2 comments about Star Wars: Scum and Villainy: A Star Wars Roleplaying Game Supplement (Star Wars Roleplaying Game).

1. The Star Wars RPG team is really on a roll here. Another great book though it's far more focused than recent supplements. This is the perfect book if you're running a campaign with a smuggler, pirate, crime lord, bounty hunter, or any type of unsavory character we've seen in the Star Wars Universe.
   
   That having been said there's almost nothing for Jedi here (they receive only one talent) so if you're playing a Jedi campaign and pressed for money, get the Knights of The Old Republic guide which came out in August. A breakdown of the book:
   
   Chapter I: Character Options:
   
   Here we get stats for the new species Blood Carver, Clawdite, Falleen, Gand, Jawa, Ryn, Toydarian, and Ubese. Honestly, these races are wonderful and really thought out. I wasn't the biggest fan of the KoTOR races, which i felt were too powerful, but these are just great.
   
   All the classes get new talents. There's a whole new Noble talent tree called Disgrace, and previous trees receive major additions; most notably the Scoundrel's Fortune, Misfortune and Spacer trees, the Scout's Fringer tree, and the Soldier's Brawler tree. There's also new high tier talents that promote staying in a base class for an extended time.
   
   New feats include Burst of Speed, Close Combat Escape, Collateral Damage, Cornered, Deadly Sniper, Deceptive Drop, Desperate Gambit, Duck and Cover, Fleet-footed, Friends in Low Places, Hasty Modifications, Hideous Visage, Impersonate, Impetuous Move, Impulsive Fight, Knife Trick, Lightning Draw, Metamorph, Opportunistic Retreat, Resurgence, Signature Device, Slippery Maneuver, Staggering Attack, Stay Up, Superior Tech, Tactical Advantage, and Wicked Strike.
   
   Prestige classes receive lots of love. Ace Pilot gets the very Han Solo-ish Blockade Runner tree, Bounty Hunter gets some new talents and a new tree (Gand Findsman), Crime Lord is HUGELY expanded on (14 new talents!). Gunslinger gets a new talent and a new Pistoleer tree, based around dual wielding pistols. New prestige classes include Assassin, Charlatan (think Lando Calrissian), and Outlaw. Also, The Force Unleashed's Master Privateer class is updated here, with a new write-up and a new Piracy tree.
   
   Chapter II: Outlaw Tech
   
   This is a huge chapter on upgrading weapons and armor using a new slot based system. There's also a nice section on installing illegal upgrades to ships as well as some brand new starships (some with deckplans).
   
   Chapter III: Fringe Campaigns
   
   This chapter has some really great information on running a campaign set in the seedy parts of the galaxy. It also has an awesome table that helps build jobs for characters and calculates appropriate XP and Credit rewards. There's information on bounty hunting and running famous smuggling runs (The Kessel Run!) as well as information on the justice system and penalties for breaking the law.
   
   Chapter IV: Fringe Elements
   
   This part lists some famous fringe characters (Tyber Zann, Xizor, Zam Wessell, Zuckuss, etc.) as well as many archetypes. It also goes on to list some famous criminal organizations (lots of fluff here)and relevant starships.
   
   Chapter V: Port Nadir
   
   This entire chapter is dedicated to fleshing out Point Nadir, which is a fully realized shadowport that can be inserted into any campaign. I haven't gotten much into it, but it seems extraordinarily detailed.
   
   Chapter VI: Mini-Adventures
   
   Pretty self-explanatory. Rodney Thompson (the game's designer) said that in many campaigns a character will start off as a bounty hunter or a smuggler but will soon start working for a larger organization as the main focus of the story comes into play. So characters that call themselves "smugglers" don't very often do smuggling by a certain point in the game. He put these adventures in here to keep characters doing what they want to do in between the main story arc. 8 mini-adventures are here, all of varying CLs and themes.
   
   Chapter VII: The Fell Star
   
   An entire fringe adventure. I haven't played it yet but as soon as I do, I'll update it here.
   
   That just about wraps us up. So like I said, if you're not a Jedi you should definitely consider purchasing this book. It has tons of invaluable information.



2. Scum and Villainy is probably Wizards of the Coast's most creative, fluffy book in its Star Wars line ever. Beyond the tons and tons of new character options and the new (exhaustive) rules for upgrading and modifying equipment, this book contains great information about the Star Wars universe - specifically the seedier side of Star Wars.
   
   This was the side of Star Wars most often represented in West End Game's line of Star Wars RPG books in the 80s and 90s, and now WotC has picked up where they left off almost 10 years ago, forgoing the Jedi and the Force, and presenting the kind of lives Han Solo, Lando Calrissian and Boba Fett lived.
   
   Like every other book in the line, this book contains a little bit of everything (except for anything dealing with the Force). You get new species, starships (and 2 new deckplans), weapons & equipment, etc... But what you also get is an entire chapter based around Point Nadir, an entirely new little slice of Star Wars never before written about. And after that chapter, you get page after page of fleshed-out adventures (something not usually seen in WotC's Star Wars line).
   
   Rounding everything out are tons of "hidden" little nuggets of Star Wars gaming goodness: extensive docking bay generation tables, actual rules for nearly every kind of underworld job there is, and even how to navigate the Kessel Run. You get a few pages on exactly what happens if the heroes get arrested, from the arrest itself all the way through to the trail - with rules for everything along the way. I so badly want to run a courtroom scene with my heroes on trial now.
   
   This review may seem little scattershot, but then again, so is this book. This is one of those rare few RPG books you can read from cover to cover, and yet, there is so much information on so many things, so many aspects of the Star Wars universe, that it's hard to pin the book down.
   But needless to say, this is a 5-star book all the way, and like pretty much every other book released for this line thus far, it's practically required reading.

5 comments about American Gods: A Novel.

1. I read this because a colleague loaned me her copy and asked me to. I have never read a more uninteresting book. I didn't like any of the characters, nor did I care what happened to them. Before you buy this one, please skim the beginning chapters at the library or online. The book is apparently free online (I can see why) and know that it doesn't get any better from there- one long, boring road trip...a random string of events LOOSELY tied together with a "plot." Ug. What a waste of my valuable reading time.



2. Wow! This book took me a long time to read. Although, we did move into a new house and my book was in some box for at least a week, maybe longer...
   
   I have been wracking my brain for the words to describe this book and to adequately describe its beauty and profundity (especially for those of you who have read the book); unfortunately I am just going to have to write my thoughts either way...
   
   This book was my introduction to Neil Gaiman. I have to say that the writing style was absolutely exquisite. This is probably the first book that I could describe what was happening without having to think about it when asked what part I was at. Gaiman has a way of drawing the reader into his world and not letting go until he is ready.
   
   The book begins with the main character, Shadow, in prison for a crime that is described, piece by piece, throughout the entire book. Shadow is up for parole and released a few days early due to a tragedy that I found to be quite predictable.
   
   On the way home, Shadow meets Mr. Wednesday, who presents Shadow with an offer of employment. At first, Shadow refuses, but ends up conceding to the proposal. The contract between employer and employee is sealed with three glasses of mead and a bar fight.
   
   Shadow, through his link with Mr. Wednesday, finds himself in a plethora of situations he could never have anticipated; some of which being dangerous. The myriad of people Shadow is introduced to are vibrant, wacky, familiar, and strange all at the same time. He also finds himself face to face with a person from his past whom he never thought he would see again.
   
   Gaiman's concept of the existence of Gods is both unique and thought provoking. Interspersed throughout the story of Shadow and his many adventures with Mr. Wednesday are the details of how each God came to exist in America. These stories are both ancient and beautiful in their magnificence.
   
   The book is a question of faith. An idea that beliefs can shape realities. Worship and obsession have the ability to immortalize. In the end, we all have to face our pasts, witness our beginnings, and welcome our endings. We have to decide where to draw our lines and when to take a stance, no matter how powerful the opposition. It is ourselves we answer to, the power of our beliefs give and take energy and ability from those some people hide from in fear of retribution. Our Gods and our lives are our own making.
   
   To describe the book too thoroughly would rob the reader of the pleasure that is reading Gaiman's work. So I must leave my review here, though I highly recommend this book be added to the top of the reading list of those of you who have not read it...



3. Neil Gaiman understands something about the collective unconscious and the way Gods form within it. He also knows something about the way these Gods interact. I think the reason his books resonate with so many (I mean heck there are more than 700 reviews on this site alone), is that he speaks truth within fiction.
   
   I love the TechnoGod, the brash kid and the conflict between the old and the new. This is real folks, more real than you can imagine.



4. This is a good book. Enjoyed the plot and storyline. Very imaginative and thought provoking.



5. I am new to Neil Gaiman. I never read Sandman, and first read his novel Neverwhere (excellent). I really enjoyed American Gods, but less than Neverwhere. It is definitely more of an urban fantasy, taking place in our real world with fantastical characters mostly taken from obscure foreign mythology. While Neverwhere toggled between our real world and the fantasy underworld, American Gods takes place all within our real world, implying that the fantastical is happening all around us. I missed the creation of the fantastical world done so well in Neverwhere.
   
   In American Gods I did particularly like the interludes in the early part of the book that told the stories of foreign gods as they arrived in America. I found the lead up to battle between the gods to be too drawn out and in the end anti-climactic. But Gaiman's style makes the book very readable.

5 comments about Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night.

1. 'Gods of Destiny' is the first book in a three-part "epic" in the Star Trek novel-universe. Here, we're supposedly finally treated to the ultimate showdown between the Federation and the Borg, a plot that has been playing out in the novels for the past year. Considering David Mack was tackling this project, I expected this epic to truly be mind-blowing and come out hitting hard from this first installment. Yet, I found that while being a good, quick read, it left some to be desired. The book plays out between four different plots; one involving the Enterprise, another Titan, the newly revealed Aventine lead by Ezri Dax and then another plot focusing on the Columbia NX-02 from the 'Enterprise' era.
   
   My main gripe is that these different plots deal with the Borg threat in varying degrees. The plot that (for this book) focuses most on the threat the Borg are posing is the Enterprise-E plot. While they do have a skirmish with the Borg, most of this plot is dealing with the same-ole 'Picard is troubled and obsessed with the Borg' plot we've seen in the television shows, movies and in recent books. The Aventine plot, while interesting and involving the Columbia NX-02, seems a bit awkward and random; this is the first book where we, as readers, are presented with Ezri in command of her own ship. I found myself more interested by questions and situations left unanswered such as what drove her away from Deep Space Nine, why are the DS9-relaunch characters curiously absent and never mentioned, and was Ezri as a captain really necessary for this epic? Titan's plot, for now, is also dealing with the Columbia NX-02 and soap opera-worthy drama between Riker and Troi. Columbia's plot is intriguing and engaging but feels a bit forced in the plot.
   
   There are some good, redeeming qualities. I enjoyed that this book was more character-driven than it was action-orientated. We are presented with a very different side of Deanna Troi that was never explored or seen in the television shows or films. I enjoyed that this book is forcing different characters together in interesting situations and conversations, such as Crusher having to confide in La Forge, or reading of Admiral Owen Paris and his troubled relationship with Tom Paris. Though the Borg are not really the feature of this novel, reading of the Columbia's crew was fun and engaging. Their story takes center stage in this novel and definitely felt more original and fresh than many plots and novels to come out in a while in Trek.
   
   In all, a good read that fleshes out some of Trek's characters. Since it was much hyped as the big 'Borg' novel, would have been nice to see this plot dealt with more and some conclusion (yes, even in book one) given to the Borg considering they have been the focus of so many novels this year.



2. Stop reading the reviews and buy the book. An all time classic. D Mack gets it right on every turn. And to think there are two more books behind this one. What a book!!



3. I have been looking forward to this trilogy since... basically since I find out it was being written. David Mack did not disappoint me. From the story to the characters this book was a lot of fun. One thing that surprised me about this book was that the borg really were not in the book very much which for me was nice. I enjoy the borg but it was nice to read about something else in the Star Trek relaunch. The Enterprise engages the borg in battle thru some of the book and they are mentioned frequently because the Federation is getting ready for war against the them. However,the book is not the borg from beginning to end. The main theme of this book actually centers around the Columbia (NX-02) led by Captain Erika Hernandez. Captain Ezri Dax and the crew of the U.S.S Aventine are looking for clues that will tell her what happen to the Columbia which was found in a uninhabited part of space with no signs of the crew or what happen to the ship. However, we are learning about the Columbia ourselves as Mack takes us back in time to were Captain Hernandez and the crew find themselves in unchartered territory. The fourth in this novels centers around the Titan and more specifically Captain Riker and Counselor Troi who have there own problems.
   
   This book is first rate! From the characters to the different stories going on that all start to connect toward the end. David Mack knows the Star Trek universe as well as any other writer. I highly recommend this novel. Can't wait for the next one!



4. I have enjoyed this trilogy so far as I have read it. The speculative science aside, it offers a great deal in terms of character drama; certainly much better than Peter David's fanboy book "Before Dishonor". In essence, this trilogy can be viewed as a reboot of sorts for the TNG relaunch story; the Borg launch an unstoppable invasion against the Federation, and only a miracle can save them. This tale tells it far better than the whole "Janeway becomes the Borg Queen and goes on a rampage" idea. I do have a few issues, though.
   
   First of all, I have to say that I love Ezri Dax. She was a sweet, endearing character on the television show, which is mainly due to Nicole deBoer's portrayal. In the books, such as the DS9 relaunch, her character is taken further as she makes the transition from counseling to command. However, there is no possible way she would have made captain this soon. In any military organization (which, like it or not, Trekkies, but Starfleet IS a military organization) if the captain of a ship is killed, the ship is only placed under the temporary command of the next officer in line until a new captain can be sent to replace the one that was lost. This "field promotion" business is nonsensical and, from a Star Trek perspective, cliché. It would have made far more sense for the Aventine to be given to another officer. I think Elias Vaughn from the DS9 relaunch would have been a better choice as captain; Ezri as his chosen first officer would have been a great idea. She's already held the roll before, in the "Mission: Gamma" series.
   
   Secondly, the reasoning behind the Caeliar is a bit ridiculous. It seems as though their only motivation behind keeping Hernandez and her crew on Erigol is because there needs to be a way to explain how Hernandez could still be alive during the TNG era. Why would a race as advanced and high-and-mighty as they feel any need to keep the Columbia crew around? By their own admission, they sent others who discovered their secret to various corners of the universe to prevent them from revealing the location of the Caeliar's world; and yet they're willing to allow these lowly humans to remain on their world, in their cities, tinkering with their technology, with little or no restriction? If you ask me, they deserve to get their planet blown to Hell.
   
   Finally, I must say that I'm not very pleased with the handling of the Troi miscarriage thing. I haven't followed the Titan storyline much, but there seems to be no rationality for what Troi is doing; allowing herself to become endangered with a pregnancy that is doomed to failure, with Riker standing by the wayside weeping like a child and not knowing what to do or how to feel. I'm sure, of course, that the Caeliar will have something to do with this plot line in the third book (as the ending of the second book indicates), but it still seems out of character for both Riker and Troi. These characters were never so irrational in TNG.
   
   Despite these setbacks, I believe that David Mack has written a far better continuation of J.M. Dillard's story from "Resistance" than Peter David was able to. I find myself sympathetic to the horrifying plight of the Columbia crew, as they drift through time and space as though trapped in the rings of Dante's Purgatory. The Borg seem genuinely frightening this time around, as they are not often encountered in the story, but their atrocities are referenced throughout, adding to their malice. The exploration of Picard's psyche is quite appealing, as are the developments of his new bridge crew, who appear to be gelling as a team. All in all, a tremendous achievement, in spite of its flaws. I have read the first two books, and look forward to the third.
   
   P.S. To Peter David: stick to the "New Frontier," and leave the TNG relaunch to the writers who care about it.



5. I think it was one of the better books i have read lately. I like the bridgeing of the diffrent series and i think it is about time books bring in charectors and ships from other series.

5 comments about Last Argument of Kings (First Law: Book Three).

1. Calling all females- forget the romantic vampire books, this series is all you can want! Easy to read, romance, action, fighting, not too much magic. This book is so good that I can't stop reading it at night. The character development is unusually good, with unique characters. I care about all of the story lines. The action is so well-written, I don't want the chapters to end. I am only halfway through, but expect a great ending. The last time I felt like this was for George R.R. Martin's latest (except the last book), and didn't have to wait so long for him to write it. Thank you, Joe Abercrombie, for the hours of pleasure.



2. A good end to the trilogy.
   
   While the second book had a little of that annoying marking time of your garden variety trilogy thing happening, this does not.
   
   Bayaz had been lurking (and smirking) around in the first couple of novels, and now you see what he has really been up to all this time, as all the events and people come together.
   
   The Union has problems on two fronts - Bethod and his Northmen, which is a problem for the Dogman, Logen and West. Then there is serious rumour of a Gurkish invasion, and here is where Glokta's double (and death) dealing comes into play.
   
   If a fair few of them weren't funny, the constant asides to himself in italics would get annoying to read, but Abercrombie mostly pulls this off.
   
   With the prospect of killing lots of Gurkish, Ferro is happy to stay around. However, an old fashioned army and navy is not their only problem, given Bayaz has some enemies of his own ilk.
   
   Perhaps darker than the rest, with a couple of open threads for if he wanted to produce another story or two.



3. I really enjoyed the first two books of the trilogy. The last book is also a great page-turner and a rather good book of fiction. Characters like Sand dan Glokta (the inquisitor) rarely show up in fantasy books and when they do authors usually don't pass an opportunity to judge them. Joe Abercrombie managed to avoid that, which in my opinion made the book better. Unfortunately author could not doing absolutely unwarranted things to advance the plot. I particularly disliked taking all of planning capacity off Jezal. He used to be an astute card player and champion swordsman in book 1 and now he just doesn't make any plans? None? This is just illogical. Another place where author in my opinion could do much better is the pulling the daughter of Master Maker out of nowhere and quickly getting rid of her. Apparently she could not get her revenge over hundreds of years and had to show up simultaneously with the invasion.
   By the end of the book it was hard to follow the plot without certain resignation but the book is still exciting.



4. I read the first book of this series and thought it was all right so I bought the next two. That was a mistake. The books are endless torture and endless wars and endless self pitying. I got so irritated with Glotka that I wished he would jump off a bridge and get rid of his aches and pains. The only character I liked was Col. West. I did not understand the reason for Bayaz's journey north; there was nothing there and it seemed like a pointless part of the story.
   
   I will take a very good look before I read any more of this author's works.



5. To keep this brief, this is a wonderful trilogy that ends in a delightfuly dirty, realistic, and often painful (for both the reader and the characters) series. There are twists and unexpected developments for all! This series does not play to the high epic standard that good things always come to the good, and bad does not alway come to the bad. The characters are complex enough to allow the reader to appreciate the ending and its unexpected ironies as well as the expected endings equally.
   
   As an amature military history buff, the portrail of the gritty hardships shared by officers and soldiers, warriors and leaders alike as they grow to deeper understanding of what the experience of War is like (the capital "W" is deliberate) is admerable.
   
   This is first rate "realistic" fantasy at its best. Every character is flawed, every motive has an underside. This makes this set of books stand apart from the crowd, and demands to be read and experienced. Those who have an appreciation for sarcastic, sardonic and dry humor will find this doubly entertaining.
   
   Mark Cordia

3 comments about The Devil's Due (Morgan Kingsley, Book 3).

1. Exorcist Morgan Kingsley finds it ironic that she is hosting a demon inside of her; although he is not just any demon as he is King Lugh, who was exiled from the Demon Realm by his brother Dougel in an attempt to take the throne. Nobody would believe that a demon resides inside an exorcist. He is enlightened trying to bring freedom and happiness to his species while his sibling wants to enslave residents of both planes.
   
   Claudia Brewster comes to Morgan's office asking her to exorcise a demon from her son even though he wanted to be a host. The frazzle mom rejects that assertion because her Tommy was a fanatic member of God's Wrath, an extremist group wanting to kill all demons, their hosts and exorcists. In the middle of the Tommy inquiry, Claudia abruptly begs Morgan to end her investigation. A bit stunned because the mom was adamant that her son was infested before he registered to be a host, Morgan continues to sleuth only to place lives in jeopardy and needing to go outside the law to insure justice occurs.
   
   One of the reasons urban fantasy is so popular is authors like Jenna Black who has the skill to make her readers believe that demons mingle with humans. In many ways demons are just like humans in that some are caring and others are evil; the regal brothers are the epitome of that dichotomy. The story line focuses on Morgan's mystery investigation of whether an illegal act of a demon taking a human host without permission occurs. Fans will relish the latest superb Kingsley demonic exorcist thriller.
   
   Harriet Klausner



2. Jenna Black's series following the exploits of exorcist, Morgan Kingsley, reaches its third instalment and, after a slight dip in form with the previous book (The Devil You Know (Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist, Book 2)), the author is back on the money here: `The Devil's Due' is the best book of the three so far published. Opening with very little preamble, the story kicks in rapidly as our heroine, the feisty Morgan Kingsley, meets a woman who is worried that her son is unwillingly hosting a demon.
   
   For those unfamiliar with this series, these books are set in the present day. There are occasional references to current popular culture helping to cement the idea that the world inhabited by the characters is not too different to real life. The fantasy element has the intriguing notion that demons, incorporeal outside the Demon Realm, can possess human hosts. However those who inhabit unwilling hosts, or who break the law, may be subject to exorcism. But this procedure often proves fatal to the human host. Those possessed willingly are able to be healed quickly when ill or stricken with physical injury. The downside for these people is loss of privacy, freedom and physical control over their bodies - demons are far stronger than humans.
   
   Morgan is an exorcist with a dangerous secret: she is unwillingly hosting the King of the Demon Realm, Lugh. Unlike most human hosts, Morgan is blessed with the ability to keep her demon suppressed while she is conscious. All the while she is aware that her cargo is a potentially fatal one; there are demons who would seek to destroy Lugh. His presence must therefore remain a closely guarded secret.
   
   After Morgan's somewhat claustrophobic self-absorption that, in my opinion, hindered the previous novel in this series, things open out very nicely in this third instalment. Lugh is now getting more of a look-in, becoming a more interesting character. However, Morgan's embarrassment at the homo-erotic innuendos spouted by the slimy Adam (Director of Special Forces, the police department charged with handling demon-related crime - he bends the rules but gets results) take her sassiness quotient down a little. The copious amounts of irrelevant sexual content that beset the previous novels is largely absent here. Unfortunately, there seems to be no escape from Morgan's tedious on-off relationship with her ex-boyfriend, Brian.
   
   This is a fast-paced fantasy thriller. The prose style is snappy and colorful and makes for an exciting read. I'm usually in favor of reading a series in the correct sequence, but, if you really wanted to read this novel prior to the first two, you could do so without spoiling things too much for yourself; the author keeps new readers up to speed with previous happenings without detracting from the present story.



3. I really enjoyed this book. Morgan is an exorcist who has unwillingly been possessed with the king of the demons (Lugh). He is in grave danger in the demon realm, and needs to stay hidden. If he is found, humanity and his thrown are at risk. Morgan has reluctantly agreed to keep hosting and protecting him and hidding his existence. Morgan is approached by a mother (Claudia) who wants her to perform an illegal exorcism on her son (Tommy). She believes Tommy, who was so anti-demon for most of his life, has now changed his mind and has agreed to be legally possessed. Morgan agrees that Tommy's sudden and bizarre shift in belief is suspicious. She starts investigating to find any evidence of Tommy being illegally possessed before he agreed to be legally possessed. Morgan and her associates; which consist of her brother (Andrew) who is also reluctantly possessed by the Demon King's brother (Raphael), the Director of Special Forces (Adam) and his live-in lover (Dominic); set out to find the truth. My only complaint is; at times Morgan gets extremely dense and bratty. I would like to see more personal growth and maturity for her character.

5 comments about Cryptonomicon.

1. The story is amazing but I was disappointed with this edition's format. Very small pages make a very thick book which was more difficult to read than another version I've seen (blue with silver cover).



2. AM I GOING TO READ A THOUSAND PAGES BY ANYONE BUT TOLSTOI? NO. BUT I AM WRONG. HAVE NOT EVEN FINISHED THIS AND CANNOT WAIT TO TELL YOU TO READ THIS BOOK IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE NATURE OF HACKING AND COMPUTATION, IN WW2, IN EVIL, IN REAL SEXY FUN, IN THE WORLD AMERICA HAS CREATED, IN THE PHILIPPINES -- I HAVE NEVER READ ABOUT THE P. IN ANY OTHER NOVEL. SURE PARTS ARE BORING BUT DON'T SKIP. DO NOT MAKE BELIEVE YOU UNDERSTAND. REREAD AND YOU WILL LEARN SOMETHING. SOMETIMES ITS NOT A NOVEL BUT A LONG AND VERY INTERESTING REPORT. SOMETIMES ITS A TEN PAGE SHAGGY DOG STORY. IT IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN TV AND EVEN NETFLIX AND YOU KNOW WHAT -- ITS ABOUT THE WORLD WE ACTUALLY LIVE IN AND CANNOT LEARN ABOUT FROM JOURNALISM, YOUR PARENTS, MOST OF YOUR TEACHERS. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK WITHOUT EVER GOING OVER THE TOP -- EVEN WHEN HE IS METICULOUSLY DESCRIBING MASS MURDER. WHICH IS FAIRLY OFTEN. AND WHEN HE DESCRIBES THE INTERIOR OF WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COMMIT MASS MURDER BUT ARE PREVENTED FROM DOING IT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT EVIL -- HE IS EVEN BETTER. AND REMEMBER, WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT WAS CREATED BY MASS MURDER AND ITS STILL ON THE WORLD'S AGENDA. IF N.S. IS A NERD, I HAVE A NEW FOUND RESPECT FOR THEM.



3. I don't remember buying this book, but that is not uncommon for my large collection of books. Having read most of the books on my bookshelf, I decided to give this a shot, not knowing what to expect.
   
   At first, the plot confused me. It likes to jump into flashbacks and to different times without telling you, and often is intentionally vague to force you to guess.
   
   Then it gets really good. Between WW2 intrigue and modern day mundane chores (like 5 pages of the perfect bowl of Captain Crunch), this is literary exploration at its best. I have not laughed out loud so many times in one book since reading the entire Hitchhikers Guide series.
   
   Brilliant.



4. I started reading this book thinking I had bitten off more than I could chew. By the time I finished on the 1153rd page, I wanted another 1153 pages. Between the development of exciting/intelligent/dynamic/fun characters, the storylines, the overall plot, the twists, the action, the humor, Cryptonomicon is one of my top 3 favorite novels. Though it seems long, it's difficult book to put down once you get started.
   
   Cryptonomicon has everything: WWII action from both sides, spying, code breaking, adventure, action, humor, treasure hunting, computer engineering, hacking, sex, intrigue, covert operations, espionage, and to top it all off a love story that spans two generations. When I pictured the characters in this novel, for some reason, I imagined the characters from Ocean's 11 for some reason.
   
   The dual storylines between WWII and current day took some getting used to, but when all said and done, was the best way to tell this story.
   
   My only gripe is that it concluded too quickly; I could have used another 20 pages or an epilogue, but suffice to say, I love this book, have read it twice, and have reccommended it to all my friends.
   
   Now I am reccommending it to you.



5. I am 54 years old and I am a nerd. (Sounds like an AA confession or something).
   
   You may think Important People like George Bush or Bill Clinton or President-elect (at time of writing) Obama, or A. Lincoln, or Alexander or Ghengis Khan or Hitler or Nimitz or FDR or Churchill are the kind of guys who make the world go `round. Or try to stop it, as the case may be.
   
   You'd be dead wrong.
   
   An interesting thing happened in the 19th century called the Industrial Revolution. After 20,000-some-odd years of digging in the dirt the planet suddenly went high-tech. Or at least higher-tech. The IPs were shocked, SHOCKED, to find they couldn't win a war (or do much else) without tech. And where did they get their tech?
   
   From us autistic, socially-inept, outta-the-box-thinking, harmless-appearing nerds. Stephenson gets this right, oh-so-dead-on-right, in "Cryptonomicon".
   
   I almost never buy hardbacks any more except in extraordinary circumstances. Fellow serious bookworms will know why immediately - space. If the total volume in one's abode can be expressed as X, and the volume taken up in said abode by hardback books is .99999X, it becomes obvious that...well, you get the picture. (Omigawd, an equation - means 10% fewer people will read this review). Sooner or later paperbacks start looking like the way to go.
   
   When I saw the big Avon hardback edition in 1999 and took a quick look, it seemed like a possibility. But what iced the deal was the inside jacket picture of a young (maybe 10 y.o.?) NTS curled up on the couch reading the Epstein's "First Book of Codes and Ciphers", a book I still have on my own shelf. Now THIS was my kinda author!
   
   Since then, I've read "Cryptonomicon" every few years and never failed to pull something new out of it. This time it was an even better appreciation of the very digressions many of the reviewers here have taken exception to. They are brilliant little jewels in their own right. To those who fizzed through the book the first time and missed them, or even skipped `em deliberately (arrrrgh!), I say, "Read it again and slow down. Smell the coffee!"
   
   The pages leading up to and including Lawrence Waterhouse's Big Insight at the organ keyboard are among the most hilarious I've ever read. Could only have come straight from a true nerd's heart.
   
   About the ending. Sometimes in real life, things don't get tied up with a then-everyone-lives-happily-ever-after ribbon, or a can-you-top-this bow. Sometimes the villain wins or the hero loses, or they both win, or they both lose. The codebreaker heroes of WWII got medals and citations they couldn't publicly acknowledge for over thirty years. Many of them worked their butts off on projects the results of which they didn't even see until such information began trickling out in the early 1970s.
   
   Many of these ops would have seemed totally absurd from the point of view of the heavily-compartmented participants. Stephenson's genius is his presentation of clandestine activities from the POVs of Bobby Shaftoe, who knows nothing, and Waterhouse, who knows everything.
   
   After the 900-page tour-de-force NTS rolls out, about the only other ending I can envision is what I call the "up-yers ending", something like this:
   
   "The Earth encounters a random black hole and falls into it. All life is squished into oblivion (including the characters you've read about for the past week) and the world ceases to exist. Thank you for buying this book."
   
   THAT would've ticked off the reviewers even more.
   
   My background includes writing ICBM flight software and service as a U.S. Navy Intelligence officer. I've read 1000s of books of all types, had three of my own published. I've never given max stars to a book before in my life. This one gets max stars. Six out of five, in fact. Stephenson wrote a book about us and he got it right.
   
   Nerds rule.

5 comments about White Night (The Dresden Files, Book 9).

1. I love all of Buthcher's books. I can hardly wait for the next ones to come out. Very exciting and keeps you up at night until you're finished. Keep up the good writing! I am anxiously awaiting the next one.



2. An action packed, Harry Dresden adventure.
   
   This is another in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. Butcher's hero, Harry Dresden, is a wizard/private investigator who has his own battery of unusual resources and methods of getting things done. Because Harry's 'involvement' usually leads to confrontations, there is always something happening to keep your interest; it makes it easy to read on and on, often well into the night.
   
   In this episode, some of Harry's lesser magical female brethren have being committing suicide, or have they; enter Harry and Murph to get to the bottom of this enigma.
   
   Butcher's tales are fast paced and fun to read. The main plot, not unexpectedly, deals with fighting the evil hordes, but there were other things about this book that I really liked. There are, for instance, sprinklings of humor (often sarcastic or cynical), some eroticism and even some profound musings regarding love (and love lost), loneliness, pain and death. I found it hard not to like and feel some empathy towards Harry; he's probably one of my favorite fantasy figures.
   
   In addition, there are also a number of 'side' characters in this book that I really enjoyed. Especially the lecherous Bob the Skull (my type of nonentity), Elaine, Lash and Lara, each with their own unique personalities and agendas.
   
   Conclusion:
   A typical Harry Dresden fantasy adventure; action packed, fast and fun, and with the occasional, ever so subtle, deeper philosophical moments.
   If you like Jim Butcher's writing style, you'll love this addition to the Dresden files.
   
   R.Nicholson



3. I have enjoyed every book in this series and am looking forward to the next installment.
   
   Butcher delivers.



4. This book, in comparison to some of the earlier books in the series, has an ideal balance of political intregue, solid writing and character development, and a quick-paced story. Those who are familiar with Harry Dresden and his supporting cast will find comfort in a reunion with old friends, with a story that has some unpredictable twists and turns.



5. Murphy calls Dresden to the scene of what is being classified as a suicide. But something doesn't feel right. And with his own brand of investigation, manages to find a hidden message: one that even the police would never have found. A message for him. Exodus 22:18. `Suffer not a witch to live.' Murphy things perhaps a religious fanatic. Harry doesn't think so.
   
   As Harry investigates, he's finding more of the 'supernatural underclass' are turning up either dead or missing. And he doesn't like the looks of things. A security tape points right at Thomas, Harry's half brother, and Harry refuses to believe it. His brother wouldn't do that. But finding Thomas is an investigation in itself ~ Harry can't find him and he's started to get worried.
   
   As Harry delves deeper, he and Murphy are targeted more and more, and he's suddenly thinking of a bigger picture. There's more to these supposed suicides, he's sure of it.
   
   Without warning, Elaine pops into the story, surprising Harry with the actual amount of strength she has as a wizard. However, she's keeping a low profile; she doesn't trust men, refuses to be controlled by them again, and is staying on the down-low, refusing to call attention to herself. She wants nothing to do with the Wardens or the White Council and will do anything to keep it that way.
   
   The investigation grows more complex, time is running out, and Harry has to figure out a way to stop the threat of a bigger war.
   
   Harry knows he can't do it alone. But is he willing to throw his friends in the fray and watch as they get hurt or, worse yet, die?
   
   I saw a different side of Harry in this novel, and at times, he even scared me. Harry is doing what he can to teach Molly the different between doing something right for the right reasons, knowing that if she screws up, it would be the end of the road for them both. But Molly doesn't really understand what Harry's trying to teach ~ that is until two seriously intense moments between them. One of them scared the daylights out of me - and I'm not a character in the book. Disturbing is just one word I could use to describe it. Even Murphy demands an explanation after witnessing that episode. And yet he finally manages to get through Molly's thick skull - by golly, she's learning. And while teaching Molly, Harry is brought back to his roots, revising everything he had learned at her age, and is finding new ways to deal with his magic. LOL, even patience has a new meaning to him.
   
   When Harry and Murphy confront a group of women for answers to their questions, only more questions pop up. With the help of Lasciel, Harry discovers that there was someone else in the room, one that veiled themselves to keep from being recognized. Low and behold, Elaine had come to the aid of a woman seeking her help to protect her and the others. Then he realizes something: she's stronger than she's pretending to be. After a few questions answered by Ramirez, now Harry's certain. Finding out why she's keeping on the down-low is almost hurtful.
   
   As the investigation goes deeper, Harry discovers that three of the other houses are attempting to overthrow the king of the White Court, wanting to stop the peace talks and throw their weight in behind the Red Court and their war with the Council. Harry is desperate to stop that from happening - should the war continue, and the threat of a Black Council rise, it would be the end of Harry's world. And he's determined not to see that happen, no matter the cost.
   
   With the help of Molly, Murphy, Thomas, Ramirez, even Lasciel and Marcone and some of his men (including Hendricks), Harry puts an end to the fight. But it's a really close one.
   
   Action scenes are incredible ~ I truly love watching/reading Harry in his battles. The end of the last fight scene was fantastic. The way he got through to Molly was damn near scary. At first, I wasn't happy with the way he did it, even though I understand why. He even reasons with Lasciel, making her understand his point about it all. His agreement with Marcone was something of a surprise, I most certainly didn't see that coming. And the more and more he investigates with Murphy, the more and more she's understanding everything. I'm glad that Harry and Ramirez talked. Harry knows not to trust anyone, and yet Ramirez gets fired up that Harry hadn't trusted him. Carlos even began to suspect Harry. Whew, glad that was put to rest.
   
   What I like about Butchers novels is that, now matter how he does it, there is always something new to learn in about in Harry's world. In earlier novels, we learn the differences between the vampires: White Court, Red Court and Black Court, and what kind of vampires they are. In this one, we learn the differences between the families/houses in the White Court - sort of made me think of the mob. These novels are addictive ... darn near unputdownable. The dialogue is smooth, Harry is witty and fun to read. The plot simply flows - there's no slowing down. There's never the same old, same old. Always something new, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

No comments about Running Hot (Arcane Society, Book 5).

2 comments about Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar (Valdemar Series).

1. After the decidedly trite and un-entertaining Collegium Chronicles: Foundation, I was hoping that Mercedes Lackey would make up for it with a novella in her anthology that took us somewhere interesting. Maybe into a facet of an existing character, or an entirely new one, in which we could see a new part of Valdemar. Something, ANYTHING, with some hint of the magical world and engaging characters of her earlier work.
   
   I hoped in vain.
   
   Instead, she gave us Scooby Doo.
   
   No, really. Her 37 page Novella Moving Targets, in the anthology of the same name, is some poorly conceived parody, homage, or rip-off of Scooby Doo.
   
   No, I mean it. Mystery Machine and all(in the form of a giant, hideously painted wagon). Velma is renamed "Alma," Daphne is "Laurel" (daphne is Greek for laurel), Fred is now "Rod" and Norville aka Shaggy is now "Arville," complete with a kyree friend roo reaks rike riss.
   
   Seriously? Maybe some people will find this hilarious. I didn't. I found it sad and unimaginative and far, far, below my expectation.
   
   The other stories are fine. But what ought to have been the gem of the book was instead a story best left unread.



2. Obviously for fans of the classic fantasy saga, the latest Valdemar anthology written by the mythos creator Mercedes Lackey and fourteen other authors ("Heart, Home and Hearth" is collaboration between Sarah Hoyt and Kate Paulk) is once again a great collection. Each tale is well written and brings a personal view to Valdemar yet the contributions remain inside the Lackey sphere; though some push the limitations. The Companions select the Chosen and that is where the fun lies whether it is Falnac a child in his first duel ("The Cheat" by Richard Lee Byers), Mickey Zucker Reichert's Herald "Dreams of Mountain Clover" or Tamar learning "What Fire Is" by Janni Lee Simmer. As always this is an excellent tribute to Mercedes Lackey as Tanya Huff, Brenda Cooper, Kristin Schwegel, Michael Z. Williamson, Stephanie Shaver, Fiona Patton, Judith Tarr, and Rosemary Edghill escort readers back to the realm of "Other Tales of Valdemar". See SWORD OF ICE AND OTHER TALES OF VALDEMAR, SUN IN GLORY AND OTHER TALES OF VALDEMAR and CROSSROADS AND OTHER TALES OF VALDEMAR for previous tours.
   
   Harriet Klausner

5 comments about Claws that Catch (Looking Glass, Book 4).

1. Claws That Catch (2008) is the fourth SF novel in the William Weaver series, following Manxome Foe. In the previous volume, the Vorpal Blade was damaged so severely that it was replaced. The casualty rate was not as bad as the first voyage, but the losses were still heavy. Most of the survivors were decorated and promoted. Two-Gun was sent to OCS by presidential order.
   
   In this novel, Brooke Pierson marries Eric Bergstresser. He wears officer dress blues for the first time. He also has an enlisted dress uniform in his closet that has never been worn. Rapid promotion can be expensive.
   
   Two-Gun discovers at almost the last minute that there will be a few special guests at the wedding. Of course, his former skipper -- Admiral Blankemeier -- is coming. The President was persuaded not to attend due to the publicity factor, but the Chief of Astronautic Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps are coming instead, along with assorted staff officers. The reception is going to be brass heavy.
   
   After a short yet enthusiastic honeymoon, Lieutenant Bergstresser reports for duty and is handed a heavy load of auxiliary duties. The paperwork is going to seriously cut into his married life. Being an officer in the Space Marines is more work and less fun than being a junior sergeant.
   
   The Vorpal Blade II is being readied for a new mission when the news hits the fan. The White House and Pentagon were preparing to announce the existence of a space navy in the very near future, but the Russians, Chinese and the media caught onto the information a bit sooner than expected. Various survivors of the second voyage -- including Two-Gun -- quickly become international news celebrities. Top Powell is a hit on the talk circuit.
   
   In this story, the new Vorpal Blade is checking out an intelligence item received from their new allies. The Hexosehr had discovered an alien artifact of unknown origin in a retrograde orbit around a gas giant. They had tried to destroy it to keep its technology out of Dreen hands, but their best efforts failed to dent the skin. The Hexosehr finally deorbitted the artifact into the gas giant atmosphere.
   
   The voyage out is flawed with minor problems. Captain Weaver is the new executive officer and is trying to break in the new commander. Unfortunately, Captain Prael is a former submariner and has problems adjusting to the Space Navy. He does accept the space tape, but refuses to let Miriam Moon provide assistance to engineering. So the linguist and technological genius is bored and depressed until the requests start trickling in despite the skipper's orders.
   
   When the Vorpal Blade reaches its destination, the crew cannot find any other signs of the alien civilization in space and only some buried ruins on the surface of a terrestrial type planet. So the ship visits a blue giant in the vicinity. This sun has definite signs of alien civilization, including something huge that looks like a glass christmas tree.
   
   After a frustrating time investigating the tree, the Vorpal Blade leaves a contingent on the artifact and travels to Runner's World to get some additional specialists from the Hexosehr. The XO is left in charge, so he decides that he can now play his guitar to relax his nerves. The crew complains about his volume and singing, but Weaver ignores them. They do find some fascinating and terrifying aspects of the artifact, but then a Dreen fleet arrives.
   
   This tale puts Weaver and the away party in harm's way. So what else is new! Still, the Dreen fleet has sixty-one ships, including a very large brain-ship.
   
   As with the previous stories, the casualty rate is high and the ship gets shot up. Yet an alien spider-like creature with a serious hunger for Dreen flesh provides some significant assistance. Enjoy!
   
   Highly recommended for Ringo & Taylor fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of space opera, naval and marine combat, and some very interesting characters.
   
   -Arthur W. Jordin



2. Cover to cover in one day. A very engrossing read, with non-stop action. Too bad the XO never did find his door.
   
   Now for the bad news: You need to read the earlier books in the series to get up to speed. Most of the information is there, it just comes at you real fast.
   
   The good news: the publisher has once again added a cd-rom to the book. This contains (unless I miss my guess) the earlier books in the series!! This is the kind of bargain that shouldn't be missed.
   
   I haven't perused my cd because I already own most of Baen's backlist (everything by John and Doc).



3. Book IV of the Looking Glass series, in which our world now is connected to myriad other worlds through portals, and is desperately trying to avoid being consumed by a biological hive civilization referred to as the Dreen.
   
   This installment centers around the search more alien artifacts, similar to that which provides the FTL propulsion for the Vorpal Blade. Along the way, our characters grow (Two-Gun learns about being an officer, Weaver learns how to be an XO and to deal with a disliked captain), and things blow up in humorous and unexpected ways.
   
   Highlights are the relative realism. While not having being in an elite branch of the military, the authors portray the habits of Force Recon marines and submarines quite convincingly. The action's pretty good, with lots of automatic weapon fire and desperate stands.
   
   Lowlights...well, there are several. The ending felt tacked on and was a bit jarring (i.e. the Thermopylae showing up). While the tone of the series has always been more lighthearted than, say, the Prince Roger or Posleen books, it almost ventures a bit too far over the line when it comes to the Big Alien Artifact they find. In particular, while I laughed very hard at the "Anime Zone" effect, that's almost too silly.
   
   On the whole, a pretty good read, though it was a bit short for my tastes. On the other hand, filler for filler's sake would detract. So, 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4, because the occasional fourth-wall breaking things like "Well, now we know who the main character is" is silly, it was also funny as heck.



4. This one got five stars, which should tell you how I felt about this latest entry in the Looking Glass Saga. Once again the A.S.S. Vorpal Blade(II) goes forth to find out "What's out there? Thataway," and runs headlong into more trouble than you'ld want to see in one lifetime.
   
   As with the last book, Manxome Foe (Looking Glass, Book 3) the first two-thirds or so of the book deal with daily living, people, preparations for lift-off, and the people problems of getting a crew working as a team. This is followed by the sort of space and small-unit battle that the authors handle superbly.
   
   All of it was very well-written and thoroughly engrossing to the point where I hated having to interrupt my reading with little things like eating, work, dinner with my wife, websurfing. And I'm very glad, as I write this, that I finished it in time NOT to lose anything as unimportant as sleep.
   
   The title of this review, however, is how I'll be thinking of this story for a long time. Remember the problem of shaking down a crew of people, most of them strangers to each other, into a smoothly functioning team? THAT is truly, for me, what this book was about. The really important battle in this book was creating that team, getting the screwups to learn better, INCLUDING the captain, and turning them into a family. I won't give you any spoilers here. Each and every one of those scenes is engrossing, and taught me powerful lessons about how to function at my job and do the people parts WELL.
   
   And, as the last parts of the book make pellucidly clear, if the people problems hadn't been worked on BEFORE the "murthering great battle" at the end, NOBODY would have made it out of this one alive.
   
   FYI, the CD that comes with the book has:
   
   All of the books in the Looking Glass series(Into the Looking Glass, Vorpal Blade, Manxome Foe, Claws That Catch)
   
   All of the books in the Council Wars series(There Will Be Dragons, Emerald Sea, Against the Tide, East of the Sun, West of the Moon)
   
   All of the books in the Paladin of Shadows series(Ghost, Kildar, Choosers of the Slain, Unto the Breach, A Deeper Blue)
   
   All of the books in the Empire of Man series (co-authored with David Weber)
   
   Almost all of the books in the Aldenata Series (Honor of the Clan isn't out yet, darnit!)
   
   All of Doc Travis' books for Baen, both solo and co-authored with John Ringo.
   
   The Last Centurion
   
   The Road to Damascus (The Bolo Series)
   
   Getting that with this book is rather like being told "You liked this gold coin, eh, boy? Well, here's a sack of 'em. Go have fun."
   
   It just doesn't get better than a package like this.



5. This is a great page-turner - I read the whole book in 2 days and I'd love to do it in one if I had the time! The relationships between a variety of military types in fascinating and the book has a couple of very good ideas (without introducing a spoiler I just mention "concert platform" and "manga" for people, who actually read the book). I share the main hero preferences in music (Mother Earth/Silent Force, Festival Wind)In short, if you're looking for some escape from everyday routine, the book provides!
   Otherwise, the book is totally forgettable. Characters are cartoonish, pretty much only way author solves any problem is a miracle (usually executed by the "scientists"). "Science fiction" part is mostly maulk. In respect to coding and software and chemistry I can testify to that. Physics part is rather complex, at least for the people without active background in elementary particles, so I don't quite understand why it's there.