Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana by Anne Rice

Rice’s second book in her “Life of Christ” cycle begins during the last winter before Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan by his cousin, John the Baptist.
Jesus, Yeshua as he is called, is enduring a year of no rain, dusty roads and talk of trouble in Judea.

Those who know him and have heard of his miraculous birth are waiting for a sign of what he will do; and there are some who are growing impatient. Why does he not marry? Why does he continue to work as a common carpenter?

When a beautiful girl is almost stolen from Nazareth by brigands, Yeshua is the first to go to her, and almost causes a catastrophe because he might of touched her. But he finds a way to avert this and helps to arrange the girl’s marriage.

He travels with his family to the River Jordan to meet John; and it is there that his destiny is revealed to him. And after 40 days in the desert and a confrontation with the devil, he is prepared to do his Father’s work.

A beautifully written story about the essence of Christianity; that of compassion and good will towards men.

Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt by Anne Rice

Anne Rice gives us this unusual take on the life of the young Jesus. This character driven novel is told from the viewpoint of seven year old Yeshua. He realizes he is different, but is not sure why. His quest to find out is difficult because no one, not even his mother or Joseph will tell him, so he has to resort to his own devices to find out. He learns bits and pieces about the events surrounding his birth from an Uncle, his elderly great aunt, and from slyly asking the Rabbis. As well, his dreams are filled with strange and fearsome beings and images.

The book opens with the young Jesus inadvertently killing the bully Eleazer simply by wishing him dead; but then he brings him back to life. Confronted by an angry mob over this incident, Joseph takes Mary, Jesus, and his extended family back to Nazareth.

The journey to the Holy Land is not easy, as King Herod has recently died and his kingdom is in turmoil. The roads are full of Roman soldiers putting down Jewish uprisings. As they enter Jerusalem for Passover, they are caught in a riot in the Temple, and Jesus sees a man impaled on a Roman’s spear. This is a horrific thing for the young Jesus to see, and the image does not leave him.

It is not until the next Passover that Jesus learns, from his half brother James, the full story of the night he was born, and the message the shepherds were given from the angels “… for today, to you, is born in the city of David a Savior: Christ the Lord!” He also learns of the terrible thing that King Herod did once he learned of this.

This book captures Jesus’ compassion, wisdom and also guilt over the things done by others due to his birth. This is very different from what we’re used to from Anne Rice, (remember all the wonderfully angst filled vampires stories she used to write?) but she has done her research well, and it shows in the accurate portrayal of life in the first century. An excellent beginning to a new cycle on Christ the Lord that is continued in Christ the Lord:  The Road to Cana.

Souless by Gail Carriger

Carriger’s debut, a combination of paranormal Victorian romance and a comedy of manners is a fast and fun read.

The setting is Victorian London. But this is not your ordinary London, England. In this 19th century London, werewolves, vampires and even ghosts are accepted as a normal part of the population.

Bluestocking Alexia Tarabotti is a 25 year old spinster who doesn’t quite fit into London society. And it’s not just because she’s half Italian (her swarthy complexion isn’t the sought after pale look), outspoken, and has a rather large nose. She really is something else. Alexia was born without a soul; which gives her the ability to disarm any paranormal creature just by touch.

After Alexia kills a vampire with her specially made parasol at a party, she is confronted by Lord Maccon, the handsome chief investigator of the Bureau of Unnatral Registry (BUR), who just happens to be a werewolf. They dislike each other immensely but agree that this particular vampire attack could be part of something more nefarious.

As they go about their separate investigations, we are introduced to an interesting cast of paranormal characters. Lord Akeldama is a foppish but influential vampire, and one of Alexia’s friends. Then there is the feared Countess Nadasky, the Queen of the London vampire hive, and the Professor Lyall, Lord Maccon’s second in command.

We also meet Alexia’s family; her stoic father, her hysterical mother who cares only for the family’s societal standing, and her two airheaded sisters. We also meet her best friend, Ivy Hisselpenny; whose goal in life appears to be wearing the ugliest hats ever created.

Over the last several months, loner vampires and paranormal creatures have gone missing, and no one can sort our why. As well, in London, a new club for scientists has opened recently called the Hyprocas Club, which has attracted scientists from as far away as the colonies.

An unlikely romance begins between Alexia and Maccon and heats up by degrees, leading them into some shocking situations.

On a visit to Lord Akeldama, on a full moon night, Alexia and Akeldama are kidnapped and imprisioned. Akeldama is taken to become part of a horrific experiment, a fate that Alexia will soon share. With no one to rescue her; since all werewolves are locked up on full moon night, her fate is sealed. Or is it?

This breezy, funny paperback novel is a great combination of steampunk and urban fantasy, and is geared to a young adult audience. This writer is looking forward to the sequel, Changeless, due out on March 30, 2010.

Angel Time by Anne Rice

This first in the Songs for the Seraphim series introduces Toby O’Dare. Toby (later called Lucky) is an assassin for the “good guys”, the U.S. government. He was brought up Catholic in New Orleans and once dreamed of becoming a priest. He grew up in a dysfunctional family with an alcoholic mother, an absent father and two younger siblings. It became Toby’s job to hold the family together. His one passion is the lute, a medieval instrument that he excels at playing. He thought he was successful at managing his mother’s alcoholism until he returned from his high school graduation ceremony to find his brother and sister drowned in the bathtub, and his mother dead from slitting her wrists. Overcome by the horror and futility of his efforts, he leaves New Orleans. He remakes himself as a street musician in New York City, which brings him to the notice of Alberto, a restaurant owner who gives him a job as a waiter. When the Russian mob moves in and takes over Alberto’s business, Alberto holes up at Toby’s apartment. To repay Alberto’s kindness, Toby takes it upon himself to clear out the Mob; and he does this with ruthless efficiency; exterminating everyone in sight. After, he tells Alberto what he’s done, Alberto introduces to men who will “… take care of him”. So begins his career as Lucky, a government assassin; where he kills by stealthily applied lethal injections. He is quick, precise, and deadly. Lucky is a man of contradictions, he loves music and beauty but hates blood and violence. But he is a tortured soul who has been contemplating suicide for years. After his latest assassination; he is approached by an angel of the Lord, Malchiah. Malchiah offers him a chance of redemption; if he becomes the earthly agent for the angels, he will attain God’s forgiveness. Lucky accepts and he sent back to 13th century England, where, as Dominican friar Brother Toby, he is to protect a Jewish couple wrongly accused of having murdered their young daughter for her conversion to Christianity. 13th century England was a brutal place, rift with prejudice against the Jews, suspicion and intolerance. 100 years before, a child believed to have been crucified by the Jews was made a Saint, Little St. Hugh, in Lincoln. Now the Dominican Friars want a saint for the town of Norwich, and has contrived a story to achieve this. They assert that Meir and Fluria killed their daughter Lea because she converted to Christianity after visiting a church on Christmas Eve. Lea actually died from a burst appendix; called the Iliac Passion in the 13th century. Because her parents buried her under cover of night, there is no body as evidence. How he accomplishes this task through bravery and faith against severe prejudice and overwhelming odds is a compelling story. This expertly written and vividly imagined tale transports you first into the mind of a contract killer; and then to a unforgiving past where the desires of the venal and powerful cause hardship and heartache for the innocent. You will root for Brother Toby as he skillfully navigates the treacherous path between what is wanted by the avaricious monks, what the superstitious mob believes and what really happened to Lea.

Focus on Science Fiction: Watermind

Hello world! It's been a long time since I've blogged due to home repairs, new assignments and life in general. But I'm hoping to be able to blog more regularly now!

In any case, I have read a lot of amazing books, both fiction and nonfiction.

One of most recent was a newish Science Fiction novel by M.M. Buckner called Watermind. This offers a statement on the consequences of our throw away society.

M.M. Buckner offers us this shades of the X Files novel that deals with the possible ramifications of our throw away society. As we acquire new technology, we throw away our old cell phones, MP3 players, and computers. It stands to reason that a lot of our electronic garbage, along with pharmaceuticals and even genetically modified seeds will eventually end up in our water supply. And from such a potent chemical stew; what might emerge? Such is the premise of this book.

Two young people, contract laborers of Quimicron, are working on cleaning up a pollution spill in Devil’s Swamp in hot, humid Louisiana. CJ Reilly is a brilliant but self-destructive MIT student running from the suicide of her emotionally distant father. Max Pottevents is her new lover and is a gifted Zydeco musician. At the far end of the swamp, they come across an area covered in ice.
Intrigued, CJ is interested in studying this anomaly. Sneaking back to Devil’s Pond, she secretly takes a sample under cover of night, and discovers that it’s pure water. She immediately thinks this discovery could be used to supply pure drinking water to third world countries.
But then a man is killed by the anomaly; sucked down into its depths and drowned. Alarmed, the CEO of Quimicron, Roman Sacony, arrives from Argentina, hoping to contain or destroy the anomaly. Assisted by CJ and a cantankerous science team, they take samples to understand what they’re dealing with, but this eludes them.

The anomaly, dubbed the Watermind, thwarts all efforts to contain it. As it moves downstream towards the Mississippi and New Orleans, it grows and becomes more destructive, digesting the iron in barges, freighters and boats, causing them to sink. Roman becomes increasingly desperate, as he dreads the prospect of lawsuits that could bankrupt his company.

Meanwhile, CJ and Max believe they can communicate with the Watermind and think they can do this through music. This proves successful as it is able to transmute the music lessons in 4/4 time to a 3/4 waltz. As they come to realize the Watermind is an evolving sentient being; CJ resists all attempts to destroy it through EM pulses (electric magnetic pulses).

Although injured, they don’t annihilate the Watermind. However it is forced to defend itself, leading to additional deaths. The Watermind becomes an increasingly mutable and wily opponent, transforming from liquid to solid to gaseous almost instantly.

It appears nothing can stop this man made monster, not the Coast Guard, the methods tried by Roman Sacony, nor the Government Their attempts are further impeded by government protestors, uncooperative civilians and one over the top wacky underground journalist.

Will this emerging intelligence be destroyed or will it escape and continue to evolve? The ending, depending on whose side you take, can be seen as either terrifying or hopeful. Part horror story, part tech thriller, Watermind by M.M. Buckner presents a chilling picture of technology gone awry

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This is a most excellent book! Although it's been promoted as a young adult novel, this has a lot of cross generational appeal, so adults should enjoy it as well. I liked this book so much I read it in one sitting, it was that good. I can hardly wait for the release of the sequel, Chasing Fire, on September lst. Happily, I'm the first on the list for it at my library!

In a takeoff of the Greek legend of Theseus and the Minotaur, Collins imagines a future in which the world has been ravaged by natural and human made disasters. Panem, what remains of the United States, is ruled by the Capital, and divided into 13 districts. But the districts revolted and now only 12 remain, because District 13 was obliterated by the Capital for rebelling. As further.punishment, from each of the districts is taken (reaped) 2 individuals a year, drawn by lottery, to fight to the death in the Games until only one remains alive. In a grotesque version of reality TV run amuck, the Games are televised and are required viewing for all citizens of Panem. From District 12, the mining district, a boy, Peeta and a girl, Prim, are chosen. But Prim is just 12 years old, and her sister, Katniss, 16, takes her place. Brave, calculating Katniss is a skilled hunter, savvy to the ways of the woods and game. Peeta is a boy from the merchant class, the son of the local baker, and has few survival skills. Taken to the capital, they are groomed and prepared for the games by a fussy woman with pink hair and Haimich, the only previous winner of the games from District 12. The strategy that Hamich advises is that Peeta and Katniss pretend to be in love. For Peeta this is no hardship, because he has always loved Katniss “…from the moment I saw her.” But Katniss, who remembers that Peeta saved her family from starvation years ago, has grown attached to her hunting companion of many years, Gale, and has conflicted feelings. Because, she’s supposed to fight him to the death, isn’t she? When the Games begin, and the unevenly matched opponents begin to die, Katniss knows it will take all of her resources to stay alive. Their loyalties are tested, and when Peeta is badly wounded, it is up to Katniss to care for him. As the number of opponents dwindle to 5, 4 and then to 3, they find they must truly bond in order to survive. This first in a trilogy is top shelf entertainment that will make you stay up all night reading. You won’t want to put it down! The second in the series is Catching Fire, due out in September 2009.

Columbine by Dave Cullen

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The shooting spree at Columbine ten years ago was one of the most horrific things I had ever seen. Kids shooting kids; ohmigod, words fail me. Since then, there's been a lot of copycats, from Virginia Tech to the shootings of Amish schoolgirls; and that doesn't even consider all the school shootings that have taken place overseas. I shudder to think of it. But I've always have been interested in what motivates people, what makes people do what they do, so when this book became available at my library, I snatched it up at once! It took me two weeks to get through it as my schedule has been rather frantic, but it was thoroughly researched, and written in such an understandable manner, that I hated to have to put it down to attend other things. So, here at last is my review; I hope it might convince a few of you to read this excellent book.

Dave Cullen was one of the first reporters at Columbine in 1999, and he explodes the myths that surround the school shooting at Columbine ten years ago. Based on ten years of research, Cullen left no stone unturned to learn what made two teenage boys go on the killing rampage at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999 that left 13 dead. Immediately after the massacre, theories abounded about what could have driven Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold to kill. These assumptions included: they had been bullied, they were Goth outcasts, were part of the Trench Coat Mafia and they targeted jocks. It had gotten too much for them and they snapped. Nothing could be further from the truth. Eric and Dylan were smart and relatively popular, and seemed like normal high school kids. But once you looked closer, they weren’t. After looking at their journals, notebooks and the videotapes the boys had made, as well as 25,000 pages of documentation from the investigation, he was able to determine that the shooting, instead of being an act of revenge, had been deliberately planned for almost a year. Eric and Dylan had written up their plans of attack, set up timelines, carefully assembled and tested bombs, and purchased firearms beforehand. Both boys were aggressive, but expressed it in different ways. Dylan focused his aggression inward, and became a tortured depressive. Perhaps bi-polar, he was up one day and down the next. He wanted to die and he saw the planned shooting on April 20th as his path to suicide. Eric was very different; outwardly calm and collected, he was a manipulative psychopath; able to fool people by appearing remorseful or agreeable, even charming if he needed to be, but with no empathy for anyone. Dylan, Eric’s disciple, fed off of Eric’s hatred and anger, and basically did whatever Eric wanted. Cullen also looks at why the police, their parents and the schools all missed or ignored warning signs about Eric and Dylan. Eric had been in trouble on several occasions and had made serious threats against another boy. In addition, his website on which he ranted about how much he hated people, and reported on “missions” that him and Dylan went on to destroy property or explode bombs. A concerned citizen reported the website to police and an officer looked at it, and then wrote up a report almost two years before the Columbine incident. The report was sent to his superior and filed. No action was taken. If the police had monitored the website they would have learned of Eric’s plan; total human extinction. This was a bit grandiose on Eric’s part, but he posted “…I don’t care if I live or die in the shootout, all I want to do is kill and injure as many of you …as I can!” Teachers were alarmed when Eric and Dylan turned in graphically violent papers. Their parents, although suspicious, believed Eric and Dylan when they told them that they had mended their ways. One of the sad things about an event like this is how others will take advantage of the situation. Evangelical preachers, for instance, blatantly capitalized on the shock and grief from the shooting to recruit new members and increase the size of their congregations. They also promulgated an inspiring story about the profession of faith by a victim before she was shot, even though it wasn’t true. School shootings have become ever more common. Numerous incidents have occurred since Columbine. After each one, an investigation is done, gun laws are looked at, school security is tightened. But another shooting always occurs. Cullen delivers a consummately level and even handed account of the massacre in Littleton, Colorado. Perhaps lessons can be learned from his analysis of the perpetuators, lessons that can be utilized to prevent another such occurrence.