Sunday, July 31, 2016

Dark Matter



Dark Matter is an extremely captivating read that combines the thriller and science fiction genre. The author, Blake Crouch keeps the reader engaged throughout the story. The plot is extremely taut and very unpredictable. The characters are very well developed, and it feels like you're in the midst of the action. What I liked about the book though, is that it makes you think. The story presents many scientific and philosophical themes, to which there are no right or wrong answers. Despite that, the writing is extremely fluid and dynamic. I certainly hope that Blake Crouch will write more thrilling novels like Dark Matter.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Entertaining and Fascinating History



Most American high school students learned about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Louisiana Purchase and Thomas Jefferson's role in it from dry boring textbooks that basically rehashed the "what, where, when, how, and why" and offered very little in terms of living history, that is most of them did not offer the perspective of the key players as well as ordinary people. Julie M. Fenster's book Jefferson's America however turns the tables. Her book is very meticulously researched with a notes page and a bibliography to direct the reader to primary as well as secondary sources. Unlike the dry history tomes, however, Fenster masterfully weaves in the perspectives of major as well as minor figures of that time. Her writing is very entertaining and even humorous at times.

I would highly recommend Jefferson's America to history buffs, high school and college students to supplement their required class reading in order to gain a better and deeper understanding of the context as well as to the general reader to expand their horizons.

Disclaimer; I received a free copy of the book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.


Monday, July 18, 2016

Street of Eternal Happiness





Rob Schmitz's book Street of Eternal Happiness tells about a street that cuts through the center of Shanghai, China. Focusing on this particular street, the author tells his story through the eyes of its residents and their varied views and opinions on modern China. The author's perspective is quite unique. He uses the microscopic model (the street) to take a glimpse at the macroscopic model (China as a whole and its place on the world stage). This model allows the reader to relate to and empathize with the various characters in his book.

Reading the book was a breeze, as the author uses entertaining prose in order to bring the book to life.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

I Am No One



Patrick Flannery's debut novel I Am No One presents a stark reality that we all face today: mass surveillance of ordinary citizens under the guise of national security. The book's protagonist, American-born Jeremy O'Keefe, who has been living in England returns to the United States after being hired by NYU as a professor of German history. However, things take a strange turn when shortly after he is settled, mysterious packages begin arriving at his doorstep containing all of his online activity. O'Keefe is being watched by Big Brother!

I Am No One shows how even the least exciting people who live very ordinary lives and have nothing to do with terrorism whatsoever can become objects of surveillance. The book also shows that surveillance is not limited to totalitarian societies, and can be freely used in Western democracies.

Granted, I found the book to be quite an interesting read. I found the writing to be a bit dry and the plot had little suspense, but these shortcomings were compensated by excellent character development in which the reader gets an introspection into the narrator's mind.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

Friday, July 1, 2016

The Apache Wars




Paul Andrew Hutton presents a detailed account of the longest war in American history which lasted from 1861 to 1890. The Apache Wars is an exhaustive military history of the war which was precipitated by the Apaches' kidnapping of a mixed Mexican-Irish boy named Felix Ward, who was renamed Mickey Free by the Apaches. The rest of the book deals with the various military campaigns into Indian territory in order to get him back.

The Apache Wars reads like a historical thriller. Hutton presents vivid historical details and  he definitely knows how to engage the reader. His account of the war is very well-researched and enthralling and it definitely shows throughout the book. Reading his account, the reader feels like they are right there in the middle of the action.

I would definitely recommend this book to any history and military buff.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book through Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.