Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Book Review #18: My Reading Life

***Note:  This book is not in the public domain.  --Tim

My Reading Life is a non-fiction book by Pat Conroy, author of The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline and The Prince of Tides, among others. In this book he writes about books that he's read that influenced him and his writing throughout his life. He writes about the people that introduced him to the writings such as his mother and teachers. He also talks about some of his life experiences and how he learned to write about them in his books to make them seem more real.

I ran across this book in the library when I was just browsing in the non-fiction section. I like this book because he discusses books and authors in a way that makes me want to read them. These vary in genre and when they were written. I think that it is a good book for people to read who are looking for other authors and books that they might like to read.

Purchase Links:

You can purchase this book in various formats at:



Tim's Rating:  ****
(Four out of five stars)

I'm off to read another book. Check back periodically for more book reviews.



Monday, December 12, 2016

Book Review #17: The Sign of the Four

The Sign of the Four is the second Sherlock Holmes novel by Arthur Conan Doyle. In it Sherlock Holes and Dr. Watson are hired by Miss Mary Morstan whose father disappeared ten years earlier just after returning to England from India ten years earlier. Four years after her father's disappearance, she started anonymously receiving one large pearl each year. then suddenly she received a letter saying her she was wronged and to come meet that evening at a particular public place and she could bring two friends, but no police. She brings Holmes and Watson as her friends since she had no other friends around. From there they are on an adventure solving a murder and chasing a stolen treasure.

I enjoyed this book. I think it is a must read for anybody that likes mysteries. It is full of adventure on both land and water.  In this book he also gives a small glimpse at how Holmes and Watson spend their time while not trying to solve a crime.

Download links:

You can download this book in various ebook formats at:

Project Gutenberg:  http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2097

ManyBooks:   http://manybooks.net/titles/doyleartetext00sign410.html

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Sign-Four-Wisehouse-Classics-illustrations-ebook/dp/B01H6J6ZLA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1481572647&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sign-of-four-arthur-conan-doyle/1100097443?ean=9789176371770

Tim's Rating: *****
(Five out of five stars)

I'm off to read another book. Check back periodically for more book reviews.

Monday, December 5, 2016

Book Review #16: Absolute Power

***Note:  This book is not in the public domain.  --Tim

Absolute Power is the first novel by David Baldacci. It is a thriller in which an  professional burglar, Luther Whitney, was burglarizing the home of a billionaire. He was in a vault that was accessed from the closet in the master bedroom. The door to the vault consisted of a two way mirror. Nobody was in the home when he broke in and bypassed the security system. While he was in the vault, he heard some people coming up the stairs, so he closed the door and sat in a chair in the vault that looks out. The billionaire's wife (much younger than her husband) and a high ranking government official came in the room and started having sex that was getting rough and ended in the death of the billionaire's wife.  After the others left the house Luther ran. He approached attorney Jack Graham, his daughter's ex-fiance, and a friend to defend him in case anything happened.

I came across this book in the library recently. I noticed they had several of his novels on the shelf, so I pulled up Goodreads on my phone and found out that this was his first. I have been reading thrillers for several years and have gotten in to them a lot more recently. This one ranks up there with some of my favorites. It has you wondering what will happen next up to the conclusion of the book. Be assured that you will eventually see reviews of more of his books in the future on this blog.

Purchase Links:

You can purchase this book as a hard cover, paperback, or ebook at the following locations:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Absolute-Power-David-Baldacci/dp/044656656X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480980829&sr=8-1&keywords=david+baldacci+absolute+power

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/absolute-power-david-baldacci/1100307672?ean=9780446566568

Tim's Rating: *****
(Five out of five stars)

I'm off to read another book. Check back periodically for more book reviews.

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Short Story Review #2: The Last President: A Speculative Short Story

***Note:  This book is not in the public domain.  --Tim

The Last President: A Speculative Short Story by Martin Roy Hill is a futuristic story where the United States had gone bankrupt and corporations had taken over running the government. They changed all the textbooks about the history of the United States so that they only show the history back to when the corporations took over the government. In the story, Sgt. Frank Wengler was sent to evict an older gentleman from corporate owned housing that was refusing to budge. Sgt. Wengler goes in the house and talks to the gentleman who tells Sgt. Wengler about the real history and the last president. The gentleman his willing to go after he tells Sgt. Wengler his story.

Some people might classify this story as science fiction but there is no technology or science used in this story. When the gentleman is telling the story you can see similarities to whats presently going on in the United States. I like this story. Another good story by Martin Roy Hill.

Purchase Links:

You can purchase a Kindle edition of this story at:  https://www.amazon.com/Last-President-Speculative-Short-Story-ebook/dp/B010IMLS8C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480813292&sr=8-1&keywords=martin+roy+hill

Tim's Rating: *****
(Five out of five stars)


I'm off to read another book. Check back periodically for more book reviews.

Book Review #15: Bubblegum: The History of Plastic Pop

***Note:  This book is not in the public domain.  --Tim

In this post I'm finally reviewing a non-fiction book which is related to my other big hobby is my music  collection. The book is Bubblegum: The History Of Plastic Pop by Nick Brownlee. It tells about bubblegum or "manufactured pop" from the 1950's through the 1990's and beyond. It talks about around 200 groups mainly from the UK and US, but there are a few from other countries that he talks about in the book. He also talks about early seasons of Pop Idle and American Idle.

I read the Nook version of the book and the rating reflects my opinions of the layout of the book. He has a lot of good information about the groups and the managers and producers. My only problem is the layout as I said above. He will be talking of one group or artist and finish a paragraph and then write about one or two other groups and at times I found myself lost for a little bit when he returns until he shows the name of the group. This isn't once or twice in the book, but throughout the entire book.

You may have noticed that I changed the name of this blog from Tim's Reviews to Tim's Book Reviews. I did this to point out that I post only book reviews and short story reviews in this blog and no music or movies that I suggested in my first post to the blog. I have also made it so just about anybody can leave comments below.

Purchase Links:
You can purchase this book either as an ebook or paperback at the following links:



Tim's Rating:  ***
(Three out of five stars)


I'm off to read another book. Check back periodically for more book reviews.




Monday, October 31, 2016

Book Review #14: Frankenstein or The Modern Promtheus

Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus is the original unedited 1818 version of the well known horror novel by Mary Wolstonecraft Shelley.  There are many movies that have been made that were inspired by this story. Many of them are horror films and some are comedies based on Victor Frankenstein and the creature that he brings to life.

This was my first time ever reading the book and now I wonder why I never read it before. As I read it, I'd think back to the movies I've seen and see what was familiar and what was different. Most movies base this story in a dark and dank area full of mystery and a lot of times in a castle. After reading the book, I realized that it was written taking place in some of the most beautiful areas in the word meaning Switzerland and the Bavarian state of Germany. It was more of an apartment with a laboratory in it that he creates the creature, but he still does use lightning in order to still give it life. There were only five people killed in the book, only three of which were done ty the creature.  Yes, people were frightened by the size and appearance, but the person he was out to torment was his creator, Victor Frankenstein.  I saw a lot of differences in the book than what yo see in the movies.

Download Links:

You can download the book for free in various ebook formats form the following sites:

Project Gutenberg:  http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/84

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/FRANKENSTEIN-Modern-Prometheus-Uncensored-1818-ebook/dp/B018LJYKLQ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1477943382&sr=8-7

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/frankenstein-or-the-modern-prometheus-shelley-mary/1123153952?ean=9789176370704

Tim's Rating: ****
(For out of five stars)

I'm off to read another book. Check back periodically for more reviews.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Book Review #13: The Island of Dr. Moreau

The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells is a science fiction/horror story.  Edward Prendick is aboard a ship in the Pacific Ocean which runs into  a derelict boat and sank. He was presumed dead but was found alive in a small schooner a year later. When he tells the story of what happened over that year he was considered mad. This book recounts what he wrote about that time where he was rescued by Montgomery, Dr. Moreau's assistant, who was headed back from Africa to the island with supplies. When they get  to the island he is reluctantly allowed to stay on the island by Dr. Moreau. He hears screams quite often nearby, not knowing from what. He goes out walking to get away from the screams and sees some beasts that were created by Dr. Moreau. What kind of bests were they and what happened during that year he was missing? How did he get into the boat in which he was discovered?

I normally don't read horror stories, but with it being October, I decided that I will for the rest of the month.  This is harder to read than some of the other books by Wells that I've read, having to use a dictionary quite often to look up words. I read this story since I've read and reviewed Sherlock Holmes: The Army of Dr. Moreau (Book Review #10) for background references. I know a lot of people like this story and movies based on it. Just for me, horror is one genre in which I don't have much interest. It is an interesting story, though.

Download Links:

You can download this book in various ebook formats from:

Project Gutenberg:  http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/159

Many Books:  http://manybooks.net/titles/wellshgetext94dmoro11.html

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Island-Dr-Moreau-H-G-Wells-ebook/dp/B0163BFJM8/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1476364418&sr=8-13&keywords=hg+wells


Tim's Rating:  ***
(Three stars out of five)

I'm off to read another book. Check back soon to see what horror story I read next.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Book Review #12: The Last Refuge

***Note:  This book is not in the public domain.  --Tim



The Last Refuge is the second Peter Brandt thriller by Martin Roy Hill. This book takes place in 1993. Peter Brandt is a freelance journalist and former war corespondent who is hired to write a story about a lawsuit filed by the widow of a guy that was working for a government defense contractor that was killed by friendly fire in Iraq by friendly fire. The widow stated that the last she knew he was working in Germany. After she filed the lawsuit the company said that her husband hadn't worked for them for over a year before he was killed. The government was trying to cover up the incidents of his death and put a gag order on the lawsuit. Peter kept running into roadblocks like these during his investigation and the more he learned, the more somebody was trying to stop him. Who was this guy working for when he was killed and why was he in Iraq? Who is trying to cover-up the incident and why?

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair review. I was intrigued by the story since I was deployed to the area during Operation Desert Storm while I was in the Air Force.  The author wrote the story in such a way that it takes you back to the early 90's and keeps you wanting to read more to see what Peter finds and to figure out who's trying to stop him. I thoroughly enjoyed it with all the thrilling action in it.

Purchase Links:

You can purchase the book in either as an ebook or paperback from the following sites:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Refuge-Martin-Roy-Hill/dp/1518682715/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1476202938&sr=8-2&keywords=martin+roy+hill

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-refuge-martin-roy-hill/1123443727?ean=9781518682711

Tim's Rating: *****
(Five out of five stars)

I'm off to read another book. Check back soon for more reviews.

Friday, October 7, 2016

Book Review # 11: A Study In Scarlet

A Study In Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the first of four Sherlock Holmes novels and 56 short stories. This is the book that introduced Holmes, Dr. Watson and Scotland Yard Inspectors Gregson and Lestrade to the world. It starts out by telling how Holmes and Dr. Watson met and follows them, Gregson and Lestrade on a mystery where a dead body was found a house that wasn't lived in at the time. There were no signs of struggle and no visible wounds on the victim which made it more complex.

I like this book by the way it shows how Holmes goes about his investigation and solves clues before any of the experts. I also like how it gives a good background of the victims an the murderer. I'd say that this should be the first book of any Sherlock Holmes stories to read.

Download Links:

This book can be downloaded for free in various ebook formats from:

Project Gutenberg:  http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/244

Manybooks:  http://manybooks.net/titles/doyleartetext95study10.html

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Remastered-Study-Scarlet-ebook/dp/B00957RG4C/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1475844101&sr=1-3&keywords=a+study+in+scarlet

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-study-in-scarlet-a-novel-arthur-conan-doyle/1026745750?ean=2940022430844


Tim's Rating:  *****
(Five out of five stars)


I'm off to read another book. Check back here periodically for more reviews.


Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Book Review # 10: Sherlock Holmes: The Army of Dr. Moreau

***Note:  This book is not in the public domain.  --Tim

Sherlock Holmes: The Army of Dr. Moreau by Guy Adams is a book that I checked out from the library. In this book Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are investigating some mysterious deaths where the bodies show up in the Thames river or in a rough part of London that is along the Thames. Each of the bodies appeared to be mauled by some sort of animal. They discover that these deaths are related to creatures created by Dr. Moreau which are from the H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau which was written in the same time period as some of the earlier Sherlock Holmes stories. In this story Dr. Moreau has been dead for several years before these bodies appear. Sherlock and Dr. Watson are trying to figure out who knows the details of Dr. Moreau's work and are experimenting with them and beyond.

This story is interesting, but I'd prefer to have more original characters. In this book the author borrows characters from not only H.G. Wells novels, but also from books written by Jules Verne, other books that are not Sherlock Holmes related by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Edgar Rice Burroughs and he even states it at the end of the book. I also don't like that he is turning Sherlock into science fiction by him chasing monsters that did not exist in the late nineteenth/early twentieth century which is the time setting of most of the Sherlock Homes books are set.

Purchase Links:

This book can be purchased as either an ebook or paperback at the following sites:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Army-Doctor-Moreau-ebook/dp/B005UFBXEM/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1475095778&sr=1-3&keywords=guy+adams

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sherlock-holmes-adams-guy/1112180651?ean=9780857689344

Tim's Rating:  ***
(Three out of five stars)

I'm off to read another book. Check back here periodically for more reviews.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Book Review # 9: The Golden Skull

To start out, I need to apologize for not posting anything here for over a month.  A combination of being busy and my health problems caused a big portion of that.  I started going through treatment for some of my health problems earlier this week that should help out.

The Golden Skull is the tenth book in the Rick Brant series by John Blaine.  In this book Rick and Scotty accompany Dr. Tony Briotti, an archaeologist with the Spindrift Foundation, to a mountainous area with aborigines to find some lost sacred relics, the largest of which  is a golden skull.  The problem is that there are others trying to find the same items through them, some of them for monetary reasons, others for religious.  Like the other books in the series that I've reviewed there are many adventures encountered along the way.

Yes, this a boys series book from the 1950's, but as I said in an earlier review, I like reading some of these boys and girls series books because they have adventures in them that keep you riveted throughout the book.  Just like the other ones in the series I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Download Links:

Project Gutenberg:  http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32270

Many Books:  http://manybooks.net/titles/goodwinh3227032270-8.html

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Skull-Brant-Science-Adventure-Story-ebook/dp/B01B7QKD66/ref=sr_1_11?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1473992793&sr=1-11&keywords=rick+brant

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-golden-skull-john-blaine/1113564572?ean=2940011950162

Tim's Rating: ****
(Four out of five stars)


Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Book Review # 8: The Rocket's Shadow

     The Rocket's Shadow is the first book in the Rick Brant series.  It's about Rick and his new friend Scotty trying to find who is behind the mishaps and disappearances  of items from the rocket that the Spindrift Foundation is working on for a contest.  There is a lot of adventure in this one just like the other books in the series.

     I was looking around for this book and was starting think that I would have to try to find it at the library.  I then discovered that I could download it from Amazon for 99 cents.  I still have money on my account from gift cards that I got for Christmas, so I decided to purchase it.  I'm glad I did.

Purchase Link

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Rockets-Shadow-Brant-Electronic-Adventure-ebook/dp/B01BR1645K/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470751112&sr=1-2&keywords=rick+brant#nav-subnav

Tim's Rating:  ****
(Four out of five stars)

Book Review # 7: The Caves Of Fear

     The Caves Of Fear is the eighth book in the Rick Brant series  by John Blaine (Harold Leeland Goodwin).  After deciphering a telegram from Chahda, a boy from India that worked for the Spindrift Foundation in some of the earlier books, Rick, Scotty and Hobart Zircon, a nuclear physicist for the foundation, go on a mission to Asia for the U.S. government that was related to the telegram.  Their mission is to find the source of heavy water that has been being sold and schools all over Asia.  They have a lot of adventures in the process and travel across Asia to find the source and Rick puts his latest invention to good use throughout these adventures.  Parts of the book made me think that they could make a good story for a adventure or RPG game.

Downloads:

Project Gutenberg:  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32269
Many Books:  http://manybooks.net/titles/blainejo3226932269-8.html

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Rick-Brant-Science-Adventure-Halcyon-Classics-ebook/dp/B004ELAGZA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470668437&sr=1-1&keywords=Rick+Brant#nav-subnav

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rick-brant-science-adventure-series-john-blaine/1028374760?ean=2940011865343

Tim's Rating:  *****
(Five out of five)


Monday, August 8, 2016

Book Review #6: Smugglers' Reef

     Smugglers' Reef  is the seventh book in the Rick Brant book, a boy's series book, written by John Blaine (pseudonym for Harold Leeland Goodwin), but the first in the Public Domain as an ebook.  Rick Blaine and his best friend Don "Scotty" Scott are junior technicians in the Spindrift Foundation which is a society of scientists that live and work on Spindrift Island. This book starts out when there friend Jerry Webster, a reporter for the local newspaper, gets a phone call from his local editor about a fishing trawler crashing on Smugglers' Reef.  Rick and Scotty ride along with Jerry  and notice that the capatin of the ship and his wife both seem to be scared.  Rick decides that he wants to solve this mystery, so along with Scotty, Jerry and Cap'n Mike, a new acquaintance, work on solving it.  There are many twists and turns in this book with a lot of adventure.

     I found out about this series from my friend Marty who knows I like to read Bo;s series books and he informed me that some of the books are now in the Public Domain as ebooks. I am introducing a new feature in this book where I will include download links that you can download or read the books online. I will also include links for purchasing the books from Amazon (Kindle) and Barnes & Noble (Nook).  Both of these sites have free apps available for your computer, tablets and smartphones where you can read these books.

    If you know of any boy's series and girl's series books from the early 1900's that you like, please let me know in the comments below.

Download Links:

Project Gutenberg:  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28849
Many Books:  http://manybooks.net/titles/blainejo2884928849-8.html

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rick-Brant-Science-Adventure-Halcyon-Classics-ebook/dp/B004ELAGZA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470668437&sr=1-1&keywords=Rick+Brant#nav-subnav

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rick-brant-science-adventure-series-john-blaine/1028374760?ean=2940011865343

Tim's Rating: ****
(Four out of five stars)

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Short Story Review #1: Second Variety

     Second Variety is a short story by Philip K. Dick that was published in the May, 1953 edition of Space Science Fiction.  It is a post-apocalyptic story in which the United States and the Soviet Union are still at war. The United States have designed an implemented robots to help them in the war, but some of the robots have gone rogue.

     If you like science fiction, I think you might like this story.  You can download it for free at:    https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32032

Tim's Rating:  ****
(Four out of five stars)

Blog Update

     It has been almost a month since a last posted a blog entry.  My health problems and being busy has caused that.  I have found it a little harder to read larger novels lately due to my health problems.  Because of that, I have decided to read shorter novels and short stories and write reviews of them in this blog.

     When I started this blog, I stated that I would include music and movie reviews, but haven't posted any yet.  I have decided to mainly do book reviews in this blog and may start another blog in the future for those reviews along with this one.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Book Review #5: Pollyanna Grows Up

     A little over two weeks ago I wrote a review of the book Pollyanna by Elanor H. Porter. I enjoyed that book so much that I decided to read the sequel, Pollyanna Grows Up. This book starts up a few months after Pollyanna arrives home from the sanitarium.  This book is divided between Pollyanna's life at a couple different ages.

     The first half is when she's thirteen.  Her new uncle is offered a position in Germany and want Aunt Polly to go with him. Aunt Polly will not go unless she knows Pollyanna has somewhere to live while they are in Germany. A nurse from the sanitarium hears about it and persuades her sister, Mrs. Carew, to take Pollyanna for the school year. Mrs Carew is a wealthy widow that keeps to herself in a large, dark house in Boston. Aunt Polly agrees to the living situation and gets Pollyanna enrolled at a girl's school near Mrs. Carew.

     After Pollyanna returns home in the spring, her aunt and uncle decide to return to Germany and take Pollyanna with them. The second half of the book takes place when Pollyanna is twenty and they come back home from Germany. Things have changed and they are trying to adjust to the changes.

     As in the first book, Pollyanna changes many people's lives, both new friends and old friends. I enjoyed reading it a seeing the types of changes she made in their lives.


Tim's Rating: ****
(Four out of five stars)

Friday, May 20, 2016

Book Review #4: The Jungle Book

     I know of at least three movies that were made based on The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. The most familiar on to many of us is the animated Disney movie from 1967 that follows Mowgli, a boy that was raised by wolves and that was hated by the tiger, Shere Kahn, who is trying to kill Mowgli.

     I decided to read the book and was surprised. I expected the book to be one continuous story of Mowgli and his adventures. Instead it's a collection of short stories and poems about animals. There are three stories in which Mowgli is one of the main characters that the events of the movie are based. Those three stories are less than half of the book.

     All but one of the stories take place in India. One of the stories Is "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" which I remember reading for school decades ago about a young mongoose. It was good reading that story again along with the other stories.

     I liked these stories of a small slice of life in India in the late 19th century from the view of animals. If you like reading about animals, ou might like this story.

Tim's Rating: ****
(Four out of five stars)

Monday, May 16, 2016

Book Review #3: Pollyanna

      The theme for one of the Goodreads groups that I'm in for this month are books that were made into movies. I've been reading a lot of more in depth books lately by Charles Dickens, Sinclair Lewis. Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. I decided to read something a little lighter this time. I chose a children's classic that was made into a Disney move back in 1960 starring Hayley Mills. The book is Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter.

     Pollyanna was the daughter of a missionary whose wife (Pollyanna's mother) died when she was young. Her father fell ill and died just before the book begins. She is taken in by her aunt, Miss Polly, who is one of the wealthiest and strictest people in town. Pollyanna would always tell people that she was glad about something. It turns out that it was a game her father taught her in which the object is to whatever situation you're in, think of something to be glad. Miss Polly didn't want Pollyanna to talk about her father around her. So Pollyanna didn't tell Miss Polly about the game, but she told around everybody she met in town about it. One day a car hits Pollyanna and she was paralyzed below the waist. When she heard that she wouldn't ever walk again, she couldn't think of anything to be glad. Then people from all over town came to visit letting Miss Polly how much better they feel because of Pollyanna's game.

     That is all I'm going to tell you of the story. Mot of the characters in the movie are in the book. There are different ways that some of the adventures are in the book than the movie.

     I enjoyed this book because it emphasizes to look for positive attitudes to have in various situations no matter what how bad it is.

Tim's Rating: *****
(Five out of five stars)

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Book Review #2: The Time Machine

     It seems that movies and television shows that incorporate in them are big hits. Look at the popularity of the three Back to the Future movies. I have looked at listings of other movies and I have seen a good amount that have a tie-in to time travel in the description. I have to admit that I'm a fan of Dr. Who, I have been since the mid-70's.

     With the popularity of the desire to travel through time I decided to read The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. The book was published in 1895 which shows that people though of time travel for a good while. The book starts out with the Time Traveler talking with a group of learned people of various types of backgrounds at his house and lab. He was talking of geometry which pretty much only talks about three dimensions. He keeps hinting to the fourth dimension which is time. He tells the group that he is about done building a time machine. Around the full group feels the he's pulling their leg.

    A week later some of the same group plus a fewer come to his house as the had been doing weekly for a few months. He's not there when they get there, but he left a note for them to wait or him. He comes in where they're waiting dirty and scraped up and walking with a noticeable limp. He told them that he finished building the time machine that morning. Around the rest of the book is his narrative of his trip to the year 802701. In it he compares what he sees in the future to what it was like in the late 19th century England.

     I had to reread the first chapter a few times because it was rough grasping what he was talking about at first. Once he goes into his narrative the book gets a lot more exciting. While reading that part, I pictured in my mind of Dr. Who taking a trip in the Tardis to that time (it would make a good episode).

     If you like some of these time travel movies or television shows like Dr. Who, you might like this book.

Tim's Rating: ****
(4 out of 5 stars)

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Book Review #1: A Journey to the Centre of the Earth

     There have been a few movies that have been based on Jules Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth. It also inspired an album of the same title by Rick Wakeman (Yes) along with The London Symphony Orchestra and The English Chamber Choir in 1974.

     The only movie that I've seen of it was the one from 1959 with Pat Boone and James Mason.  After reading the book, I tell people not to expect the book to be the same as the movie. Yes there are some similar adventure, but characters and the country that it started out was Germany instead of England. I can understand that they tried to make the movie more appealing to a wider range of people, but the book is better than the movie in my opinion.

     The main characters are Professor Von Hardwigg and his nephew Henry (Harry) along with Hans, their Icelandic guide. The book follows Professor Hardwigg and Henry, when after Professor Harwigg comes across a loose document when looking at a 12th century book about Norwegian princes that had reigned in Iceland. After deciphering the document they discovered that the document was written by Arne Saknussemm, a 16th century professor from Iceland that claimed he found a route and had gone to the center of the earth and back. The document told where to look for the starting point for the journey. Within days of deciphering the document they started of for Iceland from Germany with a stop in Denmark along the way. After arriving in Iceland, they were introduced to Hans by a prominent person in Iceland. They start for the place the document said to enter the journey a few days later.

     This book refers to geological terms quite often (mainly different kinds of rocks) and science throughout the book. If you are a fan of science, you might like this book.

     The only confusing thing to me in this book is sometimes the nephew is called Henry and other times as Harry. I'm just wondering if Harry was a nickname.

Tim's Rating: ****
(4 out of 5 stars)

New Blog






     I have tried writing blogs in the pat, but horribly failed. I would write a few posts and then would stop adding posts. For this new blog I'm starting out by saying that there is no set frequency for when I write new posts.

     You may have noticed the title of the blog, "Tim's Reviews" and wonder what I'll be reviewing. My response is that I'll mainly be reviewing books and music. Every once in a while I'll write a movie review.

Books

     Most of the books the I'll be reviewing will be in the form of ebooks that I got for free from Project GutenbergMany BooksFeedbooks  or Internet Archives. I have FBReader installed on both my laptop and tablet that enables me to read the the books that I download from those websites.

     I also have the kindle app loaded both my laptop and tablet where I can purchase books from Amazon's kindle store which includes many that you can get for free.

     I have Nook SimpleTouch as well as the nook app on both my laptop and tablet. I can purchase ebooks from barnesandnoble.com including many that are free.

     For finding deals on new books that I can get for free, I am subscribed to Many Books email that is a daily email that lists the ebooks that you can get for free or a low price (under $5) and store/device that has them for that price.

     Last of all for books, I do go to the library at times where I check out books that I'll review. I also own some physical books that I might review.

Music

     I collect music in the form of records, cassette tapes and compact discs. Combined I have over 2,000 albums on at least one for those media. Most of them are from between 1960 and 1989 from most genres. At times I'll review an album from my collection.

Movies

     At times I'll review a movie that I viewed from Netflix, Amazon Prime, Internet Arcives or a DVD that I own. I watch many genres and if I like a movie, I'll review it.


     This post is longer than what my posts will normally be. I just wanted to give you information in this post of what I'll review and the sources for the items.

     If you have comments for any of my posts, please leave them in the comments below.