What Are You Reading ?

[CRAZY-HORSE]

   

new release, purchased two weeks ago...
appears theres two different covers available, i have the one on the right.
started and finished over the last three nights....

no horror and nothing supernatural, just a plain old thriller.
story follows Billy Summers, retired military sniper turned 'gun for hire' on his last 'hit'.
the criminals who hired him dont pay him and he wants his money......or he exacts retribution.

story has a couple of other underlying subplots:
his abusive step-father who killed his sister and Billy's murder of said Step-father.
his time in Afghanastan as a sniper.
his saving the life of an unconscious woman who was gang-raped (and yes, vengence is enacted!)

all up, a pretty satisfying novel, would make a good movie IMO.
numerous digs and jibes aimed at Trump throughout which were not necessary but he was very critical of POTUS Trump during his time in office.
the story sort of lost its way for a chapter about 2/3 of the way through but redeemed itself admirably.

Rating:  3/5

[CRAZY-HORSE]

a collection of four novallas, finished over two nights (last Wednesday and Friday).

the first story, "mr.harrigan's phone", is typical SK suspense. 4/5

the second, "the life of chuck", is told in reverse, i dont like that sort of storytelling so i didnt read it, i did however try to read it in reverse from the end to the beginning, or is that the beginning to the end, i dont know!? anyway it didnt make sense reading the words backwards!

the third, "if it bleeds", contains one of the prominant characters from the Mr.Mercedes series, not bad, but not really great.  2.5/5

the final novella, "rat", that was just plain stupid, its about a struggling writer trying to finish a novel in a cabin in the woods cut off from the world after a huge storm, his only company is a rat that offers him success in return for the life of 'spmeone he knows'.  2/5


overall, it wasnt really worth reading except the first story which would make an interesting movie probably.
the problem with SK stories over the last couple of decades is that they are inconsistant at best but i persist because im a sucker for crap.
(i hold the candle for crap novels whilst MH holds the fort for rap-crap LOL)

---

read on Saturday night....
200 pages with large print font which helps turn a short story into what appears to be a novel! (it is a novella actually!)...

plot:

In Castle Rock, Maine, Scott Carey faces a mysterious illness which causes bizarre effects on his body and makes him rapidly lose weight, even if he appears healthy on the outside. While battling this disease with his trusted doctor, he also tries fixing a dire situation involving a lesbian couple trying to open a restaurant surrounded by a disapproving public.

another stupid story from Mr.King,
start off okay and interesting but goes downhill as i writes himself into a corner of ideas that he simply cannot escape from.
i also hate the way that in his recent novels/novellas since 2016 that he inserts unneccessary digs/jibes aimed at Trump, and these little jibes arent relevant to the story most of the time....

again, would make a half decent movie but needs a scriptwriter who can find some way to offer explanation into the illness.

Rating:  2.5/5

---

next up, Stephen King "the institute", a novel i purchased when released in 2019 but gave up on it for not being able to 'get into' it...

[CRAZY-HORSE]

PLOT:
story follows Luke Ellis, a 12yo genius with TK (telekinesis) powers.
his parents are killed and he is kidnapped by members of 'the institute' to harness his powers for the good of the planet.
in 'the institute' are dozens of other children with either TK or TP (telepathy) powers, all of which are being experimented on to enhance their powers.
an employee who takes a liking to Luke helps him escape and this is where the drama begins in a cat and mouse thriller of survival by Luke and the members of 'the institute' who want him back dead or alive...

OPINION:
a fast moving novel with a few twists and turns along the way.
only problem i have with it is that the big finale drags on too long and generally speaking, the endings are the big problem i have with Stephen King novels, they either amble along seemingly without purpose or they finish abruptly without notice...
all up though, a half decent novel which would probably make a good movie if a screenwriter could sort out the ending properly.

RATING:  3/5

[CRAZY-HORSE]

first up,
you dont need to be a Foo Fighters or Nirvana fan to appreciate this autobiography.

it is simply a collection of life spanning anecdotes about the life of a highschool dropout whose dream was to be a musician.
it covers stories from childhood through to the pressures of juggling the demands of rock stadium performances with family life.
it tells of a teen who didnt fit into the norms of society let alone 'redneck virginia' (as he puts it)
it tells the story of one of the most successful musicians on the planet who still cant believe that his music idols know who he is.

to be perfectly honest the book is about people and what is really important to us all, family!

the book is written informally as if he is speaking directly to the reader.

as i said, a great read and well worth it IMO.

Rating:  4/5

---

and by pure coincidence Foo Fighters were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame only yesterday! https://www.msn.com/en-au/entertainment/...d=msedgntp

[CRAZY-HORSE]

book deals with his formative years through to the release and success of his debut album "let love rule"...
Kravitz comes across as a quiet,peaceful soul (and if you believe in horrorscopes he is a true Gemini !)...
unlike a lot of other biographies ive read, Kravitz comes from a close knit middle-class, well loved extended family...
his mum was a sitcom actress, one of his Aunt's won an Emmy, his family rubbed shoulders and were friends with a who's who of 'showbusiness' yet Kravitz did it his way and remained true to his self by turning down contract after contract with all the major labels until they saw his 'musical vision'.

a decent read, not as good as the Grohl one but at least i understand who he is and what he is all about now.

Rating:  3.5/5

[Ruby]

Haven't embarked on this yet as still busy finishing other books, but could not resist picking it up today when happening to not walk straight past a book shop. Lol! The tagline is To write about Hell, it helps if you have been there. Guess it froze over after all! 

Shackleton, A Biography - Ranulph Fiennes

[Ruby]

^^Well, that was quite a read! In this book, Ranulph Fiennes offers great insight into Ernest Shackleton, the man - his character and the circumstances and events that led to his exploits; he really does bring him to life. Sir E was bitten by the ice and once bitten, there was never any going back. That vast frozen continent held an enchantment for him (as all things cold seem to have done for Fiennes himself), and he remained an adventurer to the end.

Impossible for a man like that to live a regular life – he simply couldn’t – far too restless. I think Fiennes has done an extraordinary job, biographically speaking. One gets a very real sense of all the characters with their inevitable human flaws. Yes, they performed heroic deeds – exploring and adventures such as these are not for the faint of heart, but they also did it because they were compelled by an unseen driving force and surely a little bit of ego. Shackleton did want fame and recognition, if Mr Fiennes has read him correctly, which I believe he has, and Fiennes himself is not impervious to the self-same approbation. It’s still difficult though, to fathom what it is that moves people like this to relentlessly repeat forays into the most godawful conditions imaginable – is it really a quest for glory, or some inner beast that won’t let them be until they’ve assuaged its appetite? These men were tested physically, way beyond the limits of human endurance - no wonder they didn’t live to ripe old ages! There is something about Shackleton though – from the time of his first trip south with Scott, he never allowed a doctor to listen to his heart. One could be forgiven for surmising that he was well aware that it was not all it should be, and that he was determined not to allow that to sway him from his course of action, perhaps even spurring him on to making the most of things while he could.

Shackleton’s voyage on Endurance and the subsequent rescue he undertook remains a heroic tale – no question at all about that, and he earned undying respect in more than a few quarters, however, it seems he was always scurrying to get his expeditions financed and not necessarily embarking on these trips with as much forward planning and equipment/supplies as may have been prudent. Turns out he was a master salesman to have conjured up any sort of finance at all – especially for Endurance, which really was a ship not best equipped for purpose.

Not that great on the personal relationship front - always seeming to want to be, but just not able to manage that aspect of his life very well. He is portrayed as charismatic and optimistic – a glass half full kinda fellow. Essential qualities for his chosen pursuits I’d have thought! Time and again, there’s a reinforcement of his willingness to knuckle down and do anything that needed doing – leading from the front, always. We could use a couple of leaders of his ilk! 

The book deals with Shackleton’s youth and his introduction to seamanship, as well as his first and second trips to the ice, first as a member of Scott’s expedition, and the second time, leading his own in a bid for the pole – and in competition with Scott, basically, and of course the Endurance and subsequent trip which proved too much for his body to handle. It’s crazy to think that this was a mere 100 hundred years ago – a blip in the history of time. I can’t help thinking how amazed they’d have been by our current technology, and how dated that will seem in turn, in yet another 100 years!

Ranulph Fiennes writes well - the book is engaging, interesting and alive. Interspersed with his own stories of derring do, naturally, but not to the point of overshadowing his subject. The references are relevant and show his understanding of his subject and I seriously doubt there is a better qualified biographer in this instance. Well worth a read if this sort of thing floats your own boat!

[CRAZY-HORSE]

ROLLING STONE AUSTRALIA - 200 greatest australian albums

every now and then Rolling Stone magazine come out with a 'bets of' or 'definitive list' edition,
this one is what they consider the 200 best albums by Australian artists.

it will be an interesting read as to what their thoughts and reasons are as to why certain albums are listed and im sure i will disagree with a lot of the list (or at least the ranking positions of most of the albums) but its all a part of the fun of reading other peoples perspectives.

[JeromeD]

^^Well, that was quite a read! In this book, Ranulph Fiennes offers great insight into Ernest Shackleton, the man - his character and the circumstances and events that led to his exploits; he really does bring him to life. Sir E was bitten by the ice and once bitten, there was never any going back. That vast frozen continent held an enchantment for him (as all things cold seem to have done for Fiennes himself), and he remained an adventurer to the end.

Impossible for a man like that to live a regular life – he simply couldn’t – far too restless. I think Fiennes has done an extraordinary job, biographically speaking. One gets a very real sense of all the characters with their inevitable human flaws. Yes, they performed heroic deeds – exploring and adventures such as these are not for the faint of heart, but they also did it because they were compelled by an unseen driving force and surely a little bit of ego. Shackleton did want fame and recognition, if Mr Fiennes has read him correctly, which I believe he has, and Fiennes himself is not impervious to the self-same approbation. It’s still difficult though, to fathom what it is that moves people like this to relentlessly repeat forays into the most godawful conditions imaginable – is it really a quest for glory, or some inner beast that won’t let them be until they’ve assuaged its appetite? These men were tested physically, way beyond the limits of human endurance - no wonder they didn’t live to ripe old ages! There is something about Shackleton though – from the time of his first trip south with Scott, he never allowed a doctor to listen to his heart. One could be forgiven for surmising that he was well aware that it was not all it should be, and that he was determined not to allow that to sway him from his course of action, perhaps even spurring him on to making the most of things while he could.

Shackleton’s voyage on Endurance and the subsequent rescue he undertook remains a heroic tale – no question at all about that, and he earned undying respect in more than a few quarters, however, it seems he was always scurrying to get his expeditions financed and not necessarily embarking on these trips with as much forward planning and equipment/supplies as may have been prudent. Turns out he was a master salesman to have conjured up any sort of finance at all – especially for Endurance, which really was a ship not best equipped for purpose.

Not that great on the personal relationship front - always seeming to want to be, but just not able to manage that aspect of his life very well. He is portrayed as charismatic and optimistic – a glass half full kinda fellow. Essential qualities for his chosen pursuits I’d have thought! Time and again, there’s a reinforcement of his willingness to knuckle down and do anything that needed doing – leading from the front, always. We could use a couple of leaders of his ilk! 

The book deals with Shackleton’s youth and his introduction to seamanship, as well as his first and second trips to the ice, first as a member of Scott’s expedition, and the second time, leading his own in a bid for the pole – and in competition with Scott, basically, and of course the Endurance and subsequent trip which proved too much for his body to handle. It’s crazy to think that this was a mere 100 hundred years ago – a blip in the history of time. I can’t help thinking how amazed they’d have been by our current technology, and how dated that will seem in turn, in yet another 100 years!

Ranulph Fiennes writes well - the book is engaging, interesting and alive. Interspersed with his own stories of derring do, naturally, but not to the point of overshadowing his subject. The references are relevant and show his understanding of his subject and I seriously doubt there is a better qualified biographer in this instance. Well worth a read if this sort of thing floats your own boat!

---

Breaking my digital disconnect for a while - yes I still keep an eye on the site from time to time but just very busy with other things at the moment - robotics, music, cryptocurrencies and fractals. And a long walk in the woods every now and then.

Now pay attention Aunty Ruby!!!!

You need to write a book. Pure and simple. You have an uncanny insight into what makes people tick. You also have the ability to turn that into a very entertaining read.

I have informed Amazon of my impending purchase...

[CRAZY-HORSE]

^^
i'll pre-order Ruby's book before she even puts one word to paper!