Saying Thanks at Memorial Day
Last year I was at a family event and began to search the crowd. I soon realized with family and extended family more than fifty young people between the ages of eighteen and thirty were represented. Only one, my son, a Marine, who at the time was deployed to Afghanistan, was serving or had served in the military. I wondered if these young people truly understood the sacrifices others have made so they could celebrate their freedoms.
George Orwell is credited with saying, “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” Whether he said it or not, I believe in the sentiment. I am so thankful for the men and women willing “to stand in the gap” and protect the sheep from the wolves. My heroes are those who, as Marines are taught, run to the sound of gun fire: the first responders; the federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel, the foot soldiers in the war against crime and terror within our borders; and our servicemen and women fighting the battle overseas.
Certainly the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan have been recognized with more honor than those who returned from Vietnam decades earlier but do we appreciate what is being done daily by the few who are serving the many?
The numbers in recent history don’t accurately reflect the sacrifices made. To date, more than 5,000 American servicemen and women have paid the ultimate price in the War on Terror. In Vietnam, it was 58,260; Korea 36,576; World War II 416,800. Yet men and women also returned with broken bodies and broken lives.
I recently spoke to the Wounded Warrior Battalion at Balboa Naval Hospital. My debut novel ENEMIES AMONG US tracks the efforts of an undercover FBI agent combating terrorism in America. My publisher, Oliver North, provided me with enough books to give each man a copy; our way of saying thanks. They deserve so much more. I stood before approximately fifty combat wounded Marines; some amputees, some suffering from traumatic brain injury, some devastating wounds from IEDs and rocket propelled grenades. Each will live with the scars for a lifetime. Yet each is a volunteer. Each willingly took an oath “to protect and defend” our Constitution, to allow us to sleep under the blanket of freedom.
As we look to this Memorial Day weekend, sure it’s ball games, picnics, hot dogs, and apple pie, but take a few minutes to remember those who ran to the “sound of gun fire.” Thank God for those who died to keep this nation free, for those who served, and for those who continue to serve.
Semper Fi,
Bob Hamer
Author of ENEMIES AMONG US and THE LAST UNDERCOVER
Veteran FBI undercover agent and former Marine
Monday, May 31, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Jack Coughlin Clean Kill (Kyle Swanson Sniper Novel)
Clean Kill is the 3rd installment in the Kyle Swanson series, Kill Zone & Dead Shot being the first two. In the novel Swanson is a Gunnery Sergeant in the United States Marine Corp. The author, Jack Coughlin is a retired Marine of the same rank having held the same job of sniper. The brand they are building is “A Sniper Novel”. I love it.
Swanson is an incredible patriot and loves the Marines. I love one of his favorite sayings “Slow is fast, fast is smooth”. There is nothing about this book that is slow. The action from the onset is quick paced and amps up from there. The scenario presented is as we know fiction, but one can see how most of it stems from or could be current news almost anywhere in the Middle East.
Swanson and his group of Black Bag Trident Marines are results oriented characters and they deliver time and time again. Coughlin creates all things that are Marine Corp Hoorah in this series. He conveys the passion he has for the profession he had a as sniper and takes us inside the head of the best in the world. The commentary he creates through Kyle Swanson is amazing and engaging. We care about his work, his unit, and his loved ones. Clean Kill is a great novel for this week. Pick it up if you can or at the very least try one in the series.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
Swanson is an incredible patriot and loves the Marines. I love one of his favorite sayings “Slow is fast, fast is smooth”. There is nothing about this book that is slow. The action from the onset is quick paced and amps up from there. The scenario presented is as we know fiction, but one can see how most of it stems from or could be current news almost anywhere in the Middle East.
Swanson and his group of Black Bag Trident Marines are results oriented characters and they deliver time and time again. Coughlin creates all things that are Marine Corp Hoorah in this series. He conveys the passion he has for the profession he had a as sniper and takes us inside the head of the best in the world. The commentary he creates through Kyle Swanson is amazing and engaging. We care about his work, his unit, and his loved ones. Clean Kill is a great novel for this week. Pick it up if you can or at the very least try one in the series.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
Alan Moore Supreme-The Story of The Year
I was pleasantly surprised by this graphic novel. Alan Moore was shooting for the “archetypical big guy superhero in a cape” and he succeeded. Supreme is the superhero’s superhero. Moore says this about what he was trying to do” What I want to do, is to do a really Supreme being. I see this as not being a retro book, not in the way 1963 was. What I’d like to do is to try to infuse this new ‘90’s model type superhero with all the imaginative power of the superheroes of the previous 50 years. To give it that sort of humor and grace and see if we can come up with some composite that’s viable for the next century.”
Supreme is a very smart, well thought out story line. I was totally engrossed in it. Even though the character is many different superheroes put together, the plot lines are original and it altogether makes an amazing graphic novel. Supreme, although drawn and simply presented to be a very simple being, is very complex and well thought out. Supreme is also a very strong character. Basically, Alan Moore hits one out of the park on this one. Joe Bennett/ Rick Vertich do a great job with the illustrations. The way Moore has the plot line from time period to time period also makes Supreme shine. I was so amped up about this; I shared it with as many of my family members that would look at it. They all agreed it was a different type of superhero, one that was fun and exciting for all the right reasons. Check it out give it a go; this one is just plain fun.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
Supreme is a very smart, well thought out story line. I was totally engrossed in it. Even though the character is many different superheroes put together, the plot lines are original and it altogether makes an amazing graphic novel. Supreme, although drawn and simply presented to be a very simple being, is very complex and well thought out. Supreme is also a very strong character. Basically, Alan Moore hits one out of the park on this one. Joe Bennett/ Rick Vertich do a great job with the illustrations. The way Moore has the plot line from time period to time period also makes Supreme shine. I was so amped up about this; I shared it with as many of my family members that would look at it. They all agreed it was a different type of superhero, one that was fun and exciting for all the right reasons. Check it out give it a go; this one is just plain fun.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Guest Post Mark Greaney Author of The Gray Man
My first indication that The Gray Man might have life as a film came during lunch with my agent in June of ‘08. The manuscript had just sold to Tom Colgan at Penguin a few weeks earlier, and a one-line blurb appeared in Publisher’s Weekly announcing the sale and giving a general plot line. My agent mentioned he’d received some calls from California from interested agents and production companies asking for a read. I was surprised, but assumed this happens a lot with thrillers. I’ve always been a book reader, more so even than a filmgoer, so the cloud I was on about being published in the first place was already high enough for me.
Still, it was pretty cool.
As someone whose first published book still was nearly a year and a half till its release date, it seemed premature to make much of his comment, and I didn’t think about it again until the following March. I’d been in Dublin researching On Target, the second book in the Gray Man series, and when I turned my phone on back in the states I had a message from my agent saying an LA-based talent agency wanted to rep the manuscript in Hollywood. Of course I agreed to let them, they could have peddled it in Bollywood for all I cared (if you’ve read the Gray Man, you know the dance numbers would be bad ass!).
We received our first offer to purchase an option on the book in June of ’09, still four months until publication. The offer came from a small independent and the offer was low. My agents, both New York and L.A., suggested I turn it down. Another bid came during the summer, I was in New York at the time, and we gave serious thought to accepting it, but ultimately decided we could do better.
Finally, in early September, just a few weeks before release of the Gray Man, we received an offer from Shine/New Regency, and this time my agents suggested we accept.
Like everything that’s happened to me in the two years since I’ve gone from non-published to published, I really had no idea how these things worked, but now I am informed enough to explain (even if I didn’t really read that huge contract that I signed in God-knows how many places). Here goes: The film production company purchased an option on the book, which means, they pay me for the option to buy the rights to make The Gray Man into a film at any time within a certain period (In my case, 3 years). They begin developing the script, and I can’t sell the rights to the story to someone else while they own the option. Thumbing through the contract I noticed that they specify that I cannot sell the rights to the book to anyone else in the “Universe”. Seriously. Makes me wonder who tried to do an end-around on their deal with interplanetary travel, necessitating the wider net thrown by the production company’s contract lawyers.
It’s interesting to me how much excitement the film option generates for the book. It may be that our popular culture puts more emphasis on movies than on books, or it just may be that selling film rights is rare enough that there is a presumption of quality to the writing and the writer, though we’ve all seen enough crappy movies to question the validity of that notion. But every time I am in front of a crowd talking about the book and mention the sale of the option, lights go on in the eyes of the audience as the level of interest goes from polite to a near tizzy.
Spending my day hunched over a laptop in a coffee shop, I don’t generate a tremendous amount of tizzy-ness, so I do enjoy the attention.
Will they make a movie? Who knows? Just last week they announced they’d hired a young up-and-comer to write the adaptation. This news, like everything else film-related, generated 100 times more buzz on the internet than my releasing of the novel in the first place. The studio has a proven team of producers working on the project, too. But there are a lot of steps between here and there, so I have no idea whether it will all fall together.
Do I want them to make a movie? The money would be great, I won’t lie. But I find myself somewhat worried about the outcome. The story is a good one, but it could be told in two distinct ways; as an edge-of-your seat reality thriller, edgy, stark and bold, like the book was written. Or as an over-the-top, shoot-em-up romp, devoid of the heart and soul I tried to convey in the book.
It’s out of my hands, I’ve sent my baby off to college, and I hope he becomes summa cum laude instead of some waste-case drop out.
But there is nothing I can do about it.
Honestly though, I’ll cash the check either way.
Still, it was pretty cool.
As someone whose first published book still was nearly a year and a half till its release date, it seemed premature to make much of his comment, and I didn’t think about it again until the following March. I’d been in Dublin researching On Target, the second book in the Gray Man series, and when I turned my phone on back in the states I had a message from my agent saying an LA-based talent agency wanted to rep the manuscript in Hollywood. Of course I agreed to let them, they could have peddled it in Bollywood for all I cared (if you’ve read the Gray Man, you know the dance numbers would be bad ass!).
We received our first offer to purchase an option on the book in June of ’09, still four months until publication. The offer came from a small independent and the offer was low. My agents, both New York and L.A., suggested I turn it down. Another bid came during the summer, I was in New York at the time, and we gave serious thought to accepting it, but ultimately decided we could do better.
Finally, in early September, just a few weeks before release of the Gray Man, we received an offer from Shine/New Regency, and this time my agents suggested we accept.
Like everything that’s happened to me in the two years since I’ve gone from non-published to published, I really had no idea how these things worked, but now I am informed enough to explain (even if I didn’t really read that huge contract that I signed in God-knows how many places). Here goes: The film production company purchased an option on the book, which means, they pay me for the option to buy the rights to make The Gray Man into a film at any time within a certain period (In my case, 3 years). They begin developing the script, and I can’t sell the rights to the story to someone else while they own the option. Thumbing through the contract I noticed that they specify that I cannot sell the rights to the book to anyone else in the “Universe”. Seriously. Makes me wonder who tried to do an end-around on their deal with interplanetary travel, necessitating the wider net thrown by the production company’s contract lawyers.
It’s interesting to me how much excitement the film option generates for the book. It may be that our popular culture puts more emphasis on movies than on books, or it just may be that selling film rights is rare enough that there is a presumption of quality to the writing and the writer, though we’ve all seen enough crappy movies to question the validity of that notion. But every time I am in front of a crowd talking about the book and mention the sale of the option, lights go on in the eyes of the audience as the level of interest goes from polite to a near tizzy.
Spending my day hunched over a laptop in a coffee shop, I don’t generate a tremendous amount of tizzy-ness, so I do enjoy the attention.
Will they make a movie? Who knows? Just last week they announced they’d hired a young up-and-comer to write the adaptation. This news, like everything else film-related, generated 100 times more buzz on the internet than my releasing of the novel in the first place. The studio has a proven team of producers working on the project, too. But there are a lot of steps between here and there, so I have no idea whether it will all fall together.
Do I want them to make a movie? The money would be great, I won’t lie. But I find myself somewhat worried about the outcome. The story is a good one, but it could be told in two distinct ways; as an edge-of-your seat reality thriller, edgy, stark and bold, like the book was written. Or as an over-the-top, shoot-em-up romp, devoid of the heart and soul I tried to convey in the book.
It’s out of my hands, I’ve sent my baby off to college, and I hope he becomes summa cum laude instead of some waste-case drop out.
But there is nothing I can do about it.
Honestly though, I’ll cash the check either way.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Lee Child 61 Hours a Jack Reacher Novel
Truly fortunate is the way I have felt recently, more so than usual. I want to thank everyone for their support thus far as we continue to try to find our way here @ Gelati’s Scoop. We have made some incredible friends on Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter and now Book Blogs. We hope that we are fortunate enough to have that continue and grow.
One of the new features I want to quickly highlight is our new store. Clicking on the Gelati’s Store tab on our blog will take you to our Amazon Store, you wouldn’t have to leave our site. The nice thing about it is that you can purchase not just books & ebooks on it, but you get anything Amazon has to offer. Everything they have from soup to nuts, but I guess in Amazon’s case it would be from blenders to kayaks and everything in between. We are amped up about it, and hope that you give the new feature a try and give us your feedback on it.
Now to 61 Hours. What is there left to be said about Lee Child /Jack Reacher? We have featured them in our Blast from the Past this month, please check the archive and give it a read if you missed it. 61 Hours is a different approach to the usual timeline in a Reacher novel, and I for one love the twist. Child keeps us moving & moving closer to the endgame and ratcheting up the tension with each passing hour.
Reacher of course is his usual composed self, doing what he does best. He sees details others overlook, going through each event in a deliberate progression to either prove or disprove the fact it happened a certain way or not at all. He basically boils all that is thrown at him to its basic elements and comes up with the right answer time and time again.
61 Hours is Lee Child at his best, the other Reacher novels are nothing to sneeze at, but this is the bomb. Who would think that he could do better? I am loving it! When is the next one out? If it is next year, then it is only 8592 hours till it’s released. My question to you if you are a Child / Reacher fan, would you enjoy a prequel- one that involved a case when he was a special investigator? I would, definitely!
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
One of the new features I want to quickly highlight is our new store. Clicking on the Gelati’s Store tab on our blog will take you to our Amazon Store, you wouldn’t have to leave our site. The nice thing about it is that you can purchase not just books & ebooks on it, but you get anything Amazon has to offer. Everything they have from soup to nuts, but I guess in Amazon’s case it would be from blenders to kayaks and everything in between. We are amped up about it, and hope that you give the new feature a try and give us your feedback on it.
Now to 61 Hours. What is there left to be said about Lee Child /Jack Reacher? We have featured them in our Blast from the Past this month, please check the archive and give it a read if you missed it. 61 Hours is a different approach to the usual timeline in a Reacher novel, and I for one love the twist. Child keeps us moving & moving closer to the endgame and ratcheting up the tension with each passing hour.
Reacher of course is his usual composed self, doing what he does best. He sees details others overlook, going through each event in a deliberate progression to either prove or disprove the fact it happened a certain way or not at all. He basically boils all that is thrown at him to its basic elements and comes up with the right answer time and time again.
61 Hours is Lee Child at his best, the other Reacher novels are nothing to sneeze at, but this is the bomb. Who would think that he could do better? I am loving it! When is the next one out? If it is next year, then it is only 8592 hours till it’s released. My question to you if you are a Child / Reacher fan, would you enjoy a prequel- one that involved a case when he was a special investigator? I would, definitely!
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
Monday, May 24, 2010
John Sandford Storm Prey
Happy Monday to everybody. The week before Memorial Day is upon us and we have an awesome lineup this week. He it is in a nutshell:
Today- Storm Prey
Tuesday- Lee Child -61 Hours
Wednesday- Mark Greaney Guest Post –Author of The Gray Man
Thursday- Richard Thomas- Transubstantiate
Friday-Graphic Novel –Supreme-The Story of the Year
Saturday- Jack Coughlin- Clean Kill- A Marine Sniper Novel
Sunday-Richard Marcinko/Rogue Warrior Richard Marcinko
Monday Memorial Day- Guest Post by Bob Hamer former U.S. Marine & FBI undercover Agent
I think you can see we mean business this week. I must say I was lucky enough to get both John Sandford and Lee Child’s newest novels right away. I was totally amped as I looked them both over and cracked the spine on them; I must admit I enjoy the sound. I know, the simple joys of the simple minded. I jumped right into Storm Prey as it won the coin toss over 61 Hours. Davenport & company are back and going full bore. There is not a boring or slow page contained in the 408 pages of the novel. Sanford hits another grand slam here in his 20th, yes 20th, Davenport Prey novel. I am not bashful in saying I have read them all in order, and have thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Davenport is again central in Prey as are Shrake, that #@*% Flowers, Weather, Jenkins & Marcy. Letty for some reason or another is only mentioned briefly in the novel.
I am not going to do any spoilers here but the plot as usual is excellent, the bad guys are good, Sandford engages us the reader, right away. Storm Prey is hard to put down. Davenport, as a fictional character, has stood the test of time and has only gotten better and better. Sandford has crafted a detective for a lifetime here. To observers he is a goon and a killer, a well dressed one they admit. But to us, his fans, he is much more than that. Davenport is deep, introspective and caring as well as a killer, but I don’t think a goon. I think one can only love the character as he kicks some butt and worries about the consequences later, only trying to do the right thing.
If you are craving a great character driven novel that has all the right elements to it, then Storm Prey will take care of it. Sanford has yet to lay a dud on us. Suspense that you cannot turn away from or put down, a roller coaster ride with white knuckles included, John Sandfords Storm prey is for you. My copy still has the indentations from my fingers in it .Sanford will be releasing a Virgil Flowers novel in September. Gotta love that #@*&% Flowers, I can’t wait.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
Today- Storm Prey
Tuesday- Lee Child -61 Hours
Wednesday- Mark Greaney Guest Post –Author of The Gray Man
Thursday- Richard Thomas- Transubstantiate
Friday-Graphic Novel –Supreme-The Story of the Year
Saturday- Jack Coughlin- Clean Kill- A Marine Sniper Novel
Sunday-Richard Marcinko/Rogue Warrior Richard Marcinko
Monday Memorial Day- Guest Post by Bob Hamer former U.S. Marine & FBI undercover Agent
I think you can see we mean business this week. I must say I was lucky enough to get both John Sandford and Lee Child’s newest novels right away. I was totally amped as I looked them both over and cracked the spine on them; I must admit I enjoy the sound. I know, the simple joys of the simple minded. I jumped right into Storm Prey as it won the coin toss over 61 Hours. Davenport & company are back and going full bore. There is not a boring or slow page contained in the 408 pages of the novel. Sanford hits another grand slam here in his 20th, yes 20th, Davenport Prey novel. I am not bashful in saying I have read them all in order, and have thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Davenport is again central in Prey as are Shrake, that #@*% Flowers, Weather, Jenkins & Marcy. Letty for some reason or another is only mentioned briefly in the novel.
I am not going to do any spoilers here but the plot as usual is excellent, the bad guys are good, Sandford engages us the reader, right away. Storm Prey is hard to put down. Davenport, as a fictional character, has stood the test of time and has only gotten better and better. Sandford has crafted a detective for a lifetime here. To observers he is a goon and a killer, a well dressed one they admit. But to us, his fans, he is much more than that. Davenport is deep, introspective and caring as well as a killer, but I don’t think a goon. I think one can only love the character as he kicks some butt and worries about the consequences later, only trying to do the right thing.
If you are craving a great character driven novel that has all the right elements to it, then Storm Prey will take care of it. Sanford has yet to lay a dud on us. Suspense that you cannot turn away from or put down, a roller coaster ride with white knuckles included, John Sandfords Storm prey is for you. My copy still has the indentations from my fingers in it .Sanford will be releasing a Virgil Flowers novel in September. Gotta love that #@*&% Flowers, I can’t wait.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
David Baldacci/ Oliver Stone
What about the Camel Club you say? Hey, let’s face it, Oliver Stone is the go to guy in the bunch. The triple 6 ex-operative is definitely the leader of the band. Stone is a complex character; Baldacci has filled him with a great sense of compassion and feeling for one of the greatest assassins our country has turned out during the Vietnam War era. His list of accomplishments during that time is legendary.
Despite the loss of his wife and child, Oliver continues to protect us from his simple home in the cemetery. Baldacci has created a great metaphor here, in the location of his humble home and Spartan surroundings. The Camel Club is a great extension of Stone as he and his compadres keep a vigilant watch on our president and all the policy makers.
Baldacci has a number of franchise characters running right now. Oliver Stone & The Camel Club is as strong an assembly of characters as there are out there. Each offering reveals more and more about them, their humanity, and how they are willing to go to extremes to protect not just each other, but also us from the powers that be. We have learned an amazing amount about Oliver Stone from the first novel to the last to date, Stone pretty much coming full circle.
Baldacci has created and nurtured an excellent franchise leading character in Oliver Stone. If you haven’t discovered Stone & The Camel Club, please start at the beginning, It is well worth the wait to get to his last novel, as the characters and their past baggage is revealed, book by book. Strap yourself in, tighten your belt; it is quite a ride. Which book in the series is your favorite? What is your favorite Baldacci book overall?
What are you reading today? Check us out on Facebook and become our friend, go to Goodreads become our friend and suggest books for us to read and post on, and you can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by, we will see you tomorrow. Have great day
Despite the loss of his wife and child, Oliver continues to protect us from his simple home in the cemetery. Baldacci has created a great metaphor here, in the location of his humble home and Spartan surroundings. The Camel Club is a great extension of Stone as he and his compadres keep a vigilant watch on our president and all the policy makers.
Baldacci has a number of franchise characters running right now. Oliver Stone & The Camel Club is as strong an assembly of characters as there are out there. Each offering reveals more and more about them, their humanity, and how they are willing to go to extremes to protect not just each other, but also us from the powers that be. We have learned an amazing amount about Oliver Stone from the first novel to the last to date, Stone pretty much coming full circle.
Baldacci has created and nurtured an excellent franchise leading character in Oliver Stone. If you haven’t discovered Stone & The Camel Club, please start at the beginning, It is well worth the wait to get to his last novel, as the characters and their past baggage is revealed, book by book. Strap yourself in, tighten your belt; it is quite a ride. Which book in the series is your favorite? What is your favorite Baldacci book overall?
What are you reading today? Check us out on Facebook and become our friend, go to Goodreads become our friend and suggest books for us to read and post on, and you can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by, we will see you tomorrow. Have great day
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The Hulk vs. The Marvel Universe
The writers, illustrators & inks are too numerous to list here. The Hulk is one of my favorite characters in the Marvel stable. The graphic novel covers about 40 years of the Hulk’s existence. The neat thing about the compilation is that you can see how the art has changed over the time period and how the Hulk and the rest of the Marvel characters have evolved with it. The lineup over the course of the novel is as follows: The Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Thor, The X-Men, Wolverine, and Spiderman.
I can say that the evolution of some of the characters was ok for me. I have not enjoyed the fact that they have turned the Hulk into a villain. He was never like that for me; just misunderstood. Some things were unique to me, such as Spiderman’s black costume and the 80’s style X-Men . The haircuts were comical. Overall I enjoyed the journey more often then not. The bonus at the end I felt could have been left out. I would have to guess that the printer had some extra paper that they wanted to get rid of, other than that, the Evil Fing Fang Foom could have stayed in some closet somewhere and we would have been the better for it. Hopefully the printing of the alleged bonus material didn’t drive up the cost of the graphic novel too much. What are some of your favorite Hulk memories? Did either movie of the Hulk strike a cord with you?
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
I can say that the evolution of some of the characters was ok for me. I have not enjoyed the fact that they have turned the Hulk into a villain. He was never like that for me; just misunderstood. Some things were unique to me, such as Spiderman’s black costume and the 80’s style X-Men . The haircuts were comical. Overall I enjoyed the journey more often then not. The bonus at the end I felt could have been left out. I would have to guess that the printer had some extra paper that they wanted to get rid of, other than that, the Evil Fing Fang Foom could have stayed in some closet somewhere and we would have been the better for it. Hopefully the printing of the alleged bonus material didn’t drive up the cost of the graphic novel too much. What are some of your favorite Hulk memories? Did either movie of the Hulk strike a cord with you?
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Space Ghost Joe Kelly Writer/ Ariel Olivetti- Illustrator
September 1966 was a big year in science fiction and comic books. In one week on television the debut of Star Trek in prime time and on Saturday morning the 10th of September, Space Ghost was introduced. The run of Space Ghost the cartoon was only for two seasons, 42 episodes in total, each running for eight minutes. Hanna Barbara created an icon to go along with Johnny Quest and The Herculoids. Gary Owens from Rowen & Martin was the voice of Space Ghost and he was awesome. Sorry there are a lot of childhood memories here.
I got this from the intro in the graphic novel: “He looked mysterious, flying through the vacuum of space and vanishing into invisibility or piloting the Phantom Cruiser. His power bands could do different things and came in handy when battling a nice variety of alien threats such as Zurack, Brak, Mettalus, Black Widow Creature King and Moltar who eventually banded together as The Council of Doom. Still kids could thrill to his adventures and imagine riding along because every week he had Jan & Jace, twins he had adopted and who could resist a cute monkey pet like Blip.”
I really enjoyed the graphic novel and plan to search for more Space Ghost material. I thoroughly enjoyed the original show and also the spirit in which the original story was written. The art was excellent, and captured the essence of the character. DC comics Space Ghost Origin Story is definitely worthy of the time. If you are or were a fan of the show this is an awesome read. Which Space episode was your personal favorite? Were you a Herculoids fan also?
What are you reading today? Check us and become our friend on Facebook, become our friend on Goodreads and suggest books for us to read and post on, and you can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by and we will see you tomorrow
I got this from the intro in the graphic novel: “He looked mysterious, flying through the vacuum of space and vanishing into invisibility or piloting the Phantom Cruiser. His power bands could do different things and came in handy when battling a nice variety of alien threats such as Zurack, Brak, Mettalus, Black Widow Creature King and Moltar who eventually banded together as The Council of Doom. Still kids could thrill to his adventures and imagine riding along because every week he had Jan & Jace, twins he had adopted and who could resist a cute monkey pet like Blip.”
I really enjoyed the graphic novel and plan to search for more Space Ghost material. I thoroughly enjoyed the original show and also the spirit in which the original story was written. The art was excellent, and captured the essence of the character. DC comics Space Ghost Origin Story is definitely worthy of the time. If you are or were a fan of the show this is an awesome read. Which Space episode was your personal favorite? Were you a Herculoids fan also?
What are you reading today? Check us and become our friend on Facebook, become our friend on Goodreads and suggest books for us to read and post on, and you can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by and we will see you tomorrow
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Willian Bernhardt Capitol Betrayal
We have been making some changes to the way we do things here at the Scoop. I have been very happy to receive the positive feedback to the changes we have made to the structure of the blogsite. There will be more changes coming in the future. One of the new features we have is our Store. Simply, you click on the tab and go right to Amazon and purchase anything Amazon has to offer. Any product in any category they have, from books & kindle downloads of your favorite authors to beach umbrellas without navigating away from our site. Nice, easy, convenient. We hope that you will enjoy this addition to our site.
Capitol Betrayal by William Bernhardt was way more than I expected. Normally I know that this is going to be a very thought provoking, engaging novel. Betrayal took it up a few notches. The beginning was quick but the story line just kept getting better and better. The way Bernhardt goes back and forth between his main characters to the very end was tantalizing and thoroughly enjoyable. To have two such strong characters in one book is just amazing. The depth and humility of Kincaid the lawyer is a great foil to the very clever CIA operator in Seamus McKay. Both characters continually rise above the fray, go through every obstacle and help preserve truth, justice and the American way. Capitol Betrayal I thought was a good choice for this month long celebration heading towards Memorial Day. What are your favorite Bernhardt Novels?
What are you reading today? Check us and become our friend on Facebook, suggest books for us to read and post on at Goodreads, and follow us on Twitter. Thanks for checking in with us today, see you again tomorrow
Capitol Betrayal by William Bernhardt was way more than I expected. Normally I know that this is going to be a very thought provoking, engaging novel. Betrayal took it up a few notches. The beginning was quick but the story line just kept getting better and better. The way Bernhardt goes back and forth between his main characters to the very end was tantalizing and thoroughly enjoyable. To have two such strong characters in one book is just amazing. The depth and humility of Kincaid the lawyer is a great foil to the very clever CIA operator in Seamus McKay. Both characters continually rise above the fray, go through every obstacle and help preserve truth, justice and the American way. Capitol Betrayal I thought was a good choice for this month long celebration heading towards Memorial Day. What are your favorite Bernhardt Novels?
What are you reading today? Check us and become our friend on Facebook, suggest books for us to read and post on at Goodreads, and follow us on Twitter. Thanks for checking in with us today, see you again tomorrow
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Guest Post Thomas Kaufman
Everywhere I go, I see people reading books on Kindle, on iPads, on Nooks. And I'm jealous. I'd like to buy a book reader, but Isaac Asimov won't let me.
Dr Asimov is telling me to forget book readers -- I need to get the most audacious multi-media device in existence. Salivate over this:
"A cassette as ordinarily viewed makes sound and casts light. That is its purpose, of course, but must sound and light intrude on others who are not involved or interested? The ideal cassette would be visible and audible only to the person using it... We could imagine a cassette that is always in perfect adjustment, that starts automatically when you look at it; that stops automatically when you cease to look at it; that can play forwards or backwards, quickly or slowly, by skips or repetitions, entirely at your pleasure.
"...Surely that's the ultimate dream device -- a cassette that may deal with any of an infinite number of subjects, fictional or non-fictional, that is self-contained, portable, non-energy consuming, perfectly private and largely under the control of the will...
"Must this remain only a dream? Can we expect to have such a cassette some day? We not only have it now, we have had it for many centuries. The ideal I have described is the printed word, the book, the object you now hold -- light, private, and manipulable at will.
"...Does it seem to you that the book, unlike the cassette I have been describing, does not produce sound and images? It certainly does...You cannot read without hearing words in you mind and seeing images to which they give rise.
"In fact, they are your sounds and images, not those invented for you by others, and are therefore better...The printed word presents minimum information, however. Everything but that minimum must be provided by the reader -- the intonation of words, the expressions on faces, the actions, the scenery, the background, must all be drawn out of that long line of black-on-white symbols."
Thank you, Doctor.
It's true that book readers deliver the words, but they need to download. They need batteries. Sometimes they don't work. And eventually you'll have to discard them. Can you say the same about the favorite books resting on your shelves?
How does get a signed first edition of a digital book?
Can you look at a stack of them, lined up on your shelf, and feel them trigger your memory? When I look at my shelves of books, their spines and artwork trigger my memory. I can tell you where I found them, when, what my life was like.
I can hold them in my hands and the experience is different. Recently, WIRED (http://bit.ly/3KWAaD) did a story about how books smell. Not to mention the feel of the binding and paper, the way light reflects off the pages. Reading an actual book, as opposed to a virtual book, engages more of your senses. And research shows that, the more senses you engage in the act of learning, the more you will learn. You'll also retain more of what you read.
I'm no Luddite. I love technology. In my day job I get to fool with all kinds of cool toys, like the RED camera and the Nanoflash recorder. So I like technology.
Just don't mess with my books.
Dr Asimov is telling me to forget book readers -- I need to get the most audacious multi-media device in existence. Salivate over this:
"A cassette as ordinarily viewed makes sound and casts light. That is its purpose, of course, but must sound and light intrude on others who are not involved or interested? The ideal cassette would be visible and audible only to the person using it... We could imagine a cassette that is always in perfect adjustment, that starts automatically when you look at it; that stops automatically when you cease to look at it; that can play forwards or backwards, quickly or slowly, by skips or repetitions, entirely at your pleasure.
"...Surely that's the ultimate dream device -- a cassette that may deal with any of an infinite number of subjects, fictional or non-fictional, that is self-contained, portable, non-energy consuming, perfectly private and largely under the control of the will...
"Must this remain only a dream? Can we expect to have such a cassette some day? We not only have it now, we have had it for many centuries. The ideal I have described is the printed word, the book, the object you now hold -- light, private, and manipulable at will.
"...Does it seem to you that the book, unlike the cassette I have been describing, does not produce sound and images? It certainly does...You cannot read without hearing words in you mind and seeing images to which they give rise.
"In fact, they are your sounds and images, not those invented for you by others, and are therefore better...The printed word presents minimum information, however. Everything but that minimum must be provided by the reader -- the intonation of words, the expressions on faces, the actions, the scenery, the background, must all be drawn out of that long line of black-on-white symbols."
Thank you, Doctor.
It's true that book readers deliver the words, but they need to download. They need batteries. Sometimes they don't work. And eventually you'll have to discard them. Can you say the same about the favorite books resting on your shelves?
How does get a signed first edition of a digital book?
Can you look at a stack of them, lined up on your shelf, and feel them trigger your memory? When I look at my shelves of books, their spines and artwork trigger my memory. I can tell you where I found them, when, what my life was like.
I can hold them in my hands and the experience is different. Recently, WIRED (http://bit.ly/3KWAaD) did a story about how books smell. Not to mention the feel of the binding and paper, the way light reflects off the pages. Reading an actual book, as opposed to a virtual book, engages more of your senses. And research shows that, the more senses you engage in the act of learning, the more you will learn. You'll also retain more of what you read.
I'm no Luddite. I love technology. In my day job I get to fool with all kinds of cool toys, like the RED camera and the Nanoflash recorder. So I like technology.
Just don't mess with my books.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
James Patterson The 9th Judgement
I have been getting some communications on different websites about my reading this novel. I was surprised to say the least. I enjoy the fact that everybody likes to share their reading lists, but this hit me out of left field. People either love it or hate it, no in between. I must admit that from the start, I read the first three in the series before taking a break from the series. Andrew Gross wrote the first three. As I have stated in another post, I was oblivious to this. I enjoy Gross’s style and make no bones about it, I like it. The fourth installment I gave a go, but could not get a groove on it at all. It definitely had a different feel to it and I was not enjoying it, so I put it down. No gun to my head to read it, so why bother, I moved on to another novel.
I was fortunate to get The 9th Judgement and I thought why not revisit Lindsay Boxer and the Women’s Murder Club, I had enjoyed them in the past. Maybe the new writer, Maxine Paetro, had found her groove and I could hack it through the entire novel. Well, I did and I was glad I picked it up. I missed some things going on with the Club, but I would have to guess missing 5 novels in series would lend itself to that. That being said it was a good novel.
The action was good , the interplay among the Club members was nice and it kept me interested. Was this an outstanding piece of fiction, no, but it was a good installment in the series. Having read one third of them before taking a break, I was to glad have revisited it. If you are a fan of the series, I wouldn’t hesitate to say pick it up. As the first novel to be read from the series, I would say no, go back to Andrew Gross’s work and then work your way up. My belief is that you will enjoy them more. What is your favorite Patterson franchise?
What are you reading today? Check us out on Facebook and become our friend, go to Goodreads become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on, and you can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for checking in with us today, we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day
I was fortunate to get The 9th Judgement and I thought why not revisit Lindsay Boxer and the Women’s Murder Club, I had enjoyed them in the past. Maybe the new writer, Maxine Paetro, had found her groove and I could hack it through the entire novel. Well, I did and I was glad I picked it up. I missed some things going on with the Club, but I would have to guess missing 5 novels in series would lend itself to that. That being said it was a good novel.
The action was good , the interplay among the Club members was nice and it kept me interested. Was this an outstanding piece of fiction, no, but it was a good installment in the series. Having read one third of them before taking a break, I was to glad have revisited it. If you are a fan of the series, I wouldn’t hesitate to say pick it up. As the first novel to be read from the series, I would say no, go back to Andrew Gross’s work and then work your way up. My belief is that you will enjoy them more. What is your favorite Patterson franchise?
What are you reading today? Check us out on Facebook and become our friend, go to Goodreads become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on, and you can also follow us on Twitter. Thanks for checking in with us today, we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day
Monday, May 17, 2010
Robert Parker Blue Eyed Devil
Blue Eyed Devil arrived at a good time for me. I was craving something different and this was just the thing. Cole & Hitch are awesome characters and Parker has a great time with them. I enjoyed the dialogue throughout the novel and the chemistry. In the case of Cole & Hitch, less always seems as if it is more.
Parker has put together his best work with this group of characters. It is a shame he discovered the western so late in his career; he pens a good one. The action in the novel is quick, the characters are excellent. The grasp and feel for the time period is amazing. As much as I have enjoyed Appaloosa, I am going to say I savored and enjoyed Blue Eyed Devil more. I am bummed that this is his last work with these characters. I haven’t received any news as of yet, but if the series does continue on with a different author, I am going to give the first offering a try because of the solid foundation Parker has laid down with the characters.
I have always enjoyed the interplay between Parker’s main characters. They say so much without literally saying much. Not easy to have done when the story is in written form, but Parker seemed to master it. All things Parker are amplified with Cole & Hitch. There are no bones about it. They are killers; they know it. They tell everyone that, and they go about their business. They have a set of rules posted outside where they work; you break them, you die. They take no pleasure in taking a life, it is just what they do and they do it the best in the west. Cole &Hitch feel they have no other skills except to do as they do.
Parker’s characters on the surface are very simple, but he gives them a depth and fundamental understanding of who and what they are that I thoroughly enjoy. If you have enjoyed the series thus far, or are looking for a good western, you should give this novel a go. What are some of your favorite westerns? Will you try a new Cole & Hitch vehicle if another author picks it up?
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook, go to Goodreads and become our friend so you can suggest books for us to read and post on, and follow us on Twitter. Have a great day and we will see you tomorrow
Parker has put together his best work with this group of characters. It is a shame he discovered the western so late in his career; he pens a good one. The action in the novel is quick, the characters are excellent. The grasp and feel for the time period is amazing. As much as I have enjoyed Appaloosa, I am going to say I savored and enjoyed Blue Eyed Devil more. I am bummed that this is his last work with these characters. I haven’t received any news as of yet, but if the series does continue on with a different author, I am going to give the first offering a try because of the solid foundation Parker has laid down with the characters.
I have always enjoyed the interplay between Parker’s main characters. They say so much without literally saying much. Not easy to have done when the story is in written form, but Parker seemed to master it. All things Parker are amplified with Cole & Hitch. There are no bones about it. They are killers; they know it. They tell everyone that, and they go about their business. They have a set of rules posted outside where they work; you break them, you die. They take no pleasure in taking a life, it is just what they do and they do it the best in the west. Cole &Hitch feel they have no other skills except to do as they do.
Parker’s characters on the surface are very simple, but he gives them a depth and fundamental understanding of who and what they are that I thoroughly enjoy. If you have enjoyed the series thus far, or are looking for a good western, you should give this novel a go. What are some of your favorite westerns? Will you try a new Cole & Hitch vehicle if another author picks it up?
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook, go to Goodreads and become our friend so you can suggest books for us to read and post on, and follow us on Twitter. Have a great day and we will see you tomorrow
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Lee Child Jack Reacher
We are at the mid point here on our Blast from the Past posts on our Patriotic Fictional Characters. We still have David Baldacci / Oliver Stone next week, and finally Richard Marcinko/ Rogue Warrior Richard Marcinko to close it out.
Lee Child’s Jack Reacher is one of my all time favorite characters in modern fiction, bar none. Child has assembled a great character with a totally unique sense of himself and conveys that extremely well. Other main characters in this genre have their own support group, their core group of people to go to; Reacher has just himself.
He wanders the United States doing as he wishes, living on his terms. Not many people understand why he wanders the country seemingly aimlessly. Trouble, mayhem, and injustice just seem to find him; or does he find them? Being the stand up guy he is, he doesn’t just walk away from the problems and situations in which he finds himself. What fun would that be? Minding his business and moving along is not in his description. Reacher was put together by Childs with a very nice moral code, a gift of high intelligence, an amazing memory for detail, and no need for a watch to tell time what so ever.
Reacher is a West Point graduate, an ex Military Policeman, and an ex Army Special Investigator( as Reacher says “ You don’t mess with the Special Investigators”) and all around do-gooder. Lee Child has yet to misstep with this character. I challenge anyone to find a weak novel in this franchise. Child makes sure with each new novel we learn and understand something new about Reacher. Child for me is one of the best authors out there today.
If you haven’t had the chance to check out one of the novels in the Jack Reacher series, I suggest you put them all in your Goodreads –to read- list and start from the beginning and enjoy the ride. It is like being shot from a cannon. I think if you have read this far, you’ve come to understand I got a groove on these novels. Which Jack Reacher novel is your favorite?
What are you reading today? Become our friend on Facebook, go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest for us to read and post on, and follow us on Twitter.
Thanks for checking in with us today, see you tomorrow
Lee Child’s Jack Reacher is one of my all time favorite characters in modern fiction, bar none. Child has assembled a great character with a totally unique sense of himself and conveys that extremely well. Other main characters in this genre have their own support group, their core group of people to go to; Reacher has just himself.
He wanders the United States doing as he wishes, living on his terms. Not many people understand why he wanders the country seemingly aimlessly. Trouble, mayhem, and injustice just seem to find him; or does he find them? Being the stand up guy he is, he doesn’t just walk away from the problems and situations in which he finds himself. What fun would that be? Minding his business and moving along is not in his description. Reacher was put together by Childs with a very nice moral code, a gift of high intelligence, an amazing memory for detail, and no need for a watch to tell time what so ever.
Reacher is a West Point graduate, an ex Military Policeman, and an ex Army Special Investigator( as Reacher says “ You don’t mess with the Special Investigators”) and all around do-gooder. Lee Child has yet to misstep with this character. I challenge anyone to find a weak novel in this franchise. Child makes sure with each new novel we learn and understand something new about Reacher. Child for me is one of the best authors out there today.
If you haven’t had the chance to check out one of the novels in the Jack Reacher series, I suggest you put them all in your Goodreads –to read- list and start from the beginning and enjoy the ride. It is like being shot from a cannon. I think if you have read this far, you’ve come to understand I got a groove on these novels. Which Jack Reacher novel is your favorite?
What are you reading today? Become our friend on Facebook, go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest for us to read and post on, and follow us on Twitter.
Thanks for checking in with us today, see you tomorrow
Saturday, May 15, 2010
War of Warcraft Walter Simonson
I had to grab this from the Intro by Chris Metzon, of Blizzard Entertainment: “Okay, so I’ve geeked out pretty hard here… but the rip-roaring take of gladiators, demigods and mistaken identities you’re about to read is proof enough of the man’s genius. Still, it must be said, no comics story ever really gets off the ground until the artwork falls into place.”
Simonson’s story & Lulliabi/Hope put together the total package here. The story line is great, it flows well. The art and ink is as good as it gets. I was stunned I had enjoyed it so much. I was warned by some of my children that I may not enjoy it, so I opened it with a grain of salt attached. The characters are all excellent, the interplay between them is great, and the dialogue is crisp and flows well.
War of Warcraft is a nice turn down a different path as graphic novels go. I have been searching for something different than the old stalwarts of the Marvel/DC Universes, and this is just the thing. Who is your favorite character in Warcraft?
What are you reading today? Check us out on Facebook and become our friend, suggest books for us to read and post on at Goodreads, and follow us on Twitter. Thanks for checking us out today, see you tomorrow
Simonson’s story & Lulliabi/Hope put together the total package here. The story line is great, it flows well. The art and ink is as good as it gets. I was stunned I had enjoyed it so much. I was warned by some of my children that I may not enjoy it, so I opened it with a grain of salt attached. The characters are all excellent, the interplay between them is great, and the dialogue is crisp and flows well.
War of Warcraft is a nice turn down a different path as graphic novels go. I have been searching for something different than the old stalwarts of the Marvel/DC Universes, and this is just the thing. Who is your favorite character in Warcraft?
What are you reading today? Check us out on Facebook and become our friend, suggest books for us to read and post on at Goodreads, and follow us on Twitter. Thanks for checking us out today, see you tomorrow
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Daniel Crosier Distortions Unlimited
Happy Friday everybody! Today brings us to the start of another busy weekend here at Gelati’s Scoop. We have been searching for something new to discuss with our Graphic Novel posts and we think we have found “it” . Today’s post is about our Facebook Friend Daniel Crosier the Writer/Penciler/Colors of Distortions Unlimited. Saturday brings us to War of Warcraft. Two totally different types of novels, both with different graphics and writers and neither part of the main Marvel/DC stable of characters.
Blue Water Comics has a very unique setup here, from the type of paper printed on to the ads contained in the comic. I loved all of it. A curveball or change up in the mix is good from time to time .The paper they print on is FSC certified. That means that the paper in the comic contains fiber from well managed & responsibly harvested forests that meet strict environmental & socioeconomic standards. That is a mouth full to be sure.
The content of the book though is what rocks about this offering. Crosier has assembled a wonderfully gritty story line. The plot line is solid, the art is excellent and matches the mood of the story, and it leaves you wanting more. I think that is part of what makes a really good graphic novel, leaving you wanting that next issue. Daniel Crosier has done that and much, much more. My suggestion if you hunger for something more than the usual, give this one a go and enjoy yourself. Distortions Unlimited, Blue Water Comics, and Daniel Crosier make a great team. What are some of your favorite graphic novels outside of Marvel/ DC?
What are you reading today? Become our friend on Facebook, go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on, and follow us on Twitter. Thanks for checking in with us today , see you tomorrow
Blue Water Comics has a very unique setup here, from the type of paper printed on to the ads contained in the comic. I loved all of it. A curveball or change up in the mix is good from time to time .The paper they print on is FSC certified. That means that the paper in the comic contains fiber from well managed & responsibly harvested forests that meet strict environmental & socioeconomic standards. That is a mouth full to be sure.
The content of the book though is what rocks about this offering. Crosier has assembled a wonderfully gritty story line. The plot line is solid, the art is excellent and matches the mood of the story, and it leaves you wanting more. I think that is part of what makes a really good graphic novel, leaving you wanting that next issue. Daniel Crosier has done that and much, much more. My suggestion if you hunger for something more than the usual, give this one a go and enjoy yourself. Distortions Unlimited, Blue Water Comics, and Daniel Crosier make a great team. What are some of your favorite graphic novels outside of Marvel/ DC?
What are you reading today? Become our friend on Facebook, go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on, and follow us on Twitter. Thanks for checking in with us today , see you tomorrow
Christopher Quintin Scafidi Time Couriers
Time Couriers is a very unique book from the cover art to the back page. The cover art is very detailed and busy; I guess you could say that it is a bit of foreshadowing for what lies inside for us, the reader. There are many different layers of plot lines in Time Couriers, but for me the enjoyment was in the amount of detail that Scafidi provides us with in addition to the well crafted story lines.
I have yet to have the pleasure of traveling to New Orleans, Christopher Quintin Scafidi made me feel right at home there. Throughout the Time Couriers story, he was able to weave the fabric to what makes New Orleans, New Orleans and convey the atmosphere of the town and its inhabitants. The people, the streets, the restaurants all came to life for me as his in depth descriptions and incredible sense of detail put me right there.
As complex as the plot is, Scafidi makes Time Couriers compelling and ties all the ends together in a nice neat package. The pace is fast and furious; Couriers is a major page turner. My suggestion is to have a block of time put aside so you can just sit down and totally enjoy this novel. Take a break from the norm, time travel New Orleans style.
Great location, international intrigue; I know I left out a few things out here. This book is chock full of action and adventure from cover to cover, but why should I spoil anything? Give this novel a try, put it in your Goodreads –to read list at the very least. What are some of your favorite time travel novels?
What are you reading today? You can check us out and become our friend on Facebook & Goodreads. Suggest books for us to read and post on there, and follow on Twitter. Have a nice day and we will see you tomorrow
I have yet to have the pleasure of traveling to New Orleans, Christopher Quintin Scafidi made me feel right at home there. Throughout the Time Couriers story, he was able to weave the fabric to what makes New Orleans, New Orleans and convey the atmosphere of the town and its inhabitants. The people, the streets, the restaurants all came to life for me as his in depth descriptions and incredible sense of detail put me right there.
As complex as the plot is, Scafidi makes Time Couriers compelling and ties all the ends together in a nice neat package. The pace is fast and furious; Couriers is a major page turner. My suggestion is to have a block of time put aside so you can just sit down and totally enjoy this novel. Take a break from the norm, time travel New Orleans style.
Great location, international intrigue; I know I left out a few things out here. This book is chock full of action and adventure from cover to cover, but why should I spoil anything? Give this novel a try, put it in your Goodreads –to read list at the very least. What are some of your favorite time travel novels?
What are you reading today? You can check us out and become our friend on Facebook & Goodreads. Suggest books for us to read and post on there, and follow on Twitter. Have a nice day and we will see you tomorrow
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Guest Post Avi Perry
Islam is Under Attack!...?
This is the official motivation for Shazhad’s attempted bombing of the Time Square area.
Unfortunately, this is not true… I wish it were!
Islam is not under attack. Nevertheless, we are under attack by Islam. Regrettably, our present government (including previous governments) keeps denying it. Our politicians may not realize it, but you can’t win if you don’t know who your enemy is…
It does not matter what we do, how nice we are, what we say to appease these sick-minded Islamic nuts. Their brain has been washed with the Hate detergent. It is impossible to set their minds on the truth, to have them reason logically. The only way to clean up the grease that clouds their thinking is to do exactly what they claim we already do—we must fight Islam. Let them be right. Let them be right.
A politically incorrect character (an FBI agent) in my book—72 Virgins, (www.aviperry.org) could not help it when responding to a law-abiding naïve character. He said, “Unfortunately 99% of all Muslims give a bad name to the rest…” Although his statement could be regarded as an exaggeration, he did make the point. (or shall I say, I made the point through him :o)).
Our politicians will have to seek the proper consequences from these late developments. We can’t do or say anything to make these Islamic Fanatics love us. They hate our freedom, our way of life, our liberated women, our democracy, our bacon and eggs in the morning, our music. But they love our money, and more than anything, they love to hate us. This fuel propels them to their power. They thrive on their loathing. Without it, they have nothing. Nothing! They are the true face of Islam.
They claim they kill FOR Allah. If that is so, then the only conclusion I can come up with—Allah is NOT God. Allah is The Angel of Death.
This is the official motivation for Shazhad’s attempted bombing of the Time Square area.
Unfortunately, this is not true… I wish it were!
Islam is not under attack. Nevertheless, we are under attack by Islam. Regrettably, our present government (including previous governments) keeps denying it. Our politicians may not realize it, but you can’t win if you don’t know who your enemy is…
It does not matter what we do, how nice we are, what we say to appease these sick-minded Islamic nuts. Their brain has been washed with the Hate detergent. It is impossible to set their minds on the truth, to have them reason logically. The only way to clean up the grease that clouds their thinking is to do exactly what they claim we already do—we must fight Islam. Let them be right. Let them be right.
A politically incorrect character (an FBI agent) in my book—72 Virgins, (www.aviperry.org) could not help it when responding to a law-abiding naïve character. He said, “Unfortunately 99% of all Muslims give a bad name to the rest…” Although his statement could be regarded as an exaggeration, he did make the point. (or shall I say, I made the point through him :o)).
Our politicians will have to seek the proper consequences from these late developments. We can’t do or say anything to make these Islamic Fanatics love us. They hate our freedom, our way of life, our liberated women, our democracy, our bacon and eggs in the morning, our music. But they love our money, and more than anything, they love to hate us. This fuel propels them to their power. They thrive on their loathing. Without it, they have nothing. Nothing! They are the true face of Islam.
They claim they kill FOR Allah. If that is so, then the only conclusion I can come up with—Allah is NOT God. Allah is The Angel of Death.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Avi Perry 72 Virgins
The attempted bombing last week in Times Square made me want to get into this novel even more. Avi Perry has put together a compelling plot that seems all too real, giving us an insight into the Jihadist mindset. The title as one would guess revolves around the Jihadist attitudes as to how and why they kill so many innocent people. They try to justify that in their minds, and use that as a way to get to their dream of paradise with Allah.
72 Virgins tells us the story of how the FBI & Mossad work to stop terror, how the Jihadists try to compartmentalize their operatives, the mindset of their sympathizers and their unwitting dupes. Perry puts together all the elements of a fast paced, compelling story that anyone with a sense of compassion for their fellow man would wonder why these people can continue to do what they do. The abject hatred of the jihadist is unnerving. Their disregard for the sanctity of life as we know it, whether for themselves or others, is totally irrational.
Avi Perry has a line on the back of the book that says it well “ makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you understand”. The book is all that and more. Current events at times are brutal; this novel helps put all the hard facts in the news in perspective. 72 Virgins is many things, it has suspense, good characters you care about, compassion, humility, insight, but above all it has relevance. As close to the truth as it is, I was glad to have read it. Avi Perry puts new perspective and insight into a very complex issue. What are you reading today?
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72 Virgins tells us the story of how the FBI & Mossad work to stop terror, how the Jihadists try to compartmentalize their operatives, the mindset of their sympathizers and their unwitting dupes. Perry puts together all the elements of a fast paced, compelling story that anyone with a sense of compassion for their fellow man would wonder why these people can continue to do what they do. The abject hatred of the jihadist is unnerving. Their disregard for the sanctity of life as we know it, whether for themselves or others, is totally irrational.
Avi Perry has a line on the back of the book that says it well “ makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you understand”. The book is all that and more. Current events at times are brutal; this novel helps put all the hard facts in the news in perspective. 72 Virgins is many things, it has suspense, good characters you care about, compassion, humility, insight, but above all it has relevance. As close to the truth as it is, I was glad to have read it. Avi Perry puts new perspective and insight into a very complex issue. What are you reading today?
Become our friend on Facebook, go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on, and follow us on Twitter. Thanks for checking in with us today and see you tomorrow.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Mark Greaney The Gray Man
The debut novel for Mark Greaney is nothing short of a grand slam. His main character, Court Gentry, is amazing. Court is a burned CIA operative that has been a contract killer for his handler at the “Network”. The back cover of the book has this blurb on it; ”To those that lurk in the shadows, he’s known as the Gray Man. He is a legend in the covert realm, moving from job to job, accomplishing the impossible and then fading away. And he always hits his target, always.”
Greaney fills his ethical assassin with an inordinate amount of humility, fortitude, perseverance, compassion, self sacrifice and a strong moral barometer. Yes he kills, but as Arnold Schwarzenegger said in True Lies, “But they were all bad.” This is a no holds barred action adventure from word one to the end. Thankfully the end is not near for Greaney/ Gentry. The second novel in the series, On Target is due to drop on September 28th. Mark Greaney just got back from spending three weeks in Mexico doing research for the third novel in the series, “ Ballistic”. On Target picks up with Court Gentry about 3 months after the end of The Gray Man. It takes place in Ireland, Russia and the Sudan. Other Gray Man news, the film option was sold last year and a screen writer has been attached to it. The screen writer is Adam Cozad. Cozad is also attached to the new Jack Ryan/Tom Clancy feature film that is starring Chris Pine (Captain James T. Kirk /Star Trek) and Brotherhood of the Rose, the classic David Morrell book.
Court Gentry’s story is unique and sad. He is a great character and it is going to be fun to see him grow and have more of his back story unfold. I think it will be neat to see who plays him in the movie and how that translates from the novel to the movie and vice versa for future novels. If you haven’t read this novel, don’t miss it. Get it in your Goodreads- to read- list and make sure it is at the top. Excitement and action will be coming at you hard and quick. You can’t ask for much more from a debut novel, Sept 28th can’t come fast enough.
What are you reading today? Become our friend on Facebook, suggest books for us to read and post on at Goodreads, and follow us on Twitter.
Greaney fills his ethical assassin with an inordinate amount of humility, fortitude, perseverance, compassion, self sacrifice and a strong moral barometer. Yes he kills, but as Arnold Schwarzenegger said in True Lies, “But they were all bad.” This is a no holds barred action adventure from word one to the end. Thankfully the end is not near for Greaney/ Gentry. The second novel in the series, On Target is due to drop on September 28th. Mark Greaney just got back from spending three weeks in Mexico doing research for the third novel in the series, “ Ballistic”. On Target picks up with Court Gentry about 3 months after the end of The Gray Man. It takes place in Ireland, Russia and the Sudan. Other Gray Man news, the film option was sold last year and a screen writer has been attached to it. The screen writer is Adam Cozad. Cozad is also attached to the new Jack Ryan/Tom Clancy feature film that is starring Chris Pine (Captain James T. Kirk /Star Trek) and Brotherhood of the Rose, the classic David Morrell book.
Court Gentry’s story is unique and sad. He is a great character and it is going to be fun to see him grow and have more of his back story unfold. I think it will be neat to see who plays him in the movie and how that translates from the novel to the movie and vice versa for future novels. If you haven’t read this novel, don’t miss it. Get it in your Goodreads- to read- list and make sure it is at the top. Excitement and action will be coming at you hard and quick. You can’t ask for much more from a debut novel, Sept 28th can’t come fast enough.
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Sunday, May 9, 2010
Blast from the Past Alex Berenson / John Wells
When I read the first Wells novel, The Faithful Spy, I had hoped that it would turn into a series so we could enjoy the growth of this wonderful character. Berenson has yet to disappoint us. The succeeding three have been excellent, some brilliant.
Two years after John Wells infiltrates al-Qaeda, the events of 9/11 call into question Wells’ loyalty if not his usefulness at all. He decides to stick it out and keep his head low, biding his time and continuing to burrow deeper, getting as close as possible to Osama bin Laden. During this time he sincerely converts to Islam. When he gets sent home to America, he is sent to take part in a clever and gruesome attack .
Berenson is a New York Times correspondent who has covered the occupation of Iraq. He crafts a great debut novel in The Faithful Spy, covering all the usual suspense bases and more. Wells is branded a traitor and must show all that he has sacrificed, as he is the only one that can now save us from what is about to unfold. Subsequent novels go on to take John Wells to new heights, as the character is fleshed out even more as we get into what makes Wells tick. Check out the John Wells novels, now a four pack. Berenson has put together strong, challenging scenarios, seemingly from today’s headlines. If you want to be challenged, have a good time with a compelling work of fiction. I suggest you pick up any one of the series. It is a can’t miss prop.
What are you reading today? Check us on Facebook and become our friend, suggest books for us to read and post on at Goodreads ( you can become our friend there also),and follow us on Twitter . See you tomorrow
Two years after John Wells infiltrates al-Qaeda, the events of 9/11 call into question Wells’ loyalty if not his usefulness at all. He decides to stick it out and keep his head low, biding his time and continuing to burrow deeper, getting as close as possible to Osama bin Laden. During this time he sincerely converts to Islam. When he gets sent home to America, he is sent to take part in a clever and gruesome attack .
Berenson is a New York Times correspondent who has covered the occupation of Iraq. He crafts a great debut novel in The Faithful Spy, covering all the usual suspense bases and more. Wells is branded a traitor and must show all that he has sacrificed, as he is the only one that can now save us from what is about to unfold. Subsequent novels go on to take John Wells to new heights, as the character is fleshed out even more as we get into what makes Wells tick. Check out the John Wells novels, now a four pack. Berenson has put together strong, challenging scenarios, seemingly from today’s headlines. If you want to be challenged, have a good time with a compelling work of fiction. I suggest you pick up any one of the series. It is a can’t miss prop.
What are you reading today? Check us on Facebook and become our friend, suggest books for us to read and post on at Goodreads ( you can become our friend there also),and follow us on Twitter . See you tomorrow
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Batman – The Wrath Mike Barr
To be honest I almost set this down as I was reading the first chapter. Not to be a hater, but I was not enjoying the artwork or the dialogue. The artwork on the cover was totally different then the artwork I was viewing as I read. Flipping ahead before I was going to put it down, I found out those things changed after the first chapter. It was just a flashback with grainy artwork to drive home the point. The rest of the graphic novel rocked.
Mike Barr put together a great story line that really brings together all the wonderful things Batman embodies. I don’t do spoilers and I am not going to start with this post. My point is that Barr basically put Batman in the position where he felt he was looking in the mirror. What he saw was what came out of his quintessential Batman: humility, service, protection, justice, self sacrifice, teamwork, compassion and a strong moral and ethical code.
This graphic novel was a lesson for me. I was glad I didn’t just cast it aside on a first impression. Barr, Golden and De Carlo put together an awesome piece. The Wrath was an arch nemesis of Batman’s I had not encountered before, but am glad I had the chance. What is your favorite Batman Villian?
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook, suggest graphic novels for us to read and post on Goodreads, follow us on Twitter
Mike Barr put together a great story line that really brings together all the wonderful things Batman embodies. I don’t do spoilers and I am not going to start with this post. My point is that Barr basically put Batman in the position where he felt he was looking in the mirror. What he saw was what came out of his quintessential Batman: humility, service, protection, justice, self sacrifice, teamwork, compassion and a strong moral and ethical code.
This graphic novel was a lesson for me. I was glad I didn’t just cast it aside on a first impression. Barr, Golden and De Carlo put together an awesome piece. The Wrath was an arch nemesis of Batman’s I had not encountered before, but am glad I had the chance. What is your favorite Batman Villian?
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook, suggest graphic novels for us to read and post on Goodreads, follow us on Twitter
Friday, May 7, 2010
Ultimate X-Men Ultimate Collection Ultimate War 1-4 Mark Millar
Happy Friday everybody! I am glad to say that that the week is not over here at the Scoop as we will be delivering two more posts this weekend, Saturday is Batman/ The Wrath and then Sunday is our Blast From The Past and that is going to be featuring Alex Berenson/ David Wells. ‘Nuff said.
Mark Millar is becoming one of my favorite comic writers. I know he is very popular and that is for a good reason. He has taken a tired story line, the usual X-Men against all the haters and people who misunderstand the mutants, and mutants hating the X-Men for protecting humans, and gives it a fresh approach. Bachalo/Townsend turned in artwork which is dazzling, nothing short of amazing. I even thought I saw a floating city ala Avatar. Ultimate X-men/Ultimate Collection/Ultimate War chapters 1-4 ( I think they could have shortened up the title a little) was enjoyable from beginning to end. When will this band of mutants be accepted? When will the government stop persecuting them for being different? Will anyone ever listen to Xavier besides his core group of X-men? How many more times will Magneto try to subjugate the world? I’m not sure, but it has been going on for almost 40 years and I hope it never stops. Who are your favorite X-Men?
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook, suggest graphic novels for us to read and post on at Goodreads, follow us on Twitter
Mark Millar is becoming one of my favorite comic writers. I know he is very popular and that is for a good reason. He has taken a tired story line, the usual X-Men against all the haters and people who misunderstand the mutants, and mutants hating the X-Men for protecting humans, and gives it a fresh approach. Bachalo/Townsend turned in artwork which is dazzling, nothing short of amazing. I even thought I saw a floating city ala Avatar. Ultimate X-men/Ultimate Collection/Ultimate War chapters 1-4 ( I think they could have shortened up the title a little) was enjoyable from beginning to end. When will this band of mutants be accepted? When will the government stop persecuting them for being different? Will anyone ever listen to Xavier besides his core group of X-men? How many more times will Magneto try to subjugate the world? I’m not sure, but it has been going on for almost 40 years and I hope it never stops. Who are your favorite X-Men?
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook, suggest graphic novels for us to read and post on at Goodreads, follow us on Twitter
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Illegal Paul Levine
Shortly, we will be approaching the 20th anniversary of Paul Levine’s first book release To Speak For The Dead, WHI CH WILL BE AVAILABLE NEXT MONTH AS AN E-BOOK FOR THE FIRST TIME To celebrate the occasion, we here at Gelati’s Scoop, will be doing a few things. Today, we will be posting on Illegal. In June, our first Blast from The Past will be on To Speak For The Dead and then Paul Levine himself will be guest posting in June. We here at the Scoop are very fortunate to have some very nice friends. Paul will be donating the proceeds of the Kindle release to HERSHEY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOR CHILDRENS CANCER TREATMENT, more on that and details to come.
Illegal was a different kind of novel for me- in a good way. Levine’s main character is in quite a pickle and he has put himself in that position for many reasons; none of them good. His moral compass and code are not really in line with the rest of us. That is why his life is the way it is.
The novel helps him find his center through a very unique set of circumstances and characters. Illegal has a nice pace to it-great characters, an excellent thought provoking plot line, humor, humility and the human condition.
I checked out his bio to see what makes Levine write such compelling work with an incredible amount of insight. This is what I found:
Levine is a former trial lawyer and an award winning author. Solomon vs. Lord was nominated for the Macavity award and the James Thurber prize. The Deep Blue Alibi was nominated for an Edgar & Kill all the Lawyers ( I love the title) was a finalist for the International Thrill Writers award. He has won the John D. Mac Donald award for his critically acclaimed Jake Lassiter series. He also wrote more than 20 episodes of the CBS hit series “JAG” and co created “First Monday” the Supreme Court show starring James Gardner. That is a mouthful even though I just typed it. Impressive resume to say the least.
Having read all this, one can understand how Paul Levine has been putting out quality novels time and time again. Great plots, characters that are complete and compelling and the gift of creating moving fiction that is relevant is the reason why he has been able to carve out his way over a 20 year period. What is your favorite Paul Levine Novel? Who is your favorite character?
What are you reading today? Check us out on Facebook and become our friend. Go to Goodreads and suggest a book for us to read. Feel free to tweet us and follow us on Twitter.
Illegal was a different kind of novel for me- in a good way. Levine’s main character is in quite a pickle and he has put himself in that position for many reasons; none of them good. His moral compass and code are not really in line with the rest of us. That is why his life is the way it is.
The novel helps him find his center through a very unique set of circumstances and characters. Illegal has a nice pace to it-great characters, an excellent thought provoking plot line, humor, humility and the human condition.
I checked out his bio to see what makes Levine write such compelling work with an incredible amount of insight. This is what I found:
Levine is a former trial lawyer and an award winning author. Solomon vs. Lord was nominated for the Macavity award and the James Thurber prize. The Deep Blue Alibi was nominated for an Edgar & Kill all the Lawyers ( I love the title) was a finalist for the International Thrill Writers award. He has won the John D. Mac Donald award for his critically acclaimed Jake Lassiter series. He also wrote more than 20 episodes of the CBS hit series “JAG” and co created “First Monday” the Supreme Court show starring James Gardner. That is a mouthful even though I just typed it. Impressive resume to say the least.
Having read all this, one can understand how Paul Levine has been putting out quality novels time and time again. Great plots, characters that are complete and compelling and the gift of creating moving fiction that is relevant is the reason why he has been able to carve out his way over a 20 year period. What is your favorite Paul Levine Novel? Who is your favorite character?
What are you reading today? Check us out on Facebook and become our friend. Go to Goodreads and suggest a book for us to read. Feel free to tweet us and follow us on Twitter.
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