Saturday, September 20, 2008
Watt's the buzz?: understanding and avoiding the risks of electromagnetic radiation, by Lyn Mclean
Ever gotten a headache or felt a hot spot on your temple while talking on your cell phone? Thinking about buying a home close to or underneath power lines? Is your home located next to a power substation? This book explains how all electrical appliances, wiring, cell phones, computers and more produce electromagnetic radiation (EMR), and the link between the exposure to EMR and health problems, which has been accepted at the highest levels of the scientific community. The book is clear and concisely simple to read and understand. It also summarizes many scientific studies and has a whole chapter on how to minimize health risks. A must read for this day and age!
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Cater Street Hangman by Anne Perry
What a great book! I just finished this book and then handed it off to the first friend I ran into, telling her she just had to read it.
In The Cater Street Hangman, a series of grisly murders shock an affluent neighborhood of London. Everyone in Cater Street would like the pretend that one of the "criminal classes" is to blame, rather than face the growing realization that the killer is likely living in their midst. Family relationships crumble and unpleasant lies are brought to light as the investigation brings out everyone's secrets.
At the center of the novel is the beautiful but outspoken Charlotte Ellison. Her strange mix of candor and compassion generally bewilders people, but it also earns her the respect and admiration of Inspector Pitt, the policeman assigned to the Cater case.
The novel is brilliantly paced and wonderfully told - a delicate balance of mystery, romance, historical fiction, thriller, and even, morality tale. Interestingly, Perry tells the story from the Ellison family's point of view - rather than following the Inspector around on his inquiries. The result is a crime story told from the point of view of the people left in the dark and confused - more a story about what crime, secrets, and violence does to people than a simple whodunnit.
And yet, for all the bleak coldness of the Victorian setting, there is a strange sort of hopefulness to the novel - a firm belief that true love really can blossom in any circumstances between two worthy people and that the truth really is freeing to the soul, if only we would seek it.
In The Cater Street Hangman, a series of grisly murders shock an affluent neighborhood of London. Everyone in Cater Street would like the pretend that one of the "criminal classes" is to blame, rather than face the growing realization that the killer is likely living in their midst. Family relationships crumble and unpleasant lies are brought to light as the investigation brings out everyone's secrets.
At the center of the novel is the beautiful but outspoken Charlotte Ellison. Her strange mix of candor and compassion generally bewilders people, but it also earns her the respect and admiration of Inspector Pitt, the policeman assigned to the Cater case.
The novel is brilliantly paced and wonderfully told - a delicate balance of mystery, romance, historical fiction, thriller, and even, morality tale. Interestingly, Perry tells the story from the Ellison family's point of view - rather than following the Inspector around on his inquiries. The result is a crime story told from the point of view of the people left in the dark and confused - more a story about what crime, secrets, and violence does to people than a simple whodunnit.
And yet, for all the bleak coldness of the Victorian setting, there is a strange sort of hopefulness to the novel - a firm belief that true love really can blossom in any circumstances between two worthy people and that the truth really is freeing to the soul, if only we would seek it.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Snare, by Katharine Kerr
Snare is an epic Science fiction novel with some fun and strange twists...basically the decendants of Islamic fundamentalists, and the decendants of scientists whose ancestors arrived on the planet Snare over 800 years ago by accident , are constantly battling the alien natives, and sometimes each other and no one really knows why, or why they must follow strange and bizzarre customs. Through an epic journey into intrigue, war, and adventure, one of the books' heros Ammadin, who is a Spirit Rider/Healer goes on a Spirit Quest to ultimately find out the real truth of the story of how they all arrived there.
Snare was a fun, well written and easy read that kept me wanting to go back to for more adventure to see what was around the next corner/adventure.
Snare was a fun, well written and easy read that kept me wanting to go back to for more adventure to see what was around the next corner/adventure.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn
On a recommendation from a friend, I picked up Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince, the first in a series. The story is classic fantasy, centering around the politics and family drama of several royal clans as they vie for power and peace.
Rohan, the young prince of the desert, is generally considered bookish and shy, but the reserved scholar actually has an ingenious plan to secure his country's peace, in spite of some rather dangerous neighbors. He also knows a secret about the desert dragons, a secret that just might change the balance of power. But complicating matters considerably is the arrival of his betrothed, a witch. When the prince and his fiancee fall in love at first sight, it will take all their wits - and will - to pretend otherwise, because the prince's plan rests on fooling the world that he plans to marry someone else.
The story is remarkably well-written (having read enough very incomprehensible prose passing under a fantasy publisher's label, I can say this is sadly an exception rather than a rule with fantasy), containing vivid, motivated characters, complicated and yet realistic events, and a fully realized system of magic.
My only complaint would be that this fantasy is very...well, unfantastical - for a fantasy. Sure it's set in another world and with magic and dragons, but it reads like historical fiction. Everything felt - to me - rather scientific. There is not really a higher plane or even much philosophizing - just politics. (This is unfortunate because fantasy is made for philosophizing. Just look at Harry Potter.) For myself, I like fantasy - and books in general - to have a certain sort of seinsucht to them - just a little something more.
But if you like your fantasy gritty, realistic, and mightily historical, then Dragon Prince is a great place to start.
Rohan, the young prince of the desert, is generally considered bookish and shy, but the reserved scholar actually has an ingenious plan to secure his country's peace, in spite of some rather dangerous neighbors. He also knows a secret about the desert dragons, a secret that just might change the balance of power. But complicating matters considerably is the arrival of his betrothed, a witch. When the prince and his fiancee fall in love at first sight, it will take all their wits - and will - to pretend otherwise, because the prince's plan rests on fooling the world that he plans to marry someone else.
The story is remarkably well-written (having read enough very incomprehensible prose passing under a fantasy publisher's label, I can say this is sadly an exception rather than a rule with fantasy), containing vivid, motivated characters, complicated and yet realistic events, and a fully realized system of magic.
My only complaint would be that this fantasy is very...well, unfantastical - for a fantasy. Sure it's set in another world and with magic and dragons, but it reads like historical fiction. Everything felt - to me - rather scientific. There is not really a higher plane or even much philosophizing - just politics. (This is unfortunate because fantasy is made for philosophizing. Just look at Harry Potter.) For myself, I like fantasy - and books in general - to have a certain sort of seinsucht to them - just a little something more.
But if you like your fantasy gritty, realistic, and mightily historical, then Dragon Prince is a great place to start.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Airhead by Meg Cabot
When I tried to explain the plot of Airhead to my husband, he just looked at me with this really weird eyebrow raised look of total disinterest and disbelief. I admit, the plot sounds ridiculous:
A gawky tomboy named Em has her brain transplanted into the body of teen supermodel Nikki Howard.
See, I told you it sounded ridiculous. The set up for how that unlikely event comes about is even more ridiculous. Still - and this is the beauty of Meg Cabot's writing - this totally implausible story is increcibly fun. The characters are well drawn, particularily the video-gaming feminist Em, who is trying to re-adjust to the fact that she's now expected to be passive and girly (something she never was) without loosing her own identity inside a borrowed life (and body).
In addition to the fact that her body is now totally different, Em also has to deal with the fact that she's mobbed by fans everywhere she goes (poor thing), her old crush doesn't remember her (poor thing), and 3 other gorgeous guys are all in love with her and fighting over her (poor thing). Oh, and her employer seems to be stalking her. But as it all this takes place in a world of poparazzi, Manhatten lofts, designer clothes, and gorgeous guys, we find ourselves torn between pitying Em and envying her. And we imagine what we might do in her shoes.
Again, that's the beauty of Meg Cabot's books - I always find myself totally caught up in the story. The only problem with this book was that I was so caught up in the story that I suddenly reached the end and the story wasn't finished. There's going to be a sequel - possibly several. So, overall, good story - totally fun beach reading - and now I will have to wait until Meg writes more...
A gawky tomboy named Em has her brain transplanted into the body of teen supermodel Nikki Howard.
See, I told you it sounded ridiculous. The set up for how that unlikely event comes about is even more ridiculous. Still - and this is the beauty of Meg Cabot's writing - this totally implausible story is increcibly fun. The characters are well drawn, particularily the video-gaming feminist Em, who is trying to re-adjust to the fact that she's now expected to be passive and girly (something she never was) without loosing her own identity inside a borrowed life (and body).
In addition to the fact that her body is now totally different, Em also has to deal with the fact that she's mobbed by fans everywhere she goes (poor thing), her old crush doesn't remember her (poor thing), and 3 other gorgeous guys are all in love with her and fighting over her (poor thing). Oh, and her employer seems to be stalking her. But as it all this takes place in a world of poparazzi, Manhatten lofts, designer clothes, and gorgeous guys, we find ourselves torn between pitying Em and envying her. And we imagine what we might do in her shoes.
Again, that's the beauty of Meg Cabot's books - I always find myself totally caught up in the story. The only problem with this book was that I was so caught up in the story that I suddenly reached the end and the story wasn't finished. There's going to be a sequel - possibly several. So, overall, good story - totally fun beach reading - and now I will have to wait until Meg writes more...
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds
A patron had turned in a paperback by this author at the library that I was working in and it looked like it might be something I might be interested in reading. It was! I enjoyed it so much that I got on the catalog and found this (and more) by this author. Reynolds' writing is fun to read and I found myself constantly going back to earlier sections where he had made some small reference to a subject that just happened to come up and be important later.
This book follows the adventures of Tanner Mirabel, a security operative, as he searches for a low-life, postmortal killer. The plot is quite complicated and weaves around and back and forth. The book is consistently startling and Reynolds uses plenty of cutting edge biology, alien intrigue, AI's and other sci-fi tricks. A mighty good read for any genre.
This book follows the adventures of Tanner Mirabel, a security operative, as he searches for a low-life, postmortal killer. The plot is quite complicated and weaves around and back and forth. The book is consistently startling and Reynolds uses plenty of cutting edge biology, alien intrigue, AI's and other sci-fi tricks. A mighty good read for any genre.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Seeds of Time, by Kay Kenyon
I had never read anything by Kay Kenyon before this book and was quite pleased with her writing style. This, being her first book, got me caught up almost immediately. Another Science Fiction book, which if you have read any of my other postings, you should know is my favorite type of fiction.
It's pretty much of an adventure, with the main heroine character being Clio Finn, a Dive pilot, someone capable of guiding a ship into the time stream. Earth is on her last legs (because of all the problems plagueing her right now). Clio is a Green, who would do anything at all to save her beloved Earth, and on a trip through time she and her crew find a lush planet that Clio would like to bring back some seeds from to regreen the Earth. Unfortunately, those seeds could either halt the planet's immanent demise and/or destroy it's entire civilization.
The characterization is very believeable, as is the science behind the fiction. I just found another book by this Washingtonian who resides in Wenatchee and am eagerly anticipating using some of my sleep time to dive into wherever it may take me.
It's pretty much of an adventure, with the main heroine character being Clio Finn, a Dive pilot, someone capable of guiding a ship into the time stream. Earth is on her last legs (because of all the problems plagueing her right now). Clio is a Green, who would do anything at all to save her beloved Earth, and on a trip through time she and her crew find a lush planet that Clio would like to bring back some seeds from to regreen the Earth. Unfortunately, those seeds could either halt the planet's immanent demise and/or destroy it's entire civilization.
The characterization is very believeable, as is the science behind the fiction. I just found another book by this Washingtonian who resides in Wenatchee and am eagerly anticipating using some of my sleep time to dive into wherever it may take me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)