/tags/3star/ Recent content in 3star on Perlkönig Hugo -- gohugo.io Copyright © 2006-{year} Aaron Dalton. All Rights Reserved. Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/the-disciple-of-las-vegas-by-ian-hamilton/ Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/the-disciple-of-las-vegas-by-ian-hamilton/ Rating: 3/5 Ian Hamilton, The Disciple of Las Vegas (Toronto: House of Anansi Press, 2011). This is the second book in Hamilton’s Ava Lee series of novels. As you may recall, I wasn’t a big fan of the first book . I liked this book a little better. Ava Lee is a forensic accountant who works with “Uncle” in retrieving stolen money. She’s Chinese-Canadian and is an accomplished practitioner of Bak Mei . /posts/pandoras-star-by-peter-f-hamilton/ Sat, 04 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/pandoras-star-by-peter-f-hamilton/ Rating: 3/5 Peter F. Hamilton, Pandora’s Star, Commonwealth Saga #1 (New York: Ballantine Books, 2004). This thousand-page tome is the first of two novels in the Commonwealth Saga. It’s apparently popular in Calgary because I had to keep returning it to the library because of holds. It took me three attempts, but I finally got through it. Overall, Hamilton is a good writer. The story is fast moving and even compelling at parts. /posts/100-ideas-that-changed-by-various-authors/ Sat, 22 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/100-ideas-that-changed-by-various-authors/ Rating: 3/5 I finished these books months ago, but I’m just now getting around to posting about them. This is a series of coffee-table-style books (meaning mostly full-colour photos) that take a discipline and present one author’s take on the 100 ideas that changed that field. There are six books in the series:art, graphic design, photography, film, architecture, and fashion. I wasn’t able to get a hold of the art and photography books. /posts/evolution-of-language-by-w-tecumseh-fitch/ Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/evolution-of-language-by-w-tecumseh-fitch/ Rating: 3/5 W. Tecumseh Fitch, The Evolution of Language (Cambridge University Press, 2010). This is a textbook that surveys the state of research into the evolution of language. It does a high-level survey of our current understanding of human evolution, and Fitch then goes through seemingly each and every hypothesis on language evolution specifically and explicates their strengths and weaknesses. Fitch refrains from stating a strong personal preference for any given theory, but you can certainly sense which ideas resonate more with him. /posts/science-fiction-hall-of-fame-vol-1-edited-by-robert-silverberg/ Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/science-fiction-hall-of-fame-vol-1-edited-by-robert-silverberg/ Rating: 3/5 Robert Silverberg (ed.), Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume One, 1929–1964 (New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 1970). I typically really enjoy historic science fiction, and I was really looking forward to reading this collection. I wasn’t totally disappointed. About half the stories were really enjoyable, and a few were truly exceptional. “Microcosmic God” was great and “Nightfall” is a classic. I really enjoyed “The Weapon Shop” and “Huddling Place” was chilling. /posts/echo-burning-by-lee-child/ Fri, 27 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/echo-burning-by-lee-child/ Rating: 3/5 Lee Child, Echo Burning (New York: Jove Books, 2008). This is certainly the most boring of the Reacher books so far. There are really only two action set pieces and the rest is just driving around not sure if Carmen is lying or not. It’s a fine book, don’t get me wrong, but compared the the previous four, it’s very slow. I think I’m going to stop reading Reacher novels for a little bit. /posts/running-blind-by-lee-child/ Sat, 21 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/running-blind-by-lee-child/ Rating: 3/5 Lee Child, Running Blind (New York: Berkley Books, 2005). I’m rating this book highly because I enjoyed it so much, but it is not without its flaws. This is the sort of book you read when you don’t want to think too hard. For me it’s like sitting down and watching CSI: I don’t try to figure it out; I just watch the story unfold. In fact, if I do figure it out, that usually means they really didn’t try very hard, because I’m pretty dense that way. /posts/innumeracy-by-john-allen-paulos/ Mon, 28 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/innumeracy-by-john-allen-paulos/ Rating: 3/5 John Allen Paulos, Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and its Consequences (New York: Hill and Wang, 1988). Numeracy (critical thinking in general, really) is a topic I read about fairly often (e.g., here , here , here , here , here , and here , plus others that never made it to the blog). Certainly not because I think I am somehow super numerate. Far from it. It is something I’m aware of, though, and one reason I’m drawn to these books is a desire to improve in this area. /posts/how-i-killed-pluto-by-mike-brown/ Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/how-i-killed-pluto-by-mike-brown/ Rating: 3/5 Mike Brown, How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming (New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2010). When Pluto got demoted, I remember hearing about it, but I apparently didn’t care enough to do any reading about it. I had no idea how it happened or why. So when I saw this book sitting on the shelf, I felt a responsibility to pick it up. It’s a personal (IMO, too personal) account of the discoveries and events that led up to Pluto’s demise and some of the fallout therefrom. /posts/against-a-dark-background-by-iain-m-banks/ Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/against-a-dark-background-by-iain-m-banks/ Rating: 3/5 Iain M. Banks, Against a Dark Background (London: Orbit, 1995). Well I’m afraid this is it for me and Iain M. Banks. It’s so frustrating! The first two thirds were the best I’ve read of him yet. I loved the characters, the humour was effective, and the action was awesome. He uses flashbacks very effectively to reveal at just the right moment a character’s motivation. The last third, though, just kind of “jumps the shark ,” if you will. /posts/nontechnical-guide-to-petroleum-geology-drilling-and-production-by-norman-j-hyne/ Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/nontechnical-guide-to-petroleum-geology-drilling-and-production-by-norman-j-hyne/ Rating: 3/5 Norman J. Hyne, Nontechnical Guide to Petroleum Geology, Drilling and Production (Tulsa: Pennwell, 2001). In my new job I edit materials surrounding the regulation of natural resource production in Alberta. While I have a background in science in general, oil and gas is not something I’ve had lots of experience with. Fortunately this book was sitting on my desk. The book is exactly what it says it is. It starts by explaining the geological foundation of hydrocarbons and goes through the technicalities of how these resources are found, assessed, and produced. /posts/state-of-the-art-by-iain-m-banks/ Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/state-of-the-art-by-iain-m-banks/ Rating: 3/5 Iain M. Banks, The State of the Art (London: Orbit, 1991). Well this book is more of a novella. It’s grouped with a number of short stories, not of all of which take place in the Culture universe. They do sort of belong together, though. The main story “The State of the Art” is a recounting of the Culture’s encounter with Earth. While I wish Banks wasn’t quite so preoccupied with sex, I do enjoy his take on humanity and culture. /posts/consider-phlebas-by-iain-m-banks/ Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/consider-phlebas-by-iain-m-banks/ Rating: 3/5 Iain M. Banks, Consider Phlebas (London: Orbit, 1988). This is the first of what Banks calls his “Culture Novels.” These consist of standalone novels set in the same essential milieu. The centre of this setting is the society known as the Culture: advanced humans with highly advanced sentient machines and capabilities of genetic manipulation. From the first page to the last, the book really hums. The action is almost non-stop. /posts/a-first-rate-madness-by-nassir-ghaemi/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/a-first-rate-madness-by-nassir-ghaemi/ Rating: 3/5 Nassir Ghaemi, A First-Rate Madness (New York: Penguin, 2011). The thesis of the book is that in times of peace and plenty, the best leader is a mentally normative (or “homoclite”) one. In crisis, however, you need an exceptional leader. Ghaemi asserts that the best such leaders are mentally abnormal. He focuses mainly on depression and mania, selecting four major traits of manic-depressives (creativity, realism, empathy, and resilience) and examines the careers of leaders such as Ghandi, Martin Luther King, FDR, JFK, and others. /posts/ringworld-by-larry-niven/ Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/ringworld-by-larry-niven/ Rating: 3/5 Larry Niven, Ringworld (New York: Del Rey, 1985). Before starting the second leg of our trip, I looked up some lists of top sci-fi and fantasy books and picked a few up. Ringworld was the first I finished. It’s a story about an alien race called puppeteers and how they discovered an artifact they call the Ringworld. (The picture to the left gives you the idea.) The puppeteers send one of their own to recruit a team to go and explore it. /posts/the-introvert-advantage-by-marti-laney/ Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/the-introvert-advantage-by-marti-laney/ Rating: 3/5 Marti Olsen Laney, Psy.D., The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World (New York: Workman, 2002). If you even think you might be an introvert, then this book will be of some value to you. The book’s goal is to help you determine if you’re introverted, explain what exactly that means, help you realize that you are not in any way “broken” or in need of changing, and provide information on how to best thrive as an introvert in a mostly extroverted world. /posts/remembering-our-childhood-by-karl-sabbagh/ Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/remembering-our-childhood-by-karl-sabbagh/ Rating: 3/5 Karl Sabbagh, Remembering Our Childhood: How Memory Betrays Us (Oxford University Press, 2011). This book turned out to be not quite what I expected. I thought it would be a lower-level discussion of what memory is, but instead this book is a higher-level overview of memory (childhood memory in particular) and focuses primarily on false or repressed memories that come up often in child abuse cases. Sabbagh examines the literature and makes the case that memory is so fallible (it is a reconstructive process, not a reproductive one), and children in particular are so suggestible, that it is irresponsible to use such memories in the sending of innocent people to jail (as happened frequently in the ’80s and ’90s). /posts/grammar-matters-by-jila-ghomeshi/ Thu, 26 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/grammar-matters-by-jila-ghomeshi/ Rating: 3/5 Jila Ghomeshi, Grammar Matters: The Social Significance of How We Use Language (Winnipeg, MB: Arbeiter Ring Publishing, 2010). This book was mentioned by a colleague in the latest edition of the EAC magazine Active Voice . I immediately checked it out from the library. Unfortunately I have to say I was underwhelmed. It’s a small book (only 100 pages, 4.25 x 5.5 inches), and she really only needed a couple of pages to make her point. /posts/visual-intelligence-by-donald-d-hoffman/ Mon, 09 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/visual-intelligence-by-donald-d-hoffman/ Rating: 3/5 Donald D. Hoffman, Visual Intelligence: How We Create What We See (New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 1998. Well if you need to be reminded just how truly awesome the human body is, or need to be reminded just how illusory what we think of as reality is, this book is for you. The book attempts to explain as clearly as possible how vision works (and doesn’t work). /posts/colour-by-victoria-finlay/ Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/colour-by-victoria-finlay/ Rating: 3/5 Victoria Finlay, Colour: Travels Through the Paintbox (London: Sceptre, 2002). Victoria Finlay is one adventurous woman. From the Australian outback to war-torn Afghanistan, Finlay explores the origins of various colours and how they ended up on canvasses and clothes. It’s not enough for her to simply read and research, instead she must herself visit the places and people involved. The resulting narrative goes beyond simply “the facts” and becomes instead a colourful recounting of a fascinating journey (which includes all the facts too). /posts/reality-is-broken-by-jane-mcgonigal/ Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/reality-is-broken-by-jane-mcgonigal/ Rating: 3/5 Jane McGonigal, Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World (New York: Penguin Press, 2011). This book was a bit of an emotional see-saw for me. I found myself agreeing then disagreeing with her almost page by page. But before I analyze, let me describe the book. It’s roughly 350 pages long and is divided into three parts: “Why Games Make Us Happy,” “Reinventing Reality,” and “How Very Big Games Can Change the World. /posts/the-untied-states-of-america-by-juan-enriquez/ Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/the-untied-states-of-america-by-juan-enriquez/ Rating: 3/5 Juan Enriquez, The Untied States of America: Polarization, Fracturing, and Our Future (New York: Random House, 2005). As I read the book (and specifically, as I slogged through the insane typography) I wasn’t sure whether I should accuse him of genius or hubris. After finishing the book, I decided it’s closer to hubris. First, the elephant in the room. I don’t know who typeset this beast, but I hope he’s a minor masochist, because setting this book must have been brutally painful and taken many, many hours. /posts/is-the-internet-changing-the-way-you-think-edited-by-john-brockman/ Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/is-the-internet-changing-the-way-you-think-edited-by-john-brockman/ Rating: 3/5 John Brockman (ed.), Is the Internet Changing the Way You Think?: The Net’s Impact on Our Minds and Future (New York: Harper Perennial, 2011). Edge.org is a sort of think tank, and every year, John Brockman comes up with a question to ask “over 150 of the smartest people in the world.” This year’s question is the title of the book. Some of the other questions look interesting, but after slogging through this 450-page book, I’m not sure I’ll tackle them any time soon. /posts/the-death-and-life-of-the-great-american-school-system-by-diane-ravitch/ Sat, 12 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/the-death-and-life-of-the-great-american-school-system-by-diane-ravitch/ Rating: 3/5 Diane Ravitch, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education (New York: Basic Books, 2010). Well I’ve decided to stop reading books about education for a while. I just get too frustrated and frankly, too hopeless. If Adele and I are ever in a position to have children, it will be home school all the way. (I’m not saying that’s a perfect solution to all problems, but a solution given the current circumstances. /posts/salt-by-mark-kurlansky/ Sat, 06 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/salt-by-mark-kurlansky/ Rating: 3/5 Mark Kurlansky, Salt: A World History (A. Knopf Canada, 2002). If you like reading history, then you’ll enjoy the book. It’s well organized and clearly written—very accessible writing style. If history bores you, then the book will bore you. It is just what it says it is, a book on the history of salt production throughout the world. Some very interesting stuff, actually! I did do a bit of skimming, though, when I got to parts that weren’t particularly interesting to me personally. /posts/jennifer-government-by-max-barry/ Thu, 31 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000 /posts/jennifer-government-by-max-barry/ Rating: 3/5 Max Barry, Jennifer Government (Vintage, 2004). This is a futuristic look at a fully capitalistic world where citizens are truly defined by what they do. It’s part political commentary and part crime thriller. It’s well written with well defined characters and some interesting ideas. I will warn you, however, that Max’s characters have no qualms about swearing and some quite profusely so you have been warned. If you enjoy crime fiction, and especially if you like a little political satire thrown in, then I recommend this book.