December 2012
2 posts
6 tags
Secrets of the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers by...
When my son was four months old, a friend recommended Tracy’s book The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems for us to learn how to deal with the frustration of his difficult sleeping. Following her technique in that book saved me and my wife from going insane. Now that my son is two, he’s presenting a whole new set of challenges, particularly that we are not really sure how to...
5 tags
Cold Days, by Jim Butcher
What if I told you Changes was only the beginning?
The majority of this series has been slowly building, increasingly exciting individual adventures that hinted at something bigger going on behind the scenes. With each installment, the bigger picture comes more and more into focus. Changes brought us a climax to the story we knew about; Cold Days is our door into the true epic that has been...
November 2012
20 posts
4 tags
Amontillado, by Kevin Koperski
For a few years, I was a musician who attained some success, depending on your definition of the word. For those years, music was my entire life and everyone I knew was very aware of exactly what I was up to. After I left that life and pursued a more standard path, my musical history was often just a bit of trivia to my acquaintances, and on the occasions that my new friends would finally hear...
4 tags
The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkein
I first tried to read the Hobbit in high school, but found it too childish and abandoned it. I decided to pick it up again in preparation for the film that’s about to be released.
I dare say this may be the worst book I’ve ever read. To write a review would be to justify to all the fanboys why I think it is complete garbage, and I want to be done with thinking about this book too...
5 tags
Night Shift, by Stephen King
King’s first collection of short stories is, nearly without exception, divided neatly into two halves. The first half is chock full of cheesy, lame stories that are mediocre at best and pointless or awful at worst; only “The Boogeyman” stands out, a traditional but well-done story about a monster in a child’s closet. I wonder how many people have abandoned this book based...
6 tags
In the Tall Grass, by Stephen King and Joe Hill
The premise of the story is simple and classic King: two siblings, driving across the country, hear a lost child calling for help from within a field of tall grass. They decide to investigate, but there’s something supernatural and malicious going on in this particular field. It’s a nasty story, suspenseful and gruesome, and though not the most offensive stuff King’s ever...
5 tags
The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother...
I had some problems with this book, mainly that it seems overly simple and shallow, but maybe that is the point. I did begin to enjoy it near the end, and think that the biography of his life which closes the book would better serve as the opening, to allow the reader to know what kind of life the author led before reading the miscellaneous letters and sayings he wrote. Bill Hybels wrote just...
5 tags
The Christian Atheist: Believing in God But Living...
A good book, with chapters laid out to describe the different areas in one’s life that should be affected by faith in Christ and what each should look like. I certainly would have fallen under the title of Christian Atheist in previous years, but reading this book helped confirm for me that that is no longer the case. As such, i didn’t connect with or learn from this book as much as I...
5 tags
The Dragon Reborn, by Robert Jordan
The first two books in the Wheel of Time series did not impress me much. They were good enough to keep reading the series (my primary goal is to read everything Brandon Sanderson writes, and so I must read these 11 books to get to his), but I was not terribly invested in the characters and the story seemed to drag. This book really picked up the interest level for nearly all of the main...
5 tags
Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit, by...
This is now part of my short list of “must-read” books on Christian living. Let’s face it, everybody sins. And for most of us, that doesn’t just mean those innocuous little sins, if there really is any such thing; it’s hardly uncommon for a well-meaning, God-fearing Christian to have secret sin habits that they are terrified their fellow church members might find out...
5 tags
Moon Called, by Patricia Briggs
Well, at least it broke my stereotype that all urban fantasy written by women would be better labeled as paranormal romance. There was no romance to speak of here, which is good, but there was also way too much talk and way too little of interest going on to be an engaging story. Werewolf pack politics don’t interest me, and when the book finally got going near the end, it was a very quick...
6 tags
Fit to Be Tied: Making Marriage Last a Lifetime,...
This is a unique and unusual Christian marriage book. It’s a very personal look at the Hybels’ marriage, with far more disclosure and transparency than you usually get from a book like this; their marriage has been a rocky one with all sorts of struggles that resulted from conflicting personalities and the pressures of a demanding ministry. As a result, their book does not seek to...
4 tags
The Emperor's Soul, by Brandon Sanderson
This is a great novella that feels like a full novel. As usual with Sanderson, the characters feel real, the magic system is intricate and well-thought-out, and most importantly everything works together to form a rich world and an interesting plot that could only exist in that world; everything is a piece of a puzzle and none could be transplanted elsewhere. I think this may be the perfect...
5 tags
The Great Hunt, by Robert Jordan
Better than the first, but most of it was very slow and plodding with little of interest in its events.
Rating: 3 out of 5
5 tags
Disciplines of a Godly Man, by R. Kent Hughes
What an incredibly wisdom-filled book! I have been in desperate need of discipline, particularly spiritual discipline, and the sixteen disciplines outlined here are all great reminders and challenges. Each chapter describes the discipline, why it’s important, and lays out a handful of specific ways to implement that discipline. In each chapter, even the ones I thought I had a good handle on,...
5 tags
Sandman Slim, by Richard Kadrey
Finally, I’ve found a fun and gritty urban fantasy series that populates the same space as The Dresden Files: snarky, gritty, and action-packed. Urban Fantasy for men. I have read a few other authors who attempt this, but so far there aren’t many who pull it off. The main character Stark/Sandman Slim is not terribly likable; he’s a selfish prick with little respect for human...
4 tags
Legion, by Brandon Sanderson
Quite an enjoyable story, however brief. I’m happy to have received it as an early birthday present, though I do hope that one day the author makes it available in a collection of other short stories and novellas that he has been publishing on and off. The price of this 88 page book was $20, $45 for the limited edition, and while I do think that is a fair price tag for a collector’s...
5 tags
The Eye of the World, by Robert Jordan
People say this series gets slow around book 6 or 7. After reading book 1, I wonder how much slower it can move. The story was good, but there were no great surprises and the exciting parts were few and far between. I suspect that because this book is so influential, much of it feels cliche by today’s standards. Still, it was a good book, and I will continue the series happily, now that I...
30 tags
Stories: All-New Tales, edited by Neil Gaiman and...
Short story collections are always going to be hit-or-miss, and this one is no exception. There are some incredibly good stories here, and some real duds. I’m sure there are readers who will think that my duds were the winners and my winners were the duds, and that’s fine. In the introduction to the book, Gaiman says that he was looking for stories which make the reader ask,...
4 tags
Midnight Riot, by Ben Aaronovitch
I don’t understand all the love this book is getting. I was excited to potentially find another series that could even come close to The Dresden Files, but this doesn’t seem to be it. I spent most of the time just wishing it would be over so I could move on to something better. There’s nothing especially bad about the book, just that there’s nothing good worth...
5 tags
Mere Christianity, by C. S. Lewis
Wow. I can’t even properly review this book because there is so much to think about first. All I will say is that this book has impacted me and my understanding of God and Christ more than any other I’ve read, apart from the Bible, and answered many questions I have had for years. The real test of this book’s truth will be in attempting to put it into practice, and in further...
6 tags
Rumors of God, by Darren Whitehead and Jon Tyson
I enjoyed this book very much, particularly Chapter 8, which describes Christian community of honesty, sincerity, and accountability. As a whole, this book examines many different aspects of the American Christian experience (ironically written by two Australian pastors) and shines a light on many of the lies our culture convinces us are true. If this book stirs nothing in you, you must be either...
June 2012
1 post
4 tags
Killing Floor, by Lee Child
I could not read this. The prose is terrible. Commas are rare. Periods are abundant. It’s hard to read. I got through one chapter. I checked later books. They are the same. I had heard good things. I cannot get past this. I am not exaggerating. It’s actually worse than this. These are all sentences. Full sentences. Not fragments. There we go. It’s like this. Reading a Reacher...
April 2012
0 posts
5 tags
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Can this wildly popular young adult dystopian future novel hold up against the critical eye of an older reader with more experience and better taste than the average Twilight fan?
That’s what I wondered when I heard all the hype — much of it coming from teenagers but also some from adults whose opinions I respect — and the short answer is: Yes.
You are likely familiar with the...
February 2012
1 post
4 tags
The Blade Itself, by Joe Abercrombie
Let’s be honest, nothing of much consequence happens in this book. I hate when authors write trilogies that are meant to be read as one giant epic. The Blade Itself has no story of its own, no plot, no climax. What it has is a bunch of admittedly unique but largely uninteresting characters all running about doing their own thing for no particular reason. Many of them are slowly brought...
January 2012
1 post
4 tags
Edge, by Jeffery Deaver
I went back and forth between 2 and 3 stars on this one, which is unusual for me, being a big fan of Deaver’s work. I just didn’t feel like this was a very strong story and after reading a number of his novels it feels a bit mechanical. The characters are not particularly likable or interesting. Some of Deaver’s trademark twists were good, but even when you can’t predict...
December 2011
1 post
4 tags
11/22/63, by Stephen King
Though a bit draggy through the middle, King nailed the ending (something he does not always do). Interestingly, in the afterword, he gives credit to his son Joe Hill (one of my new favorite authors) for the “better ending”. No telling how much different this new ending was from the original one, but I’m not at all surprised.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
November 2011
5 posts
4 tags
Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
Written first in the late ’50s as a novella and later expanded to a full novel, Flowers for Algernon is the story of a mentally retarded man who is given extraordinary intelligence through an experimental operation. That is pretty much as far as the “science fiction” in this novel goes; the rest of the story is about the effect such increased intelligence has on the protagonist...
7 tags
Boundaries, by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend
I picked this up because I had one very specific issue that I needed to figure out, and thought this book might help. In the end, it turned out to shine a light on both positive and negative aspects of my upbringing, my own parenting abilities, and issues with family and friends that I’d never known how to properly deal with. 90% of what I learned in this book was a total surprise to me,...
4 tags
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline
Neuromancer and Snow Crash are seminal novels that broke immense ground, telling of a future world where people were largely able to live and work in a virtual reality. Their authors were visionaries, but in my personal opinion, both books completely failed to tell an interesting story.
Ready Player One benefits from the fact that the real world has progressed significantly in the realms of the...
5 tags
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, by Brandon...
As I may have mentioned before, Brandon Sanderson is my favorite Fantasy author (and there is really no author of any genre I like more, just a few I like equally). So although I am never much interested in reading Young Adult fiction, it’s no surprise that I’m willing to try some out when Sanderson writes it.
Alcatraz Smedry has just turned 13 and found out that he comes from a long...
5 tags
Savoring the Wisdom of Proverbs, by Dr. Louis...
I had high hopes for this book, as I wanted to get more out of Proverbs and the author was a family friend who died before I could appreciate his presence. Unfortunately, the writing is very dry and scholarly, with little actual fresh insight. The vast majority is just a rephrasing of the book of Proverbs.
There were things I did learn, however:
1) Solomon’s love of knowledge was taught...
October 2011
5 posts
4 tags
The Alloy of Law, by Brandon Sanderson
The original Mistborn trilogy was a masterwork of fantasy, artfully combining a cool magic system, detailed and lush worldbuilding, and a plot and characters that were incredibly enthralling, weaving them together so perfectly that every piece depended completely on every other piece. Sanderson has spoken and written about his goal for the world he created: three trilogies, spanning many...
4 tags
Dead Witch Walking, by Kim Harrison
What strikes me most is that this is clearly an attempt to mimic The Dresden Files. A spellcasting private detective who helps the human branch of police who investigate the supernatural. A spirit world called the Never Never.. I mean the Ever After. An over-excited, over-loyal pixie sidekick. A mysterious but oddly respectable crime boss with potential to be both arch enemy and ally. A vampire...
6 tags
Great Dads: Building Loving Lasting Relationships...
What a great book! This is a thorough bird’s eye view of all the major parts of being a great father. Each chapter could be expanded into a book all its own (and I’m sure there are great books that cover each of them in depth), but it is a great summary, reminder, and motivator for many things that need to be kept in mind as a dad. I think that I will re-read this book every year to...
2 tags
An Exciting Gift is Headed My Way
Holy crap… after seeing a post of mine on reddit stating my desire to get my hands on his upcoming book, my favorite fantasy author, Brandon Sanderson, is personally sending me a free advance reading copy of The Alloy of Law. Can’t wait! If you haven’t read his Mistborn trilogy, you’re seriously missing out.
UPDATE: I received it, and it’s signed! Totally thrilled,...
4 tags
Assassin's Apprentice, by Robin Hobb
Brandon Sanderson mentioned Robin Hobb as an author he enjoys, and I’ve seen her quotes on his books as well. The day after I heard her name, I found this book for $1 at Half Price Books so I picked it up and gave it a shot.
Pretty standard fantasy fare, nothing mind-blowing but interesting nonetheless. Surprisingly little assassination considering the title, this story is really more...
September 2011
5 posts
4 tags
The Wise Man's Fear, by Patrick Rothfuss
I’m honestly not sure what to make of this one. I did enjoy it, always looking forward to diving back in and continuing the story. And yet, rarely was I enthralled by it. Too much time is spent dragging out events and side stories that seem to serve little purpose. Many chapters are dedicated to seemingly endless detail, only to provide some minor resolution that gives a small clue in...
4 tags
Sacred, by Dennis Lehane
The 3rd book in the Kenzie & Gennaro series (and the book immediately preceding Gone, Baby, Gone) is not nearly as interesting or exciting as the book that came before it. Nothing much memorable here.
Rating: 3 out of 5
4 tags
The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss
A unique fantasy “memoir” that is far more story than action, at least for this, the first third of the trilogy. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s boring. It may be a bit longer than it really needs to be, but it held my attention quite well, regardless. And the writing is beautifully subtle and intricate, complex in a way that is still easy to read, which is quite a feat....
5 tags
The Man Who Folded Himself, by David Gerrold
A very cerebral time-travel novel (or novella, by today’s standards), with a lot more brooding and theorizing than acting. Not my favorite in the genre, but one I’m glad to have read, for the experience of it. If only there was a bit less sex-with-himself in it.
Rating: 3 out of 5
4 tags
A Simple Plan, by Scott Smith
An exciting and suspenseful novel about two brothers who find a bag full of stolen money, and must go to increasingly dangerous lengths to keep the secret.
Not much specific to say about the book other than I enjoyed it enough to recommend it.
Rating: 4 out of 5
August 2011
3 posts
4 tags
House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski
It’s like a literary version of Paranormal Activity or The Blair Witch Project, only a bit more intense. I have heard a lot of great things about this one so I was excited to find a copy at a local library sale.
A guy finds a giant “scholarly essay” written by a blind man, decides to retype it, adding his own miscellaneous stories about the experience of reading it as footnotes....
4 tags
Neuromancer, by William Gibson
After 3 attempts, I finally slogged my way through this book. It was OK at first but ultimately lost me; the characters and story were so boring that I found it impossible to pay enough attention to follow what was going on. Gibson may have had some groundbreaking ideas but as a novel I’d call Neuromancer a dismal failure. Obviously a lot of people throughout the years would disagree...
4 tags
Ghost Story, by Jim Butcher
Reviews of books this far into a series are largely pointless; either you are hooked on The Dresden Files and will read this one, or you’re not and have no use for a review of book 13 in a series. But I won’t let that stop me from writing my thoughts. After the dark storm that was Changes, Jim Butcher seems to have had a lot of fun making up all kinds of crazy new things in Ghost...
July 2011
4 posts
7 tags
Road Rage: Two Novellas, by Richard Matheson,...
Richard Matheson’s story, Duel, is about a man who gets more than he bargained for when he decides to pass a semi on the highway. Father & son duo Stephen King and Joe Hill take inspiration from this story and co-author Throttle, in a trucker overhears a biker gang talking about a crime they just committed, and decides to make them pay.
Neither story is particularly wonderful, but...
5 tags
The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
Sanderson is a masterful storyteller. Although he is known for his incredible worldbuilding, what impresses me the most is that every page of this 1000 page novel can be interesting, filled with just enough detail to make you want more, but not so much that the story stalls. On top of that, he writes some of the best book endings I’ve ever read; bringing all those details and clues together...
5 tags
Darkness, Take My Hand, by Dennis Lehane
Although I didn’t think the prior novel was anything special, this one lived up to everything I expected from Dennis Lehane. One of the more intense and creepy thriller mysteries I have read. I especially appreciate when an author can incorporate so much character development without sacrificing the momentum of the plot. Definitely a must read (and you probably wouldn’t be missing much...
5 tags
Too Busy Not to Pray, by Bill Hybels
A fantastic and thorough examination of prayer, its necessity in our lives, and how to pray effectively.
“Our Father in Heaven, holy is your name…” This first line of the Lord’s prayer is so often overlooked; the thing I took away most from this book is that the church today puts far too little praise and worship into its prayer, leaving that for music. But I’ve...
June 2011
10 posts
4 tags
Childhood's End, by Arthur C. Clarke
A good story, but I’m not sure why some consider it his greatest work; I enjoyed 2001 a good bit better. Maybe the subject matter was more unique and thought-provoking 50 years ago.
Rating: 3 out of 5
