This novel begins when Crow Ransom (boyfriend to Tess Monaghan PI) brings a homeless boy named Lloyd home for the night. They met when Lloyd comes by with a tire iron offering to change Crow's punctured tire. Crow knows it's a scam to get money and refuses but offers the boy a meal instead.After they eat Crow realizes that Lloyd has no home and doesn't want to leave him out in the cold night. Crow convinces Lloyd to come home with him, just for the night to explain what happened to the car tire to Tess.
After dinner Tess is talking to Lloyd about some of her work and she realizes by the boys behavior that he knows something about a murdered US Attorney. What could a homeless boy have to do with a US Attorney?
Lloyd tries to rob them that night but just ends up wrecking Crow's car and disappearing.
Tess then decides she must find out what Lloyd knows about the murder and gets her friend to help her track Lloyd down and trap him. Faced with the prospect of Tess calling the cops , he tells her he was hired to use the murdered man's ATM card and given the pin number.
Tess tells this story to the paper and then the police begin pressuring her to reveal her source.
When Lloyd's friend ends up dead, Crow and Lloyd are on the run with crooked cops after them.
8\10
Monday, September 28, 2009
PROBABILITY SUN By Nancy Kress
This is a futuristic novel in which the human race is in a war with beings called the fallers. To help the humans in the war effort a group of scientists are sent to study an artifact on a distant planet called World. The artifact is actually believed to be a moon by worlds inhabitants.
The people of world are a quaint race who worship the first flower and give gifts of flowers to one another as greetings and for many other occasions. They also have a strange mental connection to one another called shared reality where if there is any unshared belief it causes them great head pain. This phenomenon prevents disagreements and lawlessness as you would imagine.The scientist soon learn however that all people have different ideas about right and wrong.
The people of world believe the earthlings are there to trade but the scientist main goal is to get the artifact and not damage the evolutionary path of the worlders. What can you trade with a race of people who's most valuable thing is flowers especially for their moon?
I thought this was a very imaginative book and I really liked the world Nancy Kress created.
7\10
The people of world are a quaint race who worship the first flower and give gifts of flowers to one another as greetings and for many other occasions. They also have a strange mental connection to one another called shared reality where if there is any unshared belief it causes them great head pain. This phenomenon prevents disagreements and lawlessness as you would imagine.The scientist soon learn however that all people have different ideas about right and wrong.
The people of world believe the earthlings are there to trade but the scientist main goal is to get the artifact and not damage the evolutionary path of the worlders. What can you trade with a race of people who's most valuable thing is flowers especially for their moon?
I thought this was a very imaginative book and I really liked the world Nancy Kress created.
7\10
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
TEA TIME FOR THE TRADITIONALLY BUILT By Alexander McCall Smith
This book is a novel of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency which has been the inspiration for an HBO series.
It is a charming story of Mma Precious Ramotswe and her assistant Mma Makutsi, as they undertake the investigation of the Kalahari Swoopers. The Swoopers were formerly the number one football (known as soccer in America) team in Botswana. But for the last six months they have been on a loosing streak. The owner of the team, Mr. Molofololo suspects he has a traitor on the team and hires the No. 1 Ladies detective agency to find out who it is.
This will be a tall order for Mma Ramotswe. who has never so much as been to a soccer match. Can she use her gifts as a detective and woman's intuition to find the culprit?
Meanwhile Mma Makutsi has troubles of her own when a former rival , Violet Sephotho gets herself hired as assistant manager in Mma Makutsi's fiance's furniture store. Violet is deturmined to steal away Phuti Radphuti who is Mma Makutsi's husband to be! She will use any means to get what she wants.
Also , sadly Mma Ramotswe's beloved old faithful van is on its last legs but she has formed a bond with the comfort of it and finds it hard to part with.
I found this little book delightful to read and flew through it in a day.The Botswana characters were refreshing and I will read more of these! It points out how all around the world we ladies have the same basic loves and worries. I could really relate to the companionable nature of the women " we are sisters" 8\10
It is a charming story of Mma Precious Ramotswe and her assistant Mma Makutsi, as they undertake the investigation of the Kalahari Swoopers. The Swoopers were formerly the number one football (known as soccer in America) team in Botswana. But for the last six months they have been on a loosing streak. The owner of the team, Mr. Molofololo suspects he has a traitor on the team and hires the No. 1 Ladies detective agency to find out who it is.
This will be a tall order for Mma Ramotswe. who has never so much as been to a soccer match. Can she use her gifts as a detective and woman's intuition to find the culprit?
Meanwhile Mma Makutsi has troubles of her own when a former rival , Violet Sephotho gets herself hired as assistant manager in Mma Makutsi's fiance's furniture store. Violet is deturmined to steal away Phuti Radphuti who is Mma Makutsi's husband to be! She will use any means to get what she wants.
Also , sadly Mma Ramotswe's beloved old faithful van is on its last legs but she has formed a bond with the comfort of it and finds it hard to part with.
I found this little book delightful to read and flew through it in a day.The Botswana characters were refreshing and I will read more of these! It points out how all around the world we ladies have the same basic loves and worries. I could really relate to the companionable nature of the women " we are sisters" 8\10
SIX SUSPECTS By Vikas Swarup
This is a 2009 release by Vikas Swarup who is the author of the book called Q & A, The inspiration for Slumdog Millionaire.
This new novel begins with the murder of Vivek "Vicky" Rai,who is the playboy son of the Home Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He is murdered while throwing a party to celebrate his acquittal for the charge of murdering a bartender who refused to serve him a drink.
although the murder was committed in full view of many people, everyone refuses to testify and Vicky is freed. The book then backtracks through the lives of six murder suspects leading up to the time of the murder.
There is Mohan Kumar a corrupt bureaucrat who sees the murder of a famous medium during a seance after which he starts flipping between the personality of Mahatma Gandhi and his own.
He has no memory of one personality while he is in the other. He fluctuates from great acts of kindness into his former brutal nature at the slightest stress. (This part is rather humorous!)
The next suspect is the actress Shabnam Saxena who has a exact look alike no one knows about.
Suspect number three is the man Eketi, who is on a quest to get back his tribes sacred rock which has been stolen.
A thief called Munna Mobile who through the theft of a cell phone has intercepted the drop of a briefcase full of money. He is also in love with Vicky's sister.
The father of Vicky Rai is also a suspect because the police believe his political agenda has been cut short by his sons illegal behavior.
There is also on the list of suspects an American named Larry Page who has come to India to pick up his bride to be and gotten neck deep into trouble.
All six people were found at the party with guns in their possession and have various motives for being there.
I found this book to be very enlightening into India's political system. I felt however it was more difficult to read due to all the jumping around. I lost interest a few times. I enjoyed some characters stories far above the others. 6\10
This new novel begins with the murder of Vivek "Vicky" Rai,who is the playboy son of the Home Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He is murdered while throwing a party to celebrate his acquittal for the charge of murdering a bartender who refused to serve him a drink.
although the murder was committed in full view of many people, everyone refuses to testify and Vicky is freed. The book then backtracks through the lives of six murder suspects leading up to the time of the murder.
There is Mohan Kumar a corrupt bureaucrat who sees the murder of a famous medium during a seance after which he starts flipping between the personality of Mahatma Gandhi and his own.
He has no memory of one personality while he is in the other. He fluctuates from great acts of kindness into his former brutal nature at the slightest stress. (This part is rather humorous!)
The next suspect is the actress Shabnam Saxena who has a exact look alike no one knows about.
Suspect number three is the man Eketi, who is on a quest to get back his tribes sacred rock which has been stolen.
A thief called Munna Mobile who through the theft of a cell phone has intercepted the drop of a briefcase full of money. He is also in love with Vicky's sister.
The father of Vicky Rai is also a suspect because the police believe his political agenda has been cut short by his sons illegal behavior.
There is also on the list of suspects an American named Larry Page who has come to India to pick up his bride to be and gotten neck deep into trouble.
All six people were found at the party with guns in their possession and have various motives for being there.
I found this book to be very enlightening into India's political system. I felt however it was more difficult to read due to all the jumping around. I lost interest a few times. I enjoyed some characters stories far above the others. 6\10
Saturday, September 12, 2009
THE BEGOTTEN By Lisa T. Bergren
This is a fiction book in a series by Lisa T. Bergren . The author states it is based on the true fact that Saint Paul references to earlier letters that were sent to the Corinthians in the Bible we use today. It is clear that these letters existed.
In this story the gifted ones were spoken of in Paul's letter. Later while copying the letter a monk is divinely inspired to draw a picture of one of the gifted. The monk is caught and put to death.
Generations later the gifted begin to appear. The secret is told to Father Piero when he is young by his teacher because he is also in the picture. He has kept this secret for many years. One day while he is on his weekly visit to one of the Abbeys he sees the lady in the fresco and knows it is her in that moment.
Lady Daria de'Angelo is a healer just as her mother was before her, using herbs and poultices to help the ill. Daria is on pilgrimage at the Abby because her handfast of marriage has been broken because she is believed to be barren.
She is also a woman in charge of a family business because her parents have died. With no male kin, She must have a guardian to represent her. Her guardian is The Barron Del Buco a ruthless and ambitious man who plans to have all that she owns for himself.
As Daria is preparing to return home a young nuns hand is crushed by a grinding stone. Father Piero encourages her to pray for the healing and God allows the first miracle when the nuns hand is restored completely.
Father Peiro cautions the nuns to secrecy fearing Daria will be accused of witchcraft.
He also decides to accompany Daria on her journey home.
Gianni is a Knight of the church and captain of the guard. He has been sent on a mission to track down a sorcerer who has injured, mislead and murdered many. One of his comrades is injured and as he is trying to save him he is ambushed by the sorcerer and left to die. Daria and father Piero happen upon him and God once again allows her to heal with prayer.
Gianni is thanking the lord and while in prayer God tells him to become her protector and the prophecy foretold of the gifted begins.
Can they do the will of God and stand up to those who would destroy them? With betrayal and evil at every turn the sorcerer tries to bend them to his will. They must decipher the prophecy and find the other gifted.
Good thriller, couldn't put it down! 8/10
In this story the gifted ones were spoken of in Paul's letter. Later while copying the letter a monk is divinely inspired to draw a picture of one of the gifted. The monk is caught and put to death.
Generations later the gifted begin to appear. The secret is told to Father Piero when he is young by his teacher because he is also in the picture. He has kept this secret for many years. One day while he is on his weekly visit to one of the Abbeys he sees the lady in the fresco and knows it is her in that moment.
Lady Daria de'Angelo is a healer just as her mother was before her, using herbs and poultices to help the ill. Daria is on pilgrimage at the Abby because her handfast of marriage has been broken because she is believed to be barren.
She is also a woman in charge of a family business because her parents have died. With no male kin, She must have a guardian to represent her. Her guardian is The Barron Del Buco a ruthless and ambitious man who plans to have all that she owns for himself.
As Daria is preparing to return home a young nuns hand is crushed by a grinding stone. Father Piero encourages her to pray for the healing and God allows the first miracle when the nuns hand is restored completely.
Father Peiro cautions the nuns to secrecy fearing Daria will be accused of witchcraft.
He also decides to accompany Daria on her journey home.
Gianni is a Knight of the church and captain of the guard. He has been sent on a mission to track down a sorcerer who has injured, mislead and murdered many. One of his comrades is injured and as he is trying to save him he is ambushed by the sorcerer and left to die. Daria and father Piero happen upon him and God once again allows her to heal with prayer.
Gianni is thanking the lord and while in prayer God tells him to become her protector and the prophecy foretold of the gifted begins.
Can they do the will of God and stand up to those who would destroy them? With betrayal and evil at every turn the sorcerer tries to bend them to his will. They must decipher the prophecy and find the other gifted.
Good thriller, couldn't put it down! 8/10
BLINK OF AN EYE By Ted Dekker
This is a book Ted Dekker released as Blink and re released as blink of an Eye in 2007 with a few minor changes. Both versions have had great popularity.
Mariam is a Saudi Arabian princess who is being forced into a loveless marriage for the gain of her family. She is in love with another, Samir her fathers chauffeur. She knows that disobedience would mean death. She has just witnessed her dear friend suffer this fate. Without another option, she runs away.Pretending a shopping trip in Jidda, She flees to America. She shows up on the doorstep of a professor of middle eastern studies at Berkley named Hillary Brackenshire. The shocked professor takes her in for a few days. But she will not be safe when she is discovered missing. Omar, the man she was to marry will be after her and so will her father.
Seth Border a twenty six year old American student of Berkley is a genius with an IQ of 193.
He's popular but doesn't really feel like he fits in. Besides being really smart he's developing another gift even more unusual, He can see things right before they actually happen.
On the day he meets the princess he uses his new gift to save her from being captured. At first Miriam thinks he is attacking her but when she sees the real attacker she cooperates.
Seth and Miriam are then on the run together. As the two young people learn to work together to stay alive and stay ahead of their attackers the bond grows between them. Seth struggles with his new ability and he is forced to reevaluate his old belief that there is no God.
This book is full of action and humor. It is also very relevant today.
8\10
Mariam is a Saudi Arabian princess who is being forced into a loveless marriage for the gain of her family. She is in love with another, Samir her fathers chauffeur. She knows that disobedience would mean death. She has just witnessed her dear friend suffer this fate. Without another option, she runs away.Pretending a shopping trip in Jidda, She flees to America. She shows up on the doorstep of a professor of middle eastern studies at Berkley named Hillary Brackenshire. The shocked professor takes her in for a few days. But she will not be safe when she is discovered missing. Omar, the man she was to marry will be after her and so will her father.
Seth Border a twenty six year old American student of Berkley is a genius with an IQ of 193.
He's popular but doesn't really feel like he fits in. Besides being really smart he's developing another gift even more unusual, He can see things right before they actually happen.
On the day he meets the princess he uses his new gift to save her from being captured. At first Miriam thinks he is attacking her but when she sees the real attacker she cooperates.
Seth and Miriam are then on the run together. As the two young people learn to work together to stay alive and stay ahead of their attackers the bond grows between them. Seth struggles with his new ability and he is forced to reevaluate his old belief that there is no God.
This book is full of action and humor. It is also very relevant today.
8\10
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
YOUR HEART BELONGS TO ME By Dean Koontz
Meet Ryan Perry , thirty four, athletic, loves to surf, Internet entrepreneur. He has done very well in life so far. His friends call him Dotcom. He has his own cook and a driver also has a personal trainer three times a week. With the healthy lifestyle he leads you would think he would be the last person to begin suffering from heart problems, But he does.
He goes to the internist to find out whats wrong and learns he has an enlarged heart. The doctor sites several reasons why a person might have this problem one of them being poisoning. The doctor says only a biopsy can show for sure what course of medical action to take.
Ryan then goes home to his fortress like manson and begins to hear strange noises and whispering when nothing is showing up on his twenty camera security system.
This makes him begin to suspect everyone around him. Could his caretakers , Lee and Kay Ting be sneaking around whispering about him?
He decides to call, Wilson Mott a private detective he has used before to check some people out. but instead , when he gets Mott on the phone he asks him to find his girl friend Samantha's mother. Samantha has told him they are estranged.
He then goes to a Dr named Gupta for a biopsy and while he's there a nurse named Ismay Clemm says some very strange things to him, asking if he hears the man coming for him and telling him to come to her when he hears the bells. He decides he must have been having wild dreams on the anesthesia and puts it out of his mind. He continues to feel as if people are following him and be fearful is it real or just part of his condition.
He finds out from the doctor that there is no cure for him and he will need a new heart.
Then he gets a call from Wilson Mott, Samantha's mother Rebecca is in Vegas and is dating a euthanasia doctor named Spencer Barghest. Her and Samantha are probably estranged because she made the decision to remove a feeding tube from her brain damaged daughter and allow her to die. The girl was Samantha's twin.
The next day he goes to Samantha's for dinner and ends up staying the night. In the middle of the night he is awakened by voices and gets up to see Samantha talking to Spencer Barghest outside. He then makes the decision he needs to go to Vegas and search Rebecca's house and also Spencer's. He calls Mott to set it up and takes off to Vegas.
He meets with people Mott has put in place to help him and he searches Rebecca's home ,finding nothing. He then goes to Spencer's and searches finding out that Spencer is a man obsessed with death even having photo albums of dead faces, Teresa, Samantha's twin being one of them.
Ryan then decides he must be over reacting and goes back home. As time goes on he begins to fear more and more he wont get a heart in time. He decides to begin to look for another doctor , maybe if he gets the transplant this terrible fear will be over. He then finds a Dr. Hobb and begins to see him without telling anyone. He is unwittingly pulled by fear and fortune into the underworld of black market organ transplants.
I thought this book was good because it opens your eyes to think about how someone could be blind enough not to realize what the cost is for the things they need. After all this country is full of things like that. (blood diamonds etc...)
7/10
He goes to the internist to find out whats wrong and learns he has an enlarged heart. The doctor sites several reasons why a person might have this problem one of them being poisoning. The doctor says only a biopsy can show for sure what course of medical action to take.
Ryan then goes home to his fortress like manson and begins to hear strange noises and whispering when nothing is showing up on his twenty camera security system.
This makes him begin to suspect everyone around him. Could his caretakers , Lee and Kay Ting be sneaking around whispering about him?
He decides to call, Wilson Mott a private detective he has used before to check some people out. but instead , when he gets Mott on the phone he asks him to find his girl friend Samantha's mother. Samantha has told him they are estranged.
He then goes to a Dr named Gupta for a biopsy and while he's there a nurse named Ismay Clemm says some very strange things to him, asking if he hears the man coming for him and telling him to come to her when he hears the bells. He decides he must have been having wild dreams on the anesthesia and puts it out of his mind. He continues to feel as if people are following him and be fearful is it real or just part of his condition.
He finds out from the doctor that there is no cure for him and he will need a new heart.
Then he gets a call from Wilson Mott, Samantha's mother Rebecca is in Vegas and is dating a euthanasia doctor named Spencer Barghest. Her and Samantha are probably estranged because she made the decision to remove a feeding tube from her brain damaged daughter and allow her to die. The girl was Samantha's twin.
The next day he goes to Samantha's for dinner and ends up staying the night. In the middle of the night he is awakened by voices and gets up to see Samantha talking to Spencer Barghest outside. He then makes the decision he needs to go to Vegas and search Rebecca's house and also Spencer's. He calls Mott to set it up and takes off to Vegas.
He meets with people Mott has put in place to help him and he searches Rebecca's home ,finding nothing. He then goes to Spencer's and searches finding out that Spencer is a man obsessed with death even having photo albums of dead faces, Teresa, Samantha's twin being one of them.
Ryan then decides he must be over reacting and goes back home. As time goes on he begins to fear more and more he wont get a heart in time. He decides to begin to look for another doctor , maybe if he gets the transplant this terrible fear will be over. He then finds a Dr. Hobb and begins to see him without telling anyone. He is unwittingly pulled by fear and fortune into the underworld of black market organ transplants.
I thought this book was good because it opens your eyes to think about how someone could be blind enough not to realize what the cost is for the things they need. After all this country is full of things like that. (blood diamonds etc...)
7/10
Sunday, September 6, 2009
UNDEAD AND UNWELCOME By MaryJanice Davidson
This book is the latest in a long line of the series about Betsy Taylor AKA The Queen of the Vampires.
I found this book to be lighthearted, quick to read , humor. It has youthful characters and attitude but as it has some intimate scenes it is not for children.
In this latest addition to the story, Betsy is aboard Jessica's plane on her way to Wyndham Manor, home of the werewolf pack. She is carrying the remains of her friend Antonia (werewolf) back to the pack. She also has to go before the werewolf council to explain the details of Antonia's death. Unlike Betsy and Antonia, werewolves and vampires are not normally friends. They do not trust one another and many of the werewolves blame Betsy for Antonia's death. Will she make peace or start a war?
Meanwhile back at St Paul Manson, Betsy's half sister Laura,the Antichrist (no really!) is using her Satan worshipper followers to kill vampires. Can Marc get Betsy home in time to stop her?
6\10
Get This Book Here!!
Undead and Unwelcome (Queen Betsy, Book 8)
More Books By MaryJanice Davidson!
Undead and Unwed (Queen Betsy, Book 1)
Undead and Unemployed (Queen Betsy, Book 2)
Undead and Unappreciated (Queen Betsy, Book 3) (Berkley Sensation)
Undead and Unreturnable (Queen Betsy, Book 4) (Berkley Sensation)
Undead and Unpopular (Queen Betsy, Book 5)
Undead and Uneasy (Queen Betsy, Book 6)
Undead and Unworthy (Queen Betsy, Book 7)
I found this book to be lighthearted, quick to read , humor. It has youthful characters and attitude but as it has some intimate scenes it is not for children.
In this latest addition to the story, Betsy is aboard Jessica's plane on her way to Wyndham Manor, home of the werewolf pack. She is carrying the remains of her friend Antonia (werewolf) back to the pack. She also has to go before the werewolf council to explain the details of Antonia's death. Unlike Betsy and Antonia, werewolves and vampires are not normally friends. They do not trust one another and many of the werewolves blame Betsy for Antonia's death. Will she make peace or start a war?
Meanwhile back at St Paul Manson, Betsy's half sister Laura,the Antichrist (no really!) is using her Satan worshipper followers to kill vampires. Can Marc get Betsy home in time to stop her?
6\10
Get This Book Here!!
Undead and Unwelcome (Queen Betsy, Book 8)
More Books By MaryJanice Davidson!
Undead and Unwed (Queen Betsy, Book 1)
Undead and Unemployed (Queen Betsy, Book 2)
Undead and Unappreciated (Queen Betsy, Book 3) (Berkley Sensation)
Undead and Unreturnable (Queen Betsy, Book 4) (Berkley Sensation)
Undead and Unpopular (Queen Betsy, Book 5)
Undead and Uneasy (Queen Betsy, Book 6)
Undead and Unworthy (Queen Betsy, Book 7)
BLACK By Ted Dekker
This Book is the first in a trilogy Ted Dekker wrote way back in 2004
It starts of in Switzerland at a dinning table with two men named Valborg Svensson and Carlos Missirian. They are discussing their plan to hold the world hostage by developing a deadly virus and controlling the only vaccine against it. Svensson tells Carlos to go to Bangkok to get a man named Thomas Hunter who has been having a dream about just such a virus.
Then the book switches gears to Thomas Hunter. We enter his life as he is walking down the street in Denver when suddenly he is shot at and begins running for his life. Tom fights back when two men corner him and he escapes to hide on a rooftop. Suddenly something hits him and he is falling. He looses consciousness and when he wakes up, he is in another world with a strange black forest all around him. There is a man named Bill he's never seen before, trying to get him to drink from a strange looking puddle. He doesn't know anything for sure, except he shouldn't drink the water, no matter what. Bill walks off into the forest and then Tom feels himself being drawn towards the water, just as he's about to drink, razor sharp shale slices through his skin .He looks up and sees thousands of bats hanging in the trees. (creepy!) He passes out again and, bam he's back in Denver. Tom heads for the apartment he shares with his sister Kara. She bandages him up and he lays down to rest and once asleep, bam he is back in the black forest, running for his life. He sees a white bridge ahead, with green land on the other side of it and runs for it.
The next time he sleeps in Denver, it happens again, only this time he meets strange white talking birds and a girl named Rachelle, who tell him that hi memories of Denver are dreams of the histories.The world he is dreaming of was destroyed by a virus long ago. Rachelle believes he must have amnesia from hitting his head. As the story goes on, Tom decides this all must be happening to him so that he can stop the virus from happening and save the world. But he is not sure which world is more real to him. He would much rather stay with Rachelle and the peaceful world he has found. But of course, his conscience wont let him. Tom Keeps trying to get people to listen to, and believe him, even going so far as kidnapping a young scientist to stop her from releasing her vaccine to the world market.
I really enjoyed the world Ted Dekker created and loved the connection to Elyon (their name for God ) the beings had in the future. I thought this part was a brilliant way of paralleling the love of God for mankind and the great romance a person has with God.
I give it a 7\10 only because I hated the end, but I will have to see what WHITE and RED have to offer, the overall score could go a lot higher, oh yea, now it's more than a trilogy there's GREEN too!
Get This Book Here!!
Black (Circle)
Other Books By Ted Dekker
Green (The Circle, Book 0: The Beginning and the End)
Elyon (The Lost Books)
Lunatic (The Lost Books)
Chosen (The Lost Books, Book 1) (The Books of History Chronicles)
Complete Circle Series: Hardcover Box Set
It starts of in Switzerland at a dinning table with two men named Valborg Svensson and Carlos Missirian. They are discussing their plan to hold the world hostage by developing a deadly virus and controlling the only vaccine against it. Svensson tells Carlos to go to Bangkok to get a man named Thomas Hunter who has been having a dream about just such a virus.
Then the book switches gears to Thomas Hunter. We enter his life as he is walking down the street in Denver when suddenly he is shot at and begins running for his life. Tom fights back when two men corner him and he escapes to hide on a rooftop. Suddenly something hits him and he is falling. He looses consciousness and when he wakes up, he is in another world with a strange black forest all around him. There is a man named Bill he's never seen before, trying to get him to drink from a strange looking puddle. He doesn't know anything for sure, except he shouldn't drink the water, no matter what. Bill walks off into the forest and then Tom feels himself being drawn towards the water, just as he's about to drink, razor sharp shale slices through his skin .He looks up and sees thousands of bats hanging in the trees. (creepy!) He passes out again and, bam he's back in Denver. Tom heads for the apartment he shares with his sister Kara. She bandages him up and he lays down to rest and once asleep, bam he is back in the black forest, running for his life. He sees a white bridge ahead, with green land on the other side of it and runs for it.
The next time he sleeps in Denver, it happens again, only this time he meets strange white talking birds and a girl named Rachelle, who tell him that hi memories of Denver are dreams of the histories.The world he is dreaming of was destroyed by a virus long ago. Rachelle believes he must have amnesia from hitting his head. As the story goes on, Tom decides this all must be happening to him so that he can stop the virus from happening and save the world. But he is not sure which world is more real to him. He would much rather stay with Rachelle and the peaceful world he has found. But of course, his conscience wont let him. Tom Keeps trying to get people to listen to, and believe him, even going so far as kidnapping a young scientist to stop her from releasing her vaccine to the world market.
I really enjoyed the world Ted Dekker created and loved the connection to Elyon (their name for God ) the beings had in the future. I thought this part was a brilliant way of paralleling the love of God for mankind and the great romance a person has with God.
I give it a 7\10 only because I hated the end, but I will have to see what WHITE and RED have to offer, the overall score could go a lot higher, oh yea, now it's more than a trilogy there's GREEN too!
Get This Book Here!!
Black (Circle)
Other Books By Ted Dekker
Green (The Circle, Book 0: The Beginning and the End)
Elyon (The Lost Books)
Lunatic (The Lost Books)
Chosen (The Lost Books, Book 1) (The Books of History Chronicles)
Complete Circle Series: Hardcover Box Set
Friday, September 4, 2009
ARCTIC DRIFT By Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler
This is another novel about Dirk Pitt. Dirk Pitt is the director of NUMA, National Underwater and Marine Agency.His children Summer and Dirk Jr work for him.
This book opens with a look at history-April 1848,Victoria Strait in the Arctic Ocean:
Two ships The Erebus and The Terror are icebound in the Arctic winter with an added complication, a strange mineral they have on board appears to be making some of the men crazy. The Erebus is abandoned to the insane ones and then the Terror is destroyed by crushing ice and they are forced to leave it as well. As they trudge across the ice to try and return to the Erebus, they see it break free and go sailing off to sea.
Fast forward to April 2011:
A fishing trawler named Ventura is cutting across the inside passage, British Columbia when they see a strange cloud or fog on the water.When the fog envelopes the vessel they suffocate. Along come Summer and Dirk Jr doing some oceanography research studies, and they find the fishing boat about to crash into a rocky island. Dirk boards the vessel to save it and makes the grizzly discovery. They pilot the vessel to the nearest port and are detained for questioning.
Dirk also shows the investigators where the captain has tried to write a message on the helm as he was dying. When the autopsies are done the cause of death reveals asphyxiation, But the unfortunate captains brother,Trevor can not find any leaks aboard the boat. A mystery is born.
Can Summer and Dirk find the cause of the killing fog? Is it The Devils Breath?
In their investigation they run across a place called Terra Green, a prototype sequestration plant. It is designed to pump carbon dioxide beneath the ocean floor. Terra Green is owned by a billionaire named Mitchell Goyette. Is he really trying to save the environment or just get richer?
Next meet Lisa Lane a research biochemist with a ground breaking discovery that could eliminate global warming. Only catch is that it takes a little known called ruthenium. Now Dirk senior is on the case trying to find out who's trying to kill her.
Just as suddenly there are a lot of unexplained deaths occurring in British Columbia. Is there a connection, and can they find it before the USA gets drawn into a war with one of her closest allies?
Lots of action! 7\10
Get This Book Here!!
Arctic Drift (A Dirk Pitt Novel, #20) (Dirk Pitt Novels)
Other Books By Clive Cussler!
Spartan Gold (Fargo Adventures)
The Wrecker
This book opens with a look at history-April 1848,Victoria Strait in the Arctic Ocean:
Two ships The Erebus and The Terror are icebound in the Arctic winter with an added complication, a strange mineral they have on board appears to be making some of the men crazy. The Erebus is abandoned to the insane ones and then the Terror is destroyed by crushing ice and they are forced to leave it as well. As they trudge across the ice to try and return to the Erebus, they see it break free and go sailing off to sea.
Fast forward to April 2011:
A fishing trawler named Ventura is cutting across the inside passage, British Columbia when they see a strange cloud or fog on the water.When the fog envelopes the vessel they suffocate. Along come Summer and Dirk Jr doing some oceanography research studies, and they find the fishing boat about to crash into a rocky island. Dirk boards the vessel to save it and makes the grizzly discovery. They pilot the vessel to the nearest port and are detained for questioning.
Dirk also shows the investigators where the captain has tried to write a message on the helm as he was dying. When the autopsies are done the cause of death reveals asphyxiation, But the unfortunate captains brother,Trevor can not find any leaks aboard the boat. A mystery is born.
Can Summer and Dirk find the cause of the killing fog? Is it The Devils Breath?
In their investigation they run across a place called Terra Green, a prototype sequestration plant. It is designed to pump carbon dioxide beneath the ocean floor. Terra Green is owned by a billionaire named Mitchell Goyette. Is he really trying to save the environment or just get richer?
Next meet Lisa Lane a research biochemist with a ground breaking discovery that could eliminate global warming. Only catch is that it takes a little known called ruthenium. Now Dirk senior is on the case trying to find out who's trying to kill her.
Just as suddenly there are a lot of unexplained deaths occurring in British Columbia. Is there a connection, and can they find it before the USA gets drawn into a war with one of her closest allies?
Lots of action! 7\10
Get This Book Here!!
Arctic Drift (A Dirk Pitt Novel, #20) (Dirk Pitt Novels)
Other Books By Clive Cussler!
Spartan Gold (Fargo Adventures)
The Wrecker
THE FACE OF GOD by Bill Myers
This book is the story about two men with opposing faiths on a quest for the same thing, to hear the voice of God.
This novel opens with the pastor:
Daniel Lawson, the CEO/senior pastor of a 4500 member mega church in Rockford Illinois, is with his wife Jill and a group of church members in Istanbul on a Holy Lands tour.
Daniel and Jill are buying halvah in the spice bazaar when the merchant is suddenly pulled from his shop by two men and taken away. Later they discover he has hidden a green stone with writing on it into their package. That night Jill dreams that Daniel is dressed as a high priest wearing a vest with the stone in the center of it. She tells Daniel about the dream, telling him also that God told her that Daniel will hear Gods voice.
The next morning Jill is killed by a robber as she returns to their room to get a sweater.Daniel then returns to the states, forgetting completely about the stone in his possession. While he is a his wife's funeral, Daniels house is ransacked and it appears the vandals were looking for something specific.
Daniel then realizes they must be looking for the stone and goes to have it analyzed. He learns it is one of the stones from the breastplate of the Hebrew high priest, said to have helped him to hear the voice of God.
meanwhile:
The terrorist:
Ibrahim el-Magd is the leader of a secret terrorist group who is planning a holy-war attack against most of the world. He is seeking the stones so he can consult with Allah before "unleashing his greatest and most final fury" He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Daniel then decides with the encouragement of his son that he has lost his way and needs to go in search of the stones(He is also having dreams about the stone) Daniel and his son Tyler head to Jerusalem to meet up with Helen Zimmerman a world renowned archaeologist, who has agreed to help them. On the way there, they meet a young Muslim student, Natra Frazil and she decides to tag along with them. (a spy sent by Ibrahim el-Magd)He will allow Daniel to gather the stones and then steal them from him.
As this story unfold Daniel is forced to evaluate his judgments and prejudices of other people, including his son. He discovers he must try to learn to love as God loves.
Although everyone in this story has their own plans God will work it out how He sees fit.
This book was really excellent and caused me to do some soul searching of my own. The characters were complex with many of the problems we all deal with in our own lives.
It also has a lot of action and is a thrilling adventure to the very end. If you read only one book this year read this!
9/10
Get this Book Here!
The Face of God
Other Books By Bill Myers
Fire of Heaven Trilogy
Angel of Wrath: A Novel (The Voice of God series)
The Presence (The Soul Tracker Series #2)
Invisible Terror: The Haunting/The Guardian/The Encounter (Forbidden Doors 4-6)
This novel opens with the pastor:
Daniel Lawson, the CEO/senior pastor of a 4500 member mega church in Rockford Illinois, is with his wife Jill and a group of church members in Istanbul on a Holy Lands tour.
Daniel and Jill are buying halvah in the spice bazaar when the merchant is suddenly pulled from his shop by two men and taken away. Later they discover he has hidden a green stone with writing on it into their package. That night Jill dreams that Daniel is dressed as a high priest wearing a vest with the stone in the center of it. She tells Daniel about the dream, telling him also that God told her that Daniel will hear Gods voice.
The next morning Jill is killed by a robber as she returns to their room to get a sweater.Daniel then returns to the states, forgetting completely about the stone in his possession. While he is a his wife's funeral, Daniels house is ransacked and it appears the vandals were looking for something specific.
Daniel then realizes they must be looking for the stone and goes to have it analyzed. He learns it is one of the stones from the breastplate of the Hebrew high priest, said to have helped him to hear the voice of God.
meanwhile:
The terrorist:
Ibrahim el-Magd is the leader of a secret terrorist group who is planning a holy-war attack against most of the world. He is seeking the stones so he can consult with Allah before "unleashing his greatest and most final fury" He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Daniel then decides with the encouragement of his son that he has lost his way and needs to go in search of the stones(He is also having dreams about the stone) Daniel and his son Tyler head to Jerusalem to meet up with Helen Zimmerman a world renowned archaeologist, who has agreed to help them. On the way there, they meet a young Muslim student, Natra Frazil and she decides to tag along with them. (a spy sent by Ibrahim el-Magd)He will allow Daniel to gather the stones and then steal them from him.
As this story unfold Daniel is forced to evaluate his judgments and prejudices of other people, including his son. He discovers he must try to learn to love as God loves.
Although everyone in this story has their own plans God will work it out how He sees fit.
This book was really excellent and caused me to do some soul searching of my own. The characters were complex with many of the problems we all deal with in our own lives.
It also has a lot of action and is a thrilling adventure to the very end. If you read only one book this year read this!
9/10
Get this Book Here!
The Face of God
Other Books By Bill Myers
Fire of Heaven Trilogy
Angel of Wrath: A Novel (The Voice of God series)
The Presence (The Soul Tracker Series #2)
Invisible Terror: The Haunting/The Guardian/The Encounter (Forbidden Doors 4-6)
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
GREEDY BONES By Carolyn Haines
This book is the latest contribution of Carolyn Haines to her series about Sarah Booth Delaney and the residents of Sunflower County. Sarah Booth is a southern belle who is an actress and also a private investigator.
This book begins with Sarah Booth rushing home to the Mississippi Delta upon hearing the sad news that Oscar Richmond , along with many other residents and friends are coming down with a critical illness. The illness starts with a fever but the most critically ill have lapsed into comas.
Oscar, the first to be infected, is the husband of Tinkie her partner in the Delaney Detective Agency.
The Center For Disease Control is on the case, having sent Peyton Fidellas and Bonnie Louise McRae. Although Bonnie seems just as intent on catching Sheriff Colman Peters as she is on investigating the illness.
along with the illnesses boll weevils are rapidly killing the county's cotton crop. As if one problem at a time wasn't enough. Sarah Booth soon discovers the people who are sick all have one thing in common, they have been on the Carlisle Plantation where a new type of fast growing cotton hybrid is being grown.Could this be what is causing the illness?
And there is also the mystery of the strange accidental deaths of Lana and Luther Carlisle back in the 1990's.
As Sarah Booth investigates, she finds that to save the future she must unravel the past.
I found this book to be filled with lots of southern charm as well as interesting and entertaining characters. There is even a ghost who is Sarah Booths ancestor named Jitty with quite the sense of humor! This is a book that will make you laugh. And I didn't know who did it till the very end!
I give it 7\10
Get This Book Here!!
Greedy Bones (A Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery)
Other Books By Carolyn Haines
Wishbones (A Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery)
Them Bones: A Mystery from the Mississippi Delta
Splintered Bones
Buried Bones
Crossed Bones
This book begins with Sarah Booth rushing home to the Mississippi Delta upon hearing the sad news that Oscar Richmond , along with many other residents and friends are coming down with a critical illness. The illness starts with a fever but the most critically ill have lapsed into comas.
Oscar, the first to be infected, is the husband of Tinkie her partner in the Delaney Detective Agency.
The Center For Disease Control is on the case, having sent Peyton Fidellas and Bonnie Louise McRae. Although Bonnie seems just as intent on catching Sheriff Colman Peters as she is on investigating the illness.
along with the illnesses boll weevils are rapidly killing the county's cotton crop. As if one problem at a time wasn't enough. Sarah Booth soon discovers the people who are sick all have one thing in common, they have been on the Carlisle Plantation where a new type of fast growing cotton hybrid is being grown.Could this be what is causing the illness?
And there is also the mystery of the strange accidental deaths of Lana and Luther Carlisle back in the 1990's.
As Sarah Booth investigates, she finds that to save the future she must unravel the past.
I found this book to be filled with lots of southern charm as well as interesting and entertaining characters. There is even a ghost who is Sarah Booths ancestor named Jitty with quite the sense of humor! This is a book that will make you laugh. And I didn't know who did it till the very end!
I give it 7\10
Get This Book Here!!
Greedy Bones (A Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery)
Other Books By Carolyn Haines
Wishbones (A Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery)
Them Bones: A Mystery from the Mississippi Delta
Splintered Bones
Buried Bones
Crossed Bones
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