Monochromatic Outlook

Heat Wave (Nikki Heat)

Author: Richard Castle

Publisher: Hyperion (2009)

Binding: Hardcover, 208 pages

Clever. It's a little bit of a disturbing precedent to set, but nevertheless clever. Here is a novel written as a tie-in to ABC's television show Castle. Castle is a show about suspense novelist Rick Castle (played by Firefly's Nathan Fillion) who rides along with NYPD homicide detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic). The pair comes right out of the tradition of screwball comedy and the show is generally funny, carried mostly by Fillion's comedic delivery.

Fillion's character, Rick Castle, writes a novel inspired by his experiences shadowing Beckett, and to build interest in the show, ABC had a novel written and marketed with Rick Castle as the purported author. The disturbing thing about it is that the actual author of the novel is never credited. It's a mystery argued on fan websites and I won't add to the speculation.... Go ahead, keep reading

Ladies And Gentlemen Of The Jury: Greatest Closing Arguments In Modern Law

Author: H. Mitchell Caldwell, Ben Bycel, Michael S Lief

Publisher: Scribner (2000)

Binding: Paperback, 400 pages

First, good news. I challenged myself to finish eight books in the month of January, and I hit my target. Shortly before eleven PM on January 31st I finished reading the eighth book of the month. That number eight is significant because two years ago in 2008 I only completed seven books during the entire year. In January I beat that number in only one month. That means I can do it if I set aside the time.

I don't plan to continue at this pace. Four or five books in a month seems like plenty. One of the sacrifices I made in order to complete my January challenge was that I set aside my book reports. Now I have to catch up on the last four books I finished in 2010 so far.... Go ahead, keep reading

This is exactly the sort of thing the Internet needs fewer of, but I'm going to go ahead and pollute the Web with my comparitive experience with the two leading open-source CMSs available.

(I'm not counting Wordpress as a «leading» CMS even though it is more popular than either Drupal or Joomla and clearly falls under the definition of «content management system». In my opinion, Wordpress is too limited to be considered in the same class as Drupal or Joomla. Also because Wordpress beats the pants off of both Drupal and Joomla for use-cases which Wordpress does fit. If Wordpress does what you want done, the Drupal versus Joomla question is academic. If you need more, then it is by definition not a viable option.)... Go ahead, keep reading

Redemption Ark (Revelation Space)

Author: Alastair Reynolds

Publisher: Ace (2004)

Binding: Mass Market Paperback, 704 pages

A few months ago I got an unexpected package in the mail from my father. It contained a paperback book and a note: «Thought you might like this book.» It took me a little while to get around to it, as my book-list eyes are bigger than my book-list stomach.

My only regret about reading Redemption Ark is that it is apparently third in a series of Alastair Reynold's novels with many of the same characters and set in the same fictional future. The novel stood on it's own very well, but again and again I found myself feeling that I was being fed a brief recap of events complex enough that I wouldn't understand what was being described without going back and reading the earlier novels. ... Go ahead, keep reading

Flashforward

Author: Robert J. Sawyer

Publisher: Tor Books (2009)

Binding: Paperback, 320 pages

I'm becoming concerned that my entire reading list consists of books I've learned about through having watched the television shows. I discovered the Temperence Brennan novels by watching the show Bones, Of course Star Trek needs no explanation, and now Flash Forward, a novel I didn't know existed until ABC made it into a TV series. Worst of all, as I write this I'm about a third of the way through Heat Wave «by» Richard Castle, who isn't even a real person. It's a book purportedly written by a character in a TV show. More about that later.... Go ahead, keep reading

Fatal Voyage (Temperance Brennan Novels)

Author: Kathy Reichs

Publisher: Pocket Star (2002)

Binding: Mass Market Paperback, 448 pages

I feel a little bad about all the criticism I've done of Kathy Reichs' first three novels. I hope it's been clear that despite the shortcomings I see, I've enjoyed reading each of the novels. In addition to the stories themselves I've appreciated seeing those shortcomings disappear. Reichs' progression as a writer has been quite gratifying.

I'm pleased to report that in her fourth Temperance Brennan novel, Fatal Voyage, Reichs' seems to have hit her stride. The pacing and structure of the novel is engaging. Her characters have sufficient depth and complexity to hold the plot together. Are there areas of her writing that can continue to improve? Certainly. But she has successfully eliminated most of the rough areas.... Go ahead, keep reading

Star Trek Movie Tie-In

Author: Alan Dean Foster

Publisher: Star Trek (2009)

Binding: Paperback, 288 pages

I loved the recent Star Trek movie. There were some jarring surprises and it had plot holes you could fly a starship through, but that didn't matter. The film brought the beloved franchise back intact, and showed a new generation what some of us saw in the old show. There were changes; it's not the same old Star Trek. It remains to be seen whether the sequels will bring back the spirit of the original series, but they've done an admirable job. New actors have reimagined rather than either reinvent or mimic the old roles. It's more than a fan could have hoped.

I had hoped that Alan Dean Foster's novelization of the Star Trek movie might expand on the storyline, provide details that didn't make it to the movie. It's been years since I've read any of Alan Dean Foster's novels but I remember him being a competent science fiction writer.... Go ahead, keep reading

Deadly Decisions

Author: Kathy Reichs

Publisher: Pocket Star (2001)

Binding: Mass Market Paperback, 368 pages

The twelfth and final book I read in 2009 was Kathy Reichs' third novel, Deadly Decisions. I'm a bit embarrassed that I only got through twelve books last year, but 2008's total came to seven, so I suppose things are improving a bit.

I wasn't certain whether to keep on reading the Temperance Brennan series, but when I saw that it was about crimes committed by biker gangs that cemented the decision. After all, I've read a couple books about criminal investigation of bikers, so I wanted to see how Reichs would portray the outlaw gangs.... Go ahead, keep reading

It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life

Author: Sally Jenkins, Lance Armstrong

Publisher: Berkley Trade (2001)

Binding: Paperback, 304 pages

There's nothing like a good story of triumph over adversity, and It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life doesn't disappoint. Armstrong's story is inspirational not only because he overcame great odds, but because his setbacks were the foundation for his victories. This is the most basic of human truths, and one which is too seldom told: that our pain really can temper the raw material we're made of, and that people often reach their highest capacity only because they have had the opportunity to fight against difficulty. It's hard to argue the fact that those who haven't experienced difficulty are often the weakest of us.... Go ahead, keep reading