Category: Books

World War Z, by Max Brooks, was a solid take on the zombie uprising. Creative and sweeping, he does a good job of looking around the world for his stories. It’s a little USA-centric, but I certainly forgive him that. While there are extra movers and shakers, he does a good job of looking for a wide variety of viewpoints, which really helps it feel like a world wide epidemic.

He does a good job of pointing out flaws in modern society, especially our desire to be seen “doing something” instead of accurately forecasting threats and responding appropriately. It’s a good read, and he wanders down all kinds of interesting side roads. The societies that emerge from the Zombie War feel real, and he never looses track of the horrors of war… not of the changes those who survived have undergone.

Radio Freefall by Matthew Jarpe, is a cool future society. There’s a lot of apathy and a sense that the world doesn’t allow space for the next generation, but the music scene is still plugging away. The world he builds, with nationalist parties and the unification, and technology that feels authentic– a few things that are surprising, like a dedicated space presence, and a lot of things that feel like logical extrapolations of today.

I’m surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did; I’m not normally a fan of celebrity or rockstardom, but Riff is a cool guy who gets into interesting trouble. Things occasionally come together a little too exactly, but it all works in the moment.

A guidebook that focuses on excerpting famous authors and writers, and briefly updating the locations so you can find them today. I’ve only begun reading it– this is subject to edits along the way.

A look into the status of the computer hacking and phone phreaking underground circa 1992. It’s very interesting; by parts investigative journalism and travelogue. It’s interesting to see the formation of the EFF and more about GURPS Cyberpunk and why it was hit. Bruce Sterling does a good job of talking to the various people involved. While his leanings towards the law and order people are obvious, they match my predispositions.

In the last chapters, it’s interesting to see the futures that people anticipate– Lotus 1-2-3’s Mitchell Kapor eagerly anticipated the coming popularization of the Internet and the move from local BBSes. Spam sounds like a modern outgrowth of the grifters, scammers, and “social engineers” that were popular over a decade ago.

Kristen Britain’s first book and its sequel.

I liked the first book, Green Rider. It’s a solid adventure story; the Green Riders remind me a bit of Valedemar’s Heralds, but in mostly good ways. The faded magic is an different backdrop. Particularly interesting is the main character Karigan; much like Tolkein’s hobbits, she often succeeds because of her friends and the gifts she’s been given. It’s interesting to see a fantasy hero so dependent on others for everything but mettle.

Since I have trouble reaching All Consuming [the books site that puts the little covers, “what I’m reading”, and “what I’ve read” in the sidebar], I may revive the books category on the site.

First, though, I’ve stumbled on two websites for book lovers:
Looky Book is a collection of children’s books with all the text and beautiful artwork. Scan through the pretty books to find a gift for your children and little friends.

Library thing. It looks so good, I’ll try it out…

Books, games, etc.

House full of Games: http://housefullofgames.com/
(boardgame reviews, discussion, etc.)

Mare Nostrum FAQ– http://www.sergelaget.com/Anglais/SL/MareNostrum/MNFAQ.htm

Vinci: area conquest, very strong — http://housefullofgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53

Time’s Up: party game — http://housefullofgames.com/title.php?id=234

BuyWords — http://housefullofgames.com/title.php?id=228

Keythedral — sounds interesting — http://housefullofgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=55

I finished Angry Black White Boy : A Novel by Adam Mansbach last night. It was a pretty good read; there was some social commentary (a lot actually), but also some strong characterization.

Macon seems pretty well characterized; he’s a strong character who has enough doubt and anxiety to seem real. As the downest whiteboy, he does a great job of walking the line between different groups. His reflections on family and privilege work– they don’t come across as the author preaching.

The book is almost a single POV book. The drawback is that the author dips into other POVs, but doesn’t always telegraph well. The few dips into other POVs seem like they could have been eliminated– they were infrequent enough to be annoying when they occurred, and they undermined my immersion in Macon. Save that, it’s clear and tackles interesting issues.

The previous book I read was Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock. It remains a good book; it’s set just after World War 2. Holdstock does a great job of building the setting, the family dynamic, and the mystery. This is one of my favorite books to return to.

Briefly, the family lives near Ryhope Wood. Steven, the character we’re following, is returning after being wounded and recovering in France. He’s filled with mixed feelings; partially resentment toward his neglectful father (who died during the war) and eagerness to see his brother and his brother’s bride.

When he returns home, nothing is as he anticipated. His brother is withdrawn… and obsessed, much as his father had been. Soon Christian (his brother) vanishes into the wood. We also get hints that the wood is more than it appears…

A good read, one I recommend, particularly if you enjoy fantasy/sci-fi.