Apocalyptic Fiction

I recently completed the first book in Kim Stanley Robinson's Three California's trilogy.... The Wild Shore. Of course, I liked it a lot, which didn't surprise me as I generally like his stuff. It was written back in the early 80's and so uses one of the two most common devices used back then for ending the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI). Nuclear destruction and/or some sort of biological warfare on the human race. A list of post-apocalyptic books using one or the other of these devices makes for pretty good reading. You have, at the head of the class of course, Stephen King's The Stand, Earth Abides by George R. Stewart, Alas Babylon by Pat Frank, and Nevil Shute's On The Beach. Wikipedia has a marvelous discussion and description of the history of this genre of fiction.

Modern post-apocalyptic fiction authors have largely replaced nuclear destruction with environmental catastrophe as a device for ending civilization. Perhaps the most dramatic example of this is the blockbuster movie The Day After Tomorrow, which depending on your political views, you either loved or hated.

Juvenile fiction hasn't lagged in this genre. Scott Westerfeld has written an excellent trilogy for teens starting with the book titled Uglies. Scott skillfully combines a number of teen issues into his post-apocalyptic world (including some interesting environmental issues). Poking around his website provides some fascinating insight into many of these teen issues.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention a third plot device that has provided the fans of this genre with a number of marvelous books and movies. The idea of something from outer space, either an asteroid/comet hitting Earth, or aliens of one form or another invading Earth. The Day of the Tryffids by John Wyndham (movie and book), the movies Armageddon and Independance Day, and Lucifer's Hammer by Jerry Pournelle are all highly recommended and high on my favorites list.

Back to KSR's The Wild Shore. I can see the influence this series might have had on S.M. Stirling and his current books (Dies the Fire trilogy, Conquistador and The Sunrise Lands) portraying the world after some "event" that ends civilization as we know it. I think a large part of why these books appeal to me (and I'm certain this is true for many others) is the desire to live a simpler life. Technology has crowded our lives to the point of breaking.

but anyhow...that's a post for the future

February, the longest short month of the year

I've always disliked February. Growing up in NW Missouri, I've learned that one thing you can count on in February is cold. And usually some snow. Sometimes lots of snow.

I like snow on Christmas morning. And, like any schoolkid, I love getting out of school for snow. Beyond that... I've never been skiing, nor had any desire to. I take my kids sledding when they ask...but always a bit reluctantly. I just don't like being cold.

Needless to say I'm ready for spring. I drafted my first fantasy baseball squad yesterday (free yahoo fantasy baseball). I'm eternally optimistic about the KC Royals (tough job in the last decade or so). Baseball is my favorite sport, both to play (although I'm relegated to old man softball now) and to watch. Having coached high school baseball... February means preparing to start practice, always with the knowledge that you probably won't get to go outside much in the first week or two (and if you do it will be cold).

Of course, good things follow the month of February. March and it's basketball madness, April and the true beginning of spring, and then May and summer.

Super Bowl XLII (42)

Wow! What a great Super Bowl. You actually had to watch all the way to the end. It helps that I was rooting for the Giants and Eli Manning, I mean who wouldn't root for little brother? I really like the Mannings. They seem like the epitome of America and American values. The importance of hard work and family.

And of course, the Super Bowl, $3 million dollar ads. The dancing lizards, Doritos mouse, and talking baby topped my list of favorites.





And last and probably least, the game itself was very good. The Giants outplayed the Patriots, showed better preparation (guess Belichek couldn't get a camera into the Giants practice), more desire and heart, and all around better effort. I knew, I really did, that Randy Moss was not going to work for the Patriots. And he showed it... yes of course, he scored the go ahead touchdown with 4 minutes to go, but Randy was Randy for most of the game, not running his routes, alligator-arming passes thrown his way and invisible for 3/4's of the game.

And then you have your unlikely hero. David Tyree making the spectacular helmet catch of Mannings desperation throw with a minute to go in the game will go down in Super Bowl history.

January Reading Wrap-up

As we close out a snowy cold January, I've managed to finish a few books that I've enjoyed a lot. Have I mentioned that I keep track of my book collection on Librarything? I have not participated much in the discussions over there yet, but they look pretty lively.

Anyway, on to the book reviews...

My recent Patrick O'Brian post was inspired by the completion of H.M.S. Surprise, the third in his series. Jack Aubrey, given command of the H.M.S. Surprise, pulls off a rescue of his friend, Stephen Maturin, from a Spanish prison and they set sail for the far east. We get some anticipatory promises of closure to their respective love lives (one good and one bad), Jack finally clears his debt, and they both have some great adventures. Another satisfying tale in the series.

As I mentioned, O'Brian has a definite rival in Bernard Cornwall when it comes to writing Napoleonic era military fiction. Sharpe's Trafalgar has to have the best description of the Battle of Trafalgar that I've ever read. The battle scene lasted for some 100 pages, and I don't think I blinked as I read through them. (pictured above is The Battle of Trafalgar, as seen from the mizzen starboard shrouds of the Victory by J. M. W. Turner (oil on canvas, 1806–1808))

On the lighter side, I finished the third book in the Artemis Fowl series, The Eternity Code, by Eion Colfer. My son read through these last year and really liked them. They are a nice easy light read, and very enjoyable. Colfer's writing is similar to Jonothan Stroud's Bartimaeous trilogy in his tongue-in-cheek sarcasm and humor, and boys especially love Mulch Diggums, the dwarf because he... well, I won't ruin it for you.

Finally, I gritted my teeth and read the second book in Stephanie Meyer's vampire love triangle trilogy, titled New Moon. I say gritted my teeth because I read the first book (Twilight) on a recommendation by my wife and by many many students who absolutely loved it. I should've known better. Think teenaged Dark Shadows crossed with Lost (and here). To be fair, I enjoyed the second book a lot more than the first, mainly because the main vampire boyfriend wasn't really around very much. My 12 year-old daughter will like them I think. I have the third book, which I hope wraps things up a bit, on my shelf to read in February.

Why I'm Not An Entomologist

Cracked.com has an interesting and humorous article describing the 5 most horrifying bugs in the world. Pictured here is the Japanese Giant Hornet, that apparently, according to cracked, spits acid and is responsible for 40 deaths a year in Japan. Yuch!

There is some rough language, be warned...but in my opinion, a three-inch hornet that spits acid needs some special descriptors.

All things British

Patrick O'Brian (and here and here) wrote 20+ historical fiction books about the British navy during the Napoleonic wars. His books center on two main characters: Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. Aubrey is the dashing, hardheaded and hard drinking ship captain, while Maturin is the introspective, intellectual ship's surgeon and naturalist doubling as an undercover British agent.

Being a regular at any bookstore that happens to be within 30 miles, I had been aware of this series for a long time, but had never picked up the first book. Like a lot of others, my interest was piqued by the movie Master and Commander, and I broke down and bought the first book in the series. I've since completed the first three in the series, and once you get used to the nautical and British jargon, have found them to be very good. A contributor on the Chronicles forum has suggested reading Men-of-War, O'Brian's non-fiction historical perspective on the British admiralty to truly gain an appreciation on the subject and era.

Not to be outdone... Bernard Cornwell (here and here) stands as the primary author of British army historical fiction. Cornwell covers roughly the same era as O'Brian with his Sharpe's series, and while not nearly so jargonistic (is that a word?), the books are every bit as exciting and interesting. The BBC ran a series of 1 hour movies based on the novels starring Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe. I've ordered the first 2 from netflix.

Coup d'Etat

The wife was curious about this game. Found an image, and can see why it appealed to 10 year old me. Aside from the cool box cover, you can just barely see the little metal daggers (over on the left) that were used to keep score.

R.I.P. Bobby Fischer

I was 13 when Bobby Fischer defeated Boris Spassky for the world chess championship. My father taught me chess at about the same time and we followed the chess news with some interest. Fischer sank into paranoia and insanity in the following years and his memory of being perhaps the greatest chess player of all time will be forever tainted with his madness.

RIP Bobby and thanks for some of the greatest chess the world will ever see. Go here for my favorite Bobby Fischer match.

Board Game Geek

When I was growing up, I loved playing boardgames with my grandparents. We played Monopoly, Parcheesi, and a complicated card/board game called Coup d'Etat. I loved those evenings in my grandparents kitchen drinking soda and just being with them. I discovered Avalon Hill a few years later, and collected a number of games over the years (which I wish I still had). These "war" games never had my mother's approval, but I spent many many hours poring over the rules and setting up and playing these games.

Flash forward 30 years and I've rediscovered board games with my own children, and since boardgaming is experiencing a rennaissance, there's lots to choose from.

New (or merely new to us) games that the family is enjoying:
Carcassone (pictured) w/several addons
Ticket to Ride
Pirate's Cove
Bang! (cool western themed card game)
10 Days in the USA (mensa game that I'm not smart enough to play...but my kids love)

Birds in general

I've lived for 48 years with little but a passing interest in birds. Having an interest in nature and the outdoors, birds were really nothing more than another part of the scenery, to be enjoyed...

Until I went on a birdwatching walk with Mark McKeller. Mark is an expert on birds who is also an enthusiast about the hobby of birdwatching. That first walk, we didn't see many birds, a Carolina Wren and a Sharp-shinned Hawk was about all. I didn't even have binoculars so I couldn't really tell the hawk from any other flying bird. Anyhow, I've since purchased binos, several reference books (National Geographic is my favorite), and been on several more trips with Mark, and by myself. I took some students on a trip as an extra credit project for them. I've started a life list of birds (surely a sign of obsession if there is one).

Good places to see birds:
Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City Missouri
Otter Slough Conservation Area near Dexter Missouri