All Consuming : Scott

Solid sci-fi

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 02:00:27 GMT

by Nick Sagan

As the back cover suggests, there are a lot of good parallels between this book and the Amber chronicles. The author does a good job of showing us the world… then peeling it back like an onion and showing the enclosing layer, and the layer around that. Well done.

A quick dramatic read

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 03:45:27 GMT

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

by Mohsin Hamid

This book has a very charming narrator and moves along quickly. I started reading it and didn’t put it down until I was dpne. The book is relatively short and made for a great afternoon.

A review of "Driven out : the hidden war against Chinese America"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 03:54:12 GMT

Driven out : the hidden war against Chinese America

by Pfaelzer, Jean

The events that illuminated in this book are horrifying—ranging from hot blooded and violent to calculated campaigns of starvation and threats. It’s particularly hard to believe when you think about how recent this was… and how there are other books filled with abuses against other out groups lurking in the background of this one.

The author is at her best when she quotes and expands on the testimony of the Chinese, or when she’s quoting newspaper articles. The book feels solid and methodically researched, though phrase repetition and a few accidental duplications mar the feel.

Old Man's War

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 03:31:49 GMT

Old Man's War

by John Scalzi

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and immediately recommended it to my girlfriend. The characters do a good job of slogging and conveying the drain of war… but the characters matter. You care about them and hate to see them go.

My favorite book of fables (rated 5 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:11:41 GMT

Fearless Girls, Wise Women, and Beloved Sisters: Heroines in Folktales from Around the World

by Jane Yolen

I enjoy a lot of fables and retellings. This book collects a huge swath of fascinating stories, ranging from fractions of a page to ten or so pages. The more familiar tales are told well—and with hints or twists that subtly change the story.

Reading other cultural fables was great. It’s interesting how the lessons vary dramatically by culture. Do yourself a favor and read it. If you have kids (especially daughters, but sons would benefit too) many of the stories are perfect for sharing with kids of many ages.

A review of "Night Train to Rigel" (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:06:52 GMT

Night Train to Rigel

by Timothy Zahn

A solid investigative adventure with a fun universe. The use of “trains” is inventive, and the many layered political plotting is fascinating. A solid, fun book.

Great concept, good start (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 18:27:18 GMT

Sparks: An Urban Fairytale

by Lawrence Marvit

The story is good—I really liked the characters and their struggles. Unfortunately, the last few chapters rush new elements that don’t work as well as the first 2/3rds of the book. The last chapter didn’t match the previous book as well. It went for the shallowly dramatic, instead of the previously well done complex internal story lines.

A story about "Warday"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 16:21:52 GMT

Warday

by Whitley Strieber

I’ve long appreciated the solid look at the aftermath of limited nuclear war that this book provides. When Jordan aired this season, it brought this book to mind—it’ll be interesting to see if they follow through as well as the book does.

A review of "The Death and Life of Great American Cities (Modern Library Series)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 19:42:09 GMT

The Death and Life of Great American Cities (Modern Library Series)

I found the ideas put forth in this book to be very persuasive. Ms Jacobs spends the first several chapters taking real city components, carefully organizing them and explaining their particulars. While the arguments can feel a bit repetitious, that’s because the influence of one element usually influences many of the other factors. (In fact, that’s the core of her concluding chapter—that cities are complexly interrelated systems, and should be studied as such.)

A review of "Kushiel's Dart (Kushiel's Legacy)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 22:20:50 GMT

Kushiel's Dart (Kushiel's Legacy)

by Jacqueline Carey

When the book started, I was greatly worried that the pain-loving was going to detract from the rest of the book. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was well integrated and contrasted well with other types of duty and sacrifice.

I teared up a few times while reading it, empathizing greatly with Phedre. Talented writing—well done.

A review of "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 20:26:49 GMT

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

by Harriet Jacobs

First the warning: skip the introduction. It’s like a bad movie trailer that spoils half of the movie. You’ll be better served reading it as an afterward; it has points that work and reinforce the story.

On the good side: it is well written and easy to read even today. It doesn’t have lots of fluff or strange terminology—and it doesn’t bog down like many victorian novels. It’s solid and direct. She does address the reader directly and makes asides about the then current state of laws, but it works.

Solid, informative

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 00:13:15 GMT

Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of Evo Devo

by Sean B. Carroll

The book is well written and engaging. A lot has gone on in the last 20 years of Biology research—this book summarizes a lot of the facts.

A review of "Unspeak: How Words Become Weapons, How Weapons Become a Message, and How That Message Becomes Reality"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:04:24 GMT

Unspeak: How Words Become Weapons, How Weapons Become a Message, and How That Message Becomes Reality

by Steven Poole

The book’s a thorough look at the loaded words—and the assumptions they make—used in politics and persuasion. (Examples include: pro-choice, pro-life, terrorist suspect, etc.)

The focus is narrow, teasing out specific examples in larger categories and working through the assumptions and prejudicial implications. Our discourse is pruned, reasonable points are made extreme or unspeakable, due to the loading of the phrases. There’s an appeal to avoid loaded phrases—and an admission that politicians won’t do so, so we need to listen more carefully.

A review of "Sisters of the Raven"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 16:51:47 GMT

Sisters of the Raven

by Barbara Hambly

The story’s a good one, filled with complex characters who are trying to deal with a world that is changing dramatically. For Hambly this is a middling series; for someone eager to read her, I’d start them on The Time of the Dark.

A satisfying conclusion (rated 5 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 18:58:47 GMT

Magic's Price (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 3)

by Mercedes Lackey

The book is an interesting end to the series. It feels more disjointed than the other two; it has several “jumps” that are similar in scope to the Taledras visit in book one. To me, it’s almost a collection of 3-4 short stories with a few (subtler) running themes.

However, each of the chunks is well written and solid. Vanyel’s relationship with his father continues its drama, Stef is an interesting development on the romance front, the villian is an impressive foe, worthy of The Last Herald Mage.

A review of "Magic's Promise (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 2)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 01:08:47 GMT

Magic's Promise (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 2)

by Mercedes Lackey

This continues the series; it’s a solid book that does a good job of advancing Vanyel. It’s a bit slower and has fewer incredibly emotional scenes. It’s still solid, with an interesting mystery tied in, and clear threads of plot leading off into the future.

In the end, it’s a very good bridge book.

A review of "Magic's Pawn (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 1)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 21:58:46 GMT

Magic's Pawn (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 1)

by Mercedes Lackey

This is one of my favorite re-reads, but it can be a bit embarassing to read in public. There are sections of the book that make me cry, every time I read the book. Even though I know it’s coming.

It’s an excellent book, with a hero who grows on you. As a teen the protagonists my age felt real (which can be tough to do), and they’re still powerful to me.

Why it's taking me forever to finish consuming "Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 21:17:39 GMT

Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)

by Jim Butcher

I left lunch with this in a side pouch on my bike. By the time I’d returned to work, it had fallen out. In the less than 15 minutes it took me to retrace my route, it had vanished.

A review of "The Coming of the New Deal: 1933-1935, The Age of Roosevelt, Volume II (The Age of Roosevelt)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 21:12:57 GMT

The Coming of the New Deal: 1933-1935, The Age of Roosevelt, Volume II (The Age of Roosevelt)

by Jr., Arthur M. Schlesinger

A detailed examination of the New Deal cabinet, especially during the first two or three years of Roosevelt’s administration.

A story about "High Wizardry: The Third Book in the Young Wizards Series"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 21:38:37 GMT

High Wizardry: The Third Book in the Young Wizards Series

by Diane Duane

Trickier, because the action splits between Nina and Kit (as usual) and Dairine. The “gee whiz” of computers is fun (and amusing from today’s point of view).

There’s some friction early on, when the author’s establishing Dairine’s independent point of view—there’s some duplication of events and the like, but it works out. The ending, even given the repeated pattern, still managed to suprise me.

A story about "Deep Wizardry: The Second Book in the Young Wizards Series"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Scott) — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 21:34:49 GMT

Deep Wizardry: The Second Book in the Young Wizards Series

by Diane Duane

Nina and Kit get dragged in over their heads by a hasty promise. A lot of sea life; Duane handles things smoothly, introducing fine details intriguingly. While it feels a bit like a retread, the strong non-human support makes it its own book.