Books

BR - Island of the Sequined Love Nun

Well all, this one is for my own damn ammusment, but if you choose to read, so be it.

I suppose along with my perfect year idea, and reading more books, I figured I should actually keep track of some of this junk that I read, good and bad - also to keep me from reading the same thing twice, especially if it ain't so hot...

The Island of the Sequened Love Nun - Christopher Moore

3.5 outta 5

I thought after reading Lamb this would be a better story, and towards the end it did get to be one, but a bit of a slow start. Player type of a guy gets himself plane wrecked (pilot) and then gets hired by some mystery folks on an island. Turns out they're harvesting organs and getting paid big bucks for it. Some randomness in the story to keep it interesting, but not so much to take it compltely off course. No notable quotes.

Was probably a bit long, didn't seem like it was all relevant to tell the story, but entertaining enough. Probably won't read it again, and may move Moore towards the bottom of the list of repeats.

On an unrelated note: This sure does make you wonder why the hell a book report in 10th grade needed to be five pages long. Either a book was good, or it wasn't. I didn't need to look into the deep cultural significance of why there was a transvestite with a talking bat, only that it added to the story and made it more enjoyable to read.

Damn those high school teachers for making reading work!

Book Report for Heinlein's - The Door Into Summer

Book Report for Heinlein's - The Door Into Summer

5 stars outta 5.

Ass backwards way of telling a time travel story, but done really well. Protagonist is double crossed by partner/fiance takes the "long sleep" into the future and then figures out how to get back at them.

Nothing too out of the ordinary as far as ideas go, but a real fast read, and pretty entertaining. No longer than it had to be, with some fun time travel foolery. Definitely not as politically charged as most of his other books, but some good banter the same.

Quotes:

"There wasn't any way to be safe; just being alive was deadly dangerous... fatal. In the end."

"Despite the crepehangers, romaticists, and anti-intellectuals, the world steadily grows better because the human mind, applying itself to the environment, makes it better."

B

Slapstick - Vonnegut

Slapstick - Vonnegut

3 outta 5

Still holding on to Vonnegut because of how over the top great Slaughterhouse Five, Breakfast of Champions, Timequake, and A Man Without A Country were. It was a pretty quick read and moderately interesting ideas, but nothing too terribly special.

Story about ugly twins who pretend to be dumb but are actually very smart when they put their heads together. Middle names unite the world for better and worse. World is going to hell in a handbasket and a bastard child reveals itself.

Probably wouldn't read it again, but it also doesn't turn me off Vonnegut. Even his worst is better than most.

BR - Short Stories

Cold Equations - Man, did this not end how I expected it to. Short quick read where I was legitimately concerned with what was going to happen. 4/5

Flowers for Algernon - Short story version. Nothing but the good stuff. Pretty depressing but a very interesting idea. Better to love and lost... 5/5

9 Billion Names of God - Ehhh. A little to philosophical without being philosophical enough. Oh well. 2/5

BR - Synthetic Men of Mars

4/5 Edgar Rich Burroughs,

Yet another swashbuckling tale on the high planes of Mars. John Carter's warrior friend and he head off to south mars to find the doctor to fix up Dejah. On the way they run into the synthetics who capture. Another brain transfer under way and falling in love for our hero. Of course, everything works out. Pretty good as always. A bit different - can't put my finger on it - EBR style, but pretty good none-the-less. A quick read. Would read again as part of the whole series.

BR - The Paradox of Choice - Barry Schwartz

3 outta 5.

This book was good for about the first 100 pages, but dragging it out to 330 was just too much. The short of it: We have so much choice that we end up f'ing ourselves up and being less happy for it, when we should really be happier. There's a few interesting studies, but it's more like he had to reach a certain amount of pages in order to qualify this as a real book. If it had been more consice it may have gotten 4 to 5 stars.

Takeaways - there are maximizers and satisficers. Maximizers over analyze everything and have tough times making decisions (sounds like someone I know). Satisficers set a minimum threshold for acceptance and as soon as those needs are met they buy/choose, whatever. Looks like I need to set criteria and then choose so I don't over analyze everything and then run into buyers remorse.

I don't know that I'd read again, but I may recommend to others, but not all.

BR - Old Man's War - John Scalzi

4.5 outta 5 - almost a perfect book. Premise, old folks are implanted into young souped up bodies for war. Great military sci-fi, fast read (3 sittings I think, maybe 4) and some fun ideas (skip drive from universe to universe). The problem is although they take old folks up, there's not really a need to, the premise of the book is glossed over, it's more of an excuse to right a book. That being said though it was quite good. Lots of aliens fighting eachother, good mix of seeing what different aliens might think of humans.

Would read again and recommend to those who like sci-fi/military sci-fi. Not quite as deep as Heinlein, but probably a bit more fun. I hear there's more in the series - I will definitely read.