THE DARK TOWER by STEPHEN KING
BOOK ONE - THE GUNSLINGER
The Dark Tower is Stephen King's self proclaimed Magnum Opus. It was originally slated to be a 7 book series but king added a shorted (but no less excellent prequel to the story last year with the 8th novel - The Wind through a Keyhole. The eight books total an awe inspiring 4.250 pages! There is much history and many years that led to the completion of this masterwork which started in 1982 with the publishing of book one, The Gunslinger; a small but powerful 224 page novel that was to serve as a beginning of an epic so huge it would not be completed until 2004.
the books came out as follows:
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (1982) – 224 pages The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three (1987) – 400 pages The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands (1991) – 512 pages The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass (1997) – 787 pages; 1998 The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla (2003) – 714 pages; 2004
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah (2004) – 432 pages; 2005
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (2004) – 845 pages; 2005 The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole (2012) – 336 pages
The novel was inspired by the poem "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came". The Gunslinger was met with some confusion when it first came out by King's loyal readers as it was much different than the blood curdling horror that King was producing . The Gunslinger was a fantasy novel.and a short one at that; but the Gunslinger admirably sets the stage for the books that follow by introducing us to one of the greatest characters in the history of fiction, Roland Deschain, the Gunslinger. Roland Deschain comes from Gilead and is the last remaining Gunslinger, which is a knight or a peacekeeper in Roland's world.. King's first memorable sentence in the book sets the stage for what is to come:
"the man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed."
The man in black is a man of pure evil, also known as Flagg (see the Stand), and Walter O dim.
Roland, the protagonist of the whole series, is a bad ass warrior with lightning quick gun skills.
King fades back in time and shows us a piece of Roland's childhood, and how he became a Gunslinger. His hard, cruel teacher Cort, and his childhood friends Alain Johns and Cuthbert Allgood, which we learn more about in later books.In this novel we also are introduced to Jake Chambers, a young man who will be Roland's companion all the way to The Dark Tower.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
MICROSOFT HOLOLENS
Science fiction is now science fact as Microsoft, one of the world's mightiest corporation, is doing absolutely amazing work in the Computer Industry, The Cell Phone Industry, and now they have become the pioneers of the Hologram technology!
Microsoft has always been an amazing corporation but they never fail to amaze me as they are never stagnant and always slugging it out with other super companies such as Apple and Google for their share of the thundering electronics and technology industries sales.
Microsoft's work in Hologram technology and breathtaking. Right now, on the market, Microsoft has some of the best, most reliable and innovative products on sale. They have the terrific Microsoft Surface 3 Laptop, the Microsoft Surface 7ZR-00001 RT Tablet, The new and totally amazing Microsoft Xbox One, and the Excellent Windows phone, and they continue to produce and improve the most popular operating system in the world, Windows, Microsoft is a behemoth of a company and they tirelessly work towards new innovations in the highly competitive technology sector.
Microsoft is now preparing to unleash technology that we only heard of in sci fi movies and books.
They are melding the digital world with the physical world with hologram technology.
1. New ways to visualize our work.
2.New ways to share ideas
3.Amazing new ways to play games, to teach, to learn.
4. New ways to explore, and collaborate.
5 New and much easier ways to take imagination and turn it into reality.
Hologram technology will revolutionize music, video games. Television, and every type of media. It is simply astounding.
I will be keeping close tabs on Microsoft Hololens as it nears its unveiling to the world.
Science fiction is now science fact as Microsoft, one of the world's mightiest corporation, is doing absolutely amazing work in the Computer Industry, The Cell Phone Industry, and now they have become the pioneers of the Hologram technology!
Microsoft has always been an amazing corporation but they never fail to amaze me as they are never stagnant and always slugging it out with other super companies such as Apple and Google for their share of the thundering electronics and technology industries sales.
Microsoft's work in Hologram technology and breathtaking. Right now, on the market, Microsoft has some of the best, most reliable and innovative products on sale. They have the terrific Microsoft Surface 3 Laptop, the Microsoft Surface 7ZR-00001 RT Tablet, The new and totally amazing Microsoft Xbox One, and the Excellent Windows phone, and they continue to produce and improve the most popular operating system in the world, Windows, Microsoft is a behemoth of a company and they tirelessly work towards new innovations in the highly competitive technology sector.
Microsoft is now preparing to unleash technology that we only heard of in sci fi movies and books.
They are melding the digital world with the physical world with hologram technology.
1. New ways to visualize our work.
2.New ways to share ideas
3.Amazing new ways to play games, to teach, to learn.
4. New ways to explore, and collaborate.
5 New and much easier ways to take imagination and turn it into reality.
Hologram technology will revolutionize music, video games. Television, and every type of media. It is simply astounding.
I will be keeping close tabs on Microsoft Hololens as it nears its unveiling to the world.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
THE PLAGUE DOGS by RICHARD ADAMS
Here is the third Richard Adams masterpiece I promised. Adams, you will recall, had already written two absolute gems in Watership Down and then Shardik. well I want to tell you, his third Fiction Offering is worthy of the first two in every conceivable way. Plague Dogs is an unforgettable work of literature and a deeply moving story.
The two main characters in this big novel are Rowf - a Big black mongrel, and Snitter -A black and White Fox Terrier. The dogs speak in the king's English (between themselves, and other animals) and we first meet them in a cruel government animal experimental facility. The dogs have been terribly mistreated and starved. Snitter has had surgeries on his brain and he is the worse of of the two.
The two dogs eventually escape from this facility and go on an amazing adventure against all odds escape the government facility massive dog hunt and meet some wonderful characters along the way. The most memorable is Tod, a talking, singing fox.
This novel is an impassioned statement against animal cruelty written with suspense, hope, and love. This book is a pure delight with the vivid ,beautiful prose that fans of Adam;s work are accustomed to. So many novels we read start out good and then lose steam near the end; this book moves inexorable forward like a battleship to an ending that you will never forget.
Here is the third Richard Adams masterpiece I promised. Adams, you will recall, had already written two absolute gems in Watership Down and then Shardik. well I want to tell you, his third Fiction Offering is worthy of the first two in every conceivable way. Plague Dogs is an unforgettable work of literature and a deeply moving story.
The two main characters in this big novel are Rowf - a Big black mongrel, and Snitter -A black and White Fox Terrier. The dogs speak in the king's English (between themselves, and other animals) and we first meet them in a cruel government animal experimental facility. The dogs have been terribly mistreated and starved. Snitter has had surgeries on his brain and he is the worse of of the two.
The two dogs eventually escape from this facility and go on an amazing adventure against all odds escape the government facility massive dog hunt and meet some wonderful characters along the way. The most memorable is Tod, a talking, singing fox.
This novel is an impassioned statement against animal cruelty written with suspense, hope, and love. This book is a pure delight with the vivid ,beautiful prose that fans of Adam;s work are accustomed to. So many novels we read start out good and then lose steam near the end; this book moves inexorable forward like a battleship to an ending that you will never forget.
SHARDIK
Shardik is one of the greatest novels I have ever read,
definitely top five.
It is a tour-de-force of such magnitude and power that this
book stays in your mind well after you finish the last page.
I was book seeking at a local library When I first laid
hands on this big novel i was drawn to it by the mighty bear head on the cover
and, when I looked closely, saw that it was written by Richard Adams, author of
the beloved Watership Down, I knew I had to read it. I read this book in a sort
of rapture when I was about 22 years old. I remember how I was intrigued by the
subject matter at first and then, as the pages turned, I was propelled into an odyssey
of pure splendor as I had never read anything like it. It is a big, sprawling,
strikingly original piece of literature.
Shardik is the story of Kelderek, a young, lone hunter in a semi-civilized world full of wonder and danger. Kelderek goes on a quest to find the great Bear Shardik, believed to be the Power of God. This is a thundering epic of massive proportion driven by brilliant narrative with a mastery of the English language rarely seen in literature. Richard Adams has constructed some sentences in this novel that I have never forgotten; one of my favorite somes in chapter 9 :
"Even so, a man in grave illness tosses and moves, seeking relief, but then, finding in movement nothing but wretchedness and futility, desists. "
Kelderek is a wonderful lead character, The mighty Bear Shardik is unforgettable, and the monstrous Slave-trader Genshed is one of the cruelest men in fiction. even prompting Adams to mention him in his acknowledgements:
Lest any should suppose that I set my wits to work to invent the cruelties of Genshed; I say here that all lie within my knowledge and some-would they did not-within my experience.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Three from Richard Adams
I thought long and hard about which Richard Adams novel to add
to my list and I came to the conclusion that I couldn't leave any of these three wonderful books out.
When I first discovered the writings of Richard Adams I was around 13 years old walking around John Wanamaker's awesome book section
while my mother shopped. I was perusing all the books when I saw one with a Rabbit on the cover and a really cool title - Watership Down.
Born in 1920 in Berkshire, England , Richard Adams is 94 yrs old as of this writing and has written many books, articles, and fables but his work in fiction, mostly dealing with animals, has enchanted so many adoring readers.
Adams is a true wordsmith, his sentences are memorable and often quite long; he is truly a master of the English language. His major fiction novels are:
a. Watership Down (1972)
b. Shardik (1974)
c. The Plague Dogs (1977)
d. Girl on a Swing (1980)
e. Maia (1984)
f. Traveller (1988)
All of these novels are excellent but I want to add the top three because these are truly masterworks.
Maia is a huge novel which is actually a prequel to the Shardik epic and is a remarkable book in it's own right.
Girl on a swing is Adam's ghost story; an eerie page turner with crisp, tight prose. Very enjoyable novel.
Traveller is a story of the Civil War told by Robert E Lee's celebrated horse, Traveller.
WATERSHIP DOWN
Watership Down is a wonderful novel. All the Characters are indeed rabbits, but this book is full of trials and triumph, love,compassion ,romance; a true celebration of life. This is the first novel by Richard Adams and it is beautifully written and so very moving. It is the story how humans are building over a herd of rabbits warren and how they must band together and travel to find a safe place to live. Led by the remarkable main Character, Hazel. The group of rabbits depicted in this book are magical and unforgettable. They go through dire struggles; face betrayal and danger as they try to survive and flourish in a hard world. I truly love this novel and I am sure you will too.
to my list and I came to the conclusion that I couldn't leave any of these three wonderful books out.
When I first discovered the writings of Richard Adams I was around 13 years old walking around John Wanamaker's awesome book section
while my mother shopped. I was perusing all the books when I saw one with a Rabbit on the cover and a really cool title - Watership Down.
Born in 1920 in Berkshire, England , Richard Adams is 94 yrs old as of this writing and has written many books, articles, and fables but his work in fiction, mostly dealing with animals, has enchanted so many adoring readers.
Adams is a true wordsmith, his sentences are memorable and often quite long; he is truly a master of the English language. His major fiction novels are:
a. Watership Down (1972)
b. Shardik (1974)
c. The Plague Dogs (1977)
d. Girl on a Swing (1980)
e. Maia (1984)
f. Traveller (1988)
All of these novels are excellent but I want to add the top three because these are truly masterworks.
Maia is a huge novel which is actually a prequel to the Shardik epic and is a remarkable book in it's own right.
Girl on a swing is Adam's ghost story; an eerie page turner with crisp, tight prose. Very enjoyable novel.
Traveller is a story of the Civil War told by Robert E Lee's celebrated horse, Traveller.
WATERSHIP DOWN
Watership Down is a wonderful novel. All the Characters are indeed rabbits, but this book is full of trials and triumph, love,compassion ,romance; a true celebration of life. This is the first novel by Richard Adams and it is beautifully written and so very moving. It is the story how humans are building over a herd of rabbits warren and how they must band together and travel to find a safe place to live. Led by the remarkable main Character, Hazel. The group of rabbits depicted in this book are magical and unforgettable. They go through dire struggles; face betrayal and danger as they try to survive and flourish in a hard world. I truly love this novel and I am sure you will too.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
THE SHINING by Stephen King
The Shining is a truly scary novel. The dread builds page by page
up to the horrifying finale. The Shining is certainly one of Stephen King's greatest novels and
there are many, many of his works that are pure genius. The story is about Jack Torrance, a recovering alcoholic who accepts a job at The monstrous
Overlook hotel as a winter caretaker. Torrance, along with his wife Wendy and young son Danny move into the sprawling empty hotel where Torrance plans to write a novel.
Everything starts out well but quickly takes a bad turn and gets worse and worse for the Torrance family as Jack tumbles into violent insanity and the evil hotel revels itself for what it is.
This is a masterwork of horror. I read this novel in 3 days and enjoyed every second of it. I want to point out that even if you have seen the movie (and most people have), this book is well worth reading as it has so much more
scary content in its pages. King's prose is crisp with creeping dread and seeing Torrance go from sanity to insanity is incredible.
The Shining is a truly scary novel. The dread builds page by page
up to the horrifying finale. The Shining is certainly one of Stephen King's greatest novels and
there are many, many of his works that are pure genius. The story is about Jack Torrance, a recovering alcoholic who accepts a job at The monstrous
Overlook hotel as a winter caretaker. Torrance, along with his wife Wendy and young son Danny move into the sprawling empty hotel where Torrance plans to write a novel.
Everything starts out well but quickly takes a bad turn and gets worse and worse for the Torrance family as Jack tumbles into violent insanity and the evil hotel revels itself for what it is.
This is a masterwork of horror. I read this novel in 3 days and enjoyed every second of it. I want to point out that even if you have seen the movie (and most people have), this book is well worth reading as it has so much more
scary content in its pages. King's prose is crisp with creeping dread and seeing Torrance go from sanity to insanity is incredible.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
THE GREATEST WORKS OF MODERN FICTION
What Agents and Editors Want and Don’t Want:
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This is my free gift to you. You can download the PDF of the 47-page e-book RIGHT NOW.
LONESOME DOVE by Larry McMurtry
Lonesome Dove is a
1985 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the old west. It is the first
published book of the Lonesome Doveseries but the third installment in
the series chronologically. The story focuses on the relationship of
several retired Texas Rangers and their adventures driving a cattle herd
from Texas to Montana ,.Lonesome Dove is the Quintessential novel of
the old west. It is no doubt Larry McMurtry's masterpiece and Larry
Mcmurtry has written many great novels. This novels is big, and bold,
raw and savage and contains some of the most memorable characters ever
laid out in print; in my opinion, Austusus McCrae is one of the most
towering characters in fiction.
This
book is brutal in its depiction of early western America; yet there are
plenty of laughs along the way. it is a complete novel; every page is a
joy to read and the ending comes way too soon.Truly the work of a master; Lonesome Dove is one of the greatest novels I have ever read.
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO - by Stieg Larsson
Published in 2005 by the late Swedish crime author Stieg Larsson, this is a pulse-pounding, twist and turn thrill ride that builds suspense on every page. The heroine of this novel (and two sequels also) is the enigmatic Lisbeth Salander-she is just a fabulous main character - she is smart, tough, and so complicated, Larsson really pushed the envelope by introducing the world to Lisbeth Salander. Mikael Blomkvist, publisher of the Swedish political magazine MILLENIUM is another fine and engaging main character. The villains are scary, the prose is white knuckle. A stunning piece of literary work.
A GAME OF THRONES by George R.R. MARTIN
The Game of thrones is the first book of what will be a seven book series entitled The Song of ice and fire ,this book begins it all. A Game of Thrones is a beautifully written epic novel that introduces a great number of brilliantly realized characters and an entire world of dark fantasy that is simple awesome. Anyone who has seen the HBO series knows the magic of Martin's epic tale and I am here to tell you that the books are even better. I am not normally a fantasy reader but this book and the entire series is in a league of its own. It is loaded with white knuckle suspense, romance, seduction, stunning imagery, and a cast of characters second to none. Daenarys Targaryen is my favorite character, and surely one of the greatest characters in modern fiction and there are so many other wonderful characters in this book and in this series. A game of thrones is a big brick of a novel and all the other novels thereafter are even bigger. As of this writing there have been five books written in the Song of Ice and Fire series and another scheduled o be released this year (2015).
The Game of thrones is the first book of what will be a seven book series entitled The Song of ice and fire ,this book begins it all. A Game of Thrones is a beautifully written epic novel that introduces a great number of brilliantly realized characters and an entire world of dark fantasy that is simple awesome. Anyone who has seen the HBO series knows the magic of Martin's epic tale and I am here to tell you that the books are even better. I am not normally a fantasy reader but this book and the entire series is in a league of its own. It is loaded with white knuckle suspense, romance, seduction, stunning imagery, and a cast of characters second to none. Daenarys Targaryen is my favorite character, and surely one of the greatest characters in modern fiction and there are so many other wonderful characters in this book and in this series. A game of thrones is a big brick of a novel and all the other novels thereafter are even bigger. As of this writing there have been five books written in the Song of Ice and Fire series and another scheduled o be released this year (2015).
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