Cold Fire

  tags: horror, mystery, romance, science fiction, suspense,



Book Description

Teacher Jim Ironheart, aptly named, is sent by forces unknown to save chosen people in life-threatening situations. By chance, a young but jaded reporter stumbles onto his missions, and joins him to investigate who is controlling him and why. Shared nightmares begin to point to an extraterrestrial influence, and the pair are forced to confront Ironheart's forgotten past for answers. Koontz, a master at maintaining mystery and suspense, weaves themes from earlier novels into this latest thriller. Even if the ending calls to mind DuMaurier and Hitchcock, Cold Fire contains all the ingredients--likable characters, nail-biting suspense, and above all, unlimited imagination--that will please Koontz's fans. For all popular collections. Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club main selection; Mystery Guild featured alternate; previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/90.-Eric W. Johnson, Teikyo Post Univ. Lib., Waterbury, Ct.Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This novel came out in 2004 but somehow it escaped my attention. It's now on Kindle and it is worth the 2 days I spent reading it; didn't even notice it's 448 pages long. The book is typical Koontz: horror, supernatural, sci-fi, suspense, humor, but with an unfamiliar addition of romance which actually is not a bad thing. Without the romance angle, there won't be a story IMHO.

Highly recommended to fans of mystery/horror/sci-fi genre. Don't forget to read the Afterword section; it is funny and entertaining as well.

To atheists, tree huggers, and the easily offended - stay away as there's plenty to get your knickers in a twist.

The Kabbalistic Murder Code

 tags: mystery, thriller

Book Description from Amazon 

The Kabbalistic Murder Code is an original and innovative Israeli thriller that was written for all those having an interest in Kabbalah. It incorporates two seemingly unconnected elements: a string of strange murders and the deciphering of ancient Kabbalistic texts, along with their hidden and mystical meanings.

A professor from Jerusalem, an expert in decoding ancient Hebrew manuscripts, is hired to carry out a mysterious task, one that sends him to three continents. He becomes entangled in a web of murders that leave him deeply puzzled. However, he quickly discovers that if he does not succeed in deciphering the enigmatic manuscripts, through his in-depth knowledge of Kabbalah, the lives of many people - including his own family - will be endangered.

Interwoven within this exciting tale are curious passages reviewing the many conquests that the city of Jerusalem has endured during its long history. Their relevance and significance become clear only at the end of the book.

I like
>Elijah, the ordinary looking University lecturer, decoder, P.I.?, and his wry sense of humor
>Seamless weaving of historical facts and fiction
>Fast paced; hard to put down
>Well defined characters and story
>The history of Jerusalem's conquerors as told by the author, Nathan Erez, is fascinating to read

My favorite sentence in the book

"Jerusalem is one stubborn city that refuses to roll over and die."

Legion

tags: science fiction, supernatural, fallen angels, thriller

There is a SyFy channel series called Dominion which is loosely based on the 2010 movie Legion. I wanted to start watching it since I'm a huge follower of Supernatural TV series and I love the Winchester brothers, the angel Castiel, and the demon Crowley. I decided to see the movie first to get an idea of what the TV series would be. Ugh. Total waste of eyeball use and I nearly hurt myself for the constant eyerolling. 

Not recommended unless you have a fetish for open mouth acting, if that can be called acting.

Jeep's mouth is always open in every scene and angle

The eyeroll rating is for the subpar acting  that every character is guilty of and for the atrocious dialog. Jeep really riled me with his lame, always open-mouthed, looking like a retard, character. He's a fruit and a weakling who can't even handle any weapon to protect himself or anyone else. And what kind of name is Jeep anyway? I was wishing he'll be the first to die. Alas! Never happened. 

Enemy

tags: psychological thriller, mystery

I watched the movie twice, the second viewing merely 2 hours after the first viewing ended. First time I ever did that. The ending was so bizarre I said out loud "What does it mean?" repeatedly to myself. It was very puzzling, I kept reviewing in my mind the whole movie then decided to watch it again. It's streaming on Amazon free for Prime members anyway, and I had time to kill that day.

The movie stars one of my all-time favorite actors, Jake Gyllenhaal, and directed by Canadian Denis Villeneuve who directed my favorite movie of 2013, Prisoners, also starring Jake. Enemy is in the NEEDS MULTIPLE VIEWING TO FULLY UNDERSTAND OR APPRECIATE category, just like another of my JG faves, Donnie Darko. Enemy requires the viewer's full attention, from the first scene to the last, from meaningful dialog to seemingly insignificant but important scenes. Jake did an excellent job portraying two characters and the actress who played his wife is equally great. Her dialog, acting, and facial expressions gave me all the clues to what is really going on with the story.

Highly recommended to viewers who love to over-analyze psychocolgical thrillers.

If you haven't seen the movie, stop reading here because the following contains spoilers.

Snowpiercer

tags: dystopian, mystery, thriller

A post-apocalyptic ice age forces humanity's last survivors aboard a globe-spanning super train. One man (Chris Evans) will risk everything to lead a revolt for control of the engine and the future of the world.

For full plot, click on Wikipedia: 

Snowpiercer is a 2013 South Korean science fiction action film based on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc Rochette. The film is directed by Bong Joon-ho, and written by Bong and Kelly Masterson. The film marks Bong's English-language debut; approximately 80% of the film was shot in English.The film stars Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Go Ah-sung, Jamie Bell, Ewen Bremner, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer, and Ed Harris. 

I've been waiting for this movie since December 2013 when I first saw the trailer because I'm a die-hard fan of both South Korean and dystopian post-apocalyptic movies. I wasn't disappointed in this movie and I love it. To describe it in a few words, it's 1984 aboard a perpetually moving train. It's dark, bloody, and people get killed nonstop which is what dystopian movies are supposed to be. I specially love the character of Tilda Swinton as comedy relief. And true to South Korean dramas there is a very short scene of a buff [always] shirtless guy about to take a shower.

Once again, the Weinstein Company tried to butcher the movie for the benefit of the supposed to be stupid American moviegoers. How condescending! They acquired the rights to the movie but the release in North America was delayed because "he's-no-Einstein" Harvey Weinstein wanted 20 minutes of footage be cut. The director refused and succeeded in getting the film released uncut. I think the movie is still currently playing in theaters and also streaming on Amazon.

Warchild Series Books 1 and 2

Book 1 Warchild: Pawn 

currently an Amazon Kindle freebie
237 pages

Book description

The world ended long before Caroline Mathers was born, but that doesn’t mean life stops for the fourteen-year-old army scout for the People’s Republic of Virginia. Abandoned by her parents, raised by her grandfather, she slinks through the forests surrounding her encampment, monitoring the woods for nomadic bands of criminals known as Republicons, all while keeping a watchful eye on her northern enemies from the Democratic Alliance. 

It’s a hard life, but a simple one, at least until the day Caroline hears the sound that everyone dreads: distant drums echoing throughout their quiet valley, pounding to the beat of the war rhythm. With some help from two unlikely allies, Caroline leads her people in a breathtaking retreat, praying they’ll find salvation in their capitol city. Along the way, haunting dreams may reveal a look into her mystifying past. 

The first book of the Warchild series is a powerful, coming of age, dystopian thriller full of fast-paced action, tragic choices, and the undeniable strength of the human bond. 

I read this first book in March of this year and loved it because I'm a dystopian sci-fi thriller junkie specially well-written and fast-paced ones like this series that grab you from the first sentence to the last.

Book 2 Warchild: Judas



Amazon Kindle and Paperback
264 pages

Book description

Hope alone can not win the war.

Caroline Mathers, Forward Scout of the People's Republic of Virginia, leads her people to safety after a harrowing escape through the Appalachian Mountains. But, the security of their capitol city won't last for long...maybe even less than a night. Old friends are left behind, while inside the walls, new alliances are formed and trust betrayed. 

Empowered by the strength of a massive army, their northern enemies suffocate the city outside the walls, preparing to take control of what they believe is rightfully theirs: citizen slaves. 
With the help of her fellow Kinder, Finn, and an ill-equipped group of volunteer soldiers, Caroline must defend her city to the last breath or watch her people marched away in chains.

The second book is even better than the first. It has brilliant action, unexpected turns, and surprising twists. The cliff-hanger ending is perfect. The book somehow reminds me of Tetsuo from the Japanese anime movie Akira and the American superhero-ish movie Chronicle.

Highly recommended for both YA and adult readers.

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Ernie Lindsey is quickly becoming one of my favorite indie authors. I currently have 9 of his books on my Kindle, only 2 short stories remain on the "to read" list and I'm eagerly awaiting the Warchild series book 3. Hurry up, Mr Lindsey!

3:00 AM

  tags: mystery, short story, Kindle freebie

3:00 AM by Nick Pirog
Goose Egg

Henry Bins has Henry Bins. A sleeping disorder, named after him. He is awake for one hour a day. He wakes up at 3 a.m. then falls asleep at 4 a.m. Life is simple. Until he hears the woman scream. And sees the man leave the house across the street. But not just any man. The President of the United States.

This 100-page short story is short on pretty much everything. It tries to be a murder mystery with a bit of humor and judging from the ending might have a glimpse of romance in a sequel. *dear God, please, no sequel!*

IMHO, the book failed. It is a ridiculous idea that a person can accomplish so many things during 1 hour of being awake from 3:00 AM - 4:00 AM. The main character Henry Bins jogs, exercises, takes a shower, eats, invests [in stocks] and manages his money on the internet, watches Game of Thrones, and then tries to solve a potential murder. Suspending disbelief is stretched to the limit. I'm okay with that if the author writes well and has a genuine sense of humor. Unfortunately the narrative is very juvenile as if written by a teenaged boy, and is peppered with profanity written IN CAPS. The author thinks he's funny and clever with Bins's "conversations" with the dead woman's cat. The book annoyed me. It's a total waste of 2 hours. Not recommended at all even if a very quick read and free from Amazon.

The City

 tags: family, friendships, mystery-crime, thriller

Book Synopsis

A young boy, a musical prodigy, discovering life’s wonders—and mortal dangers. His best friend, also a gifted musician, who will share his journey into destiny. His remarkable family, tested by the extremes of evil and bound by the depths of love . . . on a collision course with a band of killers about to unleash anarchy. And two unlikely allies, an everyday hero tempered by the past and a woman of mystery who holds the key to the future. 

These are the people of The City, a place where enchantment and malice entwine, courage and honor are found in the most unexpected quarters, and the way forward lies buried deep inside the heart. Brilliantly illumined by magic dark and light, their unforgettable story is a riveting, soul-stirring saga that speaks to everyone, a major milestone in the celebrated career of #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz and a dazzling realization of the evergreen dreams we all share. 

excerpts from Chapter 1

"My name is Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk. From as young as I can remember, I loved the city. Mine is a story of love reciprocated. It is the story of loss and hope, and of the strangeness that lies just beneath the surface tension of daily life, a strangeness infinite fathoms in depth.

But the city was as well a place of wonder, of magic dark and light, magic of which in my eventual life I had much experience, including one night when I died and woke and lived again."

Dean Koontz opens his new novel with beautiful prose and continues throughout until the very end. It's one of the reasons I love the book and why it is already on my favorite list.

At the present time, Jonah Kirk is a 57 year old accomplished musician. His friend Malcolm, also a musician, urged him that it's time to tell what happened from when he was barely 10 years old in the 60s (the bulk of the novel is set in the 60s). And what an amazing story he told not just about himself but also his family, neighbors, friends. 

Dean Koontz set the slow pace early on. This is not a typical Dean Koontz novel because normally when reading a new Dean Koontz thriller, I couldn't wait to finish within 2 days. Not this book. I read it slooowly to savor it like a fine chocolate candy bar. I read a few chapters, put it down to analyze what I just read, and continued reading the next day. I don't know why but I think it's to understand what Dean Koontz tried to convey in this novel. Probably this - "No matter what happens, no matter what, everything will be okay in the long run."

More noteworthy excerpts:

"After you have suffered great losses and known much pain, it is not cowardice to wish to live henceforth with a minimum of suffering. And one form of heroism, about which few if any films are made, is having the courage to live without bitterness when bitterness is justified, having the strength to persevere even when perseverance is unlikely to be rewarded, having the resolution to find profound meaning in life when it seems the most meaningless."

"Surrendering to fear can destroy your life. Indulgence to stubborn anger destroys it as well. But guilt, is no less a destroyer of lives. Fear can be overcome. You may let go of anger. And guilt can be forgiven."

*******************************************

The novel is written so vividly and the characters so well defined, it reads like a movie. If it becomes a movie adaptation, I hope the cast of protagonists will be similar to my fantasy cast. 

young Jonah Kirk - Terrell Ransom, Jr

adult Jonah Bledsoe - Denzel Washington

Jonah's mom Sylvia Bledsoe - Jennifer Hudson

Grandpa Teddy - Samuel L. Jackson
Miss Pearl - Stacey Dash

young Malcolm Pomerantz -  Preston Bailey

adult Malcolm Pomerantz - Bruce Willis or Tom Hanks

Amalia Pomerantz - Elle Fanning

Mr. Yoshioka - Tadanobu Asano

Mrs. Lorenzo - ?

The Grand Budapest Hotel

tags: comedy, farce

The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.

The movie was recommended by one of my favorite authors. I watched and liked at least 3 of director Wes Anderson's movies and had such high hopes for this one. It was a total letdown.

For a movie categorized as comedy, it never even produced a chuckle from me. Professional and armchair critics rave about its deadpan humor, great acting, and vivid colors but I beg to disagree. IMHO, the only good but not that good is the actor who played the younger Zero (half a star for him and half a star for some of the cinematography). Everybody else is horrible, and that include the numerous cameos of well-known actors. Adrien Brody, one of my favorite actors, wasted his enormous talent in this pretentious movie. Recommended only to masochists.

What I didn't like:
>plot is weak and pointless
>totally boring
>vulgar language and sexual images
>dead humor
>director tried his darnedest to be different and edgy but utterly failed
>colors came straight out of a Crayola box and executed by Kindergartners
>too many of the same scene shown over and over and portrayed by different actors in cameo [note to Wes: I'm a smart viewer; don't try to beat me over the head with Thor's hammer so you can employ as many actors as you possibly can. 

Romancing The Stone

tags: action-comedy-romance(ish) movie, rewinding the 80s

Synopsis

• Joan Wilder is a mousey writer of romance novels. She finds a package from her sister mailed from Colombia in her mailbox. A call from her sister tells her that she has been kidnapped and that bringing the package to Colombia is necessary for her safety and release. Being fairly clueless, she leaves for Colombia to rescue her sister. She is lost within hours of her arrival. She is nearly murdered by one of the men searching for the package when Jack Colton, a fairly low life American rescues her. They begin a journey through the jungle with bullets flying nearby. Is Joan up to all of this? What a way to find out.
  - Written by John Vogel 

This 1984 action-comedy movie is a lot of fun to see again reminding me that once upon a time Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas used to be sooo hot. Who could ever forget the mudslide scene and Juan and his Little Mule, Pepe. Good times. Good movie.

The movie is now streaming on Netflix and in HD on Amazon.