Matt Inman
I came across a reference for this book the other day. I'd seen the movie and hadn't given the book much thought. I'm glad I picked it up. The book was just what I needed to read this winter. Strayed description of life on the trail was the pick-me-up and dream-inducing muse for the long dark days. While I'd love to take on the challenge of hiking the PCT, maybe a shorter trip would be more beneficial. Her descriptions of the days and events make me wonder how it has changed in the 25 years since she walk the trail.
I was thrilled to pick up an early copy of Peter Clines, The Broken Room. Peter is one of my favorite authors, and I jumped at the opportunity to read his latest book.
It starts with Hector Ramirez sitting at his local bar, deciding if he will get a little or a lot drunk. We surmise that he is an ex-special forces operative working daily through a bottle of anything to escape his past.
As he contemplates ordering that next drink, a little girl walks into the bar. She approaches Hector, introduces herself as Natalie, and informs him she fled a secret government facility called The Project with the help of his old partner.
The partner then led Natalie to find Hector, to call in an old favor. The same partner who subsequently has been dead for seven years. Unfortunately, Hector has little time to contemplate the girl or her situation when two suited FBI types enter and attempt to take Natalie into custody.
Hector quickly has to make a decision. Let the men take this frantic girl and continue drinking his life away or step back into a world he has been trying desperately to escape. He makes his choice, dispatches the men, and takes charge of Natalie.
Now on the run, Natalie tells Hector about the experiments conducted on her and the other children. It becomes clear there is only one course of action, The Project must be stopped.
What follows is one action scene after another, with Hector pushing his training to the limits—trying his best to keep Natalie safe. The Project reacts by sending out more specialized operatives to control the situation. Culminating in an ending battle that could alter the world as we know it.
Clines's adrenaline-pumping style of writing is entertaining and engaging. The book never has a lull in action or suspense. Be warned; there are some grotesque and creepy parts in the story. Those of you with a queasy stomach, watch out.
Overall the book was a fun time from start to finish. If you are familiar with Clines and his body of work, this new novel will fit right into your expectations. Fans will get some shout-outs to past events, with ties into the Threshold Universe, his ongoing supernatural-based book series.
But don't let that deter you if you are a first-time reader. The book easily stands on its own and won't detract from your enjoyment of it. Instead, it may be a great introduction to the author's world.
OK, this book has one of the most interesting concepts of magic I've read in a while. The author's take on it seemed fresh, new, and fun.
BUT, and this is huge but, you have to be very comfortable with explicit sex scenes. I went in knowing this was an LBGTQ friendly book. That is the understatement of the year. IMO, it ruined the book having two characters who are always thinking about each other, and the author lets us know it every time they delve off into their fantasies. It would be distracting to the story if they were any couple. They just happen to both be men.
Banayan's book starts with his adventures on the Price is Right. Winning the showcase and using the money to fund his dream of writing a book. It then follows him along on his journey to meet some of the most famous people in the world and try and discover their secret to success. While the book was amusing at times, I couldn't shake the idea that he was an entitled person talking to other entitled people. However, he does offer some good advice, and it's worth a read through.
When I saw this book won the Pulitzer prize, I'll admit my expectations weren't high, having read several “ok” Pulitzer books already. But Doerr's book surprised me, weaving in a beautiful story while exploring the world through multiple different characters. All the while, telling a tale of a book lost to the annuals of time which events open each chapter.
The book turns out to be a mystery with a solution that needs to be experienced. The book's multiple time jumps help move the story along and add to its wonder. If I had read this book earlier in the year, it would have been five stars, but 2021 has taken its toll on many of us, and it left me hopefully but with a few ounces of sadness.
All in all a great book, and one I would recommend.
This is one of those books that you are either going to like or you're going to read a page each night to put you to sleep. Pinker delves into some heavy thinking, and if you aren't up for following his logic, it will be dry and boring. But if you attempt to follow along, you may learn something about logic and reasoning.
If you ever had dreams of being a rock star, this is a must-read. On top of being one of the biggest artists on the planet, Dave Grohl is a great storyteller. The book is packed with tales of his life and all the amazing people he has met. he never seems to take himself seriously and is genuinely grateful for all that the universe has given him.
An excellent book on the history of AI, starting in the early days and progressing up through 2019. The author does a fantastic job explaining the key players throughout the time and weaves a compelling story of why AI can be the best and worst technology we have developed. The book doesn't get into the weed of the technology but gives just enough information that anyone can follow along with the narrative.
Pines, at its heart, is a retelling of the zombie apocalypse tale. Crouch does it in a more indirect way and with a tale within tale storytelling. I'm not a huge fan of that genre, so when the reveal came of what the book was, it was a letdown to me. I haven't decided if I will continue the series or not. Crouch's other books are some of my favorites so that I may move on to another of his works.
A very interesting book. When I read it the first time in 2004 I had no frame of reference for the Disney parks. Now that I'm very familiar with them and their workings it was much easier to visualize the settings of the story. Which included The Haunted Mansion and The Hall of Presidents. With the utilidors thrown in for good measure. He mentions the Polynesian and the Contemporary as well. While I didn't enjoy the book as much as I did the first time. Mostly because the audiobook was homemade. It did lend a certain authenticity to the story. He wasn't the best reader, with many mistakes and corrections, a few paper shuffling, and some poor voice acting. But it passed the time and as I said lent itself to some visualization that I'd missed the first time around.
I felt a little disappointed at the ending. I can only assume that he is setting up for the 3rd book which will tie up all the loss ends. The writing in these books is good, his descriptions and scene setup are marvelous and his use of metaphor adds to the story. Great character development and dialogue as well. I just felt the ending was a bit rushed.
This book like, many of his others, was just ok. I like his story ideas quite a bit. However, he tends to fall short in the execution of dialogue and character development. His dialogue is very repetitive and unimaginative at times. With characters speaking in ways no real person would. But the stories are entertaining and keep you interested. I'm not sure if I will read another book by him again, though.