Saturday, March 31, 2012

eBook Review: The War of Art



Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

Product Details

  • File Size: 240 KB
  • Print length: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Black Irish Books (November 11, 2011)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B007A4SDCG
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars (323 customer reviews)
  • Price: $9.99
1. Short review: 

2. Long review:
2.1. What I liked: The War of Art takes a spiritual approach to writing. It is all about the inner battle of writing.
Roller-coaster or walk-in-the-park? A very introspective walk-in-the-park.
This book gives great value for your money.

2.2. What I did not like:  Does not apply.

2.3. Who I think is the audience:  Writers and artists.

2.4. Is the book appropriate for children to read?  Yes.

2.5. On the basis of reading this book, will I buy the author's next book?  Yes.

2.6. Other:  Back in 2006, I corresponded briefly with Steven Pressfield. He promised to steal an idea from me. That Steven Pressfield found merit in an idea of mine is one of the proud moments of my life.

The War of Art connected with me. Will it connect with you? I don't know. YMMV.

I do not recall the exchange Mr Pressfield quoted from the Bhagavad Gita -- Your effort belongs to you. The result of your effort belongs to God. --, but I shall reread the Gita to refresh my memory.

2.7. Links:  StevenPressfield.com

2.8. Buy the book:  The War of Art
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Friday, March 30, 2012

Movie Review: John Carter deja vu



John Carter [of Mars]

1. Short review: 

2. Long review:
I saw the movie again. I liked it as much the second time as I did the first. Which is to say a lot.

I recall Blade Runner opened to terrible reviews. Roger Ebert hated it when it was first released but years later gave it a "thumb's up".

What changed? Did Mr Ebert like the Director's Cut but not the Theatrical Cut? (I have seen both, and I prefer the Theatrical Cut. I like the '40s film-noir feel with the narration better.)

Nothing changed. Mr Ebert decided he had misjudged the film the first time.

Like Blade Runner, I think that time will turn the tide in favor of John Carter and that it will find its audience among SF and fantasy fans.

(Me? I think the movie's prologue with Zav Thaan and Matai Shang is out of place. I would move it to after John Carter arrived on Mars and make it part of his narrative. I would delete the entirety of John Carter skulking through the streets of New York City in the rain. I would start the movie with Edgar Rice Burroughs on the train, reading the telegram he received from his uncle, John Carter. That way, the entire tale is of one piece as seen through the eyes of John Carter.)

Enjoy the movie.

2.7. Links:
SF Signal review
Schlock Mercenary review
Rotten Tomatoes review

2.8. See the movie:  Find the show times for your location.
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Saturday, March 17, 2012

eBook Review: A Lonely Kind of War



Marshall Harrison, A Lonely Kind of War: Forward Air Controller, Vietnam

Product Details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 605 KB
  • Publisher: Xlibris (December 15, 2010)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B004H8GCQM
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars (23 customer reviews)
  • Price: $3.03
1. Short review: 

2. Long review:
2.1. What I liked: A Lonely Kind of War was everything I hoped it would be and more. Great story. Great action. I thought Harrison had blown the climax when he put his bail-out over hostile territory and rescue early in the last chapter. I was wrong. There was a better climax at the end.
Roller-coaster or walk-in-the-park? Oh, roller coaster. Definitely roller coaster.
This book gives great value for your money.

2.2. What I did not like:  Does not apply.

2.3. Who I think is the audience:  Look, anybody who reads English can enjoy this book, but fly-boys, especially blue-suited fly-boys, will get the most of it.

2.4. Is the book appropriate for children to read?  No. Soldiers' language. Not there on every page but Harrison pulls no punches.

2.5. On the basis of reading this book, will I buy the author's next book?  Yes, but here's the rub. Marshall Harrison died in 1995. He wrote this book, a kind of autobiography, and three novels. The three novels are Cadillac Flight, The Delta, and Leaving Brogado. Cadillac Flight is available in hardcover, trade paperback, and mass market paperback but not eBook. The Delta is available only in hardcover. Leaving Brogado is available in hardcover, paperback, and eBook; currently, the sample from Leaving Brogado is on my Kindle.

2.6. Other:  I read a number of works concurrently. At last count, I am reading 16 books, one eMagazine, and one paper magazine (the relic of an old, multi-year subscription). I give each work its due attention in rotation. Except A Lonely Kind of War. I enjoyed this book so much that I broke the rotation and stayed with Harrison's book to the end. I'm glad I did.

To those who know, Harrison's awards impress:  Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnamese Medal of Honor, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with two Silver Stars and Palm, Joint Service Commendation with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with 20 OLCs (!), DFC with OLC, and the Silver Star.

For those who buy the eBook, here are my corrections:
Location 5066:  ammo vice amino
Location 5595:  klick vice Hick
Location 5666:  Roj vice Rog
Some sentences are missing periods as well, but I figure those will not cause you problems. They didn't me.

2.7. Links:  http://marshallharrison.net/index.html

2.8. Buy the book:  A Lonely Kind of War.
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Movie Review: John Carter



John Carter [of Mars]

1. Short review: 

2. Long review:
2.1. What I liked:  First, the visuals. The scenes of Barsoom are eye-popping beautiful. The CGI is stunning and seamless. Second, Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris. Third, the dimensions added to the characters John Carter and Dejah Thoris.  Fourth, Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris. Fifth, the story. Last, did I mention Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris?
Roller-coaster or walk-in-the-park? Roller coaster.

2.2. What I did not like:  Nits.
1. When John Carter tried to pay for his supplies in the Arizona general store, he used a tooled rectangle of gold. Not raw gold, but tooled gold. Where did that come from?
2. Colonel Powell says John Carter was decorated for bravery five times. I am not aware that the Confederate Army gave decorations. The only decoration the Union Army gave was the Congressional Medal of Honor, which was created during the Civil War.
3. The paddles John Carter, Dejah Thoris, and Sola use on the River Iss are nonsense. Paddles have been invented by thousands of different cultures. In every instance, they are straight. Those curved paddles are ridiculous. Fire the property master.
4. The Martian swords are unusable. The Martian swords are broad at the tip and heavier at the tip. This makes them bad Claymores. You cannot fence with that weapon. See Rob Roy (the movie). And the hand guard around the hilt . . . can you say 'self-inflicted wound'? I knew you could. Again, fire the property master.

2.3. Who I think is the audience:  Everybody. Those who have read A Princess of Mars and The Gods of Mars will enjoy it more, 'cause they will understand the actions on Barsoom that are not explained in the movie.

2.4. Is the movie appropriate for children to see?  I think so. No sex and no nudity, but lots of skin. Movie violence; that is, death but no blood. Except for white ape blood -- which is blue.

2.5. On the basis of viewing this movie, will I pay to see the sequel?  Yes.

2.6. Other:  Let me tell you how I rate movies.
-- I want my money back.
-- Worth a rental, not more.
-- Worth first-run theater price once.
-- I will pay first-run theater price to see it again.

Despite the nits, John Carter gets my highest recommendation. The movie was fun. I enjoyed it very much.

The visuals are eye-popping beautiful. Often I was on the edge of my seat just taking in the view.

Andrew Stanton, Mark Andrews, and Michael Chabon gave the characters John Carter and Dejah Thoris dimensions that Edgar Rice Burroughs never did. ERB's John Carter was a warmonger who loved to fight. The screenwriters cast the character as a man who fights well when he has to but does not seek combat. ERB's Dejah Thoris existed to be beautiful and to be rescued by John Carter. She was just a damsel in distress. The movie's Dejah Thoris is a strong woman who does not need John Carter -- she wants him.

Stanton, Andrews, and Chabon took elements from A Princess of Mars and The Gods of Mars and crafted a new, coherent saga of Barsoom. It is different, but it is good. Kudos.

Barsoom in the movie was different from Barsoom in the books. Examples, 1) in the books, nobody returns from the River Iss, 2) Dejah Thoris is not a scientist and inventor, and 3) the Therns wear blond wigs over their bald heads. In the movie, the Therns are much more powerful. And Zodanga crawls across the dead seas of Barsoom.

Having recently reread the John Carter trilogy (my review), I knew what was going on when others in the audience were confused. Three examples. One, after loading the new-hatched Tharks on their thoats, the green warriors shoot the remaining eggs. They do this to kill the weak and ensure that all Tharks are strong. Two, when the Tharks arrive, the adults scramble to claim a child. This is how Tharks are raised. They have no families. The clan is their identity. Last, Sola calls Tars Tarkas 'father'. She knows he is her father because her mother kept her egg from the clan incubator and brought up Sola with knowledge of who her family was. This knowledge makes Sola unique among Tharks.

Because I had recently reread the books, it was easy for me to keep track of the characters.

Oh, did I mention that Lynn Collins does justice to the character of Dejah Thoris, the most beautiful woman in two worlds? I would pay good money to apply those henna tattoos to her. A picture of her as Dejah Thoris is now my computer wallpaper.

Taylor Kitsch gave an admirable performance as John Carter. I was glad to see a fighting man with long hair. Lynn Collins made Dejah Thoris hers. This could well be a signature role for her. Mark Strong gave Matai Shang an ominous air. A pity he had no more to do than that.

Disney is superstitious but not diligent. The opening movie title is 'John Carter' but the closing title is 'John Carter of Mars'. There is some speculation floating around the internet that Disney feared to use 'Mars' in the title, because every movie they have made before with 'Mars' in the title tanked.

If John Carter succeeds, it will be in spite of Disney. Disney released this movie in March, vice the blockbuster season beginning in May. The publicity given this movie has been minimal. And did you see the poster at the top of this post? That's what they are using in theaters. Can you say 'sucks'? I knew you could.

John Carter has received mixed reviews. Some like it, some don't. I like it. A lot. I plan to see this movie again.

2.7. Links: 
SF Signal review
Schlock Mercenary review
Rotten Tomatoes review

2.8. See the movie:  Find the show times for your location.
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Friday, March 9, 2012

eBook Review: Five Weeks in a Balloon


Jules Verne, Five Weeks in a Balloon

Product Details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 390 KB
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English
  • ASIN:  B004TP35I6
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled 
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars (6 reviews)
  • Price: $0.00 

1. Short review: 

2. Long review:
2.1. What I liked: Not a lot. Decent writing.
Roller-coaster or walk-in-the-park? Roller coaster, but a kiddie roller coaster.
The book is free. There are versions on Kindle that cost money. Get the free version.

I read the Gutenberg Project version. 

2.2. What I did not like:  Five Weeks in a Balloon is more a travelogue than an adventure tale. There are points where Verne wants us to believe the aeronauts are in mortal danger, but we know they are not.

2.3. Who I think is the audience:  Jules Verne fans. 

2.4. Is the book appropriate for children to read?  Yes. No worries.

2.5. On the basis of reading this book, will I buy the author's next book?  Yes, but I shall not read Verne again for a long time.

2.6. Other:  I saw the movie Five Weeks in a Balloon (starring Red Buttons, Fabian, and Barbara Eden) when I was a kid.  The movie gave them a reason to cross Africa in a balloon -- to keep slavers from claiming the territory. In the book, two Englishmen and a Scot cross the continent for the glory of it. The movie was better than the book.

Verne's 19th century geography is much in error. As is his zoology; he places tigers in Africa.

Verne had no concept of speed. He has his aeronauts flying along at 20 miles an hour overtaking men on galloping horses. At the end, he states that horsemen are two miles away and will arrive in 20 minutes. Yeah, if they dismount and walk their horses.

Five Weeks in a Balloon reads like it was first published as a serial in a newspaper -- as was Around the World in 80 Days -- but I can find no evidence of such.

2.7. Links:  Gutenberg Project download

2.8. Buy the book:  Five Weeks in a Balloon

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Wednesday, March 7, 2012

eBook Review: Operation: Outer Space


Murray Leinster , Operation:  Outer Space

Product Details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 221 KB
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English
  • ASIN:  B004TPLLQY
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled 
  • Average Customer Review: no reviews
  • Price: $0.00 

1. Short review: 

2. Long review:
2.1. What I liked: Good golden-age sf story.
Roller-coaster or walk-in-the-park? Roller coaster, but a small roller coaster.
The book is free. There are versions on Kindle that cost money. Get the free version. (The cover above is from a version that costs money. The free cover is dull.)

2.2. What I did not like:  Leinster used saidisms and adverbs. An example:
"This is your seat, Mr. Cochrane," she said professionally.

"Wait," said Babs confidently.
'Said professionally'? How is that different from just 'said'? And how does anyone say 'wait' confidently?

2.3. Who I think is the audience:  Science fiction fans. 

2.4. Is the book appropriate for children to read?  Yes. No worries.

2.5. On the basis of reading this book, will I buy the author's next book?  I have. It is free, too.

2.6. Other:  Operation:  Outer Space is an easy read. The characters are somewhat one-dimensional. None of them changes in the course of the book. The book is a juvenile space adventure. It is fun but forgettable.

Both Leinster's Operation: Outer Space (published 1954) and Heinlein's Farmer in the Sky (1953) postulated futures in which Earth was overpopulated and food was in short supply. When they wrote these works, that was the most probable future. That future will not be. Today, food is not in short supply. Today, wherever there is hunger, it is the fault of politics, not production.

Two men are responsible for the fact that we can feed the world today:  Norman Borlaug and Henry Beachell. They made the green revolution. I would not be alive today, you would not be alive today, but for the work of these two men.

2.7. Links:  Gutenberg Project download

2.8. Buy the book:  Operation: Outer Space

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Saturday, March 3, 2012

eBook Review: John Carter


A Princess of MarsThe Gods of MarsWarlord of Mars

   
Edgar Rice Burroughs, A Princess of Mars, The Gods of Mars, & Warlord of Mars

Product Details for A Princess of Mars

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 252 KB
  • Publisher: Public Domain Books (March 17, 2006)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B002RKSDS2
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars 

Product Details for The Gods of Mars

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 300 KB
  • Publisher: Public Domain Books (March 17, 2006)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B002RKSDRI
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars 

Product Details for Warlord of Mars

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 218 KB
  • Publisher: Public Domain Books (March 17, 2006)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B002RKT02K
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars 

1. Short review: 

2. Long review:
2.1. What I liked: A Princess of Mars, The Gods of Mars, and Warlord of Mars comprise the John Carter of Mars trilogy. ERB wrote other books using Barsoom as a setting and John Carter as a character, but these were the first.
Roller-coaster or walk-in-the-park? Roller coaster.
All three books are in the public domain. You can download them for free.

2.2. What I did not like:  ERB's purple prose gets to be tiresome. An example:
For six long Martian months I had haunted the vicinity of the hateful Temple of the Sun, within whose slow-revolving shaft, far beneath the surface of Mars, my princess lay entombed—but whether alive or dead I knew not. Had Phaidor's slim blade found that beloved heart? Time only would reveal the truth.
--Warlord of Mars
'I knew not'?  Who talks like this? If we believe ERB, an ex-Confederate officer talks like this.

2.3. Who I think is the audience:  Fantasy fans.

2.4. Are the books appropriate for children to read?  Yes.

2.5. On the basis of reading these books, will I buy the author's next book?  Yes. See below.

2.6. Other: In a nutshell:
In A Princess of Mars, John Carter, an ex-Confederate officer, is spirited from a cave in Arizona to Mars. He struggles to master his new-found abilities on the Red Planet. A horde of the Green Men of Mars take him prisoner. As their prisoner, he meets the incomparable Dejah Thoris, a princess of the House of Tardos Mors of the nation of Helium. John Carter falls in love with Dejah Thoris and she with him. He also befriends Tars Tarkas, a jed of the Green Men.

John Carter frees Dejah Thoris and sends her riding across the Martian desert to home. He escapes soon after and finds his way to the atmosphere plant which produces air for all of Mars. By telepathy, he senses that the plant's caretaker would kill him, so he leaves. He finds his way to Zodanga, a nation of Red Men, and from there to Helium where he is reunited with Dejah Thoris.

Disaster strikes Mars:  The caretaker of the atmosphere plant dies and no one knows how to open the portal to service the machinery. At last, John Carter recalls the key and hurries to the atmosphere plant to save all Mars. He opens the last door and sinks unconscious to the ground as men from the Navy of Helium crawl into the atmosphere plant. John Carter awakens back in the Arizona cave. He writes down his exploits, passes the manuscript to his nephew, and seeks a way to return to Dejah Thoris on Mars.

In The Gods of Mars, John Carter returns to Mars. He finds himself in the Valley of Iss. He escapes the plant men and the white apes with a Green Man who turns out to be his friend, Tars Tarkas. Together they battle the Holy Therns, the priests of the false religion of Mars. In the midst of their battle with the Holy Therns, the Black Men of Mars raid the temple and take John Carter prisoner. They descend into the depths of Omean, where the goddess Issus reigns. John Carter finds Dejah Thoris a prisoner of Issus. He escapes to Helium, but is condemned to death for blasphemy.

The execution of the sentence is stayed for a year. John Carter lays plans to rescue Dejah Thoris. Zat Arras, John Carter's enemy, locks him in chains below the palace. With help from his son, Carthoris, John Carter escapes to lead a huge fleet south to rescue Dejah Thoris. Zat Arras follows with his fleet and a huge battle ensues. John Carter boards the flagship of Zat Arras who takes 'the long plunge' rather than surrender.

The fleet of the Black Men join the battle. John Carter disengages his fleet and sails to Omean to rescue Dejah Thoris. The warriors of Helium storm the citadel of Issus. John Carter finds Dejah Thoris is confined to a cell beneath the throne of Issus that makes one revolution a year. With her are Thuvia, a princess herself and daughter of the Jeddak of Ptarth, and Phaidor, daughter of Matai Shang who is the High Priest of the Holy Therns. All three women desire John Carter. Just before the view into the cell is closed by the cell's rotation, Phaidor springs at Dejah Thoris with a dagger.

In Warlord of Mars, John Carter keeps vigil over the temple beneath which is imprisoned his beloved Dejah Thoris. One night, he follows his enemy Thurid to a lake beneath the temple. Thurid knows another entrance to the cells and, in alliance with Matai Shang, releases Dejah Thoris, Thuvia, and Phaidor. John Carter pursues them to Kaol, a heretofore unmentioned city of Red Men near the equator. Kulan Tith, the jeddak of Kaol is hosting Thuvan Dihn, Jeddak of Ptarth and father of Thuvia. John Carter claims Phaidor is keeping Dejah Thoris and Thuvia as slaves. Kulan Tith demands that Matai Shang produce these women to answer these charges. Instead, Matai Shang flees with his captives to the North Pole.

John Carter and Thuvan Dihn pursue. At the North Pole, they split:  Thuvan Dihn goes for help and John Carter enters the city of Okar after disguising himself as a Yellow Man, one of the inhabitants of the North Pole. Here, John Carter discovers Tardos Mors and Mors Kajak, his wife's grandfather and father, held as prisoners. Thuvan Dihn returns with Carthoris leading the Helium Navy. They storm Okar. John Carter engages in numerous sword fights, including one with an man who looks to be 80 years old.

John Carter pursues Thurid, Matai Shang, and Phaidor with Dejah Thoris in tow across the snows to a flyer. As the flyer rises, John Carter leaps to grab a trailing rope. While he climbs the rope, Thurid knifes Matai Shang who takes 'the long plunge.' Thurid turns to deal with John Carter, but Phaidor knifes him. Thurid takes 'the long plunge.' Phaidor repents that she has caused so many others to suffer and to expiate her sins takes 'the long plunge.' John Carter and Dejah Thoris return to Helium where he is proclaimed the Warlord of Mars.

     The Barsoom books are cotton-candy reading. They are fun. Nothing more.
     I read these books many years ago, but out of order. Last fall, I decided to read them again, this time in order.
     All three of the original trilogy are in the public domain. You should not pay a penny to read them.

2.7. Links:
Who is John Carter? A primer (print) Larry Ketchersid's outstanding compendium of all the Barsoom books.
Another John Carter primer (video) Larry Ketchersid does it again.
ERBzine.com  All things ERB. An outstanding resource.
thejohncarterfiles.com  Includes news and clips from the upcoming movie.

2.8. Buy the books:  
A Princess of Mars
The Gods of Mars
Warlord of Mars
or download from the Gutenberg Project (scroll down to Burroughs).
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