Matthew Carlton, Words, Art, Photography
Follow Along: twitter § facebook § goodreads § last.fmContact: e-mail
Killing Lincoln
After visiting Washington D.C. and many of its historic sites including Ford’s Theater, I decided that I’d like to learn more about the history of that city and our nation. My wife gave me this book as a birthday present a few weeks ago, so I took the first opportunity I could to read it.
Regardless of the author with the largest billing, I was intrigued to see how the story of Lincoln’s assassination was described in this “Thriller” style. I had learned a good bit of information about the assassination while visiting Ford’s Theater and I picked up more reading this book.
I finished the book rather quickly, I do feel like I could tell when the O’Reilly was writing versus when the pen fell to Martin Dugard. The pen may never have never been given to Dugard other than to edit, but the book’s flow didn’t always feel like one author penned it. The story was sensational, but I felt like certain points were even more sensationalized when it came to talking about conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination. I want the facts, not what someone thinks may have happened, just the facts.
Please don’t spin it unless you can back it up.
Learning that the book did have inaccurate information just after I finished was very disappointing. O’Reilly called the controversy “a concerted effort by people who don’t like me to diminish the book”. I doubt that, considering it was the Deputy Superintendent of Ford’s Theater National Historic Site. I’m not sure she has an agenda against news commentators, just that she wanted the event to be written about accurately. They may have been small inaccuracies or misstatements, but it makes me wonder who fact checked the content.
Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever by Bill O’Reilly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Black House
This collaboration is the sequel to the Talisman, again following Jack Sawyer. This time, years later, he’s a retired Los Angeles Police Department Lieutenant. Sawyer retires in his thirties to French Landing, Wisconsin, the town he tracked a murder to on his last LAPD case. The local police chief comes to him and asks him to help investigate a string of murders involving children. He dodges the investigation until the killer, dubbed “The Fisherman” sends him a package. The contents of the package pull him into the investigation, Sawyer know he’s going to have to confront his past and travel to “The Territories” once again.
I would like to be able to rank books a little more incrementally, to give the book 3 and 3/4stars since I can’t, I’ll just round up and give the book a four.
I enjoyed the story and the collaboration between authors was nice. Their combined style was very interesting and flowed well; never did I feel like I was reading something written by two authors. I always enjoy getting to glimpse again at the worlds created through King’s writing of the Black Tower story.
All in all … all things server the beam.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Angels of Vengeance
In this final book of the Without Warning trilogy, John Birmingham wraps up his post “Wave” apocalypse story with a bang. Birmingham follows three “Angels of Vengeance”; all were characters from the two previous parts of the story. They all have a score settle and this final book follows their path towards that goal.
The stories momentum continually builds through the book. Secrets are revealed, blood is shed, and life is lost. Birmingham does a good job tying up the loose ends of the story, though the ending does leave the option to begin a new arc should he choose.
I enjoyed this book and the trilogy very much; I hope to read Birmingham’s older books soon and anything new that he puts out in the future.
Angels of Vengeance by John Birmingham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Wind Through the Keyhole
Stephen King takes us once again to Mid-World and back to Roland Deschain of Gilead’s “ka-tet”, his band of misfits brought together by fate. This story is set between the events of The Wizard and Glass and the Wolfs of the Calla.
I really enjoyed the book; it allowed me to sink back into the world that I thoroughly enjoyed reading the original stories. It tied in well without taking away from the core adventures he’s already covered.
It makes me want to read the whole series again … in time I will.
The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Desperation
The story was a toss up between a three and a four; it took some time to get going. The characters and the experiences they shared through out tied into other of King’s works, which is always a plus for me. I’m ready to head on vacation and experience a few new books especially King’s new book The Wind Through The Keyhole.
Cheers!
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Stand
I wanted to take a few moments before I head off to training out of state to write my thoughts down about The Stand. Not having read the original editing of this book, I do not know what changed in this uncut version. I can tell you that the story didn’t feel forced nor did it seem like anything was out of place.
Randall Flagg, the Dark Man, Walter O’ Dim, or The Man in Black whatever his name has appeared in several of King’s books. This story was fantastic, I really enjoyed it. He does such a good job bringing in real life elements into his works such as mentions of real places, things, and people.
I need to wrap up and get a few things done before I go, but I’m on to the next. May it be as good as this one!
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Hearts in Atlantis
All things serve the beam.
It follows Ted Brautigan, a breaker that appears in the Kings’ Dark Tower series. He is hiding out from the “Low Men” who’re tracking him. He moves into the same apartment building as Bobby Garfield, a kid who’s got an ever-growing problem with his mother.
I enjoyed the first portion of the book that focused on Ted and Bobby, the rest of the book jumped around and focused on other characters introduced in the first part of the story. I’d give the first novella in the book, 4 stars. I’d give the rest of the book 3 stars.
Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Sanctuary
Even though I figured out the major twister way too early, I was giving this book a four until the ending feel flat like a pancake. It was a fine story, just not one that I have a lot to say about after it ends.
Onward to the stack of Stephen King books I need to catch up on.
The Sanctuary by Raymond Khoury
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Schindler’s List
It’s still shocks my system to read about the events and lives lost during World War II. In this book the tale of Oskar Schindler, the man who saved more Jews during World War II than any other. It’s a story of a light in the darkness, a story about a man who risked everything to save as many as he could. It wasn’t the happiest of tales, but definitely something I’m glad I read.
Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Witch of Hebron
This tale picks up shortly after the events in World Made By Hand; Kunstler’s post-apocalyptic tale of survival after a string of events changes the Unites States and perhaps everyone else forever.
The story was fine, after reading this portion of the overall series I can clearly tell that the shark was jumped shortly before the end of the first book. In the follow up the mystic preacher who can read minds and kill sinners with his returns, while a shamanistic country healer who sees and knows things she shouldn’t be able to is introduced. New light is shed on the county magistrate who can apparently go into flawless samurai mode lopping off the heads of would-be robbers even when held by gun point.
At some point it felt like the post-apocalyptic survival got left behind for the strange, weird, and absurd. I guess in the end it just wasn’t what I expected; it just didn’t stack up for me the way I had hoped.
The Witch of Hebron: A World Made by Hand Novel by James Howard Kunstler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
