must be uncultured because all I found was the shit part. I personally found this to be a TERRIBLE book. First off, NONE of the characters are likeable, hell you can;t even relate to them that much so even when bad things happen you really don't care. There are loooooooong loooooooong gaps between any scenes were anything actually happens. so not only do you not give a crap of Shadow or anyone they are boring you to tears! I felt like most of the scenese where they were not talking and things were going on that it was for the shock value, like say a woman eating a man with her vagina... no, seriously. Now to be fair,t he concept is interesting that the beliefs of humans are so strong that we actually manifest a being that represents that thing we worship, even odd mundane things like, "All hail the Auto God!" well if enough people hailed the Auto God he would come into being. Too bad the book itself only became even remotely interesting once you had dredged thorugh nearly 3/4s of it piled high and deep. And then! its over! and there is a very anticlimatic conclusion but you reall don't care.