Kiowa Trail

Title: Kiowa Trail

Author: Louis L'Amour

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: September 1964

Genre: Western

Pages: 160

I love westerns. Then again, in my reading, I tend to love a lot of things, but I must say I really love westerns. Especially a western in the hands of a master. Louis L'Amour is just the master I was looking for when I started reading westerns about 12 or so years ago. My main draw to the genre was the price (really, four bucks at Wal-Mart is hard to beat), but I was also looking for something different. I wanted something that did not entail swords, blasters, or monsters. So in the words of John Soule (to be popularized by Horace Greely) "Go west young man" seemed to fit. Besides, I did not have far to go in the bookstore, it was just across from the Sci-Fi/Fantasy aisle. And if you are going to start reading westerns, you start with L'Amour. I think it's like a law or something.

So in my quest for the west, I started with Kiowa Trail by Louis L'Amour. It is the tale of Kate Lundy, owner of the Tumbling B, and her brother Tom. The rules were explained to Tom. Cowboys do not go north into town. Sure, the town's people like the money the cowboys bring in, but the northern part of town is off limits. But when Tom meets Linda McDonald, a daughter of one of the towns leading citizens, all bets are off! Ending up with the death of Tom Lundy. Kate swears revenge against not only the people responsible for the death of her brother, but the entire town. But when an army of hired guns come on the behest of Aaron McDonald, Linda's father, the men of the Tumbling B wonder if they have bittern off more than they can chew.

If you want a good tale of revenge, then this is a good place to start. If you are new to reading westerns, then again this is a good place to start. For a short book, it has everything you could want in a western. Love, action, revenge, retribution.

4 out of 5 stars (it could have been a bit longer)

Re-readable factor of 3 out of 5 (with all of L'Amour's other books you may not want to revisit this)

War of the Rats

Title: War of the Rats

Author: David L. Robbins

Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: June 2000
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 512

I've always been fascinated with World War II. I get that from listening to the stories my grandfather used to tell me about his time on the U.S.S. Cogswell in the Pacific Theater. I love to read the history of the war as well as reading fictional accounts of the war. I became interested in the Battle of Stalingrad after seeing the move Enemy at the Gates. If you get the chance, see the movie. However, if you should see the movie, you MUST read War of the Rats. Yes, it is that much better.

As much as the book is about the Battle of Stalingrad, it is more about a duel between two snipers, Zaitsev (a Russian sniper) and Thorvald (a German sniper). You will learn everything Zaitsev knew and taught to his class on the battlefront of Stalingrad. You will become so wrapped up in this book that you will feel as though you are leading their lives. You will feel the devastation of the bombed out city of Stalingrad. You can taste the fear, and anger as you turn each page.

David L. Robbins did his homework on this one. The history is accurate, the biographical sketches of the characters is accurate save one. Nikki Mond is the only fictional character in the book and he is the summation of the German troops. Please do not think that this is a boring fictional account of one of World War II most intense battles. Far from it. Once you pick it up, I guarantee that you will not want to put it down. This book should have come with it's own warning label. something like "WARNING: DO NOT START IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO DO"

War of the Rats is David L. Robbins finest moment and not to be missed!

5 out of 5 stars
Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5

Ending President's Week

I am ending president's week a day early and with All The President's Men. The Main reason is that I have not read any biographies on any president after Richard Nixon. I tried to give a list of books dealing with presidents from the beginning of our country to current times. Hopefully, next year, I will have some more contemporary presidents in my library.

Thank you for joining me on this first theme week at It Is Written. I will try to do a theme week each month. If you have any suggestions on what you would like to see, please let me know.

All The President's Men

Title: All The President's Men

Author: Carl Bernstein & Bob Woodward

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 1975; Re-issue 2005

Genre: History

Pages: 480

When I was a kid, there were two news stories that really got me interested in watching the nightly news. The first was the Moon Landing with Neil Armstrong. The other was the Watergate Scandal. If you think of it, both stories changed our world. The first showed us that we can do anything as long as we put our minds to it. The second showed us that we really have to be careful in who we trust.

I remember the morning headlines in our newspaper during the Watergate Scandal. I also remember my father taking the time to explain to me what the Watergate Scandal entailed and what it meant to our nation.

In high school, I read All The President's Men for my senior history class (I wanted some extra credit to bump up my grade, and it impressed the teacher that I chose something so contemporary). I re-read it in college, and one other time after college for pleasure reading. Yes, it is that good!

All The President's Men starts with a simple investigation into a burglary at the Democratic headquarters. It then snowball's into a tale of conspiracy and dirty tricks, that inevitable brings down a president. Woodward and Bernstein, reporters for the Washington Post do an incredible job relating the story that changed the way we look at politics and our presidents.

4 out of 5 stars (just because it ends abruptly and open ended)

Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5

Truman

Title: Truman

Author: David McCullough
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: June 1993
Genre: History/ Biography
Pages: 1120

There were two reasons that I read this book. First, I wanted to learn more about Harry S. Truman. The second, I have really come to admire the writing of David McCullough. At the time of it's release, Truman had gotten critical praise. I am not normally swayed by such things, but it helped in my decision to buy a book that was over one thousand pages long. Let's face it, if you're going to invest that much money on a history book, and that much time in reading said book, you also want a couple of other opinions backing up your decision.

Make no mistake, it will take you a while to read this book. It is packed with information, almost too much information, but coming from David McCullough I've come to expect nothing less. His research is extensive and detailed. However, if you want to get to know Harry Truman, this is the book to read. As you read it, your appreciation for the man will grow all the more. Not only is this a study of Truman's life, it is a study of his character and personality. You see Truman as a schoolboy, a farmer, a soldier, a merchant, a county judge, a senator, a vice president and as a president. You will come to appreciate how he got his reputation for honesty, reliability and common sense and in the process beat back the stigma of debt and business failure.

Even more than that, you will appreciate his accomplishments as the 33rd President of the United States. Among those accomplishments are halting communism in Turkey and Greece, ordering the atomic bomb to be dropped, desegregating the armed forces, establishing the CIA and the defense department, initiating the Marshall Plan, and firing General Douglas MacArthur.

4 out of 5 stars (I found myself getting bogged down in a lot of details)
Re-readable factor of 2 out of 5 (once was enough for me)

The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

Title: The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

Author: Candice Millard

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday

Publication Date: November 2006

Genre: History/Biography/Adventure
Pages: 432

At the onset I have to be upfront and honest when I say that Theodore Roosevelt is a hero of mine. I can go on and on about why I appreciate TR so much, but I really do not want to bore you to death either. The problem I ran into is which TR biography to choose for President's Week.

After much consideration, I chose The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey. I know, you would think that I would have chosen something based on his years in the White House, but this one really spoke to me. This book is adventure with a capital "A". Indiana Jones before Indiana Jones. I think you see where I am going here.

The River of Doubt is a tributary of the Amazon River that winds its way through some of the most dangerous jungle on the planet. Anything from piranhas to Indians with poison tipped arrows can be encountered here. The river is also strewn with boulders that can pummel a boat to pieces, much less a man. You would basically have to be insane to say you even want to attempt such a voyage, and yet that is exactly what Teddy Roosevelt did.

After his defeat for the Presidency in 1912, Teddy Roosevelt wanted a challenge. He wanted to push himself to the very boundaries of his endurance. To do this, he chose to explore a rapids choked tributary of the amazon River. This area has not been mapped out before. It is a first descent for anyone outside of the Amazon to attempt. Along with Roosevelt went his son Kermit and Brazilian explorer Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon. Together they did the incredible and changed the face of the western hemisphere forever.

If you love adventure, this is the book for you. If you want to see how a man not only lives life, but really LIVES life, this is the book for you. It is a prime example of how Theodore Roosevelt attacked life and the challenges it presents.

4 out of 5 stars (sometimes you get bogged down in details)
Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5

Washington: A Life

Title: Washington: A Life

Author: Ron Chernow

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication Date: November 2010

Genre: History/Biography

Pages: 928

Okay, I will be the first to admit that I may a a tad biased when it comes to reading books about George Washington. He has been a hero of mine since I was a kid and just learning about him in school. With all of the books written about him, do we really need another one? Has the subject of his life been done to the point of boredom and turning him into the wooden figure people think of when they think of people from our past?

Let's face it, after a while the figures from our past become nothing more than facts and figures and run the risk of becoming wax mannequins than the vibrant people they were when they were alive.Well, to answer my first question, yes, we do need another book about George Washington, especially when written by Ron Chernow (author of 2005 best seller Alexander Hamilton). To answer the second question, Ron Chernow brought back to life our nations first president and did it in a way that makes you feel as if you are there with George Washington during his life.

In Washington: A Life, Ron Chernow brings George Washington to life and dissolves the god-like facade that many Americans have given him. You will experience all of his life, his loves, his passions, his vibrancy, his faults, and his ability to inspire those around him. This book is more than a biography of our first president. It is also a biography of our very country and the growing pains we have experienced. This is a must read for any one who is the least bit interested in just how our country was formed.

I can go on and on about each chapter, but I do not want to take away from you the re-discovery of our first president and the shaping of our nation. I also do not want you to feel as though I am pushing you into reading this. It is your choice, as always, but I will say if you do pass on this, you will be missing out on a really enjoyable reading oipportunity. Ron Chernow has indeed brought history to life!

5+ out of 5 stars
Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5

American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House

Title: American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House

Author: Jon Meacham

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: November 2008

Genre: History Biography

Pages: 512

When I was laid up in the hospital in 2008, I watched a lot of television, particularly the History Channel. One morning, there was a two hour special on Andrew Jackson. After seeing it, I wanted to learn more. Around that time, Jon Meacham released his biography on Andrew Jackson and it was on it's way to becoming a Christmas present from my wife.

What really struck me was that Jackson was not your typical "born with the silver spoon in your mouth" president. He did not come from money, but was an orphan who fought for everything he wanted. He quite literally was a man of the people, and he gave a voice to those people and their hopes and fears as the nation faced many challenges both at home and abroad.

To tell the story, Jon Meacham draws on newly discovered papers and letters that bring to life this man as never before. Just remember that it deals with Jackson's time in the White House, and not his entire life. As much as this book is about Andrew Jackson, it is also about his family, his love of a new wife, his friends, and his cabinet. You get a wonderful view of the manners and culture that was the  Washington community at that time.

5 out of 5 stars

Re readable Factor of 2 out of 5. As good as this book is, I really do not see myself giving it a second read. There are other biographies of Andrew Jackson out that will give me a better view of his entire life.

John Adams

Title: John Adams

Author: David McCullough
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: May 2001
Genre: History/Biography
Pages: 751

Okay, you are probably wondering why I am starting President's Week with the second President of the United States and not the first. There are a couple of reasons. First, George Washington's birthday is this coming Tuesday. Second, John Adams is probably one of the most overlooked presidents in our history, especially when you consider all that he has done. So now you are probably scratching your head and asking what he has done. Well, read the book and find out!

I will be the first to admit that I was a bit skeptical to read a biography on John Adams. Why would I want to read a book about such a little known person. Considering that he has been overshadowed by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, why even bother? Historian David McCullough answers that question as only he can.

John Adams was a farmer and lawyer from the Massachusetts colony. He was proud of his Puritan background. He had an amazing intellect that was refined by his Harvard education, and often scorned those of a lesser intellect or those who disagreed with his firmly held beliefs.

You get a view of a man who tirelessly worked for the causes he believed in, especially freedom from oppression and personal liberty. He never compromised his principles in anything he fought for. We may never have severed ties with Britain had it not been for Adams' belief in securing that which was necessary for our country's future.

As much as this is about John Adams, it is also about his wife Abigail. You see how much his wife has aided him in everything he did and believed in, giving you a glimpse of just what she had also contributed to the American Revolution and the birth of our country.

This is so much more than just a biography of the second President of the United States. This is also a book about the beginning of our country, and the birth of democracy. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know where our country came from. After reading it, you will get a deeper appreciation for John Adams, his life and his times.

5 out of 5 stars
Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5

House of Blood

Title: House of Blood

Author: Bryan Smith
Publisher: Dorchester Books
Publication Date: December 2004
Genre: Horror
Pages: 384

I was going through the bookstore looking for something new in the horror field. I wanted an author I had never heard of. Then I came across House of Blood. I had never heard of Bryan Smith up until then. The title sounded like a B-grade horror movie you go to see at a drive-in on a Saturday night with your girlfriend, because you know she is going to end up getting closer to you (unless she is a total psycho). My curiosity was piqued.

I started it almost the moment I got it home. I was just itching to tear into it. My wife and i sat in the living room that rainy afternoon and read. When I looked up I was halfway through it. I looked at the clock and noticed that four hours had passed. How could that be? I just started it for crying out loud! And now I had to stop to go make dinner! I looked at my wife and asked if we could just order a pizza or something. She agreed, I made the phone call and ordered the pizza, and went back to reading. The pizza came, I ate and went right back to reading. Yes, it is THAT good! Turning the pages was like eating potato chips, you could not stop at just one.

House of Blood tells the story of five friends who are lost on a Tennessee interstate. They are tired and tense after having a major argument over a vacation gone bad. They pull off the interstate onto a backwoods road and find a house in the middle of nowhere. The lights are on in the house, so they go to the house and knock on the door. Later on, the ones who survived agree that they should have never gone to the house. The house is basically the entrance of Hell, and once that front door closes, the terror and screaming begins.

House of Blood has everything you are looking for in a horror novel. Pain, fear and blood, plus a back story of a slave uprising lead by the most unlikely of characters. This book will make you think twice before turning off the interstate and approaching a house with the lights on! Do not start it if you have any other plans!

5 out of 5 stars

Re readable factor of 5

Forum: The Future of Reading?

I was talking to one of my best friends the other day. He was telling me about his new i-Pod and how it held his entire music library. "D, I have all of my CD's on this thing and it fits in my shirt pocket. I take it with me everywhere and there is room for some more music" I can  see where he would be excited. He is a music junkie and he now has everything he has ever listened to and enjoyed at his fingertips.

Then we started talking about the new e-readers like the Nook and the Kindle. "They look like a data pad from Star Trek. Just imagine having your entire library on one of those for you to call up at your leisure. This is the future of reading my friend."

The future of reading?

On one hand I can see it. The thought of my library of books on an e-reader for me to call up at any time does excite me. As does the thought of being able to change the font size so reading is more comfortable for my eyes. Let's face it, I am not getting any younger and small print hurts my eyes. If I travel anywhere I have my books at my finger tips. And from what I understand of these e-readers, you can buy books anywhere. The world is basically your bookstore as long as you have wi-fi or 3G coverage. Yes, the thought of this is truly exciting.

On the other hand, there is also a lot I would miss.

 I can feel some of you pulling away from me, but please bear with me. Hear me out.

I am one of those people that enjoys the entire experience of reading. I can feel some of you asking "What experience? You are just reading words on a page. What more is there?"

What more is there?

My reading experience starts in a bookstore. To me, going to the local bookstore is a lot like going to church. No, books do not replace God in my life. But the bookstore is like my fortress of solitude. I am among people who are a lot like me. Browsing the shelves looking for their new reading fix. And just to be super thoughtful to their customer, a lot of bookstores have coffee shops inside. So, there is also the smell of the bookstore to consider. The very atmosphere of the book store puts me at ease. In a bookstore you get to pick up the book and read the back cover, feel the book in your hands as you consider buying it.

Next is the anticipation of reading this book gigging you at the back of your throat as you take it home. Dinner first then some music as you get settled to read? Or are you like me and you show your wife/partner/mate what you have and they share the experience with you? My wife is as avid a reader as I am, so we have our own little show and tell.

Then there is the book itself. The sound of it as you open it for the first time. The smell of it as you go to the fuirst page. The feel of the paper in your hands. Let's face it, not all paper is the same. Compare the paper in a hardcover as opposed to a soft cover. Then compare both of those to the paper in a Bible. See what I mean? Then, you get to mark your progression through the book with a book mark. You can tell when you are half way through, or if you are just one more hour away from finishing it.

One concern I have for an e-reader is if I drop it and the screen breaks, how screwed am I? If you drop a book, you just pick it up and move on. If I drop and possible break my e-reader then thats it. I have to wait for a replacement to finish my book. I also don't like the idea of losing my entire library to an EMP. (I mentioned this to someone and they got really sarcastic and said "As opposed to losing your books to a single match?" Just try getting the match near my book and see what happens.)

Does this mean I am against the e-reader? No. I know I will eventually get one. I am merely pointing out all that I will miss when I get one.

Feb 20-26 2011

February 20-26 2011 will be President's week on It Is Written. That means I will be highlighting some of the best biographies on American Presidents that I have come across.

Forum: A Horror Author Worth Reading

When I started reading horror fiction, I naturally started with Stephen King. I think everyone who wants to read horror has gone to him at one point or another. For my stepson (who is a horror connoisseur) there is no one better. Really, the sun rises and sets on Stephen King as far as this kid is concerned. BUT, and lets face it there is always a "but", I have come across an author who gives King a run for the money.

Richard Laymon (1947-2001)

Remember that name. Google that name. Run out to your local bookstore and see if there is anything available and scoop it up. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.

Where Stephen King had you poking under your bed with a broom handle to make sure there are no monsters, Richard Laymon rips the broom handle from your grasp and beats you about the head with it. He is Stephen King without a conscience. This is the author where when you read his books you will find yourself saying "Surely he wouldn't...." and then he DOES! This is the kind of horror that catches you at the back of the throat and does not let go.

 Does it leave you Breathless? You're damn right it does.

Will you turn on every light in the house when you have to make a midnight run to go pee? Oh, most definitely! You might even make that trip fully armed! Or you might just hold it til dawn.

His books are loaded with the things that go bump in the night...and a lot of those bumps are caused not by monsters but by humans. As bad as some of his monsters are, the human counterpart is just a tad worse. In a couple of his books you will actually want to see the monster kill the human villain just so you can get some relief. THEN the monster has to go, or does it?

If you are familiar with Richard Laymon, then this is not news for you. However, if you are not, then you are really missing out on some great horror.

Suggested Titles:

The Cellar
The Travelling Vampire Show
Bite
The Stake
Resurrection Dreams
Come Out Tonight
Night in the Lonesome October
Savage
Body Rides
Among The Missing

Keep in mind this is not a total list of books that Richard Laymon has written. These are the ones that I've read and in some cases re-read.

Stranger in a Strange Land

Title: Stranger in a Strange Land

Author: Robert A. Heinlein

Publisher: Penguin group

Publication Date: 1961

Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 448

Anyone who enjoys reading science fiction has had to have read Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. It's almost like required reading for the science fiction field. I read this book in 1981, when I was in high school. I had moved from New york to North Carolina the year before and found myself to be my own stranger in a strange land, so in a way I could really relate to the book.

Stranger in a Strange Land tells the story of Valentine Michael Smith, human.....Martian. Yes, he is quite literally the man from Mars. He is brought to Earth and must adapt to life on this planet. As he adapts, so must Earth adapt to him, especially when he gets his own religion going.

Not only is this a science fiction classic, it is also a commentary on life in the 1960's. It can also be viewed as a satire on human weaknesses and in some cases strengths. It contained Heinlein's cultural and political observations of the time. What some might find interesting is the role women played back then. As you read this, you have to keep reminding yourself of the time in which it was written. That is not an altogether impossible task, and it does not take away from the enjoyment of the book as a whole.

If you want a glimpse of what life was like back in the 60's then by all means get this book. If you want to see what a science fiction classic looks like, again get this book. If you just want to kick back and relax with a book on a rainy weekend, well, I think you get the idea.

5 out of 5 stars   

Re readable factor of 3 out of 5

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

Title: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

Author: Howard Pyle

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication Date: September 2005

Genre: Classic Literature

Pages: 416

By rights, this is the book I should have launched the blog with. This is the book that started and solidified my love of reading at a very young age. When I was eight years old (way back in 1973) I had seen the Erroll Flynn version of the movie on television with my grandfather. As we were watching it, I said something to the effect of "This would make a great book." Little did I know that my grandfather told Santa Claus (a.k.a. Mom) and the hardcover version of the book was waiting for me under the Christmas tree. Yes, it was gloriously illustrated but it was complete and unabridged, and quite daunting for an eight year old (it was written in the dialect of the days of olde). So much so, that I took some of the Christmas money from my grandparents and bought my first dictionary.

I think the greatest effect this book had on me is it taught me lessons of compassion, honor, bravery,and loyalty. Even though they were outlaws, Robin Hood and his Merry Men stood for a just cause, the downtrodden and the oppressed. They were willing to fight for what is right and do so to their last breath if need be. I not only read this book, I lived it. I felt as though I was there with them as they fought, loved and lived.

I re-read this book every five years or so. Partly for nostalgia's sake, but a bigger part to remind me of those lessons I learned very long ago.

5 out of 5 stars    

Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5

The Stand

Title: The Stand: Complete and Uncut

Author: Stephen King

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication Date: May 1991

Genre: Horror

Pages: 1168

Okay, a little history lesson here, so please bear with me. Once upon a time, way back in the 1970's (1979 if the brain is working right) I bought a copy of The Stand. The cover had a painting of a crow mixed in with a twilight sunset. As I was walking home with my new book and couldn't wait to break into it, I looked up and saw the same sunset in the sky and it ran a chill up my spine. Man this was going to be good! The original paperback copy of The Stand came in at a little over 800 pages. I dove into it that night. I was even caught reading it at school during study hall and in my free time. A teacher even went as far as to contact my mother and ask her if she was aware of what I was reading. Mom came to my room that night all kinds of concerned that I had gotten my hands on some pornographic filth. She asked me what I was reading, so I showed it to her and she just shrugged her shoulders and walked out of my room. Then in 1991, Stephen King decided he wanted the world to see The Stand in its entirety.

Having read the original version of The Stand I felt like i had something to look forward to. I admit I was a bit skeptical about going into the re-edit. What could be added to one of my favorite Stephen King books? Well, the answer is alot!

The Stand is an end of the world tale. Not a nuclear holocaust, but one done by a man made super flu. Over 90% of the world's population is wiped out. And out of the "ashes" of this holocaust rises Randall Flagg, basically evil on two legs. Very charming, and very very bad. To go against Randall Flagg is 108 year old Mother Abigail. The world's remaining population divides between the two camps, with Mother Abigail getting very few followers. It is up to these people to defeat Randall Flagg in the ultimate showdown of Good versus Evil.

This book has everything you could look for in a book. The characters are very engaging and believable. You get enough background on each character to feel as though you might just be a part of their lives and not some distanced voyeur looking in with binoculars. It moves at a good pace, not a break neck pace, but an enjoyable pace. This is not a book that you will finish in one sitting or even a weekend, unless you are a speed reader, and then you will be missing out on a lot. This is Stephen King at his finest!

5 out of 5 stars

Re Readable factor of 5 out of 5

Forum: On picking your next read.....

A lot of times I have a hard time picking out what I want to read next. A lot of it depends on my mood at the time, or even what has influenced me. Then there are those times where I want to read EVERYTHING at once. It gets so bad that sometimes I juggle three or four books at a time.

Last night is such an instance. I had started a book, got sixty pages into it and it really was not doing a thing for me. (I really wanted to like this book just because of the subject matter.) So I decided to put this book down and try to read it another time. So I go into the process of picking my next read. Believe me when I tell you it is a process.

The process starts with a stack of as many as ten to twelve books. Then it gets whittled down to four or so. Then I go to one, but it does not mean the one I am sticking with. So last night, I had three books next to me on my night stand. A history, a mystery, and a science fiction. I picked up the sci-fi, read it for a few minutes, then went to the mystery, read that for a few minutes then (you guessed it) went to the history. After a few minutes of that, I turned off the light and rolled over to go to sleep. As I was drifting off to sleep, my wife said "Maybe you should read a fantasy, you haven't done that in a while"

Well, when I woke up this morning, my wife asked me if I decided on what to read next. I told her not yet. She reminded me of her suggestion to read a fantasy. she then followed up with "Better yet, why not do a space opera? You haven't read one of those in a LONG time." Out of the mouths of babes, eh? (Hey, my wife is a total babe to me) The moment she said that, a light went on over my head, I hard a bell ring and the angels sang. SPACE OPERA! My first love in reading. Not just Science Fiction, but space opera!

Now, which one? The process starts.......

Honor Bound

Title: Honor Bound

Author: W.E.B. Griffin

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication Date: November 1993

Genre: Historical Thriller

Pages: 560

Sometimes when I read I go through phases. When I was going through my World War II phase, I wanted something different to read. Not unusual and off the wall, just different. I found that something different in Honor Bound, the first in a series by W.E.B. Griffin. This was also the first book by Griffin that I have read, and after this one there will most definitely be more.

Honor Bound is set in neutral Argentina. Small merchant ships are delivering supplies to Nazi submarines and raiders. The OSS wants to sabotage this operation and enlists a marine aviator, Cletus Frade to help them. In Argentina, Cletus will be reunited with his estranged father Jorge Guillermo Frade, also known as "El Colonel"

The backdrop of Argentinian society provides and exotic location. By the time I was halfway through with this book I wanted to go to 1942 Argentina. The father-son story line also kept me interested, as well as the mission to destroy the merchant ship. All of this ties into an excellent thriller that will provide enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the final page.

Honor Bound does not end on a cliffhanger, but it is engaging enough with its characters that you will want to see what happens next in the next books. If you decide to get this, then do yourself a favor and at least pick up its follow up, Blood and Honor.

The list of books in this series are as follows:

Honor Bound (1993)
Blood and Honor (1996)
Secret Honor (1999)

Death and Honor (2008)

The Honor of Spies (2009)
Victory and Honor (2011)

 5 out of 5 stars

Re-readable factor of 4 out of 5

Nathan Stone Gunfighter Series

Title(s): Nathan Stone Gunfighter Series
               1) Dawn of Fury (496pp) pub. December 1995
               2) The Killing Season (448pp) pub. June 1996
               3) Autumn of the Gun (432 pp) pub. December 1996
Author: Ralph Compton
Publisher: Penguin Book
Genre: Western

This is the first series I read when I started reading westerns twelve years ago. I was drawn to the tag line on the back cover "If you like L'Amour you'll love Ralph Compton" And I really could not argue with the price ($5.99). All three books were available so I got them in one fell swoop. You really do not need to get them all at once, none of them are left in a cliff hanger ending where you have to have the next book to see what happens next.

What I really enjoyed about this series is that the hero runs into historical figures from the west and the author lets you know with a foot note on the bottom of the page. That just added to the authenticity ad feel of the book.

The other enjoyable aspect of the series is when the hero gets shot, he really gets shot. It is not like a grazing wound and he gets pissed off and wipes everyone out before the dust settles. The hero of the book is very much human. He is not portrayed as the "Superman" of the west. AND he has his trusty sidekick...a dog named Cotton Blossom.

I did have a problem with this series. I guess the phrase "leaves a lot to the imagination" sums it up best. There is not a lot of descriptive detail in this series, and it left me feeling like there was something I was missing. For me it took some of the enjoyment out of the experience. Not enough to stop reading the series, but enough to leave me feeling like I missed something important.

 3 1/2 stars out of five

Re-readable factor of 2

Forum: Angry Robot Books

I wanted to share with you a fairly new publishing company. Angry Robot Books. They are headquartered in Britain and have been able to acquire some of the hottest names in Sci-fi, Fantasy, and Horror plus some authors that I have never heard of.

What drew me to this company was the format of the book. When you look at the back of the book to read the teaser you will see a tab in the upper right corner. This is a "File Under" tab. What I love about this tab is that it adds to the teaser to see if it the particular something you were looking for. Example: Mike Shevdon's Sixty One Nails has a file under tab that reads:

"File Under
Urban Fantasy
 -Hidden War
 -Ancient Rituals
 -Secret history
 -Gallowfyre!"

So my initial thought was "Awesome, this is the something different I was looking for"... Really. The teaser on the back cover is short. Like three sentences short, so that file under tab helped me make up my mind to plunk down the money for this one.

The other neat thing about that back cover is at the bottom there is space for "If you like this try". And will go on to list some similar books not published by Angry Robot Books and then will offer books from their line. Isn't that like putting the wants and reads of the reader ahead of their own? Gee.....what other company does that?

One other fun thing about this publishing company. When you look at the copyright page in the beginning of the book, you will see at the top of the page http://www.angryrobotbooks.com/ .Right under that you will see a little message. Mike Shevdon's Sixty One Nails has the message "Mine". In Andy Remic's Kell's Legend it is "No More Heroes". It's a funny little thing, but to me it makes it that much more fun.

I encourage you to look into Angry Robot Books. If you are in the bookstore, look for the half black half white robot with the red bar for eyes. That's their logo, their calling card for a fun experience in reading.

Manhunt: The 12 Day Chase For Lincoln's Killer

Title: Manhunt: The Twelve Day Chase For Lincoln's Killer

Author: James L. Swanson

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Publication Date: Febuary 2006

Genre: History

Pages: 444

Everyone knows the story of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, right? Guess again. I am not saying forget everything you know about the Lincoln assassination. I am saying that this book will add to what you know and may even set you straight on what you think you know. This book won the Edgar Award** for best non fiction. After the first chapter you see why.

Mr. Swanson takes you on a journey every bit as thrilling as any blockbuster movie. He gives you an almost minute by minute detail leading up to that dreadful moment when the trigger is pulled and the bullet is discharged from the gun. THEN the book really takes off on a twelve day chase for an injured John Wilkes Booth (he broke his leg when he jumped off the balcony after shooting Lincoln in the back of the head), through country side and swamp land, ending in the fire at Garrets farm that took the life of Booth.

The only thing missing from this book was a warning label telling the potential reader that this book is totally absorbing, addictive, readable, thrilling, and breath taking. Sure, we all know how the story ends. What is never taught in school is how close it came to never happening. Believe me there are plenty of moments where you will be saying, "Gee...I had no idea....."

** The Edgar Award is named after Edgar Allen Poe, the father of the mystery novel. It is awarded for excellence in mystery writing.

5 out of 5 stars.
Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5

Kell's Legend (Book 1 of the clockwork Vampire Chronicles)

Welcome

Welcome to It Is Written.

This is a blog dedicated to books. I like to think of it as a spot for book lovers to go to for honest thoughts on books that I have read. Being an avid reader, I have a lot of material to fall back on. It will take me a while to build up some volume. So, if you have a title in mind, please ask me if I have read it yet. If I have I will share my thoughts on the blog.

As I have stated, I love to read. I can honestly say it is a major passion in my life and one that I share with my wife. I will give anything a shot, except for romance novels. I apologize to those who enjoy the genre of romance novels, they just do not hold any fascination for me. I get into a lot of Science Fiction/ Fantasy; Thrillers; History; Biography; Mystery; Classical Literature; Westerns and I can go on and on. I think you get the idea.

Sometimes I will review an entire series. If I do this, I will provide a list of the books in the series. I will even let you know if it necessary to read the books in order or not.

There will be other times where I will give commentary on subjects related to books such as picking out something to read, a new publishing group or even an old publishing group or any other idea that may come to mind that is related to books.

Just for fun, every now and then there will be theme weeks. I hope you have as much fun reading them as I do writing them.

Most of all I hope I can help you find your next great read. Some of the postings will be older books. Others will be what is currently on the bestseller list. And then there will be the book that should be on a bestseller list that you may not ever be aware exists.