A Dirk Pitt Adventure: Pacific Vortex

This isn't the book that started it all publishing wise but it is the story that started it all chronologically.  The first of many Dirk Pitt adventures by Clive Cussler.  Dirk Pitt is a cross between Indiana Jones and James Bond in tone.  If you like adventure, history and action thrillers then this is the book series for you.  This book is a short quick read but introduces us to a slew of characters that you grow to love the more you read this series.  

The story starts off with the mysterious disappearance of vessel at sea this is how most of the Dirk Pitt adventures start off.  One of the great things about this book is that you don't actually meet the villain until you are more than halfway through the book.  The golden eyed villain is so close to a Bond Villain that it is laughable at some points but he is still terrifying as there is a mixture of Captain Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  The characters are well put together in this series and very relatable.  You have the damsels in distress and the femme fatales who both fall for our hero.  The book not only introduces us to Dirk Pitt and the women in his life but to part of his ever faithful cast of supporting characters.  Al Giordino and Admiral Sandecker are two of the series mainstays who support Pitt in everything he does.  

The book also sheds light on the N.U.M.A. organization which is a real organization founded by Clive Cussler himself.  Knowing little tidbits like that add an air of credibility to the adventures of Pitt and Giordino.  The Pacific Vortex is similar to the Bermuda Triangle but it lead to a much more sinister end.  Another trait of this series is that Dirk and company are always taking on the corrupt wealthy untouchable villains around the world.  The more untouchable they feel the harder they fall.  If any of this sounds like fun to you then pick up this book and immerse yourself into an adventure.

The Call of the Wild

Jack London is a legend among authors for his unique style & subject matter.  The Call of the Wild, centers around the life of a dog Buck.  Now since this book is rather short it can be read in one day & is very condensed to give just the most important of details.  Jack London excels at this simplifying the story to give the reader just the facts.  Another thing he excels at is placing man against nature or in this case dog against nature.  In some ways this is a tragic tale while in others it can be rather freeing that choice is left up to the reader.

A Song of Ice & Fire: A Dance With Dragons

Finally I have completed all of the published books in this series & I am eagerly awaiting the following two editions. The Winds of Winter & A Dream of Spring.  I have fallen in love with this series for all of the intrigue, misdirection & Machiavellian schemes that drive the characters in this epic series.  I some trouble finishing this particular book knowing that there wasn't sixth book to pick up next.  As a fan I am upset that it takes Martin so long to write one of these books & we have two to wait for, but as an artist I respect that this is Martin's baby & it will be done in due time.  I have complete respect for George R.R. Martin & he rushed this it would suffer in quality compared to the previous editions.  I pray that Martin finds the time to finish this series & get over any writers block because this is an extraordinary body of work & when it is finished I am sure it will be one of my all time favorite series.  This fifth book sets up so many characters & leaves so many cliff hangers that have fans screaming for more.  Meereen is set for war & the siege of the city has begun.  Lord Varys has returned to Kings Landing.  There is an upcoming battle in snow in the north between The Warden of the North & King Stannis's Army.  The Iron Born are moving toward Meereen.  One dragon is in Westeros while Daenerys's is in the Great Grass Sea facing down a Dothraki hoard.  John Snow has fallen in some strange way the Lanisters have been put through the ringer just as much as the Starks.  While other characters fates remain unknown for now.  I must wait for this next book like A Dream of Spring the wait is the long winter.

A Song of Ice & Fire: A Feast for Crows

This installment of A Song of Ice & Fire series is a little different than the previous books but it is still just as interesting.  Events in the series seem to have slowed down a little bit since the events of the previous book but that is probably due to the fact only half of the point of view characters are in this book.  Almost all of the characters in this book are new point of view characters some get less page time than others one of these such characters is Arianne Martell, she only has a couple of chapters but characters like Brienne Tarth who has close to ten chapters.  Events & plot threads become clearer as the story progresses but one of the things I have noticed that intrigues me the most about this series are the events that have come before such as the Age of Heroes, Robert's Rebellion, The War of the Nine Penny Kings or the events that are set to take place after this epic has come to an end.  Just like Tolkien before him Martin has created a story & a world that he can not hope to wrap up in 3 more books.  If you hate Cersei Lannister this book is for you she gets whats coming to her & self destructs along the way.  The main problem with this book & the format that Martin has chosen for this installment & A Dance with Dragons is that it leaves the reader with shocking cliff hangers that will not be resolved until The Winds of Winter.

A Song of Ice & Fire: A Storm of Swords

The third book in A Song of Ice & Fire series has out shined the previous two books by a mile & then some.  There is so much that happens in this book it eclipses the events of the previous ones.  Where the first book set the stage while the second book broadened the playing field & the cast of characters.  I loved this book there was a lot of heartache in this book not a single family was safe.  The Starks are still getting put through the ringer but the Lannisters are getting their just desserts as well.  This book reveals how several major players bite the dust & several major conflicts along the way.  I would dive into more detail but even the slightest explanations would spoil the story for those that are unfamiliar with the tale, again read before you watch the show.

A Song of Ice & Fire: A Clash of Kings

So much happens in this second book of A Song of Ice & Fire series that I don't want to spoil but this second installment of the series has left the realm splintered & fractured.  By the end of this book another self proclaimed king has died, alliances have been forged, betrayed & reforged.  This book introduces a slew of new characters; characters like Brienne of Tarth, Melisandre, Asha Greyjoy & Davos Seaworth are just of few of these new characters that stand out in this title.  Characters that were only mentioned in the first book receive even more attention in this one.  One of the greatest chapters in this book is a Daenerys chapter in which she visits the House of the Undying: within this house she is given visions this is a chapter that will require multiple reads to understand & could possibly be a key to understanding the story as a whole. The first time I picked up this series I only got two thirds of the way through this book before I had to abandon the series for awhile.  In coming back to the series & in reading this book a second time that chapter alone provides so much foreshadowing that it should not be ignored.  By the end of this book the Kingslanding has been attacked, the north lands are covered in blood, the river lands burn day & night several hated characters still live.  But there is still this glimmer of hope because it always gets darker before the dawn & winter is coming.

A Song of Ice & Fire: A Game of Thrones

First off this is a whole hell of a lot better than the show can ever hope to be.  This is the title that started it all back in 1996.  I love this series I picked it up after my sister got me hooked on some other epic fantasy series; Sword of Truth & Wheel of Time.  Everything that made the first season of the show so good is here & so much more.  The show is like a series of cliff notes for this series & this is one that keeps you on the edge of your seat, turning the pages to see what happens next.  The first book introduces us to the land of Westeros.  Eddard Stark is essentially the main character of this particular book but each chapter has its own point of view character.  Tyrion Lannister steals the show with every chapter he has in this book.  There are so many point of view characters in this series that everyone will undoubtedly have their own favorites.  I really like all of the speculative back story in this book I hope that once George R.R. Martin is done writing the last two books in this series.  That he will do three prequel books  First a book about the Aegon the Conqueror coming & conquering Westeros.  The second book should be a detailed account of Robert's Rebelion; I want to know who John Snow's parents really are.  I think that John Snow is really Lyanna Stark's bastard son with Rhaegar Targaryen instead of Ned Stark's bastard & that she died giving birth to him, so in reality he is Daenerys Targaryen's half brother. The third book should be a collection of the stories that Old Nan told the Stark children growing up, the legends of Westeros.  But knowing how long it takes Martin to crank out one of these masterpieces those three books will probably never happen.  This first one however is one of the greatest works of literature of the last quarter of a century & will stand the test of time like The Lord of the Rings.  If you are a fan of the show you owe it to yourself to read not just this book but the whole series.

The Star Wars Trilogy

Sometimes you just need to read the story instead of watching it play out in front of you.  Reading the original Star Wars trilogy is like reconnecting with an old friend.  For the most part these stories read like the movie, there are a few subtle changes but nothing that contradicts the movies.  Star Wars is one of the greatest movie trilogies of all time which makes this one stupendous collection.  If you have never seen or read a Star Wars title you owe it to yourself to see what all the hype is about.  May the fourth be with you.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

There is a reason this is the greatest epic fantasy series ever written, The movies pale in comparison to the trilogy of books.  This is final volume in the Lord of the Rings is all battle should I say battles.  It starts with the armies preparing for war at Minas Tirith,  Merry & Pippin are sent their separate ways in which they are both portrayed more valiantly than they are in the movie.  The sons of Elrond & the Dunedain come bearing gifts for Aragorn & join him on his quest along the paths of the dead.  A great many things happen during the siege of Gondor's capital city in the book it seems more of a brutal & desperate battle than it does in the movie.  Denethor's betrayal is a much darker revelation in which he has been deceived by Sauron.  The march to the black gate & that subsequent battle are pretty much the same as the movie.  There is really not a lot of focus on Legolas or Gimli in this book compared to the other characters of the fellowship.  The true gem of this book is the rescue of Frodo by Sam as this was the cliff hanger of the second book & isn't followed up on until the reader is two thirds through this book.  The finale of the book focuses on the fellowship returning to their respective lands following the crowning of Aragorn, King of Gondor & Queen Arwen.  There is also the marriage of Faramir & Eowyn uniting the lands of Gondor & Rohan into an even stronger alliance. The hobbits return to the Shire only to find that Saruman has beaten them there enslaving the people, hoarding the food & defacing the land.  The hobbits having come back from an incredible journey rally & unite the hobbits to fight for their land which ends in the death of Saruman at the hands of Grima Wormtongue.  Time passes Sam gets married Merry & Pippin are knights of the Rohan & Gondor respectively & Frodo finishes documenting the journey before setting off on one last adventure.  On Bilbo's birthday which will make him one year older than the Old Took; Frodo asks Sam to journey with him to the edge of the Shire on his way to Rivendale.  At the edge of the Shire they come across Elrond & Lady Galadriel with their houses, Gandalf & Bilbo heading to Grey Havens over the sea.  It is here that Frodo & Sam part Merry & Pippen are also with the elves at the request of Gandalf so they can accompany Sam back to Hobbiton; so ends the third age.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The Two Towers starts off with the death of another member of the fellowship & continues on from there at a brisk pace building toward the battle at Helms Deep.  Helms Deep however is only the halfway point of this book as Saurumon & Shelaub still have to be dealt with be this books end.  Back in the day Tolkien was a true master of fantasy nowdays authors like George R.R. Martin, Robert Jordan, & Terry Goodkind just to name a few have sprung up to tackle the genre.  They have all taken cues from Tolkien over the years Jordan's & Goodkind's works even copy Tolkien's from time to time.  Martin however has used the writing style & layout for his grand epic even the cliffhangers are very similar.  I can only imagine how destraut a child would be if they had to wait six years inbetween The Two Towers & The Return of the King to find out what happened to Frodo Baggins.  Overall this is still a spectacular tale that stands high above the movies.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Where do I begin, this is truly one of the great epic tales of the 20th century.  If you are a fan of the movies you should give this book a try, I understand that Tolkien's writing is not for everybody but if you can make it through his trilogy then you will have a much deeper understanding of the world & characters he has created.  One of the biggest differences between the book & the movie is the overall sense of time, the events in the book span decades.  One of the great things about The Lord of the Rings trilogy is that it has songs spread throughout the story which Tolkien has taken the time to flesh out completely for the readers enjoyment.  These are mostly skipped over in the movies.  One of Tolkien's most unique & baffling characters plays a rather important role in this first part of the The Lord of the Rings, Tom Bombadil.  This is a character that has no basis in the land of Middle Earth but at the same time embodies all of its aspects.  If it was not for Tom Bombadil the Hobbits wouldn't even have made it to Bree.  This first book ends slightly before the final events of the first movie.  To say more would only spoil the surprises that await new readers of this classic.  I feel that just with this first book Tolkien is writing this for himself or his children & the idea that anybody else will read it was just an afterthought.

 

Neverwhere

This is probably one of Neil Gaiman's greatest works outside of Sandman.  Neverwhere is very similar to another story by Gaiman, Stardust.  The difference is that in Stardust Tristran Thorn embraces that word that he has ventured into where Richard Mayhew can't wait to get home to London above.  It is only when he returns to London above that he realizes everything he could have ever wanted was beneath his feet in London below.  The story is your basic group quest adventure in which Richard Mayhew is kind of just tagging along for the ride until he meets the black friars & goes through the ordeal.  Telling anymore would spoil the story for those who are not already familiar with the tale.  I really wish Gaiman would follow up this story in some way preferably with more books.  It seems that this is just a taste of what awaits in London below.  If anything this makes me want to pick up more of Neil Gaiman's prose work.

Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror

If you love creature feature films & love to read then this is the book for you.  I've read Jaws & this is just as good as Peter Benchley's classic.  What sets this book apart from Jaws is that its not about elimination but about preservation & study of the beast.  Jonas Taylor is the main character of the book & is completely down on his luck after just the first couple chapters of the book, but he is vindicated through the existence of the Megalodon.  The Megalodon has survived at the bottom of the Mariana Trench living in complete darkness.  When something man made disturbs the Megalodon's habitat it finds way to disturb ours with deadly results.  The death toll in this book is much higher than that of Jaws or Jurassic Park it is probably equal to that of the film Piranha 3-D.  Whales & people are the main victims in this story.  Unlike the finality of Jaws this story does set up for more stories, even though that didn't stop studios from milking Jaws for several sequals.  Which is a good thing since this is the start of a series in which four books have already been released.  The story switches between the humans point of view & the sharks point o view.  The book is pretty formulaic in plot & outcome, but it is a quick easy summer read that is hard to put down once you've started.

Starship Troopers

First off if you were expecting this to be as action packed as the movie you will be disappointed, this book reads like a journal of a soldier from boot camp through first tour of duty.   Robert A. Heinlein has crafted a science fiction novel that works better as a war story reflecting the idea of military mentality in a post WWII world.  Overall I understand why this is such great novel but for me, I would rather watch the movie over reading this again.  Heinlein does a great job describing the chain of command & the events of battle.  There is even to an extent the brotherhood that is crafted by soldiers fighting along side each other.  I wish this sense of comradery was explored a little more but instead Heinlein kills off characters so quickly.  You can see why it would be easy to try & distance yourself from your peers so has to harden your emotions to loss.   The story is told through the character of Rico whose is similar to the same character of the movie  One of my biggest complaints with this book you don't get any of the bug war action until you're already two thirds of the way through the book.  If you are in the military or have just recently signed up for the military this is a title you should definitely sit down & read it puts somethings into perspective about what it means to be a soldier.

The Time Traveler's Wife

This is one of the most frustrating titles I have ever picked up.  For that reason alone I love it  there is so much material that can mined from this book & discussed or used for inspiration in other works.  This is one of the more high concept books I have picked up recently it still sits firmly within the theme of books I have been reading lately.  I understand why a great many people are frustrated by this title; its hard to follow, to much detail in some spots & not enough in others.  I like that because it adds a level of ambiguity to the story, kind of like this was all a dream.  I know there is a movie out there but I have a feeling that there is no way it could do this story justice.  I found myself questioning a lot of ideas & events that happened in this book.  One of the main reasons I picked this up is the fact that it takes place in either South Haven, Michigan or Chicago, Illinois, both places that I am overly familiar with. I love that the two main characters are work in literary & visual arts.  But most of all I love that this is a story of hope surrounded by tragedy.  A tragedy that is inevitable from the beginning just as is the concept of a predetermined fate that can not be changed.  There is some vivid imagery in this book that is just amazing like when Henry goes to the future & sees his ten year old daughter before she is even born.  This book has more twist & turns than the movie Inception.  It is also a series of rolling waves when it comes to consistency; one minute it can be very detailed while the next it can be very vague.  That didn't bother me all that much because I was more engrossed in the subject matter & the themes that they were attempting to convey.  This is definitely a title that I will be returning to over & over again simply for inspiration.

Big Fish

I have come to realize that the last couple of fiction titles I have picked up have had the same underlying theme.  That theme is of course death or the concept of loss for an individual.  First off I did not like this book but I did like the metaphorical story telling process it used though out the story.  I like the concept of a son preparing to deal with the passing of his father.  I fully agree with the back cover of the book that this is very much in the style of Mark Twain but overall this book while making me feel nostalgic at the same time it left me feeling hollow.  I look forward to sitting down & watching the movie.  Hopefully I will have more an appreciation for the book through that much like I did with The Great Gatsby & A Princess of Mars.

How to Talk to a Widower

I finally sat down & read this title, over the years I had skimmed through this book several times.  I love a lot of the dialog in this book & it has quite a few scenario descriptions.  The main character in this title loses his wife after only a year of marriage.  The story shows him go through several stages of grief but it starts a year after the event.  Like the book Perfect Family I love how the author characterizes the person who has died and makes them an equally important essential to the story being told.  The underlying theme of this title is hope for a brighter future, a silver lining for tomorrow.  Another great thing I like about this title are the smaller narratives woven within the larger story.  One of my favorites is when Doug is still spending his days drinking & declaring war on the rabbits of his yard.  I own a copy of this title & definitely plan on looking for more work by this author.  

 

Water for Elephants

This is one awesome awe inspiring tale set against the Great Depression era.  I absolutely loved the transitions between the present & the main character's recollections of the past.  This was perfect time to read such a tale because I was able to relate to the situation the main character is in by having a grandfather in an assisted living facility.  I also have a soft spot for animal stories.  This story is part reflection, part hope for things to come & part coming of the age of understanding.  I look forward to rereading this some day.  For every character that is just plain nasty in this tale there are at least three redeeming ones proving that there really are good people out in the world.  If I had picked this up a couple of years ago I may not have been as intrigued by this title as I was.  

Up Close and Dangerous

I finished this title a couple days ago.  This was an easy read but this is the basic definition if there ever was one of a chick flick novel.  I can't say I hated this but it definitely wasn't good.  The dialog was some of the cheesiest I had ever read, it wasn't as bad as The Inheritance Cycle or The Hunger Games trilogy but its still pretty bad.  I am going to try an avoid this genre of titles in the future.    

Perfect Family

When I picked up this book I thought this might be interesting.  But once I started it I was kind of frustrated for the first couple of chapters I didn't like any of the characters except for Pony.  For the brief time she is in the book she steals the show with her characterization.  I have to say that by chapter twenty this book really took off, I found myself frustrated anytime I had to put this down to go to work or school.  One of the great things I love about this book is the way it approaches the loss of the youngest sibling by the rest of the family.  That along with the unearthing of this affluent families dirty secrets make this story an absolute joy.  The dialog is stilted at times but for the most part is quite good.  By the end of the book I liked all of the characters in the family compared to the beginning where all of them are just nasty & unappealing.  Still my favorite character is Pony due to her lasting effect on the characters & the reader.  My second favorite would be Olivia due to the revelations about her past.  William would be my third favorite for how is character grew & changed over the course of the narrative.  I became so engrossed in the story that I was thinking about it all the time I almost got in a car accident thinking about this story.  About halfway through if you have been following it does get pretty predictable.  But even through the main events are predictable its the little details that I look forward to.  I have to say this is one that I am definitely going to be buying for my collection.