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.