Review - Eye of the Needle - 7/10

Eye of the Needle

This the second book I read from Ken Follet.   I really enjoyed his book Hornet Flight finishing the book I went back and read the review and a lot of the reviews said that "Hornet Flight" was no where near as good as "Eye of the Needle".  I must say after having read both books, I like "Hornet Flight" more.

This book is about a German spy who surveys the U.S. plans in Britain to raid the German front.  The Brit's learn this man has pictures of the U.S. formation and is going to send them to Germany and the chase is on.  Much of the book is about his ruthless attempt to escape Britain.

I guess, that is why I was turned off by this book.  The main character of the book is the bad guy.  By circumstance he tries to leave Britain by boat in the middle of one of the worst storms in history and ends up washed a shore, ironically named Storm Island.  The small island has three residence: a self loathing  veteran who lost his legs, his unfaithful wife who sleeps with the enemy with a couple nights of meeting him and old sheep herdsman who does not factor much in the book and get killed off.

The book is suspenseful and well written but I just did not like any of the characters.  There was really no one to root for.

Lost - Every Man for Himself

You can see a synopsis of the episode here.

• So what's up with Demon?  He made a lightning rod exactly where lightning was going to strike.
• The others have a Submarine?!
• I agree with Mac.  They sure have a lot trust in Jack.  Didn't he just try and escape?
• Stay tuned for a Ben and Jack confrontation.

Review - Mariel of Redwall - 8/10

Mariel of Redwall (Redwall, Book 4)

 

Oh to be a kid again.

In the continuing children's series about a clan of noble mice and other peaceful creature who live in a fortress called Redwall introduces to a heroine named Mariel.

Mariel is a brave and brash younger mouse maid who was thrown off the ship if the evil rat Gabool and left for dead.  Meanwhile her father remains imprisoned by the same rats.

Mariel washes ashore in Mossflower country and is taken in by the Redwall creatures.  She vows to kill Gabool and rescue her father.  It is at this point the story really begins when herself and some of her new friends from Redwall begin the journey to save her father.

I say at this point because because it was some what of a slow start for this story but other than that this book a pleasing read and I enjoyed it as much I did the first three stories.

Lost - Further Instructions

You can check out a synopsis here

 

• So when Hurly saw Desmond, was he hallucinating?
• How did Desmond foresee the future?
• One thing I noticed from this episode was that there was a greater power helping Locke.  It reminded me of Narnia where the Lion is often in the background helping but not being seen.
• Was that police officer part of Dharma?
• Looks like Locke is getting his Mo-Jo back.

City of God - Book III

City of God

 

AS IN THE FOREGOING BOOK AUGUSTINE HAS PROVED REGARDING MORAL AND SPIRITUAL CALAMITIES, SO IN THIS BOOK HE PROVES REGARDING EXTERNAL AND BODILY DISASTERS, THAT SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE CITY THE ROMANS HAVE BEEN CONTINUALLY SUBJECT TO THEM; AND THAT EVEN WHEN THE FALSE GODS WERE WORSHIPPED WITHOUT A RIVAL, BEFORE THE ADVENT OF CHRIST, THEY AFFORDED NO RELIEF FROM SUCH CALAMITIES.

 

In this book Augustine continues his point from the previous book considering the Roman gods.  In this book Augustine ask a series of questions regarding the respone of the gods during the many tagic events that occured before the times of the Christians.  Where were these gods during the times of famine, pestilense, riots, military defeats, fires, desolations, plagues, infections, deseases, deaths caused by weather, and violance amungst the nobles?

Again, if all these tragedies before the Christians even existed how could they be attributed to them now?

Lost - The Glass Ballerina

You can see a summary of this episode here.

 

• In Mac's summary, he was convinced the Sun did indeed consummate her relationship with Jae, but I am not so sure.  When they show them in bed my impression was they were just getting ready to start but she stopped it at that point.
• Sayid has officially transformed himself into Ramo.
• Jin is next on the transformation list.
•  I just realized that the most of the men who have survived the crash have had some sort of fighting experience.
• Echo was a drug lord.
• Jin was a henchman
• Sayid was in the military and specialized in torture.
• The facts are still out on Jack but I think he is a closet fighter of some sort.
• The same is true with Sawyer.  The way he handled himself with the Others is pretty good indication that he is experienced.
• What about John Locke?
• Definitely not Charlie or Hugo.

Review - Hood - 9/10

Steven R. Lawhead starts his new trilogy based on the legendary stories of Robin Hood.  There is twist thrown in this trilogy and that is that this Robin hood is not based on the old and tired Robin Hood of the Sherwood Forest. No, this Robin Hood story takes place a few hundred years earlier during the time of the conquest of Normans.

Bran ap Brychanis is the son of a king of a small province in Whales and he and his kingly father do not get along at all.  As a matter of fact the story starts out with the father berating his son for his usual lack of promptness.

When Bran's father is brutally murdered by the Normans while he was on his way to pay tribute to them, Bran is forced to flee his land and escape the Normans who are pursuing him.  He narrowly escapes with his life and ends up collapsing from is severe flesh wounds and starvation in a mysterious forest.

A strange elderly woman stumbles across Bran's body and she decides to nurse him back to health.  It is the introduction of this odd relationship between Bran and this elderly lady in which Bran transforms himself into Hood.  This woman is some sort of wise sage who councils and at times argues with Bran and convinces him to defend his kingdom.  She sort of reminds me of Yoda.

This book is great read and is up to level of Lawhead's other books.  My only complaint is at the end the story just stops leaving a lot of questions unanswered.  But that is small potatoes.

Review - Double Play - 9/10

Robert Parker, who is one of my favorite authors, starts a new story line with the character Burke; and to be honest, this is the first book by Parker outside of the Spenser series that I really enjoyed as much as Spenser.  Burke is a despondent war veteran of the Second World War who was sent home when he was struck by enemy fire and critically injured.  When he gets home, he also learns that his wife has left him.  Through a series of events, he ends up protecting Jackie Robinson (the first African American to play in baseball in The Majors).

For of us who never really experienced racism, Parker really paints a powerful picture of the reality of the despicable attitudes that existed towards people of color during that time.

At the same time Parker tells the story of how Burke's relationship with Robinson lifts him out of his fog and show him to care about life again.

Very thought provoking while at the same time enjoyable novel to read.

Lost - Tale of Two Cities

Summery of this episode can be seen here.  It was a good start to the season.

• In my opinion Metthew Fox delivers his finest performance.  An incredibly intense, moving, psycotic performance.
• Sawyer's first nick name of the year..."Chachi".  I believe that is Fonzy's cousin from "Happy Days".
• Another shower for Kate...no comment :)
• So the others know all about the crash survivors.  How did they get that information.
• Are the others still part of Dharma?

Review - The Last Kingdom - 6/10

As far as historical novels go, this book, to me, was mediocre at best.  It is a shame to because a summary of the plot would seem to make this book an interesting read but alas it was just okay.

I had not read any of this author's (Bernard Cornell) book before so maybe this was a hindrance for me to get into the story but I just could not get myself interested, especially in the main character.

Uhtred is a just a boy when his father and his army are attacked by the pagan Danes.  His father is brutally killed and he is captured and made a slave.  He spends many years there as slave and while he is there he learns to fight like a warrior.  His fortunes change and soon he ends up back with the English.

The boy never really misses his father and seems to enjoy fighting almost too much.  It seems the character isn't driven by anything because it is just, it is what ever side he happens to on at the time that is who is going to fight for and win because he loves the battle.

As a matter of fact, the boy turns into a man and gets married but there is scant reference to her yet the last battle he fights in is because he wants to be with her.  He has son also?  Ultimately the book ends before they are reunited although it appears that he was off to see her when the book ends.