This is another first. I'm reading a book that is so good I need to talk about it even before I finish. I am currently about half-way through Daemon by Daniel Suarez. This is a technothriller that should appeal to all you geeks out there, especially all you gamers, and I know one in particular who should read this book even though his first choice is non-fiction.
A 'daemon', as defined in the book, "is a computer program that runs continuously in the background and performs specified operations at predefined times or in response to certain events." In this book the 'daemon' was created by one of the most brilliant computer game programmers in California. He has recently died from brain cancer and certain events the 'daemon' finds begin to trigger specific actions. His 'daemon' is so good it can kill, speak, make contact through a computer game, and all sorts of other amazing things. The scary part is that everything in the book is possible with current technology. The 'daemon' is such a threat to national security that even the National Security Agency is called in to help find and stop it.
I'm going to start Googling many of the terms that are used by Suarez to get a better understanding of all the technical computer acronyms and words he uses. Even though I have not finished this book, and don't like to write about a book until I do, this is one that I think many of you will be glad to read. It will give you an entirely different perspective on the potential of computers, the internet, and all the intricate connections with the real world that already exist. Hang on for a fast-paced ride.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Page 17: Three New Books
Instead of writing about a specific book or books I have read, I thought I would try something a little different. The summer book announcements are coming out from Amazon and others. In a recent email I discovered books by several of my favorite authors that will be available between May and November. Of course there are many new books coming out, but here are three that I am very excited about.
Let's take them in order. The first is Innocent by Scott Turow scheduled to be released on May 4th. Turow writes great legal thrillers and one of his best was Presumed Innocent published 22 years ago. You may have seen the movie starring Harrison Ford as Rusty Sabich who was accused of killing his mistress. His nemesis, lawyer Tommy Molto, is back again in a similar role. Both Publisher's Weekly and Booklist have written reviews of Innocent that may be found on Amazon. The abbreviated version of the plot is that Rusty is once again charged with murder, this time his wife Barbara, and Tommy Molto is an opposing attorney. The main difference now is that after 22 years Rusty is a chief appellate judge. Since Presumed Innocent was such a great book, I am really looking forward to reading Innocent.
The next book, scheduled to be published May 25th, is one I have been waiting for with great anticipation since it is the last of the Steig Larsson trilogy that follows The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire. This book is The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. If this is 75% as good as the other two it is worth reading. Check out my very first blog for more on the first two books in the trilogy. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest continues the story of Lisbeth Salandar, the computer hacker who shows an uncanny ability to take care of herself in very dangerous situations, and journalist Mikael Blomkvist. If you have not read the first two books, I strongly urge you to do so right now or you will not appreciate the linkages and superb plotting of Larsson. Check out the reviews to learn more of the details.
The third book is The Rembrandt Affair by Daniel Silva scheduled for publication on July 20th. Israeli spy Gabriel Allon returns in another of Silva's outstanding spy thrillers. This is the ninth book in his series and each of them has been better than the previous one as Silva continues to hone his craft. Here is a review of the book from Amazon:
"It has been six months since Gabriel's showdown with Ivan Kharkov. Now, having severed his ties with the Office, Gabriel has retreated to the Cornish coast with only one thing in mind: healing his wife, Chiara, after her encounter with evil. But an unspeakable act of violence once again draws Gabriel into a world of danger when an art restorer is brutally murdered and the newly discovered Rembrandt on which he is working taken. Gabriel is persuaded to use his unique skills to trace the painting and those responsible for the crimes; but, as he investigates, he discovers there are terrible secrets connected to the painting, and terrible men behind them. Before he is done, he will have undertaken a journey through some of the twentieth century's darkest history-and come face-to-face with some of the same darkness within himself."
I can't wait for these books to come out and eagerly await their publication.
Let's take them in order. The first is Innocent by Scott Turow scheduled to be released on May 4th. Turow writes great legal thrillers and one of his best was Presumed Innocent published 22 years ago. You may have seen the movie starring Harrison Ford as Rusty Sabich who was accused of killing his mistress. His nemesis, lawyer Tommy Molto, is back again in a similar role. Both Publisher's Weekly and Booklist have written reviews of Innocent that may be found on Amazon. The abbreviated version of the plot is that Rusty is once again charged with murder, this time his wife Barbara, and Tommy Molto is an opposing attorney. The main difference now is that after 22 years Rusty is a chief appellate judge. Since Presumed Innocent was such a great book, I am really looking forward to reading Innocent.
The next book, scheduled to be published May 25th, is one I have been waiting for with great anticipation since it is the last of the Steig Larsson trilogy that follows The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire. This book is The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. If this is 75% as good as the other two it is worth reading. Check out my very first blog for more on the first two books in the trilogy. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest continues the story of Lisbeth Salandar, the computer hacker who shows an uncanny ability to take care of herself in very dangerous situations, and journalist Mikael Blomkvist. If you have not read the first two books, I strongly urge you to do so right now or you will not appreciate the linkages and superb plotting of Larsson. Check out the reviews to learn more of the details.
The third book is The Rembrandt Affair by Daniel Silva scheduled for publication on July 20th. Israeli spy Gabriel Allon returns in another of Silva's outstanding spy thrillers. This is the ninth book in his series and each of them has been better than the previous one as Silva continues to hone his craft. Here is a review of the book from Amazon:
"It has been six months since Gabriel's showdown with Ivan Kharkov. Now, having severed his ties with the Office, Gabriel has retreated to the Cornish coast with only one thing in mind: healing his wife, Chiara, after her encounter with evil. But an unspeakable act of violence once again draws Gabriel into a world of danger when an art restorer is brutally murdered and the newly discovered Rembrandt on which he is working taken. Gabriel is persuaded to use his unique skills to trace the painting and those responsible for the crimes; but, as he investigates, he discovers there are terrible secrets connected to the painting, and terrible men behind them. Before he is done, he will have undertaken a journey through some of the twentieth century's darkest history-and come face-to-face with some of the same darkness within himself."
I can't wait for these books to come out and eagerly await their publication.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Page 16: Walking to Gatlinburg
Walking to Gatlinburg by Howard Frank Mosher is the first book I have read by this author and I plan to check out his previous books. I guess it is the old adage of 'so many books, so little time.' This book is a gem. It takes place during the Civil War, but is not about the war like some of the great books by Bruce Catton, Shelby Foote and James McPherson. Also, novels by Michael Shaara such as The Killer Angels and the rest of his work as well as those written by his son Jeff give us a pretty good account of what the war was like. Walking to Gatlinburg, although taking place during the Civil War, is not primarily about the Civl War.
The book uses the Civil War as background for the story of Morgan Kinneson and his search for his older brother Pilgrim who goes missing in action at Gettysburg. Morgan sets out on an unplanned odyssey from his native Vermont to the Great Smoky Mountains. The stops he makes along the way, the adventures he experiences, the dangers he must surmount, and the people he meets are the meat and potatoes of this story. I think the review by Publishers Weekly provides one of the best summaries of this book. Here is the link: http://www.howardfrankmosher.com/books/walkingtogatlinburgPublishersWeekly.html
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.
The book uses the Civil War as background for the story of Morgan Kinneson and his search for his older brother Pilgrim who goes missing in action at Gettysburg. Morgan sets out on an unplanned odyssey from his native Vermont to the Great Smoky Mountains. The stops he makes along the way, the adventures he experiences, the dangers he must surmount, and the people he meets are the meat and potatoes of this story. I think the review by Publishers Weekly provides one of the best summaries of this book. Here is the link: http://www.howardfrankmosher.com/books/walkingtogatlinburgPublishersWeekly.html
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Page 15: The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon
The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon by Richard Zimler is a historical mystery about the Jews of Lisbon during the massacre of 1506. The book is based on a manuscript discovered by the author while he was staying in Istanbul in 1990 researching Sephardic poetry. The owner of the home he stayed in is owned by a descendent of Jews who fled the persecutions and killings in Spain and Portugal during the 15th to 18th centuries. Fortunately for the Jews the Turkish Sultan offered them sanctuary in Constantinople. Some of them made it, others did not. While staying in this home during renovations by the owner, the author recounts how workmen found a cement vault in the basement with some very old manuscripts. They turned out to be an account by Berekiah Zarco, who lived through the 1506 persecutions in Lisbon, and recounted his story of the mystery of searching for his uncle's murderer.
This book includes a very graphic account of the murders of Jews and the burning of their bodies (dead and alive) in the main square of the city. Berekiah was a teen at the time, but possessed the wisdom and determination of one much older as he tried to solve the mystery of his uncle's murder. This is a first hand account of these terrible events that also provides rich and colorful descriptions of the city, the Jews, New Christians, Old Christians, the Dominican friars encouraging the murders of Jews, and the culture and customs of the period.
This is a first class mystery and historical novel. The fact that it is all true, and based on the manuscript of the man who lived it, is even more awesome. As usual, I don't want to say much more about the story itself or the people involved. Please read this book to find out for yourself. Here is a quote from the back cover of the paperback edition:
"The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon is an international bestseller and an extraordinary novel that transports the reader into the universe of Jewish Kabbalah during the Lisbon massacre of April 1506. Risking his life in the streets seething with mayhem, a young manuscript illuminator, Berekiah Zarco, tracks the killer of his uncle, a renowned kabbalist, among Christians, New Christians, Jews, and his uncle's fellow kabbalists, whose secret language and codes at turns light and obscure the way to the truth he seeks. A marvelous read and a challenging mystery in the tradition of The Name of the Rose, The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon compels and entertains."
This book includes a very graphic account of the murders of Jews and the burning of their bodies (dead and alive) in the main square of the city. Berekiah was a teen at the time, but possessed the wisdom and determination of one much older as he tried to solve the mystery of his uncle's murder. This is a first hand account of these terrible events that also provides rich and colorful descriptions of the city, the Jews, New Christians, Old Christians, the Dominican friars encouraging the murders of Jews, and the culture and customs of the period.
This is a first class mystery and historical novel. The fact that it is all true, and based on the manuscript of the man who lived it, is even more awesome. As usual, I don't want to say much more about the story itself or the people involved. Please read this book to find out for yourself. Here is a quote from the back cover of the paperback edition:
"The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon is an international bestseller and an extraordinary novel that transports the reader into the universe of Jewish Kabbalah during the Lisbon massacre of April 1506. Risking his life in the streets seething with mayhem, a young manuscript illuminator, Berekiah Zarco, tracks the killer of his uncle, a renowned kabbalist, among Christians, New Christians, Jews, and his uncle's fellow kabbalists, whose secret language and codes at turns light and obscure the way to the truth he seeks. A marvelous read and a challenging mystery in the tradition of The Name of the Rose, The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon compels and entertains."
Monday, March 22, 2010
Page 14: The Art of Racing in the Rain
In case you are one of the few who has not yet read The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein please join the majority. This is a wonderful story narrated by a dog with the goal of becoming human in his next incarnation. Enzo is named after a famous Formula One driver, and learns much of what he knows about life from watching television with his owner Denny. Yes, racing is a major theme of this book, but not what you might think. In The Art of Racing in the Rain racing is a metaphor for life and Enzo is our instructor.
The book begins with Enzo near the end of his life. Enzo recounts the story of his family: Denny, his wife Eve, and their daughter Zoe. Denny tries to balance his love of racing cars with his love for his family. He faces a choice he just cannot bring himself to make. He wants to be a full-time race car driver, but must work for his friends at a car repair shop in order to earn enough money to support his family. The story gets very dark for Denny and it seems all is lost for him. However, events eventually turn in the right direction with some excellent assistance from Enzo. I don't want to say much more about the story without giving it all away. You need to read it for yourself. One of Enzo's favorite quotes, "Your car goes where your eyes go," will come to have a very special meaning for you.
Garth Stein has crafted a great story from the point of view of a dog. I was fortunate to see him give a presentation about his book at our local library a couple of weeks ago. He is a wonderful speaker as well as a great writer. It was standing room only. He told us his agent refused to handle the book because it was narrated by a dog. Garth Stein fired his agent, found another one, and the rest is history.
So take my advice, even if you are not a dog lover, read this book. You will love it.
The book begins with Enzo near the end of his life. Enzo recounts the story of his family: Denny, his wife Eve, and their daughter Zoe. Denny tries to balance his love of racing cars with his love for his family. He faces a choice he just cannot bring himself to make. He wants to be a full-time race car driver, but must work for his friends at a car repair shop in order to earn enough money to support his family. The story gets very dark for Denny and it seems all is lost for him. However, events eventually turn in the right direction with some excellent assistance from Enzo. I don't want to say much more about the story without giving it all away. You need to read it for yourself. One of Enzo's favorite quotes, "Your car goes where your eyes go," will come to have a very special meaning for you.
Garth Stein has crafted a great story from the point of view of a dog. I was fortunate to see him give a presentation about his book at our local library a couple of weeks ago. He is a wonderful speaker as well as a great writer. It was standing room only. He told us his agent refused to handle the book because it was narrated by a dog. Garth Stein fired his agent, found another one, and the rest is history.
So take my advice, even if you are not a dog lover, read this book. You will love it.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Page 13: Game Change
Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin takes you inside the campaigns of the 2008 major presidential candidates. This is my first non-fiction book to blog about and my impression is that it reads as well as most fiction books.
The authors take you behind the scenes of the campaigns of the major candidates from before the Iowa Caucuses all the way to the election in November. This book is a well written and researched account of what was happening that most of the public knew nothing about. It includes the inside scoop on some of the candidates and their wives in full bore yelling and screaming matches laced with profanity. Gee, they are not saints! John McCain liked to meet with supporters in his hotel room in a dress shirt and boxers. He also dropped the F-bomb the way most of us say hell and damn. It was alleged that Bill Clinton was having an affair in Chappaqua while Hillary was running for President. I guess Bill is just Bill. There is a lot more and I think it would be better for you to read it yourself, especially the stuff about Sarah Palin.
This is also a very good account of the people managing the campaigns; including their successes, failures, and downright screwups. Some managed to survive the entire campaign, some were fired, and most of them were on the receiving end of a lot of criticism from their respective candidates. The animosity between the Obama and Clinton campaigns is enhanced by new insights into what was really happening at various stages of the campaign. John Edwards does not come off well in this book and neither does his wife. The same may be said for Rudi and Judy.
Since there was so much interest in the 2008 campaign, I can't imagine anyone who followed it closely not wanting to read this book. There are revelations that will make you laugh, some that will make you shake your head in disbelief, and others that will disappoint you. After all, even presidential candidates have feet of clay.
The authors take you behind the scenes of the campaigns of the major candidates from before the Iowa Caucuses all the way to the election in November. This book is a well written and researched account of what was happening that most of the public knew nothing about. It includes the inside scoop on some of the candidates and their wives in full bore yelling and screaming matches laced with profanity. Gee, they are not saints! John McCain liked to meet with supporters in his hotel room in a dress shirt and boxers. He also dropped the F-bomb the way most of us say hell and damn. It was alleged that Bill Clinton was having an affair in Chappaqua while Hillary was running for President. I guess Bill is just Bill. There is a lot more and I think it would be better for you to read it yourself, especially the stuff about Sarah Palin.
This is also a very good account of the people managing the campaigns; including their successes, failures, and downright screwups. Some managed to survive the entire campaign, some were fired, and most of them were on the receiving end of a lot of criticism from their respective candidates. The animosity between the Obama and Clinton campaigns is enhanced by new insights into what was really happening at various stages of the campaign. John Edwards does not come off well in this book and neither does his wife. The same may be said for Rudi and Judy.
Since there was so much interest in the 2008 campaign, I can't imagine anyone who followed it closely not wanting to read this book. There are revelations that will make you laugh, some that will make you shake your head in disbelief, and others that will disappoint you. After all, even presidential candidates have feet of clay.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Page 12: Mistress of the Art of Death
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin is a well-crafted mystery set in twelfth-century Cambridge England. Four children have been murdered and the Catholic citizens blame the Jews. In order to save the Jews from the usual mob they are placed under the protection of King Henry II. Yes, this is the same King Henry who ordered the murder of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, and was whipped by monks as punishment.
King Henry asks his cousin, the King of Sicily, to send him one of the best medical experts in his kingdom. He wanted a "master of the art of death" which would be the equivalent of a medical examiner in our time. The doctor chosen to travel to England is one of the best medical students at the University of Salerno, but is a woman. The King of Sicily decided to send the King of England a "mistress of the art of death." Her name is Adelia and she faces many challenges in a country as backward and superstitious as twelfth century England.
Adelia is befriended by Sir Rowley Picot, one of the King's tax collectors. Sir Rowley plays a key role in the novel. Her investigation covers a great deal of ground, uses extant technology, and involves all levels of society including the clergy. The author's descriptions of the period are excellent and very informative. Sometimes I think I learn more about medieval England from well-researched novels than from history books I have read.
Adelia eventually solves the mystery of the murders, but what a trip along the way. The plot is fast-moving, the characters compelling, and the ending a real shocker. I don't want to say any more about the book without giving away too many of the details. If you think you would like a good mystery set in medieval England, read this book. Even if you don't, read it anyway. You will be glad you did.
As usual, here is some praise for the book:
"The bold, brilliant heroine of Mistress of the Art of Death is the medieval answer to Kay Scarpetta and the CSI detectives. This is a compelling, unique, and vibrant page-turner." Karen Harper, bestselling author of the Elizabeth I mystery series.
"CSI meets The Canterbury Tales. Franklin hits commercial paydirt with this criminal investigation drama set in twelfth-century England. A potentially winning formula, delivered with panache." Kirkus Reviews.
King Henry asks his cousin, the King of Sicily, to send him one of the best medical experts in his kingdom. He wanted a "master of the art of death" which would be the equivalent of a medical examiner in our time. The doctor chosen to travel to England is one of the best medical students at the University of Salerno, but is a woman. The King of Sicily decided to send the King of England a "mistress of the art of death." Her name is Adelia and she faces many challenges in a country as backward and superstitious as twelfth century England.
Adelia is befriended by Sir Rowley Picot, one of the King's tax collectors. Sir Rowley plays a key role in the novel. Her investigation covers a great deal of ground, uses extant technology, and involves all levels of society including the clergy. The author's descriptions of the period are excellent and very informative. Sometimes I think I learn more about medieval England from well-researched novels than from history books I have read.
Adelia eventually solves the mystery of the murders, but what a trip along the way. The plot is fast-moving, the characters compelling, and the ending a real shocker. I don't want to say any more about the book without giving away too many of the details. If you think you would like a good mystery set in medieval England, read this book. Even if you don't, read it anyway. You will be glad you did.
As usual, here is some praise for the book:
"The bold, brilliant heroine of Mistress of the Art of Death is the medieval answer to Kay Scarpetta and the CSI detectives. This is a compelling, unique, and vibrant page-turner." Karen Harper, bestselling author of the Elizabeth I mystery series.
"CSI meets The Canterbury Tales. Franklin hits commercial paydirt with this criminal investigation drama set in twelfth-century England. A potentially winning formula, delivered with panache." Kirkus Reviews.
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