Book Review: "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" By Philip K. Dick

Yes I'm still on my PKD trend...next will be my Kyle Mills trend, but anyway, I'm continually amazed at the writings of PKD. (Yes, I've also learned to use his initials to make things easy.) His books have been used as the basis of many movies I'm now wishing that someone would make more from his other stories, including this book.

Before we get into the review first get that Tassimo beverage maker ready to roll, today we're going to brew up some herbal teas. At this point I'm having a difficulty in deciding which tea to go along with the book so I'll give you some choices and you decide which you need at which point. Now keep it herbal, because this book is dealing with some psychedelic material. You could start with Twinings® Green Tea and cleanse the body, but then you may need that extra boost to keep your body up with your not wanting to put the book down, so try Twinings® Chai Tea Latte or once again a soothing Twinings® Camomile Herbal Tea to relax when reality finally settles in.

Wow, where to start. First of all this book is yet again set in the future where Earth has problems and Mars has been colonized. But unlike other PKD stories, there's a twist. No one really wants to go to Mars, yet Earth's surface temperature has risen to where no one goes out during the day unless well insulated and Antarctica is a choice vacation spot. To get more colonists to Mars the UN has instituted a draft. When your number comes up you must emigrate.

Now in order to be able to tolerate the horrible, boring life on Mars the colonists have taken to a recreational drug called Can-D. This is known as a translation drug in which the user can translate themselves from their monotonous, labor intensive lives to a perfect world. The fun part of this is that they are translated into what are called layouts. The layouts are pretty much dolls in which the fantasy takes place. The dolls are Perky Pat and Walt. In a not-unlike Barbie world, the colonists escape to a beach house and live out the lives of the dolls.

While the drug is illegal, on Mars it seems to be overlooked to keep the colonists happy. Major business on Earth is conducted through a company called P.P. Layouts, whose sole function is to create accessories for the Perky Pat doll. The future of the company is decided through Pre-cogs (people who have pre-cognitive ability to predict what fashions will work for Perky Pat.) P.P. Layouts is run by Leo Bulero. His hired pre-cogs are Barney Mayerson and Roni Fugate.

In a humorous aside that is a good representation of some of PKD's humor, is that Barney and Roni have looked into the future and saw that they will be a couple so they just go to bed together and skip all formalities.

Now enter Palmer Eldritch. Palmer has returned from the Prox system and has returned with an alternative to Can-D. A substance he calls Chew-Z. Chew-Z gets approved by the UN and threatens to destroy Leo Bulero's business. So Leo goes to stop Palmer Eldritch. Leo is intercepted and is given Chew-Z intraveneously and this is where the psychedelia begins.

It seems Palmer Eldritch rules all hallucinations created by Chew-Z, and Chew-Z may enable the user to travel time. At this point the story twists and turns and really becomes one of the most magical drug induced hallucinations I've read since William Burroughs' "Naked Lunch." (this was written before "Naked Lunch.")

Throughout the rest of the book the fine line between hallucination and reality become so intertwined that I'm not even sure if PKD could tell you which was which. However I will say that Bulero attempts to kill Eldritch and then tries to stop him through the courts, but we never really know who wins.

Sip the tea, relax and enjoy, this book is full of some great twists and turns.

Interview with Kyle Mills author of "Darkness Falls"

Kyle mills published his first book in 1995, "Rising Phoenix" and has gone on to write about one book per year since. His latest book "Darkness Falls" features the character Mark Beamon who has been 3 other books ("Storming Heaven," "Sphere of Influence," and "Free Fall")besides his first book "Rising Phoenix."

I had a chance to talk with Kyle about the book "Darkness Falls" and we talked about the book, the environment and a little Rock Climbing.

You can read my review of "Darkness Falls" at:
http://www.gilwilson.com/blog/2007/10/books-and-beverages-book-review.html



Gil T. Wilson: First of all "Darkness Falls" is an awesome book.

Kyle Mills: Well, thanks alot, glad you enjoyed it.

GW: You had me checking the gas prices everyday.

KM: Still not $20[per gallon]?

GW: This book tackles the problem the world's diminishing oil supply...except you give it a little boost by injecting an oil eating bacteria. How did you come across that idea?

KM: well primarily i wanted to explore the world's reliance on oil, there's alot of information out there about peak oil, which is these people that largely think that the reduction in oil supply is going to be a huge disaster for the world. I don't really agree with but if you did it FAST, then it would be a major disaster. So I wanted to destroy the world's oil supply in a short period of time. And then I had to figure out how to do it. It was a pretty hard task, you're talking about 4,000 producing wells across the world and you couldn't just go sabotage them. I came up with this idea because I had read somewhere about oil eating bacteria that they used to clean up oil spills. And I wondered, well, could you modify a bacteria to live in a well and destroy a well. I found out those bacteria you don't have to do anything with and they actually do destroy wells. There's really a real-world counterpart to this it's called Geobacillus thermodenirificans, and it was found in a Chinese oil well. The Chinese had actually sequenced it's DNA to clean up spills. It's a tough little bug, that lives entirely on oil and can survive in temperatures up to 160 degrees. It can now be modified to do whatever suits the person doing the modifying.

GW: So which came first your idea of this or did you do the research and discover this was the way to destroy the oil?

KM: First I came up with the idea that a bacteria would work really well, and deals with all my problems, being so many wells and everything. But the question was is that possible or feasible, and then that's when the research came into it and I discovered it wasn't only feasible but was that it was happening. I mentioned in the book problems in the Hawtaw Trend in Saudi Arabia with bacterial contamination damaging their machinery, that actually happened, I didn't make that up.

GW: The book brings back the character of Mark Beamon an FBI agent, who appeared first in "Rising Phoenix" and then in "Heaven", "Sphere of Influence", and "Free Fall". In this book he is now working for Homeland Security, not to give too much away, but after the world has changed in your book, we've lost almost all the oil, are you going to be bringing him back again? His world has changed.

KW: Tom Clancy has a word for it the "Ryanverse," he has this whole alternate reality where Baltimore's been blown up. I don't know, I could, certainly, I honestly don't think that given a lengthy time to adapt, that our lifestyles would change all that much, air travel would be problematic. Cars, well I drive a Prius, even with that technology, which is not particularly advanced, gas prices are irrelevant, it gets 50 miles to the gallon, if it went up to $20 / gallon then it would be bad but wouldn't kill me.
And with electric cars.
I hadn't really considered that when I did the book and wasn't sure how it was going to end. It's hard to imagine never writing another book with him, he's been with me for so long. It'll be complicated.

GW: If you ever did bring him back you would be bordering on the science-fiction genre, this book 10 years ago could have been viewed as science fiction. Have you ever thought of writing science-fiction.

KM: Yeah, well I always feel like that thriller writers write really near time science-fiction. Because 2 years into the future is this is what's going to happen. That's kind of what I'm shooting for. Of course, I could always write a book with him that is really pulled in, like him investigating a murder in a small town, where the rest of the world wouldn't be part of the setting.

GW: Mark Beamon is the central character in this book, more focus seems to be on the scientist Erin Neal and the destruction of oil, yet Mark is the one that fixes everything and whose character you care most about. Was Erin Neal the intended focus.

KM: That was intended. Honestly, when I started this book Erin was intended to be the lead character, and Mark would be a strong secondary character. In the end it sort of balances out and it probably depends on how much you like each character and which one is the lead character. But, the idea was that Mark would be secondary.


GW: If a movie is ever made featuring one the Mark Beamon books, who do you see playing Mark Beamon?

KM: That's such a hard question. You know I always that that at this time, I wouldn't mind Bruce Willis, if he didn't mind putting on 40 or 50 pounds. He's funny and sarcastic and I think you need that to bring that to Mark or else he can come off being really dark.


GW: This book seems to have a bit of an environmental message to it. How much of that was intended and how much just developed out of writing the story?

KM: Yes because it has become a big issue. A Bizarre issue, in that it has become sort of religious. You've got the believers and the non-believers. I feel it should be a scientific debate. It should be dispassionate, you do this and it benefits you and you don't it could harm. It has become such a polarizing issue, Al Gore is such a polarizing figure, not necessarily his fault but he is. There is a lot of of misinformation out there. I'm always interested in that. I wrote a book about the Tobacco Industry ["Smoke Screen"]almost for the same reason, that it gave me the opportunity to wade through all this interesting subject where there's a lot of misinformation and to try to kind of weed out the truth. That is pretty much what I wanted to do here because it's such an interesting subject. Again pretty much everything I said was true. That's what I like are thrillers where it is true and you just do aslight twist on it. There are a lot of thriller writers that write much more fanciful stuff, you know stuff where the guy keeps shooting and never run out of bullets. People love it and people write them really well. It's not really my style. I've always loved those books where like you said "make you check the gas prices," where you think, "yeah this could really happen tomorrow."

GW: You said you drive a Prius, how far off the grid do you live?

KM: Not far off, my other car is a '52 Chevy pickup and gets about 4 miles to the gallon and belches smoke everywhere.

GW: Do you think you could ever get off the grid? Because that is a "worst case scenario" in the book, that those that could get off the grid easily would survive.

KM: I read a book on building "Off Grid Houses" because obviously this guy [Erin Neal] lived in one. Honestly I was fascinated, I seemed it could be fun.

GW: You live in Wyoming, I imagine winters would be really hard to live "off grid"

KM: I know people that do it. You'd have a pretty small house with a pretty big wood stove. It's amazing when you really start thinking about what you need. There's a theory, which I think is true, that says the more energy you have the more energy you need. If you have a ton of electricity you invent stuff like iPods. And I'm guilty of this, I could live without my iPod, I have 2 of them. But if electricity was expensive or wasn't available you simply wouldn't have items like that. But it sort of continues to grow. Which is a problem for the environmental movement, as it's structured now. You have people like Al Gore who seem to be preaching austerity, though unfortunately he's preaching from a 10,000 square foot house and a private jet. And that is never going to work.

GW: You in fact touch on that in this book in that the character Erin Neal wrote a book about how the environmental movement will never work unless it becomes profitable.

KM: And strangely, I just discovered that THAT book was written by somebody, and I'm in the process of reading it. The environmental movement did not start because the environment was being damaged. During the industrial revolution, we damaged environment like crazy. What caused it was affluence. People suddenly said, "It's irritating that the river keeps catching on fire. Why don't we clean it up? We have the money, the time and we're not starving to death. Let's Do it." If you take away the affluence, well, a hungry person doesn't care what they throw in a river. So It's really creating industries, I think is what's going to solve it. People can make money and also benefit the environment. Telling people they have to ride their bike to work, I don't think too many people are going to want to do that.

GW: How and when did you decide to become a writer?

KM: I kind of came into it in a weird way. I worked for a bank, and didn't feel I did anything creative. I was into athletics, so I was physical and worked with numbers just not creative. So I decided I was going to build furniture. My wife realized that that was going to take up the whole garage. It gets really cold here in the winter and she was thinking about having to shovel her car out every day, so she said "Couldn't you just buy a computer and write a novel?" and I said "Yeah, that would be kind of fun." So I bought all these books about how to write a novel and read them all and bought a computer and hammered out "Rising Phoenix." With no real expectation that it would ever be published. Everyone tells you it's impossible to get published, and it is really hard. So I thought if I went into it thinking I was going to be a rich and famous author, it wouldn't be too much fun. But to do it as an intellectual exercise and exercise in creativity was really fun. I've never had as much fun writing a book as writing that one. Because there's no pressure, no deadline and nobody has to really like it. I finished it and let some people read it that I thought wouldn't be critical of me. In fact I told a couple that a friend of mine wrote it, so they could be critical of it. Everyone seemed to like it. I'd ask them, "Does this seem like a real book to you?" So I started trying to get it published and it took forever and it eventually became really successful, so I went on to sign a 2 book deal and many many since then. Actually 9 books, "Darkness Falls" was titled "Book 9" for a long time.

GW: Your other books are "Second Horseman"(FBI), "Fade"(Homeland Security), "Burn Factor" (FBI), and "Smoke Screen" (Tobacco Industry), why is it that government agencies (especially the fbi) are the subject matter of your writing?


KM: Well lazines probably. My father was and FBI agent for 25 years and went on to be director of Interpol in the US. I grew up in an FBI family and I have known alot of FBI agents and it's a world that I'm really familiar with and I don't have to work hard to be authentic in.

GW: What do you do when you are not writing?

KM: Mostly Rock climbing, I've been obsessed with it forever. I always thought I'd outgrow it, someday I think I will. I go on a few climbing trips every year still and probably climb 2 or 3 times a week.

GW: What are you working on now?

KM: I'm working on a book about Africa. I spent a lot of time in Africa, I lived there a lot in winters, because it's so cold here [Wyoming]. I've always wanted to write a book about Africa, It's such a fascinating place. I've never really quite figured out the right story. It's gotta be a thriller, but I like to also deal issues in my books. I finally thought up a story that I thought would work, be exciting and interesting and hopefully informative so I'm working on that now.

Books and Beverages Book Review: "Darkness Falls" by Kyle Mills

Mark Beamon is back. For any of you that are familiar with Kyle Mills' novels you are probably familiar with his recurring character, FBI Agent, Mark Beamon.
In "Darkness Falls" Agent Beamon now works for Homeland Security in energy security. Agent Beamon is about to tackle a case that will not only test his abilities, but may destroy society planet wide.

With this book you may need to sit back with a Gil T's Mochaccino. The hot chocolate/espresso mix will comfort you throughout this book while at the same time give you that extra caffeine boost you may need, because you won't want to put this book down. At the end of the review I'll give you the directions on how to make this mochaccino using 3 t-discs on your Tassimo brewer.

All the oil in the world is finite, meaning when it's gone it's gone. Ask any environmentalist or Saudi and they will tell you that's true. As it stands right now, the earth's oil supply may be depleted by the year 2050. So that's not too bad, plenty of time to discover/develop alternative fuels, right? What if that date was moved up to say maybe the year 2010? or this year? What would you do? That's exactly what could be happening in "Darkness Falls."

A mysterious bacteria has infected the oil drilling operations in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge and the largest drilling facility in Saudi Arabia. This bacteria is a hydrocarbon eating bacteria, which is to say, it eats oil, and leaves nothing usable behind. In comes Erin Neal. Erin has been living a secluded life, off the grid in the Arizona desert since the death of his girlfriend, and fellow scientist Jenna, and let's just say, he isn't happy when an oil company executive appears on his doorstep. A number of important Saudi oil wells have stopped producing and Erin is the world's foremost expert in analyzing and preventing oil field disasters. In fact after his years of environmental activism he went to work for Saudi companies but has now retired and wants to be left alone in his self sustaining adobe structure.

Mark Beamon, former FBI agent, now working with Homeland Security, just wants to settle down, get married and retire from government work. However, Mark's unique no holds barred, tell it like it is investigation procedures make him the prime agent on this case. He also soon realizes that if this is not stopped life on Earth will completely change. Erin & Mark quickly find themselves stuck in the Saudi desert studying a new bacteria with a voracious appetite for oil and also an ability to corrode drilling equipment. Worst of all is its ability to spread.

It soon becomes clear that if this contagion isn't stopped, it will infiltrate the planet's petroleum reserves and cut the industrial world off from the energy that provides the heat, food, and transportation necessary for survival. As the scale of the coming disaster continues to grow, Erin realizes that there's something familiar about this bacteria. And that it couldn't possibly have evolved on its own.

Throughout the reading of this book, I "became aware" of how much I and society depend on oil, and even found myself checking gas prices. In the book they go up to $12US / gallon and after reading several chapters I would have to verify that gas was still Under $5US. Whew, talk about getting lost in a story, this book will definitely do suck you in.

In a book that about 10 years ago could have been labeled science-fiction, you will find yourself wanting to stay up all night to find out what happens next. There are 2 things that help with that. First, the book is filled with several short chapters that allow you to stop and go online to check the local gas prices...or maybe to watch a few minutes of news to verify we are okay (so far). Second is the great Gil T's Mochaccino.

Here's your recipe for your Tassimo brewer:
You will need 3 discs, 2 of which come with any Tassimo cappuccino mix, I prefer the Gevalia Cappuccino mix. The 3rd disc is Hot Chocolate, Suchard Hot Chocolate
was what I used.

First get a large cup, place the Suchard Hot Chocolate disc in the machine and let it brew. Second you will put in the espresso disc that comes with the cappuccino. And finally top it off with the foaming milk disc from the cappuccino mix. mix and drink. This will be a nice comforting hot chocolate taste with some espresso boost to get you through.


Stay tuned tomorrow when I'll be posting my Interview with "Darkness Falls" author Kyle Mills. We'll find out what makes him tick and where the character Mark Beamon comes from.

Book & Beverage: "Martian Time-Slip" By Philip K. Dick

It's time to break out the Tassimo brewer and sit back with a novel. This time around I recommend that you use your brewer to brew up a little "Twinnings Chamomile herbal Tea" because you are going to need the relaxation after the stress of dealing with some very complex actions going on in this book.

First of all the master of Science Fiction, Philip K. Dick. returns to Mars for the Setting of "Martian Time-Slip." In this near future version of Mars, Settlements have moved in to tame the wilderness. Society is limited to survival only near the canals of Mars. The rest of the planet is a dry desert. Mars does, however have it's natives, here the Martians are called Bleekmen. The Bleekmen are very human but were settled on Mars at the same time humans began life on Earth. Dick doesn't really go into too much explanation as to where they came from, just that they are. They are not unlike the Aboriginal people of Australia, in that they are dark-skinned and have a rock which holds a religious importance to them.

The settlers on mars have repeated the ideals of the settlers in the new world of North America in the beginnings of the USA, in that they have somewhat enslaved some of the Bleekmen. In the case where a Bleekman is in service of the settlers they are referred to as "tamed Bleekmen." Many of the colonies have a connection to nations on earth, Israel and the United States being the largest and the United Nations is maintaining firm control over the colonies of Mars and due to the constant threat that the Earth could be blown up at any time through nuclear war.

In another aspect of the novel, Dick takes a bit of a jab at the psychiatric community and even claims psychoanalysis as "vainglorious foolishness." Many of the characters of this book could be seen as mentally ill in some form or another, in fact the main character Jack Bohlen is schizophrenic. The schools on Mars are very strict about teaching to those that are in any way mentally ill and it is the Israeli colony that houses a special school / camp for the mentally ill. Here is where the main theme of the book takes off.

One of the mentally ill children is thought to be out of sync with time. One greedy man, Arnie Kott, wants to take advantage of this and use the child, Manfred Steiner, to predict the future. The rumor is that the U.N. will be developing housing for new settlers in the Franklin D. Roosevelt mountains on Mars. The Bleekmen that live there are moving out because this has already started. So Arnie through the help of Jack Bohlen and Manfred Steiner gets sent back 3 weeks in time to prevent this from being a U.N. venture and one of his own ventures so he gets rich from it. But true destiny and fate cannot be changed, at least not in Arnie's sense.

Throughout the book the physics of time travel rise up to make you wonder if it is possible or not. Here's where the chamomile tea comes in to place. You may need to rest your brain after all that trying to figure out time travel. In fact there are sections that are repeated with only little changes that show that you cannot deviate too much from the timestream, so as you are reading the book and you get to a point where you say to yourself, "I have already read this," either you are time-slipping yourself or it's just Philip K. Dick's creative venture of describing time travel. Either way sip the tea and relax.

"A Scanner Darkly" by Philip K. Dick

Okay, so sue me...I'm on a Philip K. Dick trend. I recently discovered the creative and philosophical writings in his stories and am hooked. This recent book is yet another Dick story that has been turned into a movie. The movie "A Scanner Darkly" was released last year and had mild success but the beauty in the movie was the creativeness in the filmmaking process.

But just like any other book turned movie, there are some missing points and of course the books are just plain and simply better.

This book is a very interesting look at the drug culture, but done in a sci-fi view. This poignant, at times, story takes place in a near future dystopian California. In this culture the police work mostly undercover to track down dealers. The idea is not to bust the small time dealer but to reach their source. Here lies also a bit of a corporate twist on things. It seems that the drug of choice that is wiping out people's free will, not to mention brain functions, is Substance D. Substance D addicts when gone to far experience a split in their brain hemispheres where they then suffer from shared delusions, thus losing all hopes of being a functioning member of society. Then they seek recovery from New Path, a facility which specializes in substance D patients.

Throughout most of the the source of Substance D is thought to be imported from Russia. But as it turns out Substance D has a darker secret.

The title is a reference to a passage in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13, which states:

"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."

The scanner part of the title is that the main character Agent Fred is ordered to keep a close eye on Bob Arctur, who is suspected of being high up in the eschelon of dealers. Well, the twist is that Agent Fred's undercover self IS Bob Arctur. He wonders if the scanners will see him clearly or darkly. In Chapter Eleven of the novel, Bob Arctor / Fred, thinks to himself:

"What does a scanner see? I mean, really see? Into the head? Down into the heart? Does a passive infrared scanner … see into me — into us — clearly or darkly? I hope it does see clearly, because I can't any longer these days see into myself. I see only murk. Murk outside; murk inside. I hope, for everyone's sake, the scanners do better. Because if the scanner sees only darkly, the way I myself do, then we are cursed, cursed again and like we have been continually, and we'll wind up dead this way, knowing very little and getting that little fragment wrong too."

This book is full of some really funny stuff at times. Many of the "drug induced" conversations between Bob Arctur and his stoner roommates are just hilarious, such as when one buys a 10 speed bike from a "street vendor." They count only 7 gears so how can it be a 10 speed? 2 in front and 5 in back, 7. They then have to go out on the street to ask a "neutral" party how many they count, this neutral party explains the process, but the conversation beforehand is simply hilarious.

The book also has many poignant sections, especially when dealing with those who have succombed to the finality of Substance D. One of my favorite quotes here is when Bob Arctur is taken to New Path due to destroying his brain, he is called a loser by the staff. Donna, Bob's girlfriend, then tells the staff, "It is easy to win."

The book is also based loosely on the author's real life experience and at the end the book is dedicated to Philip K. Dick's friends that "didn't make it." At this point he lists his friends by name and how they were affected by drugs...most of them deceased.

"Abducted to Oz" By Bob Evans and Chris Dulabone

With the legacy of Oz originating from L. Frank Baum, and continuing through many authors since, It doesn't seem be dying out too soon. Bob Evans and Chris Dulabone are proof of that especially with this book "Abducted to Oz." "Abducted..." takes the Oz stories and brings them to today's times. While most of the Oz stories take place around the early 1900s this one takes place around the time the book was published, 2000.

The story is that Graham is minding his own business, preparing for an evening of algebra homework, when a wicked witch reaches out of his mirror and pulls him into Oz. This witch however is the witch from the movie and not the one actually created by L. Frank Baum. (movies always change the books some way) Where did this witch come from? Well it seems as though Dorothy was visiting Oz on the anniversary of the event in which she "destroyed" the wicked witch, Allidep. And through an unfortunate accident in magic and mayhem a float representing the witch came to life.

Graham escapes the witch and then travels toward the Emerald City, encountering an alien presence along the way, and taking on a traveling partner named Telly. Telly is a robotic-looking creature with a television set for a head. Among the Ozites that are encountered in this book are the Cowardly Lion, the Woozy, and a beautiful unicorn named Jeanne-Marie, whose story is sure to touch your heart.

This book has some great moments that reflect the true quality of any Oz book. It also throws in some references to modern pop culture to keep it up to date.

The book has a limited availability so here is a link as a free download:
http://manybooks.net/titles/dulabonec1012710127-8.html

"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

Many of you may remember the movie version of this book starring Harrison Ford: "Bladerunner." The movie became a cult favorite and yet still didn't cover all of the concepts of the book.

The book takes place in a post-apocalytpic world in which due to the radioactive fallout, Earth's citizens are asked to emigrate, one incentive is that each emigrating family will receive a custom-built android servant (colloquially referred to as an "andy"). Here's where the trouble begins. Many androids escape the Earth colonies to return to Earth and avoid slavery. On Earth those that have chosen to stay behind risk the chance of radiation causing permanent damage and in order to combat the gloom have mood organs which the citizens can simply dial up whatever mood they want for the day. Also a new religion, Mercerism has taken hold and the citizens worship through a device called an empathy box. In this they witness the fable of Wilbur Mercer who had the power to bring animals back from the dead. The government destroyed that power by using radiation on the part of his brain that allowed him that power. This forced Mercer into the "tomb world." He strives to reverse the decay of the tomb world and ascend back to Earth by climbing an enormous hill. His adversaries throw rocks at him along the way (inflicting actual physical injuries on the adherents "fused" with Mercer), until he reaches the top, when the cycle starts again.

The runaway androids must be destroyed and this story centers around a bounty hunter whose job it is to destroy the "andys." Rick Deckard, an active bounty hunter for the San Francisco Police Department, prepares for a typical work day. He feeds his electric sheep as per usual to prevent his neighbor from suspecting its true nature. Meanwhile, his wife spends her days at home under the influence of the empathy box and mood organ.

At the police station Deckard learns that the active senior hunter Dave Holden has been incapacitated by a Nexus-6, the most advanced and humanistic type of android created to date. Deckard is chosen to find the six remaining Nexus-6 models in the San Francisco area. This also is where the main theme of the book is carried. The androids are incapable of empathy, so through a series of tests to determine empathy, an android is discovered. However, Deckard starts to wonder whether he is an android because he can kill or "retire" the androids with no empathy. When he does realize he has empathy toward the androids he then decieds he cannot do his job. The battle within himself and the empathy discovered in Mercerism allows us all to realize what it takes to be human.

Great Sci-Fi, and a rather fun book to read.

"Fire Bell in the Night" by Geoffry S. Edwards

I'm going to start this review out with one word, "WOW." The American Civil War was never a topic I cared to read about, but this book has changed all that.

Set against the backdrop of a nation headed toward civil war, Fire Bell in the Night is a page-turner. The story centers around trial and one young reporter's efforts to discover the truth. During his time in Charleston, S.C, New York reporter John Sharp is constantly being reminded he is an unwanted guest, from the moment he steps off the train throughout the rest of the book.

Filled with historic details of the time, Fire Bell in the Night explores the explosive tension between North and South, black and white, that gripped Charleston, in the summer of 1850. John Sharp is sent to Charleston to cover the trial of Darcy Calhoun. Darcy is accused of harboring a runaway slave. The attitude throughout the city is that he is already guilty and will hang for his crime. This seems a harsh punishment, but this is the chance for the South to send the North a message.

As the trial begins, John finds out that not everything is as it appears in the city of Charleston. A series of mysterious fires in white establishments brings the state militia, a curfew for the black population, and rising tension at the courthouse. To unravel the city's secrets, Sharp must enter Charleston's plantation society, where he is befriended by one of Charleston's three wealthiest citizensTyler Breckenridge, owner of the Willowby plantation. He also develops a bit of a love interest for Tyler's sister, Clio.

Geoffry S. Edwards' use of language immediately pulls the reader into the story, throughout the book the writing created an atmosphere so thick that I swear I could hear the background sounds and smell the atmosphere of the events. He also is able to convey all aspects of the different sides of what led to the Civil War, and at the same time creating some very poignant moments.

Be prepared to just sit back and enjoy a great book.

Sit Down & Shut Up

The U.S. Senate just told us to sit down and be quiet. They passed a resolution condemning MoveOn.org and it has one purpose: To intimidate all of us who care about ending this war. To send a message that anyone who speaks unpleasant truths about this war will pay.

To make everyone--especially politicians--think twice before they accuse the administration of lying. Every day, our brave men and women are dying in a bloody civil war this Senate has done nothing to stop.

They couldn't even pass a bill to give soldiers adequate leave with their families before redeploying. But they're spending time cracking down on a newspaper ad?

We can't let that happen. I just signed a statement telling Congress that they won't intimidate me, and I'm going to keep speaking out until they force an exit strategy out of this awful war. Can you join me?

http://pol.moveon.org/fightback/?r_by=11268-8092066-P93Ybl&rc=confemail

Thanks!

Galactic Pot Healer by Philip K. Dick

Philip K. Dick, the author whose books that have been turned to movies have become cult favoritesis one of the more forgotten science fiction authors. Movies such as "Bladerunner" (based on "Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep" and the movie "A Scanner Darkly" from the book of the same name. This book seems somewhat different than other Dick novels. "Galactic Pot Healer" still carries the anti-utopian future earth theme as do many of his books, with the government taking more control of its citizens. However, this book goes a bit further, in this book the reader is taken off Earth and introduced to some of the strange life-forms that exist in the universe.

Joe Fernright is a pot-healer, meaning that he can heal or mend ceramic pots. This is more of a hobby for him because his main job for the totalitarian Earth government consists of him sitting in a cubicle all day. Not really doing much of a job, he spends his time playing games with members of other countries in which they run titles of books through various language translation computers and have them translated back to English and try to decipher the original title.

At this time Fernright's services as a pot-healer are requested by what we find out to be a deity (of sorts) called Glimmung. It seems Glimmung is recruiting beings from all over the galaxy with various skills in order to raise an ancient cathedral from the ocean floor on Plowman's Planet. The other "recruits" are just as depressed and repressed as Joe Fernright.

The catch it seems is that the project is doomed to fail, even the attempt to raise the cathedral will result in death of all involved. At least this is what is believed by the Kalends, a species gifted with precognition who are constantly writing a book that supposedly foretells the future, one which inevitably is proven right. Glimmung is determined to continue with his struggle, even when the book predicts certain failure. This existential position allows Dick to explore the idea of fatalism. Glimmung is repeatedly compared to Faust, mainly in conversation amongst the protagonists.

With some really interesting fantastical characters and some fun Philip K. Dick wit and wordplay this book becomes really a fascinating read. From the sci-fi view it is full of great characters and from a philosophical view it combines a quixotic adventure, some psychological horror, and deliriously paranoid theology.

"Dark Rivers of the Heart" by Dean Koontz

Once again I revisit a past novel by Dean Koontz. In "Dark Rivers..." (published in 1994) Koontz not only uses his greatest character molds but uses cases from the "real world" to make a story chilling. The character molds are a man that is a former cop/military as the lead character, a love interest of a woman with a shady past and the villain, an agent of a shadow government. Oh, and we can't forget a loyal canine.

In this book Spencer Grant has a mysterious past which involves a father who is a psychopathic murderer and artist and a large scar on his face. Spencer's companion is Rocky, a mutt who's past also seems shaky in that he is a very timid (at times) dog. Spencer falls for a mysterious woman, Valerie, who works at a bar called "The Red Door." (the name of the bar becomes important later in the novel). When Valerie doesn't show up for work Spencer suspects something. He goes to her home to find it "never lived in" and as he explores the house the only decoration he finds is a photo of a cockroach nailed to the wall. Just as he's examining the photo a stun grenade shatters the window and a S.W.A.T, team or what appears to be a S.W.A.T. team, attacks the house. Spencer escapes the house and thus begins his life on the run and trying to find this mysterious Valerie.

Valerie it turns out is on the run from a rogue/secret arm of the government after trying to expose them. This shadow agency is made to cover up errors from other agencies. Koontz uses real world flubs from agencies as the background to make this story believable. Flubs such as, "Ruby Ridge & David Koresh." In what could be a Texx Marrs conspiracy book, Dean Koontz creates a novel of never ending edge of your seat action.

Koontz also takes the time at the end of the book to point out that the technologies discussed in the book are real as well as the forfeiture laws of the government. Throughout the book one gets creeped out by the possibilities of how "Big Brother" is always watching. But then at the end when the real truth is found out it makes the book more creepy.

But don't let that disturb you, this book has got lots of action and the great Koontz creepy factor.

"The Forest Monster of Oz" by Bob Evans and Chris Dulabone

Evans and Dulabone have created a very nice book to go along with the history of Oz in this book "The Forest Monster of Oz." Now for those of you only familiar with the movie, I highly recommend reading the original L. Frank Baum books and see what fun Oz really is. The original books always had some sort of lesson to be learned and a very unique wit and humor. With the "Forest Monster..." Evans and Dulabone carry on that torch with skill.

In this book we see the return of the giant spider that was defeated by the Cowardly Lion in the The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and his transformation to good. Here is the first thing that if you are only familiar with the movie you miss out on. Basically, the forest monster, the giant spider, was destroyed by the Cowardly lion in chapter 21 of the Wizard of Oz book. Evans and Dulabone bring him back to life as can only be done in fairy tales and comic books, and they do it in a manner that it is believeable, maybe a better word here is acceptable. In that not that you would really believe a spider can come back to life but that this one was magical to begin with. This forest monster is seeking revenge on the Cowardly Lion and is now wreaking havoc by sapping the energy of all the animals of the Lunechien Forest.

Lunechien residents, including the simply named Elephant, Tweaty (a bird), Nibbles (a mouse) and two owls, seek the aid of the newly ascendant Ozma to defeat the monster. In the quest to overcome the spider, we meet an interesting array of Ozites: the Saber-Toothed Light Bulbs (just picture that), the marshmallow inhabitants of a marsh kingdom, and the warring Schnozzles and Stinkfeet (a very funny war between those that stink and those that have sensitive noses).

The book is also laced with puns and wry humor as is traditional with the Oz books. For example, a tiger speculates that the spider's monstrous size may be attributable to "the humans' constant littering, or maybe a military experiment gone haywire". After a careful build-up, however, the primary conflict with the monster is resolved. In the process, Ozma is confronted with an interesting moral dilemma, on the caliber of her ethical decision not to battle her enemies in The Emerald City of Oz.

Throughout this book we are taught through the many campaigns and confrontations the ideals of acceptance, individuality, and multiculturalism.

In keeping alive the humor, wit and sweet characterizations of this original American "fairy tale"-- they not only pull it off, but there is an individuality too that's very hard to describe in "The Forest Monster of Oz". The "courage to be an individual" is well taught.

What really happened...

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

"Night Chills" by Dean Koontz

Well, I brought a book out of retirement to get some good ole goosebumps. And as usual Dean Koontz delivered. This book was originally published in 1976, but many of the ideas could still happen and it still can create some "Night Chills" for you. Some of the aspects such as lack of cell phones and outdated computers exist in the story, but there's still a lesson for modern times here.

This book has it all, an evil mad scientist, zombies (not the dead eating flesh type), big business corporate greed, a little government cover-up, and a couple of war heroes to save the day.

Dr. Ogden Salisbury, a scientist that was abused as a child, has developed a chemical that will enhance the mind's ability to be influenced by subliminal commands. We've all seen them, look at that magazine ad for alcohol you will find references to sex listed throughout the pictures if you know where to look. Now though, these can be used to completely bend a person's will. First it needs tested. To be tested several things are needed, corporate backing to mass generate the formula and the subliminal messages in print, tv, radio and movies, military support (but of course not that can be linked back to the government), and test subjects.

Dr. Salisbury has put the chemical into the water supply and food supplies for the small town of Black River, Maine. This is a company town built to support the logging mill in that city. Being self sufficient and reasonably secluded from the rest of the world, it is the perfect location. Then once the chemical has been introduced, the subliminal messages for the "Key/Lock" program begins. This program creates the perfect zombie/automaton out of any human able to read. To activate the zombie like trance and get the subject to do what he wishes the phrase "I am the Key" is used, to which the subject responds, "I am the lock." Then the subject will do anything asked, including murder a young boy.

Paul Annendale his 11 year old daughter Rya and his 8 year old son Mark take an annual trek to Black River to rough it in the woods. When they arrive in town their old family friend Sam Edison and his daughter (a love interest of Paul's) tell the Annendales about a strange "flu" going around. The whole town has been having night chills.

These chills turn out to be terrors after Mark observes Dr. Salisbury raping the police chief's wife as the chief and his 8 year old son watch. Dr. Salisbury orders the police chief to kill Mark. Rya watches this scene in horror and runs to her father and from there the action never stops.

Writing with extreme intesity, as with all his books, Dean Koontz never lets go in this novel that deserves some revisiting. Plenty of action, suspense and terror.

As a side note I find it quite interesting that all the subliminal programming involves sex as do all the subliminal advertising found in magazine ads. Are we that obsessed with sex as a culture to let it be our downfall? It's amazing what kind of questions Dean Koontz can evoke.

"The Magic Sneakers" by Robert J. Evans

If you were given a super power would you use it for good or for selfish reasons? Peter Parker's Uncle Ben once said, "With great power comes great responsibility." Would that be your motto?

That is just the issue that Jimmy Burton is faced with when he goes to buy new shoes for school and soon discovers his shoes give him the power to fly. Jimmy immediately wants to show off and then thinks twice of it. After all if he showed off then everyone would want to have HIS shoes. So maybe he could just use them a little in sports to be better. But that wouldn't be fair to the other players who practice. As you can see Jimmy is faced with a dilemma.

In this book Robert Evans takes us on a journey on deciding what is good and what is bad. The adventures he takes us on are fun but at the same time give a little lesson on morality. At one point Jimmy does tell his best friend, Billy, and Billy starts telling Jimmy what "WE" could do. So a little lesson on greed jumps in.

One of the neat parts of this book is the turn it takes about halfway through when Jimmy and Billy decide to have some fun with the sneakers. Jimmy is caught on camera flying above the ocean near Santa Monica Pier and soon the Pentagon is involved. Jimmy is whisked away to Washington D.C. where the President tells him how this power could be used for good but we can't let the other nations get it. So Jimmy has a HUGE decision to make, would the U.S. use this power for good or war, and should he reveal his secret. Jimmy "hijacks" a tank and flies it back to California to pick up his parents and his best friend. (Yeah, you read that right "flies a tank") He then returns to the Pentagon and decides to tell the secret, but Jimmy meets a mysterious Major Flynn, who says he can get the shoes back.

Jimmy is guest of honor at the White House where he spends the night in the Lincoln bedroom and meets the great man himself, or at least the "ghost" of Lincoln. He also meets 2 aliens and they then talk about how the Earth is not quite ready for the power in the shoes.

Now at this point the book becomes interesting in that it could be best described as a youth version of "The Celestine Prophecy" with a little of Deepak Chopra mixed in. I will leave this up to you, the reader, to find out the fun in this one.

All in all this book is a fun read and a pretty quick read surprisingly. With all the adventures and in depth discussions of physics and the universe you just can't put it down. I highly recommend this one for anyone with children ages 6 - 16 a little something for all the kids in that range.

"The Brief History of the Dead" by Kevin Brockmeier

First let me clear up a question that everyone who has seen me reading this book has asked, No, it is not about the Grateful Dead. Okay, that out of the way let me tell you about this really nice book.

One of the things about this book is that it is actually 2 stories (if not 3) wrapped into one. The first and unifying story in the book is that of the "City." The concept of the "city" is based on the traditions of many African communities to believe that after you die your soul is held in a place as long as someone is alive to hold you in their memory. When there is no one left to remember you, your soul moves on.

One of the things I'm going to do is go back and reread this book and read it as 2 different books. This is easily done by chapter breakdown. The odd number chapters carry the story of the "City" and the even number chapters cover the experiences of Laura Byrd in Antarctica.

The "City" is introduced as a thriving community where people who have died have happily met loved ones and carry on normal lives. What they did in life they continue to do in the city. A blind street beggar has arrived and talks of having to cross vast amounts of sand, as though through a desert. Everyone pretty much ignores him as they did back when he was "begging" in front of Coca-Cola headquarters. Everyone is carrying on a normal life after death when one day the population disappears. One man who taught journalism at a major university has been printing a paper for "The city" and goes out to deliver his papers and finds there is no one left to read. He then begins to wonder where everyone went and begins searching the city. He then finds a woman and the blind beggar. They at first think they are the only ones left in the city. After some extensive searches it appears this may be true. But when they hear gunshots they follow the sounds to find the city's Monolith park has a few hundred people gathering together. Many have said that people they were with just disappeared. A few newcomer's to the city give a hint as to what has happened. It appears that a major virus sent out by terrorists has killed the earth's human population. The disease known as "the Blinks" has wiped out humanity on Earth. But why are these people left in the city?

As days go by a few people begin to talk and they all find out they know/knew Laura Byrd.

The even numbered chapters in this book cover the story of Laura Byrd. Laura and a team of 2 other scientists have been sent to Antarctica by the Coca-Cola company to find out if the water from the glacier melts (the world's last known clean water) would be good to use to manufacture the Coca-Cola products. The team's radio antenna gets destroyed by winds and the other 2 members trek to a known Antarctic monitoring station to find a replacement and get help. Laura is left alone in the tent and after a few weeks she realizes the other two will not be coming back. She then takes off for the station. At the station she discovers graves in the snow and a log that describes the deaths and the pandemic that has destroyed the world's population. She also discovers that the other 2 members set out to another monitoring station to look for life and a working radio. She then sets out to find them.

The beauty of this book is the story of Laura and her trek across the snow and ice covered territory of Antarctica and the discovery of what caused the pandemic. Then the interweaving of this story into the story of "The city." This book has a great spirituality feel to it as well as a futuristic warning. Some great wordsmithing from Kevin Brockmeier creates a novel that keeps you wanting to read more.

"Terrorist" by John Updike

John Updike's novels always seem to open up a window to life, especially to American life. With the life of Harry Angstrom (Rabbit) revealing many things about the American psyche through the years to even "The Witches of Eastwick" and exploring greed. This book is no different.

We all remember 9/11 and how it affected our lives and the questions we asked: "Why us?" "Who could have done this?" and "Why the innocents?" John Updike gives us something of an answer with this book, "Terrorist."

First he explores many aspects of American life through the many characters, an overweight housewife, the cheating husband (who is also a guidance counselor in a high school. The cheating husband is also a Jew that has lost his faith and has lost faith in the "youth of today." The fallen morals of America are explored through, not only the cheating husband but the woman he cheats with is the mother of Ahmad, an intelligent "Arab-American" that gets sucked into his religion so far that he is prepared to martyr himself.

I think the biggest aspect of this book is the fallen morals of American society. It is a very hard look at who we are (we being mainly Americans) and what the rest of the world may think. This book also explores a little into the Islamic faith and how religion in general can brainwash it's members.

As with all of John Updike's novels the dialogue is not only very realistic but also the dialogue between the characters suck you into he story and never lets go.

"Under Milkwood: A Play For Voices" by Dylan Thomas.

Back in college I was earning my degree in Radio / Television Broadcasting (from Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, Go Salukis) and it was recommended that I take some voice classes from the Theatre department to help create a midwest / neutral accent. I had a pretty good Southern accent at the time, after all I was born in Louisiana and raised in Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma. I took an intro to Voice class taught by Alex Chrestopolous, who in hindsight taught me alot, at the time though, he was a pain in my arse. The stuff I learned in this class has been priceless and even got me interested in declaring a double major, thus earning a Bachelors degree in both Theatre and Radio/TV Broadcasting.

The most fun I remember in the class was when we as a class performed "Under Milkwood." I have been and always will be a fan of Bob Dylan and finally getting to read/perform someone who influenced Robert Zimmerman to change his name, I was intrigued. I fell in love with this play. I have since read it a few more times and this latest time I read it along with hearing it performed on an audiobook. The audiobook's narrator was Richard Burton so that made it even more enjoyable.

The basis of this play is that we are introduced to a small Welsh town and get to know the citizens and what they do to pass the time. Basically this is a big gossip column with some beautiful language. We are introduced to each character as they sleep by eavesdropping in on their dreams. And then progress through the day with their daily activities, including the scandalous and sweet. We then leave the village as they bed down for the night.

The language behind this is simply beautiful. If you read the play you can feel the rhythm and emotions of the words, but better yet seek out a performance you can listen to. The many voices really create an atmosphere in which it is easy to get lost.

Basically the play is poetry in motion and flowing without pause.

"Fight Club" by Chuck Palahniuk

We've all been there tired of our job, tired of our boring life. Well that's pretty much what gets the ball rolling in this novel by Chuck Palahniuk. I've been reading other novels by Mr. Palahniuk and decided to revisit the book that got me interested in him in the first place. Actually it was the movie of the same name starring Edward Norton and Brad Pitt, that got me interested in the book. This also launched my Edward Norton fanboy phase...but that's another blog altogether.

The narrator in this story is not only sick of his job and his boring life, but he's also seen that he's not the only one. Most people try to cover it with consumerism. This book sets out to prove we are not our jobs, we are not the stuff we own. But what are we?

To discover this the narrator crashes these self help groups, like "men with testicular cancer" "Brain Parasite survivors" and others. Somehow he never gets discovered as a "tourist" to these groups. But one day he runs into Marla. Marla seems to be a tourist just like him. He's upset with her because knowing she's a fake keeps him from "enjoying" the groups and his insomnia returns.

He then meets Tyler Durden. Tyler Durden is an artist at deviant behavior. Tyler has many low paying jobs and performs strange tasks just to create general mayhem. Examples of these are: splicing scenes of porn into Disney movies, Urinating in soup tureens where he works or urinating (or just stating that he urinated in) perfume bottles in which the catering company he is a waiter for is catering a party. Then the narrator's condo blows up and he has to move in with Tyler in a run down house on Paper Street. There are no other houses for miles around so they can do pretty much what they want. The house leaks when it rains, so much so that they have to turn off the electricity in the house when it rains to avoid any accidents. So going with this all the narrator has left is the few changes of clothing that were lost and then recovered by an airline. So has he sunk to bottom yet? No.

They then find that neither one of them have got into any fights in all their lives. So they fight each other. They then realize what it feels like to be human through the pain. Pretty soon they start fight club. In which all the men in the club are not who they are in the real world, but an individual on the fighting floor. Pretty soon black eyes, scars, stitches etc. begin to appear on people in the narrators every day life. But has he hit bottom yet?

In order to discover his humanity he first has to reach bottom. But first he and Tyler need money. So they make soap. Render the fat and mix lye and "ta-da" you have soap. But the fat they render is Marla's mom's fat that was liposuctions so Marla could get her collagen injections. It seems Marla and Tyler become a thing after Tyler saves her from a fake attempted suicide.

Well the soap is a huge success that they go to stealing liposuctioned bags of fat from a medical waste dump. The biggest buyers of the soap are big name, high end department stores. So basically he's selling the rich folks the same fat they pay big dollars to have removed. This money from the Paper Street Soap Co. goes to fund the next project. Project Mayhem.

Project Mayhem is one step further from fight club in that the members go out to show the world that they are not their jobs. They do things like destroying art, or fancy cars etc. At one point one of the narrators friends gets killed doing a Project Mayhem assignment. It's also at this point that Tyler Durden disappears. The narrator searches for Tyler, everytime he goes to a fight club everyone calls him "sir" and when asked if they've seen Tyler they all ask "Is this a test, sir?"

We then discover the secret to Tyler. In order to stop Project Mayhem (which has now reached nationwide) the narrator shoots himself with Tyler's gun. The book closes with the orderlies saying we can't wait for your return and Project Mayhem will soon be bigger than ever.

For those of you that have read the book or even seen the movie, you know the secret of Tyler Durden...but I will not give away that secret. It's more fun discovering that on your own...especially in the book. But I will list for you the rules of Fight Club and Project Mayhem. In the meantime discover Chuck Palahniuk, he's got some great lessons on society in this book.


The Rules of Fight Club

1. You don't talk about fight club.
2. You don't talk about fight club.
3. When someone says stop, or goes limp, even if he's just faking it, the fight is over.
4. Only two guys to a fight.
5. One fight at a time.
6. They fight without shirts or shoes.
7. The fights go on as long as they have to.
8. If this is your first night at fight club, you have to fight.

The Rules of Project Mayhem

1. You don't ask questions.
2. You don't ask questions.
3. No excuses.
4. No lies.
5. You have to trust Tyler.

"Blank: Book 1" Story and art by Pop Mhan.

Tokyopop has started another Manga series that creates some fun and mystery. Blank is actually a "Manga - Like" book, I say this because Pop Mhan is an American citizen that immigrated to the US at the age of three from Thailand. Most Manga books are Japanese artists and writers. You can also not call this a pure Manga because of the way Pop Mhan draws his character's eyes. Pop Mhan is best known for his work in comics such as "Batgirl" and "SpyBoy."

This book follows the misadventures of Blank, a screwed-up secret agent with a serious lapse in memory, and Aki, the confused tomboy whom he has sworn to protect, as they go deep undercover in that most dangerous of territories: high school! Basically Blank doesn't know who he is but for some reason he is supposed to protect Aki. Another feature of Blank is his strange powers. He's indestructible and able to fight with exceptional skill. He can also influence some people to do what he wants, but not Aki.

Between cramming for classes, mixing it up with the school thugs, and uncovering a dark plot laid by the terrorist organization Raizen, the two may just fall in love - if they don't kill each other first! The whole story line is just introduced in this book so it looks like this could be a very fun series. There is plenty of action and comedy, and a little (very little) romantic interest helps also. I think the romantic interest may be hindered by the fact that Blank is a bit of a pervert. Any girl that walks by immediately distracts him.

So if you are a Manga fan this book should get you hooked on what may be a good series from Tokyopop.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J. K. Rowling

Okay I finally got around to reading the final installment in the life of Harry Potter. I had to wait for the kids to get through it before I could even lay my hands on it. I could have been selfish and read it first, but any reason to get someone else reading is good for me.

First of all it is sad to see that Rowling has decided to end the series, but really where else could she have gone? I guess there could have been some college time for Harry, but that whole Voldemort trying to take over the world thing needed and end, and you could only drag it out for so long. 7 books was plenty for that. I think all the spoilers have been out long enough that I won't be giving too much away when I say the following: You can tell it is the last of the Potter series because the last chapter of the book jumps to 19 years later. Anytime this happens it is the end.

Okay let's give a synopsis. Well some really cool characters die, an evil villian turns out to be a good guy, Harry dies and we finally learn what Dumbledore was doing all those years. Oh and we get to meet Harry's parents.

Now for those of you that have read the book you can see I didn't lie, but some of the above is not quite as it seems.

Harry is about to come of age in which he can do magic anytime, but until then he has many protection charms that keep him safe from Voldemort. Once he comes of age then Voldemort begins his attack. In the time between the last book and this one Voldemort has pretty much taken control of everything, many Death Eaters are members of the Ministry of Magic and Severus Snape is now Headmaster at Hogwarts.

Harry is not returning to Hogwarts because of the task Dumbledore passed on to Harry before he dumbledore was killed by Snape. Harry, Ron & Hermione must hunt down and destroy all the Horcruxes. These are magical items in which Voldemort has placed a piece of his soul so he can never be fully destroyed. Destroy all the Horcruxes and then Voldemort can truly die. However Dumbledore never told Harry what or where these were or even How to destroy them. One was a locket that Harry has been carrying. Dumbledore destroyed one. So it seems there are more for Harry & friends to destroy after they track them down.

At the same time Voldemort has found out that his wand is powerless against Harry's wand. He thinks this is because they are the twin of each other. So Voldemort is seeking out one of the three deathly hallows, the Elder Wand. This wand is passed on from wizard to wizard but only when one wizard beats the other. There are many myths and children's stories about this wand and Voldemort thinks it will give him ultimate power.

In looking for the Horcruxes, Harry discovers the myth of the 3 deathly hallows, one of which he already holds, the cloak of invisibility. These are magical items passed on through history that give the holder the power to cheat death. The other deathly hallow which hasn't been mentioned is the resurrection stone. Apparantly Voldemort doesn't know of the 3 hallows because he turned the stone to a Horcrux.

After Harry has tracked down all the Horcruxes he finally has to battle Voldemort. A huge battle at Hogwarts ensues in which many more interesting characters die and Harry eventually dies. Okay he doesn't really but it looks as though he does. I will not give away too much because this book deserves your attention, as do all of the Harry Potter books.

J. K. Rowling created a stir with the Harry Potter books but I think most of all she also made reading cool for youth. So no matter what happens in the books it looks as though not only creating a great story and some really awesome characters (good and bad) she has brought reading back to today's youth. Oh and even some of us adults that love to read a good story. I see these books living forever.

In closing I would just like to say, "Thank you, J. K. Rowling, for some great reading for all ages."

"Haunted" by Chuck Palahniuk

I'm on a Chuck Palahniuk binge right now and I am glad of it. I first read one of his books back in 1999. It was "Fight Club," I was so impressed with the movie that I had to read the book. In fact I took my wife (at the time we were "dating") to see this movie to get her response, and based on her response we got married and have been happily married ever since. Yeah there's more to Fight Club than just beating up people (a lot more). But this is about "Haunted." Once again I've read another great novel by Chuck Palahniuk.

This book is branded as a "novel of stories." Which is to say it is a novel with 23 short stories interwoven through the plot of the book. The basic premise is that 17 individuals are "recruited" to attend a writer's retreat. A time away from the world to write that big masterpiece. Each of the would be writers at first seem just like normal people. Through the book they are referred to by nicknames. These nicknames are based on the stories they tell throughout the book. All except Mr. Brandon Whittier the old man (or is he) that "hosts" the retreat and his "assistant" Mrs. Tess Clark.

Here are the nicknames and stories and a brief description of each:

Brandon Whittier -"Dog Years", "Obsolete" -A wheelchair-bound rich man who owns the abandoned theatre and hosts the writer's retreat. Though he appears to be a very old man, he is in fact a 13 year old boy who suffers from progeria.

Tess Clark -"Post-Production", "The Nightmare Box", "Poster Child", "Cassandra" A failed amateur porn actress who has become Whittier's assistant to learn what happened to her daughter Cassandra at Whittier's last writer's retreat.

Saint Gut-Free - "Guts" An abnormally skinny man who lost part of his lower intestine in a masturbation accident.

Mother Nature "Foot Work" A reflexologist and homeopathic therapy expert who was once employed in prostitution based around her skills with reflexology. She has joined the retreat to escape the mafia, who are out to kill her for abandoning her job and being an accessory to the murder of her friends pimp.

Miss America "Green Room" A pregnant model who wants to become famous.

Lady Baglady (Evelyn Keyes) "Slumming" A rich woman who, along with her husband, used to pretend to be homeless to get over her boredom with being rich. After she and her husband witness a crime leading to the murder of a wealthy Brazilian heiress, her husband is murdered by the captors, and a string of homeless people are murdered in the search for her. She comes to the retreat to escape the people who want to kill her.

The Earl of Slander "Swan Song" A reporter who murders a former child star in order to write a Pulitzer Prize-winning article about his victim's hidden habits and supposed suicide.

The Duke of Vandals "Ambition" An amateur artist who sneaks paintings into museums. He later becomes a respected professional when he murders a famous artist as a favor to the man who funds the other artist. He has come to the retreat to escape the same fate as the other artist.

Director Denial "Exodus" The director of a police station. She brings with her a cat named Cora Reynolds, named after its former owner, a co-worker who killed herself trying to stop police officers from using anatomically correct dolls for sexual purposes.

Reverend Godless "Punch Drunk" A former soldier who, with a group of other soldiers, raises money by lip-syncing in drag and allowing people to assault him in order to fund a war on religion. This has to be my favorite story with some great humor and a very dark message.

The Matchmaker "Ritual" A man who dresses similar to a cowboy. He convinced his wife to marry him after hiring a male prostitute to ruin her idea of the perfect man.

Sister Vigilante "Civil Twilight" A religious woman who carries a bowling ball with which she may or may not have killed people.

Chef Assassin (Richard Talbott) "Product Placement" A professional chef who murders critics who write negative reviews of his cooking and blackmails knife manufacturers by threatening to tell the world that he uses only their knives to commit his deeds.

Comrade Snarky "Speaking Bitterness" A woman who is critical of other women's looks. When she was a child her parents divorced and her mother continually warned her that her father might sexually abuse her. This, however, never occurred but because of it she has been wary and critical of men for her entire life.

Agent Tattletale (Eugene Denton) "Crippled" A man who becomes temporarily crippled and tries to cheat the company he worked for out of worker's compensation after he recovers. After killing a man who was collecting evidence on him for the company, he takes that man's job and is almost killed by a woman who he spied on.

The Missing Link"Dissertation" A member of the Chewlah, a tribe of people who are, according to local rumor, able to transform into sasquatches..

The Countess Foresight (Claire Upton) "Something's Got to Give" A woman with psychic powers. She was arrested for murdering a man who she believed murdered Marilyn Monroe. She now wears an electronic tracking bracelet as part of the terms of her parole.

The Baroness Frostbite (Miss Leroy) "Hot Potting" A former employee of the White River Lodge who lost her lips to frostbite while trying to save someone from an accident at the hot springs nearby.

Miss Sneezy (Lisa Noonan) "Evil Spirits" A woman with chronic sinus problems. She claims to carry an incurable disease, and that she escaped from a government isolation facility. This one rings of Edgar Allen Poe's story "The Masque of the Red Death."

This book really is almost a spoof of all the "crap" you see on reality TV. Several strangers working together, forming alliances and competing for a prize. The prize here is the "masterpiece" to be written. They all get locked in and start creating their own horror. When the food goes bad, well they have to find food somewhere.

Basically you take Stephen King, Clive Barker, Edgar Allen Poe and sprinkle in some H.P. Lovecraft and this is what you get in this novel. Some of the stories contain dark humor that Chuck Palahniuk which is, it seems, a specialty of his, and some are haunting. They all, however have a great message about humanity.

As a little added bonus the paperback features a glow in the dark cover. And if you prefer audio books the audio book has sections read by many talented voices including my favorite, Scott Brick. Other readers include: Erik Darling, Arthur Morey, and Lorna Raver.

"Survivor" by Chuck Palahniuk

First of all...WOW!!! This book is definitely something that grabs hold of you and doesn't let go...even at the end you want more. "Survivor" is written by Chuck Palahniuk, the same author of "Fight Club" which was made into a great movie starring Ed Norton and Brad Pitt. Now as you may or may not remember "Fight Club" had a hidden message about how consumerism was destroying the world. Keeping to thatm "Survivor" has a not so hidden message about Religion, Celebrity status and again the consumerism are destroying human kind. Spoilers to come...so be warned.

Also like "Fight Club" this book begins at the end. Even the chapters appear in reverse...more of a countdown. At the opening of this book Tender Branson the last known survivor of the Creedish religious suicide cult, and Spiritual Leader of the world, is in a 747 he hijacked and is going to crash it into the Australian Outback. Before the ultimate end of his life he leaves a permanent record (on the plane's flight recorder, the "black box") about how he got to where he is and why he is not a mass murderer.

As Tender tells his story in the final minutes before the plane crash, it is unfolded how he became a victim of what I will call Americanism. Tender is a member of the Creedish religious sect, which, as the story unfolds, is discovered to be a front for white slavery. The first born male of every family is named Adam and all the other males are named Tender. All the females are named Bitty until they are married. All of the Tenders and most of the Bittys are sold to rich families as housekeepers. All their lives as children their education consists of such lessons as etiquette, and cleaning and household chores. The cult/sect appear as though they could be Mennonites.

When the sect/cult's secret is discovered by the FBI the entire sect commits mass suicide on their farm compound in Nebraska. The survivors that were sold to slavery slowly follow suit. The government sets up a Survivor retention program in order to keep the rest from committing suicide. Tender Branson is one of these survivors and soon becomes the only one.

Once it is discovered he is the only one the story really starts to rock and reel. A marketing agent then starts controlling Tender's life turning him into a Religious Leader. Tender becomes popular because of ideas that the public thinks are his but are actually the Agent's ideas, like his autobiography, the Book of Very Common Prayer (a book of prayer that will make life easier my favorite is the prayer for getting out of traffic), and the Tender Branson Sensitive Materials Sanitary Landfill (a 20,000 acre [80 km²] repository for America's outdated porn). As his popularity grows, Tender wants to kill himself in front of the whole world; but he can't find the right time to do so. So, he puts it off for later.

Before all this Tender has set up a Suicide hotline...okay, actually he prints up a bunch of stickers for a fake suicide hotline that is his personal phone number. Everyone that calls him he simply says, "Kill Yourself." This goes on until he is visiting the tomb of one of his "victims" and he meets the "victim's" sister, Fertility Hollis. Fertility Hollis has a great gift, She knows everything, she can see the future.

Tender's popularity starts to wane; and the Agent tells him that he needs a miracle to stay famous. Fertility meet's him in a men's room in a restaurant in Spokane, Washington (because she knows). She gives him a prediction to tell on TV that the public will notice when it comes true. It does, and Tender becomes even more famous as he uses Fertility's psychic powers as his own.

But Tender still wants to escape, especially when he finds his older (by 3.5 minutes) brother Adam is still alive and killed off all the Creedish survivors and all the people in Tender's life, and is now after Tender. The police suspect Tender of the murders and when Tender's agent is found murdered, they seek to arrest him...but not before a big show at halftime of the superbowl. But Tender gives one last prediction and the entire arena goes into turmoil and Tender escapes. Only to be stuck with Adam and Fertility. This leads to a cross country escape in a very unique mode of transportation (read the book to find this one out). Ultimately Tender is aboard a plane by himself getting ready to crash in Australia.

The humor in this book is dark, but funny. Okay, disturbingly funny.

Like this conversation between Tender and his agent:

This one time, the agent asked me where I saw myself in five years. Dead, I said. I see myself dead and rotting. Or ashes, I can see myself burned to ashes. I remember I had a loaded gun in my pocket. Just the two of us were standing in the back of a crowded, dark auditorium.

'I see myself dead and in hell.'

I remember I was planning to kill myself that night. It was the night of my first big public appearance. I told the agent, I figured I'd spend my first thousand years in hell in some entry-level position, but after that I wanted to move into management. Be a real team player. Hell is going to see enormous growth in market share over the next millennium, and I wanted to ride the crest.

The agent said that sounded pretty realistic.

Poets & Pornstars

Poets & Pornstars are the real deal. For over 2 years, the band – Hal Ozsan (vocals/guitar), Sally Hope (bass), Domo (guitar), Randy Austin (keys) and Dave Plesh (drums) – has dominated Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, playing to sold-out crowds every time they take the stage. They opened for Guns ‘N’ Roses at KROQ’s Inland Invasion, played to 15,000 fans with Bon Jovi, and toured the country with Veruca Salt. The band has also shared the bill with Radiohead, Buckcherry and Rich Robinson (The Black Crowes). Now the group is ready to bring their electrified 3-chord rock to even more fans around the country with their self-titled, debut album on August 21. The LA times may rave about their “chest-pounding” songs but the real testament to their buzz isn’t the critics – it’s the scores of screaming fans at each show.



Right now they are on tour with Tesla
8/21 TBD LA


8/28 Providence, RI TBD w/ Tesla


8/30 Hampton Beach, NH TBD w/ Tesla


8/31 Albany, NY TBD w/ Tesla


9/4 Boston, MA TBD w/ Tesla


9/6 Sayreville, NJ TBD w/ Tesla


9/13 NYC, NY TBD w/ Tesla


9/14 Baltimore, MD TBD w/ Tesla


9/19 New Orleans, LA TBD w/ Tesla


9/22 Austin, TX TBD w/ Tesla


Their website is:
http://poetsandpornstars.com/

Perry Farrell's Satellite Party

Well folks Perry Farrell is at it again. Creating a new band with a unique sound has always been his forte'. Look at the past with Jane's Addiction and Porno for Pyros what unique talent those bands had. Not only talent but a unique sound to boot. Satellite Party definitely has all that and more.



From the man who brought us Lollapalooza, the music never stops this time his band is full of surprises just check out this lineup:


Band Members


Perry Farrell
Nick Perri
Carl Restivo
Etty Farrell
Jordan Plosky


Satellite Party guests include:


- Flea & John Frusciante from Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Fergie from Black Eyed Peas
- Peter Hook from New Order
- Hybrid
- Thievery Corporation
- Peter DiStefano from Porno For Pyros
- Harry Gregson Williams (Chronicles of Narnia, Kingdom of Heaven)
- Jim Morrison (one of his last vocal performances--previously unreleased)


The most unique aspect is the reworking of the Jim Morrison Vocals...now how is that going to be pulled off in concert? I'm not sure, but if anyone can it will be Perry.


You can check out their myspace page for some of the new music and tour dates:
http://www.myspace.com/satelliteparty


If you are enough of a fan you can join the i-squad and get yourself some swag while promoting this cool band. Just click on the banner below:

"Summer Knight: Book 4 of the Dresden Files" by Jim Butcher

Ever since his girlfriend left town to deal with her newly acquired taste for blood, Harry Dresden has been down and out in Chicago. He can't pay his rent. He's alienating his friends. He can't even recall the last time he took a shower.

The only professional wizard in the phone book has become a desperate man.

And just when it seems things can't get any worse, in saunters the Winter Queen of Faerie. She has an offer Harry can't refuse if he wants to free himself of the supernatural hold his faerie godmother has over him — and hopefully end his run of bad luck. All he has to do is find out who murdered the Summer Queen's right-hand man, the Summer Knight, and clear the Winter Queen's name.

It seems simple enough, but Harry knows better than to get caught in the middle of faerie politics. Until he finds out that the fate of the entire world rests on his solving this case.

No pressure or anything...

I think pretty much all that can go wrong with Harry does. In this book Harry faces a rain of toads, a war between Summer and Winter, A hearing by the White Council which could result in his death, and to make matters worse an old girlfried shows up only to create problems.

The book opens up with Harry still trying find a cure for Susan his current love, and only the second woman he's ever loved. The cure is to cure her of vampirism. In the last book she was partially transformed into a vampire. He has let his hygiene go and his apartment's a mess. However he is getting help from the alphas, you may remember they are the group of college kids, oh yeah and they are lycanthropes.

Harry is soon hired by the Winter Faerie Queen to find out who murdered the Summer Knight. Everyone thinks it was the Winter Queen but she knows she is innocent and if the real killer is not found out there could be a war between the Summer and Winter Faeries. This could only lead to one victor and whoever comes out on top the world could either enter another Ice Age or a time of exponential growth. Now the growth may sound good but remember it also sounds good to E Coli and other bacterium.

This book is another turning point in the series in that Harry admits to Murphy everything there is to know about the supernatural world. Taking her under confidence to tell all the inside info Harry is risking a lot. However it is yet another time we see the almost human weakness of this wizard in that he needs outside help. Murphy is a bit taken aback but soon recovers and is there to help Harry in any way.

We are also introduced to members of the White Council of Wizards. There are some nice characters here including Harry's Mentor, Ebenezer McCoy. Ebenezer was Harry's assigned mentor after Harry killed his Uncle Justin. Also more of the story of Harry's falling out with the White Council and the Death (in self defense) of Uncle Justin.

Yet again another great book in what is turning out to be a great series of books. The humor in these books just makes them more fun.

Sidney Poitier uses the "F" word, or my review of "The Measure of Man"

"The Measure of A Man" by Sidney Poitier

Okay first off the man in the movies always seemed so refined and classy, well he is that good of an actor. After a lifetime of having to deal with racism and poverty, Sidney Poitier found his way. And the way he did it and maintained his dignity is the true measure of a man.

Growing up on Cat Island in the Bahamas the Poitier family were poor tomato farmers. But one thing about being poor is the situation. A person can be poor on an island and not even know they're poor, however bring that same person into a city and with the urban sprawl and communities in neglect the being poor smacks you right in the face. On Cat Island there were numerous plants and trees that bore fruit that anyone could go and pick and spend an afternoon munching. Also fishing can create a nice bounty of food. Another aspect of Poitier's life on the island is that the community would help each other.
When young Sidney's family was affected by the tomato embargo of the Bahamas, they had to relocate to Nassau. This is where the young Sidney discovered racism and exactly how poor he was.

The life in Nassau was still nothing compared to moving to the racist country of the United States. After having to move to Miami to live with his brother, Mr. Poitier took on a job as a delivery boy. He soon discovered that the southern racism affected him. All blacks were to use the back doors to houses. When one delivery, he didn't realize this "Jim Crow" law would affect him until he tried to deliver to a rich white woman at her front door and later the KKK would threaten his family.

The book then goes on to explore the life of Sidney Poitier's career in movies and theatre and the boundaries he had to overcome to be where he is. Many parts of this book are great explorations of an actor and his craft while at other times a glance at how backwards a racist society can be.

My favorite quote from the book is the one that shows that Mr. Poitier is just as human as you and I.

While "expectations" meant "the sky's the limit" for those favored, that interpretation should never be expected to apply in cases like mine. I listened intently until each point had been driven home. Then I said "Fuck You," in the nicest way I could.

That quote pretty much sums up how he overcame all obstacles in his life. I think this book really can help a person to realize that life is not handed to them. It only comes about from what you CHOOSE to do.

"Grave Peril, Dresden Files book 3" by Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden's faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. It comes with the territory when you're the only professional wizard in the Chicago area phone book

But in all Harry's years of supernatural sleuthing, he's never faced anything like this: the spirit world's gone postal. All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble — and not just of the door-slamming, boo-shouting variety. These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly. Someone — or something — is purposely stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc.

But why? And why do so many of the victims have ties to Harry? If Harry doesn't figure it out soon, he could wind up a ghost himself.... .

In this installment of the Dresden files The wizard named Harry is found fighting ghosts. But It seems as though the ghosts are all more active and dangerous than they have ever been. In this book Harry finally gets some help, in the form of Michael. It's never really clear what exactly Michael is, other than the "Fist of God." He's like a cross (no pun intended) between a Knight Templar, Knight of the Round Table and an Archangel." Michael carries a great sword called "Amoracchius," in the hilt of this sword there is a nail, said to be from "The Cross."

This book seems to be a turning point in Harry's career and the storyline that will seem to be coming in the series. In this book we get to learn a little more of Harry's past and also get to take a couple of trips into the Nevernever. The Nevernever is home to all things that go bump in the night, and is only mentioned in the 2 previous books. Also Harry finally realizes and admits he's in love with Susan. But this realization may come a little too late.

Michael, Harry and Lt. Murphy had worked together to stop a wizard that was using his magic for killing. The demon that wizard summoned up was powerful but with all of them teamed up they killed the demon and took the wizard in to police custody. But something has happened in the case and the police will not talk to Harry about it.

Soon all those involved are being attacked by something evil. Harry and Michael deduce that since the veil of the Nevernever is is being stirred up (all the ghostly activity) that the veil is thinning. Thus allowing all this evil to be unleashed. Thinking that the demon is now a ghost and nearly unstoppable Harry and Michael think the demonghost is seeking revenge.

It is learned that Harry's godmother, the faerie Leanansidhe, (yes Harry has a Faerie Godmother) has made a bargain with Harry in his youth and owns his soul. But Harry is not ready to give that up. So she is trying to take it from him and make him her slave. In a battle with the demon ghost, she shows up and heals Harry of his wounds, saying she wants him alive. Harry gets the sword Amoracchius and prepares to attack Lea in revenge. However, Michael warns him (too late) that the sword is not to be used that way. The sword is then picked up by Lea and she leaves. Leaving Michael doubting his faith.

At the same time Harry receives an Invitation from Bianca, a vampire, to attend a costume party to celebrate the appointing of Bianca to the Red Court. The Red Court is one of 3 courts of Vampires and Bianca is to be head of the Red Court. We learn that The Black Court is weak and disappearing. Harry and Michael attend this party. Michael comes as a Knight Templar and knowing Lea will be attending the celebration hopes to get Amoracchius back. Harry comes dressed as a vampire...except he's a "cheesy" vampire and all the other vampires do not find this amusing. Harry's girlfriend Susan forges an invitation hoping to cover the story of the century for her newspaper, but finds out since she was not invited she does not get the protection afforded the actual invitees.

At this party it is learned that the Red Court and The Black Court have teamed up to start a war with the Wizard's White Council, in which Harry is a Member.

The final battles ensue and the book's climax comes with great anticipation.

With the driving wit and sarcasm of Harry Dresden and the wonderful action created by author Jim Butcher this book is yet another masterpiece in the Dresden files.

Stargate SG-1 Season 10

Now available on DVD

For 10 seasons, they have traveled to the edges of the unknown, protecting mankind against ancient enemies and fighting for the freedom of our galaxy. Now… the adventure of a thousand lifetimes launches onto DVD with Stargate SG-1 Season 10 , available July 24 from MGM Home Entertainment. This historic season celebrates the much-anticipated 200 th episode, making it the longest consecutive running science fiction series on television, surpassing The X-Files and every series of Star Trek . Evolving into a global phenomenon, the Stargate franchise reached galactic dominance with Stargate SG-1 which can be seen in over 120 countries and launching the popular spin-off series Stargate Atlantis , Season 4 now airing on the Sci-Fi Network; Two Stargate DVD premiere films scheduled for world-wide release in 2008, “Stargate: The Ark of Truth” and “Stargate: Continuum”; and “Stargate Worlds,” a multi-player online video game. Stargate SG-1 is a fan-favorite due to an outstanding chemistry between its cast, which includes Saturn Award winners Richard Dean Anderson (1999, Best Genre TV Actor) and Amanda Tapping (2005, Best Supporting TV Actress), as well as Christopher Judge, Don S. Davis and Michael Shanks. The intrepid travelers are joined in their unforgettable endeavors by two-time Golden Globe® and three-time Emmy Award® winning actor Beau Bridges , as well as sci-fi veterans Ben Browder and Claudia Black, from Farscape .

Check out the video below for behind the scenes: