The Fall by Simon Mawer: Simon Mawer has given us a good novel, just not a great one. It can be electrifying and dizzying at one point and then detached and mired in its characters’ own lack of inertia the next. A more even novel would have been received better, but The Fall is still an enjoyable read that will leave you guessing the truth until the very end.

Forever by Pete Hamill: Pete Hamill’s endeavor was probably an impossible task. There is too much history, too many stories and interesting historical figures, to fit into one story of New York City. Cormac O’Connor fails to carry the story, and ultimately, the city is unable to carry it either. Pete Hamill’s love for the city is evident throughout this book, and those already steeped in its history may find this novel more enjoyable than others. I suspect most readers, though, will finish it with a dissatisfied thud unless they’ve tossed it aside long before they get there.

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner: With Freakonomics, Levitt and Dubner have given us a new way to look at our world. This is a short book, about 200 pages, and reads very quickly. As each story gleaned from the data unfolds, you’ll find yourself surprised, laughing, and reading passages aloud to someone else. It is like a treasure hunt, with little secrets unearthed that were there in plain sight much of the time. The authors have created a book that is both entertaining and educational. The last thing you should do, though, is take my word for it. Get a copy and find out for yourself.

Gazelle by Rikki Ducornet: Gazelle is ultimately a sad, but beautiful, book. Rikki Ducornet creates a vivid world of fragrance and sensuality, and the power those forces have on those caught in their spells. Like the magician of the story, though, it can be an empty power and just a delusion. Not even the ancient powers can control a heart and bring love where it’s not offered. Enjoy Gazelle for its adventure through the realms of sensuality and let the fragrance of this story waft to your mind. Rikki Ducornet casts a tantalizing spell.

Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon: While the usual thematic elements of good versus evil are played out in Gentlemen of the Road, there are no deep issues at work here. Michael Chabon has created a short, adventure novel (less than 200 pages) that delivers all the expected pleasures of the best of the genre, making Gentlemen of the Road a pleasureful way to pass an afternoon. It’s almost enough to make you wish you could read the further adventures of Zelikman and Amram, but perhaps that’s too much of a good thing. The morsel of temptation provided by Michael Chabon attains that desired effect – leave them wanting more.

Easter Island by Jennifer Vanderbes: Easter Island is a satisfying read that explores the mysteries of the human soul in the most isolated place in the world, the navel of the earth. Both Elsa and Greer find that searching for oneself can be fraught with peril, since no man, or woman, is an island.

Islands of Silence by Martin Booth: The chapters in this novel alternate between the present-day Alec and his story as a young man, striking out on his own as an archaeologist in 1914. The elder Alec tells of the discipline necessary to maintain his silence, the kindly doctor who wants to draw Alec out of his shell, his dreams that content or frighten him, and the horrors and evil he has seen in the past. He is a man most certainly sane, lucid in his thoughts, and convinced of the nature of evil that exists outside of his controlled environment.

The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard: All this makes The Great Fire an easy book to put down, and difficult to read at times. Ultimately, there’s little invested in the characters besides some gentle interest as to how each of their stories would play out. The plot, whether it be the love story or the different reactions by each character to the postwar world, is slight and never consuming. Others may be able to look past these shortcomings and indulge themselves in the fine literary qualities presented in this novel, and enjoy it much more than I did. For me, it was like going to a movie or a play where the scenery was perfectly captured, the costumes entertaining and optimally chosen for each character, and the acting brilliant, except they forgot to wrap it around an engaging story. Perhaps sitting back and enjoying the presentation can be an enjoyable experience, if you can live without the story. The Great Fire, despite its praise and award, was a disappointing book because of its inability to foster much interest in the lives of the people within it.

Annette Lybacki hopes that you found this piece helpful and invites you to read her articles on Do You Need a DUI Lawyer? for some Hints and Tips on DUI Lawyers.

Against Love by Laura Kipnis: Despite its tedious reading at times and over-the-top generalizations, Ms. Kipnis has achieved her goal which she states at the beginning: “it’s just supposed to shake things up and rattle a few convictions.” Reading this book will force you to think about the relationships in your life. You may not agree with her arguments or assertions, but you can’t deny that she’s engendered new thoughts about beliefs you probably hold dear. As a polemic, Against Love succeeds in providing a conviction-rattling read.

The Clearing by Tim Gautreaux: The Clearing is a tour de force for a new voice in American literature. Tim Gautreaux has written a novel that not only deals with the big ideas, but also with the little, yet important, things that make up human life. In a story that brims with violence in a world threatening to spin out of control, he has written a love story. Randolph’s love for his brother, and for his wife, is the shining light that leads to deliverance. The Clearing is not a novel you soon forget.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell: Should you read Cloud Atlas? If you appreciate literary fiction, then this is a novel you should read at least once. Maybe more. It will challenge you, intimidate you, frustrate you, and dare you to think about the important questions it raises. It may not, however, grab you and pull you along with its storylines. That doesn’t necessarily detract from its importance or its brilliance. David Mitchell may be more intelligent than the rest of us, and he has some interesting and important ideas he wants to explore with his readers. Read Cloud Atlas.

The Athenian Murders by Jose Carlos Somoza: Jose Carlos Somoza does a wonderful job weaving all of this together, keeping all the mysteries beguiling as they begin to wrap themselves around each other. The reader hopes that Heracles finds the key to his murder investigation as well as hoping the translator finds the key within the story. The philosophical arguments between Heracles and Diagoras (as well as others at Plato’s Academy) become tiresome at points, yet within in them Somoza hides the key that brings everything together. The story, or stories actually, come to a surprising and satisfying conclusion, leaving no doubt as to the mastery of Somoza’s storytelling. As with all good mysteries, all the pieces fall into place in hindsight once the book comes to an end. Unpredictable, intelligent, and a tour guide through ancient Greece, The Athenian Murders is different from anything else you might read, and in the end, you’ll be glad it is.

Bangkok 8 by John Burdett: John Burdett has perfectly captured a sense of place that is so ultimately foreign to most of us and made it seem familiar. Even his mixture of different ethnicities, Thai, Khmer, Karen, Lao, Chinese, Russian, Burmese, and Siberian, gives this novel a feeling of the larger world outside the U.S. that we consistently ignore. Sonchai Jitpleecheep is our travel guide, daring us to think differently and inviting us to enjoy his home. Feel free to lose yourself within Bangkok 8 and enjoy your visit abroad. It’s time well-spent. Bangkok 8 is one of those novels you finish with a smile on your face and warmth in your heart for a story, and a place, that is well told and satisfying.

The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber: The Book of Air and Shadows never seems to take itself too seriously, which adds to its enjoyment. Michael Gruber has delivered a novel where he hides universal truths among the treasure hunt. The result is much more fun than the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Perhaps that’s his next novel.

Bangkok Tattoo by John Burdett: You might think Bangkok Tattoo suffers from a sophomore slump, and it does it some ways. While it doesn’t live up to the level set by Bangkok 8, it’s still an enjoyable book with plenty of wry observations from Sonchai and a wild journey through a world so few of us know. Can you enjoy Bangkok Tattoo without reading Bangkok 8? Probably, although I’d suggest reading Bangkok 8 first, for no other reason than it’s a great book on its own that will thrill you with its introduction to Sonchai’s world. Any time spent with Sonchai Jitpleecheep is sure to bring a smile, and Bangkok Tattoo surely fits that bill.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay: Ultimately, this is a novel that has more going for it than against it. Dexter is an enjoyable sociopath and the mystery he must solve is a complex and interesting one. Darkly Dreaming Dexter never loses its pace or suspense and contains enough humor and insights to be an engaging novel. Each reader should decide beforehand whether the reservations I’ve mentioned above would detract from their enjoyment of Jeff Lindsay’s mystery, because he’s now working on his second Dexter book.

Annette Lybacki hopes that you found this piece helpful and invites you to read her articles on The 411 on Annuity Loans for some Hints and Tips on Annuity Loans.

There is nothing more relaxing than finding a good book to read. Suspense fiction books are easy to get lost in and a good one will have you turning pages all night until it is finished. A good book will be one where the story keeps you guessing until the very end.

There is nothing like a book filled with suspense and wonder unlike a non- fiction the characters in fiction are made up so they could be anyone the author intends. They can be a vicious and cruel as the imagination of the writer. If you think you have what it takes to write a good page turner why not start one. All it would take is a great imagination and some thought as to how the character should become as real to the reader as to you the writer.

If you are just considering writing as a hobby, you can take your time. Start off slow and let it happen as it does. You do not have to rush out and write the best seller in a day. Read the following pointers and let your imagination do the rest.

Start with a general idea of where you want your story to take place. Choose a place that you were afraid of as a child and build on that. Make it a place that will be predominant through out the story. It could take place in a town early in the story and develop into returning later. Just remember your childhood fears and make them adult fears.

The character is the next step. It is best to have a few main characters that interact through out the story. Remember there are also a good guy and a bad guy and many others in between. Make your characters come to life by describing them in full detail. Include their hair color, eye color and even what they are wearing if necessary. They point is to make them appear real. If the reader can picture the way they look they will come to life.

Make your scenes come alive. The more suspense you add and the more realistic you make them appear the more suspense the reader will feel. A great suspense is when you think you know who did it and why only to get to the next chapter and find out you were totally wrong.

The ending should be an “oh my” ending. One that will make the reader afraid to sleep with the lights out. The best inspiration can be found in other books. Do not by any means copy someone else works, but if you are stumped on ideas for places for example, read some great works and see how the author brings their town or destination to life. Get a feel for how the characters come to life and develop your own ideas in your imagination.

Often times the words will come to you when you are trying the least. If you have an idea of where you want your story to take place or simply the type of character you want to create, the rest will come. Try to not over think your idea. Your imagination is a powerful tool, let it go and write the words as you think of them. If you have to delete and rewrite, you will still have a general starting point. Suspense fiction books are imaginations coming to life in print. You can imagine your character as horrifying as you want and you can put them in any town, house or site. They are your imagination; let them be whoever you want.

Looking to find the best deal on suspense fiction books, then visit www.dennisclarknovels.com to find the best advice on suspense novels for you.

categories: books, reading, writing, hobbies, book reviews, arts, entertainment, politics, war

Geoff Emerick’s Here, There, and Everywhere is maybe my favorite Beatles related book. Why? Because it offers such an interesting and lifelike perspective on recording The Beatles legendary albums such as 1967’s Magical Mystery Tour.

I like that the book is targeted on what was going on within the studio rather than what John, Paul, George, & Ringo were doing in their personal lives. In comparison other books on The Beatles are too focused on the biography of The Beatles and not enough on the music. It’s because of their albums that anyone is concerned about their biography.

The book isn’t entirely about The Beatles, it’s more of a Geoff Emerick memoir (with an obvious focus on his time working with The Beatles) but if you think that may make it less interesting, I really do not think that is true. I actually believe it helps make his interactions with The Beatles seem more “real.”

The book’s “realness” is one of the greatest things about it. I have read a lot of books on the band but many of them seem quite clinical in comparison. Like a bunch of facts pieced together. With this book I really felt like I was there at Abbey Road in the 1960s. Sort of a fly on the wall, taking it all in.

This book provides a great look into The Beatles as musicians. We get a glimpse at McCartney working for hours in the studio to get his bass guitar parts just right and we see Harrison greatly improve his guitar playing abilities through the decade.

Emerick was a very vital part of the band’s sound throughout their most creative period. Incredibly on his initial full day as lead engineer he came up with concepts which helped make the last track on Revolver, “Tomorrow Never Knows,” sound so amazing.

If you are interested in shopping for this book you aren’t stuck with shopping for it on old fashioned paper, you’ll also buy it for your Kindle. If you do not have a Kindle yet then I suggest buying the 9.7″ Kindle DX because of it’s greater size, it makes it far easier to read. If you live outside of the United States, you will need to purchase a Global Wireless Kindle.

As much as I like reading about The Beatles, I love listening to their albums even more than that. I think it is a great idea to have the new Beatles remasters available to listen to while you are reading through this great book. In particular I recommend getting The Beatles in Mono CD Box Set because Emerick mentions several times in the book how he thinks the mono mixes are superior (especially Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.)

Harold Maxwell Quesenberry also thinks you should get The Beatles USB and The Beatles Remastered Vinyl (when it comes out.)

categories: Geoff Emerick,Books,Book Reviews,The Beatles,Music

For anyone suffering the loss of a limb they will have experienced the gamut of human emotion. Yet when gifted Scottish author and military historian Ian Colquhoun suffered the loss of two limbs, his legs, in a vicious attack he said it was the best thing to happen to him.

After going through in excess of 20 operations, being near to death so many times and suffering first degree burns you would not expect anyone to be grateful of what happened to them. Believed to be near to death, Ian was administered the Last Rites on no less than occasions! Many online news reports of his plight prompted multiple-thousands to send their prayers for his revival.

Recalling the attack he says, “I had found work in a warehouse in Dundalk, in Eire, had just met a new girlfriend and I was enjoying playing football for a local team. I had not long moved from my birth place of Scotland, everything looked rosy for me. Then in the Christmas period I went with my girlfriend to a local party at a house nearby to where I was staying. I had fallen asleep on the couch and awoke to the room being ransacked by strangers. Next thing I know is I was clobbered over the head and woke up seven weeks later!”

The road to recovery has been a long personal battle where Ian even considered suicide a number of times. Having little prospect of working in a ‘normal’ 9-5 job made Ian consider other occupations. He had an interest in military history since a child and decided to embark on a writing career. Although he had no experience of writing, he penned two books which were accepted for publication. Furthering his interests even more, Ian took up an opportunity to become a movie stuntman. He would later find that his loss of limbs would actually be an advantage to some of the roles he was offered to play. Sadly the Irish authorities did not deem his circumstances strong enough to warrant a compensation payout, and no one has been brought to justice for the attack.

Ian’s attackers torched the room and fled, leaving warehouseman Ian unconscious and lying on the smouldering and highly inflammable couch. Now years later he has miraculously transformed his life. In all he spent nearly a year in hospital following the incident, and he was wheelchair-bound for two and a half years before eventually being able to wear artificial legs. That is when everything changed. It spurred him on to walk again. He still needed operations to save his knee. And if it couldn’t be saved, he’d be in a wheelchair for life!

After appearing on the UK’s ‘Richard And Judy Show’ and having his book “Burnt” reviewed as ‘well written’ by Richard Madeley, Ian went on to star as a stuntman in a big screen movie ‘Ocean Of Fear’ as a wounded sailor. The film is about the USS Indianapolis, a US navy cruiser that was sunk in Guam in’45.

Now looking back on his hospital stay Ian Colquhoun says, “It was scary – I was covered in bandages and they told me about my legs. Thinking it was a nightmare I thought I could feel my legs. I was sure I had my trainers on, I thought they were just winding me up. All I could think was, ‘Oh no, my life’s screwed up now. I won’t be able to walk again, play football or be able to go out on the pull.’ I thought to myself that I would be better off dead. Now after years of operations and physiotherapy I’d not recommend this as a lifestyle change, but if I hadn’t lost my legs then none of these opportunities that have arisen would never have come my way. The one thing I keep telling myself is that my life has changed for the better and that losing my legs was the best thing to happen to me.”

Ian wrote his autobiography “Burnt” in the hope that it will inspire those that have undergone amputations. He hopes it shows those who are devastated by such a loss that their life has not come to an abrupt ending because of this. If Ian can become a stuntman without legs to stand on then there is hope for anyone who has endured such a calamity.

Author, historian and double leg amputee Ian Colquhoun is a strength to all. See his sensationalstory here in his autobiography “Burnt”.

categories: self-help,true stories,endurance and survival,coping with problems,motivational,health and family,book reviews

I love The Beatles and I love reading so as you can imagine, I have read a lot of books about The Beatles and their music. I really couldn’t count how many I’ve read actually. What follows in this article are the seven books on The Beatles that most stand out in my memory and that I recommend to my fellow Beatles fanatics.

The Beatles as Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul – If you’re really into music at a deep level like I am then you will love this book. On the other hand if music theory scares you then you will probably find this book to be way too much for you to handle.

The Beatles as Musicians: Revolver through the Anthology – This is my favorite of the two “Beatles as Musicians” books as I think this era includes The Beatles most interesting music.

Tell Me Why – This book includes an essay on every song The Beatles released during their career in the 1960s. There’s some factual information in here along with some opinions. I don’t always agree with the opinions, but they are an interesting jumping off point for a debate (even if the debate is entirely in my head!)

The Beatles Complete Scores – The ultimate tool for any musicians who wants to learn how to play The Beatles music. It’s also a recommended companion piece to The Beatles as Musicians book set. It can help you to study The Beatles music along with Walter Everett.

Lennon Revealed – I think I’ve probably read 4 or 5 books on John Lennon but I can’t really remember any of them clearly except this one. This is a great book that really makes you feel like you’re there with John.

Here, There, … Everywhere: My Life Recording The Beatles – I think this book may be, in some ways, the most revealing book about The Beatles I’ve read. For everything I had read about the band and about their music before I read this book this year, I found out a lot more about them that I had never really known before. This book made me feel like I was there in the studio with the band, experiencing the recording of their timeless music first hand!

Recording The Beatles – This massive book cost me $100 but I think it was worth the cost! The amount of detail on the gear The Beatles used to record their music (and how they used that gear) is amazing. This is definitely a book for those really serious about music (really it’s aimed at those who record music themselves.)

Most of these Beatles books are available for download for the Global Kindle.

categories: Beatles Books,Music Books,Books on The Beatles,The Beatles,Book Reviews,Music

Here is a list of the ten best pen and paper roleplaying games of all-time. Although there is no scientific way to prove the ‘best RPG games’ ever, this list takes into account the overall popularity of pen and paper roleplaying games since the industry was first created.

10 – Gamma World – It’s a post-apocalyptic game, but not in the style of Mad Max. This game fit more into the style of a science fantasy game. You could play all sorts of random mutant creatures, in addition to playing people that were mostly normal.

9 – Vampire the Masquerade – The first in a long line of products from White Wolf where you played the role of ‘the bad guy’. This game explored what it was like to be a vampire in the modern world and lead the way for products such as Werewolf, Mage, Changeling, Wraith, and many other great games.

8 – RuneQuest – Although not as popular as it used to be, RuneQuest is commonly considered by fans as one of the ‘original’ fantasy roleplaying games. It was created in the same genre as Dungeons … Dragons and Tunnels … Trolls, but with a slightly different campaign setting and game system.

7 – Champions – Although it may no longer be the most popular comic-themed roleplaying game ever, this game has been around a long time since it was first published in 1981. The game set the stage for many other comic book and super hero related roleplaying games.

6 – Tunnels … Trolls – Right after D…D was T…T. Tunnels … Trolls was the second roleplaying game ever created. The game was created as an alternate, and hopefully easier to play, version of Dungeons … Dragons.

5 – GURPs – With the Generic Universal RolePlaying System (GURPs), you can create a game for any setting. You use the GURPs system and find a sourcebook that has the campaign type you like. Once you do that, you’re pretty much ready to rock.

4 – Star Wars – This is definitely the most well-known space opera setting of all time, and some may argue the best of all time. However, the debate will continue on about which is the best edition, d6, d20, or Saga Edition.

3 – Traveller – Although not the most famous space opera setting (See #4), it is the ‘original’ space opera setting for pen and paper roleplaying games. Traveller was first published in 1977 by Game Designers’ Workshop, but has been printed by other companies since then. It still remains one of the longest running and best RPG games of all time.

2 – Call of Cthulhu – The only horror-based roleplaying game on the list. The campaign setting comes from the terrifying work of author H.P. Lovecraft. The roleplaying version has seen many different companies build the game under different systems. But they all share the one same element, horror.

1 – Dungeons … Dragons – The most famous pen and paper roleplaying game of all time. This fantasy game still dominates the market with all of its various incarnations, from the original D…D to 4th Edition. D…D creators Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson are legends in the industry, just as the game itself is.

Some people may disagree with the overall placement of some of these games. Others may ask why certain games are even on here. Why haven’t other games been included, like Shadowrun, Robotech, Palladium Fantasy, Rifts, or many newer games? Well, they weren’t. This list was created by veteran gamers and apparently they had a little nostalgia in them. So what do you think of the list?

Hans Verbeck writes about RPGs and the Best RPG Games.

categories: Book Reviews,Product Reviews,Book Releases,Best Family Games,Roleplaying Games,Computer Games,Computer Gaming,Video Games,Roleplaying,Books,Reviews,Games,Recreation,Leisure

All of us may be familiar about the supposed end of the world. The Mayans, Egyptians, Nostradamus, the Book of Revelation, and even other world religions have all predicted that doomsday will eventually occur. Even the Bible points to a war of good and evil preceding the end of days. Christ’s followers will do battle with the legions of Satan. Whoever wins will seize the earth and all of its inhabitants.

Some scientists have predicted that a galactic alignment shall occur on December 21, 2012, which will mark the end of the world. December 21, 2012 the end of mankind.

However, December 21, 2012 is probably not going to be Armageddon like what the media led us into believing. In fact, the Mayans really believed that December 21, 2012 would actually be more of a transition phase, pointing to a new period in time. They never predicted it to actually be the end of the world, but the beginning of a new age. They said that eventually mankind would have to change and continue to adapt naturally to the world climate.

Another theory is that mankind will enter the seventh day of creation or the Sabbath Rest. The Creation Story points out that God created the heavens and the earth in six days, and rested on the seventh day. According to theologists, God’s day is equivalent to 26,000 human years. It is believed that December 21, 2012 is the seventh day or the day of rest. It will begin a season of peace for mankind. Evil and sickness will be erased and Christ will return to lead his people. Some even believe that the dead will return and join the living on that peaceful day.

It’s 2009, and the year 2012 is fast approaching. Whether or not it will be the end of the world, what is important is that we make what remains of our lives happy and satisfying.

This author writes about December 2012 Doomsday at 2012 Official Countdown

categories: 2012 Official Countdown,december 2012 doomsday,december 21,2012 the end,James Michael Sayer,book reviews,december 21,2012 end of the world,december 21 mayan calendar,end of the world,religion,spirtiuatlity,sales