brodiew2's galaxy of books

Warble! Warble! Warble! This film is fantastic. It is everything I hoped it would be and more. I was transported back in time to 1977, yet was treated to some incredible visual effects that only 2016 could provide. I am not ashamed to say that I am doing my Star Wars fanboy dance daily. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. Please drop me a line to say yea or nay.

Although I could have used a movie poster or other promotion item, I chose this one. I love this photo. Included here are the two main character in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor, respectively.

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Speaking of warbling, I thought I'd share how much influence LT and the 75ers had on me this year.

Dark Matter

Hero of the Empire

The Count of Monte Cristo

Double Cross Spies

Gods of Gotham

I will confess that each of them were audio books, but all were very well done. I look forward to more more this year.

Complete List of books for 2016



Fire of Heaven by Bill Myers
Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham
Dead Wake by Erik Larsen
Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Alan Dean Foster
In Movement, There Is Peace by Elaine Orabona Foster
Music City Macbre by Bob Williams (e-book)
The Story of Diva and Flea by Mo Willems
Til Death by Jason Anspach
Open Season by CJ Box
You're Never Weird on the Internet by Felicia Day
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, MD
So that Happened by Jon Cryer
Star Trek: Doctor's Orders by Diane Duane
The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare by Lilian Jackson Braun
Blood Flag by Steve Martini
Brighton: A Novel by Michael Harvey
Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
Robert B. Parker's Slow Burn by Ace Atkins
Lazarus by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark
Double Cross Spies by Ben Macintyre
The Gods of Gotham by Lindsay Faye
Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship by William Shatner
The Secret Knowledge by David Mamet
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
When the Astors Owned New York by Justin Kaplan
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Hero of the Empire by Candice Millard
Until Proven Guilty by J.A. Jance
Six-Gun Snow White by Catherynne M. Valente
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
The Constantine Codex by Paul L. Maier

In Process at the end of 2016



Just Mercy Bryan Stevenson
The Atlantis Gene A.G. Riddle
Darktown by Thomas Mullen

Favorite reads/listens of 2016



The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare by Lilian Jackson Braun
Brighton: A Novel by Michael Harvey
Lazarus by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark
The Secret Knowledge by David Mamet
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Currently reading

Audio



Print

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Music

Let me introduce you to TobyMac. Though he has a couple of books to his credit, the man is a master musician. I will be up front and says that the is a Christian musician, but I hope your will give him a shot. His musical style is unique in that it is a self styled gumbo of Rock, Reggae, Hip-Hop, Pop, and R&B. He started out in a band called DC Talk which broke up around 2001-2002. He went solo after than and the rest is History. Check out songs: "Colored People" by DC Talk and "Speak Life" by TobyMac.

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LOST

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I think, given the separation of 10 years, that it may be time to reexamine LOST. I was a huge fan of the show when it aired and, though it had its ups and downs, I was ultimately satisfied with its conclusion. There are an amazing group of characters and an out of this world stoyline that twists, bends, and even breaks at times. My favorite characters were John Locke, Sawyer, and Juliet. Most maddening characters were Jack, Kate, and Michael. If you have never seen this series, I highly recommend it. At the time, and, even now, it is a very unique viewing experience.

Intriguing opening shot, Brodie. I will be with you again in 2017.

Thanks, Paul! I look forward to the new year and stepping out of rookie status. :-P

>6 PaulCranswick: I don't know if you are a Star Wars fan, but this film is very reminiscent of the original 1977 film.

Welcome back! We haven't seen it yet, but hope to over the holiday week.

Hi Brodie, it's difficult right now to keep up with everyone since there are 2016 threads and now 2017 threads, not to mention Christmas preparations! I have enjoyed getting to know you and I am dropping a star and will be following you again next year.

>7 brodiew2: I do fancy the film, Brodie and will try to catch it this weekend.

Hi Brodie, happy reading in 2017!
I like Star Wars, but I always wait until I can see it at home.

>1 brodiew2: I LOVED the new Star Wars movie. It was a perfect little story, with great actors. The ending was really sad. It almost felt like the Magnificent Seven, waiting to see who lived or died, but in the Star Wars world.

Hi Brodie!

>1 brodiew2: We NEED to go see this!

Just dropping off my star on your new thread, Brodie.

Many thanks for the good news of the new Star Wars movie. My grandson and son in law were going to go to see it, but alas, my grandson has mono and isn't feeling well. They are both avid Star Wars fans. I told my grandson that you liked the movie; he smiled!

Dropping my star, Brodie, so I can find my way back again.

>8 drneutron: Thanks, drneutron! I appreciate your hard work keeping the 75ers going!

>9 DeltaQueen50: I'm glad to have gotten to know you, too, DeltaQueen50! I look forward to more in 2017!

>10 PaulCranswick: I look forward to your thoughts, Paul!

>11 FAMeulstee: Hi FAMeulstee! My wife is the same way. It is good to see you.

>12 rosylibrarian: Welcome rosylibrarian! I know what you mean about the sadness, but I thought it was also a satisfying ending.

>13 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel, and welcome back. I look forward to 2017!

>14 EBT1002: It is a beautiful star, Ellen. I'll be dropping stars soon as well.

>15 Whisper1: Hi Whisper1! I'm sorry your grandson is feeling ill. I hope he gets better soon. I know he'll love it when he finally gets to see it.

>16 Crazymamie: Mamie! It wonderful to see you here. I look forward to more fun with the 75ers in 2017!

Hello have a * :)

Hi Brodie!

>18 BBGirl55: Thanks, BBGirl55! I have you starred as well. :-)

>19 DianaNL: Hello, DianaNL! Welcome!

Happy New Year!

Thanks, DianaNL! Happy New Year to you, too! 2017 looks to be a better place.

I am part of the group.
I love being part of the group.
I love the friendships bestowed upon my by dint of my membership of this wonderful fellowship.
I love that race and creed and gender and age and sexuality and nationality make absolutely no difference to our being a valued member of the group.

Thank you for also being part of the group.

Happy New Year, Brodie!

I watched the film 'Hell or High Water' last night and I do not understand what all the hype is about. Anyone care to explain?

Happy New Year Brodie.

Have been a fan of Star Wars my whole life, happy to hear that the new movie is worth seeing. Sounds like one i'll have to take the kids to over the holidays.

i finally found your thread and have starred it! have a great year, Brodie.

Happy New Year Brodie! The Count of Monte Cristo is easily in my top 3 reads of all time. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I'm also super happy that you loved The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye. She is a favorite author of mine. I hope you enjoy the other 2 books in the series as much as I do.

Happy New Year. I really must get to the Star Wars movie, we keep saying we'll go and then don't.

Looking forward to following your thread again this year.

I saw Rogue One with my daughter and two grandsons. TJ, the 11 yr old and I absolutely loved every minute of it! Tyler, the 10 yr old and my daughter, not so much. But, they aren't really the Star War fans like we are.

Happy New Year!

Happy new year, Brodie! We just saw Rogue One the other day. Awesome!

>31 Dianekeenoy: Didn't it take you back to '77. I thought the visual style was excellent.

Just saw it yesterday. Wow, just wow. Especially the person in white who showed up at the end... :)

I hope you had a great New Year with the family, Brodie! I am feeling a bit under the weather, so I did not get out to see Rogue One. Bummer.

Happy New Year, Brodie. I am looking forward to following your thread this year especially now as you are a seasoned veteran of the 75ers.

Happy New Year Brodie! Looking forward to watching your reading list grow.

>23 The_Hibernator: >24 PaulCranswick: >25 jnwelch: Thank you for the New Years celebration, Rachel, Paul, and Joe. I have great expectancy for 2017!

>27 fairywings: Hello fairywings and welcome! I have been a Star Wars fan since I was seven and saw the original film. I think you will enjoy Rogue One. I look forward to seeing you around the boards.

>28 mirrordrum: Thank you, Ellie!

>29 luvamystery65: Hi Ro! thank you for stopping in. I loved The Count and Gods of Gotham as well. I'm listening to Darktown right now and it has similar police and racial tensions, but it is set in Atlanta, GA in the late 40s. I have Seven for a Secret on the potential list for 2017.

>30 avatiakh: Hello Kerry! Happy new year! You really must get out to R1. It is so worth it! I will be seeing you at your thread as well.

>32 tymfos: Hello tymfos! Happy new year! Excellent! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. My favorite new character is Cassian Andor.

>34 drneutron: Good to see you, drneutron! Happy new year! She was a surprise and a good one at that, following what happened a few moments earlier. :-)

>35 msf59: Happy New Year, Mark. I am sorry to hear you are not feeling well. I hope you get well soon. The film is fantastic fun and hope you will enjoy it when you see it.

>36 Familyhistorian: Hi familyhistorian! I appreciate you stopping in. 2017 should be a fantastic reading year. It feels good to shed the rookie status. :-P

>37 swynn: Happy new year, swynn. thanks for coming by. I hope to up the production this year. :-)

>33 brodiew2: It did. When I saw the original Star Wars movie, it was just the most amazing thing I had ever watched up to that moment! I will never forget the first few minutes of the music and the graphics as the movie started...

happy start of the new year, Brodie. I finally managed to get tickets to Rogue One and I loved the movie! Great use of CG for the Princess Leia and Tarkin. I like how, although it's a good standalone, it ties in nicely to episode 4. However, I thought Darth Vader lost some weight in this movie. ;-)

>40 Dianekeenoy: I felt that way as well, Diane!

>41 cameling: I am thrilled that you liked it, cameling! I loved Chirrut, the blind Force worshiper and Cassian, the jaded rebel agent. Tarkin was very well done. Leia was strange with the close up, but it was not to have the transition into Episode 4.

Morning, Brodie!

Good morning, Mamie! Sunny, cold, clear, and freezing here in greater Seattle!

Hi, Brodie. Stopping by to return the star.

How did you like the Shatner book about Leonard Nimoy? I've been debating whether I should read it. I'm a big Nimoy fan, and have started enjoying Shatner more since his Boston Legal days (and following him on Twitter.)

Hi, Brodie! I hope you are enjoying the final disc of Darktown.

I also have Seven for a Secret lined up for early '17. I can't believe it has taken me this long to get the this one.

Hello, Robin. Welcome! I'v e enjoyed Shatner more in recent years as well. His books are pretty insightful for Star Trek fans as well as people simply interested in him as a cultural icon. I listen to them on audio because I like to hear him narrate his own work.

The Nimoy book is good. I enjoyed it. I learned a lot about Nimoy, his relations ship to Shatner, and his relationship to his son that I had never known before. Shatner also include anecdotes from TOS and the movie era that I had not heard. I think you will enjoy it.

>46 msf59: You'll hear this in my Darktown review, but there are plenty of thematic similarities between this book and Gods of Gotham. I look forward to Seven For a Secret this year as well. I hope I can find it on audio.

Hi Brodie! I loved Rogue One. It nestled into the storyline nicely, and now I can't wait for episode 8. I'm also a big Toby Mac fan. I haven't ever watched Lost, but given how our tastes align for your first two thread toppers, maybe I should give it a try.

Looking forward to following along in 2017!

Hi Brodie, I'm home from visiting my family over the holidays. My brother and I only watched a couple of older films, "Blonde Venus" with Marlene Dietrich and then a Randolph Scott western. We got totally caught up in watching some oriental action films like "Red Cliff" and 'The Warlords" which were fantastic.

Hi Brodie, hope the books are treating you well and the weather too.

>49 porch_reader: Hello porch_reader! I'm so glad there is someone else out there who recognized Tobymac. I followed him on DC Talk, but didn't follow his first couple of years as a solo artist. but with the kids, I am now whole hog into Toby. We went and saw him in concert in Seattle last year.

I think you would like LOST. It's a bit of a mind bend and you would probably decide early whether you wanted to invest in it or not.

'I am one with the Force. The Force is with me.'

>50 DeltaQueen50: It's good to see you, DeltaQueen50! I'll look into the Asian action films. Red Cliff sounds like an interesting title. IP Man is one I am interested in after Donnie Yen was featured in Rogue one.

>51 Familyhistorian: Hi familyhistorian. It is cold here in greater Seattle and, yeah...um...that's why my reading has slowed here at the start. Yeah, let's go with that. ;-)

Hiya, Brodie.

Our son came back from seeing Rogue One and raved about Donnie Yen in it. He and I have both seen and enjoyed IP Man. (He and I used to watch martial arts films together when he was in our house).

Donnie Yen's character in Rogue One is both the heart and the humor of the Rebel team. I look forward to IP Man.

I finished Darktown.

Hi Brodie. Just dropping off a star

>54 brodiew2: Brodie, Donnie Yen movies are well worth checking out. You've mentioned "The Ip Man" and he is also featured in the excellent 2004 film "Hero" along with some other notable Chinese actors like Jet Li, Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi.

>56 DeltaQueen50: Hero is an excellent movie.

>56 DeltaQueen50: Ooh I loved "The Ip Man' and "Hero". The first time I saw him in a movie was in "Once Upon a Time in China II" where he had an amazing fight scene with Jet Li.

>56 DeltaQueen50: I really like those Chinese movies and could watch Jackie Chan every day.
Zhang Ziyi is gorgeous, just sayin.

Have a great Sunday, Brodie.

Morning, Brodie! Happy Sunday! The kids and Craig went to see Rogue One yesterday, but I was not feeling well, so I ended up staying home. Birdy would probably be more than happy to discuss it if you are in the mood.

Good morning, Brodie. So how did you like Darktown? Did it hold up all the way through for you?

>55 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chellebearss!

>56 DeltaQueen50: >57 Oberon: >58 cameling: I will check those out, DeltaQueen50. I tried 'Ip Man' the other night, but even on Netflix I have to listen to bad English dubs with the English subtitles. How does that make sense? I didn't get far. 'Hero' is on the list.

>59 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. I use the watch a lot of Kung Fu theater when I was a kid. I no idea who the actors were, but I imagine one of them could have been Jackie Chan. Drunken Master or something of the sort.

>60 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! I did! I did. I posted over at Birdy's thread. we exchanged a couple of comments. specifically, the last battle, The Battle of Scarif, is beautifully filmed.

>61 jnwelch: Hello Joe. Sadly, my specific impressions on Darktown are fading. I'll get a review up shortly.

Hi, Brodie! Sweet Thursday! Hope the week has gone well. Are you getting any of the snow that has pummeled the PNW?

I have Just Mercy in my audio rotation. I hope to get to it soon.

I very much enjoyed Thomas Mullen's Darktown, if enjoy is the right word. It is a well written and compelling thriller about a group of newly appointed African American police officers in Atlanta, GA shortly after the end of World War II. These new officers encounter active resistance from the white policemen on the force as well as criminal element in the black part of town called 'Darktown'.

The story opens on a hot night when the two of the new officers witness a car run into a light post. As the approach the car, there is a white man in the driver seat and African American woman in the passenger's seat. The car back up, ignoring the commands from the officers to stop and drives off. Minutes later the officers catch up to the stopped car, witness the driver strike his passenger who opens the door and flees. The following day, the body of the woman if discovered in a vacant lot which doubles as a garbage dump. So begins the mystery of who the victim is and why she was killed.

What struck me most about Darktown is how atmospheric it is. The humidity is as much a character in the book as the officers. The night is ever present thought it offers no relief from the heat, both physical and emotional. The characters struggle with internal and external issues of racism, justice, purpose, and political corruption.

Excellent narration by Andre Holland.

5 of 5 stars

>5 brodiew2: I've been contemplating a rewatch of LOST. My favorite characters were the ones you named, but towards the end Locke went on my not-like list. I also had a strong liking for some of the secondary characters such as Desmond, Penny, Jin and Sun and Mr Eko.

I'm one of those somewhat unsatisfied with the end. I felt the writers had created way too much weirdness that became impossible to wrap up. They should have just done a "Jack in the Shower"

Good review of Darktown, Brodie. If you post it, I will Thumb it. Glad you thought so highly of it.

>65 RBeffa: Hi Ron. I'm not sure I have the patience for a full rewatch, but I have been thinking about hitting a top 10. I think the reason Locke loses favor is that he us no longer Locke in that final season. I agree with you in that respect. Let me know if you do. I'd be happy to discuss it with you and watch a few along the way.

>63 msf59: >66 msf59: Hello Mark! No, the Puget Sound area did not get hit at all compared to the 'pummeling' the Oregon received. It's been cold and sunny up here. Thanks for the kind word on the review.

Oh, and Just Mercy should be good on audio. I'm just over 2/3 of the way through.

Yes, LOST would be a major commitment. someday ...

Hi Brodie. I assume you are watching this disheartening Seahawks game.

Just popping in to say howdy

Just dropping by. Darktown sounds really good, I'll have to add it to my tbr list. Hope all is well with you.

Morning, Brodie! Just stopping in to wish you a good week.

>68 RBeffa: Indeed, Ron.

>69 EBT1002: It was a sad thing, Ellen. The Hawks defense could not stop the Falcons.

>70 luvamystery65: Hi, Ro! I'm thinking of add an Rennie Airth to my list this year. Charles Todd's first didn't work for me. Do you know anything about Airth?

>71 avatiakh: Hello Kerry! Darktown is excellent. Things are as well as can be expected, but getting better.

>72 Crazymamie: Thanks for stopping, Mamie! I appreciate the well wishes. Back at you.

Hi, Brodie! Hope you had a good weekend. Sorry about the Seahawks! I was rootin' for them.

So glad you had a great time with Darktown, Brodie. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. Really well done.

>64 brodiew2: Good review Brodie. I've had Mullen's Last Town on Earth about the 1918 flu epidemic sitting on my shelves for half a dozen years. One day ...

>74 msf59: It was sad about the Seahawks, Mark. But, I didn't take it has hard this time as I have in the past. It was a weird season.

>75 jnwelch: Hello, Joe. I that's it. It is such a well written story that you cannot help be pulled into it.

>76 RBeffa: Thanks, Ron! Someday. I've got Rendezvous with Rama and Star Trek Black Fire in the hopper. Perhaps we can get on the same page one of these days.

I hope you like Black Fire as much as I did!

Hi Brodie, that's a good review of Darktown which is on my wishlist. I really liked The Last Town on Earth which is also by Thomas Mullen.

And now Darktown is on my list!

>78 RBeffa: I hope to, Ron. Including you, I have three solid recommendations on it.

>79 DeltaQueen50: Hello deltatQueen50! I think you will in enjoy it given your noir love. I'll have to look into 'Last Town'. Ron mentioned it as well.

>80 drneutron: And, so it begins...This is how the warble works!

>73 brodiew2: I haven't read anything by Rennie Airth. Must investigate.

I started one a couple of years back and put it down because something more pressing came available. I believe River of Darkness is his first.

Good morning, all! There is a topic that has been in the news in recent days that is gnawing at me. What better forum than this to air it out. When the presidential election results were confirmed, students from many high schools walked out of class to protest. While I do not deny them the right to protest, I feel that schools should not allow such walk outs to happen without consequences. Protesting is all well and good, on either side of an issue, but it should not be done by high school students during school hours. Perhaps, something could be organized on campus, during lunch, but absolutely not during class time.

This has come back into the news as students/city council members (in Seattle) would like to have truancy consequences waived in order to publicly protest the inauguration. I think this sets a terrible precedent by allowing students to leave the classroom and campus of the school to protest. What about the students who do not want to protest? My suggestion is that it be used as a teaching moment. Have discussions in the classroom after watching the inauguration on tv. Why would it be okay to allow students to leave school for such a purpose?

I'll just say that I am never against peaceful non-violent protests.

I can respect that, Ron.

Yeah, same with me, Brodie. If our kids felt strongly about protesting, I'd be happy that they were that engaged, and in favor of the waiver. To me, this would be a strong educational, and social integrity, experience that I'd support.

Happy Friday, Brodie! You broached an interesting topic with the student protests. Looking forward to hearing some of the responses.

Have you Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World? It is trippy, Murakami but so entertaining.

>87 jnwelch: Fair enough, Joe. I see it as something that, if allowed would need to be at a parent's request. I find it dangerous and, even reckless for students, in the custody of the school, to simply allow students, en mass, to leave the school campus and enter the uncertain realm of a public protest. It also makes me wonder if the schools would be as lax in policy if more conservative students pushed the same envelope regarding a candidate they disliked.

>88 msf59: Thanks, Mark. It's a small sideline if the election and inauguration, but it's something that is trying my view of logic.

As for the Murakami. I am not familiar with the author but the title intrigues me.

>84 brodiew2: I think the part that concerns me with what you wrote and what is or isn't going on with your schools is where it sounds like the city council is encouraging truancy and civil disobedience. That is probably crossing some blurry line.

Free speech is probably something that shouldn't be suppressed regardless of what side of an issue one is on. I've certainly disagreed with plenty of demonstrations esp when they cross the line into hate speech and violence. I've also walked down market street in San Francisco with 10's of thousands protesting Bush's invasion of Iraq. Many tens of thousands, and it was peaceful.

In your case I hope classes continue uninterrupted for those students who wish to stay in school. I would think the biggest issue is a safety one and I would have a hard time imagining a school district sanctioning truancy for students they are responsible for.

>90 RBeffa: Ron, One of the CC members was advocating the students be allowed to leave school, or skip school altogether, in order to protest. This absence from school would not be charged a truancy.

In no way am I wanting to suppress free speech. Students can protest their hearts out on their own time.

>84 brodiew2: I lean in favor of giving students release from classes for public engagement. And yes, whatever policy is in place should be available to students advocating for any side of an issue. It's my understanding that this ought to be a given in public schools, since any policies have to be viewpoint neutral. It's reasonable to expect some sort of documentation-- parents' signed permission, at least-- to participate. I'm a little surprised there aren't policies already in place for this, or maybe I'm misunderstanding the situation.

If it's about students spontaneously leaving the classroom, then there's not only the problem of disrupting classes, but the school and the city probably have valid liability concerns that have higher priority than passions about the election.

Interesting subject Brodie. I think that there is a danger with such protests that peer pressure "forces" students into taking a firm position on a subject that they sometimes don't feel about as strongly as all that. For some it will also be a question of better out of the classroom than studying in it! The third concern is that classrooms should not be politicised if at all possible and certainly not be mere reflections of the teaching body.

All that said there is an obvious educational and life value in positive, peaceful social engagement. There will always be a few in the categories I put forward in the first paragraph but I am not sure that they should defray the rights of the others to express their protests constitutionally. Better it is on their own time though, I think.

Have a great weekend.

>92 swynn: Thank you for responding, swynn. I appreciate this perspective. I understand the desire to protest, to show solidarity in disapproval, but I still believe it is not something that schools should sanction. I guess, if a parent wants to keep a kid out of school, there is no real reason to explain why. I also appreciate that it would need to be allowed for those wanting to protest either side of an issue.

>93 PaulCranswick: Wise words, Paul. I agree that classrooms should not be politicized, but I believe it happens more than personally experience. In higher education politicizing classrooms is almost a given. It can be difficult for conservative students to have a voice that isn't dismissed, if not attacked.

I agree that social engagement is good as long as minors are given permission by parents. How many field trips already work this way. I would prefer that the schools stick to more objective political matters such as government operation and process.

>84 brodiew2: As I'm not from the US I don't know much about the curriculum there and what is taught about the American political system. The inauguration seems to be a day for American celebration in having a transparent democratic process and as such I don't understand the need for student protest, because for me they would be protesting against the democracy and freedoms of the US.

>95 avatiakh: Hi Kerry. Makes sense to me.

>84 brodiew2: Maybe I am not understanding the situation correctly. I am assuming the students walked out of school, irrespective of any permission. If that is the case, then the question is should they be punished for what they did? I would say no.

If the students (or parents of the students) had asked if it was ok for the kids to leave school, I would assume that the answer would be no and that that would be the appropriate response by the school. The school should not be telling students to feel free to leave school to protest that which they disagree with. However, if, as I assumed above, that the students simply engaged in protest without getting advance permission and were prepared for whatever discipline was forthcoming then I think it is a different analysis. If the students simply walked out then the question becomes "what is gained by discipling the students?" I would say very little. They engaged in an act of civic disobedience on an issue of public concern. I don't think that giving them detention to think about what they did would serve any purpose. Perhaps if students started routinely leaving school to protest petty things like the lunch menu you would need to punish students who left in order to impose some discipline. However, if this is a one off event, I see nothing to be gained by punishment.

Isaac Asimov's The Caves of Steel is not for me. The book has tried tell this on two previous attempt to read it. I finally decided to listen...to the audio book. Suffice to say, I finished this time, but not without moment where I considered cutting it short.

The story centers around a murder in Spacetown, which is a segregated community of offworld humans who are more technologically advanced and consider themselves more civilized in general. The spacers have also tried to introduce robots into Earth society which has not been easy as there is tension around humans losing jobs to machines. Tension. Tension between humans and spacers. Tension between humans and robots. As a result, Spacetown sends a highly advanced robot, virtually indistinguishable from a human, to assist the city's detective on the case.

I enjoyed Asimov's world building and loved the introduction of the Laws of Robotics, even his discussion of overpopulation and colonization of outer worlds. In other words, the philosophy of the novel is interesting and engaging. Where the book falls short is in the melodramatic outline (murder mystery) in which the philosophy is displayed. The dialogue was so bad in places it was hard to listen to. The relationship between the main character and his wife is a bit chauvinistic for my taste. And, the action, a little as there was, was filler between larger expository reveals.

2 of 4 stars

>98 brodiew2: I had a similar reaction to that when I first read it a few years ago. Good worldbuilding, intriguing ideas, I even liked the mystery. But oh the characters and the dialog and the gender relations. It has a bad case of Has Not Aged Well. But congratulations on finishing!

>99 swynn: Thanks, swynn. It's good to know I'm not alone. I absolutely love Asimov's first Foundation trilogy, but I'm not sure I'll even pick up the follow up to this one.

Morning, Brodie! You are up early! Hope those books are treating you well. Enjoy your day.

True that, Mark! I'm usually not posting that early, but it was one post and I did it on my phone. ;-)

I tried Conclave first for my next audio book, but quickly discovered I didn't have the patience a the moment. I put in Monuments Men and I'm off to the races. I'm enjoying Jeremy Davidson's narration.

Good review of Caves of Steel, Brodie. I've made a mental note not to bother re-visiting that one.

>103 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Revisit Foundation instead. :-) Or, as I am going to do as soon as I fininsh The Atlantis Gene, revisit Rendezvous With Rama.

The Monuments Men is a fine audio choice. Did you start "Victoria", on PBS?

>105 msf59: I watched episode one, but missed recording episode two. I should set a series recording so I don't miss another one.

Hi Brodie, sorry your last read wasn't all you hoped for.

>107 DeltaQueen50: Not to worry, DeltaQueen50. Asimov has much better work.

The Atlantis Gene by A.G. Riddle is a fun science fiction romp with strong inspiration from both the Jason Bourne series and Indiana Jones. The book opens with the discovery of a WWII submarine sticking out of the ice somewhere in Antarctica. The sub appears to be connected to an underground structure of unknown, technologically advanced origin. From this opening mystery, the action jumps immediately into the imminent fall of a well known international security organization. How these two events are connected is what drives the story. The action leaps from Indonesia to China to Antarctica with shady secret societies and horrific scientific experiments. All of this connected to the why and who of the underground structures.

What I enjoyed about The Atlantis Gene is the sense of adventure the took hold of me every time I picked it up. I felt a lightness of heart, and exuberant anticipation in regards to what would happen next and who was behind what and why the excavation the underground structures were so important. Even though the action was improbable, at times, I was not deterred because the puzzle that Riddle presented me with was worth solving.

That said, I found the characters to be one dimensional, fitting squarely into archetypes of adventure fiction. I also felt the action became trite and overlong toward the end. The reveals kept coming hard and fast and I began to get confused by certain elements.

However, it did not dampened my excitement about the book as a whole. I greatly enjoyed the adventure, the science, and the mystery of the world created. I looked forward the next book in the trilogy, The Atlantis Plague.

4 of 5 stars

>109 brodiew2: sounds good! I like a good brain-candy thriller!

Thanks for stopping in, Jim. I think you might like this one.

I hear the 'Hell or High Water' was nominated for Best Picture of the Year. Try as I might to dismiss the high art quality of this film as a whole, I am drawn back to it again and again. My initial perception was that it was a beautifully filmed and produced film. The look of the film is great. It was the performances that I thought were standard and did not reach to level of Oscar worthy. This has changed over time as Chris Pine and Ben Davis and even Jeff Bridges bring unique skills to each of their characters. However, I keep coming back to Pine. Knowing him from many other films, Star Trek, especially, I was surprised by the reserve of his performance in this film. At fist, I didn't like it. On review, I think he does a fine job of portraying a man going against his nature, breaking the law, in order to gain his own justice and security for his family. Do I think character is right in his actions? No. But, I can recognize the nuance in the Pine's performance.

Hi Brodie - And this is my first visit here. Have been enjoying your enthusiasm for books as well as movies on this thread.

I'm too a Star Wars fan. I remember as a teenager watching A New Hope and was totally blown away. It was one of those life altering movie experiences - we haven't seen anything like it before. Some time after my cousin got a ten minutes abridged version of the movie on his super 8 (this is before dvd, you know) - and we watch it over and over again in his room on the wall. (Think about the kids in "Super 8")

I'm looking forward to rewatch "Rogue One" - I liked it a lot - it's going to fit in to the saga (and we Danes always like our countrymen in big Hollywood production...Mads Mikkelsen...) and I thought Felicity Jones did a great job although I had my hesitations. It'll be interesting to follow the concept of stand alone Star Wars movies. I'm not a huge fan and haven't read the books and invested so much time in the universe other than the movies.

"Hell and High Water" is on my watchlist although I'm a little hesitant. Is it a cynical death end kind of a movie? Maybe...

You're starred - and looking forward to your audiobook-experiences. I too listen to a lot of books.

Welcome, Carsten. Film definitely gets some play around here in addition to books. I saw Star Wars as child of 7 and loved it. When Empire came out, I saw it on the theater 10 times. Yup, 10 times.

Explain cynical-death end of the film. I think I know what you mean, but want to be sure. I was not dissatisfied with the ending. However, there is moral quandary at the center of film. As for cynicism, there is a fair amount, but the film is still worth seeing.

>109 brodiew2: Good review, Brodie. Sounds like fun escapist fare.

>115 jnwelch: Indeed it is, Joe. And, not every expensive electronically either. At least it wasn't when I bought it. :-P

Good afternoon all. I found myself on page three. Yikes. Well, I haven't had much to add to the reading pot lately. I'm slowly, but surely moving through Momuments Men on audio. My reread project, Rendezvous With Rama is off to a slow start. I am going to set it aside for while. Not because I'm not enjoying it, but because life has been pretty stressful of late and I have neglected my spiritual life and family too much. I need to get back to place where God is first, family second, and everything else after that. I'm starting a prayer devotional called He Leads Me Beside Still Waters by Jennifer Dean. I've owned it for a while, and even started it once, but never followed through.

I will also be prioritizing the novel The Veritas Conflict. I think it will be fun. I will follow it with either Rama or The Way, My Way.

Have a good night!

>117 brodiew2: Life is life. Come back for a visit when time allows.

I really enjoyed the film "The Way" several years ago and will watch it again one day. It really caught my interest and I somehow had never known about that walk.

Morning Brodie! Hope you are having a good week.

Enjoyed your thoughts on Hell or High Water. It's a good film and I also liked the Pine performance.

>118 RBeffa: Thanks, Ron. I won't be far away. I just needed to right the ship so to speak. The Way is a fine film and the inspiration for my annual Camino travelogue read. This will be my third.

>119 msf59: Hello Mark! Hell or High Water was also a good film. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Pine definitely stretched in this one.

Hi Brodie and Happy Weekend!

I have not seen "Hell or High Water" but I appreciate your comments about it. You seem to be very thoughtful in your appraisal of films (I admit that I can tend toward the William Hurt approach -- "sometimes you have to just let art flow over you." ~~~ do you recognize that quote?)

I'd really like to see He'll or High Water, but it's definitely not mrsdrneutron's thing. So I'll wait until it's on Netflix and borrow the DVD. Great review!

I watched the third season finale of Sherlock this weekend: The Final Problem. This epiosode was a master work of suspene as well as visually stunning. I love Sherlock because it is a total package of brilliant acting, writing, and visual effects.Where other episodes have been fun and mysteriously adventurous, this one was pure psychological terror. I love Cumberbatch, Freeman, and Gattis. The are fantastic. Needless to say this epsiode is sidewinding mindbender. Enjoy!

Sorry for being late to the party.

>121 EBT1002: Thank you both for commenting about 'Hell or High Water'. I do not recognize the quote, Ellen, but I was sorry to hear of Hurt's recent passing.

I do love film and tv and you are right that I watch with a thoughtful, often critical eye. Sometimes, I find myself both hard to please and easily amused at the same time.

>122 drneutron: I hope you get chance, drneutron. It's worth it.

I've wondered if I should watch the modernized Sherlock. Last year (I think) I finished reading all of the novels and short story collections, but somehow can't see Sherlock in modern day London. Well, I might try them on soon and see if it works.

Haven't seen Hell or High Water yet, but my cousin did and recommended it and we have the same kind of taste in movies, so I think I will - I had a great laugh at this scene:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJdHxwW0EZE

Reading "He Leads Me Beside Still Waters" sounds like a good way to focus on God. I did a close study of The Lord's Prayer three-four years ago as I was preaching on it in our local church - and it was a real blessing to find so many things in this broad prayer. Now it sort of sips into my prayer life as a routine. Blessed reading :)

Morning, Brodie! Hope all is well. How are the books treating you? I am tackling the Everest-Sized Infinite Jest. This will definitely cut into my February reading numbers. It is a challenge, no question, but much of the writing is truly masterful. One very smart guy.

>123 brodiew2: I also love the Sherlock series. It verges on being too creepy for me but it is brilliant and suspenseful and fun. Incredibly creative.

I don't know that I would recommend "The Big Chill," per se, but I loved it in the late 1980s and I have many quotes from it. That one is my favorite. Its from one of my favorite scenes in the movie.

I didn't know that William Hurt had died!

I've googled. It was a hoax. I bet you knew that.

>128 EBT1002: I saw 'The Big Chill' many years ago. It's not really my thing, but it was a good movie.

>129 EBT1002: It was a hoax? I had not heard that. My library system still had the notice on their homepage Monday.

It was John Hurt who died, not William Hurt.

Happy Wednesday, Brodie!

"John" Hurt just passed on.

LOL! I'm sorry. I got my Hurts mixed up.

>73 brodiew2: I have some Rennie Airth books on my TBR pile. I double-checked, and it appears that I have read one of them and gave it three stars, but I honestly don't remember it. I'll probably give him another try since I already have the book.

>123 brodiew2: Agreed! I would have to say that Sherlock is probably my most favorite show ever (surpassing even Classic and New Who - but just slightly!) It is so intelligent and well-written and the acting is magnificent. I'm glad you enjoyed The Final Problem - I know that there are some who did not care for it, but I also enjoyed it. It was so powerful and emotional. I need to watch it again, but I think it may become my favorite episode.

>109 brodiew2: Book Bullet!

>98 brodiew2: I'm sorry you didn't like The Caves of Steel. I've been an Asimov fan for as long as I can remember and enjoyed the R Daneel Olivaw series, and how they hook into the Foundation series eventually. It's interesting that I really don't recall the relationship between Lije and Jessie, so I know that it didn't bother me at the time - or at least I don't recall much about their relationship until The Robots of Dawn. IMO, Robots of Dawn is probably the best of the 3 original series books.

>84 brodiew2: Late on weighing in on the school issue - I think the school should have taken the opportunity to turn it into a learning experience - perhaps via the social studies classroom or a school assembly or debate. I would have to say that I agree with you - I don't think the students should be allowed to leave the classroom in protest, for the reasons that I have already heard - safety, peer pressure, etc. As the parent of an HS boy, I would like to think that I would know where he was at all times and why he would not be in the classroom. If this would have been an organized event where parent permission was needed, then I would have a different viewpoint. In my 6th grader's classroom, they watched the inauguration in class. While I did not vote for, nor support, either of the major candidates, I do see the educational benefit of the children watching it as a historic event. Another thought I have is that although I totally support freedom of speech, I also think there is a time and a place for expressing one's political or religious opinion - and there is a right way to do so. For instance, I would not strongly express my opinions in the workplace (and I actually avoid these discussions except with the right company), because I feel that to do so could be found offensive to some. While these kids have a right to their opinions and the way they want to express them, I feel that they should be taught that there is a right way, place and time to do so. Perhaps during the middle of school may not be the right time.

Robin! Thanks so much for stopping. I appreciate you taking the time to hit a few different items.

>73 brodiew2: I started River of Darkness a couple of years back when I was trying to remember Charles Todd's Inspector Rutledge. Ironically, the first Rutledge book feel flat for me and I am going to give Airth another try. I was enjoying RoD when I put it down.

>123 brodiew2: that episode was crazy. It definitely got my heart pounding and more in a Tell Tale Heart kind of way than a frantic pace. My favorite episode remains Scandal in Belgravia. My least favorite is the Baskervilles. However, Cumberbatch was off the charts in the scene where he is affected by the drug. Do you remember that? You thought Sherlock was manic before, Cumberbatch nailed a performance where a man who prides himself on his self possession, losing control.

>109 brodiew2: I liked it. I picked up he second book on my Kindle made the mistake of reading a mediocre review. Now I have to give myself some space because I am the guy who can read 10 good reviews and let one bad one turn me off.

>98 brodiew2: Take heart in that I love the Foundation Series. I did not cheer as loud with the second, later series or the bridge with Daneel, but they were still cool. The first trilogy is one of my all time favorites. I may have to give Daneel and Lije another try.

>84 brodiew2: I think we're on the same page here for the most part.

In the spirit of BBGirl55's 28 Days of Love, I'm going to do a Photo Friday of things I love. I shared some of those in my thread last year, but hey, there is plenty more love to spread around. Without further ado, I give you...

Avery Brooks as Catain Benjamin Sisko.



Benjamin Sisko is the lead character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and my way of the thinking, the most bad ass of them all. Sisko is the perfect combination of the diplomatic reserve of Jean Luc Picard and the confident, action oriented James T. Kirk. Like most most of the Star Trek captains, he commands loyalty effortlessly by his actions. He is also a dedicated father, a man for which family is at his core.

Sisko is also the kind of leader who can make hard, unpopular, even immoral, decisions when the greater good is at stake. He is a clever tactician and one who never gives up in the face of overwhelming odds.

>136 brodiew2: DS9 was definitely my favorite of the various Star Trek series - mostly because of Avery Brooks - plus it wa so different from the "everything's perfect about us" feel of the others. It was dirty and gritty and they were always hanging by a thread.

I lost interest in DS9 after a couple seasons. You really needed to watch every week and I didn't. I was a dedicated TNG watcher but even that show didn't rock my world all the time. Still, TNG was my favorite of the Treks and Picard absolutely my favorite captain.

Babylon 5 remains my favorite series of the genre however.

>137 drneutron: Agreed, Jim. I was so excited to see him promoted to Captain in season 4, lose the hair and gain the goat tee. Captain Hawk, anyone?

>138 RBeffa: I'm sorry to hear that, Ron. The first three season were slower, but still had a lot of god story telling. The series really heat us when Worf comes aboard in season 4 and the seeds of the Dominion War are set in place. The final three seasons are excellent tv.

I watched this film with the wife and kids tonight and it was amazing. Eddie Murphy is excellent as is his co star Britt Robertson. It is an inspiring story of family, love, and friendship; the ties that bind people together. I highly recommend you check it out.

Hi Brodie - long time since I last checked in. I started watching Falling Skies but after a few episodes gave up, I just couldn't be bothered spending time on it. Last night I watched an excellent German film, Labyrinth of Lies.

Good luck with your reread project. I'm rereading the last 4 Harry Potter books via Stephen Fry on audio. Slowly.

Hi Kerry! Good to see you. It's been a slow start for me this year. Falling Skies never worked for me either. I liked the actors and the premise, but it was too dark.

I'll have to look into Labyrinth of Lies.

My reread stalled pretty fast. I'm going try and get it going again soon.

Good to heard from you!

Morning Brodie. Just checking in to see how you're doing. I am tucked up in bed with a nasty cold, hoping to spare my colleagues from catching it. In between naps I plan to read and catch up on LT.

>140 brodiew2: I have not heard of that film; it sounds like one I would like so I'll keep an eye out.

Enjoy this spring-like weather!

>143 EBT1002: HI, Ellen! Thanks for stopping in. I'm sorry you aren't feeling well. I hope you get some good rest.

My reading has stalled pretty much out of the gate, though I am enjoying Ready Player One on audio.

As for Mr. Church, it's a smaller film and I heard a rumor that it was not well received, critically. Got me there. My whole family loved it. Eddie Murphy is great as a cook who is hired for a woman and her daughter. He is supposed to be there for 6 months, but it ends up being longer than that.

I quite enjoyed Ready Player One.

I'm passing into the final quarter of the book, Ellen. It really is a treat. The 80s were my teens. I'm having a great time with it.

Oh, I loved Ready Player One, both as an ebook and on audio. Such a fun book even when I don't get most of the references in it.

It is fun, indeed, lunacat! And, I get all the references. Thank you for taking the time to stop in. :-)

Hi Brodie, I loved Ready Player One as well, thought it was very clever and such a fun read.

Hi DeltaQueen50! I am almost done. I'll post a review on Monday. I'm in the midst of the finale!

>150 brodiew2: Looking forward to it! I've got Armada on the stack for reading soon. Our friend Mark was kind enough to send it to me.

>151 drneutron: I look forward to your thoughts on that one, Jim.

Hi, Brodie! Hope you had a decent Monday and a great weekend. Somehow, I keep missing your thread. Better get the peepers checked.

Glad you are having a good time with RPO! It is a joy!

>153 msf59: You haven't missed much, Mark. Been slow going. I finished RPO this morning and it was fun. I'll try to get a review up soon.

Armada is not nearly as strong but I liked it, well enough.

What is your next audio?

>155 msf59: I'm glad to hear you liked it, Mark. That gives me some hope.

I'm wrapping up Monuements Men. Only three discs to go!

After that, I'm not sure. I have River of Doubt and The Men Who United the States. I'm not sure which one or either will be next.

Oh, I liked Monuments Men, Brodie. It's a good one, isn't it. Too bad the movie was a dud. (Not that I saw it).

Glad you had fun with Ready Player One. My whole family did - that one appeals to a wide variety of readers.

I quite enjoyed Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. It was right up my alley as a mashup of science fiction, romance, friendship, and 80s pop culture.

In a not so pleasant near future, Wade is a kid, who like other kids and the majority of adults, are plugged into virtual reality. This virtual reality is pervasive and multifaceted. It is also the brain child of a video game mogul who has recently passed away. The mogul had no heirs and an obsession with the 1980s, in which he had grown up. He decides to put his fortune up for grabs in the form of an Oasis quest to find and Easter egg he has hidden deep withing the expansive VR. Wade takes up the challenge. With a little help, and competition, from his friends, Wade proceeds though the riddles, enigmas, and challenges of the quest. His main competition/enemy is the IOI corporation, who wants to win the fortune in order to fundamentally change the face of the Oasis.

The world building, as in the Oasis is fantastic. The Oasis is not just a surrogate for modern Earth, it is a universe of different planets of all shapes and sized, with as many thematic variations as can be imagined.

What struck me most about the books was how Cline presented the relationships between the characters. The loyalty between them, which was, at times fragile, never broke. It is also at the core of the core of story. It is in the heart that one wants to be known. Appearances are just that. In a world where one can become anyone or anything, true identity has to be retained and encouraged to flourish.

Kuodos to Will Wheaton, whose narration was right at home in this geeky adventure. Another Excellent Wheaton narration is Redshirts by John Scalzi.

I also enjoyed Ready Player One, so much so that I don't want to read his next book as it got mediocre reviews.

Great review!

>159 avatiakh: Thanks for stopping in, Kerry! I think I'm with you. However, I may try the audio at some point.

>160 drneutron: Thank you, Jim! I had fun diving back into the 80s. I have a friend who is a huge RUSH fan, but they have never appealed to me.

Hooray for RPO! Good review, Brodie! I hope you decide on The River of Doubt.

>161 brodiew2: we'll, now you have two! 2112 is one of my faves.

>163 drneutron: Make that 3! In 2004 I took my then 14 yo daughter to her first real hard rock concert (Moody Blues before that and we usually did folkies like Dar Williams and Mary Chapin Carpenter) - The 30th Anniversary Tour. It was such a good show and remains a great memory for us. There were a couple of teens behind us bouncing around and when Rush started playing "Between The Wheels" it was so awesome that one of the kids behind me tapped me on the shoulder and I turned around and he has this huge smile on his face and he says something like "Are these guys awesome or what?" and went on dancing.

And Jim, they played a sequence from 2112 also.

eta: dang ... wiki even has the setlist and dates. We were July 10, 2004
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R30:_30th_Anniversary_Tour

>162 msf59: Thanks, Mark. You'll be glad to hear that I am now on disc two of River of Doubt. I'm a big fan of TR and this looks to be very interesting. Millard's gift for spinning a good yarn appears intact.

>163 drneutron: Hello, Jim. Perhaps, after all these years, I will give RUSH another try. I'll keep you posted.

>164 RBeffa: Very cool, Ron. I have had only a handful of rock concert experiences in my life. CSNY was one of them, about 17 years ago. The Steve Miller Band, also. The others have been Christian bands.

I had quite a few good shows in my college days but only a few "big" shows after that - mostly went to small places for folk and country-folk acts. For one thing my ears couldn't handle the sound of big rock shows. I never saw CSNY - good for you.

>166 RBeffa: I hear you about the noise level though. I came to concerts a little later in life, so my noise tolerance is lower.

I haven't really done what would be called a "hard rock" gig - possibly Blur in Singapore would be the closest but I did attend a lot of concerts as a student in the 1980s in Coventry/Warwick. Groups like The Smiths, The Housemartins, The Cure and The Bangles. The latter was a highlight because I was right at the front and spent all the time in a trance and captivated by Susannah Hoffs' beauty.

Favourite concert probably one I saw of Stevie Wonder in the 1980s at Wembley Arena. It was comical actually because he played part of the show on a spinning circular stage and at the end some of his band tried to get off the stage and, obviously dizzy, fell flat on their faces when their world stopped turning!

Have a great weekend.

All caught up with you, Brodie. Our reading paths haven't crossed yet this year, but my new audiobook starting tonight is going to be Gods of Gotham which is on your 2016 Favorites List. I think it will be a winner for me. I'm glad you got your priorities in life straightened out. Life operates much smoother for me when I remember what comes first.

>168 PaulCranswick: I know what you, Paul, about Hard Rock. It was never my thing with the exception of a few songs that hit the charts. Van Halen is fun from time to time. :-)

My favorite concert experience, however, would have to be TobyMac, whom I referenced in one of my toppers above.

>169 Donna828: Thank you for stopping in and catching up, Donna. I do believe you will enjoy Gods of Gotham. Prioritizing is still in process. I am hoping life is looking up.

,

The Monuments Men by Edsel is like an old friend, one you may not have seen in years, but once rejoined it is like no time has passed. I started this audio book back in January and, after 8 of 12 discs, decided to set it aside in order to listen to Ready Player One. After completing RPO, I returned to the mission. I am glad I did.

This book book was fascinating. I am constantly reminded of the massiveness of WWII. There so many stories to be told from so many different angles. This is the story of the MFFA (Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Association). The Monuments Men were an an official organization, but did not have much back other than their orders. It was up to individual men to but heads with military leaders in their mission to preserve the invaluable heritage of France, Austria, and yes, Germany. It is staggering the amount artwork that was looted from museums, churches, and, sadly persons, who likely would not survive the war. the two masterworks that proved most elusive and were, ultimately, in the most danger were the Ghent Alter piece and the Brugge Madonna. Thankfully, the Nazis were meticulous record keepers and this was instrumental in retrieving the large caches of hidden loot.

This was intriguing lens with which to view the war. The author does and excellent job of using the framework of the Allied invasion at Normandy and their push toward Berlin, to showcase the uphill battle these Monuments men faced in their mission. He also creates a fair amount of tension in the races to recover the the aforementioned Madonna and Ghent alter piece.

I also had a chance to see the film this weekend. although the film has a fantastic cast, I think it suffers from blandness. I know this story is not as much about the action of war, but it about the consequences. I'm not sure how to describe it. The had no motivation, no fire, no drive. It seems to be a series of connected events that never, particularly, come together. The cast seems to be mailing in their performances. However, it was still fun to see events from the book play out on screen.

I highly recommend this audiobook. Excellent narration by Paul Michael.

5 or 5 stars

I loved Monuments Men, too, Brodie. Good review. Off to thumb it.

Your comments fit what I heard about the movie - bland is a good word for it. Too bad. The book is fascinating.

P.S. Oops - if you post it on the book page, I'll thumb it.

>172 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. I'll post the review sometime today.

Star Trek/Green Lantern: Spectrum War was a lot of fun for a unlikely mashup of cosmic properties. I enjoyed the main DC comics Green Lantern storyline which explained how GL ended up in the Star Trek: 2009 universe. Without getting too far into the nitty gritty, one of GL mentors invokes a 'fail safe' protocol which removes him from his own doomed earth and places him in another, alternate world. Along with GL, there are six rings of different colors that are tied to specific emotions. Three of these rings find their way onto the USS Enterprise. The other three rings end up in the hands of the enemies of the Federation. Thus begins the Spectrum War.

The artwork by Angel Hernandez is phenomenal as is the mash up design for the Starfleet/Lantern costumes.

I have enjoyed both of these properties separately, but found this combination well constructed and implemented. In fact, a sequel is presently ongoing.

5 of 5 stars

Hi Brodie, great comments about The Monuments Men, I saw the movie and agree with your comments, perhaps this one would have been better as a documentary film.

Happy Friday, Brodie! Great review of The Monuments Men. I thought the book and audio were excellent too. The film...not so much.

I also highly recommend The Lost City of the Monkey God. My current audio...

Have a great weekend.

>175 DeltaQueen50: Thanks you, DeltaQueen50! I agree with you about a documentary. I'm sure there is one out there somewhere; at least one about the Nazi art theft.

>176 msf59: I appreciate you stopping in, Mark. I saw Monkey God in B&N in yesterday and recalled that you were listening. I'll give it a closer look.

Good afternoon, all. I'm in the home stretch of River of Doubt. I only have a disc and a half to go. I'm wavering on my next audio book. I actually went into the library and just browsed the shelves like I used to do. Given the last year here at LT, I've been more purposeful than ever before.

I have A Gentleman in Moscow on hold, but it could be a couple of weeks.

The next Spenser novel from Ace Atkins has yet to be released (another couple of months). I love Joe Mantegna's narration.

My next three print reads are locked in:

River of Darkness by Rennie Airth

Black Fire by Sonni Cooper

I'm going to try Rogue Heroes in print. Don't judge if I switch to audio. It appears to be a mighty tome.

With River of Doubt, I have finally closed the loop on Candice Millard's available histories. She is a wonderful writer who not only explores the event itself, but widens the scope of her storytelling to include the broader context of her subject. With the Roosevelt-Rondon Scientific Expedition, she does well in relaying the events of the journey, but the irony of why this books is so enjoyable is the Roosevelt is not wholly the focus. More than Roosevelt, the Amazon river and forest dominate this story. Millard spends ample time explaining the ecology of the region. From the scarcity of wild game to dangers of Piranha and Candiru, in the black water, we are treated to an ominous, dark, and maddening environment. The author also explains the biology of plant life; from why vines grow a certain way and the fact the dense canopy of foliage not only kept the land below dark, but also let little else grow. I give credit Millard for making the science interesting.



Rondon is first to the right of Roosevelt.

However, what struck me the most about this story was Roosevelt's co-commander, Candido Rondon. Rondon was a career Brazilian military officer who had been exploring the Western Amazon basin for years before joining Roosevelt's expedition. Rondon was responsible for miles of telegraph wire placed in the Amazon forest. He was a disciplinarian, but one who commanded the respect of his men. Rondon was also famous for his compassion for the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. throughout his years of running telegraph wire he was also responsible for making peaceful advances to many of the dangerous tribes within the forest. He is a fascinating man and Millard does excellent work in bringing him to life.

The journey down the 'River of Doubt' was fraught with challenges on both land and water. The most prevalent challenge was white water rapids and waterfalls. Countless times, the water was too rough and the expedition had to make a portage, which meant carrying the canoes over land. I am amazed by by the constitution of these men who fought disease, starvation, and injury to continue though to the end.

5 of 5 stars

Excellent review of River of Doubt, Brodie. Please post it on the book page so I can thumb it. I added ROD to the WL.

ETA: Thanks! Duly thumbed.

Nice review! I've thumbed too.

Happy Friday, Brodie! Good review of The River of Doubt. Big Thumb! Millard is a goddess!

I hope your next read, is just as strong.

Good morning, all. I apologize for the late responses.

>180 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe! The review is up and see the thumbs. I appreciate it.

>181 drneutron: Thanks, drneutron!

>182 msf59: Hello Mark! I'm glad you enjoyed the review. This is the last of the Millard books. I am up to date! I wonder what her next project will be. Thanks for the thumb!

I see you're planning to read River of Darkness by Rennie Airth. I really liked that one. I have the next in that series waiting on the shelf -- must get to it!

Hello, Brodie! Finally getting caught up on some threads. A very nice review of River of Doubt - I have that one in the stacks. I also have the Rennie Airth in the stacks, and I am hoping to get to it this year.

Thanks so much for the puns - last weeks was a definite winner.

>184 tymfos: Hello tymfos! It is good to see you. I started RoD last year and enjoyed the opening, but got distracted by something. I am really looking forward to getting back to it.

> Thanks for the visit, Mamie! RoD was very good. I look forward to Millard's next project.

I'm glad you like the puns. Just let me know if you get tired of them.

Stopping by with hellos. Wonderful review of Darktown! I loved Mullen's The Last Town on Earth and The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers. Mullen is such a fantastic historical fiction writer and his characters are amazing.

Happy to see you enjoyed your read of Ready Player One. I loved that one!

>187 lkernagh: Thank you, lkernagh and welcome!

I really enjoyed Darktown and look forward to the next one.

RPO was a lot of fun!

>179 brodiew2: Teddy Roosevelt must be the most interesting of all your Presidents. I read the Edmund Morris biography of him ascending the Presidency Theodore Rex and found it fascinating.

Have a great weekend.

Hi Brodie. I'm glad you enjoyed Ready Player One. I liked it too.

I need to get to River of Doubt. I agree with you that Candice Millard is one of the best at narrative nonfiction and that one has long been of interest to me.

I hope you're enjoying this roller coaster spring weather we've been having! Less so the Mariners' start to the season.... ugh.

Hi Brodie - dropping by to say hi. Thanks to you (and a few others) singing the praises of Candice Millard and Hero of the The Empire I got the book yesterday. I'm really looking forward to reading it later this year.

I have yet to see Rogue One. I really have not been watching movies this past year. I did see "Arrival" very recently and liked it. It wasn't until near the end that I knew I had read the book about a dozen years ago, although I had a very familiar feeling not too far into the film.

I'm due for another Trek related book. I found my old copy of Shatner's Star Trek memories which I thought I must have given away long ago, but it was tucked behind another book in a bookcase. I'm not sure I ever read that book completely, and with Nimoy's death and having read Shatner's book on Nimoy I'd like to revisit it.

Hope you have a great Easter weekend!

Hi, Brodie. What Chelle said. I hope you and yours have been having a great Easter weekend.

Hi Brody, just dropping by to catch up as I have been busy in RL and spending less time on LT. I am another one who loved River of Darkness and in fact, need to get back to this series at some point.

Just doing as others are doing, stopping by to say hello and hoping that you are doing well!

I really enjoyed the books by Rennie Airth that I read. I think read two in the series and really need to get back to it. Too many books so little time!

>189 PaulCranswick: Hello Paul. I listened to the excellent audio of The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt an loved it. I have not read or listened to either of the subsequent editions. Although, Theodore Rex is in the stacks.

>190 EBT1002: Hi Ellen. Millard is fantastic. I can't wait to see what she does next. The Mariners are...the Mariners. Let's wait and see. :-)

>191 RBeffa: Good morning, Ron. I hope you enjoy the Millard. As you've probably gathered, my favorite is Destiny of the Republic.

The Arrival is on my list, but I have not seen it yet. I did, however, finally see Passengers, which I thought was pretty good.

I listened to Shatner's narration of Star Trek Memories years ago. It is excellent. I never got to 'Movie Memories'.

>192 ChelleBearss: Thanks, ChelleBears!

>193 jnwelch: Good to see you, Joe! It was a good Easter!

>194 DeltaQueen50: Thanks for stopping by, DeltaQueen50! I have yet to read it as I have skidded to a halt on my reading for the most part. RL has gotten pretty intense and I have not been around as much. I still plan to read it at some point.

>195 EBT1002: Hello, Ellen! Things are ok.

>196 Familyhistorian: Hi familyhistorian! thank you for stopping in. I'll get to the Airth eventually. :-)

Finally stopping by after a very long tax season!

>158 brodiew2: So glad you liked Ready Player One - what a great book. I haven't read anything else by Ernest Cline, but if his other stuff is half as good, I'm sure I will enjoy it. I totally agree about Wil Wheaton as a narrator. I listened to Ready Player One and also Lock In narrated by him. If you haven't read Lock In, you might want to give it a try. It's another by John Scalzi and it has a very interesting premise. I listened to it earlier this year and liked it so much that I also read it!

>168 PaulCranswick: Very late comment, but Paul, I think you and I share similar taste in music, which I have noticed from your thread. The Smiths and The Cure were my absolute favorites for many years. And now I have The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death running through my head!

>176 msf59: Everyone seems to be reading Monkey God - I think it will have to go on my wishlist.

>198 rretzler: I saw the Smiths at Coventry Uni back in the day and they were awesome.

Have a great weekend, Brodie.

btw I have no idea how many books you have read this year. Any chance to give me a number for my stats (pretty please)?

Hi, Brodie! Thanks for the book update. Glad to see you busy reading.

Hi Mark! Thanks for stopping in. I'm glad to, at least, get the information out there. I may a couple of comments. ;-)

>201 brodiew2: What did you think of Lock In? I listened to the Wil Wheaton version from audible.com and liked it so much that I also decided to read the ebook to make sure I didn't miss anything. I'm on a bit of a roll with Scalzi (and Wheaton) as I just finished listening to Agent to the Stars. It came out in 2005 and I hadn't heard much about it but it was really funny! I really enjoy Scalzi's sense of humor. I just started listening to Armada by Ernest Cline.

Hi Robin! I'm sorry I didn't say more. I also listened to Wheaton's narration and enjoyed it immensely. If you have not read/listened to Scalzi's Redshirts, Wheaton does his best job (IMO) on that one. Such a good book and performance.

As for Lock In, I liked it as well. I liked the mystery as well as the world building that Scalzi does. One thing that pestered me is that I never quite visualized what a 'threep' looked like. I wasn't sure it was a full body 'robot' or something else. I kept visualizing awkward mannequins. :-P

I really enjoy Will Wheaton as a narrator. I hope he does more. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed Agent to the Stars. I've looked at it many times, but never taken the plunge. I will now. The story definitely looks different, and perfect for Wheaton.

>205 brodiew2: Brodie, yes, Redshirts was my first exposure to Scalzi a few years ago. I didn't get the pleasure of listening to Wheaton as I read the hardback, but I would have to say that Wheaton is one of my favorite narrators. And yes, Agent to the Stars is perfect for him. I've heard that he and Scalzi are very good friends and Scalzi won't have anyone else as a narrator. I was on Wil Wheaton's website several months ago and found that on Monday nights on his Twitch channel he reads Choose Your Own Adventure books. I've been meaning to tune in, but I keep forgetting about it.

I agree about the 'threep's' - it was difficult for me too and I guess I ended up thinking of them looking like C3PO since that's what they were named for. Or maybe they're like the Autons!

Hi, Brodie.

I loved Scalzi's Redshirts and his Old Man's War books, but have never done any of them on audio. I can imagine Wil Wheaton does a great job narrating. I haven't read Scalzi in a while, and need to look at Lock In and Agent to the Stars.