Reading Roundup - 2008

Well, another year's nearly in the bag, and as usual, I've read a ton of books. Some were new releases, some were titles I had meant to get around to and just hadn't until this year. I thought I'd give my opinions, in brief, on some books I read this year, and what I thought of them.

This list includes only titles that I read for the very first time this year, (I do re-read books often), and that I began and finished in the 2008 calendar year. I'll list the books in the order i read them, and give a star rating to each title, and some commentary.

One final note before we begin: I read a wide variety of stuff, so even if you don't like the first few, read through the list. THere might be a good recommendation for you in here somewhere.

Duma Key -- by Stephen King -- 5 Stars

As usual, Stephen King delivers a gripping and spooky tale full of ghosts and utterly believable characters. This time, the story takes place in the warmer climes of Florida, instead of the Maine and New England backdrops we're used to seeing in most of King's works. From its tragic opening to its heart-pounding climax, you will find it impossible to put this baby down. It's a must-read, muchacho.

The Journals of Eleanor Druse -- by Stephen King -- 4 Stars

This short book, also available on Audible.com, is a companion work for the short lived television series Kingdom Hospital. It recounts the strange and ghostly happenings at a hospital in rural Maine from the perspective of an elderly woman who possesses psychic abilities of her own. While not entirely a complete or satisfying tale, it nonetheless is a great read that does not require familiarity with the series.

The Callahan Chronicals -- by Spider Robinson -- 5 Stars

What can you say? These quirky tales of the mythical bar "Callahan's" somewhere in New York are a sheer joy to read. The unlikely gathering of average Joes, time-travelers, aliens, and talking animals, coupled with delightfully horrifying puns and the heartwarming atmosphere is a mix that has seldom, if ever, been matched. If you want an uplifting book to get you through a week or two, and rekindle your faith in the human species, make yourself an Irish coffee and pick up a copy of The Callahan Chronicles<.

Variable Star -- by Robert A. Heinlein and Spider Robinson -- 4 Stars

This novel was begun in the 1950's by the legendary Robert Heinlein, but never completed. A few years ago, the equally legendary Spider Robinson got the job of a lifetime to complete the book that Heinlein had hardly even started. It's an interstellar tale of romance, treachery, and tragedy. It's the kind of science-fiction novel that puts characters first, and makes them every bit as human as us primitives of the early twenty-first century. LIke all of Robinson's work, it's both thought provoking and imaginative. An excellent book.

Callahan's Key -- by Spider Robinson -- 3 Stars

This is a fun book than continues the adventures of the patrons of the bar known as "Callahan's". Like the Chronicles, these stories include outrageous events and characters that will push hard against the boundaries of believability, and you won't care one bit. While not quite as compelling as some of the shorter Callahan

What Would MacGyver Do? -- by Brendan Vaughan (and others) -- 3 Stars

Yes, that's right. MacGyver. The guy from the 1980's classic action/adventure series who could disarm bombs with little more than nerve, patience, bubble gum and a paperclip. This book takes the MacGyver spirit to knew and frequently bizarre heights, as real people recount real-life situations when they had to use quick thinking and ingenuity to get themselves out of sticky situations. It's a fun book, but it didn't quite live up to the hype.

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West -- by Gregory Maguire -- 4.5 Stars

Maguire takes the creepier elements of the classic Oz tales by L. Frank Baum, amplifies them, and then takes Oz's most memorable villainess and turns her into a sympathetic and misunderstood soul, whose deviltry is the veil behind which she hides. It's a marvelous reworking, and an utterly riveting story. Forget the musical. It can't do this book justice in any way.

Son of a Witch -- by Gregory Maguire -- 1 Star

You know everything you just read about about Maguire's Wicked above? Yeah, well, you can forget all of that when it comes to Wicked's sequel. This dismal follow up to the brilliance of the previous title is slow, boring, and utterly uninteresting. The book's problems are compounded by the fact that, in the audio version, the book is read by Gregory Maguire himself. He's an excellent writer, but not a very good narrator for audio books. His characters sound alternately constipated or ready to fall asleep, and this only enhances the books poorer qualities.

The Audacity of Hope -- by Barack Obama -- 4 Stars

Whether you like Mr. Obama's views or not, you can't help but admire his honesty and unwillingness to be subverted by the corruption that plagues America's politics today. In this book, Mr. Obama chronicles his journey into the realm of political America, his political opinions, and many personal experiences he had along the way.

Twilight -- by Stephenie Meyer -- 3.5 Stars

Twilight opens the vampire romance saga that has captivated both men and women of all ages around the world in recent years. Seventeen-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix Arizona, and her mother, to start fresh in Forks Washington, the rainiest little town in America. She soon discovers that not all of her fellow classmates at Forks High School are entirely human. While not a work of genius on its own, you have to love it for paving the way for the titles to follow, much in the way that Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone did for that series.

New Moon -- by Stephenie Meyer -- 4.5 Stars

In the follow-up to Twilight, Stephenie Meyer takes us deeper into the world of mythical creatures she has created around the little community of Forks, Washington. It takes up where Twilight left off, and really begins to show case what a talented writer Meyer really is.

It's Superman -- by Tom de Haven -- 4 Stars

Despite it's campy title, this novel is a dark, serious, and incredibly realistic retelling of the Kansas farm boy's transformation into the man of steel. I've never been a Superman fan. I've always found the character to be silly, boring, and a completely generic comic hero. This book, however, places a whole new spin on the character and his life, placing the story in the 1930's, (when the first Superman comics were printed), and shows the conflicts and triumphs of the young Clark Kent, as well as the early days of Lois Lane and Lex Luther. It's an incredible read.

Eclipse -- by Stephenie Meyer -- 4 Stars

After a short break to visit the man of steel, I returned to Meyer's world of vampires and werewolves. In Eclipse, she continues to develop her talents, producing a compelling and nail-biting narrative that is significantly more action packed than her first two outings. If you weren't entirely sold on Bella, the Cullens, and the Blacks after the first two installments, you will be by the time you're a hundred pages into Eclipse.

Breaking Dawn -- by Stephenie Meyer -- 5 Stars

In the final installment of the Twilight Saga, Stephenie Meyer entirely outdoes herself. This last suspenseful journey through the life of Bella Swan is the best of the lot. It's the perfect finality to the series, and it's full of surprises that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. I really can't say more without giving too much away. Just read it. Read them all.

The Gypsy Morph -- by Terry Brooks -- 3.5 Stars

In the final volume of Brooks's Genesis of Shannara trilogy, we resume the tale of the Knights of the Word, the street kids who call themselves the Ghosts, the Gypsy Morph, and the demons who wish to destroy them all. It's a satisfying finale to a narrative whose primary purpose was to bridge the divide between Brooks's Word/Void and Shannara series. While quite enjoyable, the book does not capture either the magic of Shannara or the gritty realism of Word/Void. Still, it's a fun read.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -- by Lewis Carroll -- 3 Stars

I'm quite sure I'm not the first to note with solemnity, that this is quite possibly one of the most bizarre books ever written. What was Mr. Carroll smoking? In any case, it's a fun, if utterly nonsensical, story, aspects of which have become part of popular culture. The best part of this novel was hearing the audio book performance by Mr. jim Dale, (best known for his brilliant narration of the US Harry Potter audio books). If you're going to read this one, get the audio.

The Host -- by Stephenie Meyer -- 5 Stars

In The Host, Stephenie Meyer tries her hand at science-fiction, and succeeds brilliantly. We watch as a member of an invading alien race fights for control over a human host body, and in the process begins to understand the "savage humans" her people have come to possess. It's a fantastic story, and a well-written work that could have gone horribly afoul. Let's face it, it sounds like the premise for a bad '50's sci-fi B movie. Instead, we are left with a beautifully told novel that you will never want to end.

The Graveyard Book -- by Neil Gaiman -- 5 Stars

When I heard that Neil Gaiman had written a novel that was a sort of retelling of the classic story The Jungle Book, where an orphaned boy is raised by the ghostly inhabitants of a derelict graveyard, I knew I had to read it. This book was written specifically for me personally. Seriously! It's the sort of story I feel that I should have written. It's funny, and scary, and thrilling all at once. It was the first book by Mr. Gaiman I'd ever read, and now I'm a huge fan. It's one of the absolute best books of the year.

American Gods -- by Neil Gaiman -- 4 Stars

American Gods is a surreal trip through past and present-day America, which has become the ultimate battleground for the gods of the old world and the gods of the new. The novel's protagonist, a likable ex-con named Shadow, finds himself caught between the two sides when he's hired by the "Old Father" to be his messenger boy. It's one of the most imaginative stories I've read in years. If you liked Stephen King's The Dark Tower saga, then American Gods will be your cup of tea. I loved it.

The Jesus Family Tomb -- by Simcha Jacobovici -- 4 Stars

In this nonfiction account of a mysterious tomb found in Israel in the early 1980's and the subsequent investigation around it, we are presented with what may be the greatest archaeological discovery of the age. Unfortunately, that discovery is so controversial that many have tried to discredit it, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Whichever perspective you come from, this is a fascinating book that well worth a read.

Anansi Boys -- by Neil Gaiman -- 5 Stars

What can I say? Neil Gaiman's got me hooked. In this semi-sequel to American Gods, we're treated to a much lighter and fun adventure involving the sons of the African spider god Anansi, king of all the stories there ever were or ever will be. It's told with Gaiman's trademark intellectuality, wit, and style. At times, it seemed like he was channeling the late and very great Douglas Adams, as much of the humor is of a very similar stripe. This book is destined to be a classic, if it isn't already. If you haven't read it, you absolutely must do so. American Gods is not required reading before this title, though there are a couple of references to that novel, and Anansi Boys clearly takes place after the events recounted therein. American Gods is also a much darker sort of story, and the tone of the two books is so varied that it is nearly impossible to compare them. Read it!

Thanks for reading. Again, I only included books that I both began and finished in the 2008 calendar year. I hope this list may have given you something new to read. See ya!

Christmas

A child's awe of Christmas time,
The snow, the fire, the smell of pine.
I remember,
Sweet Decembers,
When all the world could still be mine.

When grown-up things were abstract dangers,
Put some hay in church-side mangers,
The future bright,
What may and might,
When fear and heartbreak still were strangers.

I see the lights still on the tree,
Cocoa then, instead of tea.
The sights and smells,
The silver bells,
All right there, where they ought to be.

A gift for sister, Mom, and Dad,
When arts and crafts were all we had.
Carols sung,
Lights were hung,
We'd rise together, pajama-clad.

Unwrap the presents, save the bows,
Say a prayer for others' woes.
Steal sister's toys,
Such simple joys,
And pretend a child never grows.

But time has flown, been lost and spent,
And I wonder where the magic went.
For I remember,
Sweet Decembers,
And all the things that Christmas meant.

An Exercise in Brevity

Who do you love?

• I love my wonderful twin daughters.
• I love my beautiful girlfriend.
• I love my family.
• I love my friends.

What do you love?

• I love music.
• I love books.
• I love writing.

Where do you love?

• I love to be at my beloved's side.
• I love London, one of the few places on Earth I've felt at home.
• I love to be in the snow.

When do you love?

• I love the 1980's, when the world was a little less crazy and a little more kind.
• I love it when it rains.
• I love it when the coffee's done.

Why do you love?

• Because I'm human.
• Because it's easier to remember to love, than to forget to hate.

How do you love?

• With passion.
• With compassion.
• Unconsciously.

'cause I Gotta Have Faith

A few weeks ago, someone challenged my religious views, based largely on my political opinions. As a liberal, I don't believe religion should have any part whatsoever in government...at least, not as long as we advocate for religious freedom. Religious freedom is one of the things that America has been built upon, and by legislating based on any faith, you are automatically infringing upon others' rights, not to mention flying in the face of the very liberties this country has been founded on. Religion and politics should not mix. The rest of this post, which are merely my own personal musings, will not focus on the political side of this at all. Instead, I want to examine the charges leveled against my beliefs in the religious context.

Before going forward, however, I should note two crucial points. One is that I don't expect to change anyone's mind. The vast majority of people of any religious stripe are so close-minded in this regard, that nothing anyone says will even be taken into consideration. To them, there is no room for discussion. To them, they are right and everyone else is wrong, and the morality, validity, or even the consistency of their beliefs is irrelevant in their eyes. I pity them. The other is that I was raised and continue to be a Christian, though admittedly not a wholly orthodox one by conventional standards.

The gist of the accusation that was brought to bare was that, if I did not follow the doctrine of the church, as presented in the canonical gospels, I was an ignorant, lost soul, who knew nothing of Christianity. The Bible, in their view, was to be taken literally, unquestioningly, and to be interpreted exactly as the Catholic church originally intended it to be. This last part is important. It was the Catholic church that originally determined what was or was not canon in the original gospels. It was the Catholic church which edited, reinterpreted, and even altered the texts for hundreds of years after Jesus lived and died. This is a matter of undisputed historical fact.

The next part of the argument for those who subscribe to unquestioning faith in the church is typically something to the effect of, "Well, God wanted it that way. The texts were only changed based on how He wanted them changed, and therefore must still reflect his ultimate word." This point breaks down in several key areas.

First, these folks who call themselves Christians and believe that the Almighty must have guided the edits of the holy texts over the centuries are the same people who say they revere the words of Jesus and his Disciples above all else. Yet, they have no qualms about the fact that what they are reading in their modern Bibles are not necessarily the words of their savior or his followers. They are effectively saying that, they revere the things that are falsely being reported about Christ over what he truly said or did, because at some point down the line, God had a light bulb go off in his head and thought, "Hmmm. Maybe I shouldn't have had him say that. Let's change it to this instead. There. That's better."

Second, the politics being played by the Catholic church over the centuries are easily discerned in historical retrospect. Many things were changed in the canonicals, not to make them more accurate, but to tighten Rome's hold over the masses, further agendas, and conform to the culture of the times.

Third, Christians, guided by whatever church they may follow, largely pick and choose which parts of the Old Testament are still valid arbitrarily. When asked why they do not adhere to certain rules and prescribed in Old Testament or Jewish law, they will say it is because the New Testament was meant to replace the old. And yet, they do not hesitate to point to passages in the Old Testament when it suits their purposes, or the political agendas of their church.

Finally, the biggest flaw in this kind of argument is so huge that I cannot fathom why it does not bother even them. Over the the intervening twenty centuries since Jesus performed his ministries, countless variations on the basic faith have emerged. Both Islamic and Mormon faiths, among others, have their routes in Christianity and the New Testament. If God only allows the Bible to be altered as he divines, then surely these faiths must also be of his design as well. If they are not, and it is possible for the holy Word of God to be desecrated by man, then it is possible...even highly probable...that the Catholic church is guilty of the same warping of the gospels.

In the end, I am more interested in the truth. If there is a higher power, and if He sent a messenger in the form of Jesus Christ to Earth to deliver it, then I want to know what that message was, not the message as it has been tailored by a power hungry church.

To that end, my mind is open. I have read the Gnostic Gospels. I have read the reports of the discovery of what may have been the tomb of Jesus and his family. I believe that the Catholic church has wrongly vilified Mary Magdalene, a woman who even many modern Christians celebrate, though the reasons why have been largely obscured by the dark veil the church has tried to place over the Bible.

The church, beginning with the Catholic and spreading outward to most, if not all, the denominations in the world, is a cancer upon Christianity. As long as we Christians continue to follow their lead like blind, brainless, senseless sheep, the malignant seeds planted centuries ago will continue to eat away at the true message of our faith.

"Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you," Jesus is reputed to have said. Is that what we're doing when we deny loving couples the right to marry? Is that what we're doing when we force our faith upon those who do not share it?

I am not saying that everyone should follow the road that I have walked upon, far from it. Spirituality is a private journey. The path we travel is different for each and every one of us. I believe that whatever higher power is out there knows that. In the end, the core of every religion teaches us to love. The roads to get their, and the details along the way may be different...but the basic message is always the same.

It's time we started listening.

On the Tip of Your Tongue

Fandom, the term used to describe the community and/or mania surrounding a particular entertainment property, is a strange thing. The number of fandoms that exist is staggering, and that number has grown exponentially since the introduction of the Internet, which has proven to be an ideal breeding-ground and meeting-place for fans of all sorts to share their love of...well...virtually anything.

I'm no stranger to these phenomena. In fact, anyone who knows me is well aware that I'm a first-class geek of the highest order. I might not be a black belt in the category of geekiness, but I'd be close. I count myself among the "He-Fans" and "She-Ravers" who obsess over the fantasy property Masters of the Universe first and foremost. I'm a Trekkie too. (I refuse to use the term Trekkor.) I know the wizarding world of Harry Potter well enough to be appointed Minister of Magic, and I'm no stranger to the Jedi.

Hands down, Star Trek and Harry Potter have the largest legions of voraciously dedicated fans, with Masters of the Universe in hot pursuit, but it is the Trekkies in particular that I want to discuss for just a moment.

I'm a Trekkie. I'm a really big Trekkie. That being said, I'm not the sort of fan who agonizes over the least of canonical inaccuracies in the franchise's forty-some years of historical continuity that spans several centuries in the Star Trek timeline. Because of that, I'm able to be very much looking forward to the 2009 film from J.J. Abrams, which seems to be breathing new life into the franchise, building new civilizations of Trekkies, and boldly going where Rick Berman has never gone before.

Still, I'm in awe of the lengths to which some Trekkie's have gone in their dedication to the universe of vulcans, klingons, and Romulans. In the words of Mr. Spock: "Fascinating."

One of these extremities has been in the birth of several languages, largely produced by acclaimed real-world linguists, for various Star Trek alien races. Did you know you could get Shakespeare's works translated into Klingon? It's true.

Strictly by accident...ahem...I was...uh...searching the Internet for...um...well, anyway, I stumbled into links to some fascinating resources.

The Klingon Language Institute (KLI) provides a scholarly environment, activities, and other resources to teach and spread the joys that is the warriors tongue. Yes, not only could you get Shakespeare's Hamlet in Klingon, but you could actually learn to read it.

Perhaps the Klingons are a little much for you. Maybe you're a more of an isolationist sort. You might find The Central Institute of the Romulan Language more to your taste. The Romulans have always been the most fascinating of Star Trek's alien races to me, and this site illustrates much of the reason why.

Finally, for those with a more logical disposition, the Vulcan Language Institute will certainly bring out your inner-Spock. Learning to speak the tongue of Surak's people just might lead you to live longer and prosper.

As geeky...or even ridiculous...as these projects may seem to some, I think they serve a multitude of important purposes, and help to display what can be done by us mere humans when we band together.

Do I think these languages should be taken seriously? Actually, I do. Every language known to mankind is pretty much arbitrary. Someone, somewhere, decided that one set of sounds was better than another set of sounds to express a given concept or to represent a given thing. The primary difference here, is that the inspiration for the language sprung out of a common love for a story in which the human race finally cleans up its act, cleans up its planet, and lives together in a cooperative, peaceful way. I can think of worse things to encourage. Can't you?

A Jinx for the Jinxed: Limeriticus Totaluss

Excerpted from "Jinxes for the Jinxed" as found in the HOgwarts library.

Throughout the wizarding world, there are a great many hexes and jinxes that can be legally used against your foes in defense...or more frequently against classmates whilst out and about in the grounds around Hogwarts. Few are as terrible as Limeriticus Totalus, which causes the target to speak in endless limericks. Let's learn about this horrific hex from one of its pitiable victims.

To be used when confronting a threat,
'twill bamboozle Death Eaters I bet,
For as you can asee,
It was once cast on me,
And I've not found a cure for it yet.

You ask for the counter spell,
You believe it is mine to tell,
But I'm sorry to say,
If this hex comes your way,
The best defense is to just run like hell.

Juggling Books

It's a rare thing that I juggle anything heavier than C++ modules in a software development project...unless you count the projects themselves. I try not to do that. If I thought about all the projects I take on at once, I'd never get anything done. But I digress.

I'm just about always reading something. I've been an avid reader for as long as I can remember, whether that meant the mini-comics that came with my Masters of the Universe figures when I was a wee lad of four and twopence, the Hardy Boys books of my youth, or the latest thriller by Stephen King. Literature is in my blood. But it is very rare that I read more than one book at a time.

By "reading," I of course mean actually reading. I have a fondness of falling asleep at night with the talented narrations of Jim Dale reading the Harry Potter series. These nighttime wanderings through Hogwarts, Hogsmead, and the Ministry of Magic, are completely random and seldom in any sort of coherent order. So I don't really count those as reading, per se. Besides, I've read the Potter books so many times that I can, by and large, recite them verbatim in perfect synchronization with Mr. Dale...but, again, I digress.

At present I'm reading three books, all wildly different from one another. One is the recently released "Just After Sunset" by the afore mentioned Stephen King. It's a collection of short stories and novellas told by the master storyteller in only the way he can deliver. As usual, they're presented with a level of excellence that few writers...particularly American ones...can even hope to aspire to. So far, "The Gingerbread Girl" is probably my favorite, though all the stories thus far have their merits. It's a bit on the heavy side. I wouldn't recommend it if you're battling depression or are particularly adverse to a case of the hopping heebie geebies.

At the other end of the galactic literary spectrum, I'm also reading David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. It's a classic that I might not have ever gotten around to if not for the coaxing of my beloved. Not that I generally have anything against classics, mind you...I just don't gravitate toward them as a general rule unless they contain legendary swords, fairy creatures, or vagabond outcasts named after fruity pie fillings. It's an excellent read, full of the sort of wit and dry humor you'd expect from a Dickens masterpiece. I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would. Not that that comes as a total surprise. My girl adores classic literature, and she's not steered me wrong yet.

Finally, I'm also working my way through American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I'm a newcomer to Gaiman's strange worlds and terrifying, twisted tales, but I'm finding that I rather take to his style and prose. I read his latest book The Graveyard Book just a few weeks ago, and found it delightfully spooky. (It's a retelling of sorts of The Jungle Book, where the boy is raised by ghosties, ghoulies and vampires in an old abandoned graveyard.) It was a great read that led me to try Gaiman's other works. American Gods is a surreal trip through the world's various mythologies distorted and warped by the lens of modern society. It's brilliant, unsettling, and remarkably insightful. It's likely that Neil Gaiman will become one of my preferred writers if the rest of his stuff is as good as these.

Well, I've rambled on long enough, I suppose. Hopefully some of you will have found this entertaining enough to leave a comment. (Hint! Hint!) If not, I'll just set Neil and Stevie on you. Ha! Take that!

Captain's Personal Blog

Captain's Blog Star Date 17.11.2008

It's been a couple of years since i had a personal blog. I was beginning to think it was time to resurrect the notion, dust it off, and see what could be done with it. It ain't much, and I'm not sure just how much I'll update it, but it's at least a place to sound off about whatever happens to be on my mind at any given moment, aside from the Mac-cessibility Site, which is specific to accessibility of Mac products for the blind and other disability groups.

Last time I had one of these things, it was primarily full of political rants. I expect there will be a fair number of those in this incarnation as well, but I'll try not to post exclusively on the latest atrocities by America's rightwingers. But, you've been warned. If you're offended by leftwing viewpoints, don't bother reading this blog, because I'm sure to offend you sooner or later...probably sooner.

Now I'll post this, see how it looks on the blog page, and tweak some more settings before I write anything substantive. Thanks for stopping by.