Too Cute

Several weeks ago, me and my girls were getting ready to watch Mulan. My younger daughter proceeded to put on her shoes and go out the backdoor. I asked her what she was doing and she said she was going out to watch Daddy mow the lawn. I think there was a miscommunication (Mulan/mow the lawn).

Last night, my older daughter informed me that since there is a King size bed and a Queen size bed, there ought to be a Princess size bed. Incidentally, it should be bigger than a twin but smaller than a Queen.

Just too cute not to share ;)

Incredible read - loved it!!

Wraith by James R. Hannibal

The book begins just before the 9/11 tragedy. The American Air Force is running training missions in Saudi Arabia and Missouri and other locations around the globe. As news of the towers tragedy spreads, everyone pauses, trying to process the informaiton. But when the European squadrons are left out, Michael "Victor" Baron is frustrated in Germany feeling like his hands are tied. He has been denied to fly the B-2 Stealth. Not only is he not in America or in Iraq where the action is, but as an expert in Islamic Terrorism, he desperately wants to apply his knowledge and avenge the lost, innocent lives. However, he struggles with his deep respect for life and wonders where the fine line exists between avenging those lives and just wanting to flat out kill the terrorists he had studied so long.

But as the military life goes, Victor doesn't stay in Germany. After a training mission takes an unexpected turn, he is transferred to Missouri. Though he now realizes his dream to train with the B-2s, the opportunity is overshadowed by the accident and feeling like he is still benched from the war.

The war continues and airmen are called in from Missouri, Arizona, Louisiana, and Washington D.C. Victor answers the call to fight and to partake in a new top secret mission with brand new technoloby. While the test runs are mostly successful, the real mission encounters problem after problem that drops Victor in enemy territory staring down the enemy. Literally.

James R. Hannibal does a great job of creating memorable characters, building suspense, transitioning from different points of view and describing Air Force terminology in a way the average civilian can understand. I was only lost on a couple of flight maneuvers, but not for long. The hand-to-hand combat scenes gave me chills. This is an action-packed Air Force thriller that makes you wonder where the line is between reality and science-fiction. Though Wratih is set around the 9/11 tragedy, the focus in on the aftermath and the action the U.S. takes against the terrorists. With the different points of view, Hannibal shows the reader not only how different people reacted to the tragedy, but also how the Air Force works together as a team.

This is the first book I've read by Jim Hannibal. I loved it! I will definitely be following this author and reading more of his work.

God's Promises for Boys - book review

God's Promises for Boys by Jack Countryman and Amy Parker, Illustrated by Richard Watson.

This is a children's inspirational/devotional type book written mainly for boys. It covers a variety of topics that kids deal with every day. Each topic spans two pages and includes a short poem and three to four verses. I would say this book is most appropriate for school-aged children.

I don't have any boys, so I started reading this book to my daughters each night as our devotional. After a few pages, I told them that was enough for one night. My older daughter asked if she could continue reading on her won. She understood the message and liked the way it was presented. She loves the pictures and thinks they show what the verses talk about. I think this book presents a strong spiritual message because it is infused with scripture. Though we (my daugher and I) would recommend it to boys as some topics are written specifically for them, but girls (like my daughter) might enjoy it too as most of the themes relate to things all kids deal with.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com http://BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Another great series from Cussler

Serpent by Clive Cussler

The book begins in the prologue with a story based on a real shipwreck, the Italian luxury liner SS Andrea Doria, off the shor of Nantucket. Cussler devotes several pages to describing the events up to the collision with the MS Stockholm through the sinking of the Doria, building suspense and creating sympathy for the victims and survivors.

Cussler then whisks us away to Morocco to an archaeological dig including an underwater site. Here we are introduced to Nina Kirov--a tall blond diver who is the owner, president and sole employee of her marine archaeological consultancy firm called Mari-Time Research. While exploring the shoreline and a hidden lagoon, she discovered a carved head with unusual, yet familiar features. She returned to the main camp, reported her findings--except the carved head. That she saved for a friend of hers back home for further research. Nina sent a sketch to her friend at the University of Pennsylvania. Early morning of her third day at the site, Nina narrowly misses being massacred with the rest of the dig team. She escapes by way of the water and is then rescued by ...

Kurt Austin, the Special Assignments team leader in NUMA (National Underwater Marine Agency), is tall with blue eyes and nearly while hair. While rescuing the beautiful Nina Kirov from certain death, Austin unfortunately invites the assassins to finish her off and everyone else aboard the Nereus (a NUMA vessel). With odd of three to nine, Austin, his buddy Joe Zavala and the Captain of the Nereus manage to win against the ninja trained assassins.

Finishing up an assignment in the Yucatan of Mexico, Dr. Gamay Trout--another member of NUMA--has finally arranged a meeting with a VIP from the national anthropological museum in Mexico City. She asked Dr. Chi if there were any archaeological sites in the Yucatan that depicted marine life. Gamay expected to look at drawings of scallops, Dr. Chi showed her instead a nautical scene. While exploring the ruins, they stumbled upon chicleros who loot Mayan ruins and sell the artifacts. These chicleros didn't want their looting business interrupted by curious gringos.

So what does an Italian luxury liner, archaeological dig in Morocco, and chicleros in Mexico have in common? That's what Kurt Austin wants to know.

Enter Don Halcon. He is the owner of Halcon Industries which is an umbrella corporation with many divisions. Halcon is also apparrently a descendant of The Brotherhood--a group of fanatics formed in the 1400s to protect the honor of Christopher Columbus. A rumored artifact on the Andrea Doria, the carved head in Morocco and the nautical scenes in Yucatan all suggested pre-Columbian relations between the East and West. Don Halcon wanted it all eliminated and anyone who got in his way.

Clive Cussler is an excellent writer. I've only read the first two Dirk Pitt adventures, but I think I might prefer Kurt Austin and the NUMA files series. While Dirk Pitt comes across rough around the edges, Kurt Austin seemed more of a gentleman. Don't get me wrong, I will definitely read the rest of the Dirk Pitt series, but then will promptly move on to the NUMA files. I found Serpent hard to put down. Cussler's great style shines through even in a new series.

I think I need a second ...

... read that is. I just finished Clive Cussler's Golden Buddha. Golden Buddha is from the Oregon Files series. I though this was just another series written by Cussler. It is actually a spin-off of the Dirk Pitt adventures. As I read, it seemed as though Juan Cabrillo and his crew may have been introduced at least once if not more in the Pitt series. It seems less James Bond and damsel in distress, and more ethical mercenaries. So though I had some trouble following all the characters and all the action (storyline jumped around alot with simultaneous events), there was plenty of action and kept my interest. Afterall, I had to figure out what happened to two Buddhas, the Dalai Lama, and what was hidden in the secret compartment.

I will finish the Dirk Pitt adventures, then revisit this book in its turn and give it a proper review.

One thing did bug me: if you discover you need batteries, ask for them instead of ham and cheese sandwiches.

Rough around the edges, but a great read

Becoming a Clive Cussler/Dirk Pitt fan, I researched to discover all the titles in the series and in which order I should read them. Though Mediterranean Caper was the first published, and the first one I could find to read, it was not the first Cussler wrote. Though Pacific Vortex was not published until years after Mediteranean Caper, it is supposed to be Dirk Pitt's introduction. Yes, I'm the type of person who wants to read a series in order, so I hunted down the first of the series. Even Cussler himself admits in the foreward to Pacific Vortex that it is still rough around the edges and he wasn't sure if he even wanted to publish it. I read several reviews that said Pacific Vortex was not as good as subsequent Clive Cussler books. Keeping that in mind, I dove in.

Everyone has heard of the mysterious Bermuda Triangle. The Pacific seems to have a mystery of its own--the Pacific Vortex. It has been swallowing ships for years, yet was counted as an unsolved mystery of the sea until a communications canister appears off a beach in Hawaii where Dirk Pitt is relaxing. A former Major in the Air Force, now with NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency), Pitt seems to be an expert of transportation of air and sea--planes, helicopters, boats, submarines--which makes him the perfect go-to guy for the assignment of finding the Starbuck. The Starbuck was an experimental nuclear sub on a test run when it went missing in the Pacific Vortex. With nuclear technology on board, Pitt is asked to help find and recover the sub before someone else does and uses the technology against the United States.

I'll admit that there were a couple scenes in the beginning of the book that were a little cheesy, but I pressed on and I'm glad I did. Though a little rough to start the rest of the book was great. The imagery is fantastic. Another adventurous thrill-ride. In fact, it reminded me of things I loved in my childhood--deep sea explorations, discovering sunken ships, a twisting and turning mystery. Just when you think you know what's going to happen next, Cussler adds another twist that keeps you reading.

I really enjoyed Pacific Vortex and look forward to reading the rest of Dirk Pitt's adventures.

A New Clive Cussler/Dirk Pitt fan

I am working on honing my reviewing skills, so here goes ...

Clive Cussler's Mediterranean Caper is the first Cussler book I picked up to read and I enjoyed it. This is not the first Dirk Pitt story, but it was the first published, I think. Dirk Pitt is a Major transferred from the Air Force to the National Underwater Marine Agency (NUMA). On paper he is the Surface Security Officer. In reality, when an oceanic research project has trouble, Pitt flies in, figures out the problem, fixes it and gets the project back on track.

In Mediterranean Caper, the First Attempt research vessel is in the Aegean Sea looking for a missing link fish. Some unusual accidents take place; Dirk Pitt swoops in for the rescue to run into an apparent ghost plane. While sorting out the problems with the research project and an explanation for the ghost plane, Pitt runs into a drug smuggling scheme, undercover agents, and a traitor. I am no expert when it comes to the Air Force or anything military for that matter, so I have no idea about plausibility. For me it was an exciting story filled with twists and turns.

The point of view did bounce around a bit, but I did not have trouble following it. Cussler does a good job of introducing characters, so I had no trouble keeping track of everybody. I will warn you that Dirk Pitt is very James Bond-esque. In fact the whole story has that feel, but since I'm a fan of James Bond, it works. All in all, a fun, entertaining read and I will be looking for another Clive Cussler/Dirk Pitt adventure to read.