Action/Adventure Aficionados discussion

Started The Honor of the Queen, first book was good but took awhile, near the end, for the action to kick in.

Also reading The Disappearance. Seems more horror/thriller right now. Friends go to a burning man thing, wake up drugged, and one of them is missing.

Did you mean Peter straus? Couldn't find a movie with Ringwald, Ironside and Fonda???????

if you found one with Straus, Ringwald and Ironside, that's probably it. I sure could have sworn that was Fonda. Maybe I've got it mixed up with Thomas the Train? Alec Baldwin, Peter Fonda and...Thomas.

Could be....or possibly the Stand mini series, wasn't Molly Ringwald in that?

Or maybe the original V...I'm sure I saw Ironside there.

Maybe it was several movies and they're all confused???

Oh well, never mind, I'm a bit confused.

Are you talking about Adventures in the Forbidden Zone?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacehun...

Ironside was in the original "V." He played a real hard ass. This wasn't the best movie out there. Three fashion princesses from some rich world crash their daddy's yacht on a really weird planet that had obviously been ripping off Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome for a few years. She had a strange way of mixing words. The guy was a mercenary type sent in to rescue the rich girls, and he finds Molly Ringwalls character and teams up with her. It kind of looked like she was dating her uncle. It wasn't a great movie.

Jailhouse Rock?????? No I think I've still got it wrong...

Started Black Light last night. Picked up Countdown: M Day today and want to start it, also have the audio of Black Order as my "audio read".

The Black Order is where I thought the story started gaining ground again. I hope that works out for you, Mike.

I've been reading The story was never bad, and it's getting better. I've about adjusted to the Me/now/point of view (First Person/Present Tense).

There are some pros and cons that I have. I'll shout out a larger explaination in my review (when I finish) but the main thing I notice now is that we get a chance to hear more humor in the form of "things Jax thought" that might not come out if it weren't so in her head now. A con is, we don't get any idea what's going on with the other characters. Jax has to be awake and interacting with them to get any report on them.

I'd guess it's the book version of one of those movies that's filmed completely with small camcorders, a reality book, though it's not reality.

There is some nice hot and appropriate sex.

More later. (B-{D>

Okay, finished Grim Space. It's a good read. I'm working on the review. It's one of those I like to call "Seasoned to taste." I mean that there is plenty to like here and some that may not be your cup of tea. If you like this kind of thing, it's very good. If not it's average or so-so. Review later.

Reading Pulse. Over the top action kind of reminds me of the Ateam. I like it though and will probably read more. Right now I need books that entertain but don't require much thought. This is fitting the bill.

I'm reading Enders game. I'm half way through and i'm really really enjoying it.

I'm reading Bad Luck And Trouble by Lee Child. I love his Jack Reacher series.

I'm about half way through with Have You Seen Her?. It's really good so far.

I'm reading a short book (novella?) Plain Jane: Brunettes Beware I wanted to reset my head from Grim Space (lots of good stuff in there) to Temple

Just finished rereading Ice Station. And yes it was as good as I remembered. Now I will find something new to move onto.

I'm jumping into Temple soon. (next book in the cue)

The narration does play with your head in Grimspace, Hugh.

I find it's hard when I go from one writing style to another. It takes me a while to get adjusted. But I like variety, so I try to stay flexible about different genres and writing styles.

I hope you like Temple. I think you will.

Nancy, I heart Ice Station!

I adjusted. I just felt that she lost some things and gained some things by writing that way. What we lost is the ability to get to know the other characters. Even a story told in first person/past tense can actually make some presumption of what was going on inside the other guys head. Hind Sight is 20/20 With Grimspace all we had was Jax's best guess at the moment and she was frequently wrong.

I did like the way she handled the "PTSD-ish" stuff with Jax. She was closer to the mark as to what it's like (including the paranoia and escapism) than most people get.

I think that added to the urgency. I think she wanted to show how flawed Jax was.

The story was also about the spiritual journey for Jax. And, with the first person/present tense format that helped keep all attention focused on her and what was going on with her.

It certainly added to the sense of urgency. I found it interesting that she kept saying she was not religious, but prayed to Mary a lot and when she prayed it usually was answered. (An old Advisor of mine once said "God doesn't always give you what you want, he gives you what you need.")

Grimspace sounds interesting. I'll have to check it out.

I've been sort of fixated on the Honor Harrington series by David Weber lately. I'm about half way through the second book. I'm not yet sure if I'll move onto the third when I'm done.

Hugh, I agree. I like that she started out drifting, and she found that she could believe and have something to believe in.

Jason, I think you might like Grimspace.

I plan to start the first Honor Harrington book soon.

I thought there was more than Coincidence in them all praying to Mary. I'm sure this was a redemption story. She started out blind everything but the corp. I think the telling statment was when she was on the "pleasure planet" and she couldn't see her shadow, then, when she returned to the "Folly" Her shadow returned. The old lady in the market said. Your so ...something... your own shadow doesn't recognize you.

There's also something about March that lead me to believe that he was doing the same kind of spiritual journey too. Or had started ahead of her.

Grimspace is a good read. I'm going down as not a fan of the Here/now point of view (First Person, Present Tense) but it's not enough objection to keep me from enjoying the story.

It's like a journy through Purgatory in ways. (Like the story "What Dreams May Come."

That's pretty insightful, Hugh. I remember those moments, but I didn't put them together in my head. It makes a lot of sense.

I prefer the past tense, but I think present tense worked for this story.

She started in Hell, and March came and found her. He helped her escape from hell, but she hadn't changed (so she kept part of hell with her, the flash backs the psych techs had been trying to create so she'd go crazy.) But she had so much of her self to fix before she reached a place she could ascend, then.. just like March had done for her... she had to commit and save someone else to be saved herself. Ironically it was March. he'd relapsed.

Very true. I think it was very balanced that she saved him in his worst moment as he had done for her.

I think it's almost a parable (likely unintentionally) explaining through art, the imortal words of "Father Martin" (Catholic Priest).

"Lets suppose for an instant, that I know all of the answers to any questions and you do to. What a horrible place this would be to live.

You see, I wouldn't need you anymore, but what's worse. You wouldn't need me, and I'd be usless.

See, people need people. That's how God Built us." (not an exact quote but close enough.)

THat's the message I get from the spiritual journey. And one more suposition (because I have no proof that the author intended anything more than to write a sotry to entertain.)

Grimspace is to space travel (and to the story) what communion is to a catholic. Communion is one of the five sacraments. What makes something a sacrament is that it is, theoretically, one of those five times where the person and God (Jesus/Mary) actually touch.

Communion, follows Confession, not to absolve sin, but to give strength to resist sin for a little bit longer. (or so I'm lead to believe by catholics I know)

So when she goes to Grim space and the wounds of her sins are laid bare, she comes out healed.

If you'll pardon the expresion. Sirantha Jax is sort of "lost" in space in a spiritual sence.

Set during the Vietnam war, Jurevic draws the reader in with a story of a daughter searching for the answer to her father's death. Great read. There's an excellent review in New York Journal of Books by acclaimed author Alan Jacobson: http://nyjournalofbooks.com/review/re...

I am presently reading the Untouchables. Can't say as I am very impressed at present but will give it a little more before I say this isn't worth my time.

I just finished Plain Jane: Brunettes Beware and enjoyed it. It's got plenty of action to it but I think it's strongest when looked at as a Police Procedural/Thriller. It had some twists and kinks in it that still have me thinking about it (in an "ew" but also in a good way). I bought it on a whim and liked it. It's more like the Patrick Bower's Files, I think, though it is a little more twisted. Good read.

Hugh (The other Hugh) wrote: "I think it's almost a parable (likely unintentionally) explaining through art, the imortal words of "Father Martin" (Catholic Priest).

"Lets suppose for an instant, that I know all of the answer..."


Wow. Just wow. This book really got you thinking. I'm glad it kept your interest in this way, Hugh.

Id say if it weren't for the spiritual story that I could see (never mind if she wanted that to be there) I'd have rated it as, over all, so-so. I like when I can see "growth" in people.

It did get me thinking.

Nancy wrote: "Just finished Blind Pursuit by Michael Prescott. Fast read...I couldn't find a place that I wanted to stop. Lots of plat twists with good character development. I would recommend this book to a..."

Sorry, I'm a little late on this Nancy. You threw me for a loop for a second. I've read Prescott's first six novels and was thinking "Blind Pursuit"....he originally wrote three "Pursuit" novels as Brain Harper. http://brianharper.freeservers.com/

I'm currently reading "The Demon Girl" and it's not a bad read. It's billed as a PNR but it's really more of a UF. I was kind of worried. I thought my kindle might suddenly get rinestones or shiny foil hearts all over it if I read a PNR.

I'm listening to The Watchman on audiobook now, and I am really liking it. I like Pike a lot, and Elvis Cole has a great sense of humor. It's funny that Larkin should be annoying me, but she's actually amusing me with her 'attitude'. I think it's because it doesn't phase Pike, and I can see it's her armor against the world. I can tell I am going to be sucked into this series.

I think Crais did a wonderful job of writing her so we could sympathize with Larkin. The flash backs, the way Joe Pike saw through her. I was prepared to tolerate her in the begining, but I grew to like her by the end. (I would elaborate, but I don't want to spoil).

That makes sense, Hugh.

Thank you Lady D.

I'm now reading The Queen: A Patrick Bowers Thrillerby Steven James, with Ian Flemming's Gold Finger in the cue for October, and Temple (Matthew Riely Right behind that).

I know what I'm going to be doing this weekend!

(Mowing the yard (sigh) now if it could only rain?)

I'll be at a conference all weekend. Sigh.

Great combination Hugh! I have Goldfinger lined up as well.

Can you arrange to have my lawn mowed?

Sorry, my powers are not that great.

I can give you my blessing to procrastinate though.

Does that come with a "Please excuse Hugh from Mowing the Lawn" letter for my wife?

You mentioned Gold Finger...I read the post and within seconds caught myself singing the theme song to the movie!!!!!!! Cures you Alice, you fiendish villain (or villainess)...you're dastardly!

I have my favorite used book store holding a copy of Gold Finger for me. I don't have mine anymore and the library doesn't have a copy.

I keep hearing the guitar (Base?) riff that goes with the 007 theme.

Hugh (The other Hugh) wrote: "Tell us what A/A books your reading now. Are you enjoying them? What's the best part (so far)?

I am reading Fire Season by Philip Connors. It is about his time in a fire tower in southern NM and I love it as I used to live on the edge of the Cibolo forest in NM and keep my own fire watch in summer as I was up there all alone quite a bit. During the rest of the season he was a bartender and he writes with quite a bit of humor about it all. He cracks me up!

Fire Season: Field Notes from a Wilderness Lookout

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Thanks, I'll slide it back onto my TBR list...on your say so. That means it's all on your head....dum, dum, dum. (that wasn't a sound effect, it's just me admitting my last statement was "dum, dum,..."

Mike, you can always delete like I do.

A dumb blond with white hair now but the name still sticks,
alice cullen