Reviews and Comments

Two Bantam Star Trek books by Gordon Eklund; both took me longer to read than they should. There are similarities in the plots, as well - in each, a solitary man who seems to be fairly powerful leads the crew to the resolution of the problem.

Also like the previous novel, the author has a pretty good command of the crew. This felt like it could be an episode. It dragged a bit at the beginning, really picking up when Spock matched wits with the problem - which was fairly close to the end. In fact, at one point I wondered if it could be wrapped up in the very thin section of remaining pages in my hand.

This is the 10th Star Trek book I have finished this year, working toward a challenge of reading 12. Abandoned one. I may finish one or two more in the next few days - we shall see. In the new year I'll probably finish up the Bantam line and then take stock. I have read sporadic Pocket Book Star Trek novels over the last few years with friends. I doubt any of them would be interested in a full read through, though.

This is just as much a travel log (or Odyssey) and exploration of wheat as it is about bread. Each portion is interesting, and each delves a little too deep at times. Chapters are fairly focused on separate topics, not unlike articles.

It is a fairly personal journey as well, and a lot what the author learned is that the best bread is baked on a personal scale - something he finds is true about wheat growth and flour production also. There are a few recipes, and I've tried one, but I think the technique comes more from the chapter than the simple instructions given.

The most fascinating portion for me was the hint that Borlaug's wheat variety doesn't do well in warm conditions. Leon Hesser's [b:The Man Who Fed the World: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman Borlaug and His Battle to End World Hunger|189531|The Man Who Fed the World Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman Borlaug and His Battle to End World Hunger|Leon Hesser|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387731737l/189531.SY75.jpg|183229] didn't go into detail, and now I want to read more about this topic. Fromartz also talks about monocultures and Celiac in the same section, and I am sure there is more recent scholarship in this area also.

This long book starts right where the second book left off, answers most of the questions from the series and explores new ground also. The scale is global, with a number of characters to match - like other reviewers, I got lost at times in this cast. A worthy ending to a solid series.

I read the first book right around the time the second came out - I think I had heard it was a duology? Anyhow, the second book did not come to a solid end, and by the time the third was available, I found myself unable to remember much about the story. Not a good sign.

For late 2022, I reread the first book and the second, and I think the reason was that global scope and the sheer number of characters and points of view. Book two also showed the stored personality of Su-Yong Shu, somewhat insane through lack of contact with a human brain. I think Naam is looking at this as the start of an AI, and explores that along with the rights of augmented humans. A lot to cover, and more than 600 pages to cover it. Overall rating of this book, 4 of 5 stars.

The math is simple for the series - three books rated 4 of 5 stars equals a series rating 4 of 5 stars. This is accurate - I really liked some of the characters, most of the situations and villains. The second book and definitely the third lost the thread of Nexus OS, with patches for vulnerabilities. I thought the series as a whole did a good job exploring the potential vulnerabilities with this situation - even if the MESH solution was mostly hand waving in the third book.

I look forward to reading more from local Seattleite Ramez Naam.

Of the two Star Trek adventures written by [a:Joe Haldeman|12476|Joe Haldeman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1630694226p2/12476.jpg], this is the better one - probably because he wasn't working from another author's manuscript. The characters feel right, the situation is interesting - even if the ending is a bit rushed.

Fitting a full story into 150 pages may have some similarities to fitting a story into a single episode - without the advantage of imagery. A very interesting setup and unusual complications are followed by a rapid-fire conclusion with some out-of-place humor.

This is the 90th book finished this year, and coincidentally the 9th (of 12) in a "Star Trek reading challenge" on the website WorldsWithoutEnd. I've already completed three other challenges, reading 3 science fiction and fantasy books more than 100 years old, reading 9 sequels, and reading 12 books by female authors I haven't read before. Pretty sure I can squeeze three more of Bantam's Star Trek Adventures in this year - I read this one in about 3½ hours.

I backed the kickstarter for this roleplaying game, and I think it might be the best vehicle to capture the feel of the Swords & Sorcery pulp of Burroughs, Howard, Leiber and de Camp. A combination of Old School Rules and pulp theme delivers a thrilling game.

Those familiar with Dungeons & Dragons will feel right at home within the rules. Skills and saving throws use the SIEGE engine, developed by Troll Lord Games for Castles & Crusades back in 2004. The classes and races are reduced from the full set, an excellent thematic choice. This game will reflect a time of swordsmanship where sorcery was an untrustworthy thing - and often evil.

This book contains all the materials needed for play. The first half is for the players, covering character creation and extensive thematic backgrounds. It also contains a fascinating list of spells - "Xai-Tang's Evocation of Unsullied Soles" provides basic levitation, but dripping with pulp theme.

The second half of the book contains the game master section, with more rule details for combat and carousing, healing and hirelings. Also in this section are enemies, monsters and magical items. The rules wrap up with a timeline and gazetteer of Earth as it was known during a forgotten age - details of Atlantis, Lemuria, Hyperboria and Tartarus.

One of the better things about Advanced Dungeons & Dragons was the appendices, containing adventure ideas and additional thematic options. The best of these was Appendix N "Inspirational Reading", faithfully recreated and extended in this volume.

In summary, this is an excellent system for capturing the theme of swords & sorcery, built on a solid foundation of the SIEGE engine and classic rules. I look forward to running a game for my friends soon.

A good story about three fellows and the 1908 Olympics Marathon event, then the running craze that followed, and finally where they ended up. Added this to my list after reading Davis' [b:Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku|25363384|Waterman The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku|David Davis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436398525l/25363384.SX50.jpg|45107388] - but unfortunately this isn't as good.

The core of the book is the race, very well written. Coverage of the Olympics around it is also excellent - 1908 was a heck of a year. The introductions of the three characters is a little clunky, but the ending is great. It is a good history, and I'm glad I read it.

It isn't my favorite 1908 bo0k, though - that honor goes to [b:Crazy '08: How a Cast of Cranks, Rogues, Boneheads, and Magnates Created the Greatest Year in Baseball History|402392|Crazy '08 How a Cast of Cranks, Rogues, Boneheads, and Magnates Created the Greatest Year in Baseball History|Cait Murphy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1349011013l/402392.SY75.jpg|391782]. Jim Thorpe gets a few mentions in this book also. Overall review - worth reading, but make sure to get Waterman on your shelf also.

A solid book about the most highly decorated spy in World War II - who also happens to be a woman. Drawn from many sources, some recently declassified, this is an accurate portrayal of Odette's time in the war - and as a prisoner of war. Several notes tie events and people in the story to the wider war in Europe. 4 of 5 stars.

The early chapters cover Odette joining the SOE (Special Operations Executive) and training, plus her work as a courier in France. Most of the second half of the book is her imprisonment, including some gruesome torture. With most spies shot shortly after torture, I was surprised that she lived to come home from the war - and she was also. I wanted to read more details about her courier missions and their outcomes.

This is not the authors first, or last, book on spies in the war, and I look forward to reading more of them. His very complete research is complemented by a smooth narrative and story flow. He states here that much of the dialog is from Odette's own reports, but I can't fault the author for the pieces that are fictional - they really bring the story together.

A combination of depressing and angering, this book shows recent break downs in white collar laws and prosecutions, leading to growth of white collar crime.

The subtitle is "making white collar criminals pay", and most of the book it felt like there wasn't much we could do - this is all about corruption and collusion among the 1%. However, in chapter 11 (I see what you did there Jennifer) six fixes are proposed. Empowering the Justice Department and pushing to amend and clean up laws is still out of our hands, though we can reach out to our local representatives. The fifth and sixth tips are to restore funding to the IRS and improve data collection - perhaps further from our control. The third and fourth tips though - more visibility into white collar crimes, along with protecting journalists and whistleblowers is something we can more directly affect. I've got some thoughts along these lines...

I've seen other reviews complain that this is too basic. I appreciated reading about the history of the designation "white collar crime". Some of these cases are in the papers, and so I can understand complaints about fatigue also. The descriptions of crimes - and more importantly impacts - is part of that visibility, but many criminals are definitely trying to play the "court of public opinion" to their favor.

Yes, the situations this book describes are maddening. I appreciate a resource and an author that is willing to point out the problems and call for solutions. The paperback version contains an epilogue that paints an additional year of results. It also contains an extensive index and more than 50 pages of notes on the sources quoted. Highly recommended.

A very thorough history of John Marshall - soldier, diplomat, secretary of state, then the chief justice who defined the early supreme court. This is a big book, but a relatively easy read.

His full biography is given, mostly contrasted with cousin (and antagonist) Thomas Jefferson. Marshall's time as a revolutionary war soldier is not often mentioned, but I enjoyed reading about his easy comradery and the leadership of the men he served with. This book also pulls no punches with the issues of slavery and the treatment of indigenous peoples, divisive topics from the initial Declaration all the way through the civil war.

The politics of Jefferson and the Federalists are also a major focus, and TJ is painted as a pretty serious villain here. I did appreciate the distinctions of court cases, how Marshall chose to build bridges with his majority (and often unanimous) opinions, even with occasionally dubious legal precedents. Marshall's time as Secretary of State was brief, but the section dealing with that time feels even shorter here.

Overall, an extremely interesting and readable biography about one of America's less well known founding fathers - definitely recommended.

Has plot elements encountered in the television show - strange technology, sensor glitches, a technologically superior being (or deity?), the threat of destruction. This is a lot to cover in one "episode" (or 150 page book).

The characters are well written here. Also like the episodes, one of the characters gets a focus - this time it is Uhura. Things that happen with the ship are believable, and the encounters with the Klingons a nice addition.

That said, the Klingon subplot wasn't completely resolved, nor was the Thomas Clayton affair. I firmly believe there are better restraints on the Enterprise, and his escapades were only there to clumsily move the plot along. On television, our main cast would have mused about the Strangers before fading to credits - that was missing in this book.

The pocketbook version of this travelled with me to three countries - Canada, Finland, and Estonia. I ended up spending more time on an e-reader than with this, which is perhaps telling. 3 of 5 stars.