Invasion

Ooooooooo! Doesn't that sound chilling! Nothing like a story filled with flesh-eating revenants (zombies), clockwork automata full of human tissue (robots), crashing airships (dirigibles), and a handsome British detective team cracking the case! In the spirit of my Sister Aurora (who is feverishly writing away on her new book), I chose the obscure, yet intriguing genre of Steampunk.

Perhaps, you're scratching your head over this one. One friend of mine gave me the most curious look when I mentioned my read this week. She's been pestering me for some time to read a really good vampire novel (I guess we'll just have to wait and see on that one!) and in the process I told her about Steampunk. Yes, Virginia, this really is a genre. Other than watching the dreadful movie Time Machine, this was my first encounter (Oh wait, I did catch that Castle episode as well!) with Steampunk.

So, this week I hunkered down and cracked open George Mann's The Affinity Bridge. I like the cover art, but after reading it, I kind of wish they'd gone with an automaton on the cover. The description of those little clockwork men is creepy! The author, George Mann, is the head of a major British SF/Fantasy publishing imprint. He's also done his share of editing in the past (keep this in mind as I move into my review). Mann has edited the Solaris Book of New Science Fiction anthology series. He's also written numerous other works of fiction and nonfiction. The Affinity Bridge was published in 2009, through A Tor Book. This novel is the first in the 'Newbury & Hobbes Investigation' series.


Plot and Setting: London, England, 1901-- There are two things plaguing the sanity of Londoners: ghastly revenants (zombies) stalking the streets at night, and the "glowing bobby" -- a ghostly policeman killing off wastrels down in Whitechapel. Early in the story, an airship crashes in a park and two obvious problems arise: the automaton pilot is missing and all the passengers have been tied to their seats. And how did a Dutch nobleman manage to be aboard this passenger ship? Newbury and Hobbes are on the case of the missing automaton, but does it coincide with the case of the "glowing bobby"? Will Bainbridge do more than just stand around and watch? Is there love blooming between the Avenger-esque couple? Who will win the Super Bowl? Oh . . . sorry . . . I got carried away with all the questioning.


Cast of Main Characters: The dashing Sir Maurice Newbury -- He works double duty as a special agent for the Crown, Her Majesty Queen Victoria, and as an anthropologic scientist at the local museum. Newbury is coming up on forty-years-of-age and has a wicked addiction to laudanum. The lovely Miss Veronica Hobbes -- She is hired on as Newbury's assistant at the museum, but takes on the role of crime fighter as well. Hobbes is in her early twenties and deals with a psychic sister living in the local asylum. Sir Charles Bainbridge -- The Chief Inspector at Scotland Yard and rather a lousy sidekick when it comes to deadly skirmishes. Last, but not least, the evil duo of scientist Pierre Villiers and airship entrepreneur Joseph Chapman.

The Skin Map

""He had a sensation of being told a secret he knew to be true, but which would be far, far easier--and much safer--to ignore; all the more so since he strongly suspected that acknowledging the truth meant his life would change utterly."

Kit Livingstone's great-grandfather has re-appeared with an unbelievable story--the ley lines throughout Britain are not merely the stuff of legends but truly are pathways to other worlds. So few people know how to use them, though, that doing so is fraught with danger.

But one explorer knew more than most. Because of his fear of being unable to find his way home, he developed an intricate code and tattooed his map onto his skin. But the map has since been lost and rival factions are in desperate competition to recover it. What none of them yet realize is that the skin map itself is not the prize at the end of this race . . . but merely the first goal of a vast and marvelous quest to regain Paradise.

Enter the ultimate treasure hunt--with a map made of skin, a playing field of alternate realities, and a prize that is the greatest mystery of all."

A promising tale of interdimensional voyaging disintegrates rapidly into a clunky and incoherent mess. Londoner Kit Livingstone and his unpleasant girlfriend, Wilhelmina, are separated and sent back to an alternate 17th-century England. There Kit's great-grandfather Cosimo reveals secretive time travelers are racing the evil Lord Archelaeus Burleigh to locate a map holding an earthshaking secret. Stranded when Cosimo vanishes into a portal, Kit falls in with the beautiful Lady Fayth while Wilhelmina struggles to survive on her own in Prague. Lawhead (The Endless Knot) has come up with plenty of clever concepts and colorful settings, but they can't compensate for thinly drawn, incompetent characters and the lack of a coherent story line.

Patton (The Generals)

"General George Patton was known for carrying pistols with ivory handles and for his intemperate manner, but it's his outspoken advocacy for tanks that carved his place in history, not only as a military pioneer, but as one of the most colorful and controversial American generals of the twentieth century.

Patton was impulsive, impatient, and would often disregard higher command when he felt his methods or tactics would achieve the desired result. He is remembered for his fierce determination and ability to lead soldiers. Unlike most generals, he wasn't content to stay behind enemy lines and watch the battle from afar. He developed a system that allowed him to be on the frontlines and maintain communication with his rear command post by means of pigeons and a group of runners.

His uncompromising will and character were the basis of his successful crusade across Western Europe during World War II, forever defining him as one of the most successful field commanders of any war."

As a man, however, he was haunted by personal demons of a combination of impulsiveness, reckless personal behavior, feelings of worthlessness and outright depression. Of course, everyone knows of the " slapping incidents". It was these types of incidents that would help torpedo Patton’s career. Gen. Eisenhower, who was friends with Patton throughout their careers, saved Patton on many instances, but Ike believed that the very qualities that made Patton fast and aggressive in battle also created a certain instability and volatility which were barely under control. But ultimately even Ike could not save Patton’s career. His repeated conflicts with the chain of command and in particular the political leadership, as well as his conflicts with his allied counterparts would often leave him playing lesser roles in the grand scheme of things. His greatest self inflected wounds came from his encounters with the media. His comments were what we would call today " politically incorrect". He was reassigned to a non-combat command and would die shortly afterwards from a car accident. His untimely death would lead to the legend of Gen. Patton.

There is no question of the contributions that Gen. Patton made in the areas of command presence, tactics, military professionalism, updating the cavalry idea, combined arms approach, the principle of speed, reduction of collateral damage, training, and leadership.

While many of us are familiar with the legend of Gen. Patton, this book gives new insight into Patton the man.

Angel Song

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Angels eagerly watch over Annie Fletcher''s every move. She just doesn''t know it yet.

When Annie Fletcher returns to Charleston to see her younger sister, Sarah, receive her master''s degree, she finds herself riding in the back of an ambulance, watching helplessly as Sarah fights for life. During the ride, Sarah appears to talk to someone who is not there, humming a melody Annie has never heard before.

Neighbor Ethan McKinney is there to lend a shoulder when Sarah unexpectedly dies. And as a carpenter, Ethan volunteers to help Annie get the Fletcher family home into shape for selling. Ethan''s presence is distracting, but what troubles Annie is her neighbor Tammy''s 12-year-old son. Keith has Down Syndrome and the guile to believe he can see and hear angels.

God begins to reveal Himself to Annie - both in her newfound friends and through heart-rending and clearly supernatural events. Annie discovers faith in God, finally experiencing the comfort that His angels really do surround us.

Fearless

I have enjoyed many Max Lucado books, but I have to admit I am not a Max Lucado die-hard fan. For me many of his books began to run together and sound the same. I say that to tell you how much I loved Fearless by Max Lucado. I could not put the book down. Fear is something I struggle with, you name it I am sure I had some fear over it.

God makes it clear that if we as Christians are going to live a life of faith, we need to trust and step out into the unknown. Unfortunately to do that you need to turn over your fears and allow God to work through you. Satan likes to prey on our fears while making things seem impossible, even to God. In this well written, powerful book Max tackles fears all of us struggle with. Several of the topics covered are:

Fear of not mattering.
Fear of disappointing God.
Fear of not protecting my kids.
Fear of violence.
Fear of death.
Fear that God may not be real.
Fear of coming out of my box.

One of my favorite quotes in the book is when Max is retelling the story of the disciples out in a boat in rocky seas. Through this bible story we are reminded God is always with us, but it is not always easy sailing. “Getting on board with Christ can mean getting soaked with Christ. Disciples can expect rough seas and stout winds.” Life may toss you around, but in the end you don’t go under. What a powerful image of the Christian walk!

Powerful stories and parables woven through out this book made the powerful God lessons dance off the page. This book is a book that offers encouragement, healing, and strength in dealing with the cancer of fear. If you are living your Christian walk out of your comfort zone, this is the perfect book to have on your bookshelf to read yearly.

Same Kind of Different As Me

One weekend, out of curiosity, I cracked it open and couldn't put the book down. Within the pages of Same Kind of Different As Me, I found a compelling story about two men: Ron and Denver, the unlikely friendship formed between them, and God's redemptive story weaved throughout their shared lives.

The story of Same Kind of Different As Me is entirely nonfictional, which is the best kind worth telling. While it is a tale of deep pain and difficult circumstances, what is beautiful about the book is the element of nearly-unbelievable redemption.

A poor, black man who is bitter and penniless ends up graciously loving those who hate him and closing a few high-level art deaks, while a self-absorbed aristocrat ends up serving at a local homeless shelter and inviting the poor into his home. This simple story of friendship calls you to evaluate your life in light of the greatest love and compassion.

The synopsis of Same Kind of Different As Me is as follows (thanks to Amazon.com):

A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery.

An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel.

A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream.

A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it.

It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana . . . and an East Texas honky-tonk . . . and, without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda . . . an upscale New York gallery . . . a downtown dumpster . . . a Texas ranch.

Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, this true story also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love.


The book opens with the reader being immersed into the two parallel stories of two completely different men -- both from the South, both searching for meaning in different ways. Roughly every other chapter is narrated by one of the two men, and rightly so. It is after all, their story of friendship.

Ron is an affluent, Caucasian art dealer who makes it big, but his life begins to change when he and his wife start intentionally spending time with the poor. Eventually, their paths cross with an older black man who has lived as a sharecropper (a nice word for a modern-day slave), convict, and homeless vagrant; these various life experiences have deeply embittered him, especially towards white, rich people.

However, hate and prejudice are overcome by love and grace -- best exemplified by those are supporting the main characters. The story of Ron and Denver, rather, is really a story of humility, of learning that true friendship is birthed out of a healthy understanding of who one really is, warts and all.

Ron's moments of realization that are provoked by Denver's simple worldview are enough to convict the reader of over-analyzing simple things in life, like loving someone no matter what, learning to live within your means, and not getting too caught up in material possessions.

One of the best lines in Same Kind of Different is when the men are discussing fishing. Ron confesses that he's not much of a fisherman, but answers some of Denver's curious questions about "how white people fish." He's surprised to hear about a certain phenomenon in which white people do what's called "catch-and-release fishing." He can't believe that someone would actually throw back perfectly good food. He then uses this as an illustration to explain how if Ron is only looking for a "catch-and-release" friendship, then he better consider looking elsewhere. Through their shared experiences, the two men begin to see the world through the other person's eyes and are changed for the better because of it.

I can't say enough good things about Same Kind of Different As Me, but honestly, I don't want to ruin it. The narrative is told creatively - both in the voice of Ron's polished, educated tone and Denver's rough, illiterate vernacular (someone had to transcribe it for him). The end result is a fabulous work of nonfiction that strikes the reader with the beauty that comes out of difficult and painful situations and how God can redeem just about anything.

The awkward friendship between a white man and a black man that begins over coffee eventually evolves into the two sharing their lives with one another, even going on road trips together. It's a bit of a feel-good book, but I confess that I, at times, wept through this profoundly touching tale of friendship.

This is a must-read for anyone who loves a great story that challenges the reader to live more courageously.

Venom and Song: The Berinfell Prophecies Series - Book Two

Now in the strange realm of Allyra, the Seven young lords confront a traitor in their midst, a creature-infested forest, teenage fears and doubts, inexplicable mysteries . . . and the Spider King himself.

In a rigorous training program that makes boot camp look like Disneyland, the Seven must quickly learn to harness their own powers, work as one, and elude the Spider King's spies. But as the ancient Berinfell Prophecies are revealed, the Seven soon discover their training might not be enough. To stop the Spider King they must also unravel the secrets of the Rainsong, travel to a creepy, trap-infested fortress to find the legendary keystone, and lead the Berinfell Elves in an attack on the Spider King's own turf. An epic adventure with powerful messages about true strength, forgiveness, and working together as one body that will grab the attention of intermediate readers.

Venom and Song is an epic sequel to The Curse of The Spider King. This book follows seven teens as they struggle to live and love in their new world of elves. They train hard to be able to survive against the villain (the Spider King). Readers of any of Christopher Hopper’s or Wayne Thomas Batson will love this wonderful, epic novel.

A Guy's Guide To Life

What does society want of teen guys? To be independent, tough, and macho? To be a sensitive, caring metrosexual? To excel in school and sports and business? The challenges are many, and we haven't even mentioned the most important -- and most frightening -- topic of conversation: girls. The road to manhood is a perilous one.

Guys need a guidebook, one that asks and answers the questions they're reluctant to bring up. A book that addresses the myths of manhood with a straightforward approach teenage guys will appreciate and absorb. A book that understands what many fail to realize -- that somewhere between the awkwardness and braggadocio, the goofiness and the developing body, there is a real person struggling to make his mark on the world. A book like A Guy's Guide to Life: How to Become a Man in 208 Pages or Less.

This book really explained to me everything I needed and/or wanted to know about life. I went to camps during the summer and every one I went to all the guys in my group all wanted to read it wherever I went. Even the non-Christian ones. It helped me spread my faith in a way they could understand.

A Summer Secret by Kathleen Fuller

In the Mysteries of Middlefield series, readers will be immersed into exciting mysteries and authentic Amish culture.

With a twin brother and five younger brothers, Mary Beth Mullet's house is in constant chaos. Her parents don't seem to mind the noise, but she needs a break from all the pestering and babysitting.

It's the summer before eighth grade, and Mary Beth plans to escape to her secret place as much as possible. The old barn in the neighboring field is dangerous, and her parents have forbidden her to go there, but she escapes to it as often as she can.

Mary Beth soon discovers she is not alone in the barn. Someone is living there; someone who needs help. Can Mary Beth help the stranger without losing her secret place? And what if the barn is as dangerous as her parents say it is?

A Summer Secret was written about a young girl named Mary Beth who has a twin bother and five younger brothers. As most older sisters, she has her fair share of responsibilities, chores and babysitting.

It seems like a huge burden to carry but with finances a problem, everyone in Mary Beth’s family do their fair share of work. Mary Beth gets tired of the boys being disgusting and obnoxious, making messes, invading her private space and their constant irresponsibility.

Tired of all the nonsense, Mary Beth seeks to find a place of her own. A place for privacy where she can record in her journal and have some serenity. She decides to find a refuge in an old abandoned barn in a neighbouring field which her parents have declared off limits. But then again, she desperately needs a place to call her own. It will be her secret.

There is only one problem. She is not the only person who is claiming the barn as their own. Her secret has been discovered and now she may be in grave danger.

From a reader and an author’s point of view, I think the storyline does not progress fast enough for the reader to get excited with the book. I nearly put the book down after a few chapters, and the so-called mystery in the book, is not quite a mystery after all. It’s rather predictable for me, and I wouldn’t really suggest the book to young readers. It will make the targeted audience scream with dissatisfaction, as the book is rather preachy and too wordy. The characters are not quite dynamic, and it’s quite a bore.

I would definitely not recommend this book to young readers, but I think some parents would prefer their young teens to read this book as they’re trying to lock up their children from facing the harsh reality and the things that goes on in the outside world. This book makes me think of Rapunzel all locked up in the tower by the evil godmother. This book, somewhat justify the godmother’s action.

Lead Like Ike

"In Lead Like Ike, Geoff Loftus provides keen insights on management lessons that can be drawn from one of the greatest battlefields in military history. The lessons may appear simple, but it’s the simplest management principles that we often forget. Listen to your people. Set your vision. Be consistent about your message. Let your managers manage."

Dwight Eisenhower's leadership methods during the most daunting project in history, the D-Day Invasion, provide invaluable strategies for today's business person.

No modern CEO has ever led such a large organization-the immense Allied military forces of the U.S., Great Britain, and Canada-in the face of such crushing pressure to succeed. Lead Like Ike begins with Eisenhower reporting for work as the CEO of D-Day Inc., facing a ridiculously tight timeline, having to create an executive staff and company, and then managing D-Day Inc.'s early projects, the invasions of North Africa and Sicily.

By analyzing military operations as business operations, and the commanding general as CEO, Lead Like Ike finds management lessons for modern corporate executives, such as:

• Determining the mission
• Risk management
• Handling the board of directors: FDR, Churchill and the Combined Chiefs of Staff
• Building and leading an executive staff
• Creating the company: Making the Allied military into a single force that could fulfill its mission
• Understanding the competition and the market: Hitler and Occupied Europe
• Preserving his stakeholders: Eisenhower was loathe to waste his soldiers' lives on anything less than complete success.