Category: Branches Books

Ordinary Grace – William Kent Krueger – Not an Ordinary book – an extraordinary book!

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Ordinary Grace - William Kent Krueger

So while I have not posted much over the last few days, I have finished three books. Finished first was William Kent Krueger’s Ordinary Grace, which was closely followed up by The Forgotten Room from Lincoln Child. Then today, I finished The Toaster Oven Mocks Me by Steve Margolis.

Two novels and a personal memoir, all very good. In this post I will write about the first book Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. William Kent Krueger is the author of the Cork O’Connor series set in northern Minnesota. I am a big fan of those novels.

About Ordinary Grace

Ordinary Grace though is a stand-alone novel and much like Pretty Girls from Karin Slaughter, I put off reading it. If there’s one thing I’ve learned after reading these two great books it’s don’t avoid stand-alone novels from an author whose works you enjoy!

The mysteries that I read typically have somebody chasing a serial killer, or a criminal of some sort. That is not the case with Ordinary Grace. Ordinary Grace is a story about bad things happening to good people, and how they survive unbearable sorrow.

About Ordinary Grace

Set in New Bremen, Minnesota, it’s the story about the year 1961 when “death came to New Bremen in many forms. Accident. Nature. Suicide.Murder” and the effect of those deaths on the Drum family and the other residents of New Bremen.

The narrator of the story is thirteen year old Frankie Drum, the son of a Methodist minister. Frankie is the middle child, His older sister Ariel is an aspiring musician whose is planning to attention Julliard and his younger brother Jake, whose speech impediment stuttering makes his life a challenge. The two brothers face a myriad of challenges as they roam the streets and byways of New Bremen in the tumultuous year.

To say that this is a wonderful book is an understatement, I love the whole atmosphere of the book, Krueger’s descriptions of 1961 took me back to Beverly, New Jersey in those early 60s A small town  with a barber who I sold comic books to, a wonderful bakery and newspaper store – a town, well where most people knew you! I could go on and on about the wonderful characters but I’ll let some others tell you about the book..

“One cannot read Ordinary Grace without feeling as if it is destined to be hailed as a classic work of literature… one of those very rare books in which one regrets reaching its end, knowing that the experience of having read it for the first time will never be repeated. Krueger, who is incapable of writing badly, arguably has given us his masterpiece.”
—Joe Hartlaub, Bookreporter.com [read full review]

“Ordinary Grace is anything but ordinary; an absolutely beautiful book! The plot is suspenseful, yet so touching, and the setting and characters are so vivid that I will feel their impact for some time. It’s beautiful, thought-provoking and engrossing.”
—Kim from Frisco, TX, a Bookreporter.com Sneak Peek reader. Read more reviews by other Sneak Peek readers

“The novel explores faith, mysticism, and rationality in thoughtful, even-handed and open ways that lend itself to recollection and continuing reflection, regardless of readers’ experiences in those areas of life. The characters, and there are many, are carefully and consistently well-drawn. This is a novel of discovery and exploration, for the author and for readers. A well-done reading experience for anyone.”
—Carl Brookins, Agora2 [read full review]

and in the words of Dennis Lehane…

Pitch-perfect… I loved this book.”
—Dennis Lehane, author of Mystic River, Shutter Island, The Given Day

 

Here’s William Kent Krueger to tell you about Ordinary Grace in his own words….check it out – you won’t be disappointed!!

Links

William Kent Krueger Website

MPR News:Twin Cities author William Kent Krueger wins Edgar Award

Pretty Girls: Karin Slaughter – Her Ho. 1- Yes, Sir!

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Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

So it seems that I oftentimes avoid reading stand alone books written by authors whose series are among my favorites. This was the case with Karin Slaughter’s stand alone novel Pretty Girls, which was released in September of 2015.

However, when I saw that the Kindle Edition was on sale for $3.99 the other day, I thought now is the time! All I can say is Wow! What a fool I am!! And bring on William Kent Krueger‘s Ordinary Grace!

I guess one of the reasons that I avoid stand alone novels is that I’m afraid that they won’t measure up to the series that I love! In the case of Karin Slaughter that series is the Grant County/ Will Trent Atlanta series. Hmm, let’s see Pretty Girls not only measured up it may be the best book that Karin Slaughter has written, and at least one of my top favorites of her books.

The Story

The story revolves around two events. One the 1991 disappearance of the teen-aged Julia Carroll and the second is the murder of millionaire Paul the husband of Claire Carroll Juila’s sister. When Julia disappeared the Carroll family was torn apart Claire’s sister Lydia turned to drugs to ease the pain, While their parents marriage fell apart and their father eventually committed suicide. Claire forced Lydia out of her life after Lydia accused Paul of attempting to rape her!

After Paul’s death Claire discovers that her husband had a secret life that involved rape, snuff films and stalking women including her sister Lydia. Soon Claire asks Lydia to help her unravel all of Paul’s mysteries and the sisters are pulled into a very dark and dangerous world that may provide closure to their sister’s disappearance, but it may also cost them their lives!!

Praise for Pretty Girls

“Searing, searching, soulful: a major achievement…Every Karin Slaughter novel is a cause for celebration — but simply put, Pretty Girls is the finest novel of her career.” (Kathy Reichs, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Speaking in Bones)

“Unique in voice, brilliantly plotted…an uncompromising depiction of pure evil…Slaughter has managed the most difficult of feats–to tell a gripping, page turning

crime story…. Fiction doesn’t get any better than this.” (Jeffery Deaver, New York Times-bestselling author of Solitude Creek and The Skin Collector)

Final Thoughts

Read this Book!! Like the above authors said – it doesn’t get much better than Pretty Girls. I think that I read this book about as quickly as any book I have ever read! I literally couldn’t put it down or turn the pages fast enough!! Five Stars for Book 10 of 2016, which should have been read back in 2015!

Links

Author’s Website
Facebook
Save the Libraries
Amazon
Goodreads

About Karin Slaughter

Karin Slaughter (born January 6, 1971) is an American crime writer. She has written 25 novels, which have sold more than 40 million copies and have been published in 120 countries. Her first novel, Blindsighted (2001), was published in 27 language and made the Crime Writers’ Association’s Dagger Award shortlist for “Best Thriller Debut” of 2001. Wikipedia

Visit Karin Slaughter Page

 

Orphan X – Gregg Hurwitz – Book 9 of 2016

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Gregg Hurwitz – New Evan Smoak series is off to a great start with Orphan X ****

Gregg Hurwitz is one of those authors whose books I read sporadically and when I  do read one of his books, after I finish it I usually say “Can You Tell me Edward, why you don’t read every Hurwitz book when it comes out?? To which I answer simply no – which is better than omitting I am a fool!! So when I recently saw that Hurwitz had started a new series and the first book Orphan X would be released soon, I knew I’d be a fool again not to read it!! Having just finished it the other day – I can say I am thankful I am not an old fool and bring on book 2 of the Evan Smoak series!!

In Evan Smoak Gregg Hurwitz has created a fantastic new character Evan is a…..

…. man with skills, resources, and a personal mission to help those with nowhere else to turn. He’s also a man with a dangerous past. Chosen as a child, he was raised and trained as part of the off-the-books black box Orphan program, designed to create the perfect deniable intelligence assets—i.e. assassins. He was Orphan X……

But after many assassinations and other operations Evan broke with the program and went off the radar, when he was asked to kill another Orphan, Evan became that Nowhere Man helping those who can’t help themselves. In Orphan X, soon after saving a young girl and her sister  from an evil cop Evan attempts to  help another woman Katrin, who has a mob hit team out to eliminate her. Evan soon discovers that he, and not Katrin is the hit team’s target. He is now faced with the task of beating a hit team composed of operatives who are as good as he is!!

From then on the action is fast and furious and the pages flew by. Here’s what author Tess Gerritsen writes about the book……

“Orphan X is the most gripping, high-octane thriller I’ve read in a long, long time. Hang onto your seat because Gregg Hurwitz will take you on a dizzying ride you’ll not soon forget

The first book that I read by Gregg Hurwitz was The Kill Clause, which featured  U.S. Marshals Service operative Tim Rackley. That series was composed of four books of which I read the first two. I told you I sporadically read Hurwitz books. Actually, the third book in that series Troubleshooter has been on my TBR shelves forever!! The point is that these books were great and I was disappointed when the series ended even though I hadn’t  read all the books. It also may be a reason that I didn’t read any of Hurwitz’s stand alone books until 2007! Foolish me!

 Bottom line: I will not miss the next installment of the Evan Smoak series and you shouldn’t either! In addition, I promise to read more of Gregg Hurwitz’s stand alone novels, and maybe even go back and read those last two Tim Rackley novels and you should join me!!

Links for the Further Exploration of the Novels of Gregg Hurwitz

Author’s Website
Author’s Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Amazon

In this short video Gregg Hurwitz talks about writing Orphan X

The Death Relic – Chris Kuzneski

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The Death Relic by Chris Kuzneski helps me pleasantly procrastinate! 

So yesterday morning I was all set to write a nice post about how it was the first day that I had done my Kundalini, Weights and Band morning exercise routine in about a month. I was going to writing about how I made it through the routine with a minimal amount of coughing and even was able to end with a nice 15 minute meditation. Then I’d write how I was able to make a nice strawberry, blueberry, banana smoothie and sit down and read with no grandchildren to babysit! The reading part was what did me in The Death Relic  by Chris Kuzneski took over and wouldn’t let me breakaway. Even though the pages were flying by time was still marching on, and I was not writing!! I finished just before lunch and I still hadn’t written anything….I’d done some laundry and the dishes, but no writing!! Then it was afternoon and I rationalized that I shouldn’t really write about the morning now! Before I knew it, it was four o’clock and time to go pickup up Oliver at the sitters and take him to his mommy, who works in Cherry Hill.  Bottom line was that I had successfully put off writing all day and I continued to procrastinate all night until it was time to turn in. So while I am not going to write any more about the exercising or meditation from yesterday morning, I will tell you a little about The Death Relic.

The Death Relic (Book 8 of 2016) ****

The Death Relic is book seven in the Jonathan Payne and David Jones series from Chris Kuzneski and it’s a good one! Well all three of the ones that I’ve read so far a have been excellent!! I love the way that Kuzneski always blends history into his novels. In this adventure the reader learns a little about the Spanish conquistadors and the Mayan and Aztec civilizations. and is treated to a modern-day mystery!

The action starts when Maria Pelati an Italian archaeologist whose specialty is early Christianity is offer a job with a famous archaeologist who has made a recent find in Mexico. Soon after meeting her new employer Terence Hamilton he is kidnapped from the hotel where Maria is staying. When Maria returns to her room see finds that it has been vandalized and her passport has been stolen. Frightened and alone she turns to old friends Payne and Jones for help. Jonathan and David are soon on their way to rescue the fair Maria and if things go well maybe David can rekindle his hot romance with Maria!! But soon the question becomes who kidnapped Terrence and why?  Searching the back of Terrence’s car they find, various Mayan artifacts and a crate full of weapons, including AK-47s! Stuck between them is an envelope with a diary telling of the destruction of the Mayan’s world by  the Spanish!! But the question is how does it all tie together??

Bottom line: The Death Relic is a strong four-star book for me. I love the characters of Jonathan Payne and David Jones but of which are vividly drawn. Maria Pelati is a character who Payne and Jones have met before in the book The Sign of the Cross (Book #2 of the series) and many loose ends tied up from that book are wrapped up in The Death Relic. You don’t really need to read The Sign of the Cross to enjoy The Death Relic. I had read  the book, but it has been so many years since I had read it that I only have vague memories of the book, but Kuzneski does a good job of filling the reader in on what happened. Anyway, the book and the series comes highly recommended so – check it out!! As for me I have not yet read The Plantation book one in the series so yesterday I bought the e-book at Amazon for $4.99 – how could I pass it up!!

Author Lisa Gardner pretty much sums up the way I feel about Chris Kuzneski’s books….

“Chris Kuzneski has mastered the art of the quest novel, bringing to life lost treasures, exotic locales,and fresh conspiracies”

 

Signal – Patrick Lee’s Latest!

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Patrick Lee Author of Signal

Signal – Patrick Lee (Sam Dryden # 2) ****

Patrick Lee has a penchant for writing thrillers with a bit of science fiction weaved into the storyline. His last two books Runner and  his current release Signal, both feature Sam Dryden and ex-special forces operative battling forces against advanced technologies. My first encounters with the works of Patrick Lee was the Travis Chase trilogy which included The Breach, Ghost Country and Deep Sky. In that series The Breach sends artifacts and people back and forth through a time portal. In Signal, Dryden confronts a machine that receives signals from the future!

It’s been two years, Sam Dryden has been quietly getting his life back together, after his adventure that was described in the book Runner. He is quietly working on houses and flipping them, when he gets a call from an old friend. He needs to meet her in the Mojave Desert as quickly as possible. When he meets his former friend Claire Dunham, he is taken to a trailer in the desert where a child molester is holding four young girls captive. One captive has just called 911 and the molester has caught her. He is ready to set his trailer on fire when Dryden rushes in and kills the molester. How did Claire know to be there just in the nick of time She had heard about it from a machine in her possession that receives news report from the future!! In the future report the girls had died and the molester escaped!! Now the girls had been saved by these two unknown heroes!! FBI agent Marnie Calvert wants to know who these folks are, she discovers Sam’s identity tracks him. Soon all three are being chased by a third party, who wants this technology all to themselves, so much so that they have wiped out Claire’s place of work. Claire through her boss has the only working copy of the machine which her company created  The machine has now fallen into Sam’s hands. Can Sam, Claire and Marnie stop their enemies from eliminating them and Claire’s machine? Even more importantly can Sam stop the enemy from gaining sole control of the machine to use as they please!!!!

All of Patrick Lee’s books are filled with lots of action, as the highly skilled Sam Dryden, or Travis Chase, fight their battles. Most of the time they need to use both their physical and mental  skills. Here’s what some folks say about Patrick Lee’s Runner.

“An amazing, high-speed, high-octane novel that moves faster than most people read. There has to be a better word than “thriller” to describe Runner. How about thillingest” – Nelson DeMille

“Pure adrenaline rush!” Finally an action packed novel brimming with complete characters as well as genuine heart. Not to be missed!” – Lisa Gardner

Bottom Line – The above quotes can be used for either Runner or Signal. The story moves at a pace that is well non-stop and it has enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning! And the machine itself – is it possible?? Could we receive radio signals through neutrinos from the future? Cue the Twilight Zone music!! Who knows? Anyway, it’s just a flat-out good story so check it out!! Oh and while you’re at it check out the Travis Chase series, too!!!  Book 46 (on a goal of 51) of 2015

Links for the Further Exploration of Patrick Lee

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon
Goodreads

Secondhand Souls – Christopher Moore Grim Reaper #2

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Christopher Moore may be very near the top of my list of authors that make me laugh out loud when I read their books!! His latest book Secondhand Souls certainly did that in many places! Secondhand Souls is the second book in the Grim Reaper series, that feature Charlie Asher and his daughter Sophie and a crazy cast of characters.

From Goodreads.com…..

In San Francisco, the souls of the dead are mysteriously disappearing—and you know that can’t be good—in New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore’s delightfully funny sequel to A Dirty Job.

Something really strange is happening in the City by the Bay. People are dying, but their souls are not being collected. Someone—or something—is stealing them and no one knows where they are going, or why, but it has something to do with that big orange bridge. Death Merchant Charlie Asher is just as flummoxed as everyone else. He’s trapped in the body of a fourteen-inch-tall “meat” waiting for his Buddhist nun girlfriend, Audrey, to find him a suitable new body to play host. Read More

I really haven’t been able to get into Moore;’s last few books, i.e. The Serpent of Venice and Sacre Bleu, so I was really happy when I saw this book.

I slipped very easily into Secondhand Souls and all the old friends and fiends from the first Grim Reaper book  A Dirty Job. Wow – I just looked back and saw that I read  A Dirty Job back in 2006. I knew it had been a while, but I didn’t think it has been almost ten years since I read the book! I guess that’s why I didn’t remember all the details of the book!!

The Bottom Line

Anyway, the bottom line is that Secondhand Souls is another winner from the warped mind of Christopher Moore. It must be crazy to live with the man! So Check it Out! And I guess I really do have to check out the two previously mentioned books along with Fool that is on my TBR shelves!!

Secondhand Souls was the 45th book that I have read in 2015. That was the number of books that I  had set as my goal in the 2015 Goodreads Challenge. Yeah Me!! I still have 6 more books to read to reach that lofty goal I set back in January of 51 books for 2015!

Links

Author’s Website
Facebook Fan Page
Goodreads
Amazon

 

Silent Creed – Alex Kava

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Silent Creed – Ryder Creed #2 – Alex Kava

In the middle of all the chaos last week, I still managed to finish my second book of October — Silent Creed by Alex Kava. It helped that this one was a real page-turner!

This is the second novel featuring K9 handler Ryder Creed, and once again he teams up with FBI profiler Maggie O’Dell. Their first pairing was in Breaking Creed, and it’s been a thrill watching this partnership evolve — Maggie has been one of my favorite characters through eleven thrillers.

The Story

Ryder and Maggie are both called to a government research facility in Haywood County, North Carolina, after torrential rains trigger a massive landslide. Creed is tasked with searching for survivors, but when one of the recovered bodies turns out to be a scientist who was shot, Maggie is brought in to investigate.

Under perilous conditions — from unstable terrain to people desperate to keep their crimes hidden — Maggie and Ryder soon find themselves fighting for their lives.

Real-Life Inspiration

Alex Kava is a self-described news junkie, and she weaves real-world events into her novels. In Silent Creed, she draws from actual search-and-rescue deployments by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, whose teams have responded to disasters around the world — from the 2015 Nepal earthquake to the 2011 Joplin, Missouri tornado.

Kava also incorporates fascinating historical facts, including U.S. government testing on unsuspecting soldiers, citizens, and even schoolchildren during the 1950s and ’60s. These details add depth and intrigue to the story.

And yes, I still have a soft spot for Grace, Ryder’s little Jack Russell Terrier — she’s as tenacious as ever.

The Bottom Line

Silent Creed delivers an engaging storyline, high stakes, and great characters. The chemistry between Maggie and Ryder continues to intensify, adding another layer to the action and suspense.

If you haven’t yet met Ryder and Maggie, you can start here, but I recommend beginning with Breaking Creed to get the full impact of their partnership. And if you just want to stick with Maggie, her solo series is well worth exploring — she’s faced some of the most dangerous criminals (and situations) in the genre.

Book 41 of 2015

The Poacher’s Son – Paul Doiron

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Paul Doiron – The Poacher’s Son – (Mike Bowditch #1) – Maine Game Warden

 

Paul Doiran - The Poacher's SonA while back I saw an ad on a sidebar at Goodreads.com for a book called The Precipice by Paul Doiron. I read that the book was part of a series that features Mike Bowditch who is a Game Warden in Maine. Since I am a big fan of another game warden Joe Pickett who resides out in the great state of Wyoming, I figured that this book would be right up my alley. When I went to Goodreads to find our more about Mike Bowditch, I discovered that The Precipice is the sixth book that features him as the main character. Since the series is not all that new i.e there are less than ten books in the series, I figured that it would be best to go back to the first book and start the series at the beginning and start reading the series with book one, The Poacher’s Son. So that’s what I did and I am glad that I did! The Poachers Son was a great read!

The plot of The Poacher’s Son begins when Mike misses a call from his father, who he hasn’t had contact with for two years. His father leaves a message that he needs Mike’s help! The next morning discovers that a police officer and a business man have been shot in the northern part of Maine, where Mike’s dad lives. His father is the prime suspect and when he was detained for questioning, he attacked the arresting officer and escaped into the woods, after crashing the police car and leaving the officer for dead. Mike is about the only person in the state that believes that his father is innocent and as he sets out to prove it his whole life starts to unravel!

The Poacher’s Son is an award-winning book among the awards it won were;  the Barry Award and the Strand Critics Award for Best First Novel, an Anthony Award, a Macavity Award, and a Thriller Award for Best First Novel, and the Maine Literary Award for “Best Fiction of 2010.”. It was nominated for an Edgar Award, and PopMatters named it to its Best Fiction of 2010 list.

Bottom Line: The Poacher’s Son was an outstanding novel dealing with not only the mystery surrounding the brutal murders, but also with Mike and his father Jack’s relationship. Andre Dubus III says this about the novel….

“With precise and evocative prose, Paul Doiron weaves a riveting tale set deep in the wilderness that can be the tenuous bond between father and son. This is a compelling, moving and utterly impressive debut”

and Nelson DeMille writes:

:The Poacher’s Son is one of the best-written debut novels I’ve read in years. The story has it all – a great plot. a wonderful Maine woods setting, a truly remarkable and believable cast of characters”

I liked everything about this book, the setting,  the main characters and the intricately woven tale of belief in a parent, that you feel guilt over not liking, but yet would do anything to save!! Rating **** plus!

So check it out! As for me I have to check out book #2 in the series The Trespasser!!  Move over Joe Pickett and make room for Mike Bowditch on my bookshelves!

Links for Further Explorations of Paul Doiron and Mike Bowditch

Authors’ Website
Twitter
Facebook
Amazon
Goodreads: Paul Doiron
Goodreads: Mike Bowditch

 

Book 31 for 2015 – 17 on a goal of 23 in my Clock and Dagger Reading Challenge!!

The Stranger- Harlan Coben Thrills Us Again!!

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The Stranger – Harlan Coben Book 27 of 2015

 

In 2001, Harlan Coben‘s first stand alone thriller Tell No One was released. I read the paperback version in November of 2002, it was terrific and since then I haven’t missed one of his thrillers! There are few authors, who can take an ordinary person, and turn their world upside-down like Harlan Coben. He does just that in his latest thriller The Stranger.

Adam Price is living the American dream in his wife’s hometown of Cedarfield, NJ (While locales in Coben’s books are typically real, Cedarfield is a fictional town!). . He is a successful attorney with a beautiful wife,Corrine a school teacher. They have two great boys, Ryan and Thomas, who both play lacrosse, while mom serves as the treasurer of the local lacrosse organization. But on the night of the draft and the selection of the traveling team, Adam’s life starts to spiral out of control, when a Stranger approaches him and reveals a startling secret. Two years earlier Corrine had faked a pregnancy! The Stranger tells him “You know you didn’t have to stay with her” Adam eventually confronts Corrine who suddenly leaves her husband and kids telling Adam not to search for her, she needs time to sort everything out! Yeah, like that’s going to happen!! Soon Adam is on a quest to find his wife and put the pieces of his shattered life back together again!!

Adam has all sorts of questions to answer. How did the Stranger know about the pregnancy and why did he tell Adam? And why did Corrine fake the pregnancy in the first place?? And most of all where the hell did she go?? Why did she leave  him, but most importantly how could she leave her boys!!

Harlan Coben’s descriptions of life in the burbs, especially how it is among those whose children compete on traveling soccer or lacrosse teams is spot on. And while there is a certain sameness to his books, a fairly simple incident thrust someone into a life changing situation, he still makes each book exciting and interesting, No one twists and turns his way through a book like Harlan Coben and in The Stranger he certainly does that! Here’s what some others have to say about The Stranger.

 ‘With clever use of technology, convincing characters and a strong emotional heart, you’re effortlessly swept along to a tense and dramatic conclusion. Smart stuff from a classy operator.’ — Deirdre O’Brien SUNDAY MIRROR

‘The master of the twisty psychological thriller is back with another awesomely gripping mystery.’ — Boyd Tonkin HEAT

‘The twists come satisfyingly thick and fast as the plots merge before the tangled web of evens unravels into an enjoyable and somewhat surprising conclusion.’ SUNDAY EXPRESS

So check out The Stranger or any other book by Harlan Coben! You won’t be disappointed!!

Links for Further Explorations of the Works of Harlan Coben

Harlan Coben’s Website
Wikipedia:Harlan Coben
Goodreads
Amazon
Review at NJ.com

P.S. I particularly enjoyed the cameo appearance of an unnamed participant in Adam’s basketball game!!

Bowl of Heaven-Gregory Benford & Larry Niven

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Bowl of Heaven – Gregory Benford and Larry Niven – (Book 25 of 2015)

 

It took me almost two months to finish Bowl of Heaven the collaborative effort from two of Science Fiction’s best authors Gregory Benford and Larry Niven. The reason is that while I was reading Bowl of Heaven I started several really good books, those boos caught and kept my attention, causing Bowl of Heaven to be continually put aside. The book never really hooked me, I didn’t really care about the main characters and it seemed that most of the story was just,, well quite simply, boring. But by the time I got to page 300 I thought I might as well finish the damn thing.The book is the first of two books the second is titled Shipstar and the question I face now is do I want to go on and read the second book in hopes that it is better than the first one??

Bowl of Heaven

From:gregorybenford.com

The story follows the flight from Earth of the Sunseeker which is on a mission to a planetary system named Glory that is potentially an earth like system. On their way, they encounter a Big Damn Object (BDO)a bowl like structure that has captured a sun and uses that sun to power the bowl. Around the rim of the bowl there are lands that are earth like, with oceans, and continents but on the size of planets. The crew of the Sunseeker decide to investigate the world and sends a shuttle down to the surface. First they have to cut their way into the world, only the wall of the bowl, self repairs leaving part of the landing crew trapped inside the bowl. The remaining members of the crew are then captured by the Bird-like Astronomer Folk. Over the remainder of the book the first crew is on the run trying to avoid being captured or killed. They are led by the crew’s biologist Cliff Kammash. The second crew is led by the love of Cliff’s life Beth Marble also a biologist. Her crew is kept for a while by the Astronomers and analyzed by Memer and Attendant Astute Astronomer. Eventually they too escape and are on the run from the Astronomers!

The first problem that I had with the book was believing that the two crews could survive,outwit and outrun the makers and pilots of this BDO! The second was that I really didn’t care whether the crews got away or not because I didn’t like any of the characters! Throughout most of the book the crew members are either running, eating, sleeping or thinking about sex! It was either boring or annoying, particularly when Cliff slept with a team member Irma, so much for worrying or being faithful to the love of his life, Beth!

I also had a problem wrapping my head around the Astronomer Folk – birdlike creatures who both talk and express themselves through their plummage! I has problems seeing them piloting spacecrafts even though they were described as having finger like claws I just couldn’t picture them, plus I didn’t feel anything for them either bad or good!

Bottomline: I give Bowl of Heaven a 2 out iof 5 rating. I did make it through the book and somehow I am actually contemplating reading the second book! I think it’s just so I can see if I really did waste my time with book one! Hopefully the second book is much better and this book was mostly setting the stage for a terrific conclusion! My worst fear though is that Shipstar is as boring and lackluster as Bowl of Heaven and I have wasted double the time!! Maybe what I do is start Shipstar and if it’s not noticeably better in the first 50 pages walk away from it!! Anybody have any thoughts on either book??