Review: Dangerous Ground: My Friendship with a Serial Killer by M. William Phelps

I chose to read this book for Non-Fiction November. I didn't know at the time who the serial killer the title refers to was until I started reading it. The author does not just write true crime novels but he also produces true-crime docuseries such as Dark Minds. While filming this series he used Keith Hunter Jesperson as an advisor under the pseudonym of "Raven". It was while filming this series that the author became "friends" with Jesperson. I say it this way because the author was just using him and was not really friends with him.

I wanted to recommend this book because being that this is based on interviews with the Happyface Killer that this may be the best source for information regarding his case. I know that other books were written about him, and one was even written by the killer's daughter. At one point in the interview process, Jesperson admits to the author that not all of the information in his daughter's book is accurate, and the other book written about his case is full of embellishments and falsely fed information from Happyface. Jesperson admitted to providing false information to make himself seem more interesting. Now I will state that Happyface admits to the author later on that he is a notorious liar and that not everything he says should be believed. But I think this will be the closest to the real story as one can get.

There are some bonus content things such as Jesperson talks about his first victim and how he didn't really want to become a serial killer. Plus the author kind of persuades him to help solve one of his Jane Doe's which the technique they used was very interesting and I will not spoil it here.

Some of the negatives about the book and why I chose to give this a standard rating of 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. The author for some reason chose to use this book as a way to analyze why he is into true crime and to try and rationalize some of his life choices regarding the death of his sister-in-law and his older brother's heroin addiction. These personal matters I felt did not belong in this book, and honestly, he should have written them as a separate piece if he really felt it necessary to share with the world. So as a reader you have to slog through some of his personal issues time and again as you read this. I found his personal family history to be kind of a pain, but they are short sections and he gets right back into the interviews with Happyface.

But overall I found this to be an interesting book about the Happyface serial killer and his case. Down below is a link to purchase a copy of this book for yourself. and if you live outside the US I have another link that offers Free Worldwide shipping and the same discounts.

Review: YouTube Secrets by Sean Cannell & Benji Travis #YouTubeSecrets

So far this has been the best YouTube secrets book I have read about getting tips and tricks to improve your channel. I have read a few that promised this type of stuff while just dangling the promise but never giving up any reward in actual tricks and tips. This book although actually pans out with the secrets needed to develop and grow your channel. I will admit that this is not the typical book that I tend to review, and that is why I chose to review it here and not on my channel.

The book is for those who already have a YouTube channel or those who are thinking of starting a channel. So niche within a niche for books. This is a quick read, and like I mentioned before it actually is what it says it is. The authors give up tips based on their experience in having grown their own channels. I found this book to be worth the time reading because they offer up a lot of tips that you may not have thought of or realized. I chose to research the topic of growing channels due to having my own channel, and like I said there are quite a few duds out there, but this book is not one of them. I won't go into any of the tips...this is a review only. If you want the tips you have to go get the book.

This book has helped me to decide on a plan to grow my own channel, and while this was hands down one of the best books regarding this topic I knew it wouldn't be flawless due to the nature of how fast YouTube changes. Some of the suggested links to further tips and secrets found in the back of the book were broken and gone, such as the best camera....link not found. (So if the authors happen to find this review...PLEASE FIX THAT PART!)

With all of this into consideration, I chose to rate this 4 out of 5 stars on Goodread.com I have a link down below if you would like to pick this up for yourself, and for those not in the US click here for free worldwide shipping and other great deals. 

 

Review: Bind, Torture, Kill: The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Next Door by Roy Wenzl

If you are like me and you have an interest in True Crime, and you already know who BTK is and you just want to learn more about the case than this book is for you.   This is written from the perspective of the people who investigated this case. Not only from the perspective of the detectives but a few of the journalists involved as BTK was sending correspondence to the Witchita Eagle.

Now I had already known a little about BTK prior to reading this book, so a good majority of this was no surprise. I have listened to many a true-crime podcast about this individual. But I figured this would be a good way to get an in-depth look at this case, and I was not wrong in thinking so. This started off with the first murders which were of the Otero family. The authors went over how the killer had done this and we get that this is his first time doing this because he fumbles his way through it and even left a piece of evidence behind which he had to go back for. Often while learning more about this killer we learn that he just didn't get caught due to dumb luck. And if not for his ego he may have literally gotten away with murder.  Each and every individual murder is mentioned in detail in a timeline fashion.

During the trial, the cops were embarrassed and shocked to learn that Dennis Rader was not this brilliant guy who eluded them at all.

"BTK IS A DORK!?!"

Yes! One of the detectives actually said that. I found that hilarious. But the one downside to this book was that the authors decided to mention personal details regarding the lives of journalists and detectives during the 30 plus years it took to catch BTK. It doesn't seem vital to the story that detective XYZ dated so and so during a period of investigation. So yeah there were some slow parts that I felt were very unnecessary to telling this story. Aside from that this is a very informative book on the case. I know that some of the details were direct from the killer and I have to say I think he "romanticized" and embellished a lot of what he told them during the interrogation.

This was a good book for those who may be interested to learn more about BTK. I do not recommend this for those used to True Crime lite, as this does contain some graphic details of rape and murder. Also, this does mention the murder of children. I rated this 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.com. Below I have a link for those in the US, UK, and Canada to purchase this book. Anyone living outside of those areas I have a link that offers free worldwide shipping and great deals on books.

Review: American Monsters: A History of Monster Lore, Legends, and Sightings in America by Linda S. Godfrey

I admit that I sometimes enjoy reading things of a weird or strange nature. So I came across this title while browsing books and figured I would take a chance on it. I wasn't entirely sure if this book would come across as being similar to the Weekly World News type of rag or be of actual substance.

One of the things I have to mention about this book that I found troubling and kind of boring was the break down of category of monsters. For instance, the author starts the book out by telling of flying monsters, and she tends to be a bit dry in this telling of this particular category. Although I was kind of put off by the mentions of this type of "big birds" but I did learn about a lot of legendary creatures I had never heard of before. And the section on flying creatures was quite long.

It's worth it to get past the flying creatures and sea monsters to get to the better American monsters. Did I mention that all of these creatures are supposed to be of American origin? Once she gets to land creatures is when the book really gets interesting. She discusses everything from dogmen to bigfoot and chupacabras. Even some other strange combos such as pigmen, goatmen, and a cat lady legend from the South.

But apparently, her specialty is the legend of the bigfoot. She does do at least two chapters on the legend of the bigfoot and even describes different types of bigfoot, which to be honest I wasn't aware that they could be classified in different ways. Or such things as batmen and mothmen. I could go on and on about the different legends she mentions. I do appreciate that she often mentions sources while talking about the different creatures, and has conducted personal interviews with people who have recently sighted some of these strange creatures.

This review is not a discussion as to whether these legendary creatures are real or have existed but is based on the content which has been read. I enjoyed reading this book and I am willing to check out another book by this author. I would recommend this to anyone who is into weird stuff, and those who believe that these strange creatures exist or those who are simply curious about the possible existence of strange undiscovered creatures. I rated this book 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.com and I hope that you will give this strange compilation of creatures a read. I have a link for those of you from the UK and Canada to pick this book up here. I also have a link to purchase any other books cheaper and with free worldwide shipping here.

Review: Sharon Tate and the Manson Murders

Coming up on the 50th anniversary of the Tate-Labianca murders there seems to be an explosion in the media of things related to this case. From Manson Girls specials on Oxygen to it being hinted at in the new Tarantino film, this crime has not been forgotten. I did not really know who Sharon Tate was. Just that she was an actress and that she had been murdered due to a plot conspired by the Manson Family. Most Baby Boomers I'm sure remembered who she was, but this was my parent's generation and not mine. I only knew her because of how well known this true crime case was. I wanted to learn more about this case so I decided to read this book about it. Written by Greg King and reprinted with updated information. I found this to be an intriguing read.

First off Kudos to King for humanizing the victims of this terrible tragedy. This book starts by introducing Sharon Tate. It's basically a biography of her very short life. From her early years as an Army brat to the start of her film career. While I thought it was good to share that Sharon was a good person and that she had potential as an actress I found the descriptions of some of the films she was in to be too much detail that was not really needed. The detail of whole scenes and plots of films was very unnecessary. I did however appreciated the timeline listing of events from and about all parties involved in these events. Once you get past the listing of Tate's film career the book really starts to get interesting. The details into her marriage with Polanski, and the way her friends were with drugs and lifestyle, etc. I thought it was interesting to learn about Abigail Folger and how she was a humanitarian who donated her time by volunteering at a welfare office and even raised money for charities as well. It was said she felt guilty of her wealth, and I wonder what she would have accomplished if she had lived. 

I also found his information into the Manson Family to be intriguing as well. I learned details about them that I didn't know and about the events of this crime which I also did not know. Especially the updated info regarding the parole hearings and where are they now type info about the criminals who committed the crimes. I can see why he has updated the book over the years. Doris Tate (Sharon's mother) became an advocate for victims rights and really pushed for legislation that has greatly made a difference to the legal system. I recommend this book to anyone interested in this case or someone interested in true crime. Like I mentioned before Greg King did a very good job in putting a face to the victims and showing the lost potential of what could have been. I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.com. I will have links down below to purchase this book. The UK and Canada get your copy here - Sharon Tate 

All others from the world can shop through my link here - Manson Murders. 

Review: A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

This is the second book I have read by this author, and honestly, I really did not like The Cabin at the End of the World. I didn't enjoy that book due to the story being told from multiple perspectives which made it really redundant and annoying after a while. So I decided to give this author another shot and decided to read his take on possession/ exorcism fiction. I will review this so as not to mention anything that is not already mentioned in the overlay.

First off I have to warn you....if you are deciding to read this because you watched or read the Exorcist and were hoping this would be similar. Stop! The only similarity this book has to that one is the "possessed" is a young girl. Next, if you are looking for horror in this you will be greatly disappointed. While the title suggests demonic possession it is a completely different animal. What you the reader is offered by Tremblay is a downward spiral of a family. The Barrett's are struggling financially, as the dad has lost his job and are down to one income. While this is not enough to stress them out. They are also struggling with the newly developing mental illness of their elder daughter. Hence the title of the book...see what he did there?

The already stressed and divided family seeks counsel from a Catholic priest and then he decides that the daughter, Marjorie is possessed by a demon and they should have an exorcism performed. He also decides to bring in a reality TV crew to film the events. This reality TV show while it provides some financial relief it also puts the family into even more stress as they become a public spectacle and protesters are outside their house daily.

I enjoyed this book much better than the Cabin but felt a little ripped off as I was expecting a horror novel but instead got a thriller/drama. I appreciated that the story was told from only one perspective of the younger daughter, Merri. It also jumped through time periods as it was told from her older self as she was trying to remember the events of this happening to her family. I liked that the author acknowledged and kind of tributed possession/haunting references at times. Also, the twist and somewhat sinister ending made this also much more enjoyable. At one point I thought the book was done but offered up a much better ending than I had anticipated.

I rated this 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.com and may read a few more of this author's books. I will have links down below for those looking to pick this book up for themselves. UK & Canada click here - A Head Full of Ghosts. All others can shop through this link.

 

Review: Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes

This is my first time reading this author, and I have to say I was quite impressed. I had heard of this author and how good her book, The Shining Girls was. So I decided to check out this book as it was readily available at the time.

This book is about a murder that takes place in Detriot but it was not the typical crime scene. No, this scene was something out of a nightmare....the body of the victim was grafted with the back end of a deer. Who did this? And what kind of person would do this?  Soon more bodies show up that are "transformed" and the detective working this case realizes they have a serial killer on their hands. Other bodies are discovered that are monstrous constructions. But the truth may be more sinister than anyone involved can imagine.

This book was told from the vantage point of five characters. At first, I wasn't sure how all of these very different people would later connect. There is a subtle idea of them all having dreams for the future. At some points, the killer is referred to in the 3rd person as "the dreamer". There isn't much of a mystery about who the killer is for most of the story. Sometimes the story kind of sidetracks into the personal lives and backgrounds of the characters and seems unnecessary But I think these breaks into the story helped to solidify the personality traits of the individuals involved in order to appreciate their role in the finale of the story.  And by the end of the book, each character kinda drifts or is drawn into the final showdown. But the suspense and scenes are evenly paced with a surprise near the end. What you thought was happening quickly becomes something else.

I found this to be very well written, and it even reminded me of other horror authors such as Peter Straub and Stephen King. The story was interesting and captivating enough to be very enjoyable. I rated this 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.com, and am looking forward to reading a few of her other books.
                                                UK and Canada - click here to purchase 

All other nations can shop through this link -  http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=geekpron

 

Review: Buying Time by Joe Haldeman

I picked up this book purely on a whim as it was recommended to me by the reading app I often use. I had never heard of it or the author. But it sounded interesting, to say the least. The plot of the book was a future world where people who could pay would live extended lifetimes. Hence the title of the book.

The story was told from the perspective of two people the first being Dallas Barr, and the second one Maria Marconi. The perspectives seemed to switch every now and then and it would name the person who was doing the "talking" before proceeding. The elite society of "immortals" was introduced from the perspective of Dallas, and the reader gets the background on how the process works and what entails staying part of this society.  For instance, in order for an immortal to keep being an immortal, they must raise one million pounds before the expiration of their current life.  They can only do this on their own and cannot save money from a previous incarnation.

This was really basic and kind of a man's man kind of read with flashy sounding items and a lot of sex. For instance, the author describes how the immortals like to party and use designer drugs such as Cream, and defend themselves with guns like a Crowd Pleaser. There was a plot beneath the main plot that made for some suspense, and to make the story slightly more interesting. Some parts of the book were kinda mundane such as when they discussed population numbers and periods of time. I felt that this section of the book was very unnecessary.  This was a relatively fast read and was not too complex with the science talk. This was an okay read if you are looking for something fast to fill the void in your reading schedule or just want a mindless kind of sci-fi story to pass the time. I do not think this will go down as one of the great science fiction classics of the late '80s. I rated this as 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.com.

International Shop thru here -  http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=geekpron

Review: Boy's Life by Robert McCammon

So many things to say about this book and I honestly do not know where to start. Some have said this is a bucket list book....meaning that you should read this before you die. I have to agree with that.

First off, this book starts by introducing you to the main character, Cory Mackenson. It also starts by introducing you to the main plot point which is a small town murder mystery. But it doesn't stay on that target for very long you see. It diverges onto multiple paths much as a young boy goes through life willy nilly through his own life. You would think that this would ruin the main part of the story, but it doesn't. This was so beautifully written that no matter how many little subplots there were it was still very enjoyable to read. This book was filled to the brim with so many life lessons that I could do no justice trying to recall them all here in this review.

This story is set in the mid 60's Alabama, so there is racism and some other surprises twisted into the murder mystery due to it being after the Second World War. So just a warning that sometimes the language may be a bit disturbing for some due to the time and place of the book.

Be prepared to read this for a long time...it was a very long book, but one that is enjoyable. There were not too many slow spots which deterred me from finishing it in at least a week. I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.com and agree that this is a must read for everyone.

International shoppers click here - http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=geekpron

Ways to Save Some Money or Extra Cash in Your Pocket

I decided I would write another one of these type posts due to my other post still getting views. I have always tried to find ways to save money or make extra money on the side and I wanted to share some of the apps I have been using the last few years so you too can save or make some extra cash now!

The first app, but obviously not in any particular order is Qmee. This is an app that offers surveys which can be as short as 1 min or as long as 20 minutes. The thing that makes this survey provider stand out and makes them superior above others is that they will pay you directly to your PayPal or other accounts immediately upon completion of the survey. Regardless of how little or how much you have earned they transfer within seconds. Some places make you reach a level cap before cashing out, but not Qmee. Click(Qmee)

Gone are the days of clipping coupons...I mean who really has time for that nowadays, and besides I don't want to carry around a wallet stuffed to the brim with clipped coupons. It's the 21st century after all.

The first app I ever used for saving money on groceries was Checkout 51. It's not as easy to use as another app, but you can use both and save twice as much. Just search by either store name or by the type of product you are hoping to get cash back for such as crackers or laundry detergent, etc. It's simple just take a picture of your receipt using the app. You do have to reach a cap of $20 before you can cash out. Get (Checkout51)

Another couponing app I love and use the most is Ibotta. Ibotta seems to offer more deals than the previous app, as they will have generalized cash back such as any item deals which I try to take advantage of weekly. This one also has a $20 cap level before cashing out but it can easily be reached with all of the offers you will discover with this app. This works the same way as you have to take a pic of your receipt. Get Ibotta here!

Now I will mention a few other receipt scanning/pic apps I use but these each work in a different way as they are not searching for an item and or store apps. These work by simply uploading your receipt to get credits.

One of my faves of this type is Receipt Hog. This app gives you credits towards different levels of cashout plus entries into sweepstakes just by uploading weekly. Not just grocery, but electronics and clothing receipts too. This is one of my standbys I use on the reg due to how easy it is to use and how often you can get cash from it. It does take a few days to transfer to PayPal but it's like basically money for nothing. Get the Hog!

The other receipt scanning app I use is Fetch Rewards. This app works on the same concept as the Hog, but you upload grocery/convenience store receipts which translate to currency to be used to purchase gift cards. Some weeks certain bought items are worth more points. I have gotten SO many Amazon gift cards from this app. There is even a first upload bonus which you def should take advantage of. Get Fetch!

Another app that is easy to earn points towards gift cards is Shopkick. This app allows you to earn points just for walking into stores and by scanning products. Get the Kick!

And the last app I will talk about is a super great app in that I get paid for doing something I do anyways....play games on my phone! and no this isn't one of those download crappy games and get malware. Now this app offers rewards for legit games from your app store. Just make sure it is running in the background as you play to earn your rewards towards gift cards. I made the mistake of not having it on when I first started, and later learned it had to be on while I played. Download Mistplay!

I hope you earn lotsa cash back and plenty of gift cards. Not 100% sure but I think these apps only work in the USA, Canada, and the UK. But feel free to check out the links to learn more. Your Welcome and thanx for checking out my blog!

Review: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (Audiobook)

This is another book that I read as a teen and wanted to revisit it once again. I don't recall whether I had seen the film or read the book first, but it doesn't matter as they are both great. For those who haven't seen the film, I will link the trailer below. I did not know at the time that the American version of this book was shortened due to the publisher opting to only publish the first 20 chapters. I did not know until now that the rest of the world got the book in its entirety.

For those not familiar with this book it is set in a world where crime rates are extremely high due to not enough police to patrol the streets at night. Meanwhile, gangs of teenagers run rampant fighting amongst themselves or terrorizing any civilians caught out.

The book is written in a sing-song cockney mashed with Slavic/Russian mix that just has a charming way once you start to read it. For some who may not understand all of the words, you will quickly pick up what each word means after a while. For those where English is not your first language, I would urge you if you can read English to read this in its original text, as I do not know how well this would be translated to any other tongues.

The story starts out by the reader meeting Alex (the narrator) who is the self-proclaimed leader of his little gang of "droogs". He is only 15 yrs. old and surprisingly fond of classical music when he is not participating in the "ultra-violence" with his brothers. We hear a typical night for this group of thugs, and how they do this for fun, and money.

Of course, the main idea or moral of the story should I say is whether it is right or justified to control someone's behavior. Is it okay to make someone a "good" citizen even if it goes against their free will?

The American version just ends and wraps up nicely in my opinion. The reader discovers the consequences of taking away someones choice to be "good". But the original text as the author had wanted the book to be has a final chapter about Alex growing bored with being a hoodlum and wanting to settle down. I know in the scheme of things it just makes sense that eventually a young man will grow tired of things and want to grow up. 

I still really enjoyed this and rated it 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.com. I feel that this is one of those books that every teen should read before they grow up. That is all I got for you. Below is a link to purchase a copy for yourself. I receive a small percentage of all sales. Thanx for reading, and take care. 

Review: The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King (audiobook)

It's been quite a long time since I had read a collection of short stories by Stephen King. As a matter of fact, the last collection I read by him was Four Past Midnight, which I honestly didn't care for and was the last King book I read until a very long time later. For those who are curious Doctor Sleep the sequel to The Shining is what made me come back to his writings.

I decided to partake of this lengthy collection of short stories as an audiobook format, which clocked in around 12 hours total. I will admit it took me a few days to listen to it in its entirety, and can only imagine how long it would have taken me to read it out if I had stuck with the regular book or Kindle format instead. There were a total of 21 short stories in this collection, and I rated each individual story with a 1-5 star rating. Upon completion of the book, I averaged out the total and got an average rating of 3.23, which translated to a 3-star rating on Goodreads.com. I enjoyed the majority of the stories and rated them 3 stars. But only one was rated with a 5-star rating.

Batman and Robin Have an Altercation was the story that I rated 5-stars. I really enjoyed this one. It was about a father and son. The father who was a senior citizen suffering from Alzheimer's, and the son who came to visit him and try to keep him coherent. Not only was the phrasing that the author uses great, but the recollections of the father were pretty funny at times. I really enjoyed the ending of this one too. Road Rage D-bags is all I will say.

There were a few others that were nearly as good, such as Premium Harmony about a man who goes out with his wife on a shopping trip and things do not go quite as they plan. Another great one was The Dune about a site the gave premonitions of peoples upcoming deaths. The Bad Little Kid was a shocking one that at first I didn't think I would like, but it quickly grew on me as it went by. One of the last few stories Drunken Fireworks was a humorous tale about two families and fireworks competitions to see who could outdo the other.

Some of the stories I thought were not as good and felt that they were way too short to have any sort of meaning like Mister Yummy. This one involved senior citizens nearing their time seeing the most attractive person the had ever seen in their lives before dying. Kinda weird and creepy if you ask me. Or the Obits story about a guy who could kill someone by writing their obituary.

As I have said before the choice of narrator does either help or hinder a great book, and this collection had a nice selection of narrators. Yes, plural...narrators. I can only imagine the production cost to have made this into an audiobook. But they chose some great people to narrate individual stories.

Even though this got an average rating I still want to read some more of the author's books that I have yet to read. You see I thought he had lost his touch way back when I read Four Past Midnight, but maybe that book just wasn't for me.

 

Review: A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick

I have read a few of Dick's science fiction novels, but this one took me the longest amount of time to read. I know that a while ago I tried to watch the film adaptation of this with no success. I do know it starred Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder. Quite a few of Dick's novels have been turned into films. You would be surprised.

After watching the trailer and having read the book finally I just may have to re-watch this. But let's talk about the book and my thoughts on it. 

One reason it took me months to read this was the dialogue and subject matter of the first half of this novel. Of course for those who do not know this book is about a group of friends and drugs. With this being said it was rather hard for me to read through random dialogues about nonsense conversations between the characters of this book. I understand that they are on drugs, and I know from having seen a documentary on the author that he too liked to party. But ridiculous and meaningless conversations almost made me give up reading this book. 

It wasn't until almost a little over halfway through the book does it start to make sense. When the details of one of the designer drugs that they consume Substance D, is revealed to be very harmful to the user. Also, this is where some great thoughts on how drugs can alter and make people undesirable. I'm glad that the author writes at the ending about how this book doesn't have any real moral idea behind it but it was just to describe how bad drugs can affect people who choose to overindulge in them. He even has a list of friends and how they were affected by drugs. He stated that many of his friends were the basis for the characters of this novel. 

There was also a brief mention of a sub-plot involving one of the lesser characters, but it was never revealed in more detail. I think this would have made this book more enjoyable. 

So I decided to rate this 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.com, and to be honest with those reading this I do not understand why this has been rated 4 or 5 stars by others. I don't know what I missed that was so great about this. But I do think I need a break from reading this author after having taking so many months to plow through this book. Maybe if I had read it faster and had gotten through the nonsense convos it would have been more enjoyable?

Review: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (audiobook)

Back in the day before internet lists, I was very fortunate to have a friend who was in the know about philosophical books. He would key me in every time he read something interesting and of course, I would check these books out. I read a lot of dystopia as a teen. I know I read this a very long time ago. I was overdue for a re-read/listen of this classic book by Bradbury. This is slightly different from his other science fiction books.

The book starts by introducing the main character of Guy Montag. Montag is a fireman, but not in the way we think. You see in his world firemen don't stop fires they start them. They don't put out house fires they light them if they are filled with books. One day Guy walks home from his job to run into his new neighbor.  Montag's awkward interaction's with this teen neighbor show us the reader how people in his world do not talk to each other. He has to learn how to talk to a person and how to share ideas and concepts because this society does not interact with each other. They don't talk and speculate and ponder things. The main character, Montag later tries to have a conversation with his spouse and sees that she is so absorbed into her screens that she doesn't really talk but just replies with automatic responses. Their house is filled with the constant chatter of programs and music playing in the background. Programs that lack substance and no real meaning found in them. Even the music they listen to is just jingles...no real thoughts in song.

In this world, books have been removed because the concept or ideas in some may have offended someone. History has been re-written and no one must question things because if they do "they would be sad". Screens are often found in multiples, as rooms are oversaturated with electronic stimulation. This reminded me of how they were similar to smartphones and how people often ignore loved ones because they can't miss that status update. Everyone in this world has no opinion and they all think the same....even look the same in some instances. There is a fear of free thought, and ideas. People refrain from talking about politics and know nothing of other nations. They base voting a candidate based on shallow ideals such as looks and manners.

I could go on and on telling you about this world, and I hope you don't overlook some of the warnings found in this book. I would not recommend just plowing through this, as you should take the time to think about the scenes and try to understand what the author is trying to convey. I will admit that after the Fireman History speech that I had to rewind and listen to it again and then ponder over what I had heard.

I heard from a review that they thought this book was the ravings from an old man or was this rather wisdom from an elder....one who saw with the development of technology how far we would stray from being social free thinking people into something less than ideal and sheepish. In this day of fake news, and reality TV stars turned President the ideas in this book still resonate. I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.com and recommend this for almost anyone.

International shoppers click here - http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=geekpron
UK and Canada click here - Fahrenheit 451

 

Review: The Weatherman Vol. 1

This was recommended to me by an app I use to read digital comics, and I'm glad I decided to check it out. Weatherman is set sometime in the not too distant future where mankind has colonized the galaxy...well at least our region of it. Most humans live on Mars and Venus. The story reminded me very much of a PKD( Philip K. Dick) story much like "We Can Remember it For You Wholesale" (Total Recall/film adaptation) with the art style being similar to Tank Girl. This story takes place in a world where a terrorist organization has decimated the Earth and basically wiped out the entire population of that world. The people of this future are left to pick up the pieces and mourn the loss of loved ones from Earth.

In comes Nathan Bright a mild-mannered doofy Weatherman. Out of nowhere, he's accused of being the mastermind to have destroyed the Earth under another name, and someone who looks totally different from him. Is it mistaken identity? Or is he really Ian Black from the terrorist organization that destroyed the Earth and all of its inhabitants? Things go from mundane to topsy turvy for the weatherman and things are not what they had seemed. Can an ordinary weatherman be something much more than he appears, and can he help save the Colonies from the terrorists?

I found this very enjoyable. I loved the art style which held on to that futuristic kinda look with bright neon colors. The story was fast paced, and not boring at any time. This had me locked in and ready for more. Can't wait for the next volume in the series. So if you're a fan of Dick's strange science fiction worlds, and the zaniness of Tank Girl than I highly recommend checking this new series from Image comics out. I rated this 4 out of 5 stars on Goodread.com. 

Review: Cujo by Stephen King (Audiobook)

It's been a very long time since I had last read this book. I was very young and was just plowing through the classic King books. Now that I'm an adult I wanted to re-read some of these classic King books to see if I feel the same about them as I did back then.

This was the longest audiobook I have listened to ever. It topped in at over 14 hours. Now I'll admit I took at least a week to listen to it, and even back up some parts to relisten to some scenes. The version I listened to was narrated by Lorna Raver who is an actress. I think she did a pretty good job of narrating and did a pretty good New England accent.

For those who do not know this book is about a saint bernard that becomes infected with rabies, and murders a few people in the small Maine town of Castle Rock (that almost all of King's stories take place). The meat of the story takes place near the end which I call the siege as it's the stand down between the main character of Donna Trenton, and her 4 yr old son, Tad. A few people have criticized King for the length of this book and felt that it would have been better off as a short story or a novella. I kinda have to agree somewhat.

One of the things I remembered about this and why I enjoyed reading King's work was his way with words. Not many authors can eloquently swear or describe things in such a crude way as King, but yet skillfully. Especially describing a scene about the postman farting while delivering the mail...yeah that was pretty funny. He also has a way of setting up the scene and leaving you the reader hanging on for more. But I do think he branched off into too many side stories with this one. It would have been a much better novel if he had focused primarily on the dog. Instead, King decided to stray off and describe lengthy scenes regarding the marriage of the two main families in the book. And also about Vic Trenton's business being on the brink. In retrospect, I feel that these kinda tied up into the general idea that sometimes things happen that are out of our control much like a force of nature that we can only sit back and suffer through. But some of these scenes really want on a tangent. I later learned that the author was in the grips of alcoholism and didn't even remember writing this book. That kind of made sense after reading this.

I do think that this book made much more sense as an adult than when I was a teenager. I have more life experience and could relate a lot more to the relationship issues that the two couples were going through. I also got the main idea of the book that sometimes "shit happens" such as a good dog getting rabies and going on a killing spree. Sometimes life just isn't fair. I still decided to rate this book with a 3 out of 5-star rating on Goodreads.com. It could have been much shorter and got to the point instead of trailing off on tangents. But it still is one of those classic King stories I would recommend reading.

 

Review: Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin (Audiobook)

I'll admit that I saw the film from 1968 that was directed by Roman Polanski. I enjoyed it very much, but I didn't feel compelled to rush out and read the book it was based on right away.  Lately, I have been giving audiobooks a chance and have listened to a few in the last few weeks.

Rosemary's Baby came up as a recommendation from another audiobook that I had listened to, and I figured I would give it a listen as I had enjoyed the film adaptation. This was narrated by the main star of the film, Mia Farrow. I thought that this was very cool that she narrated the book. Those not familiar with the film or the book is about a young couple who choose to move into a ritzy/popular apartment building with a somewhat eery past. While there they meet some strange neighbors who Rosemary later thinks are witches.

The beginning is rather slow to start, and for anyone familiar with American Pyscho there is a similar feeling with the descriptions of the apartments in NYC. For some reason, the author felt it necessary to emphasize this part of the story which I found a bit tedious and kinda boring. But once the young couple settles on their new apartment the pacing of the story starts to pick up. Things get creepy slowly at first and then they really ramp up after the first interaction with the neighbors. For those who have seen the film only you may want to read/listen to this book because there were bonus scenes which were not included in the film version. Of course, these extra scenes lead up to a sequel which I didn't know existed until listening to this book. On a side note, there was also a film version of the sequel which is hard to find in DVD format, as it must have not been as good as the first film.

Being read by the star of the film helped me to enjoy this more, and let's be honest a good narrator makes an audiobook more enjoyable especially if they are an actor. I listened to The Haunting of Hill House and found the narrator of that to be atrocious. The audio was also souped up with music at times to emphasize thrilling scenes. I will not go into too much detail as I do not want to spoil the book for those who have yet to read/listen to it.
I really enjoyed this audiobook, and I am considering giving its sequel (Son of Rosemary) a listen in the near future. I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodread.com. I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of psychological thrillers, and books like the Exorcist. Of course also to those who have seen the film but have yet to read the book....get out and check this book out!

Review: A Different Flesh by Harry Turtledove (Audiobook)

I'm fortunate enough that I can listen to music or whatever at my job. I don't typically listen to audiobooks, but I have become bored with listening to music and I think I have listened to so many podcasts that I have exhausted the catalog. So being an avid reader I decided to give audio books another try.

Harry Turtledove is an author whose books are some that I wanted to check out. I love the idea that he writes alternative histories, and has based whole series on how world events could have happened differently. I won't go into the whole multiverse theory, which is also interesting. Where any number of events could have happened creating a completely different timeline of events.

I decided to listen to "A Different Flesh" by Harry Turtledove which was originally published in 1988. In this novel, the world is very much different from our own in that Homo Erectus did not die off and actually thrived in the New World. In the world of this novel, Homo Erectus crossed the land bridge instead of people from the tundras of Siberia. The sheer imagination of the author to create a world where Native Americans never happened spreads out into changes to everything such as first interactions with Colonials, and even the development of colonial government. But it's not just this species of cavemen that are unique to Turtledove's New World, but there are also other prehistoric creatures such as sabretooth tigers and wooly mammoths that wander the forests.

Turtledove proposes different scenarios as we the reader get to see this new world. He presents interactions between colonists and the native cavemen. These creatures are referred to as "sims" throughout the story. How each is radically different and yet curious and fearful of each other. Turtledove mentions the phrase "beetled brow" and their lack of chins in describing these peoples numerous times. The author doesn't linger too long into each period of America as it develops into the present day but gives us a short glimpse into key events of its development.

These short glances into this world were very interesting and I applaud the imagination of Turtledove to be able to create this world. But I don't think this was his only intention to just entertain the reader with a tale of cavemen interacting with humans in our modern world. I think the author's intention was to point out just how within history we as a society have mistreated those who are different from ourselves and even treated those whose cultures were different or technologically not as advanced as being sub-human.

I will point out that being an alternate history piece that there are some potential triggers for some individuals such as racist language, and graphic descriptions of some events which some may find disturbing. This book is not for everyone. I really enjoyed this and got something out of listening to it. I plan on checking out the rest of this author's works. I rated this 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.com. If you are a fan of historical fiction or science fiction you may too enjoy this book.