Finished: The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan, 2010, 9780385736848.
A sequel to, and remake of, The Forest of Hands and Teeth. A major chick book with all sorts of loose ends to produce more chick books.
Teenage girl Gabry lives in a seaside town. On the other side of the wall is an abandoned amusement park from before "The Return". One night she and her pals go over the protective wall around her village and several kids are bitten by zombies.
Gabry escapes back over the wall but two others die and the rest are arrested. Those arrested are to be sent into the military. Gabry goes back over to find her missing would-be boyfriend. Boyfriend ends up being one of the one-in-a-million people with zombie immunity.
Gabry meets Other Guy on wrong side of wall. Bizarre love triangle ensues. Gabry finds her mother, Mary (the lead from Forest), actually adopted her after finding her in forest paths as child. Gabry, would-be-boyfriend, Other Guy, and would-be-boyfriend's sister flee arrest and capture by going into the forest paths. Love triangle continues in forest paths. Group is pursued by military types.
Ryan takes the formula from before and runs it again. Disaffected teen girl, zombies, young love, "which guy do I choose?" The most interesting part is at the end when Gabry and would-be-boyfriend discover a valley filled - FILLED - with zombies. The zombies shove back and forth as though an ocean of zombies.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Read: "Death in the A Shau Valley" by Larry Chambers
Read: Death in the A Shau Valley: L Company LRRPs in Vietnam, 1969-1970 by Larry Chambers, 1998, 0804115753.
I requested this after reading a recommendation online. A decent read but not much to it. Maybe I'll check out the more extensive histories that this book followed.
This is a curious book because it is mainly a bunch of leftovers. Chambers wrote a couple other books about LRRPs and collaborated with former unit members on more books. The stories in Death are the leftover, untold stories of Chambers and stories of the soldiers Chambers recruited for the Rangers during Chambers' last couple months in Vietnam.
Because of all that there is only about 160 pages worth of history by Chambers and history of different recon missions. There is an additional 50 page appendix of with excerpts from recon or Ranger manuals about how to operate, what to carry, how to patrol, etc. My eyes glazed over while reading the appendix.
Items of note to me:
1. Chambers had a couple real strong selling points when he was recruiting new members. (At least the points would have appealed to me.) Point one: the recruits would be joining a superior and skilled force rather than a run-of-the-mill line company. They therefore would be safer even though they would have a greater chance of contact. Point two: Ranger comraderie would also ensure survival and guarantee they would not be left behind.
2. Chambers has disdain for the cherries. Nothing new there, I've read that all the time in Vietnam memoirs. But, Chambers and others worked to ensure that new guys were trained and acclimated, not left to live or die.
3. I didn't know that a reaction force would be scrambled to land and help recon teams. I don't recall reading anything like that before for Vietnam. Stories about recon units on the run and fighting it out on their own are common but why the hell not have a reaction team?
4. Patrols would not travel far. Two kilometers over 4 days seems normal.
I requested this after reading a recommendation online. A decent read but not much to it. Maybe I'll check out the more extensive histories that this book followed.
This is a curious book because it is mainly a bunch of leftovers. Chambers wrote a couple other books about LRRPs and collaborated with former unit members on more books. The stories in Death are the leftover, untold stories of Chambers and stories of the soldiers Chambers recruited for the Rangers during Chambers' last couple months in Vietnam.
Because of all that there is only about 160 pages worth of history by Chambers and history of different recon missions. There is an additional 50 page appendix of with excerpts from recon or Ranger manuals about how to operate, what to carry, how to patrol, etc. My eyes glazed over while reading the appendix.
Items of note to me:
1. Chambers had a couple real strong selling points when he was recruiting new members. (At least the points would have appealed to me.) Point one: the recruits would be joining a superior and skilled force rather than a run-of-the-mill line company. They therefore would be safer even though they would have a greater chance of contact. Point two: Ranger comraderie would also ensure survival and guarantee they would not be left behind.
2. Chambers has disdain for the cherries. Nothing new there, I've read that all the time in Vietnam memoirs. But, Chambers and others worked to ensure that new guys were trained and acclimated, not left to live or die.
3. I didn't know that a reaction force would be scrambled to land and help recon teams. I don't recall reading anything like that before for Vietnam. Stories about recon units on the run and fighting it out on their own are common but why the hell not have a reaction team?
4. Patrols would not travel far. Two kilometers over 4 days seems normal.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Read: "The Big O" by Declan Burke
Read: The Big O by Declan Burke, 2007, 9780151014088.
This hit a best-of list so I reserved it. The book was good but not great. Karen does armed robbery for fun and money. Ray has quit his job as a kidnapper for a loanshark. Frank the surgeon wants his ex-wife kidnapped so he can steal the insurance provided ransom and avoid the insolvency of a lawsuit. Rossi is a slimy turd recently released from prison.
All the stories tie together through coincidence and action. The "Big O" refers to the muzzle of a gun. A good tale told through multiple perspectives. Burke did that multiple narration really well.
Also includes: half-dog and half-wolf who hates Rossi, Rossi's narcoleptic friend, Frank's ex-wife who ends up being orphan Ray's mother, a .44 auto in England?, single lady cop hot for Ray, love and infatuation between Ray and Karen.
This hit a best-of list so I reserved it. The book was good but not great. Karen does armed robbery for fun and money. Ray has quit his job as a kidnapper for a loanshark. Frank the surgeon wants his ex-wife kidnapped so he can steal the insurance provided ransom and avoid the insolvency of a lawsuit. Rossi is a slimy turd recently released from prison.
All the stories tie together through coincidence and action. The "Big O" refers to the muzzle of a gun. A good tale told through multiple perspectives. Burke did that multiple narration really well.
Also includes: half-dog and half-wolf who hates Rossi, Rossi's narcoleptic friend, Frank's ex-wife who ends up being orphan Ray's mother, a .44 auto in England?, single lady cop hot for Ray, love and infatuation between Ray and Karen.
Finished: "Iron River" by T. Jefferson Parker
Finished: Iron River by T. Jefferson Parker, 2010, 9780525951490.
I'm am absolutely sure that there are people who think this book sucks. That it is boring or poorly written or something else. They're wrong. Iron River is just as good as the previous two Hood novels.
There are several stories running through the novel but they all involve Hood.
Main story: Hood has been assigned to a task force with the ATF (okay, ATFE) in the deserts east of San Diego. Operation Blowdown is focused on stopping illegal gun buys and shipments into Mexico. Hood is only two days into the assignment when a shooting kills a Mexican drug czar's son at a U.S. restaurant. An ATF agent is kidnapped and taken into Mexico to be tortured and murdered in retaliation. Hood and other agents are sent into Mexico in a black operation to rescue the agent. They succeed. The agent is kidnapped a second time from his hospital by a group of 30 Zetas who shoot the place up. Hood and a Mexican cop drive in to Mexico to ransom the agent back from the Zetas. They succeed but Mexican cop is murdered.
Side stories: Hood's love life with doctor and mysterious woman. Mysterious hospital patient, Mike, who knows secret cop intelligence he should not and may or may not be a devil. Bradley Jones continues to walk both sides of the law. Young president of bankrupt Pace Arms who has designed a full-auto .32 pistol he is selling to a Mexican cartel boss.
Real story: Charlie Hood. Hood still likes the Bakersfield Sound and driving but does not take the long nighttime drives of before. Hood is driven by duty and law and loyalty to the agents he works with. Hood hopes for rescue of the kidnapped agent. Hood holds little hope for Bradley's keeping on the good side.
Comments:
1. Great use of desert setting by Parker.
2. Interesting take from the ATF side. The ATF has a horrible reputation among gun nuts but they have worthy goals. Not much time was spent with the ATF characters. EDIT: I spoke to an FFL holder a few weeks ago who talked about the difficulties of being a licensee: theft, burglary, ATF anal retentiveness (he did not check a box on a form and was grilled by several agents at their office), surprise inspections.
3. The "devil walking the earth" angle could have been a deal-breaker for the novel. I liked it though. Parker's handling of it was well done and the idea that Mike may just be a great liar and insane kept things going.
4. Hood carries a .22 for a back-up gun. Seems like a strange choice. But, what the hell do I care? It's a novel.
5. Great discussions on border issues and the brutality and violence of the cartels.
6. Gratuitious use of Los Straitjackets
I'm am absolutely sure that there are people who think this book sucks. That it is boring or poorly written or something else. They're wrong. Iron River is just as good as the previous two Hood novels.
There are several stories running through the novel but they all involve Hood.
Main story: Hood has been assigned to a task force with the ATF (okay, ATFE) in the deserts east of San Diego. Operation Blowdown is focused on stopping illegal gun buys and shipments into Mexico. Hood is only two days into the assignment when a shooting kills a Mexican drug czar's son at a U.S. restaurant. An ATF agent is kidnapped and taken into Mexico to be tortured and murdered in retaliation. Hood and other agents are sent into Mexico in a black operation to rescue the agent. They succeed. The agent is kidnapped a second time from his hospital by a group of 30 Zetas who shoot the place up. Hood and a Mexican cop drive in to Mexico to ransom the agent back from the Zetas. They succeed but Mexican cop is murdered.
Side stories: Hood's love life with doctor and mysterious woman. Mysterious hospital patient, Mike, who knows secret cop intelligence he should not and may or may not be a devil. Bradley Jones continues to walk both sides of the law. Young president of bankrupt Pace Arms who has designed a full-auto .32 pistol he is selling to a Mexican cartel boss.
Real story: Charlie Hood. Hood still likes the Bakersfield Sound and driving but does not take the long nighttime drives of before. Hood is driven by duty and law and loyalty to the agents he works with. Hood hopes for rescue of the kidnapped agent. Hood holds little hope for Bradley's keeping on the good side.
Comments:
1. Great use of desert setting by Parker.
2. Interesting take from the ATF side. The ATF has a horrible reputation among gun nuts but they have worthy goals. Not much time was spent with the ATF characters. EDIT: I spoke to an FFL holder a few weeks ago who talked about the difficulties of being a licensee: theft, burglary, ATF anal retentiveness (he did not check a box on a form and was grilled by several agents at their office), surprise inspections.
3. The "devil walking the earth" angle could have been a deal-breaker for the novel. I liked it though. Parker's handling of it was well done and the idea that Mike may just be a great liar and insane kept things going.
4. Hood carries a .22 for a back-up gun. Seems like a strange choice. But, what the hell do I care? It's a novel.
5. Great discussions on border issues and the brutality and violence of the cartels.
6. Gratuitious use of Los Straitjackets
Friday, March 5, 2010
Finished: American Patriot: the life and wars of Colonel Bud Day" by Robert Coram"
Finished: American Patriot: The Life and Wars of Colonel Bud Day by Robert Coram, 2007, 9780316758475.
I saw an interview with Day on the Pritzker Military Library's website.
Some reviewer wrote this is a hagiography. He's right. Day grew up poor in western Iowa, joined the Marines in WWII, the Army Reserve, the Air Force, graduated college on the GI bill and then law school in SD, married, adopted four kids, served around the country and world, got shot down in Vietnam, escaped while badly injured, was recaptured and then spent six years in North Vietnam prisons where he was beaten, beaten, beaten, and strung up, and beaten some more.
A very impressive guy who is thanked daily by complete strangers for his service.
Comments:
1. Issue of biography - especially when the subject is alive - about is it the author or the subject who is talking? Is the author distilling the subjects thoughts and ideas or is the author commenting on issues?
2. POWs and the different caste level within. Outside groups see a unified unit but there are fractures in most any group, even an elite one. I've heard before that inside the special operations community that the hard-core super-capable guys are (or at least were) called snake eaters. Everyone else would look at SEALs and Special Forces as one homogenous group. Same with the POWs. There were several POWs who collaborated with guards and/or accepted early release. They are the untouchable caste. Some other POWs would not follow orders.
Day followed up his time in Hanoi by writing lengthy - several years worth of reporting after all - evaluation reviews. If someone was refusing orders or working with guards Day recorded that and turned it in. Day is easily one of the strongest and toughest and dedicated resisters. I'd like to hear the views by other POWs on Day's standards. As such a hard-case I wonder if Day's standards for his men were achievable or realistic? I don't know but Day always seems like a fair guy.
3. I've liked several things about McCain as a person. Coram's stories of McCain's prison time highlight his faults and strengths. I never got around to reading McCain's autobio.
4. A lot of politics. Politics are important to Day, they are one of his passions. There are several questions that come up during Coram's tale of Day's fight to re-establish full medical benefits to military retirees. One issue that was not made clear: were all benefits cut or was policy changed to require retirees to visit the VA hospitals rather than base hospitals? There is a lot of vitriol aimed at Clinton, his personal affairs, and his policies. But, the benefits fight continued into Bush II's tenure and no criticism of Bush's administration about continuing the policy fight begun by Clinton.
5. Day is a staunch supporter of the GOP. But, Coram makes it clear that Day is no political hack. He opposes candidates he does not believe in and will criticize them where he sees fault. Day's hatred of Kerry is personal not political. Kerry's testimony in front of Congress over Viet and Day's captors repeating that testimony during POW torture sessions is seen as traitorous. Coram puts a lot, I mean a lot, of weight behind his theory that Day was the instigator and prevailing force in Kerry's loss.
6. Day loved Nixon. Nixon was a scoundrel with numerous faults but his Christmas bombing campaign (Linebacker II) forced the NV back to the table and freed the POWs.
7. I still think Ross Perot is a weirdo. I have great respect for his work on behalf of POWs and other people in the service.
8. Early release POWs and full-term POWs should not be put in the same room unless you want to watch one old guy try to beat or kill the other old guy.
I saw an interview with Day on the Pritzker Military Library's website.
Some reviewer wrote this is a hagiography. He's right. Day grew up poor in western Iowa, joined the Marines in WWII, the Army Reserve, the Air Force, graduated college on the GI bill and then law school in SD, married, adopted four kids, served around the country and world, got shot down in Vietnam, escaped while badly injured, was recaptured and then spent six years in North Vietnam prisons where he was beaten, beaten, beaten, and strung up, and beaten some more.
A very impressive guy who is thanked daily by complete strangers for his service.
Comments:
1. Issue of biography - especially when the subject is alive - about is it the author or the subject who is talking? Is the author distilling the subjects thoughts and ideas or is the author commenting on issues?
2. POWs and the different caste level within. Outside groups see a unified unit but there are fractures in most any group, even an elite one. I've heard before that inside the special operations community that the hard-core super-capable guys are (or at least were) called snake eaters. Everyone else would look at SEALs and Special Forces as one homogenous group. Same with the POWs. There were several POWs who collaborated with guards and/or accepted early release. They are the untouchable caste. Some other POWs would not follow orders.
Day followed up his time in Hanoi by writing lengthy - several years worth of reporting after all - evaluation reviews. If someone was refusing orders or working with guards Day recorded that and turned it in. Day is easily one of the strongest and toughest and dedicated resisters. I'd like to hear the views by other POWs on Day's standards. As such a hard-case I wonder if Day's standards for his men were achievable or realistic? I don't know but Day always seems like a fair guy.
3. I've liked several things about McCain as a person. Coram's stories of McCain's prison time highlight his faults and strengths. I never got around to reading McCain's autobio.
4. A lot of politics. Politics are important to Day, they are one of his passions. There are several questions that come up during Coram's tale of Day's fight to re-establish full medical benefits to military retirees. One issue that was not made clear: were all benefits cut or was policy changed to require retirees to visit the VA hospitals rather than base hospitals? There is a lot of vitriol aimed at Clinton, his personal affairs, and his policies. But, the benefits fight continued into Bush II's tenure and no criticism of Bush's administration about continuing the policy fight begun by Clinton.
5. Day is a staunch supporter of the GOP. But, Coram makes it clear that Day is no political hack. He opposes candidates he does not believe in and will criticize them where he sees fault. Day's hatred of Kerry is personal not political. Kerry's testimony in front of Congress over Viet and Day's captors repeating that testimony during POW torture sessions is seen as traitorous. Coram puts a lot, I mean a lot, of weight behind his theory that Day was the instigator and prevailing force in Kerry's loss.
6. Day loved Nixon. Nixon was a scoundrel with numerous faults but his Christmas bombing campaign (Linebacker II) forced the NV back to the table and freed the POWs.
7. I still think Ross Perot is a weirdo. I have great respect for his work on behalf of POWs and other people in the service.
8. Early release POWs and full-term POWs should not be put in the same room unless you want to watch one old guy try to beat or kill the other old guy.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Mostly Read: "Inside the Tattoo Circus" by Kristian Misser
Mostly Read: Inside the Tattoo Circus by Kristian Misser, 2009, 9780764331459.
Lots of great illustrations of different tattoos by a lot of different artists. Some of the artists have exceptional skill.
What most impresses me about this kind of artwork is that is no good way to fix a mistake. You can try and color over it but the ones I have seen that done to - very few to be sure - just don't look as good.
Misser is Danish and writes for European tattoo mags. He interviewed several different artists and all the photos are full color. I liked the nude ones the best. Pages 51, 43, 41, 38, 39, 191, 192.
Lots of great illustrations of different tattoos by a lot of different artists. Some of the artists have exceptional skill.
What most impresses me about this kind of artwork is that is no good way to fix a mistake. You can try and color over it but the ones I have seen that done to - very few to be sure - just don't look as good.
Misser is Danish and writes for European tattoo mags. He interviewed several different artists and all the photos are full color. I liked the nude ones the best. Pages 51, 43, 41, 38, 39, 191, 192.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Just Read: "My Life Among the Serial Killers" by Helen Morrison, MD
Just Read: My Life Among the Serial Killers: inside the minds of the world's most notorious murderers by Helen Morrison, MD, 2004, 0060524073.
An okay book. This was most interesting because of Morrison's view that serial killers are born and not made.
The popular theory is that serial killers are raised that way through brutal abuse and work their way from torturing animals to killing people. Morrison looks at things from a Freudian view and, according to her hours of conversation with these guys, the killers never progress past an infantile state of emotional development. They have no reasons to kill. Are unable to process a lot of things in live. Are unable to understand the illegality of their crimes.
I don't quite believe or agree with everything Morrison has to say but the book has some interesting ideas. She summarized her ideas at the end. I like that. They are:
-They do not have motives for their murders
-They have no personality structures and do not fit unto the usual theories of development espoused by people like Freud or Kohut.
-They are not psychopaths because psychopaths can have the ability to control what they do, think, and feel.
-They are not mentally retarded;most of them have an above-average intelligence.
-They are not psychologically complete human beings, even though they can mimic and play roles.
-They have not all been sexually abused, nor have they all been physically abused.
-They are addicted to killing and they cannot control their actions.
-Serial murder is not a phenomenon only of Western society. It happens around the world.
-Serial murder is not a new Phenomenon. It probably began with the most primitive of societies thousands of years ago.
One question of mine she does not ask is, "Why?" There must be a reason beyond experimentation. Do they enjoy what they see or hear? Touching the bodies? What?
An okay book. This was most interesting because of Morrison's view that serial killers are born and not made.
The popular theory is that serial killers are raised that way through brutal abuse and work their way from torturing animals to killing people. Morrison looks at things from a Freudian view and, according to her hours of conversation with these guys, the killers never progress past an infantile state of emotional development. They have no reasons to kill. Are unable to process a lot of things in live. Are unable to understand the illegality of their crimes.
I don't quite believe or agree with everything Morrison has to say but the book has some interesting ideas. She summarized her ideas at the end. I like that. They are:
-They do not have motives for their murders
-They have no personality structures and do not fit unto the usual theories of development espoused by people like Freud or Kohut.
-They are not psychopaths because psychopaths can have the ability to control what they do, think, and feel.
-They are not mentally retarded;most of them have an above-average intelligence.
-They are not psychologically complete human beings, even though they can mimic and play roles.
-They have not all been sexually abused, nor have they all been physically abused.
-They are addicted to killing and they cannot control their actions.
-Serial murder is not a phenomenon only of Western society. It happens around the world.
-Serial murder is not a new Phenomenon. It probably began with the most primitive of societies thousands of years ago.
One question of mine she does not ask is, "Why?" There must be a reason beyond experimentation. Do they enjoy what they see or hear? Touching the bodies? What?
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