I'm enjoying the NIGHTSIDE series so much I'm posting twice on this. John Taylor, the classic noir PI of the seductive and grotesque NIGHTSIDE, enjoys himself greatly in his capers and isn't afraid of the NIGHTSIDE'S evil. GREEN has so much fun that the exposition often gets in the way of the plot, but it really doesn't matter.
In one scene Taylor is waiting for a train and comments, "The platform was crowded, as usual. Half a dozen members of the Tribe of the Gay Barbarians, standing around looking tough with their leathers and long swords, complete with shaved legs, nipple piercings, and heavy face make-up. A silverback gorilla wore an exquisitely cut formal suit, complete with top hat, a cane,and a monocle screwed firmly into one eye. A Gray alien wearing fishnet stockings and suspenders, passing out tracts. And a very polite Chinese demon, sipping hot steaming blood from a thermos. The usual crowd."
It's a typical throwaway line which has nothing to do with the plot, but which I'll chortle over forever. Enjoy. With or without a thermos of hot steaming blood.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
FURIES OF CALDERON, BY JIM BUTCHER, continued
I finished the entire series in page-leaping gulps. Tavi's voyage from apprentice shepherd to something entirely different is breath-taking. I especially like the fourth book, CAPTAIN'S FURY, where he fights epic battles with the Canim, a warrior wolf-like species. Being Tavi, he uses his clever brain and imagination at least as much as military power. In CF story lines coalesce and mysteries are revealed in a very satisfying manner. And there's a lot of Kitai, a Marat girl close to Tavi who is always amused by his culture. Her derisive "Alerans" is very close to Cordelia Naismith Vorkosigan's "Barrayarans" whenever Cordelias's annoyed by Barrayar's military mind-set. The last book, FIRST LORD's FURY, had so many battles fought that I began skimming, but it's still hugely satisfying. I was skeptical of this series at the outset, but now I'm a fervent fan. This more than makes up for BUTCHER's knee-capping CHANGES, the most recent DRESDEN FILES offering.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
WARNINGS, NON-FICTION, BY MIKE SMITH
Weather warnings have become so ubiquitous that they're annoying, so reading this book is unexpectedly bloodcurdling. Mike Smith, who holds eighteen patents in meteorology, communicates his fascination with weather in every page. He gives us the development of weather forecasting and warning, and the bureaucracy which has many times prevented progress. I can't begin to described the excitement and sheer terror I experienced with this book. It is well written, informative, and riveting. I cannot think of any other non-fiction book I've ever read cover to cover.
Having lived in Tornado Alley all my life, I was stunned to learn that for decades the National Weather Service prevented its meteorologists from issuing tornado warnings, thinking this would cause more deaths due to panic. There was much in-fighting between aviation meteorologists, the National Weather Service, and the media about announcing warnings. I'd never known of this idiocy. Astonishingly, the first completely successful tornado warning was in Topeka Kansas, in 1966. Smith also recounts the mostly unsung story of genius Ted Fujita. He created the F-scale for tornado intensity, and his research into dangerous downbursts directly reduced death from airplane crashes.
The author also relates the unbelievable fact that ten years before the millennium, the National Weather Service was still using dilapidated WWII equipment with vacuum tubes, purchased from a single manufacturer in the Soviet Union. Because of governmental delay, advanced Doppler radar was not completely installed until 1996. Dear Lord in Heaven!
He describes many advances and reverses, and has a long discussion about the tragedies of Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina, which were well predicted storms.
Closing on a high note, Smith recounts the story of Greensburg, Kansas, which was obliterated by a tornado in 2007. But because of modern warning systems the lives of over 200 people were saved, compared to a similar Kansas tornado fifty years earlier.
I will never complain about TV weather interruptions again.
Having lived in Tornado Alley all my life, I was stunned to learn that for decades the National Weather Service prevented its meteorologists from issuing tornado warnings, thinking this would cause more deaths due to panic. There was much in-fighting between aviation meteorologists, the National Weather Service, and the media about announcing warnings. I'd never known of this idiocy. Astonishingly, the first completely successful tornado warning was in Topeka Kansas, in 1966. Smith also recounts the mostly unsung story of genius Ted Fujita. He created the F-scale for tornado intensity, and his research into dangerous downbursts directly reduced death from airplane crashes.
The author also relates the unbelievable fact that ten years before the millennium, the National Weather Service was still using dilapidated WWII equipment with vacuum tubes, purchased from a single manufacturer in the Soviet Union. Because of governmental delay, advanced Doppler radar was not completely installed until 1996. Dear Lord in Heaven!
He describes many advances and reverses, and has a long discussion about the tragedies of Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina, which were well predicted storms.
Closing on a high note, Smith recounts the story of Greensburg, Kansas, which was obliterated by a tornado in 2007. But because of modern warning systems the lives of over 200 people were saved, compared to a similar Kansas tornado fifty years earlier.
I will never complain about TV weather interruptions again.
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