Thanksgiving, 2016
Latest Updates
Ready Player One, By Ernest Cline
I never thought someone could write a good book about one video game, but Cline has done it. Never mind the many references to adventure and action games from my era–they definitely added a touch of nostalgia, but the storytelling is good enough where I lost track of what was real and what was taking place in The Oasis (the video game). The story takes…
Return to Sender, movie review
Not quite a horror movie, but bordering on it. It’s a slow developer, but you’ll get a good reward at the end. A woman is raped (not to be seen if you’re squeamish), but ends up befriending the attacker after he’s sent to prison. Simple story, but the character development and story are very well done. It’s also a freebie, available on Netflix.
The Lazarus Effect, movie review
Another accidental (and freebie) discovery on Netflix. It reminded me of Flatliners, an older film that was also pretty scary. A medical team has developed a serum that can bring dead animals back to life. During one of these experiments, an electrical accident kills one of the workers. They can’t resuscitate her, but her husband, one of the developers, has the brilliant idea to use the…
Red Rising, by Pierce Brown
An adult version of Hunger Games, with more advanced syfy mixed in. By adult, I mean a lot more brutality, but also more intense drama. By syfy, one example would be that the story takes place on Mars. And surgeons can completely modify your body, adding muscle and changing bone structure. Darrow is a lowly miner, doomed to slave away the rest of his life…
50th KHS Reunion, 2015
Kingfisher High Reunion 2015 May 20, and our grandson John’s first trip to Oklahoma, and his first Frito Pie.
The Martian, by Andy Weir
The movie is getting ready to come out, so be sure you read the book first. It’s not syfy, in the sense of outer space exploration or fighting aliens, but more along the lines of a slow motion Gravity. But, it’s pretty clever in how the guy survives. Mark Watney wakes up on Mars. Alone. His team has mistaken him for dead in a hurried…
Revival, by Stephen King
This is one of King’s more creative works. We’re treated to themes of religion, atheism, horror (of course), tragedy, redemption, quackery, secret electricity, and bugs. A preacher, Charles Jacobs, starts a job in a small town, and befriends a small boy–Jamie. Initially, Jacobs is charismatic, and builds a relatively large following in his church. Then, his wife and son are killed in a senseless accident,…
Doctor Sleep, by Stephen King
The sequel to The Shining. And yes, you need to read The Shining first to appreciate Danny’s past. Danny was the kid, and in this book, he’s grown up. But he has not forgotten the horrific events that led to the death of his father. In fact, he’s grown up to be a druggie, so he can blot out those memories. And his mental powers…
Hacking Work: Breaking Stupid Rules for Smart Results, by Bill Jensen
Got this for one penny at Amazon. Of course, shipping was $3.99, but it’s still a great deal. The book doesn’t have a boiler plate of tools to use for hacking, but it does give a good sales pitch about the risks and benefits. By the way, the work hacking is not the malicious kind–it’s about going around rules when you can get the job…
Nocturnal, by Scott Siglar
This was quite a roller coaster ride. Siglar has really grown as a writer, compared to his earlier stuff, like Infected and Contagious. We start with an unknown man seeking refuge in the middle of the night and being turned away from the door of a friend. Then, he turns up dead. But, not just dead, half eaten. Then, we move to the story of…