Review: Viking Dead - Toby Venables

Title - Viking Dead

Author - Toby Venables 

Year - 2011

Stand Alone or Series - Stand Alone

Pages - 316

Reading Time - January 2012

Synopsis

976 AD – Northern Europe. BjÓlf and the viking crew of the ship Hrafn flee up an unknown river after a bitter battle, only to find themselves in a bleak land of pestilence. The dead don’t lie down, but become what the villagers call draugr – the undead – returning to feed on the flesh of their kin. Terrible stories are told of a dark castle in a hidden fjord, and of black ships that come raiding with invincible draugr berserkers. And no sooner has BjÓlf resolved to leave, than the black ships appear... Now stranded, his men cursed by the contagion of walking death, BjÓlf has one choice: fight his way through a forest teeming with zombies, invade the castle and find the secret of the horrific condition – or submit to an eternity of shambling, soulless undeath!

Review

The Setting: Northern Europe. The Time: Dark Ages. The Participants: Vikings vs Draugr(Zombies). What can go wrong? 

Bjolf and his Viking crew attack a village only to find it destroyed by another Viking party. As they flee they arrive at a strange place (also in the north) but with strange rituals. There they must battle not only other viking but also undead viking. The ending was fitting to the tale and leave an open door to a sequel if the author needs to return. 

The characters are likeable and as we learn more about them we familiarize not only with Viking way but also the other and most numerous northmen that live in those lands. Vikings were the invading parties that set to plunder and conquest. The other northern had nothing to do with them. As the real vikings also this band is composed mostly by nothern man but also people from other lands. British residents , Rus, Sammi. Pretty much anyone who wanted to join. 

The Draugr were a really legend from the northern man and so it was interesting to see them in a book. The way they came to being was also innovative because The ending as I said was good but at the same time dissapointing. The zombies were made by people from the future. Time Machines and such. But that didn't prevent me to enjoy the tale and that's what's important. 

The short chapters make the story flow and action, history lessons, beasts and landscapes fill the pages.  Another criticism was the way he used the characters. Some characteres enrich the setting but in the end most of them were forgotten.  I would suggest to anyone who enjoys zombies, vikings and action centered books.

Book Review: Crucible of War - Anthology

Title - Crucible of War

Author - Anthology 

Year - 2003

Stand Alone or Series - 40K anthology (10 short stories)

Pages - 283

Reading Time - February 2012

"All of creation suffers, young ones. Only in accepting our own mortality can we make a difference. Only in bearing the burden of our failures can we find the strength to go on. Only in detachment from glory, or honour, or jealousy... from life itself can we hope to spare others from grief. We are Doom Eagles. And we are dead already." -- Librarian Secundus Thryn of the Doom Eagles

So here we go again. Another review about a book that nobody reads.  With 10 short stories it was a good anthology. One or two weak stories but the rest were quite good. 

My favourite story set on 40k is here. No doubt about it. I would reccommend this book for that tale alone. Elphaba probably it's going to be the first story I will make you read in english ;) 

Liberation Day - Matthew Farrer & Edward Rusk - Great tale about liberty as value of morale. And sometimes that word means slavery. This tale as a good twist in the end and as I said before sometimes the Liberation day is not what you would expect. 6.5/10 

The Curiosity - Dan Abnett - A beautiful crafted story by the best writer in 40k (imho). After seven years cataloging the fauna of his world Magos Biologis Drusher is finally done but the rumour of a new animal on the country side makes him curious. A predator for that matter, that he never seen before makes all his work unreliable so he must search and catalog it. As he arrives at the town he learns that this beast is unlike all native fauna he knows. So he must do anything to quench is curiosity and ultimately save the village and his life. It was one of those tales that you felt right at home. Beautifully written as all the tales by Abnett are. Great characters and a gem. If not by "On Mournful Wings" this would be my favourite. 9.5/10 

Payback - Graham McNeill - It's a tale in a world where mutants have their own part of the city (of course slums) and a criminal wants to make a quick cash but other crimelords are not that happy. This is another story that could have fit anywhere. Few references that's a 40k world. One of the weakest in my opinion of this anthology. It's strange since I usually enjoy McNeill stories. 4/10 

The Emperor's Will - David Charters - is one of those story about Space Marines that made me think of them not as of blind crusaders but as a resourseful guys who know there's a time for brute force and a time to "negotiate". Excelent story. Another great perpective. Strangely enough this writter never wrote anything else for BL. 7.5/10 

Fight or Flight - Sandy Mitchell (Ciaphas Cain story) - This was the tale about Ciaphas Cain first taste of battle and Jurgen smell (eheh). A nice tale and one that should make anyone interested in reading more of his tales. Sandy Mitchell created here a nice "hero" and a kind-of comic vision of 40k. 8.5/10 

On Mournful Wings - Si Spurrier - This is one of those tales that I try to read every year. Sometimes even more. It's one of those tales that you read and you know "ok this will belong to me until a I die. I identify with this and I will cherish forever". It's not the best written story in the world, nor is going to win a Pullitzer but the characters, the adversarity, the quest, the space marines. Everything makes sense. Doom Eagles are the most intriguing chapter on 40k. There is no doubt in my mind. One of the best stories I've ever read in my life. A story that make me think and really changed me. We are Doom Eagles and We are already dead. 11/10 

Backcloth for a Crown Additional - Dan Abnett (A Eisenhorn Tale) - I didn't read the story because I only want to read after starting to read the Eisenhorn trilogy. 

Firestarter - Jonathan Green - A tale that reminds me of a tale I read in a Necromunda anthology. A mutant (?) that gets it's power because of a procedure that went wrong. As the title suggests he can ignite things with his mind. Nice tale but nothing spectacular. Greene sure loves mercenaries. 5/10 

Warp Spawn - Matt Ralphs - Almost in all books with vessels we learn that the Warp is dangerous but I never read what can it do. This tale exemplifies it. Nothing spectacular or great about it. 6/10 

Leviathan - Graham McNeill (A Ultramarines Tale) I didn't read the story because I only want to read after starting to read the Uriel Ventris saga

Thoughts XVIII - Shadow Dance

I shall dance amidst the shadows

In that eerie eldritch forest

The moon in the sky as my witness

To my Death - I shall die... 

-Calicem vitae dedisti mihil in mortem

Abraça-me Solidão - Nos teus braços anseio-A

Quão terrível é esta angústia,

O desespero de não puder gritar

Anjo de coração ferido

Como é triste o fim

Sentir-me perdido

Morrer dentro de mim...

Dum vita est spes est!

Aegroto dum anima est, spes est!

“Hope is the denial of reality. It is the carrot dangled before the draft horse to keep him plodding along in a vain attempt to reach it." 

"Are you saying we shouldn't hope?" 

"I'm saying we should remove the carrot and walk forward with our eyes open!”

- A sempre esperança pequeno Raist. Senão porque vivemos? Porque amamos? Porque sofremos? Porque passamos por tantas adversidades? Porque esperamos sempre ser felizes na nossa vida. É tudo o que interessa. Nada mais! 

- Mas é tão dificil, este caminho. Estou cansado de sofrer.

- Mais um esforço pequeno Raist. És uma boa pessoa. Terás a tua recompensa nesta vida ou na próxima O que interessa é que no fim da tua vida possas dizer.. Pratiquei o bem. Pessoas saíram felizes com as tuas acções. Fizeste sorrir. É tudo o que interessa..

- Mas eu choro só minha alma.

- Eu sei... eu sei...

Review: Last Light - Alex Scarrow

Title - Last Light

Author - Alex Scarrow 

Year - 2007

Stand Alone or Series - Last Light #1

Pages - 4833

Reading Time - February 2012

Well, this was... I don't know. So I am going to give stars and take stars as I write the review...Something. After reading dozens books dealing with apocalyptic and post apocalpytic scenarios I don't know what to think about this one. 

The premises is simple. Due to the sabotage then shortage of the oil refinaries, the world is plunge to a dark age. Not the first writer to pursuit this scenario but it's not that common. (3 Stars for that) 

The "whys" we learn as we skip the pages but it's only in the last thirty pages that we know why really this is happening. And I always enjoy a conspiracy theory (2 Stars) but then the writer tries to link that conspiracy group to the old days of the Revolution of America and such. Alright... Now you've gone to far (Minus 1 Star). 

The Assassin Ash (1 Star), Andy (Minus 3 Stars), Rest of the family (couldn't care less). Why? Because each character is almost a hero. The Girl (lenora) who in the beginning only thought about his cute new conquest to a hero of the old greek ages. Andy who is in Iraq and is coming to his family. I truly hated this character. I really wanted to anyone to kill it. Thank the gods that Scarrow had the decency to kill him or else these book would receive 1 star total. 

I enjoy seeing the world falling to chaos but it was too soon, too quick. I always thought that people are just animals and only have laws because otherwise we would do as we please and be worse than barbarians. We are children of the dark controlled by laws and costumes. Nice one Alex Scarrow. (1 Star for that) 

I have the second book and I want to know where the author is going with this because the ending is after the all incident and people are just starting to recovery and to live a new dark age. And what happenened to the Twelve and the One Hundred and Sixty? Their plan worked. But can they rise like a phoenix from the ashes of civilization? 

Title - Hell Train
Author - Christopher Fowler
Year - 2012
Stand Alone or Series - Stand Alone
Pages - 319
Reading Time - January 2012

Synopsis
Imagine there was a supernatural chiller that Hammer Films never made. A grand epic produced at the studio’s peak, which played like a cross between the Dracula and Frankenstein films and Dr Terror’s House Of Horrors...
Four passengers meet on a train journey through Eastern Europe during the First World War, and face a mystery that must be solved if they are to survive. As the ‘Arkangel’ races through the war-torn countryside, they must find out:

What is in the casket that everyone is so afraid of? What is the tragic secret of the veiled Red Countess who travels with them? Why is their fellow passenger the army brigadier so feared by his own men? And what exactly is the devilish secret of the Arkangel itself?

Bizarre creatures, satanic rites, terrified passengers and the romance of travelling by train, all in a classically styled horror novel.

Review
An Hammer production movie script meets Night Train & Strangers on a Train. This is what I say. I always enjoy watching Hammer films so when I read the synopsis of this book I had to read it. The first read of the year 2012. I had never read anything by this author and after reading this book I will try again I guess (If I have the time). 

This story is a story within a story. The story is about a writer who has come from America to write a script for Hammer Production but the great chunk of the book is about the script itself that he wrote in a couple of days. I must say it was a nice tale and I good see it as a movie script. If Hammer productions had the money to do it. We get to see Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing and that's always a joy. 

The tale itself is set on the brink of WWI and four passangers embark on a train on their way to hell. They must confront their worst fears and battle it's residents. 

Of course the writer wrote this as a tribute to Hammer films so you've got several stereotypes that are presented on the movies. The fatale female or the problematic vicar are two examples. Even the monsters are there. The writer even says that there is no problem with the budget because most of the set would be taken from other movies (like it was done in real hammer films). 

In the end you will be satisfied with the book if you used to see the Hammer films. If you didn't you will want to see them. Nice book, nice characterization, nice plot. A good read.

Review: Dead Men Walking - Steve Lyons

Title - Dead Men Walking

Author - Steve Lyons

Year - 2010

Stand Alone or Series - Stand Alone

Pages - 416

Reading Time - September 2011

Synopsis

When the necrons rise, a mining planet descends into a cauldron of war and the remorseless foes decimate the human defenders. Salvation comes in an unlikely form – the Death Korps of Kreig, a force as unfeeling as the Necrons themselves. When the two powers go to war, casualties are high and the magnitude of the destruction is unimaginable.

Review

This was the best description of Necrons and the Death Korp of Krieg as an invading/defending forces. What an excelent work of fiction. Lyons really can write about them. A word or two for each party:  Resolution for Korps, Desperation and later Realization for the PDF and people and Innevitable for Necrons 

This tale is set on Hieronymous Theta, a mining hive world. If you follow 40k you know what I am talking but if you are not then a brief introduction. An Hive World is a world with several scyrappers several miles up wide. A city within a buidling. There can be milions of people living in it, with the higher tiers with the highborn, rich and goverment. The middle tiers the working class with factories and such and the lower are usually the habitat of mutants or other strange beings and the scum of society. 

Strange artefacts are being found with a greenish glow and after some disturbing mining operartions they awake the Necrons who have only one goal. "Leave or we will destroy you." The battle begins and no matter how much the defenders destroy there are more each day and so they battle a inevitable defeat. These tale follows one Commissar attached to the Krieg who was portrayed almost perfectly. What a Commissar can do in a army of souless devoted to the death beings? There is no retreat, there is no surrender. There is sacrifice to the Greater Good (understood the pun?). This Commissar most of the time acts as a bridge between the Army and the PDF and Planet and to try to humanize the Krieg officers. We also follow a girl lost in the lower parts of the Hive and a Miner Overseer who is draft first to the PDF and then attach to the Krieg. 

About the ending. Brillant. I won't say more but it was very nice. From the beginning of the book you realize that there can be only one way. The innevitable win for the Necrons but how Lyons does it is...  Ahh there's the rub..

I never knew they care for diplomacy. Besides the Eldar or Tau I thought that every other race just wanted to destroy humankind. Of course the Necrons are displayed almost as a myth since there have been few reports with necron encounters.

Now the title: Dead Men Walking. Who are these Dead Men? Are these the inhabbitants pov because they will surely perish at the hands of the Necrons? Are these the Death Korp of Krieg because they are almost as machine as the Necrons? Or are the Dead Men Walking the Necrons themselves?

The Death Korp of Kried are almost souless. Each and everyone of them have no feelings, no fear, no honor... almost nothing that can say they are human underneath their garments and their masks. They are bred for war and devoted to the Emperor. At that's they way the live. In the book, at several instances a character pov talks about them or about the battle and as I read it I think "who the hell are worse? The necrons or the Krieg's?" 

Lyons can really depict book parties. He shows us that there isn't really a lot of difference between both opposing forces. They both see everything expendable for exploitation. As we learn more about Death Korps background we begin to feel empathy almost sorry for the lot.

This was one of my favourite reads of the year of 2011. I really enjoy it. Alongside Deathworld (by the same author) and Fifteen Hours are the best of IG books. Steve Lyons is a great writer and really knows how to write about the IG. I really hope he continues to write more novels. There are nothing from him until January 2013. And that's a shame. I really hope it means nothing.  10/10

Review: Slave Ship from Sergan - Gregory Kern

Title - Slave Ship from Sergan

Author - Gregory Kern

Year - 1973

Stand Alone or Series - 2st Cap Kennedy of 17th Saga

Pages - 127

Reading Time - February 2012

Review

This is the second book on this seventeen saga and we learn a little more about Captain Kennedy. In these tale a reptilian lord is mining a planet (Sergan) for rare minerals but to do this he needs manpower and the easiest way is by slavery through sub-contract slavers. Captain Kennedy of course is on the hunt for the people responsable for it. The ending is quite good but as a all it's not a interesting book. But I am going to go through the seventeen saga. 


I think that this is a good series (with 120/130 pages) to read inbetween more exhaustive novels. 
If you want to read a 70's novel try one of the best writers out there (underappreciated) Brian Stableford. I made a review here . This is a wonderful seriers of 6 books. This is the synopsis


"In a galactic culture that extends from quasi-Utopian worlds like New Alexandria to vermin-infested slums like Old Earth, starship pilots have become the great romantic heroes of the day. When Star-Pilot Grainger is rescued from a shipwreck, he finds himself pressed into reluctant service to fly the Hooded Swan, the prototype of a new kind of interstellar ship. He's also picked up an alien parasite that's determined to share his brain. Under these dire circumstances, can Grainger possibly stay out of trouble? Not a chance! Hooded Swan, Book One"

Review: Galaxy of the Lost - Gregory Kern

Title - Galaxy of the Lost

Author - Gregory Kern

Year - 1973

Stand Alone or Series - 1st Cap Kennedy of 17th Saga

Pages - 125

Reading Time - July 2011


This is the first novel in a seventeen novel saga. Here we learn about Captain Kennedy, a spy/agent that acts as a judge, jury and executioner in any situation that threatened the peace of Terra Sphere (a federation of planets). A Free Acting Terran Envoy (F.A.T.E.). We also learn about the ship they travel "Mordian" and the crew/companions of Kennedy; engineer Penza Saratov, scientist Professor Jarl Luden and alien navigator Veem Chemile, a humanoid chameleon that says he is descended from the mythic Zheltyana, a powerful race that once rule the known universe. 


In these tale we are presented in a tale with Bermunda Triangle situation, set in space, where ships are dissapearing without any trace. Captain Kennedy and Saratov go aboard another vessel to uncover the mystery. They go to a place where a bunch of other ships have crashed and their mission becomes one of survival. The pace of the book is quite quick and with only 120 pages you couldn't expect much more. The story is good but nothing extraordinary. This is one of those tales that you read inbetween others and forget about it. Maybe in 70's this tale was innovative but nowadays there a lot out there way better than this Space Opera. 5/10

Review Deathwing - Anthology

Title - Deathwing

Author - Anthology

Year - 1990/2002

Stand Alone or Series - 7 short stories

Pages - 288

Reading Time - October 2011 to February 2012

Synopsis

In the nightmare future of the 41st Millennium, galaxies burn in the fires of eternal war. Fighting for its very survival, humanity must battle a myriad heretical alien races, but the most dangerous enemies of all are the former champions of mankind itself, perverted by the foul taint of Chaos. 

This classic science fiction anthology was first published by Games Workshop in the late 1980s and richly deserves its cult reputation. Finally made available once more in this expanded edition with three new tales, it includes superb dark SF stories by  Storm Constantine, William King, Neil McIntosh,, Charles Stross,  & Ian Watson.

Review

This book had two printings. First by Boxtree in 1990 with only seven stories and the latter with nine. Those two short shories I reviewed here

This was an anbiguous book with great stories and some who I didn't enjoy. Some die-hard fans would say I am heretic and who cares, right? 

1) Deathwing by Bryan Ansell & William King - This tale is where Deathwing company was born. Here we learn what Deathwing is all about*. Here we also learn that the Dark Angels were based on the american indians. This particular tale involves Genestealers infesting on one recruiting feral world and how they cope with it. It's quiet good and gave me another perspective from the Dark Angels. Later fluff the Dark Angels are presented as consumed with the pursuit of their fallen brothers called Fallen Angels, even sometimes putting them in the path of other chapters or the Inquisition. Because of it they are eyed with suspiction. Top notch story. 8/10

*Info: Deathwing and Ravenwing are two companies within the Dark Angels

2) Warped Stars by Ian Watson - This tale was possible one that I must read in later time to fully compreehend. In this tale we set of as Inquisition, with Grimm (the squat that is part of the retinue of Jaq in the Inquisition Trilogy) and a Ogrynn bodyguard with the help of loyalist chapter Grief Bringers are set against The Enslavers (a psychic sentient beings). Interesting tale. I won't give any rating since I am waiting to read it again.

3) Lacrymata by Storm Constantine -  This tale is about the perils of the Warp as a Navigator and an Astropath deal with the calling of the warp. There are something that draw them to it. It's like that phrase that we are Children of Light but we are drawn to Darkness because deep inside we are chaos. This phrase says it all and if you don't get the meaning as Nietsche "if you stare into the abyss long enough the abyss stares back at you". Maybe with time the writer could have developed more this story. 7/10

4) Monastry of Death by Charles Stross - I didn't knew he wrote a story for black library and it was a good story with a great plot and twist in the end. This tale we follow a invasion/colonization from a Imperial Fleet to bring another planet back to Terra's dominion. Of course, the planet residents don't want that but a frontal war is foolish so a compromisse must be met. 8/10

5) Seed of Doubt by Neil McIntosh - This tale is the weakestof the collection. I really didn't understand what was happening and I didn't care. It was the main reason I stop reading these tales.  3.5/10

6) Devil's Marauders by William King - It was one of the best tales of the anthology. Almost worth reading the book because of it. In a jungle wars a group of imperial soldiers led by an Commissar are fleeing from an area that is going to be torched from the fleet above. After some minor conflicts they arrive to an area knowing that their work is not done. With a short story, King made a good character development. Great interaction betweeen the characters. This is another example of why William King is the best writer in BL. 9.5/10

7) The Alien Beast Within by Ian Watson - In this tale we follow Meh'Lindi before she was integrated within Draco team. This tale we learn how and why she was morphed with a genestealer DNA. Meh'Lindi. To anyone who read the Inquisitor War Trilogy I would reccomend reading these two short stories becasue will give depth to the characters even if it's not required to do. 7/10

Review: Aylmer Vance: Ghost-Seer by Alice & Claude Askew

Title - Aylmer Vance: Ghost-Seer

Author - Alice & Claude Askew

Year - 1915

Stand Alone or Series - Anthology

Pages - 127

Reading Time - December 2012

Synopsis

The Aylmer Vance stories date from the Edwardian period, and there are echoes in them of the Sherlock Holmes adventures which had proved so popular in the preceding decade. The friendship between Aylmer Vance and Dexter is not unlike that between Sherlock Holmes and Watson, and the two investigators approach the world of the supernatural in the same fearless and enquiring spirit in which Conan Doyle's heroes approach the world of crime. The parallel is not exact: Dexter, with his clairvoyant powers, is a more useful (and intelligent) ally than Watson, and Vance for the most part does not 'solve' mysteries the way Holmes does. What we get instead is a loosely-connected series of stories in which surprise is the major element, a world where not all ghosts are bad, where it is not always clear whether they are ghosts, and where being dead may for some be better than being alive.

Review

This is a compiliation of short stories published on the verge on the year of the First World War. We met Dexter and Aylmer Vance as they are on a Inn on vacations. Dexter becomes interested on Aylmer stories and each night he tells him one. Seanse, Ancient Gods, Ghosts, Vampires, Possession, Haunted Castles and so on. All the requisites for a good anthology of Gothic stories.

1) The Invader is a story of a session of spiritism séance that goes wrong. An husband distress to find out who did belong some ancient bracers ask his wife to be a vessel for an ancient princess. After some seansés something goes wrong and the wife is possessed by a spirit who doesn't want to leave. He then tries everything at his dispossal but to no avail. The ending is quite dramatic leaving the husband killing his own wife and then commiting suicide. Here Aylmer has a small part on this story. Most of it he is telling what happenned to their friends and not participating.

2) The Stranger:  tale about love between a girl and an old being of the wilds. In the end we learn that that being may be a ancient god. Again these tale as minor intervation of Aylmer and the plot itself. This was one of the most interesting tale on this book.

3) Lady Green-Sleeves: This story is about the meeting between Aylmer and a ghost in a ball. Only in the end he discovers as she dissappears. Quite good.

4) The Fire Unquenchable: a poet return from the grave to finish his poetry by sheer possession of his wife. In this tale we learn about Dexter clairovyan powers.

5) The Vampire: This is one of the best tales of this lot. A curse that makes someone of that bloodline to "consume" other. It's quite nice tale and it's the first Aylmer solution is to destroy the castle so the curse can be cured.

6) The Boy of Blackstock: Another tale that Aylmer almost doesn't have any part except being there.Villanious human and ghosts competing "who's the worst". It was in my opinion one of the worst of the lot.

7) The Indissoluble Bond: Another weak story in my opinion and not that frightful tale. But interesting. Love and Hate. 

8) The Fear:  This tale supposedly is quite frightfull but it isn't. Suposedly there is a castle where at some time of night a terrifying aura surrounds it and we get a fear that almost kill a person. Again... "Destroy the place".

To whom I would advice this book? To anyone who wants to try reading Edwardian/ghotic tales. Very interesting. If you want a frightful story of horror then... no.

Review: Conto da Ilha Desconhecida - Saramago

Para Saramago até que está muito interessante este livro. Nunca fui nem nunca serei um aficionado por ele. Não gosto como ele escreve, o que ele pretende transmitir aficionado(sinceramente irrita-me que queira transparecer em todas as histórias algo comunista ou algo politico). 


Mas esta história, embora uma critica, é bastante interessante. Fez-me lembrar de como pensamos e vivemos a nossa vida. Existem conversas interessantes e rápidas. 


Sinceramente, gostei. Fiquei surpreendido pela positiva com este pequeno conto. Acho que se pode tirar N moral desta história. Uma que eu tiro é: Por mais que alguém que te diga que tal não é possível, nunca desistas. Fá-lo apesar de todo o mundo dizer o contrario. Ou como o provérbio diz.. "Nunca singas uma multidão" e finalmente... Abre os braços ao Universo.


Sendo um pequeno conto, aconselho-o a toda a gente. Há muita filosofia por detrás. Só lendo percebem.

Review: Rage - Stephen King

Title - Rage

Author - Richard Bachman (Stephen King)

Year - 1977

Stand Alone or Series - Stand Alone

Pages - 211

Reading Time - September 2011 to February 2012

This was the first book printed under the name of Richard Bachman. In my humble opinion is not that good BUT is not without merit. A good main character and plot but....

Synopsis

Here we are presented with a boy (Charlie) who is being expelled because of an iccident. He snaps and gets his weapon from the locker and go to a classroom where he kills the teacher. As another teacher is arriving at the door he shoots him as well (these are the two only victims from Charlie). 

After this Charlie tries to talk to his classmate and here we are presented with a clear situation of Stockholm Syndrome as most of the students stand beside him. As the siege continues outside Charlie starts his own "psychotherapy" group as most students tell him and him to them about their various secrets. There is a try by the police to break the siege and Charlie is hit on the chest but the locker from his lockerroom saves him. In the end, there is only one student (Ted) who is held against his will and as he tries to escape the rest of the classroom bearts him. In the end Charlie release all students and the police enter and Charlie feign that he has a gone on his pocket and the police shoot him. 

In the end we read two letters. First from the court that found him not guilty but clearly insade and so he locked on a sanitarium and a letter from a student that befriend charlie and says that all outside are rooting for him.

This was an itneresting read but I didn't enjoy it. Something was missing that I can't put my finger on it.

Apart from this, Stephen King let the book fall out from print since there have been several shooting who have been found holding (or having read) this novel. 5/10

TV Series Review - Ice (Mini Series)

Post Apocalpytic fiction min-series? AWRIGHT!

Besides... It was made in England? Double AWRIGHT!

After seeing it... Total disappointment (I was writing what a pile of crap but it's too ofensive)

First these series start with the why all happenened, the apocalpyse itself and then an post apocalpytic journey.

A small synopsis/review/critic whatever:

A scientist says that oil companies are evil and they are damaging the ice in the Arctic polar region. Nobody cares. Then he goes there to stop them and fail to do it. The Ice melt and the Gulf Stream collapse bringing a new Ice Age. Strangley enough it appears in a couple of hours and all uk dissappear beneath 12 meters of Ice. 

Right! That would happen in a couple of hours. It's even more proposterous than the Day After Tomorrow.

Besides that the story it's... stupid. This scientist that is in Greenland when everything happened, helped by a woman fly in that storm and crash outside London where is wife, child, father and illegal immigrant are waiting. Of course the father sacrificies himself (I already knew it would happenend), of course the immigrant and the child fall in love, he get's reunited with them all, the woman who helps him die saving him... what else was "plausible"... hmm, oh yeah, band of pillagers are cordial and don't kill anyone, "only want what they have", plus the goverment is totally innapt but is able to save 30 million british in a couple of hours and the rest 40 million are left dying. Didn't I say that everything happens in 3 or 4 hours?

I only give him 2 stars. One for the grandfather heroism and another because the writer predicted that due to extensive immigrants the goverment would have to close it's borders.  Everything was a waste of my time. How much time you ask? 4 Hours! The same time that would take to someone to arrive from greenland to england, that same england to be beneath dozens upon dozen meters of snow and ice, save someone with a gps and head south and live happily ever after.