T_Stormcrowe's Sci-Fic Revue

2006-11-04T11:16:00.000-05:00

Titanic 2

This is not real, but it's pure genius! As a game....name the movies the clips are sampled from! Kudos to Krakkagar!

2006-09-21T02:10:00.001-04:00

PYTHON TREK

2006-09-21T02:10:00.000-04:00

Python's Camelot interlude, by Kirk and crew

Enjoy this! It's truly hilarious!

2006-09-16T17:43:00.000-04:00

Murata Boy, the Robot that can Ride Bicycles

This looks like SF, but it ain't!

2006-09-11T07:40:00.000-04:00

Explosion - An improvised synth solo

2006-09-08T14:45:00.000-04:00

Animadog...the adventure begins

2006-09-05T18:14:00.000-04:00

Xenosaga - Demonheart

The Internet is for Porn!

2006-09-04T06:47:00.000-04:00

What Superhero do I test out to be? Just for fun!

2006-09-01T05:36:00.000-04:00

Take the quiz yourself! See who you turn out to be!

Your results:
You are Hulk

Hulk		90%
Green Lantern		90%
The Flash		75%
Spider-Man		70%
Supergirl		70%
Iron Man		65%
Robin		60%
Batman		60%
Catwoman		55%
Superman		55%
Wonder Woman		20%

You are a wanderer with
amazing strength.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

2006-08-19T18:56:00.000-04:00

Live action Simpsons

Enjoy!

2006-08-16T04:55:00.000-04:00

William Shatner

Self explanatory

Bill O' Reilly Interviews Yoda: Linked here

2006-07-25T10:38:00.000-04:00

Go here for the transcript and be warned, the caffienated liquid nasal spew factor is 10+

2006-07-17T16:09:00.000-04:00

UFO Over New York City

What do you think?

Jim Baen has Passed Away

2006-06-29T11:27:00.000-04:00

June 28, 2006, Jim Baen crossed the Bifrost, depriving us of a great publisher and editor. He passed quietly, in his sleep after a massive stroke on 15, June. I wish I could thank him for the many hours of fine reading he was responsible for with the books he had published. Jim Baen left a legacy of good solid Science Fiction and a group of authors such as John Ringo and Mike Z. Williamson and David Drake as his legacy. Good job, Jim, you will be missed.

2006-06-28T21:41:00.000-04:00

A Terrifying Message from Al Gore

Enjoy this!

A Clockwork Orange- Anthony Burgess

2006-06-01T07:07:00.000-04:00

I've been re-reading some of my old favorites. I recently re-read A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess. This is a story of social engineering and gang violence. Ironically, other than a bit of hyperbole as far as the social engineering aspect is concerned,. the story is still relevant. It's all about freedom and how sometimes, with the best of intentions, social engineering and behavioral programming can lead to disaster. Such is the "Law of Unintended Consequences"!

Rating *****
By the way, the origin of the Title is a cockney slang: "As phony as a clockwork orange". Read the book and you will understand the metaphor

The Amazing Shrinking Man!: For Those Who Served (Pasted from Cold Fury-Al Maviva)

2006-05-30T12:21:00.000-04:00

The Amazing Shrinking Man!: For Those Who Served (Pasted from Cold Fury-Al Maviva)

The Amazing Shrinking Man!: New Cycling Video, w/ Mrs Stormcrowe Too

2006-05-25T12:08:00.000-04:00

The Amazing Shrinking Man!: New Cycling Video, w/ Mrs Stormcrowe Too

More Lordi

2006-05-22T21:28:00.000-04:00

Lordi Video

2006-05-22T21:27:00.000-04:00

Resident Evil 4 bandit video

2006-05-13T21:24:00.000-04:00

Here's a cool video!

2006-04-12T00:20:00.000-04:00

What Serenity Character am I?

2006-02-17T04:24:00.000-05:00

Jayne Cobb

100%

Capt. Mal Reynolds

88%

Zoe Alleyne Washburne

81%

River Tam

75%

The Operative

75%

Inara Serra

63%

Shepherd Derrial Book

56%

Hoban 'Wash' Washburne

56%

Kaylee (Kaywinnet Lee) Frye

44%

Simon Tam

25%

Which Serenity character are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

Buckley's Universe - Tom Stormcrowe

2006-02-16T14:37:00.000-05:00

Buckley's Universe- Thomas Stormcrowe
Dr Buckley was having a bad day. It started when he initiated his experiment into Zero Point Energy. When he started up the equipment, all the sounds outside his lab suddenly quit. When he decided to take a break and get a cup of coffee, he got up to leave the lab. When he opened up the door to go to the coffee machine, he encountered a silver wall across the door.

"What the hell?"Dr Buckley exclaimed! He turned and ran back to his desk and tried to shut down the equipment, but to no avail! "HMMM"He thought, "What have we here?". Dr Buckleyturned to his notes to try to figure out what was going on and thought about that little section of the equation that had been bothering him. "Well, I guess I have something to worry about after all!" He said with a rueful smile.

Journal of Dr Joseph Buckley, September 15, 2036
I initiated my experiment into tapping Zero Point Energy today. I seem to be trapped in a pocket universe created accidentally when I started the equipment. All the tests I have run show absolutely nothing outside of the silvery surface outside of my lab door. I can't seem to shut down my equipment and am currently drawing power off of reserve batteries. I'm not sure what will happen when they die. I figure they will crap out in about two hours. It is 10:00AM now. With any luck I'll be out by lunch

11:00AM September 15, 2036
The air is getting a bit stale and smoky, but without cigarettes I'd go nuts! Batteries are at the halfway point now. I'm really getting nervous now as the corners of my lab are showing the same silvery encroachment. Apparently I'm in a sphere and it's shrinking! I tried to get an image of what's outside of the sphere, but when I pushed a webcan through all I got was absolutely nothing, literally! I tried to retrieve the webcam and got back a cut off USB cable. I think I have a problem!

11:30AM September 15, 2036
I'm surrounded by the sphere now. My lab walls are no longer visible anymore. The batteries are below one quarter charge and I'm at a loss how to conserve power. I'm writing by the light of a candle now as I've lost the emergency lights to the sphere. Worst of all I only have one cigarette left! I've been working the math and have come to the conclusion that I'm screwed! I think I might have wiped out the Universe when I tried to tap into the Zero Point. I believe I might have interrupted the quantum flicker cycle.

11:45AM September 15, 2036
The sphere has contracted to about ten feet in diameter now. It's also starting to vibrate. My desk is half engulfed and my computer quit functioning when the sphere ate my tower. The batteries are going to die any minute now and I'm smoking my last cigarette now. It's the best tasting cigarette I've ever had! The batteries are dying now and the sphere is collapsing! Oh Lord, I think I'm going to die!

The sphere collapses into a quantum point and explodes.........Creation begins.
GENESIS
CHAPTER ONE
DAY ONE

In the Beginning there was void. Buckley floated formless, but aware. As he pondered his situation, the thought came to him that he wanted some light. He shouted let there be Light!” At that point a point of light formed and built until it flooded his universe as far as he could see. As he floated in a sea of light, he found he wished for a place to stand upon, and said “Let there be land” and it formed from the sea of light. Standing upon his firmament, Buckley felt thirst and said “Let water flow forth and form rivers, lakes and seas!” As the rivers, lakes and seas formed, Buckley was happy, for now he had a place to stand and water to cool his brow. Unfortunately, his view was as a desert, barren and empty. He missed the trees and plant life of his home. “I’ll tell ya”, he told himself; “I might be crazy, but I’ll give it a try! Let trees and plants cover the land and enter the waters of the land!” and they did! Buckley was now happy! As he lounged around in the soft grasses in the shade of a tree, he napped. He slept the satisfied sleep of one who has accomplished great things that day.

DAY TWO

Buckley Woke up that morning and was hungry, and he thought mournfully of the half of a peanut butter sandwich that had disappeared with everything else in his lab when the sphere had collapsed, and he said to himself “I wish I had some food!” and the tree he was under gave forth fruit. He plucked one of the fruits and bit into it and was surprised that it tasted exactly like his peanut butter and honey sandwich! “Wow!”, He said, “This might be an hallucination, but it’s certainly fun!” As the day progressed, Buckley started to miss the noises from his childhood, like birds singing, and decided to try to bring forth animal life. He said “Let there be birds flying and singing gaily!” As he finished his last word, a robin landed and started hunting for worms. A swallow flew searching for insects and a dove landed and started searching for seeds. Buckley thumped his forehead and realized he needed to provide food for his birds! “Let there be worms and insect life”, he cried! “Let the trees and plants bring forth seeds for food and also to bring forth new plants to replace those that pass on!”
“Let there be squirrels and rabbits to amuse me!” Buckley said, and they came to be. “Yes, Buckley thought to himself; “This will be sweet, a whole new world that I can build to what I want it to be! He spent the rest of the day watching the squirrels playing in the trees and gathering nuts as well as watching the rabbits doing rabbit things. He dozed off to the sounds of his birds chirping and rustling in the trees as the day ended and night fell.
Buckley woke up and everything was pitch black and totally silent. He realized he missed the night sounds he’d grown up with and he thought to himself, “Hmm, I guess I need to do something about this.” “Let the stars and the moon shine forth in the night!” He said and the stars and the moon came into being as he remembered them. “Let there be all the insects and animals I remember from before!” Buckley said and the first thing that happened was a mosquito buzzed in his ear and bit him! Buckley chuckled and said to himself “Such is the law of unintended consequences!” He couldn’t bear though to wipe out the mosquitoes though since his swallows would enjoy the new food source. He listened to the sounds of the tree frogs calling and the cicadas singing in the trees and went to sleep for the rest of the night, satisfied.

To Be Continued.......

©2006-Tom Stormcrowe- All rights reserved

What is the SF milieu I would best fit into?

2006-02-15T20:58:00.000-05:00

You scored as Millennium Falcon (Star Wars). The world around you is at war. Fortunately you know how to handle that with the greatest of ease. You are one of the best at what you do and no one needs to tell you that. Now if only the droids could be quiet for five seconds.

Millennium Falcon (Star Wars)

94%

SG-1 (Stargate)

88%

Deep Space Nine (Star Trek)

88%

Moya (Farscape)

88%

Nebuchadnezzar (The Matrix)

88%

Serenity (Firefly)

88%

Babylon 5 (Babylon 5)

81%

Bebop (Cowboy Bebop)

75%

Galactica (Battlestar: Galactica)

69%

Andromeda Ascendant (Andromeda)

63%

FBI's X-Files Division (The X-Files)

50%

Enterprise D (Star Trek)

50%

Your Ultimate Sci-Fi Profile II: which sci-fi crew would you best fit in? (pics)
created with QuizFarm.com

This is what I scored taking this quiz! At least this time! Last time Farscape was the top one!

The Amazing Shrinking Man - Cycle-Licious

2006-02-12T06:44:00.000-05:00

The Amazing Shrinking Man - Cycle-Licious

Trying to Catch Up: Blog Olympics - Round 1

2006-01-23T12:37:00.000-05:00

Trying to Catch Up: Blog Olympics - Round 1

Why Science Fiction?

2006-01-23T04:02:00.000-05:00

The best answer to this is why not? In the Science Fiction Milieu, you can discuss any subject and include any situation or genre, whether it be romance, action, adventure, or yes, even an adult subject matter romp! I have learned that in my experience, SF is the genre to stave off shock due to social and technological changes sweeping through our society today. SF also tends to reflect the political climate, either as a coping mechanism or as a mechanism of reinforcement as well. It's an escape from reality as well as an instrument to perform a thought experiment in the best tradition of Aristotle in the ramifacations of change in our social dynamic as a whole from the macroscopic scale to the microscopic with subjects like theoretical societies (Incidentally, this leads to an author licensed FREE download of the book, Freehold in several formats sponsored by Baen Books) or the other end with stories on the ramifacations of nanotechnology. The Old Masters of SAF, such as Robert A Heinlein also wrote on ethics and social values in stories targeted to both juvenile and adult audiences.

Fantasy can also be included with works like The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkein, or the Chronicles of Narnia, by CS Lewis, who was a friend and contemporary of Tolkein.

So it boils down to several ideas here:
If you like romance, it's in SF
If you like action/adventure, SF has it
If you like politics, SF has it
If you like intellectual stimulation, SF has it
If you just want a trashy read, pulp SF has it

Screams Beneath Pandora- Lara "Elf Princess" Prendville

2006-01-12T10:15:00.000-05:00

This is one of the more unusual books I have read. This is not to say it was not enjoyable, just unique. This is NOT a book for children and is rather dark. Ms Prendville, is however a talented writer, and I wish her a long and happy writing career. Stylistically reminiscent of a more graphic version of Anne Rice in her heyday, Prendville tells an engaging and entertaining story. I do have to say this however:

Adult Subject Matter
This novel contains adult language and situations.

Motherstormcrowe: TRIBUTE TO THE AMAZING SHRINKING MAN

2005-12-14T17:16:00.000-05:00

Motherstormcrowe: TRIBUTE TO THE AMAZING SHRINKING MAN

A Boy and His Tank- Leo Frankowski

2005-10-29T20:30:00.000-05:00

Just imagine the Serbs and Croations on another planet! That's how the storyline starts out! Leo Frankowski is an author recommended to me by a fellow student at college and I'm glad he did! I thouroughly enjoyed Frankowski's work. I would recommend this book for Christmas for your average MILSF Fan as I truly believe they will enjoy it!

I have a list of reputable charities and relief agencies posted on my other blog

2005-09-05T22:51:00.000-05:00

The URL is http://theamazingshrinkingman.blogspot.com and these agencies are participating in the relief efforts on the Gulf Coast. Even if you can only donate $10.00, it will help!

The Weapon- Mike Z. Williamson

2005-07-23T11:49:00.000-05:00

The release of "The Weapon is just over two weeks away! I highly recommend this book! If you want to find excerpts of the book, go to the Fifth Imperium!
URL is http://jiltanith.thefifthimperium.com/ as the first eight chapters are there and this is with the cooperation of the author, Mike Z Williamson as well as Jim Baen of Baen Books! Micheal Z Williamsons site is http://www.michealzwilliamson.com

A Requiem for "Scotty"

2005-07-21T20:19:00.000-05:00

James Doohan has passed on. James claim to fame primarily was the role of Montgomery Scott in the TV series Star Trek, a role which Gene Roddenberry created specifically for Mr Doohan! James served with distinction in the Canadian Army as an engineer of course! We're gonna miss Jimmy!

A Canticle For Liebowitz- Walter M. Miller Jr.

2005-07-06T21:42:00.000-05:00

This is an older book, written in 1959. Walter M Miller is an extremely good storyteller. "Canticle" takes place long after a devestating nuclear war and the Catho;ic Church is all that is holding the remains of civilization together. We have entered a new Dark Age! Brother Francis of Utah finds relics of the "Blessed Leibowitz" and the story rolls off to the future! By the way, a side note: The programmer of the program "Dragonspeak" must be a fan of the book! Pay attention to page 239, par 2! To you, oh programmer, if what I surmise is true, feel free to post a comment!

RATING- @@@@@

With the Lightnings- David Drake

2005-06-30T23:59:00.000-05:00

This is the Beginning of the story of Lt. Leary and Adele Mundy of the Royal Cinnibar Navy. Reminiscent of an Aubrey or Hornblower story, it is set on Kostroma. Kostroma is invaded by the Alliance and the story takes off! Lt Leary and Adele Mundy, who is a Cinnibar expatriot are trapped behind enemy lines and have to fight to survive. This is a well crafted story, written by a skilled storyteller. I highly recommend this book!

RATING- @@@@@

Moonfall- Jack McDevit

2005-06-30T23:48:00.000-05:00

A comet is going to collide with the moon! On the moon is among others, the Vice President of the United States! He is there to "Cut the Ribbon" for the grand opening of the Moonbase. The comet is moving fast enough that it might shatter the moon! This is a blisteringly fastpaced book that I literally read in one sitting. It has it all! It has high drama, suspense, intrigue and politics galore; wrapped up in a fantastic story of honor and heroism.

RATING- @@@@@

March to the Stars- David Weber and John Ringo

2005-06-09T23:49:00.000-05:00

Prince Roger is at it again! No longer a spoiled fop, Prince Roger, his Marines and their Allies must take the spaceport or fail utterly. There are other considerations as well! It seems that there was a coup d'etat and the Empire of Man is in extreme danger! Fortunately, Roger has become a capable and deadly commander and soldier, even if he does give his bodyguards fits! Will Roger and his allies survive? I highly recommend this collaberation between David Weber and John Ringo as well as the first two books in the series, "March Upcountry" and "March to the Sea"!

Rating: @@@@@

Space Viking- H. Beam Piper

2005-05-30T03:39:00.000-05:00

This book was written in 1963. It is currently out of print. The story is about the private war between Prince Lucas Trask and Andray Dunnan, Nephew of King Angus I of Gram and is a pretender to the throne. Andray Dunnan murders Prince Trask's wife on their wedding day and Trask equips the ship "Nemesis" to go after him. He makes alliance with Prince Simon Bentrick, Crown Prince of Marduk after rescuing him from certain death at the hands of Dunnan and his cohort. To find out more of this sweeping story set against the backdrop of a rise from barbarism after the fall of the "Old Empire", and the political fallout of Prince Trask's vendetta, You will have to find a copy of the book! Believe me, it's worth the hunt!

Rating: @@@@@

Lady Slings the Blues- Spider Robinson

2005-05-28T10:34:00.000-05:00

What do you get if you take some Robert Heinlein, Mix in some Piers Anthony, add some little element of a Film Noir'? You get Spider Robinson. In lady slings the Blues you get an excellent story set in the Callahan's story universe. I read this book in one sitting last night. I could NOT put it down! I tried, believe me! Not because I didn't like the story, but because of urgent biological imperatives(GRIN)! Set in Lady Sally's House of Ill Repute, the story rollicks along through a mystery wrapped in an enigma wound around a puzzle with a climax of Earth shattering proportions. Puns abound and your sense of humor will suffer from overdrive syndrome as you get belly laugh after belly laugh til your gut hurts!

Rating- @@@@@

Resonance- Chris Dolley

2005-05-27T00:30:00.000-05:00

Keep your eye's open for the November release of Chris Dolley's new book, titled "Resonance"! He's a new author with Baen and lives in France. From the snippets I have read, this is probably the best book out of France since Robert Merles "Malevil"! Watch this author as I think he's bound for great things!

Rating: @@@@@

Kiplings Science Fiction- Rudyard Kipling

2005-05-27T00:04:00.000-05:00

Yes, Rudyard Kipling wrote Science Fiction! This was much to my surprise. I like Kipling, but had not known about his Science Fiction until I came across this anthology. The editor is John Brunner, and the book is published by Tor, a division of Tom Doherty Publishing. Mr. Kipling wrote about many subjects and exhibited a great understanding of technological trends, just not quite in the way he envisioned. For example, in the story "With the Night Mail", he envisioned a close paralell to modern nuclear power, initially published in 1905! I seriously enjoyed ALL of the stories in this collection. This book is a reccomended read by this reviewer!

Rating: @@@@@

Scatterbrain- Larry Niven

2005-05-23T19:37:00.000-05:00

I hate doing this! I read "Scatterbrain" and was BADLY disappointed! Basically, it's a revue of old material with excerpts of various novels("Saturns Race", Etc.") and older short stories. At least there were two good stories in there, a Beowulf Schaeffer story and a Draco Tavern Story. I regret however spending the money as I have those stories elsewhere. The rest of the material is fannish stuff, i/e background journals of conversations with co-authors. Larry, when are you bringing out something NEW?

Rating- @ With deep regret!

Have Space suit, Will Travel- Robert A Heinlein

2005-05-19T23:32:00.000-05:00

This is one of Robert's "Juvenile Stories". In this story, Kip wins a space suit in a sweepstakes. He was trying to win a trip to the Moon! He is kidnapped by two humans working for an alien race and mayhem ensues! He and another younger girl are rescued by the "Motherthing", and are eventually the chief witnesses at humanities trial, with the possibility of Earth being rotated out of the Universe! Without the Sun! With the fate of Humanity at stake, Kip has to show us in a good light or else! Talk about pressure! To get more of the story, read the book. I highly recommend it.

Rating: @@@@@

The Teeth of the Tiger- Tom Clancey

2005-05-19T23:17:00.000-05:00

The Ryan's are at it again! This time, it's Jack, Jr and his cousin Dominic. They are recruited by a mysterious "company" to go after a terror cell and eliminate them! Typically, Tom Clancey's stories have more twists and plot turns than a 'Soap Opera" and "Teeth" is not an exception! I enjoyed the book. It's not Tom Clancey's best but still a good read.

Rating: @@@@

Targets of Opportunity- Mike Z. Williamson

2005-05-19T23:09:00.000-05:00

This isn't really Science Fiction, but still; it's an excellent read. In "Targets", Mike explores the idea of setting a sniper team loose on terrorists in a former Soviet Block nation. The story follows the sniper team through various misadventures as they go after a group of terrorists to put pressure on the Terrorist cell and attempt to identify the leader. Mack Bolan it's not! The story is grittily realistic and suffused with Mike's Gallows humor as a relief to a pretty rough game! All in all, I highly recommend this book!

Rating: @@@@@

Pulling Through- Dean Ing

2005-05-05T20:38:00.000-05:00

Dean Ing is one of the best writers in the field as he teaches as well as entertains! In "Pulling Through", Bounty Hunter Harvey Rackham has a problem, how to survive a nuclear war and take care of his family; which has just grown by one member! A beautiful felon named Kate, who he had just arrested shortly before the attack. Will they pull through? Read the book to find out! By thew way, as a bonus, Dean inserted in the back of the book an essay on nuclear survival including improvised air filtration, an improvised air pump out of cardboard boxes that really does work, and a Fallout meter you can build out of household materials! That makes the book worth the money right there!

RATING: @@@@@

Two Baen Books Releasing August First!

2005-05-05T20:27:00.000-05:00

"The Weapon"- Mike Z. Williamson **Set in the "Freehold" Milieu
"The Watch on the Rhine" By Tom Kratman**See the review of 77 pages of snippets earlier on in this Blog ***Set in John Ringo's "Legacy of the Aldenata"(Pos'leen Wars) Series

Derelict For Trade- Andre Norton and Sherwood Smith

2005-05-05T20:17:00.000-05:00

This is a 1997 publication as a collaborative effort between Andre Norton and Sherwood Smith. The story is in the "Solar Queen series", I/E "The Sargasso of Space" and Plague Ship". Sherwood Smith provides a more current look at technology, but the story is true to Andre Nortons vision. It does however, have a harder edge to it. I truly enjoyed the book and read it in 2 sittings. I had to force myself to put it down to get SOME sleep! This is a recommended read! Find it and enjoy! This book will appeal to readers of all ages. "Derelict for Trade" has a driving plotline centered around a wonderful mystery with a delightful twist!

RATING: @@@@@

Andre Nortons Website

2005-05-04T10:54:00.000-05:00

http://www.andre-norton.org Definately worth the visit!

Galactic Derelict- Andre Norton

2005-05-04T10:08:00.000-05:00

This is the second book in the Time Trader series. This book introduces Travis Fox, an Apache ranch hand into the series. In this book, Travis Fox is caught up in events as he accidentally stumbles onto the site of the "Folsom Project", which is the attempt to transport forward in time a Starship which is intact and fully functional. As they arrive in the present day, the ship activates and takes off for home 12,000 years late with Murdock, Ashe, Fox and a technician named Renfry trapped aboard. Will they ever get home?

Rating- @@@@@

ps: This is also the book that hooked me on Science Fiction at the tender age of 12! A love of the genre that has lasted 33 years now without losing it's luster!

The Time Traders- Andre Norton

2005-05-04T09:58:00.000-05:00

Book one of the Time Trader series, The Time Traders is vintage science fiction. Andre Norton passed away March 17, 2005. we will miss her. This book is an excellent read with the story revolving around two main characters, Dr. Gordon Ashe; an Archeaologist, and Ross Murdock, a small time criminal. Murdock is offered a chance to work for the government in a secret project to go back in time and infiltrate primitive societies as a "Beaker Trader" looking for an alien technology source that the Russians are tapping into to win the technology race with the USA. The story is a bit dated politically, but is a wonderful read. I would encourage all fans to revisit Andre Nortons books and if you haven't read her work( What rock have you been hiding under?EVIL GRIN) I would definately encourage you to check her work out!

Rating-@@@@@

Revenge of the Sith- Matthew Stover

2005-04-28T00:25:00.000-05:00

This is one of the better novelizations in the Star wars genre. Matthew does an excellent job with visualization in this book. The characters are faithful to the canon. essentially it is the story of the final fall of the old republic. it is also the story of the fall of Anakin Skywalker and the rise of Darth Vader. The storyline is dark, but suffused with a quirky sense of humor. one example is a scene reminiscent of one from Monty Python"s "The Holy Grail" involving the Black Knight! You Monty Python fans will recognize it immediately. Those of you not familiar will just have to see "The Holy Grail" to find out! All in all, I did enjoy the book more than I did most of the "Star Wars" books that have been published. It is somewhat formulaic, but that's the nature of the beast in this milieu. Definately check out the book. It's not the best I've read, but it certainly is a fun read!

Rating: @@@@

Lucifer's Hammer- Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

2005-04-18T10:35:00.000-05:00

What can I say? This is so typical of Larry and Jerry when they get together! They mine out the storyline soooooo thoroughly it leaves no room for anyone else! This is the granddaddy of all end of the world/comet hitting the Earth books! This is a site recommended read!

RATING- @@@@@

There WIll Be Dragons- John Ringo

2005-04-07T20:51:00.000-05:00

I just got around to reading this book, and I must say; It's vintage Ringo! Blast you John for writing such addictive stories! This is a story of a Netwar that collapses civilization and how people begin to recover from it. The biggest problem I had while reading this book was putting it down!

Rating- @@@@@ and that doesn't really cover it!

Baens Bar

2005-04-03T22:57:00.000-05:00

Baen's Bar is a forum of authors and science fiction fans. Authors on the bar include John Ringo, Mike Z. Williamson, Eric Flint, Julie Cochrane et al. I spend time there myself and have constantly found it to be an interesting and informative place to hang out! The address is http://bar.baen.com . Go check it out, you won't regret it!

Malevil- Robert Merle

2005-03-28T10:39:00.000-05:00

Malevil is an excellent read. It is out of print however. You will have to hunt up your copy on Ebay or another source......like a good used bookstore. Written by the author of "Day of the Dolphin, this is science fiction at it's best. It's a tale of post nuclear survival in rural France. It's a wonderful read, and I recommend it highly.

Rating- @@@@@

Buckley's Universe- Thomas Stormcrowe

2005-03-24T12:53:00.000-05:00

Dr Buckley was having a bad day. It started when he initiated his experiment into Zero Point Energy. When he started up the equipment, all the sounds outside his lab suddenly quit. When he decided to take a break and get a cup of coffee, he got up to leave the lab. When he opened up the door to go to the coffee machine, he encountered a silver wall across the door.

"What the hell?"Dr Buckley exclaimed! He turned and ran back to his desk and tried to shut down the equipment, but to no avail! "HMMM"He thought, "What have we here?". Dr Buckleyturned to his notes to try to figure out what was going on and thought about that little section of the equation that had been bothering him. "Well, I guess I have something to worry about after all!" He said with a rueful smile.

Journal of Dr Joseph Buckley, September 15, 2036
I initiated my experiment into tapping Zero Point Energy today. I seem to be trapped in a pocket universe created accidentally when I started the equipment. All the tests I have run show absolutely nothing outside of the silvery surface outside of my lab door. I can't seem to shut down my equipment and am currently drawing power off of reserve batteries. I'm not sure what will happen when they die. I figure they will crap out in about two hours. It is 10:00AM now. With any luck I'll be out by lunch

11:00AM September 15, 2036
The air is getting a bit stale and smoky, but without cigarettes I'd go nuts! Batteries are at the halfway point now. I'm really getting nervous now as the corners of my lab are showing the same silvery encroachment. Apparently I'm in a sphere and it's shrinking! I tried to get an image of what's outside of the sphere, but when I pushed a webcan through all I got was absolutely nothing, literally! I tried to retrieve the webcam and got back a cut off USB cable. I think I have a problem!

11:30AM September 15, 2036
I'm surrounded by the sphere now. My lab walls are no longer visible anymore. The batteries are below one quarter charge and I'm at a loss how to conserve power. I'm writing by the light of a candle now as I've lost the emergency lights to the sphere. Worst of all I only have one cigarette left! I've been working the math and have come to the conclusion that I'm screwed! I think I might have wiped out the Universe when I tried to tap into the Zero Point. I believe I might have interrupted the quantum flicker cycle.

11:45AM September 15, 2036
The sphere has contracted to about ten feet in diameter now. It's also starting to vibrate. My desk is half engulfed and my computer quit functioning when the sphere ate my tower. The batteries are going to die any minute now and I'm smoking my last cigarette now. It's the best tasting cigarette I've ever had! The batteries are dying now and the sphere is collapsing! Oh Lord, I think I'm going to die!

The sphere collapses into a quantum point and explodes.........Creation begins.

The Watch on the Rhine- Tom Kratman

2005-03-24T09:23:00.000-05:00

I have had access to 77 pages of snippets from "The Watch on the Rhine" and I'll tell you! I'm looking forward with great anticipation for the Aug release of this book. It is set in the milieu of "The Legacy of the Aldenata" series by John Ringo. It centers around the Pos'leen invasion of Europe. I'm not going to get into the plot as I don't want to post spoilers on this site. Keep your eyes open Y'all!

I've been sick!

2005-03-16T09:56:00.000-05:00

Sorry, I've been sick and couldn't keep up with my reviews! But out of hospital now and I anticipate having my next review posted in a few days!

Review; Uncle John; A Commercial Mortgage Broker

2005-02-23T16:02:00.000-05:00

Well, let me see. I'm not normally called on to review a College Paper. Science Fiction novels are more my thing. I did, however, get several things from this paper. I saw the human side of John a lot more clearly than I ever had before. I never really knew much about my uncle on the business side and on the personal side, we had been estranged by circumstances in my profession of long haul trucker at that time.

This paper would best serve a biographer in getting a feel for John as it touches on both his business persona and personal, private side. It shows John in his safe zone where he is relaxed and open. The paper also gives an idea how he progresses from his roots in the insurance industry to his present position as CEO of an economic powerhouse in Real Estate and Mortgages.

The entire paper is basically an info dump as the subject will probably be unfamiliar to 99% of the people who might read it. It is all background information basically. Interestingly enough though, the paper might be extremely useful to someone getting ready to interview with John for a job, for example: or as background in selecting him to represent you in your endeavor to acquire capital for your project.

Review: +++++

For Us the Living- Robert A. Heinlein

2005-01-27T21:33:00.000-05:00

"For Us the Living" is as I understand it, the last unpublished manuscript by "The Dean" of Science Fiction. Robert unfortunately has left us, and with an enormous legacy! "ForUs" gives us a glimps into the early Heinlein. You will find most of the concepts in one form or another that interspersed his later work. Robert left us May8, 1988. The Heinlein Society site address is: http://www.heinleinsociety.org so feel free to check it out!

Rating- @@@@@ +@@@@@

Fleet Strike

2005-01-26T09:26:00.000-05:00

This is John Ringo's website

http://www.johnringo.com Visit it and enjoy...........

Hell's Faire- John Ringo

2005-01-26T09:15:00.000-05:00

Just when you thought you were safe, here come those blasted Pos'leen again! Standing in their way, Mike O'Neal and the 555th ACS and don't forget Bun-Bun! Book 4 of the "Legacy of the Aldenata" is just another reason his fans refer to his work as "Book-Crack"! I don't know who to attribute that quote to, but it is truly appropriate! Mr Ringo has an addictive writing style.

Rating@@@@@ +@@

By the way, John; if you happen to read this, keep up the great work!

When the Devil Dances- John Ringo

2005-01-26T09:03:00.000-05:00

Book 3 of the "Legacy of the Aldenata". This is Mike O'Neals finest hour with the job of standing off a smart and deadly enemy commander.....Tulo'stenaloor! Plot twists abound and action galore for the Ringo fan, new and old alike!

Rating- @@@@@ +@@

Gust Front- John Ringo

2005-01-26T08:57:00.000-05:00

How do I like this book, Let me count the ways:

I like the pacing...Lightspeed and beyond!
I like the characters.
I like the Evil Aliens, I'm not going to get into this area much as I don't want to post a spoiler!

All in all, this is an integral part of the series "Legacy of the Aldenata"
Read and enjoy!

Rating- @@@@@ +@@

A Hymn Before Battle- John Ringo

2005-01-26T08:47:00.000-05:00

This is a fast paced, wild E-Ticket ride of a story! John Ringo has created BAR NONE the finest alien invasion story I have ever read. With a droll sense of humor, and great characterization; John has created a great book here. It has everything from politics to carnage and mayhem on a titanic scale

Rating- @@@@@ +@@

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress- Robert Anson Heinlein

2005-01-25T20:19:00.000-05:00

This is a story with all the grandeur of revolution and Nationbuilding! Originally publishedin 1965 and 1966 in a short version in "Worlds of If" Magazine. The edition I have is the Berkely Science fiction release in 1986. The novel is socially experimental and offers many intriguing ideas. I highly recommend this book!

Rating - @@@@@ +@!

The Far side of the Stars- David Drake

2005-01-25T15:47:00.000-05:00

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It reads like a great Hornblower adventure. I would highly reccomend this book as a present or otherwise(Even to yourself!)! I am instituting a rating system with this review.

Rating: @@@@@

@= poor
@@= ok
@@@=mediocre
@@@@= good
@@@@@= excellent

Cally's war- John Ringo and Julie Cochrane

2005-01-01T14:08:00.000-05:00

A great read, I read it in a single sitting (I find that happens frequently with any book involving John Ringo)! With fast action and brilliant characterization, the book goes down smoothly as really fine 12 year old scotch.

Rating: @@@@@

Baens Bar

2004-12-31T21:29:00.000-05:00

Some of my most enjoyable time on the internet is at BAENS BAR! URL is
http://bar.baen.com

Freehold By Mike Z. Williamson

2004-12-30T06:29:00.000-05:00

Robert A Heinlein now has an heir. "Freehold" is in the tradition of "Stranger in a Strange Land" or "Starship Troopers" in range and scope. This book is an excellent read!

Rating: @@@@@

The Hero by John Ringo and Mike Z. Williamson

2004-12-30T05:47:00.000-05:00

I just finished the book. I must say, it's a rollicking read! I couldn't put it down. "The Hero" is easily one of the most fun reads you will come across. With Mike Williamsons quirky sense of humor and nonstop action, the book is a sizzling pageturner of a story!

Rating: @@@@@