I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We spent the day at my Dad and Alice's house. We watched a couple of movies (State of Play and Leap Year)along with some old The Office episodes. The girls made adorable cupcakes with m&ms and candy corn to look like turkeys. Alice made some tasty pecan pies too. I will attempt to post some photos later. Here are some book reviews in the meantime:
I am a fan of the type of books that delve into how easily most humans will give up their freedoms, but that a rogue few have to use their wits to save the world from its cattle/sheep mentality. In this prequel, Laurie and Andy witness the initial invasion of the Tripods. In short order the Tripods are destroyed. The humans pat themselves on the proverbial back and people go on with their lives briefly. The Tripods are able to use television to control the minds of many. Swiftly the world changes and the Tripods use the concept of fierce nationality to separate the humans into manageable groups. The author makes a very good point when he compares the free band of humans to rats when he explains that humans have been trying to eradicate rats for centuries and what they achieved was killing the weak and dumb rats, while being left with the strong and clever. The author shows that the Tripods are accomplishing a similar idea with culling out the easily manipulated humans from the strong willed.
This series is a set of quick reads, interesting ideas, a great understanding of human foibles, human resolve, and simple science fiction (nothing too techie).
15 year-old Penelope Lumley becomes a governess for 3 children who, until a hunting trip by Lord Frederick Ashton, had been raised by a wolves. I enjoyed the, mostly, unflappable Penelope. She was willing to take on the challenges put before her with her chin up and best foot forward, so to speak. Her tender consideration for the children, common sense, and book smarts made her an interesting character. The children where infinitely likable, as well. My problem with the story is that too early on in the book I realized it was being written as a sequel. That certain plot points seemed needless strung out. It reminded me, unhappily, of the journey I took with the Rama series by Arthur C. Clarke (my husband is beyond tired of hearing me fuss about that series). I do not like to be treated like a donkey with the perpetually hanging carrot in front of my face. This author has the ability to deliver the goods, and I wish she would have completed the task in this book.
Smiles!
5 comments:
I too was intrigued by the idea of the Tripods initial attack failing but then their next attack succeeding becuase they attacked the mind rather than the body. There are far too many parallels to politics today than would be appropriate as jsut a comment. A great book.
Allow me to once again defend the Rama series. For the record: I don’t think they represent Clarke’s best work. But no matter how much you may have wanted to believe that the Ramans could have survived the multi-millennia trip to Earth he makes it quite clear that they couldn’t have. Clarke is a thorn in the side of some sci-fi fans for this very reason. He rarely if ever deviates from what is scientifically possible. If you know this about Clarke “from the get go” you know that you’re never gonna meet a Raman.
Good book reviews, as always. Glad you had a good time on Thanksgiving. Love, Mom
Life imitates art. Yesterday on the way home from work I heard a very interesting report on NPR. It was about a radio station called the VOA. The have a very powerful transmitter right on the Iranian border and they broadcast a program that can best be described as an Iranian version of a The “Daily Show”. The Iranian government has started jamming the frequency. They have been noticing the growing popularity of the program among the youth and those eager for a more western style of Democracy. Sound familiar? Pretty “Trippy” if you ask me.
Life imitates art. Yesterday on the way home from work I heard a very interesting report on NPR. It was about a radio station called the VOA. The have a very powerful transmitter right on the Iranian border and they broadcast a program that can best be described as an Iranian version of a The “Daily Show”. The Iranian government has started jamming the frequency. They have been noticing the growing popularity of the program among the youth and those eager for a more western style of Democracy. Sound familiar? Pretty “Trippy” if you ask me.
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