Capital Crimes by Jonathan & Faye Kellerman
Category: Crime Short Fiction Grade: C+
I really wish these two would stop this. The Kellermans are a husband and wife team who write mysteries separately and together. Separately, their books are great. Her's feature Rina and Peter Decker - she's a lifelong Orthodox Jew and he's an LAPD detective who, as a young adult, learned he had been adopted from an Orthodox family and is trying to reset his roots. Jonathan's books feature Alex Delaware, a psychologist who works with the LAPD. Their books are almost always enjoyable - fast paced, interestingly plotted, great character development.
This is the second time they've tried to write a book together and it hasn't really worked either time. The problem isn't, I don't think, that they can't work together. Rather, the problem is that, both times, they've tried to write two novellas instead of one novel. They write pretty low density work -- lots of dialog; short paragraphs. In addition, with both of them, character development is always at least as important as plot progression. They haven't given up either low density or characters in the new book (Decker and Delaware even make appearances). Unfortunately, what suffers is the plot progression. They don't seem to have adjusted their plotting to the shorter format. They start with interesting stories and then spend a lot of time letting us get to know the detectives involved and a few of the key characters. The problem is they get lost in this. Its like, in each of the novellas, they got about 125 pages in and realized that, unlike their novels, they were almost out of space! In both stories, they drop an artificial and abrupt solution on the crime. In both cases, the murderer turns out to be someone we didn't get to know at all.
I'll keep reading their individual novels and I'll probably even keeping trying their short format work to see if they get it right. I just wish they'd try collaborating on a full length novel - I think it could be good. This book isn't.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Accelerando
Accelerando by Charles Stross
Category: SciFi Grade: B
This is the geekiest book I've read in years. It's part of sub-genre of SciFi called CyberPunk - an arena that was kicked off by incredible book years ago called Neuromancer by William Gibson. The key element to the genre is so-called "augmented" humans - people who have been enhanced with computer technology to improve their ability to remember, think and communicated (hence the "cyber"). The entire book is in geek-speak. E.g. early in the book, instead of eating breakfast, the main character "mechanically assimilates a bowl of cornflakes". See what I mean?
So bottom line -- I can't imagine there's more than one or two of you out there reading this who will put up with this for more than a few pages. And its kind of a shame because its not a half bad book. If you've been following this blog for a while, you might remember me talking about a book called The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil. That was a non-fiction speculation about the convergence of various technologies in the coming century that would increasingly blur the lines between "natural" and artificial intelligence. Its fascinating and scary stuff and will pit our grandchildren and their children up against decisions about what constitutes human.
Accelerando is a fictional (and sometimes comical) treatment of the same subject. It's spans the first three or four centuries ahead of us. Fairly near term, the human race as invented the ability to add external improvements to their mental ability (not far fetched and not too far down the road). Once this starts, you quickly end up with two classes of humans - augmented and unaugmented. In almost any field, the augmented humans outperform their less capable brothers and sisters because they can think orders of magnitude faster. Of course, we're in to slippery slope territory here and, what comes with augmentation is the ability to back up, copy and continually enhance our "selves". It addresses issues like - what happens if I go star traveling and, while I'm gone, a copy of "me" runs in to debt or gets in to trouble. What's my responsibility when I get back?
You can see that the story is going to get very twisted. Between the complex story line and the geeky language, its very hard to follow but, in the end, worth it. I can't imagine any of you will read this and its a shame.
Category: SciFi Grade: B
This is the geekiest book I've read in years. It's part of sub-genre of SciFi called CyberPunk - an arena that was kicked off by incredible book years ago called Neuromancer by William Gibson. The key element to the genre is so-called "augmented" humans - people who have been enhanced with computer technology to improve their ability to remember, think and communicated (hence the "cyber"). The entire book is in geek-speak. E.g. early in the book, instead of eating breakfast, the main character "mechanically assimilates a bowl of cornflakes". See what I mean?
So bottom line -- I can't imagine there's more than one or two of you out there reading this who will put up with this for more than a few pages. And its kind of a shame because its not a half bad book. If you've been following this blog for a while, you might remember me talking about a book called The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil. That was a non-fiction speculation about the convergence of various technologies in the coming century that would increasingly blur the lines between "natural" and artificial intelligence. Its fascinating and scary stuff and will pit our grandchildren and their children up against decisions about what constitutes human.
Accelerando is a fictional (and sometimes comical) treatment of the same subject. It's spans the first three or four centuries ahead of us. Fairly near term, the human race as invented the ability to add external improvements to their mental ability (not far fetched and not too far down the road). Once this starts, you quickly end up with two classes of humans - augmented and unaugmented. In almost any field, the augmented humans outperform their less capable brothers and sisters because they can think orders of magnitude faster. Of course, we're in to slippery slope territory here and, what comes with augmentation is the ability to back up, copy and continually enhance our "selves". It addresses issues like - what happens if I go star traveling and, while I'm gone, a copy of "me" runs in to debt or gets in to trouble. What's my responsibility when I get back?
You can see that the story is going to get very twisted. Between the complex story line and the geeky language, its very hard to follow but, in the end, worth it. I can't imagine any of you will read this and its a shame.
Friday, April 06, 2007
TV - Planet Earth
Planet Earth on The Discover Channel
Category: Nature Documentary Grade: A+
I don't write about television shows much. That's really because most of the TV I watch is just junk. For the most part, I watch TV to be entertained, not educated. (Although, as an aside, if Sanjaya wins American Idol and Frankie wins The Apprentice, I'll probably give up on reality TV).
Once in a while, however, a show comes along that is so stunning that I've just got to tell people about it. Discovery's Planet Earth could easily be the most amazing TV show I've ever seen. I know what you're thinking -- what could be more boring than a "nature" show. Well, you're wrong. To make this series of eleven episodes, the crew used incredible, state of the art and beyond equipment including satellite imaging, gyro-stabilized cameras on helicopters and balloons, amazing long distance photographic equipment with everything filmed in high-definition. Most amazingly, the crew had vast amounts of patience sometimes sitting in barely tolerable conditions for weeks just to get a few seconds of video.
There are things in this series that, at least according to the narrator, have never been filmed before -- a snow leopard on the hunt, birds of paradise up close, a polar bear and her cubs as they break out of their hibernation cave. But even things that are familiar become mind-boggling in the detail that's shown. You really spend most of the hour with your mouth hanging open. Each episode focuses on a particular type of habitat. So far we've watched Deep Ocean, Mountains and Pole to Pole. Every time you think you've seen the ultimate, they throw something even better. These shows are likely to end up with their own section of our recorder permanently so we can watch them over and over.
One of the interesting things they've done - the shows are just over 45 minutes apiece. Each is then following by a brief "making of" documentary, also in HD. Seeing what the crew went through, the technology they had to use and exhilaration they felt when the "got the shot" is fascinating.
Two warnings about this series:
Category: Nature Documentary Grade: A+
I don't write about television shows much. That's really because most of the TV I watch is just junk. For the most part, I watch TV to be entertained, not educated. (Although, as an aside, if Sanjaya wins American Idol and Frankie wins The Apprentice, I'll probably give up on reality TV).
Once in a while, however, a show comes along that is so stunning that I've just got to tell people about it. Discovery's Planet Earth could easily be the most amazing TV show I've ever seen. I know what you're thinking -- what could be more boring than a "nature" show. Well, you're wrong. To make this series of eleven episodes, the crew used incredible, state of the art and beyond equipment including satellite imaging, gyro-stabilized cameras on helicopters and balloons, amazing long distance photographic equipment with everything filmed in high-definition. Most amazingly, the crew had vast amounts of patience sometimes sitting in barely tolerable conditions for weeks just to get a few seconds of video.
There are things in this series that, at least according to the narrator, have never been filmed before -- a snow leopard on the hunt, birds of paradise up close, a polar bear and her cubs as they break out of their hibernation cave. But even things that are familiar become mind-boggling in the detail that's shown. You really spend most of the hour with your mouth hanging open. Each episode focuses on a particular type of habitat. So far we've watched Deep Ocean, Mountains and Pole to Pole. Every time you think you've seen the ultimate, they throw something even better. These shows are likely to end up with their own section of our recorder permanently so we can watch them over and over.
One of the interesting things they've done - the shows are just over 45 minutes apiece. Each is then following by a brief "making of" documentary, also in HD. Seeing what the crew went through, the technology they had to use and exhilaration they felt when the "got the shot" is fascinating.
Two warnings about this series:
- They're probably not suitable for small children. This is raw nature programming so, while there's not a lot of gore, there's a lot of predators going after their prey. I hate for kids not to see this but, watch it first before you show it to them.
- If you don't already have high-def, I hesitate to recommend this. Its probably still gorgeous in standard-def, but this is the kind of programming that high-def was made for. You may find yourself heading to Best Buy to upgrade!
Infamous Scribblers
Infamous Scribblers by Eric Burns
Category: History Grade: B
With so much discussion today about the political leanings of the press, its helpful to realize that the concept of an unbiased press is really a pretty recent one. This book, whose subtitle is "The Founding Fathers and the Rowdy Beginnings of American Journalism", makes it pretty clear that, during the time of the Revolutionary War, impartial journalists were a breed that just didn't exist. It also makes clear that, in service to a cause, journalists of this period didn't care much about things like fairness, political correctness, independence or even, in many cases, truth.
Some of the worst offenders are some of the most well known names of the period. While Benjamin Franklin himself seems to have been opinionated but honest in his writings, his older brother and his grandson never let truth stand in the way of making a point. Among the worst, however, was Samuel Adams - one of the strongest of the Sons of Liberty and absolutely vitriolic in print. He went after his targets with a vengeance and, when he didn't have things to say that made them look bad, he just made things up.
Interestingly, one of the most venerated founding fathers was also one of the most underhanded when it came to using the press for political purposes. Thomas Jefferson not only secretly funded a republican newspaper, he gave the editor a no-show federal job to help make ends meet and then lied about his involvement, denying it until his death. He wasn't alone among the politicians of the day. Many of them, including Hamilton, Madison and even Adams, were prone to funneling information to the press and even directly writing for publication under pseudonyms. In public, Washington was just about the only one above the fray but, in his private correspondence, he was vocal about the press. In fact, the title of this book Infamous Scribblers came from a letter written by Washington.
The books reasonably well written and, if you like reading history about this period, I'd recommend it.
Category: History Grade: B
With so much discussion today about the political leanings of the press, its helpful to realize that the concept of an unbiased press is really a pretty recent one. This book, whose subtitle is "The Founding Fathers and the Rowdy Beginnings of American Journalism", makes it pretty clear that, during the time of the Revolutionary War, impartial journalists were a breed that just didn't exist. It also makes clear that, in service to a cause, journalists of this period didn't care much about things like fairness, political correctness, independence or even, in many cases, truth.
Some of the worst offenders are some of the most well known names of the period. While Benjamin Franklin himself seems to have been opinionated but honest in his writings, his older brother and his grandson never let truth stand in the way of making a point. Among the worst, however, was Samuel Adams - one of the strongest of the Sons of Liberty and absolutely vitriolic in print. He went after his targets with a vengeance and, when he didn't have things to say that made them look bad, he just made things up.
Interestingly, one of the most venerated founding fathers was also one of the most underhanded when it came to using the press for political purposes. Thomas Jefferson not only secretly funded a republican newspaper, he gave the editor a no-show federal job to help make ends meet and then lied about his involvement, denying it until his death. He wasn't alone among the politicians of the day. Many of them, including Hamilton, Madison and even Adams, were prone to funneling information to the press and even directly writing for publication under pseudonyms. In public, Washington was just about the only one above the fray but, in his private correspondence, he was vocal about the press. In fact, the title of this book Infamous Scribblers came from a letter written by Washington.
The books reasonably well written and, if you like reading history about this period, I'd recommend it.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Category: YA Novel Grade: B
Back to the Young Adult category. This is a very popular book right now and is in the process of being made in to a movie. Its a fairly simple story about a boy living in the back passageways of a railroad station who befriends a man named Melies, a real life film maker in the late 19th century who, supposedly, has become something of a hermit operating a toy shop in the railroad station. (Side note - Melies most famous image - one of the first to show the fantasy possibilities of film - was a segment of film where a rocket lands in the eye of the "man in the moon").
What Selznick has done is to produce a book that is half way between a novel and a graphic novel. The intimidating size of the book (almost two inches thick) doesn't affect the reading since almost two thirds of the pages contain hand draw pictures. The pictures are definitely cinematic -- they are sequential views of scenes that tie the text together. Interestingly, the pictures are part of the story, rather than illustrations of the story.
Without the pictures, this would have been a forgettable book. With the pictures it was interesting way to pass a couple of hours. Highly recommended for the 10-14 year old reader.
Category: YA Novel Grade: B
Back to the Young Adult category. This is a very popular book right now and is in the process of being made in to a movie. Its a fairly simple story about a boy living in the back passageways of a railroad station who befriends a man named Melies, a real life film maker in the late 19th century who, supposedly, has become something of a hermit operating a toy shop in the railroad station. (Side note - Melies most famous image - one of the first to show the fantasy possibilities of film - was a segment of film where a rocket lands in the eye of the "man in the moon").
What Selznick has done is to produce a book that is half way between a novel and a graphic novel. The intimidating size of the book (almost two inches thick) doesn't affect the reading since almost two thirds of the pages contain hand draw pictures. The pictures are definitely cinematic -- they are sequential views of scenes that tie the text together. Interestingly, the pictures are part of the story, rather than illustrations of the story.
Without the pictures, this would have been a forgettable book. With the pictures it was interesting way to pass a couple of hours. Highly recommended for the 10-14 year old reader.
Helen of Troy
Helen of Troy by Margaret George
Category: Biographical Novel Grade: B
Margaret George is, without a doubt, the best biographical novelist out there. Her books are typically huge - 800 page plus and really bring her subjects to life. She's done masterful jobs on Henry the VIII, Mary Queen of Scots, Cleopatra and, most recently, Mary Magdelen. Her research is impeccable and the books are all readable immersions in the life and times of her subject.
Her latest, though, is a little bit of an odd duck. Fortunately, Helen of Troy is as well written and, in many ways, as entertaining as her previous books. The problem (which she discusses herself in an author's note at the end) is that Helen of Troy is more a mythical, than a historical person. There's no strong evidence that these stories, portrayed so vividly in the Iliad and the Odyssey, actually happened. In addition, these stories, which George is retelling, contain a lot of material that relate to the interaction between the gods of the day and the mortals in the story. George faced the decision of whether to pitch this story as a complex story about people - Helen, Achilles, Odysseus, Menelaus, Paris and other's familiar to anybody who has studied the classics - or to more closely reflect Homer's world of active gods. George chose to fall somewhere in the middle, but Zeus, Aphrodite and all their cohorts do play a visible roll in the book. Ultimately, what you end up with is book that can't quite decide whether its a history or a fantasy. For this reason, I don't think this book measures up to her past efforts. However, if you enjoy reading about this period of time, and you can't bring yourself to tackle Homer, it's still a good book.
Category: Biographical Novel Grade: B
Margaret George is, without a doubt, the best biographical novelist out there. Her books are typically huge - 800 page plus and really bring her subjects to life. She's done masterful jobs on Henry the VIII, Mary Queen of Scots, Cleopatra and, most recently, Mary Magdelen. Her research is impeccable and the books are all readable immersions in the life and times of her subject.
Her latest, though, is a little bit of an odd duck. Fortunately, Helen of Troy is as well written and, in many ways, as entertaining as her previous books. The problem (which she discusses herself in an author's note at the end) is that Helen of Troy is more a mythical, than a historical person. There's no strong evidence that these stories, portrayed so vividly in the Iliad and the Odyssey, actually happened. In addition, these stories, which George is retelling, contain a lot of material that relate to the interaction between the gods of the day and the mortals in the story. George faced the decision of whether to pitch this story as a complex story about people - Helen, Achilles, Odysseus, Menelaus, Paris and other's familiar to anybody who has studied the classics - or to more closely reflect Homer's world of active gods. George chose to fall somewhere in the middle, but Zeus, Aphrodite and all their cohorts do play a visible roll in the book. Ultimately, what you end up with is book that can't quite decide whether its a history or a fantasy. For this reason, I don't think this book measures up to her past efforts. However, if you enjoy reading about this period of time, and you can't bring yourself to tackle Homer, it's still a good book.
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