Darth Bane: Path of Destruction

Title: Darth Bane: Path of Destruction

Author: Drew Karpyshyn

Publisher: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: June 2007
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 416

Okay, we've already established that I am a Star Wars fan. When I was going to physical therapy, the therapist working on me admitted to me that he has never seen any of the Star Wars movies. How the hell is that even possible? He told me that he tried to watch the first one (Episode IV: A New Hope...the original movie) and can only make it a half hour into it before he falls asleep. Are you frickin kidding me?!?!?!

Recently, I did a count of the novels in the Star Wars universe. Before you start any of the books, there will be a time line of all the novels and where the particular book you are reading fits into the timeline. Using that as a reference I came up with 132 books. Of those 132 books, I've read 39 of them. After a while, I grew away from them, they became repetitive and the characters that I've come to love became whiny and lost their strength. So I stopped reading the books for a while. Star Wars: Death Troopers rekindled my interest in the series. Darth Bane: Path of Destruction cemented that interest!

Dessel is a miner in the outer rim who wants nothing more than to break away from the life he is living. Long hours, back breaking work and owing the corporation moire than he can afford is becoming more than he can take. After a fight with another miner, in which he bites the thumb off of the other miner, he is suspended. He goes home, washes up, then goes to his favorite bar to gamble and drink. After a fight in which a Republic Soldier is killed, Dessel flees and joins the Sith army. There he gains the attention of the Dark Lords and is taken to the Sith Academy to train to become a Dark Lord.

In my opinion, Darth Bane is probably one of the darkest of the Sith lords. So much so that he makes Darth Vader look weak. His motives for becoming a Sith lord are totally different. He is power hungry and driven by that hunger. He totally surrenders himself over to the dark side of the Force. The true magic of this book is that you will actually want to see him succeed!

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

Flight of the Old Dog

Title: Flight of the Old Dog

Author: Dale Brown

Publisher: Penguin Group
Publication Date: May 1988
Genre: Techno-Thriller
Pages: 416

I love a good military story. Then, in the 1980's, the military story was redefined when Tom Clancy burst onto the literary scene with The Hunt for Red October, and a new literary term was born: Techno-Thriller. That term played in my brain for a very long time. I had a hunger for techno-thrillers. Hell, I was starving for them. Then, in 1988, Dale Brown released Flight of the Old Dog. Can you hear the dinner bell? I did!

Flight of the Old Dog is the first book in the Patrick McLanahan series, and what an opening for a series.

This book is set during the  Cold War. The Soviet Union is developing a weapon that will knock anything out of the sky. A laser based weapon. And it works with dazzling success. It even knocked a B-1 bomber out o the sky as easily as swatting flies. All seems hopeless. Until it is revealed that in the desert is a secret Air Force base that is working on advanced technology. This technology is going into a refitted B-52 bomber named "Old Dog". Hope is sparked as the Old Dog takes flight during an attack on the base. The question now is will she succeed?

This is a techno thriller that is heavy on the TECHNO and the THRILLER. Sometimes it bogs down with all of the techno jargon and a glossary would have really helped. Unfortunately, I had to gloss over the jargon and I found that it took away from the book, but not so much that I had to put it down. There was enough twists and turns in the story to keep my interest.

4 out of 5 stars
Re-readable factor of 2 out of 5

Forum: It's All Fluff

One night, a long time ago, I was talking to a very good friend of mine. During the course of our conversation I aksed her what she was reading. Anyone who knows me knows that this particular question will come up during the course of any conversation. I am a book lover. My friends love books. We talk about books as much as we talk about our families and our lives. Any way, on this particular night, my friend (Karen) and I started talking books. when asked what she was reading, she simply said "Fluff"

"Fluff?" I asked "What kind of fluff?"

"You know" she replied "Fluff"

Well, that got me thinking. There are many many kinds of fluff. There's thriller fluff, romantic fluff, western fluff, sci-fi/fantast fluff, and by now you get the idea. In fact, I would go as far as to say fluff is the most dangerous substance in the known universe. It is the stuff that ideas both great and idiotic, are born of.

Fluff has the power to take us away from our every day lives and let us live the adventerous life we have always dreamed of. When was the last time you rode on the back of a dragon? The last time you were swept off your feet by a dashing rogue? The last time you were asked to figure out a mystery? When was the last time you explored our past? When was the last time you explored the many mysteries of our universe? Fluff helps you do all that and more!

When you get down to it, it is all fluff!

STAR WARS: Death Troopers

Title: Star Wars: Death Troopers

Author: Joe Schreiber

Publisher: Del Rey

Publication Date: October 2010

Genre: Science Fiction/Horror

Pages: 304

Okay, so we have already established that I am a bit of a Star Wars fan. When the book line for Star Wars started I was like a kid in a candy store. But after a while, I became disillusioned with the series. I guess the saying is true, "Too much of a good thing is bad....."

Then in October of last year, I noticed a new Star Wars book out. On the cover was chains with hooks on the end. On one of the hooks was a Stormtrooper helmet, with the hook through the eye and blood on the helmet. Someone has finally brought horror to the Star Wars universe. Not the darkness that is known for the dark side of the force, but actual out and out horror, and in this case in the form of zombies.

The Imperial prison barge, Purge, filled with five hundred prisoners of the Empire is adrift in space. For some unknown reason, their engines have failed. Hope comes in the form of an abandoned Star Destroyer. The captain of the prison barge brings two teams of soldiers and engineers aboard the destroyer to look for parts to fix their engines. Along with the parts, the boarding team brings back a deadly virus that kills all but six on board the Purge. The six remaining survivors think the worst is behind them. That is until the dead start walking, and they are very very hungry.

Now it may seem that zombies are being over done, and in some respects I might just agree with you. But in this case, it works, and works well, especially when how the zombies came to be is explained. The explanation that is given is something you can actually see happening in the near future, which amps up the horror factor that much more. Throw in two well known heroes from the Star Wars universe and you get a book that grabs you by the throat and squeezes until the very last page.

4 out of 5 stars for predictability and shortness
Re-readable factor of 3 out of 5

Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader

Title: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader

Author: James Luceno

Publisher: Del Rey Books

Publication Date: June 2006

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 368

I've been a Star Wars geek since I first saw it in the theater back in 1977. Please note I said geek and not super geek or super freak. I do not know every aspect of Star Wars trivia. However, what I do know, I enjoy very very much. I will even go on the record as saying I enjoy ALL of the movies. My favorite character from the moves has been and always will be Darth Vader. Who wouldn't want to be a universal bad ass that has the power of the dark side at his disposal? Ever since I first saw him on the screen entering a smoke filled hallway and non-chalantly looking at the dead rebels at his feet, I was a fan. Episodes I-III answered the questions of how he became Darth Vader, and who among us cannot say that the lightsaber duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan was not the most exciting we've seen in the series? But lets face it, putting on the life supporting armor and having the power of the force does not automatically make you feared throughout the galaxy.

Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader tells you how Vader became feared through out the galaxy.

For all intents and purposes, Anakin Skywalker is dead. He is believed to have been killed with other Jedi Knights during the siege of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. In reality, he "died" on Mustafar after a duel with his former mentor and friend Obi-Wan Kenobi. But news of these events have not travelled through out the galaxy, especially the outer rim of the galaxy. It is in the outer rim that two Jedi Masters and a Padawan are leading a bloody charge against the Separatists, and narrowly escape execution. they soon become prey and the hunter is a Sith Lord they had never heard of....Darth Vader.

What made this book a great read for me was the character development of Darth Vader. James Luceno did a fantastic job with the struggle of Darth Vader over Anakin Skywalker. Just because you take a dark path does not automatically make you a dark figure. The conflict between good and evil in Darth Vader is ever present in his first mission for the emperor (a person who is also having his doubts about his new student). As much as it is packed with all the action one would expect from a Star Wars novel, it is also filled with enough emotional turmoil to make you understand what is going on behind the mask of the man who is destined to become dreaded through the galaxy.

5 out of 5 stars
Re-readable factor of 4 out of 5

The General's Daughter

Title: The General's Daughter

Author: Nelson DeMille
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: December 2001
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 468

I first became aware of Nelson DeMille's writing when I started working on a Child and Adolescent unit at a mental health hospital in the south. Luckily, I fell in with a group of readers and on break we would often discuss what we were currently reading. One of the nurses was reading The General's Daughter, and I asked her if DeMille was any good as a writer. She enthusiastically recommended him. So, that weekend i went out and got a copy of The General's Daughter. I finished it by the end of that weekend.

Captain Anne Campbell is the daughter of legendary General Joe Campbell, and a West Point graduate. She is the army's golden girl and the pride of Fort Hadley. That is until her body is found naked and bound on the firing range one morning. Paul Brenner, a member of the army's elite undercover unit, is teamed up with rape specialist Cynthia Sunhill. Together they must get beyond a failed affair they had in the past to find out why someone would want the generals daughter dead. Together they will find out how many people were emotionally and sexually involved with Anne Campbell, and just how the pressed uniforms and honor code of the army can hide corruption in its many forms.

This book is a quick read. The characters are engaging enough, but also cliched. It is difficult to become emotionally invested in them. The ending is also a tad bit predictable if you pay attention to what is going on.

3 out of 5 stars for predictable characters and ending.
Re-readable factor of 1 out of 5

Ghost Story

Title: Ghost Story

Author: Peter Straub

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 1979

Genre: Horror

Pages: 560

It was autumn of 1979 when I first read this book. Back then everyone was going crazy over Stephen King, and I wanted something a little different. I found it in a convenience store, and it found its way into my pocket. When I got it home, I started to read it. The opening sentence "What is the worst thing you've ever done?" scared the hell out of me because the worst thing I had ever done was steal that book! So I raided my piggy bank and had enough to pay for the book, so I took it back and told the store owner what I had done and laid the book and the money on the counter. I apologized profusely and was scared out of my wits as to what was going to happen (I was only 14 and never did anything like this). The store owner looked at me and said "Most kids your age are either stealing candy, soda, beer or a pack of smokes. You take a book and come back with it and the money. Take the book kid, if it means that much to you." So I picked the book up and left the money on the counter. He called out to me and said "You forgot your money kid." I turned around and read that first sentence out of the book and told him I wanted to pay for it. "If that's the worst thing you've ever done then you are far ahead of the rest kid. Take your money back and consider it a gift from me. Just come back and tell me about it."

Ghost Story  is about four aging men and a secret held between them. For most of their lives, they think they have gotten away with murder, only to be haunted by the act they committed when they are old men. One by one they are dying, being lured to their deaths by the same woman they killed in their youth. This may be over simplified, but I really do not want to give away too much of this book.

Rest assured this book will scare the hell out of you. It is the kind of book that will dim the lights around you. It grabs you by the throat and does not let go. And the slightest sound will make you leap for the ceiling. (I was living with my grandmother the third time I read it, went to go to the bathroom at 4 in the morning when I had just finished it, heard some voices and went back to bed and held it til the sun came up!) Yes, it is that good!

5 out of 5 stars

Re-readable factor of 5+ out of 5

The Quiet Game (Penn Cage Book 1)

Title: The Quiet Game (Penn Cage Book 1)

Author: Greg Iles
Publisher: Penguin Group
Publication Date: July 2000
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 640

I first became aware of Greg Iles writing with the book Spandau Phoenix (1992), and I've been a fan ever since. All I can say is that his writing style has improved over the years, and that is something I did not think was possible.

The Quiet Game is the first book in his "Penn Cage" series. Penn Cage is a district attorney from Houston. He's sent sixteen men to death row and watched seven of them die. However, after the death of his wife, he leaves his job behind and takes his daughter back to his home town, Natchez Mississippi.

When he gets home, he becomes involved in stopping a blackmailer who has had Penn's father (a prominent doctor) under his thumb. Penn unknowingly ignites a powder keg in a small town when he sounds off on an old murder case with racial implications. With the aid of a news paper journalist, Caitlin Masters, Penn is setting out to right the wrongs of his home towns past. Along the way he will butt heads with the FBI, a powerful judge who nearly destroyed his family, and a woman he loved more than 20 years ago.

There are enough twists and turns in this book to keep even the most seasoned thriller reader on their toes. Just when you think you have everything figured out, here comes a twist from left field to knock you back a few steps, and trust me, Greg Iles stays three step ahead of you the whole way.

The other novels in this series are:

1) The Quiet Game
2) Turning Angel
3) The Devil's Punchbowl
4) Unwritten Laws

5 out of 5 Stars
Re Readable factor of 3 out of 5

Forum: Baen Books

A lot of my friends will ask me to recommend a good sci-fi or fantasy read. Instead of giving specific books or authors, sometimes I will recommend a publishing company, especially if that company has what I consider high quality reading material. In order for me to recommend a publishing company, they have to be consistent in putting out great reading material, and not just a good book here or there.

Baen Books is such a company. Started by Jim Baen in 1983, Baen Books soon became one of the great publishing houses in Science Fiction and Fantasy. What makes them so great? First, authors. Yes, they have some of the hottest authors in the business, especially some of my favorites from when I started reading Science Fiction and Fantasy. The second thing that makes them great is variety. They do not just specialize in one type of science fiction or fantasy. They embrace all types. Anything from hard core Science Fiction to Raging Heroic Fantasy, they have it covered. The final thing that makes them great is the size of the print in the books. Let's face it, my eyes are old. 45 going on 46 years old. Considering that I spent a great part of those years reading, it might be safe to say that some damage was done, to the point that I need glasses. The print in Baen's books is very comfortable to read.

If you want to find out for yourself, but do not want to go to the bookstore, visit baen books at the following link:

http://www.baen.com/

As always, happy reading.

Howling Legion (Skinners #2)

Title: Howling Legion (Skinners #2)

Author: Marcus Pelegrimas

Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: October 2009
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Horror
Pages: 384

Can lightning strike the same place twice? Well if the place is your local bookstore and the lightning is in the form of Marcus Pelegrimas' writing, then the answer is most definitely yes. And what a bolt of lightning it is!

Howling Legion is the follow up to Blood Blade (If you remember, I went over Blood Blade last week, and gave it 5 out of 5 stars.) Cole is still a video game designer, and a Skinner in training. Part of the draw of this book for me is the fact that he is still trying to juggle both worlds. Lets face it, if you could devote your life to kicking supernatural ass, wouldn't you? And yet you can feel Cole's inner conflict over his wanting to serve in both worlds. To honor the commitment to his partners back in Seattle as well as honoring his commitment to becoming a Skinner. With the ever seductive Paige Strobel as his trainer, who can blame him for hanging around?

The action is fast, frenetic and very very satisfying. The character development is such that not only do you become a part of their lives, you feel as though you've known these people all your life. I've seen reviews that say words to the effect "Should please fans of Twilight.....", but it goes far beyond that. If you are looking for a book series that brings vampires, werewolves and things that go bump in the night to life, then this is the series for you. This is one of those series that does two things as you read it. 1) You see the movie in your mind as you go from page to page. 2) You want to see the video game of it come out. Oh yes, it would be one hell of a video game!

As I have said before, if you go to the bookstore looking for this book and you see the other ones on the shelf next to it, pick them up! I am currently reading number three (Teeth of Beasts), and did not pick up number four (Vampire Uprising) when I had the chance. Now I had to special order it and am waiting for it to come in, and the wait is killing me!

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

Blood on the Gallows

Title: Blood on the Gallows

Author: Ralph Compton/Joseph A West

Publisher: Penguin Group
Publication Date: June 2008
Genre: Western
Pages: 304

Okay, for starters I do not wish to confuse you. This is a book from the Ralph Compton line, that is to say A Ralph Compton novel by Joseph A. West. If you remember, we talked about this just last week or there a bouts.

John McBride is a big city detective taking a break out in the west. He is not overly handy with a gun or a rifle when compared to his western counterparts. However, he is a man of honor and does stand up for the little guy. When he comes to the town of Rest and Be Thankful, he first comes across three hanged men and the sheriff, who warns him to be on his best behavior. It makes one wonder what would be considered best behavior in a den of thieves, outlaws, rapists and fast guns. Breaking the nose of the mayors son is not best behavior, nor is stopping some of the local citizenry from shooting a helpless kitten. Soon, McBride is on everyone's wrong side and on the run from the law. However, he still wants to set things right and refuses to leave even though the going quite literally is in his grasp.

All in all it is not bad as westerns go. There are moments when you ask yourself why such and such was done or not done and you never really get a satisfying answer.

31/2 stars out of 5 just for predictability.
Re-readable factor of 1 out of 5

The Eagle Has Landed

Title: The Eagle Has Landed

Author: Jack Higgins

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication Date: 1975/Reissue June 2000

Genre: Historical Thriller

Pages: 368

I must admit at the beginning that this is a book I've read at least three times. My grandfather was the one who first introduced me to it. I was still living on Long Island, and my mother and her friend had gone down south to see my grandparents. My grandfather sent a Hefty bag filled with books he had read over the past year or so. At the top of the bag was The Eagle Has Landed. I was able to call him (this was back in the day, like 1979, before cell phones, calling plans or digital phone) and ask which book to start with, and he recommended this one. Thanks Gramps, I owe you one.

At the beginning of the book, Jack Higgins warns the reader that it is part historical fact and part fiction, and it is up to the reader to decide which is which. It is 1943, and  SS Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler has launched an outrageous plan to kidnap Winston Churchill. In a remote corner of Norfolk, England, an elite unit is gathered to put into effect Himmler's plan. And with the words "The eagle has landed", you are taken on a thrill ride you may not soon forget.

The Eagle Has Landed is the first of four books dealing with Jack Higgins' character, Liam Devlin. The list of books is as follows:

1) The Eagle Has Landed (1975)

2) Touch the Devil (1982)

3) Confessional (1985)
4) The Eagle Has Flown (1990)

All of them are really good, but keep in mind that The Eagle Has Flown is the only one that is a direct sequel to The Eagle Has Landed. Also keep in mind that "Landed" is not a "What if?" or alternate history type of book. This is a fictionalized account of something that actually happened. A must read for history buff and thriller fans alike!

5 out of 5 stars

Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5

Blood Blade

Title: Blood Blade (Skinners Series #1)

Author: Marcus Pelegrimas
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: January 2009
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Horror
Pages: 336 

I first became aware of Marcus Pelegrimas' writing when he wrote under the pseudonym Marcus Galloway.  As Galloway, he wrote a western series, "The Man From Boot Hill", which was an utterly fantastic series. I loved it so much I did not want it to end. Needless to say, I had high hopes for his new series, and I am happy to say that i was not let down.

Blood Blade is the story of Seattle video game designer Cole Warnecki. While on an extreme vacation, he gets more than he bargained for when he survives and encounter with a "full blood", a were-wolf like creature that is very deadly, very dangerous, and very hungry. After this encounter, he gets a job with the Midwestern Ectological Group (MEG), who puts him in touch with an experienced skinner, Paige Strobel. Paige drags Cole to the front lines of a war against an insane vampire by the name of Misonyk, who likes to infect his victims with vampire spores and then encourages them to go and drain their victims dry......and then steal their souls.

There is blood and gore galore. Whats even better than that is the character development. This is not one of those urban fantasy books where things are totally unbelievable. While I was reading this book, I was constantly looking over my shoulder wondering where the vampires were, not to mention feeling the Full Bloods rancid breath on my neck during the attack. This is one of those rare books that runs like a movie in your mind. Not only do you read it, you feel as though you have lived it!

So far, there are four published books in this series with two slated to come out in 2011. They are as follows:

1) Blood Blade (2009)
2) Howling Legion (2009)
3) Teeth of Beasts (2010)
4) Vampire Uprising (2010)
5) The Breaking (2011)
6) Extinction Agenda (2011)

I have to warn you that these books are a lot like potato chips. You cannot just stop with one. Yes, they are that good.

5+ out of 5 stars (If I could go higher, I would)
Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5 (especially during the Halloween Season)

Forum: Reading Ralph Compton

A while ago I was in a used paperback store. It is a small place packed to the gills with books. Half of one wall is dedicated to westerns. Needless to say, I like to go there whenever I get the chance. What is nice about it is that if there is a book that is out of print it can probably be found there.

On this particular day, a woman was in there asking her about westerns. Her father enjoys reading them and she was looking for something different from Louis L'Amour. The owner of the shop said "Look for Ralph Compton, but make sure it is by Ralph Compton and not someone else. There are other authors putting out westerns under his name and they are not as good." My head whipped around and I jumped up on my soapbox (I carry it in my back pocket for such occaisions)

"Actually, they are every bit as good as Compton's original work if not better. Ralph Compton died in 1999 and two authors, Ralph Cotton and Robert Vaughan were contracted to write under his name. Then the Ralph compton line was started. Sadly it is the only way some of the more popular authors can get anything in print in the western genre. And when it is submitted, there is no guarantee that it will be accepted. They want their westerns to run like a John Wayne movie rather than a Clint Eastwood movie, so they have a strict guidline they follow. So if another author has his book out under the Compton line it is like getting a compliment to say that this book is every bit as good as Ralph would have wanted it."

The two women looked at me in a way that said "Gee, you learn something new everday, now shut up so I can get/sell some books"

So, if you are looking for a western and see Ralph Compton's name on it with another person's, rest assured that person passed the test.

The Caves of Steel

Title: The Caves of Steel

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: 1954/ Re-issue November 1991

Genre: Science Fiction/Mystery

Pages: 288

I have been a long time fan of Isaac Asimov. He is part of the reason I got into science fiction to begin with, and if I remember correctly the first book of his that I read was I,Robot . So you may be wondering why I am not doing I, Robot now. I am saving it for a later date.

I chose The Caves of Steel because of its duality. It is a science fiction novel that reads like a mystery....or is it a mystery novel that reads like science fiction? That is the true pleasure of this novel, it would appeal to both interests! It is the first book in a series of four dealing with the adventures of Elijah Bailey and R. Daneel Olivaw. The four books are:

1) The Caves of Steel (1954)
2) The Naked Sun (1956)
3) Robots of Dawn (1983)
4) Robots and Empire (1985)

I list them now because once you start reading them, you may want to read the entire series. They are that good.

The Caves of Steel is set in the far future, about one thousand years from now. Space has been colonized and the "positronic brain" has been created. Elijah Bailey, a New York City detective, is ordered to the Outer Worlds to investigate the murder of a prominent Spacer. Bailey has little love for spacers and even less for robots. The Spacers do not trust anyone from Earth, so they team him up with R. Daneel Olivaw, a robot who is modelled after the murder victim.

One of the problems when you read this is it is a bit dated.The language from 1954 comes through and sounds a little absurd and at time almost childish. However that is not enough to totally destroy an enjoyable reading experience. This is science fiction from a grand master. With over 500 books to his credit in genres from Science Fiction to mystery to science to religion, you know you are in good hands.

3 1/2 stars out of 5 (It could have been longer, and is a bit dated)
Re-readable factor of 2 out of 5

The American Patriots Bible

Title: The American Patriots Bible

Author: Thomas Nelson

Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishing
Publication Date: May 2009
Genre: Religion
Pages: 1704

I currently own four bibles: A King James Version, A Men's Devotional, An Archaeologists Bible, and The American Patriots Bible. I know, some of you are asking "Why so many? The word of God is the word of God.!" The answer is that I am a man of many interests. Among those interests are history. I really really love history. So much so that when I started reading the bible as a young man I saw it more as a history than a vessel for spiritual enlightenment. (I've gotten over that).

The American Patriot's Bible is the word of God in New King James format. In among the books of the bible are hundreds of  articles on how America was shaped by the bible. Certain passages will have a footnote for where a certain President of the United States had his hand when he was sworn in. This is the perfect bible for a history buff (such as myself) to have. It does not take away from any spiritual guidance one may look for in a bible. For me it added a foundation of history and understanding of how the bible helped to shape our nation.

5 out of 5 Stars (the only drawback for me is the words of Christ are not in red, but I can overlook that)
Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5 (especially since the print is very comfortable on the eyes)