Author: HCNewton Page 581 of 625

Dusted Off: Grimspace by Ann Aguirre

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On March 10, 2014

In Fiction, Science Fiction

Grimspace (Sirantha Jax, #1)Grimspace

by Ann Aguirre
Mass-Market Paperback, 312 pg.
Penguin Group, 2008
Read: June 19-20, 2012

Action-packed, complexly-plotted, character-driven. Grimspace is a heckuva first book (would’ve been a heckuva 3rd, book, too). Not perfect, but so good that you put up with the short-comings.

This is more Ronald D. Moore/Joss Whedon-y S.F. than a Roddenberry/Lucas SF. The characters are people: flawed, self-deceived, selfish, scared… You grow to care about them, not just what happens (which would be interesting enough on its own, actually).

Actually, now that I’ve said it above, I’m more and more convinced this is Firefly without the livestock or distinctive dialogue. Can’t wait til I get my hands on the sequel. 4 Stars

The Man Christ Jesus: Theological Reflections on the Humanity of Christ by Bruce A. Ware

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On March 9, 2014

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

The Man Christ Jesus: Theological Reflections on the Humanity of ChristThe Man Christ Jesus: Theological Reflections on the Humanity of Christ

by Bruce A. Ware
Kindle Edition, 160 pg.
Crossway, 2012
Read: March 9, 2014

One of Ware’s presuppositions — repeated throughout this book — is that evangelical Christians today have a good understanding of and embrace the doctrine of the Divinity of Christ, but their understanding of his humanity is wanting — enter this book. Without dipping a toe into Nestorianism, Ware wants his readers to understand the humanity of Jesus. He explains this so with a constant eye to His divinity — and how that divinity is expressed in the life of the God-man.

One of his main interests is for his readers to understand the dependency of Jesus on the Spirit — His indwelling, guidance and empowering. Without that indwelling, it would be impossible for Jesus to carry out His father’s will. If we grasp that, we see the limitations of the divine nature of Christ to his earthly work, which may seem paradoxical, but isn’t as Ware will explain.

The application portions to every chapter keep this book from being merely theoretical (however great that theory is) to helping readers put shoe leather to this teaching — as every teaching ought. It’s just easier when the author goes out of his way to help us start that on our own.

I really appreciated the chapter “Resisting Temptation,” Ware’s reflections on Hebrews 4:15 and the idea of Jesus being tempted to sin in general. He surveys some of the leading theories before suggesting his own idea how the idea of the impeccable theanthropos being tempted without sinning. He put into words an idea or two that had been floating around in my own head for a few years, and

I was surprised that Ware had to devote an entire chapter defending the masculinity of the God-man, although I shouldn’t have been. Sadly, this was a pretty boring chapter. Ware really beat this horse far beyond the point of its flatline. Sadly, he probably needed to be as through given today’s thinking.

Deep enough to discourage a casual read, but friendly enough that this should be able to be read by thoughtful laity.

—–

4 Stars

Saturday Miscellany – 3/8/14

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On March 8, 2014

In Books, News/Misc.

Still in the midst of the reading/writing lull I mentioned last week — working really hard at shaking it. In the meantime, here are some odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

  • The Strongest Brand In Publishing Is … — Fascinating look at publishing, book/author branding, etc.
  • 19 Quotes That Will Make You Fall in Love With Books All Over Again — The headline oversells it a bit, but, there are some great lines here that will likely resonate with anyone who reads this blog. Favorites include: “The love of books is a love which requires neither justification, apology, nor defense.” – J.A. Langford and “I read my eyes out and can’t read half enough… The more one reads the more one sees we have to read.” – John Adams
  • An Interview with Author Jonathan Wood — I thoroughly enjoyed the ebook versions of Wood’s first two novels — No Hero and Yesterday’s Hero. Very glad to see him get the better exposure that paper copies will bring — and that there’s a third volume next year.
    This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:

  • The Player by Brad Parks — the newest in the series about a mystery solving member of that very endangered species, newspaper reporter. I expect that it’ll be tense, amusing, and well-crafted.
  • Half-Off Ragnarok by Seanan McGuire — the third InCryptid novel. I’ve got this sitting on my desk, waiting for the road trip I’m taking in two weeks. I might be able to wait that long to tear into it.
  • Notes from the Internet Apocalypse by Wayne Gladstone — this looks pretty funny.

Death Without Company by Craig Johnson

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On March 5, 2014

In Authors, Craig Johnson, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Walt Longmire

Death Without Company (Walt Longmire, #2)Death Without Company

by Craig Johnson
Series: Walt Longmire, #2

Hardcover, 271 pg.
Viking Adult, 2006
Read: Feb. 11-13, 2014

Granted, I took too long to get back to this series, so it’s possible that my memory is more of the TV show than The Cold Dish, but I think I remember it well enough to say that Death Without Company has a more enjoyable, casual feel throughout than its predecessor did.

Which isn’t to say this is a laugh riot, or silly — Johnson is no Evanovich. But the atmosphere of the book, the relationships between Vic, the Ferg, Henry, Cady and Walt are effortless, they feel like coworkers and friends. So even when the bodies start to pile up, the external pressures mount, and answers are in short supply, there’s an ease to things that make the book more entertaining than it could’ve been. Even as Sheriff, Walt still comes across as deferential and secondary to his former boss Lucian Connally (though he doesn’t hesitate to put his foot down when necessary).

When Lucian tells Walt in no uncertain terms that a death in the retirement home he lives in is not from natural causes, he has to investigate. Even if he’s not entirely convinced. It’s not too much of a spoiler to say that Lucian’s right — otherwise, we wouldn’t have a novel to read. Which takes Walt on a journey through the the murky history of both one of Walt’s oldest friends and the area he calls home — this time with a different minority group as the focus (though the Rez and its inhabitants are always lurking around in the background).

There’s a new romantic interest in these pages — as well as a couple of new deputies for Absaroka County (the particular skill set of one of these is a bit too deus ex machina-y for my tastes, but he’s so likable, who cares?). Throw in the kind of snow storm you can only get in rural Wyoming (or areas like it) and some brushes with Indian spirituality, and you get a distinctive kind of mystery novel, making the adventures of Walt Longmire and his cohorts the kind of story you can get nowhere else. It won’t take me as long to come back to this series next time.

I had no idea where to fit this into the review, but I thought Walt’s observation deserved to be repeated — due to its wisdom as well as the way it’s phrased:

Everything to do with women is foolish, and, therefore, absolutely essential.

—–

3.5 Stars

Dusted Off: Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote

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On March 3, 2014

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

Breakfast at Tiffany'sBreakfast at Tiffany’s

by Truman Capote
Paperback, 178 pg.
Vintage International, 1993
Read: Jun. 24, 2012

Am not sure why this one resonates with so many, why it’s so acclaimed, but it is. For the most part, the narrative left me cold, as did the characters.

Capote’s descriptions on the other hand…great stuff, delicious writing there. Made it worth my while, but I can’t imagine I’ll be back for more.

—–

2 Stars

Dusted Off: The Drop by Michael Connelly

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On March 3, 2014

In Authors, Fiction, Harry Bosch, Michael Connelly, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The DropThe Drop

by Michael Connelly
Series: Harry Bosch, #17

Paperback, 448 pg.
Grand Central Publishing, 2012
Read: Jun. 23-25, 2012

How does he do it? How does someone as accomplished as Connelly continually top himself? Equaling himself would be a tough act (and not one he always pulls off), but topping himself? Inhuman.

This was gripping (duh). This was harrowing (duh). The suspense was there, the intrigue was thick (duh). What was shown about the human condition should cause anyone to reflect (duh). All of that is par for the course for Connelly and Harry Bosch.

But this one…the depravity, Harry’s reaction to it–not just the bad guys, but the politics surrounding the cases…hit harder than normal. You can really feel for Bosch in this one, you can curse his mistakes (and even the right things he did that don’t feel so right), but the closing chapters carry a kind of emotional weight that Bosch novels normally don’t.

This is Connelly at his best. Looking forward to the next time he tops himself.

—–

5 Stars

Saturday Miscellany — 3/1/14

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On March 1, 2014

In Books, News/Misc.

You ever have one of those weeks, where despite your best efforts/intentions, you just can’t find the time or energy to read? (or, write about what you read?) I’ve had two of those in a row here. Hope that changes soon. In the meantime, here are the odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

    This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon. After a lean week or two, I’ve got a bunch this week:

  • Hammer of Angels by G. T. Almasi — the first in this series as such a blast, I can’t wait to get my hands on this
  • The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg — two of my favorites are back with their new Fox & O’Hare series, should be fun
  • Honor’s Knight by Rachel Bach — And one more second in a series. As long as this is almost as good as the first, I’ll be happy
  • The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison — the series gets one step closer to the end here. I’m ready for it to be over, but I also know as soon as the paperback hits the shelves, I’ll be diving in.

Chimera by Kelly Meding

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On February 26, 2014

In Fiction, Science Fiction

Chimera (MetaWars, #4)Chimera

by Kelly Meding
ePub, 242 pages
Pocket Star, 2013
Read: Feb. 14-25, 2015

 

    • Let’s see here,

Chimera

    gives us:

  • a first-person account of super-hero life from an under-represented type of Super-Hero — Check!
  • Personal conflicts, Personal demons, general turmoil — moreso than most X-Men, even — heroes that carry emotional scars in addition to those earned in battle — Check!
  • Impending Government Persecution of Super-Heroes — Check!
  • A sex scene that goes on far too long for comfort — but is thankfully easily skippable — Check!

Yup. Chimera is a MetaWars book. It carries all the marks.

Renee Duval, aka Flex, is the focus this time around. She and a notorious ex-Bane have been dispatched to investigate a series of thefts that have to be being carried out by one or more teen Metas. With the threat of officially sanctioned internment of Metas hovering over them, the last thing the Rangers need is some punk kids bringing down the heat on them and any other law-abiding Meta. So Renee and Chimera have their work cut out for them — particularly considering that Renee’s doing her best to hang on to her anti-Bane sentiment, far after the rest of her team is softening. What they discover is unsettling for them, and doesn’t exactly fill the reader with a sense of joy, either.

One the one hand, I get Meding’s motive for varying P.O.V. characters in each book — and in many ways, I prefer this to the books that jump P.O.V. every chapter or so. But it’s also a weakness — for example — Trance was our entry into this world, we saw it all through her eyes. But we don’t get a whole lot of Trance any more — and what we do is just in brief bursts of conversation, and we don’t get the same impression of, knowledge of, experience of her. Still, Flex is a strong, yet flawed character, and it was nice to get in her head.

Plenty of action, some solid character growth, good plot advancement — Chimera is another good installment in a very satisfactory series. For a dystopian future, there’s something welcoming about this world, and I enjoy any time I get to spend in it. This book took me a freakishly long time to finish. That’s not a reflection on the character(s), the story, or the author — I was apparently busier and more tired than I realized until I saw just how long I’d spent reading the book (I’m not so unaware to not notice it was taking me awhile, just didn’t see how long I was taking). It was a good read, an engaging read.

—–

3.5 Stars

Dusted Off: The Girl in the Steel Corset

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On February 24, 2014

In Fiction, Steampunk, YA/MG/Children's Books

The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles, #1)The Girl in the Steel Corset

by Kady Cross
Hardcover, 473 pg.
Harlequin Teen, 2011
Read: June 26-27, 2012

When I started this, I kept thinking, “this is the steampunk version of Twilight.” A good, fun read, but nothing to get too excited about. But as I read on, I started thinking that less and less. Maybe because it was getting better, maybe because I just got into the story fully. Doesn’t matter.

Midly predictable plot, but entertainingly told. The characters are engaging and frustrating (in a way that serves to underline how much you like them). The steam-tech is fun and well thought out. The whole super-power thing? Very well executed. Super Powers and Steampunk? That’s some peanut butter you can get in my chocolate, anytime.

Fun, fun, read–with a good jump start to the sequel.

—–

3.5 Stars

Dusted Off: The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson

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On February 24, 2014

In Authors, Craig Johnson, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Walt Longmire

The Cold Dish (Walt Longmire, #1)The Cold Dish

by Craig Johnson
Series: Walt Longmire, #1

Paperback, 400 pg.
Penguin Books, 2006
Read: June 28-30, 2012

It’s hard to believe this is a first novel. I love it when that happens. Johnson is assured in his writing, he knows his characters and their world, there’s no mistaking that.

It’s not a fast-paced tale by any means–Johnson saunters through his prose like Longmire would through the world. That doesn’t mean it’s not gripping, though. It’s lush with detail, as scenic and expansive as the Wyoming country it takes place in.

I figured out whodunit pretty quickly, but it took a while to get the why. The journey to the why was compelling, interesting and well worth the time. Looking forward to the next installment.

—–

4 Stars

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