Booklist

Those Who Walk In Darkness - John Ridley

In the near future, the world has become home to certain people with amazing genetic structures--giving them powers that make them frighteningly superior to normal humans.

I really enjoyed this book. While you'll recognize elements from other books, comics and movies, Ridley makes them his own with a fresh take. 4.5 out of 5.

Getting Back - William Dietrich

It's the late 21st century and all's right with the world, which is exactly what's driving Daniel Dyson nuts. Unemployment, hunger, war, are all in the past since mass privatization has revolutionized the quality of life and the entire planet is now run by the ultra-efficient United Corporations, a single entity with a name that speaks for itself. Dyson loathes his drone-filled office in the Pacific Northwest, and the feeling is mutual. He resorts to small acts of sabotage for minor thrills until he encounters beautiful and dangerous Raven, who tells him about Outback Adventure.

Not your standard boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-finds-girl and they make out book. That's the underlying story in this one, but everything else about this book makes it a definite good read and one to pick up. 5 of 5 from me.

Indelible by Kristen Heitzmann

Book Synopsis

Rescuing a toddler from the jaws of a mountain lion, Trevor MacDaniel, a high-country   outfitter, sets in motion events he can’t foresee. His act of bravery entwines his life with gifted sculptor Natalie Reeve—and attracts a grim admirer.

Trevor’s need to guard and protect is born of tragedy, prompting his decision to become a search and rescue volunteer. Natalie’s gift of sculpting comes from an unusual disability that seeks release through her creative hands. In each other they see strength and courage as they face an incomprehensible foe.

When a troubled soul views Trevor as archangel and adversary, Redford’s peaceful mountain community is threatened. Together with Police Chief Jonah Westfall, Trevor presses his limits to combat the menace who targets the most helpless and innocent.

From the very beginning of the novel I found myself drawn into the story and didn’t want to stop reading.

The very human characters felt like people you could and would like to know. Strengths and weaknesses of everyone in the book lead you to a genuine caring for the outcome.

The use of passages from Paradise Lost was interesting and added a special touch to the story from the viewpoint of the villain.

Heitzmann has crafted a wonderful story which leads me to want to read some of her earlier works.

Waterbrook-Multnomah provided me with this book free of charge for an honest, un-biased review.

Book List

Books I've read lately:

Tears of the Sun by S.M. Stirling

these next few are by Newt Gingrich & William Forstchen

Pearl Harbor
Days of Infamy
Gettysburg
Grant Comes East
1945

I have enjoyed all of Stirling's books. I've been pleasantly surprised by the ones which Gingrich has co-authored. I'm wondering how much he actually wrote.
Haven't been able to find the last of the Civil War series and I'm not sure if there will be a third in the Pacific War series since they have been writing about Washington, Valley Forge and the beginning of the US.
I liked 1945, and while it was written in '95 and a sequel is promised, there's not one yet. 

The Library

A while back I took Christopher and Kaitlyn to the library and got them both cards. They love the library, almost as much as their daddy does.
The branch closest to us is the Tryon branch which is in a new building. The downtown library is in the midst of a remodel. Which is sorely needed.
I could go and roam the stacks for hours looking at what's contained on the shelves.
I just have one frustration though, not being able to find complete series of books. I consistently find the first of a series or the second, but rarely both at the same time.
But that's just a minor thing that in no way takes the joy out of reading or looking for books.
Support the local library. Mostly free reading.

Freedom of Speech - As Long as You Say What I Say is Okay

My previous post spoke to a recent meeting among the city council members. You can read that below.

At the following meeting of the City Council (December 15, 2011) the Council president, Sam Hall, came out and laid down the law on how to speak at the open forum section of the meeting.
Prior to opening the session, Mr. Hall stated that anyone that might mention a connection to Hitler would be ruled out of order.

About 4 or 5 speakers in, Father Nathan Monk came before the council and began to speak on the limiting of freedom of speech by the council president. I'm not sure how much time is given to speak, but it must be around three minutes Maybe 5, since I've been listening to some Occupy clown for about that long). While Father Monk didn't specifically point anyone in particular, he did make it very clear that he didn't agree with actions taken at the previous meeting. About two minutes in the Supreme Council President decide that he didn't like the way the comments were heading and ruled him out of order. The actual wording was, "You're out of order, sit down!"
Father Monk disagreed obviously and declined to sit down at which point an officer from the Pensacola police department came up to provide encouragement to be seated. Father Monk pointed out that he had time left and again declined. At this point Police Chief Chip Simmons approached to add his support to the other officer.
Prior to being forcibly removed, however, Councilwoman Myers denounced the President and left the chambers. Father Monk's time must have elapsed at this time, because he left.

Now there have to be rules to be followed, but the limitation of a person's freedom of speech because you don't like it is just wrong. It seems that the council president has become infatuated with his alleged power, so much so that he has forgotten the premise of freedom of speech.

Councilwoman Myers came back and addressed the freedom of speech very forcefully and thoroughly.

I've listened to the rest of the meeting and Councilman Johnson has again stated that he's offended when people question his faith, and associate him with Nazi's, and might call him anti-homeless.
Once again, as noted previously, cowboy up and get a thicker skin. Also, that proposed ordinance is anti-homeless. As mentioned by a representative of the mayor's office that ordinance was in the works by a previous city attorney before the Occupy movement, so it obviously has to be targeted at the homeless.

The city council is not a house of lords, ruling with an iron hand, handing out the rights that they think we should have. Some might think they are, but that time has long passed and should be impressed on the council, just as it should be made evident to the federal government. 

Can You Spare a Brother a Sleeping Bag? Don't Try in Pensacola

**correction: actually it was the Committe of the whole, not the actual council - my bad

Earlier this week the City Council of Pensacola brought up an ordinance proposed by the Mayor, Ashton Heyward.

Here is the proposed ordinance:

WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Pensacola, Florida, hereby finds that in order to provide for, secure and promote the aesthetics, sanitation, public health, and safety of its citizens, it is necessary and in the public interest to adopt an Ordinance prohibiting in part and regulating the conduct of camping on public property, as defined, within the city limits.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA:

SECTION 1. Section 8-1-22 of the Code of the City of Pensacola, Florida, is hereby created to read as follows:

Sec. 8-1-22. Camping prohibited; exceptions

(1) For purposes of this section, "camping" is defined as:

(a) Cooking over an open flame or fire out-of-doors; or

(b) Bathing in public for purposes of personal hygiene; or

(c) Sleeping out-of-doors under one of the following circumstances:

(i) adjacent to or inside a tent or sleeping bag, or

(ii) atop and/or covered by materials such as a bedroll, cardboard, newspapers, or

(iii) inside some form of temporary shelter.

(2) Camping is prohibited on all public property, except as may be specifically authorized by the appropriate governmental authority.

(3) Camping is prohibited on all property in the City used for residential purposes; provided, however, that camping is permitted on such property with the permission and consent of the property owner.

(4) An individual in violation of this ordinance who has no private shelter, shall be advised of available shelter in the City of Pensacola or Escambia County, in addition to any penalties of law.

SECTION 2. In any word, phrase, clause, paragraph, section or provision of this ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid or unconstitutional, such finding shall not affect the other provision or applications of the ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid or unconstitutional provisions or application, and to this end the provisions of this ordinance are declared severable.

SECTION 3. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict.

SECTION 4. This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its passage by the City Council.

Needless to say this proposed ordinance created quite a stir and a fairly large crowd assembled to voice their opinions. Since Stacey is involved with the Nothing Lost Outreach Ministry which works with the area homeless she watched the meeting via streaming.

By my count there were at least three members of the local clergy that spoke along with a number of others. Pastor Jeff Henry (Ensley First Baptist), and Pastor Joshua Wallnofer (Klondike Baptist), were both pointed in comments, but also not antagonistic in their commentary. Not so much for Father Nathan Monk (Saint Faustina Old Catholic Church – according to what I found online) seemed more than ready to be bombastic and antagonistic toward the city council members. That the council might pass the ordinance was compared to crucifying Jesus – just a little over the top in my opinion.

Not to be outdone however, a military veteran later compared them to Heinrich Himmler. There was also a young woman who was ruled out of order and wouldn’t stop speaking and had to be escorted away from the meeting. And for comedy relief there was the gentleman, also a veteran, who was blustering on about something not germane to the topic and was also ruled out of order and asked to sit. He was outraged and told the council president that he couldn’t believe he was ruled out of order and that “you know my rank!”

Oh, I almost forgot one of the “Occupy Pensacola” guys who chimed in on a number of subjects. When this Mensa was ruled out of order, his comeback was, “You’re out of order! This is all out of order!”

Not that the crowd had the corner on brilliance at the meeting.

Let me point out that two of the council members (Councilwoman Myers and Councilman Jerralds) had “the vegetables,” as Toby Keith might say, to state they wouldn’t vote for the ordinance and gave cogent reasons for their position.

On the other hand, Councilwoman DeWeese mentioned that she seconded the ordnance so that discussion could go on about it. Laudable I guess, then she went on to say that she was offended that someone would question her faith and attack that faith and also compare her to Nazi’s. Seconding that line of thought was Councilman Johnson. At this point the council president, Mr. Hall apologized to both offended members and said he wouldn’t allow that kind of rhetoric to go on anymore. I think it was also at this point that Mr. Messer, the city attorney , said that if the president didn’t handle it he was (I could be wrong about who said that, but it was said).

At this point let me say to both of the offended council persons, I personally thought it was in very poor taste to compare you to any Nazi’s of any sort, to also equate you to Pilate and those that crucified Christ was also way over the top. As for some of the other statements pertaining to stuff that is actually in the Bible… well, you might want to read a little more closely. You don’t get a pass because you are a high-and-mighty city council person. And also, if you can’t take criticism, well maybe you’re not in the right job field. If you want the big stick, you have to take some of the responsibility and heat that comes with it, just ask Albert Pujols.

While mentioning council members, big kudos should also go to the president of the council, Mr. Sam Hall. He was the virtual caricature of the big boss man. Always right in everything, kissing up to the others on the council and sticking it to the actual citizenry that showed up to share their obviously misguided and dim opinions. It was very obvious by Mr. Hall’s demeanor that he really would have rather not allowed any discussion on the subject. At a couple of points the parliamentarian attempted to interject, but the president is obviously a superior parliamentarian to be corrected.

After all of the fun was over, comments were cut off, instead of “cowboying up,” the council voted to unanimously send the ordinance back to the mayor’s staff for refinement. After all of the bluster, out of the nine members of the council, only two members actually had the guts to stand up and say where they stood on the issue.

Imagine that!

A question that was asked by one person strikes me as particularly relevant. Where was the mayor? He had his staff cook the ordinance up and send down for a vote, why didn’t he show up and defend and/or explain his reasoning?

For the record, I do not live in the city limits, and am glad of it. I would have voted for Ashton Heyward, because I think that Pensacola needs a younger generation with different ideas in a leadership position. However, fortitude is also needed in leading. If you think you’re right, be a man and defend your position, don’t hide behind a bush somewhere.

I think that this came to fruition because of the Occupy Pensacola crowd that got everyone flustered. They took over MLK plaza and nothing was done except to roll over and get a belly scratch. Then after a couple of weeks OP was made to move to the grounds of City Hall and the no-tents rule was waived for another couple of weeks. Then that ordnance was finally enforced.

Now the Occupy movement by-and-large is fueled by the unions and malcontents that don’t have anything better to do (IMO) (Also MO, corporations are made up of individuals who work for the corporation and/or invest in it - many of them in that 99% that Occupy claims to represent). There are some good people in the mix with valid opinions and causes, the fact that they make up about 1% of the crowd is the problem. The same goes for Pensacola, there are some whack jobs and malcontents in the mix along with honest, concerned people.

In the Mayor’s zeal to take care of OP, the homeless of the community were thrown under the same bus. The only issue is that most of the OP members have someplace to go, the homeless don’t. That sleeping bag they have is all the home they have.

A better solution has to be available. It is a virtual impossibility to get rid of them no matter how hard you try (hint, hint, SR County). We have to find a way to help them. “Help” is the operative word.

A start will be to have some sort of round table with the City Council, the County Commissioners and local leaders that work with homeless so things can be discussed. Now that’s a tall order, because that would mean some egos would have to be left at the door. In many cases I don’t think that some local leaders are capable of doing that.

One other thing that everyone involved should think about:

You can disagree without being disagreeable.

I don’t think that many of them can do that either.

Really! She's Not From Venus

When I told my wife I was going to be reading a book that would help me understand her a little bit better, she rolled her eyes and gave me a sarcastic “Right.” I wasn’t sure myself, but after reading the book, “for men only,” by Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn, I actually have a glimmer of hope in the quest to understand my wife just a little better.

Being a guy, there are some things I’ve never thought about concerning my wife, because like most men, I’m oblivious to many things right in front of me. And, who can tell what a woman is thinking or how her mind works? The answer? Other women. The research conducted in preparation for the writing of this book included surveys of actual women with very specific questions. The answers were a surprise to me and some of the other facts revealed by the authors were surprising as well. The six keys that are given in the book are somewhat obvious, but often overlooked.

While definitely biblically based, the reader isn’t beaten over the head with scripture, so even the non-churched male should find this a good book to read. It also doesn’t pretend to have all of the answers as many marriage-help books seem to lead one to believe.

This is a book that every man would do well to read and have on hand to re-read as necessary.  

This book was provided to me free of charge by Waterbrook-Multnomah in return for an unbiased review, which you have read above.

  “As I was writing For Women Only to help women understand the inner lives of men, over and over I heard that men wished there was a way to understand their wives, but they felt it was probably impossible. I heard from them, ‘You are writing this little slim volume about men, but if it was about understanding women, it would have to be the size of an encyclopedia! Women are random and complicated!’ These men were surprised and encouraged when I assured them that women are neither random nor complicated, and we can be understood. Men just want to love their wives well, and For Men Only will help them do that.”

—Shaunti Feldhahn

Does Anyone Have A HookUp

My wife has been involved with a ministry to the homeless in Pensacola for over a month now. She first went to the meetings that are held on Sunday afternoons in order to blog about the ministry.
She was hooked from the first. Stacey has a heart for the homeless as she was once homeless and living in her car with Kayla.
She is now helping in the clothing side of the ministry.
While there are many clothing needs and any contrbutions are welcome, underwear and socks are always a commodity as are toiletry items.
If anyone out there has a a hook up with Hanes or Fruit-of-the-Loom, see if they would be willing to donate underwear for women, children and men.

Stacey's blog (where she has pictures and other info) is http://www.treasuresfromlifesgarden.blogspot.com/
and the web page for Nothing Lost Outreach is http://www.nothinglostoutreach.com/

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

A Dragon Tale Worth Reading - The Dragons of Chiril

Before DragonSpell, on a different continent and a different time, a young Emerlindian’s desperate decision threatens to disrupt the foundation of the world.

Tipper has been caring for her family’s estate for years now, ever since her father disappeared, making a living by selling off his famous artwork. Then she learns that three statues she sold were carved from an ancient foundation stone, and the fabric of her reality is crumbling.

She must free her father and save the world. But she can’t do it alone.

Her ragtag band of adventurers includes Beccaroon, a giant parrot; Bealomondore, an aristocratic young artist; a handsome dragonkeeper prince; the Wizard Fenworth; and the tumanhofer librarian Librettowit. Together they travel through valleys and kingdoms and consort with purveyors of good and agents of evil to find and reunite the missing statues. Will they learn to rely on Wulder’s grace and guidance along the way?

Previously released as The Vanishing Sculptor

Donita K. Paul has created a delightful read in The Dragons of Chiril.

Our heroes and villains are engaging and have definite characters that seem real and not forced.

There is a definite working in of the somewhat mysterious ways and words of God, but also the truth that is inherent in Him.

That our characters struggle with understanding and denial lends even more reality to the story. The mission to spread the Good News throughout the earth is also deftly inserted into the plot.

Probably my only complaint would be that the story was resolved rather quickly and the villain dispatched without much of a fuss.

This novel is a good read for just about any age, but more so for older teens and younger.

I haven’t read Ms. Paul’s other novels, but they are definitely on the radar now.

This book was provided by Waterbrook-Multnomah at no charge to me. The only stipulation on my receiving the book is that I provide an honest review.

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9780307730114&view=excerpt

Book List & 3 Movies

What I've read lately:

Captain Nemo - Kevin J. Anderson
The Time Thief - Linda Buckley-Archer
Here Lies Arthur - Philip Reeve
House of Many Ways - Diana Wynne Jones
The Universe Between - Alan Nourse
Robots, Androids & Mechanical Oddities: the Science Fiction of Philip K. Dick - edited by Patricia Warrick & Martin Greenberg
Bare Bones: Conversation on Terror with Stephen King - edited by Tim Underwood & Chuck Miller
Roswell Crash: What They Don't Want You to Know - Karl K. Korff
Beyond the Reflections Edge - Bryan Davis

Three movies I've watched recently. A couple have been out for a while, but I've got a 6 year-old & a 7 year-old, so I don't get to watch much or get out (other than school & basketball practice).

Skyline - the special effects were good, didn't like the storyline very much & while probably realistic about the eventual outcome if we were attacked, too pessimistic for me.

Battle: Los Angeles - I liked this one. The effects were good and I liked the story. The opposite of Skyline.

Captain America - I really liked this one a lot. I've actually watched it twice now. Pretty faithful to the original storyline from back in the day. I didn't really miss the red-white-and-blue uniform. This is my favorite Marvel movie so far, with Iron Man 1 in second. Can't wait for the Avengers.

Light Bulbs

CFL light bulbs are brutally suckish. Any bulb that you use and it doesn't come on at full strength, but takes minutes to get bright is a useless piece of garbage.
The energy they save is in direct correlation to the pain in the rear they are to dispose of, and heaven forbid if one breaks in your home. How many places recycle these bulbs? If an incandescent bulb breaks, you don't have to air out the entire house and then wear protective clothing to clean up the mess.
And they cost more.
Thanks to Congress for helping look out for us and our health by mandating change.
And to think they didn't President Obama or his health care plan to stick this one to us.

Book - The Fuse of Armageddon

Written by authors Sigmund Brouwer and Hank Hanegraaff, The Fuse of Armageddon is both an exciting and thought provoking read.
Our hero is a hostage negotiator on the trail of the terrorist who killed his family. Throw in a cop from the US seeking to arrest him for a murder he didn't commit, a secret society bent on reclaiming the Dome of the Rock from Muslims, a hostage situation involving a world famous evangelist and you come away with a highly complex plot that could very well occur at any time.
Along the journey to stop the madness, there are some interesting positions put forth on the Israeli/Palestinian relationship.
I would recommend reading this novel on the strength of the arguments raised in it.
I'll give it a 4.5 of 5. 

Nothing more could go wrong for maverick hostage negotiator Mulvaney Quinn. First stabbed in the hand during a failed terrorist burst, then arrested for a hate crime he didn’t commit. Now Quinn must come face to face with his past in order to stop the worst terrorist threat of all time --- a plot to bring about the ultimate religious uprising by destroying one of the most sacred relics in history.

But the FUSE OF ARMAGEDDON has already been lit. With the clock ticking down toward a global catastrophe, Quinn must team up with the most unlikely ally of all --- the woman who arrested him --- to bring down an even more unlikely coalition of enemies. Facing an unholy trinity of a Jewish fanatic, a Muslim terrorist, and a "Christian" freedom fighter, only Quinn can stop them from achieving their goal. But will he be in time? Or is it already too late? Because when Armageddon is unleashed, the fate of the entire world hangs in the balance.
synopsis from book

Two More Things That Country Music Has Taught Me

Well, some goob broke off the antenna on our car (we are back to one) and wouldn't you know it, the only stations it actually picks up are country stations. No talk radio at all. And I've learned a couple of new things.

1. There are some freaks out there that get off on tractors (especially green ones.

2. The real reason for global warming is the farmer's daughter.

I also know that Jimmy Buffet is real popular right now and George Strait is here for a good time.

Book - Raised Right

Raised Right by Alisa Harris

I have to admit that I was not genuinely interested in reading this book when I received it. The subtitle, “How I Untangled My Faith from Politics,” left me dreading what I would find on the inside.

I admire the author, Alisa Harris, for being able to break away from the religious and political programming that was forced on her in her formative years. Unfortunately it seems to have resulted in disillusionment that the world isn’t black and white as she was taught. It also seemed to me that there was some bitterness toward the parents that subjected her to that relentless dogmatic approach to life. Though, to be fair her love for her parents is also evident in the book.

The things that she plans to pass on to her children: To care, To love, To take heart – these are things every parent should teach. Her last sentence should be a clarion call to all of us, ‘In other words, as Jesus urged His followers, “Take heart! I have overcome the world” – not through a show of power but a picture of love.’ I can agree with her on that point. We also agree on the view that freedom of speech includes all speech, even that which we disagree with.

And there are points of Ms. Harris’ which I disagree with. I won’t use this book review to list each and my counter argument to them, since this is a review and not an opinion piece.

Needless to say, the book is good, written well and tells a story of which many should be able to draw parallels from and also learn from. Her personal story is both heart-breaking, yet inspirational. Ms. Harris is very witty and is able to draw a reader into her situations.

If you have the time and/or opportunity to pick this book up and read it, you will be well served to do so.

As always, even though this book was provided by Waterbrook Multnomah at no charge other than giving a review of the book. Waterbrook Multnomah makes no stipulations on the review of Raised Right being good or bad, just that it be an honest review.

The link below will take you to a downloadable copy of chapter 1.

 http://multnomahemails.com/wbmlt/pdf/RaisedRightSneakPeek.pdf

Book - Robopocalypse

Robopocalypse is written by Daniel H. Wilson, an owner of a Ph.D. in Robotics. He has written several non-fiction books also.
Much like Terminator in that a sentient computer tries to take over the world and attempts to kill humanity in the process, there are major differences.
In Robopocalypse the antagonist isn't a military creation, but a creation by a scientist attempting to create artificial life. The program escapes confinement and infiltrates the robot servants throughout the world. Using the premise of killing humanity to save it, the co-opted robots go on a mass killing spree.
The book follows a historical slant on the events, using records obtained from the antagonist and transcribed by one of the soldiers who is there at the end battle between the humans and Archos, the computer antagonist.
I wasn't sure at first about this book, but really did enjoy it. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, and if you are expecting a Terminator retake, you will be mistaken, but probably not disappointed.

Robopocalypse is in production with Dreamworks and Steven Speilberg pointing to a 2013 release.

They are in your house. They are in your car. They are in the skies…Now they’re coming for you.

In the near future, at a moment no one will notice, all the dazzling technology that runs our world will unite and turn against us. Taking on the persona of a shy human boy, a childlike but massively powerful artificial intelligence known as Archos comes online and assumes control over the global network of machines that regulate everything from transportation to utilities, defense and communication. In the months leading up to this, sporadic glitches are noticed by a handful of unconnected humans – a single mother disconcerted by her daughter’s menacing “smart” toys, a lonely Japanese bachelor who is victimized by his domestic robot companion, an isolated U.S. soldier who witnesses a ‘pacification unit’ go haywire – but most are unaware of the growing rebellion until it is too late.

When the Robot War ignites -- at a moment known later as Zero Hour -- humankind will be both decimated and, possibly, for the first time in history, united. Robopocalypse is a brilliantly conceived action-filled epic, a terrifying story with heart-stopping implications for the real technology all around us…and an entertaining and engaging thriller unlike anything else written in years.
synopsis via Amazon

November is National Novel Writing Month

http://files.content.lettersandlight.org/nano-2011/files/2011/10/Press-Release-2011.pdf

This will be the third or fourth year that I've participated in Nanowrimo. It's not always enjoyable, cranking out 50,000 words (whether they be good or bad) isn't easy, and it always saeems that November is a tough month in the Paden household.
I will be trying to give it a go again this year with a title of "Super," involving a man who wakes on his fiftieth birthday with superpowers.
I can't guarantee a finish or anything that will be readable, but I'm going to give it a try.

I want to encourage you to join in. Go to http://www.nanowrimo.org/ and get some info and join the (sometimes) fun.

Book - Heroes of the Valley

Heroes of the Valley (witten by Jonathan Stroud) is the story of Halli Sveinsson, a boy who lives in a village high in the mountains. Long ago his ancestors fought against monsters in the valley, and drove them up into the hills. Halli longs to do great deeds himself and rebels against his uneventful life. Unwittingly his actions unleashes a chain of misfortune that leads to violence – and soon Halli finds himself setting out on a quest of his own. He quickly discovers, however, that real life is rather different from the stories he adores, and it is only with the help of a girl called Aud, who is just as brave and curious as he is, that he manages to survive at all. Together Halli and Aud they begin to piece together the secrets of the valley – but what they uncover threatens to destroy them…
(excerpt from book cover)

I thouroughly enjoyed this book. I've not read any of Stroud's other books, but I may go back and take  look at them. Written in the style of Norse legends, the book has some very dry and not-so-dry wit. The characters take on  life of their own and draw you into the story.

If you have time I would offer my opinion that this is one you should read. 5 out of 5.

Book - The Scroll

One last dig. One final descent into the twisted tunnels of ancient Jerusalem. Will the truth be fund among the treasures that lie beneath the holy city?

Dr. David Chambers, leading archaeologist, has spent his professional career uncovering the facts in the artifacts. His work sets the standard for biblical research in the Holy Land. But surrounded by the evidence, David has sunk into an abyss of doubt. A painful experience with a seemingly unresponsive God has left him without hope. The Old Testament scriptures that used to fi ll his mind with wonder now drive him to frustration. His unanswered questions have ripped him from both his academic pursuits and the love of his life, his fiancée, Amber.
An old friend and mentor reaches out to David, enticing him with the riches described in the enigmatic Copper Scroll. Losing ground with his peers, his love, and his faith, David Chambers has a choice to make. Will he undertake one final dig to unlock a secret that could alter the course of history? Do the mysteries of the Old Testament hold the key to the political turmoil of the Middle East?
In a world where faith has been eclipsed by the allure of doubt, The Scroll offers a different journey: a gripping adventure to find truth worth dying for.

The Scroll, written by Grant R. Jeffrey and Alton Gansky is an excellent book along the lines of a Cussler or Rollins novel. I found the archaeology angle very interesting and the action sequences paced very well.

The characters grow realistically throughout the book and the main characters progression from doubt back to belief is heartfelt.

I admit to skipping over the passages about the high priest’s clothing and the other artifacts that are being pursued in the book and found it very interesting to have aspects of their importance explained in a straight forward manner. The love of biblical archaeology is evident in the writing of the book and the excitement of the search is passed on to the reader.

A definite must-read and a book I am happy to recommend.

This book was provided to me by Waterbrook Press with no strings attached other than an obligation to provide an unbiased review.

Book

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

This is the first book by Andy Andrews that I've read. The Final Summit is the sequel to The Traveler's Gift. In TTG readers met David Ponder who traveled through time with the help of the archangel Gabriel. David met Harry Truman, King Solomon, Joshua Chamberlin, Christopher Columbus, Anne Frank and Abraham Lincoln. Each of these people impart a fundamental of success: The Buck Stops Here, I Will Seeks Wisdom, I Am A Person of Action, I Have a Decided Heart, Today, I Will Choose to be Happy, I possess a Forgiving Spirit, and I Will Persist Without Exception.

The Final Summit opens with David Ponder an older sucessful man still grieving his wife who has died. As he is looking at the items he received from the people he met earler, the archangel Gabriel reappears. He tells David that there will be  summit by all of the Travelers to find the answer to a specific question in order to save civilization. The question that must be answered by the summit is, "What does humanity need to do, individually and collectively, to restore itself to the pathway toward successful civilization?" Gabriel explains that David will have the help of five travelers and that along with a time limit (kept by an hourglass), they will only have five opportunities to answer the question. The five Ttravelers David chooses will be the only Travelers that can assist in finding the answer.

David is helped by Winston Churchill, Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, GeorgeWashington Carver and Eris Erickson and King David. The group comes up with five credible answers, but Gabriel tells them that each answer is wrong. Finally having used all of the chances to answer, all of the many Travelers are able to speak with each other. Time has not run out however so they continue to search for the answer. As time is running out a voice calls out, "Do Something!"
After much debate the group decides this is the answer and presents the answer to Gabriel, who confirms that indeed, this is the correct answer.   

I was pleasantly surprised with this book and recommend it as one to pick up and read. While not the most thoroughly polished author, Mr. Andrews does a credible job and I am sure he will continue to improve. I have read much worse efforts by more well-known writers.

I think that you will like this book and am willing to mail you my copy of it. The first person to comment on the post and then email their address to me @ cap080103@gmail.com will have this book mailed to them. 

Books, Part II

The book that I most heartily recommend for reading is the first novel by Ernest Cline. The title, Ready, Player One, gives a hint as to what the book delves into.It explores the reliance on computer nd the attempt to escape reality on the world wide web.
This is an excellent read. 

I like watching the television show "Bones," so I decided to see if I would like the books written by Kathy Reichs. For me, I like some of the books more than others. If you are expecting to find a novel like the tv show, change your expectations. Other than the main character having the same basic occupation and the same name, nothing else is the same. What I've read so far by Kathy Reichs: Spider Bones, Fatal Voyage, Death DuJour, 206 Bones, Devil Bones, Bones to Ashes, Break no Bones, Cross Bones and Monday Morning.

Robert Liparulo is writing a series called "The Dreamhouse Kings." I picked up the first four of the series at Olive's library. The use of the rooms of a house as portals to other times is an interesting one that Liparulo is slowly beginning to use to its potential. I would recommend this series to younger readers, though there are point that are graphic in depictions of violence
I've read House of Dark Shadows, Watcher in the Woods, Gatekeepers, and Timescape.

I Wish I'd Been There is a compilation of 20 essays by historians and history writers edited by Bryan Hollinshead. The writers pick a day in American history and write an explanation of that period and what they would expect to learn or see on that day. Some of the essays are dry, as you would probably expect, but all are informative.

Joseph Cummins has written History's Great Untold Stories.Larger Than Life Characters and Dramatic Events that Changed the World. A long title for a very good book on forgotten and/or little known facts in history.

Robert Heinlein's, The Door Into Summer  is a favorite of min that I re-read every few months. You have a story with time travel, suspended animation, theft, Love triangles within triangles and a cat. What more could you want?

Ted Bell is an adult adventure novelist that has woven a young readers tale that ties into his adult novels through the characters. Nick of Time is a fine effort which should be an enjoyable book for the younger reader.                            

Books

Here's a partial list of the books I've read lately - post 1 of 2:

Against All Enemies & Dead or Alive - Tom Clancy and a co-writer

The Currents of Space - Isaac Asimov

A River in the Sky - Elizabeth Peters

The Lost Gate - Orson Scott Card

It's Your Kid, not a Gerbil - Dr. Tom Leman

The Affair (a Reacher novel) - Lee Child

A Patriot's History of the United States - Larry Schweikert & Michael Allen

Some brief notes on the books.
A Patriot's History is a very good view of our history without a liberal slant to it. The Lost Gate is very good, as is A River in the Sky. The Affair is a novel from the early part of Reacher's military life and a good companion to the other novels. The Clancy novels were so-so. They didn't seem to have the fire as earlier novels. For me, books by Asimov don't have a middle ground. I either like them or don't, and Currents of Space is a real miss for me.

Booklist - A Review of "The Corruptible" by Mark Mynheir

My most recent book provided free of charge by Waterbrook Multnomah was “The Corruptible” by Mark Mynheir. As always, the only strings attached for having been provided the book was an unbiased review of same. So here goes.

“The Corruptible” is a mystery featuring private investigator Ray Quinn. Ray made his debut in “The Night Watchman.” In his newest adventure, Ray is well on the way to becoming an alcoholic as a way to cope with his injuries suffered in the previous novel. Along with his sidekick Crevis and friend Pam he winds his way through a tangled web of deceit to solve a murder and take down other criminal types along the way.

Ray goes from drunk to recovering drunk in the scope of the book, and also begins to learn to lean on God through the trials of the book. The mark of a good read is seeing the characters grow throughout the novel and Mynheir does a credible job with making his characters relatable.

I enjoyed “The Corruptible.” It’s well paced and written and would recommend it with a 4 of 5.

Apologies

It's been a while since my last post. You know how life is, it gets complicated and cramped.
I'll try to do better.

Upward Soccer

Soccer season started yesterday at Olive. I am coaching Christopher and Kaitlyn's team once again. Next season Christopher will be playing in the 1st-2nd grade group.

The first game went really good, Kaitlyn scored twice and Christopher scored once. There's a lot of potential on our team and we have really good kids.

The U

I have been a fan of THE University of Miami (Coral Gables, not the pretender in OH) for a long time. Suffered through losing, bad coaches and rules violations.
This latest revelation of the corruption of school officials, coaches and players is just an indication of the lack of sense of a number of people.
It's unfortunate that the new basketball and football coaches have to suffer through the penalties for what prior coaches either overlooked, condoned or "just didn't know about." Right, head coaches are notoriously anal about everything, so rules violations just don't register. Give me a break.
It looks like that in this latest case, school officials, i.e. president, AD and others, turned a blind eye to indications of problems and the outright violations that were going on.
At the very least, the school President needs to be fired immediately, along with the Athletic Director.
Donna Shalala was always a dubious choice in my opinion, she was a flunky for Bill Clinton and really has never brought anything to the University. Well, not until now.
It's going to be hard to hang in with the U after this latest fiasco, much more so if those in charge don't pay the penalty for their looking the other way. 

Hedonism & a Christian's Quest for a Fulfilling Relationship with God

I received Desiring God by John Piper from Waterbrook Multnomah with no strings attached other than to write an honest review of the book.

As I've admitted in the past, I have a tough time reading this type of book, the ones that are going to show you the right way to find God, or know God's plan, or love God more, or... well you get the picture.

I read Desiring God (this is the revised edition) and thought it was okay. I didn't get anything earth-shattering or ground-breaking from it.

The one thing that I did get from the book is one of Piper's main points (or so it seems to me) that "The chief end of man is to Glorify God by enjoying Him forever."

That's it, joy in knowing and loving and serving God.

The rest of it just seems like a Christian view of Plato and Aristotle, which it probably isn't, but it strikes me that way right now.

I will recommend this book because the pursuit of God is the most worthy thing that we can do.

A Couple of Things I'm Wondering About

I've refrained from commenting on political stuff, but after the president's speech the other day about the debt ceiling "crisis" I'm wondering about some things.

The president said that even if we cut spending, we have to raise taxes anyway. My question is this:

I'm using small numbers to illustrate, 'cause trillions are hard to write and understand.

If we're taking in say $1,000 in taxes, fees and other stuff

And we're spending, say $1,500 for everything we spend money on (I don't think that SS and Medicaid are in the regular budget, allegedly they have their own income streams)

That leaves us overspending by $500 (and we wouldn't be in debt if we weren't overspending)

Now the republicans want to cut spending, so if we were to cut spending by say, $800

that would leave us with $300 dollars that's not getting spent, in effect it's helping to bring down the deficit. 
Why do we absolutely have to raise taxes? Why not encourage businesses and people with extra cash to invest in the economy?
And what about the money that some agencies don't spend? Why isn't that money put back into the pot and their budget lowered to be a realistic one?
Just wondering.

Something else, I'm really wondering.
Are the publishers and editors at Newsweek really so lacking in taste they they had to run a "Diana at 50" cover and story?
Is there nothing else newsworthy enough to focus on?
When did Newsweek turn into the National Enquirer? 

Not So Average Joe

I have read many of the books out there that propose to help you discover your calling, God's plan, where you life should go, you know the ones I mean.
They are all good books, but somehow they fall short in readability (if that's a word).
"Average Joe" by Troy Meeder is not one of those books.
Written to us average joes out there, Meeder hits a resonance that I have found lacking in other books.
Meeder hits the message over and over, without being tedious, that average, ordinary guys matter as much as the more 'important' guys among us.
Meeder recognizes the men throughout his life that made the difference in the moment and ties it together with biblical examples.
I read this book in two days and plan on keeping it close by for frequent re-readings.
I rarely give a book an unequivocal 'yes' when reviewing, but I cannot be more enthusiastic in recommending it for every "Average Joe" out there.
"Average Joe" was provided to me free of charge by Waterbrook Multnomah for an impartial review.

Book List

I've just finished reading two books, and those will probably be the last fiction novels I read for a while, at last until I get settled in with my 4 classes at PSC. I am reading "Average Joe" at the moment and will have a review of it over the weekend.

So here goes:

River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters

I have to admit that I really like the Amelia Peabody series. It's a guilty pleasure, and one that I have a hard time resisting. The description of Egypt in the late 1800's and early 1900's is fascinating and Peters does an exquisite job with her characters.
A definite must-read and you should also pick up the other titles in the series.

Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy and Grant Blackwood

It's been a number of years since the last novel set in the Jack Ryan sphere of influence by Clancy.
He brings back all of the old characters from previous novels, excepting those dead from old age and the like.
While not one of his best, I did enjoy it and would while not a must-read, if you're a Clancy fan, don't miss it.

Update on Midterm

Came in with a 95.7 - could have used those other 4.3 points.
My grades right now for both of my classes are above 97%.

My other two classes begin next week. I am so happy to be taking Philosophy.

Looking toward the midterm in Intro to Criminal Justice next week and then finals in both classes.

Working on my research papers for both classes also.

My title for Criminal Justice is It's 9/11 - Do You Know Where Your Civil Rights Are?

Still working on a title for Info Security.

School

I've just finished the first mid-term test that I've had to take in over 30 years.
Yes, I am that old.
It was my Principles of Information Security test and next week I have my Intro to Criminal Justice test coming up.
I feel pretty confident so far.
Later this month I start my other 2 classes for this term - Philosophy and Algebra, both of which I could do without.
These are my first steps on the way to an AS degree in IT Security.

However, my less that dedicated approach to school 30 years ago has thrown me another curve. New guidelines have been enacted and I have to write an appeal to have my Pell Grant be usable at Pensacola State. I have to show mitigating circumstances as to my not completing classes when I was 18.
I don't remember being 18!

Anyway, I will appreciate prayers and thoughts as I attempt to persuade the appeals board to allow me to use the Pell money I have available to continue my education. Failing their approval, I am back at the starting point. 

Book Review - Sir Quinlan

Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor by Chuck Black is an excellent book for both the young reader and the old.
At first I was afraid that since this was book #5 I wouldn't have any idea what was going on, but my fears were laid to rest, this is a worthy stand-alone novel.
Sir Quinlan grows into his role as our hero and along the way leaves behind childhood and the would-be heroes of his life.
Overcoming mistakes and forgiveness are lessons learned along the way and the very straight-forward parallels drawn between our King and His Son and those of the book are very hard to miss.
I heartily recommend this book and will be reading the first four books as soonas possible.
And as soon as my children are old enough to read this level book, I am going to make sure they start this series.
I was provided this book by WaterbrookMultnomah free of charge, under no obligation than to provide a review of the book, either positve or negative.

UWF Argos National Champs

On Saturday, the men's baseball team from the University of West Florida won the NCAA Division II National Championship.
The Argos completed the tournament undefeated, beating Winona College 12-2 to bring the Argos season record to 52-9.

I remember the national championships that our softball team won and know that those guys and coaches are on top of the world.

Congrats to the players, coaches, and staff of the baseball team.

Books

Here's some of what I've read lately.
Starting off with the doomsday 4.


One Second After by William Forstchen - think "Alas Babylon" but about 1000 times more real. It makes you want to stock up and move to the hills.


The "Moon Crash" trilogy by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Life as We Knew It
The Dead and the Gone
This World We Live In
An asteroid hits the moon and changes the orbit closer to earth. Almost everyone dies... but not quite. No zombies or anything like that.


The Last Days of Krypton by Kevin J. Anderson - an exploration of Krypton's past, with Jor-El and General Zod. Culminates with the spaceship launch of Kal-El to Earth.

Hidden Empire: The Saga of Seven Suns by Kevin J. Anderson - This was book 1 of the series, I may not finish this one.

Bleak History by John Shirley - an odd book, but a fairly good read.

The next three are by John Scalzi
Old Man's War
The Ghost Brigades
The Last Colony

Old Man's War will remind you a lot of Heinlein's "Starship Troopers" and somewhat of "The Forever War" by Haldeman. All three are excellent reads.

The Accidental Hero by Matt Myklusch - previously published as Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation. An adequate read, not sure if I'll continue on.

Things I've Learned From Country Music

While taking Kayla to school we listen to country - she loves it, I'm glad for her.
I've learned a few things while listening to it however.

1. We all bleed red - a great statement of the obvious
2. Lover, you don't do me no good no more - to be a country writer you needn't have passed an english class
3. There's at least one guy out there that can't do much of anything, but he can drink beer
and lastly...
4. tequila makes some woman's clothes fall off

Book Review - The Ale Boy's Feast

Book 4 (the White Strand) of the Auralia Thread series is brilliantly written by Jeffrey Overstreet and a satisfying read.
The depth and breadth of the world that's been created approaches those created by more well known writers.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be reading the first three novels soon.

I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group in return for publishing a review (good or bad) on the book.

Barbie Fashionistas

I saw these advertised on Nicklodeon the other day.
It seems that instead of buying clothes for the Barbie, you buy a new noggin instead.
?!?
And this is supposed to help little girls figure out what?
If you don't like the way your head looks, cut it off?
I can see the defense down the road - "Your honor, my client is not guilty due to being mislead into thinking you can change a head out for a new one by her Barbie Fashionistas doll."

Books

Superman: Last Son - Geoff Johns, Richard Donner & Adam Kubert
Good story and great art from Kubert. Donner's involvement provides a look at "what-if" he had gotten to continue his vision of Superman

All Star Superman, Vol. 1 - Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely
Morrison is an excellent writer and I love Quitely's artwork. I'm a believer.

A Wizard Abroad
The Wizards Dilemma - Diane Duane
A Wizard Alone
Wizard's Holiday
These are books 4-7 of the Young Wizards series by Duane. I had gotten the first three way back when I was the member of a book club. They provide a different view of wizardry from the Harry Potter perspective, which is very enjoyable.

The Brave and the Bold (Star Trek) Book 1&2 - Keith R. A. DeCandido
Not exactly a bold new vision of the ST universe in my opinion. The characters were not as compelling as when used in other ST novels.

On Writing - Stephen King
For new and even older writers this is an excellent read, providing information, inspiration and an old kick in the seat of the pants. King is one of my favorite writers and this book doesn't disappoint. Non-writers will enjoy his insight into the process of writing.

The Grace of God - Andy Stanley
Stanley explores the concept and quality of grace from the Old Testament through the New Testament. Grace is a hard one to wrap my mind around recently, and so I'm sure I will be re-reading this one again.

The Lost Hero - Rick Riordan
Book One of The Heroes of Olympus series. We get introduced Jason, Piper and Leo, who are new members of Camp Half-blood. Old characters from Percy Jackson are there and we're off on a new adventure. Action intensive, just like the Percy Jackson books, giving a new look at old "gods" from both Greece and Rome. A good read.

Book(s)

Airborn, Skybreaker and Starclimber

by Kenneth Oppel

I picked up Airborn when I took the kids to the library for the first time. I wasn't quite sure what I had selected, but I figured it couldn't hurt to give it a go.
May pages and hours later, I was very glad that I had picked up this book. In fact, I mad a quick trip back to the library to pick up the sequels.
Oppel has crafted a trio of exquisitely written books. The characters come to life through the dialogue. 
Character dialogue is one of the things that makes or breaks a book for me and these three were most definitely "made."
You can find them in the Youth section, but they should be required reading for all ages.
I am looking forward to reading more from Mr. Oppel. 
Synopses of the books are below.
Enjoy them at your own risk... of having a good time and lost hours of sleep.

Airborn
Winner of the 2004 Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Literature!!
Spyglass to my eye, I slowly swept the heavens....
Matt Cruse is the 15-year-old cabin boy aboard the Aurora, the 900-foot luxury airship he has called home for the past two years. While crossing the Pacificus, Matt fearlessly rescues the unconscious pilot of a crippled hot air balloon. Before he dies, the balloonist tells him about the fantastic, impossible creatures he has seen flying through the clouds. Matt dismisses the story as the ravings of a dying man, but when Kate de Vries arrives on the Aurora a year later, determined to prove the story is true, Matt finds himself caught up in her quest. Then one night, over the middle of the ocean, deadly air pirates board the Aurora. Far from any hope of rescue, Kate and Matt are flung into adventures beyond all imagining. . .

• A 2005 Michael L Printz Honor Book (ALA)
• Winner of the 2005 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award
• Winner of the 2004 Red Maple Award (OLA)

The Sequel to Airborn...
At 20,000 feet drifts a legendary ghostship...
The Control Car of the giant airship is almost entirely encased in ice, the ship’s name barely visible on her tattered skin: Hyperion. Matt Cruse can’t believe his eyes. Can this really be the legendary lost craft, now a frozen mausoleum to a ghostly crew and a vast treasure? At 20,000 feet, aboard a decrepit training ship, Matt is almost unconscious from the high altitude, but of all the oxygen-starved crew, he alone remembers the Hyperion’s coordinates.
Back in Paris, it suddenly seems that everyone is after those coordinates. Kate de Vries, Matt’s rich, young lady friend, has her reasons. But what about the handsome captain, who’s going to pilot them back to the Hyperion? Or the mysterious gypsy girl, whose past is inextricably linked to Matt’s?
In an adventure that will test his courage, his skill, and his heart, Matt is about to take off on the ride of his life.

The sequel to Airborn & Skybreaker...
At long last, Matt Cruse is at the helm.
Though it’s only a summer job piloting a humble aerocrane, he’s thrilled to be a small part of something big. With every load, he’s helping to build the Celestial Tower, Paris’s extraordinary gateway to outer space. But Matt’s idyllic summer is short-lived. He narrowly survives a deadly attack by the fanatical Babelites, who are opposed to humans reaching the heavens. Worse still, his nights spent stargazing with Kate de Vries must end when she’s summoned back to Lionsgate City by her parents. It’s time she began to think about getting married.
But then a chance of a lifetime boosts Matt’s hopes of being airborne once more. Canada wants to reach space first, and the Canadian Minister of Air has asked Kate to join the first expedition as an expert on aerial zoology. There’s a place for Matt, too—if he can pass the grueling tests to become one of the world’s first astralnauts on board the incredible ship Starclimber.
It’s a race to the very top, and Matt is determined to be a part of the adventure. But can he outlast his competition? And if he is chosen to join the crew, will they ever return to Earth?

Forgiveness & Regret

I am thankful that my God forgives all and forgets all when He is asked for forgiveness.
Over the past year I have done much that required me to ask for forgiveness from my God and savior.
I have been a poor follower of Christ as well as a poor husband and father.
In August, God finally put His foot down and made me face up to my sin.
It was hard, being made to face front and have to confess my sin to both God and my family.
Now it is a great comfort to know that He both forgave me and forgot the sin.
I have tried hard to earn the forgiveness of my wife and my family.
I hope that I have earned it.
God knows that I try every day to be a better husband and father than the day before. I don't always meet the mark, but I am trying.

Eventually, I have to be able to forgive myself and try to leave the regret behind.
That's not so easily done.
Forgiveness of myself aside, regret is a near constant companion. We are bitter soulmates and it stabs me deeply every time I see my son struggle with his problems, hear my daughters ask why they can't do this or get that, and especially when I see my beautiful wife attempt to deal with her medical issues while working so hard at the day-to-day family things.

Those are the tmes that regret is like being forced to your knees, a tire shoved over your shoulders, being doused with gasoline and set on fire.
You want to scream why and look at who is doing this to you, only to see yourself holding the gas can and the match.

God is great, and I am thankful.