John Rain series

Though I am not sure each book needs it own entry, I would like to introduce you to a dangerous character who you would never want to meet in a dark alley. John Rain is introduced in the novel Rain Fall by Barry Eisler.

Rain is half American and half Japanese and was raised in both Japan and the US. Growing up he never felt like he fit into either culture. During Vietnam, the US Special Forces trained him to become a killer. And since then he has only improved on the skill.

Now living in Tokyo he is known to a select few as the man to hire to make a hit look like the target died of natural causes. He has only a few rules about taking a job. He does not kill women or children. And he only goes after the primary target, not family members or others who are not directly involved.

But he may soon find out that he is not working for the people he thinks he is working for. As you may imagine, this will not make him happy. Fortunately for him, he is a man of determination and he will find out who is really paying him.

John Rain Books:
Rain Fall
Hard Rain
Rain Storm
Killing Rain
The Last Assassin
Requiem for an Assassin

Movie: Sahara

Sahara based on the book by Clive Cussler is an adventure to rival Indiana Jones. Though I have never been able to read one of his books (and I have tried several times) the stories are entertaining.

Dirk Pitt, Al Giordino, and Rudi Gunn work for retired Admiral Jim Sandecker and make up the NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency), a company that sails around the world in search of sunken treasure, usually in the form of historic missing ships.

The NUMA members cross paths with WHO doctor Eva Rojas who is trying to find the source of a new plague in North Africa. Through a series of adventures and follies, they must team up to stop the spread of the deadly plague before it spreads. At the same time, Dirk is convinced that a one-of-a-kind Civil War ship may have ended up in the area.

Staring: Matthew McConaughey
Steve Zahn
Penelope Cruz
and William H. Macy

Move: Free Zone

Free Zone is an interesting look at Israeli-Palestinian-US relations through the story of 3 women.

Rebecca, an American living in Jerusalem, talks her way into a ride to Jordan. The driver of the car, Hanna ben Moshe, is on her way to Jordan to pick up money. Leila is the woman who is waiting to pay Moshe (Hanna's husband) in the Free Zone - a market area at the borders of Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.

After getting lost and arriving late, Hanna is told that the money is not there. The three women end up riding together to find the money.

One drawback to the film is that it was filmed by hand-held camera and has some Blair-witch motion-sickness at times. But is definitely captures the Israeli in the character of Hanna.

Featuring:
Natalie Portman as Rebecca
Hanna Laslo as Hanna ben Moshe
Hiam Abbass as Leila

Nerilka' Story (A Novel of Pern)

Nerilka's Story is yet another dragon book of Pern by Anne McCaffrey. The time frame of the story overlaps with Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern.

Nerlika is the oldest daughter of the Lord of Fort Hold. Her father is not a great and generous man like the Lord of Ruatha Hold, Lord Alessan (whom we met in Moreta). The first chance she has, Nerlika runs away from to help the people suffering from the new illness that has struck the northern continent of Pern.

For the first time in her life Nerlika, now going by Rill, will be judged on her own character instead of who she is related to. And she will prove herself worthy of praise in the work she does to help the ill and rebuild Ruatha Hold.

McCaffrey, Anne. (1986). Nerilka's Story. New York: Del Rey Books.

The Judas Strain

James Rollin's latest book, The Judas Strain, is just as good as every other book he has published. This man has quite and imagination and some great research skills. This is the second book in the SIGMA Force novels.

A horrific plague has bubbled up from the depths of the Indian Ocean and completely decimated life on Christmas Island. The SIGMA team, acting as World Health Organization doctors, infiltrate the cruise ship-turned hospital/research facility. All members of Sigma has some medical or scientific training, making them useful while they are gathering information.

At the same time in the US, SIGMA commander Gray Pierce is enjoying his parent's 4th of July party. But at the end of that party, an assassin crashes her motorcycle into the yard while trying to seek his help.

Somehow everything that is going on can be traced back to the travels of Marco Polo.

James Rollins writes books in the same genre as The DaVinci Code, but he does it well! He is a master storyteller. I recommend any of his books.

Rollins, James. (2007). The Judas Strain. New York: William Morrow.

Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern

Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern by Anne McCaffrey tells of life in a Weyr of Pern through the eyes of the Weyrwoman of Fort Weyr. (A weyr is any place that houses a dragon.)

It is nearing the end of a pass of Thread, the parasitic substance that falls from the Red Star and threatens life on Pern. The dragonriders are counting the days until the end of the pass when life will resume a quieter pace. After almost 40 years, they deserve their rest.

But then, without warning, a runnerbeast falls ill. Soon hundreds of beasts and people succumb to the strange new illness. Old records are searched by all who can read - trying to find a mention of this plague in the past.

All must work together to find a cure for this new influenza while maintaining a vigilant watch on the Thread at the same time. The most hopeful news, that the virus does not affect dragons, is the only thing that may save life on Pern.

Moreta and the others who have recovered must find a way to protect Pern from this new threat.

McCaffrey, Anne. (1983). Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern. New York: Del Rey Books.

Movie - Aftershock: Earthquake in New York

I love disaster movies; they are so funny! Seriously, most have such awful special effects that just have to laugh. Some, though have great special effects. This one is pretty good. (Though not quite as good as The Day After Tomorrow.)

What Aftershock: Earthquake in New York has this is missing in most disaster films is a real cast. The makers did not rely soley on the special effects to carry the movie. Stars such as Charles Dutton, Tom Skerritt, Sharon Lawrence, Jennifer Garner, Lisa Nicole Carson, and others make the movie the better than average disaster.

Dragonsdawn (A Novel of Pern)

Dragonsdawn by Anne McCaffrey is the first book in her dragon books about the planet Pern. It was not the first written, but it is in the history of Pern, the first.

The book begins with the space ships holding the people who will settle on Pern - the only people other than the original survey team 200 years ago - to set foot on the planet. The colonists signed up to go to Pern because they were tired of the way Earth and its settled neighbors had been depleted. On Pern they will do their best to live in harmony with the planet instead of destroying it.

Fire-lizards are one of the first animal species found. A cross between a lizard and the mythical dragon, fire-lizards are soon the favorite pet of everyone on Pern. Which is fortunate when, eight years after landing, a strange Thread falls from the sky burning every organic thing in its path. The fire-lizards help to fight the Thread by burning them with their dragon breath.

The new settlers will have to learn to cope with this new and potentially devastating problem if they are to survive their new life on Pern. Of course, with the 18+ books that McCaffrey has written about life on Pern, there is hope that the colonists will survive.

McCaffrey, Anne. (1988). Dragonsdawn. New York: Del Rey Books.

Dragondrums (Harper Hall Trilogy #3)

Dragondrums is the final book in Anne McCaffrey's Harper Hall Trilogy. This book follows the adventures of Piemur, Menolly's first friend at Harper Hall.

Piemur came to the Hall as a singer. He was always forced to sing the girl parts, as there were no female harpers and his voice was in the right range. But when he arrived he was young and his voice had yet to change. What use will he be at Harper Hall when his voice starts to change?

Luckily the Masterharper has a plan for Piemur that does not use his singing voice. He will be apprenticed to the Masterdrummer. Drums are used in Pern to send messages between Holds, Forts and Weyrs.

Piemur, being known as much for his pranks as for his voice, gets himself into trouble as easy as he breathes. How will he get himself out of the mess he get into at a Gather in Nabol Hold?

McCaffrey, Anne. (1979). Dragondrums. New York: Bantam Books.

So Much To Tell You

So Much To Tell You by John Marsden is a beautiful book. It is written though the journal entries of fourteen year old Marina.

Marina is sent away to boarding school. She is not sure she likes it, but it is better than the hospital and better than living with her mother and step-father. She has been through a tragedy and does not talk. At all.

When her English teacher gives her a journal and tells each student to write in it every night, Marina thinks she will not do it. What if he reads it, even though he said he wouldn't? But before long, the journal becomes a great way to get some of her feelings out.

It is not an easy school year - being the only one in the whole dorm who doesn't speak. Eventually, her roommates get used to her and she starts to feel almost comfortable. How will she react when some of the girls start to reach out to her? All she wants is to not be noticed. But they do seem like they are nice...

So Much To Tell You won Australia's 1988 Book of the Year Award and could be included on a list of book all teens should read. It is a well written, easy to read, sensitive look at coping with tragedy. I highly recommend it.

Marsden, John. (1987). So Much To Tell You. New York: Fawcett Books.

Dragonsinger (Harper Hall Trilogy #2)

Dragonsinger is the second book in Anne McCaffrey's Harper Hall Trilogy following the story of how Menolly became the first female Harper.

This second book covers Menolly's first week at Harper Hall. She and her fire lizards arrive at the hall where, for the first time in her life, she is encouraged to sing and play music. But it is not all fun. She has many lesson still to learn about her chosen craft.

And many will not respect her right away for being the first woman in her field. Menolly will have to find a way to fit in if she is to stay and become a Harper. Luckily, she is the first person at Harper Hall or Fort Hold. She will be asked to tell others what she knows as they impatiently await the hatching of their own fire lizards.

Will Menolly be able to convince others that she belongs at Harper Hall? Will she be able to convince herself?

McCaffrey, Anne. (1977). Dragonsinger. New York: Bantam Books.

Dragonsong (Harper Hall Trilogy #1)

Anne McCaffrey's books of Pern are addictive! Dragonsong is the first book in her Harper Hall Trilogy about Menolly of Half Circle Sea Hold, the first female Harper. We first met Menolly in the Dragonriders of Pern Trilogy, but in this series we learn much more about the memorable character.

Half Circle Sea Hold is all about fishing. It is one of three holds on the ocean the divides the two large continents on Pern. Like the life of any fishing village, there is much work to be done, usually in schedule with the tides and weather. The only part of her daily life that makes Menolly happy is when she is with the Harper. She loves to sing, play music and make up songs. She would be a natural to take over for the old Harper if she was a boy. But there has never been a female Harper.

When the old Harper dies, she gets to fill in for him while his replacement is sent from Harper Hall. Her father, the Holder, does not want the new Harper to know that a girl filled in teaching the children, for fear of disgracing the Hold. When Menolly is no longer allowed to play music and sing, she decides she cannot live in the Hold any longer. She runs away. She does not know that the old Harper wrote to the Masterharper about her before he died. The Masterharper, being so impressed with her songs, sends searcher in every direction to look for her. If he can find her, she will be able to sing and play music to her heart's content. He would let a gift like hers go just because she is a girl.

But, will they find her? How will she survive on her own? Will she be able to live in a cave with the fire lizards?

McCaffrey, Anne. (1976). Dragonsong. New York: Bantam Books.

Speak

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is a highly awarded and highly challenged book. As usual, I didn't see any reason to want to ban it, but I guess the argument is that the subject is mature for some teens. However, that is the point. The book deals with rape and unfortunately, you can never be too young to learn the facts.

Melinda Sordino called the police and broke up an end of the summer party. No one know why she called, but all of her classmates and friends are upset with her. When the new school year begins, she finds she is quite without friends. The only girl who will talk to her is a new student from Ohio.

Speak is written through the thoughts of Melinda. It is a sensitive and at times funny look at life from the prospective of a 14-year old who has withdrawn from society into her head. She speaks very little and her grades are suffering. It feels like the only person trying to reach out to her is her art teacher. He encourages her to put her feelings into her art. She has no idea what he is talking about. How do you put feelings into art?

By the end of the school year, Melinda cannot keep her feelings inside any longer. She realizes that if she doesn't speak up, she may lose her voice completely.

Speak has been made into a movie. I will re-watch it and post an entry about it soon. It was very good, but the book is better!

Anderson, Laurie Halse. (1999). Speak. New York: Penguin Books.

The White Dragon (Dragonriders of Pern #3)

The White Dragon is the third book in the Dragonriders of Pern trilogy by Anne McCaffrey.

At the end of the second book, a white dragon is born in Pern. He is the first white dragon ever born. Many think the small dragon has not developed enough to survive. But the boy who Impresses his has higher hopes for this dragon. He wants the dragon, Ruth, to be able to learn to eat firestone and fight Thread like other dragons. He is only half the size of the others, but he is incredibly agile while flying.

And his rider, the boy who helped Ruth out of his shell, doesn't seem to conform to the normal dragonrider. He is, in fact, not allowed to become an official dragonrider - partly due to Ruth's small size, and partly due to other obligations. This doesn't, however, stop them from doing things that other dragonriders would be afraid to try. Like Lessa's jump back in time in the first book, this dragonrider will make a leap that will save all of Pern.

I can't say much else without giving anything away. This is a great series. My only complaint is that out of McCaffrey's 18 books, I don't know if any continue the story where The White Dragon leaves off. I am not ready to let go of these characters!

McCaffrey, Anne. (1978). The White Dragon. New York: Del Rey.

Dragonquest (Dragonriders of Pern #2)

Dragonquest is the second exciting book in Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern trilogy.

Dragonquest begins seven years after the first book ends. Treads are still falling from the Red Star, threatening to destroy all plant life on Pern. At the beginning of the Treadfall in the first book, a miraculous between time trip saved the planet.

Now there is a clash of cultures between the Oldtimers and the contemporary Weyrs. There is dissent between the dragonriders and the crafters and the land holders. Something must be done to keep all working together against the Thread.

A few of the more vocal Holders don't understand why the dragons can go between places on Pern but cannot just go between to the Red Star and fight the Tread at its source. It would be a suicide mission for any dragonrider to attempt it, but what other way will the non-dragon people of the Pern be satisfied that the dragonriders are doing their best to protect them?


McCaffrey, Anne. (1971). Dragonquest. New York: Del Rey.

A Journey to the Center of the Earth

A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne is a Science Fiction classic that has inspired generations of writers - written in 1864. For example, Jeff Long's The Descent could not have been written as it was if not for the original creativity of Verne.

Harry and his uncle, Professor Von Hardwigg, make an astonishing discovery in an old text written by an explorer from Iceland. Once deciphered, the text claims the location of an entrance to journey to the center of the world.

And just like that, they are off on an adventure. By all means of transportation, the two make their way to Reykjavik. There they hire a guide and head to a hopefully extinct volcano where the doorway lies.

The fantastic adventures to follow are possibly tame by today's science fiction standards, but no less amazing. It appears that as long as you take the right tunnel, you can reach pretty close to the center of the Earth.


Verne, Jules. (1986). A Journey to the Center of the Earth. New York: Signet Classics.

The Dark River (The Fourth Realm #2)

The Dark River is the second book in John Twelve Hawk's Fourth Realm Series. The first book was The Traveler.

As many second books in a trilogy, this one was not as exciting as the first book. A lot happens in the book, but not a lot of progress is made toward the conclusion. It doesn't have the punch of the first book.

The Dark River begins a few months after the Traveler ends. Maya is still recovering from her wounds. Maya, Gabriel, Hollis and Vicki are hiding from the Tabula. At the same time, the Tabula murder everyone who has helped them along the way.

Gabriel goes to London in search of his father. The others follow after being separated in a chase through New York City. While Gabriel does not find his father in London, he does find allies. By the time Maya catches up to Gabriel, it is evident that Gabriel will only be able to find his father in a different dimension. He knows that his father has gone into the first realm - a realm that is very difficult to return from.

Twelve Hawks, John. (2007). The Dark River. New York: Doubleday.

Dragonflight (Dragonriders of Pern #1)

Dragonflight is the first book in Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series. It was originally published in 1968. At last count the books that take place on the planet of Pern number 18! I will be reading them all, but the first trilogy is the Dragonriders.

It has been almost 400 years since the planet of Pern has been threatened by the Red Star. They are a part of the same solar system (Rukbat), but their orbits vary greatly. When the Red Star is close enough, it sends Thread onto Pern to try and take over the more temperate and hospitable planet. It is the job of the dragons and the dragonriders who ride them to keep Pern from being invaded.

But after 400 years, the traditions seem little more than legend or superstition. The Weyrs, where the dragonriders live, have always been supported by the Holds of the upper reaches. The Holds supply food and goods to the Weyr in return for protection. The Holds are getting a bit tired of tithing to a group they don’t think does anything but lay around and eat their food.

Ten years ago, Ruath Hold was taken over by a neighboring lord who slaughtered all with the the blood of Ruath. Or did he? Lessa has been hiding in plain sight for ten years, waiting for a time to reclaim the Hold in the name of her family. At the same time, a Search is going on for a woman to become the next Weyrwoman of Benden Weyr – someone to Impress with the soon-to-hatch dragon queen. And though Lessa has been able to hide her power from Fax, the ruler of her Hold, she may not fool the dragonriders as easily.

Some of the dragonriders are aware of the Red Star becoming more prominent in the dawn sky. But they will need the help of all, including a strong Weyrwoman if they have any hope of surviving the next Thread invasion.

McCaffrey, Anne. (1968). Dragonflight. New York: Del Rey Books.

The Broken Bridge

The Broken Bridge is unlike any other Philip Pullman book I have read. It has no fantasy, no exciting historical time period, no talking animals... but of course, since Pullman wrote it, it is excellent.

The Broken Bridge is about Ginny Howard. Ginny is a girl from Wales who lives with her father in a small beach town. She feels different from the people around her but know that she and her father are a great family. They get along well and share everything. At least that is what Ginny thought, until one day she finds out that she has a brother. Robert is Ginny's half-brother. They have different mothers. And if Ginny didn't already feel different being only one of two black people in town, her new white brother would make her feel awkward anyway.

Ginny and Robert do not like each other. But they decide to put their differences aside to try and find out what really happened - how they could have not known about each other.

Pullman, Philip. (1992). The Broken Bridge. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

YA.

Something Rotten (Thursday Next #4)

Something Rotten is Jasper Fforde's fourth Thursday Next book.

After living in fiction for her safety and the safety of her son, Thursday moves back to Swindon. A few things have changed in the time she was gone. The fictional Yorrick Kaine has been elected Chancellor of England. This administration has started a campaign against Denmark.

Why Denmark and not the Socialist Republic of Wales? I can't tell you without giving away a secret. But Thursday has many different problems to solve in this novel!

The following is an example of what makes Jasper Fforde so enjoyable to read:

Danish Car a "Deathtrap," Claims Kainian Minister

Robert Edsel, the Kainian minister of road safety, hit out at Danish car manufacturer Volvo yesterday, claiming the boxy and unsightly vehicle previously considered one of the safest cars on the market to be the complete reverse - a death trap for anyone stupid enough to buy one. "The Volvo fared very poorly in the rocket-propelled grenade test," claimed Mr. Edsel in a press release yesterday, "and owners and their children risk permanent spinal injury when dropped in the car from heights as low as sixty feet." Mr. Edsel continued to pour scorn on the pride of the Danish motoring industry by revealing that the Volvo's air filters offered "scant protection" against pyroclastic flows, poisonous fumes and other forms of common volcanic phenomena. "I would very much recommend that anyone thinking of buying this poor Danish product should think again, said Mr. Edsel. When the Danish foreign minister pointed out that Volvos were, in fact, Swedish, Mr. Edsel accused the Danes of once again attempting to blame their neighbors for their own manufacturing weaknesses.

Fforde, Jasper. (2004). Something Rotten. New York: Penguin.

Fantasy / Alternate Reality. Literary Detective. Mystery.

The Well of Lost Plots (Thursday Next #3)

The Well of Lost Plots is Jasper Fforde's third Thursday Next book.

Thursday decides that for her safety she should hide out for a while. The safest place she can hide is in fiction. Out of all of the book in the Great Library, Thursday decides to hide in the Well of Lost Plots, the books that have not yet been published.

Her world for the next year or so will be in Caversham Heights a detective story that has little hope of being published. Through the Character Exchange Program, Thursday takes the place of Mary Jones, a police officer. Her life within fiction will be quite different than it was in the "outland."

Along with everything else going on in the crazy Well, the book world is about to introduce a book upgrade. Not since the upgrade from SCROLL to BOOK, has there been a change like this.

Fforde, Jasper. (2003). The Well of Lost Plots. New York: Viking.

Fantasy / Alternate Reality. Literary Detective. Mystery.

Lost in a Good Book (Thursday Next #2)

Jasper Fforde's second Thursday Next book is Lost in a Good Book.

It seems as though someone it trying to kill Thursday. She is encountering too many coincidences to be a coincidence. The problem is, after the first book, it could be so many different people. The Goliath corporation is after her to release Jack Schitt from the book he is trapped in. The Chronoguard is after her for information on her father. SpecOps own PR woman Cordelia Flakk is after her to do more interviews about her rescue of Jane Eyre. And could it be that Hades is alive?

Thursday's life keeps becoming more complicated. She is due at a trial in the book world for committing a Class II Fiction Infraction when she changed the ending of Jane Eyre. But the trial is to take place in the Kafka book The Trial. Thursday has to figure out how to go about getting into the book before she misses her court date.

Fforde, Jasper (2002). Lost in a Good Book. New York: Pengiun Books.

Fantasy. Literary Detecitve. Mystery.

The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next #1)

Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair is the first book in his Thursday Next series.

Thursday Next is an officer with the Special Operations Network. SpecOps was created to handle things outside of normal police duties - situations either too unusual or too specialized. It is made up of 30 departments. SO-27 is the department is the Literary Detective Division. It is the division Thursday usually works in. A typical day for her would include examining possible forgeries of Shakespeare's plays or tracking down a stolen manuscript.

But the theft of the original manuscript of Charles Dickens's Martin Chuzzlewit is not an everyday theft. It was stolen by the third most dangerous criminal in all of England - Acheron Hades. Acheron is also a former professor of Thursday's. That is why she is temporarily promoted to SO-5: Search & Containment.

The manuscript must be recovered before Hades can find a way to alter the story. The original manuscript of a story is the most volatile. "All copies anywhere on the planet, in whatever form, originate from that first act of creation. When the original changes, all the others have to change too."

So why is the book called the Eyre Affair and not the Chuzzlewit Affair? Well, Acheron Hades a very notorious criminal. Do you think someone like that, if not stopped, will be satisfied with changing only one manuscript? What will happen to the novel Jane Eyre (written in the first person) if Jane is kidnapped?

Fforde, Jasper. (2001). The Eyre Affair. New York: Viking.

Fantasy / Alternate Reality. Literary Detective. Mystery.