Chris Lee
I enjoy a good sci-fi romp through space every once in awhile, and The Stars, My Destination fits the mold perfectly.
Gulliver (“Gully”) Foyle is an uneducated mechanic set adrift aboard a damaged ship named the Nomad. With his air supply dwindling, a terra ship named the Vorga passes by and, to his amazement, leaves him. Foyle is incredibly angry and vows to track down the Earth-based ship and enact revenge.
Foyle repairs the ship and blasts to a nearby asteroid, where he is captured by a cult, is instantly married to a crew member, and has his entire face tattooed with their signature, a tiger-like design. Fun times!
Did I mention teleportation? The ability was discovered, and it retroactively changed the way Earth deals with logistics, privacy, and the mix of different cultures.
It has quite a few novel ideas for the mid-1950s. It touches on governmental control, space fairing, cybernetic implants, telepathy, and time travel, to name a few. Those who like a bit of Terminator with their pseudoscience, death-wish-like plotting will be at home here.
// Setting the scene \
Foyle meets a 100-year-old woman whom he falls for in prison. One thing leads to the next, and after they escape, she knows an ex-con/swindler “Freakshow” procurer (yes, it gets kind of convoluted), and he is able to remove the hideous tattooing. It works for awhile, but, surprise! Once Foyle displays complex emotion, the scars return. But do not worry; he undergoes a procedure and becomes half man and half machine. And how does one control their anger after such a transformative body upgrade? Yoga! That's right, my friends, Namaste!
It's a wild plot that has quite a few twists and turns. The ending is fairly philosophical, too. Overall, I enjoyed it, but your mileage may vary. If you're looking for a nostalgic sci-fi story that has a mish-mash of plot lines that definitely inspired future writers, this is it.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays, my friends!!!!
I have always had a passing curiosity in the characters from Greek mythology. My interest lies solely in the grand structures, tools, artistry, and sculptures of the era; it is a very material love. So, why was I so entirely engrained and riveted by the story in “The Song of Achilles,” a whimsical novel that weaves together the great Greek myths? The answer is simple. I was utterly captivated by the beauty of it.
“I would know him in death, at the end of the world.”
To me, this book was a masterpiece. It's a story that electrifies the senses with its descriptions of first love and shatters the core with its vehement use of subtle characterizations. It pays close attention to wavering feelings of pain, stress, lust, empathy, and courage, among many others. Madeline Miller is a virtuoso. She establishes a captivating narrative from the get-go, which ebbs and flows until the last heartfelt page.
Okay, if you're still with me at this point, you're probably thinking, “We get it, Chris; you're gushing and gushing about the story; let's move it along.” Alright, alright, I hear you loud and clear.
Ryan Cahill's appetizer novella for his The Bound and the Broken series was BAD. Bad to the bone, that is!
Finding purpose in your life after retiring may include checking items off your bucket list, starting a new hobby, or following the dreams of Peter Gibbons (office space) and doing absolutely nothing all day. Harold Fry, however, takes on a quest of great importance. He sets off on a pilgrimage to speak to a very old friend who has cancer before it is too late.
One day, Harold receives a note in the mail from an old colleague who informs him that she has entered hospice, has cancer, and has been told by the Doctors that she does not have long to live. Distressed, Harold writes a reply, but he feels like the note he wrote was too impersonal. So, as Harold makes his way to the post to drop off the note, he has an enlightening conversation about fate with a clerk at a convenience store about the situation. Inspired, Harold decides to travel a few hundred miles on foot to speak face-to-face with his friend. As the chapters go by, we learn more about Harold's upbringing, family, and why he started this grand journey without informing anyone, including his wife.
Have you seen the great show “The Trip” with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon? This book has many similarities. The only big difference is that Harold is not outgoing; he seems to be an introvert, which offers up an interesting dynamic with the people he meets along his quest.
The book really takes off as you learn more about Harold's past with both his wife Maureen, his friend he is traveling to see, Queenie, and his son David. It has more than enough charm and heartfelt moments to make up for its light plot, and the final conclusion was unique and satisfying. Well, satisfying is the wrong word. It's sort of like a recapitulation of the journey. Let's just leave it at that. It's hard to tiptoe around the end without some sort of spoiler.
An exciting look into the theory of knowledge. This book has quite a few ideas to mull over that are relevant and brilliant. I especially enjoyed the bits about separation of property, habits, free will, and social virtues.
Quick thoughts: What can I say. A collection of some of the finest horror shorts I have read. The wide range of genres and excellent story telling will have you devouring each one.
Here are all the individual updates:
Story 1 of 20: “Jerusalem's Lot” - What a fun, brooding, spooky tale featuring a family home and a town with a dark past. LOVED the letter writing perspective and the church sequences. (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
Story 2 of 20: “Graveyard Shift” - A deceptively fun story that quite literally creeps up on you at the end. Stay out of the basement!
My instant reaction to the end was, “Ew, this is about to get interesting.” Before launching into the next book, I had to write down some of my thoughts. For one, I liked the new characters and enjoyed what they brought to the team. Two, the journey was fairly captivating, but I felt that it wrapped up a bit too nicely. Three, I need a few more action sequences thrown into the mix. I'm not asking for a lot more, just a bit here and there to raise the heart rate a bit. And four, I need more character development. There are small, I mean, itsy bitsy moments here and there, but I just need more.
It sounds like someone forgot to turn on the holodeck safeguards.
This is a fascinating little story which probably turned some heads back in the day.
I found myself deeply invested in the overall feel of the town and the well thought out characters. Putting the horror elements aside i find that the central idea of this book is loneliness and fear. King wraps a monster novel around these emotions and it is ever so endearing and hard to put down.
How do you review such a massive book with a wide breadth of themes and plot elements? I know, how about a quick, tidy, tried-and-true Alphabet review? Because, let's be honest, nobody wants to read a fifteen-page review of my rambling thoughts. This format has a clear beginning and end.
So, hold your magical glass crystals close and your tarot cards even closer, because here we go!
Quick synopsis: America is in dire straits after a nuclear war. A vicious creature named the Man with the Scarlet Eye is after Swan, a special child who might just hold the key to saving the world.
A is for Atmosphere – Oh! A great one to kick it off with. This book has it in spades! Prepare yourself for obliterated cityscapes, abandoned grocery stores, old, rickety gas stations, magical farms, mountainsides, and so much more!
B is for Beauty – The transformation of Swan is just perfection. It is a story about destiny that is filled with an incredible number of twists and turns. One of the most interesting character arcs.
C is for Creativity – It is refreshing to go into a book thinking it is going to be straight horror, but find out it tackles quite a few other emotional issues such as loss, hope, freedom, comradery, resourcefulness, etc.
D is for Disfigurement – Outward-facing appearances play a large role in this story. If you do not look a certain way, you are an outcast, and some military factions will take action against you. The way in which this idea is presented and where it ends up is ultimately fascinating and unique. Curveballs abound!
This is my first Star Trek book and one I struggled to get through. Perhaps I should have picked a story that was not as obvious and more status quo when it comes to it's beats and plot. I was more in the mood for a tradition story and what I was left with was a political thriller.
I do not even know how to accurately review this book. It is a special book. One that showcases Africa in all its splendor. The people, the landscape, the dangers, and the lands serenity are detailed with such a grand literary prose that fills the soul with inspiration. It's an utterly mesmerizing story told with gusto and heart.
Beryl Markham moved to Kenya with her father when she was very young. When she wasn't surrounded by an astonishing array of animals, she traveled to the air and scouted elephants for the locals. She was also an adventurer and a racehorse trainer, but she probably best known for being the first person to fly non-stop from Europe to America alone.
This is the story of an amazing woman.
Read this if...
❖ You want to learn more about Beryl Markham and her journeys throughout Africa.
❖ Have an affinity for animals and want to learn more about those that roam the African landscape.
❖ Want to be captivated by a variety of African tribes' daily lives and learn about some of their history.
❖ You enjoy a bit of literature with your autobiography.
❖ Want a lyrical take on life, death, hope, and comradery.
❖ Like beautifully descriptions of the sounds and adventure that Africa had to offer at the time.
❖ Require a pick-me-up for your soul.
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||”A map says to you. Read me carefully, follow me closely, doubt me not... I am the earth in the palm of your hand.”
||”It is no good telling yourself that one day you will wish you had never made that change; it is no good anticipating regrets. Every tomorrow ought not to resemble every yesterday.”
||”I am incapable of a profound remark on the workings of destiny.”
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