Books

Origins

Posted on November 30, 2013 by Darrick Dean

In recent years, Hollywood has tapped into the audience’s desire to see how their favorite characters came to be. In Star Trek we witnessed the coming together of the legendary starship crew. X-Men First Class unveiled the emergence of professor X, Magneto and their teams of mutants. And in Casino Royale we finally saw how Bond became 007. Film isn’t the only place that has been exploring origins. Brian Godawa has been exploring the beginnings of iconic figures from biblical accounts in his Chronicles of the Nephilim series.

First it was Noah, then Enoch. The great patriarch of religion Abraham. Now Joshua comes alive in Joshua Valiant. As in the previous books, Godawa reads between the lines and makes three-dimensional these people that we all know, whether or not one is a reader of the biblical accounts. Those accounts are known for giving us the main points, the purpose of our place in the Great Story. We can argue that this all that is needed and we’d be right, but many of us our curious and inquisitive people. What has been relayed to us are sometimes short on the details on the lives of these people. How they became who they were. Their paths that led them to where we meet up with them in the Bible.

So in this novel on the entrance of Joshua, Godawa continues to draw on what subtle details that the Bible provides, history from the era and other contemporary writings, and extrapolates into the fantasy genre with a cast of warring giants, demons and angels. But one is left wondering where does the fiction end and the history begin?

As I have said in previous reviews, it’s always best to start at the beginning with volume one of the series. You can jump in with this latest entry without much trouble, however. If you’re worried about this being “biblical fiction” that is going to sound like a sermon, put your concerns aside. This written more in the style of high fantasy and definitely not the calm, pastoral stories of children’s books (which have so colored our minds of the source material).

Before the walls of Jericho fell, there was a story to tell. Many stories, in fact. And when you compare the events of those times to the present day, you will begin to see some important parallels and one thing may come to your mind.

Has the War of the Seed begun again?

Categories: Bible, Books, Fiction, Writing | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Darkness Rises

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Darrick Dean

The following post is a rerun. Why would I repost it? Because I made subtle changes that makes this a perfect example on how a little revision can make all the difference in the world. When you write, really write, you shape and reshape every word like clay.

There has been a war raging since before man first appeared on the Earth.

A war with Evil.

But it’s not what you see on the nightly news. This is far worse.

These shadows conspire in hidden places, whispering in the dark. They wait for times to emerge and spread terror over the land. While the world’s attention is elsewhere, they plan for chaos that few could imagine. They work to unleash horrors long banished to myth.

The Dark One is very pleased most believe such things fantasy. Others know better. Those who have stood among the shadows and crushed their campaigns. Pushing back incursions of the Followers of Darkness as the world was unaware, they asked for no reward. When humanity was propelled to the abyss time and time again, a few brought them back.

Now the Darkness has grown once more. Are there still those who are as the heroes of old? Will they rise?

The time is upon us.

It will be the beginning. Or the end.

Among the Shadows, Watchers of the Light Book 1, the first in a new fantasy series, coming soon.

Categories: Books, Fiction, Writing | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment

Voices from the Past

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Darrick Dean

When most people hear “biography” they think of a boring recounting of some long-dead person’s life. The best biographers, however, bring these ghosts alive and allow you to travel to another time.

Think about it. You know Albert Einstein revolutionized physics. You may know a few of his quotes, have seen an iconic photo or two. When it comes down to it, this is a very one-dimensional knowledge of a person. You really don’t know him and what would drive the achievements that would cause history to memorialize him out of millions of others.

The audio courses Albert Einstein: Physicist, Philosopher, Humanitarian and Churchill will flesh out two iconic 20th Century figures that will leave you with a sense that they were contemporaries. You will no longer wonder why they are remembered. They will also become very human, not near-mythical super-people haunting a history textbook.

Biographies will also paint you a picture of a past era. History is best seen through studying the people that lived it, not memorizing dates, places and names. In the book Boone, you not only meet one of early America’s most fascinating people, but you will be immersed in the lost wild frontier that is hard for anyone to now imagine. Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War brings us back to an era that may seem distant, but then you realize many still live who overlapped in time with this man.

If you ever wished to time travel, biographies such as these are all you need.

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History Unshackled

Posted on October 6, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Some people are under the impression that studying history is dull or of no interest. Maybe we can blame the way it’s presented in education: Quick, little bites that don’t get into the personalities, the drama and the earth-changing events. Don’t get me wrong, I had some history teachers that knew their stuff and were great at teaching, but they were always limited by time.

Education shouldn’t end at graduation. That’s a mistake most people make. It’s a mistake that can be overcome. Many authors are gifted with research and telling history that is every bit has exciting as a novel or film.

If Pilgrims arriving on the Mayflower and having the first Thanksgiving is about the extent of your backgrounder on the subject, Nathaniel Philbrick’s Mayflower will unveil a far more exciting and nation-shaping series of events. Similarly, after reading his The Last Stand, the Indian Wars and Custer will never be quite the same. Some parts of history don’t always end well, but we must learn from them just like any other.

If you ever wondered why so much focus has been put on a single battle like Gettysburg, Noah Andre Trudeau’s Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage, told largely through the eyes of those who fought, will show how war reveals the best, and worst, of men.

Everyone thinks of the Cuban Missile Crisis as the close call of the Cold War, but we were at the brink far more times than that. Books like 15 Minutes and The Dead Hand detail the frightening world that few knew existed.

So start stockpiling some books before winter sets in and prepare to fascinated, amazed and shocked. You’ll wonder why you ever stopped learning or thought it dull or unnecessary.

You are in charge of your education. That education didn’t stop years ago. It only barely had begun.

Categories: Books, History, Modern History, Native Americans | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is There Anyone Left that Believes the ‘Lone Nut’ Theory?

Posted on September 21, 2013 by Darrick Dean

The depth students get exposed to concerning the JFK assassination usually amounts to answering, “Which presidents were assassinated?” So not surprisingly, the “lone nut” verdict of Oswald killing JFK, and all other theories being labeled crockpot, is the conclusion many people unquestioningly believe. At first, that is. Usually the light starts to turn on like this:

“Guy kills Kennedy. Guy who kills Kennedy, quickly killed by another guy. This guy, in turn, doesn’t live much longer. Very convenient.” And it gets better, even with superficial review. “Magic” bullets that show no evidence of passing through anything. Endless contrary evidence to the “lone nut” theory ignored.

Since the beginning, researchers have been perplexed at the Warren Commission’s incompetence. That, though, is only one of three options.

The second is that they part of the conspiracy itself. This is unlikely as abject incompetence. The third, and most likely, is they were covering up the truth they felt would have led to far worse problems. If paths led back to the KGB, war. If an inside job, the people would have tore down Washington block by block. In either case, they reasoned, why not maintain the illusion of government innocence and caring for a few more decades?

Jerome Corsi’s new book Who Really Killed Kennedy? is the latest attempt to collate and unpack the bits of truth concerning the JFK murder. In a time when trust in government is at an all-time low, this book shows that the problem didn’t start yesterday. It’s a creeping menace that began decades ago. It didn’t even begin with JFK, but JFK’s death set the bar high for what those in power could get away with. Whether you’re new to JFK lore, or neck deep in it, Corsi’s book is one of those you can’t put down until the last page is turned.

And Corsi’s book, in a way, is one of warning and caution, not unlike some of the fiction books discussed here. But are decades of cover-up still needed? Was it ever? The players are all gone. Let us learn from history. Truths, as ugly as they may be, really do set us free in the final analysis. Lies, regardless of their initial justification, never live forever.

Nor should they.

Categories: Books, Critical Thinking, Modern History | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Thrilling the Reader with Real Life

Posted on August 31, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Why are Thrillers named such? That’s largely up to the talent of the writer. They have to grab us and not let go for hundreds of pages. The best of them draw many details from the real world. Even in all the action and far-from-our-own-life-as-possible events happening to the characters, it’s those truths that hook you even further. They draw you in, get you thinking or upset you.

Tom Clancy is known for coming up with details in his techno-thrillers that seem almost too real. Sometimes prophetically so. They have even caught the attention of the military, wondering how he predicted events like terrorists using planes as weapons prior to 9/11. I guess the government doesn’t have all the smart people.

In Robert Bidinotto‘s Hunter draws from the author’s background in researching the criminal justice system. Amongst the action and spycraft it gives readers something to think about. Namely, problems in the justice system that few want to address.

Glenn Beck’s Overton Window takes events from recent history and weaves them into a fictional, yet troubling tale of what our nation could become. Politicos out there will be surprised that it is a story about all in power. It’s hard to tell politicians apart anymore, and perhaps the most insidious part of it all, much of what they do is out there in plain sight.

In The Constantine Codex, author Paul Maier, continues the current fascination with religious-thrillers. Lost scrolls, hidden secrets, haven’t we had enough? Except here we have Maier, a professor of ancient history, infuse his book with real history — nonetheless provocative to some — not the spurious pseudo-histories many authors draw on.

Many authors are talented at making their stories seem real. They have to be, because they are full of impossible situations, especially when you get into genres like fantasy and sci-fi. Those, however, who weave fact in their fiction, are those who best understand the craft of writing.

It entertains. It teaches. It provokes.

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Bypass the Publisher or is Self-Publishing a “Cop-Out?”

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Here’s two perspectives from authors whose books I have enjoyed:

“So, You Think You Need a Publisher…” by Robert Bidinotto and “Self-publishing as ‘Principled’ Cop-out” by Mike Duran. I plan on commenting on this topic myself here shortly, but I thought I get the ball rolling. Have fun.

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A Paymaster, Marine and Another Guy Steal a Starship…

Posted on August 4, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Sounds like the start of a bad joke, but it’s essentially the beginning (more or less) of Ren Garcia‘s latest League of Elder saga, Sands of the Solar Empire.

This is book six of League of Elder series, but first of a new trilogy. Long-time fans will notice that Garcia is launching a new batch of characters in his universe that seems both far, far away and yet nearby (and all over the place in time). It’s a galaxy where ships battle, people live in castle-like estates, and magic of sorts is not uncommon. Throw in a bit of horror in from demons and other creatures, while you’re at it.

At the onset of Sands of the Solar Empire, Paymaster Stenstrom achieves his dream of becoming the captain of a warbird. His mission, not to glamorous to begin with, is doomed to fail from the powers that be. Nor does he have a crew and his ship is a wreck. But there is much more to Stenstrom than meets the eye.

That’s were the story jumps back a bit and starts from the real beginning: How Stenstrom got here to begin with and his past adventures and encounters with sinister beings. Unusual for a book to be mostly a flashback of sorts, but well-executed. Once it comes full circle to the start, and Stenstrom and his rag-tag crew he has assembled (of three, counting himself), they find themselves part of something far more dangerous than they ever imagined.

There at the end, you realize you just read a really long (and very good) prologue of what is most likely going to be another totally original, and completely immersive, series from Garcia.

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After Life Everywhere

Posted on July 27, 2013 by Darrick Dean

There have been a scores of books recently on near death experiences (NDEs) and visits to heaven (and an occasional drop into hell). I briefly considered reviewing a wide swath of these, but there’s way too many. But I was also given pause by the thought, “Has anyone looked closely at these? Or is emotion at work here, much like Y2k and 2012?”

No, I’m not skeptical of NDEs in principal as a possibility. Many of these people’s experiences may be true in every detail. Others may have really seen something, though not really know what it was. There may even be a hoax or two out there, but I haven’t heard of many. In any case, I was pleased to find that Hank Hanegraaff wrote Afterlife, in which he does what few others dare to do:

Take the time to really read the NDE stories and see if their claims stand up to simple reason.

For people who don’t like their beliefs to be disrupted, Hanegraaff probably doesn’t make a lot of friends. All that he is doing, however, is some simple critical thinking. Like asking, “Why do so many of these accounts seem colored by the person’s personal beliefs? Why is everyone’s vision of heaven different?” (paraphrasing Hank here). Indeed, those are good questions.

Since many of these accounts come from Christians, Hanegraaff compares the accounts to biblical theology to find the hits and misses. One interesting NDE has a man describing heaven nearly identical to the Apostle John’s version in The Book of Revelation. Was John’s metaphorical attempt to describe the indescribable so perfect that others couldn’t at least try to use different terms? I think experiencing heaven would encourage one to be a little more creative.

I glad someone is out there doing the dirty work. Also a bit sad that using basic reading skills is now “dirty work.” For those who think this is an exercise in futility because they think there isn’t an afterlife, there is a massive body of work from both scientific and theological perspectives that strongly argue otherwise (such as Brain Wars or Immortality, to name a few). But that debate is not the point here.

It’s okay to let emotion draw you into a book, nonfiction or fiction. That doesn’t mean you have to turn the left side of your brain off. Especially in nonfiction.

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Removing the Wool From Our Eyes

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Bradbury. Huxley. Orwell. They all wrote, each in their own way, about the corruption of those given power. It is the belief of those few that they know what is best for the many. Their desire to shape and control your life. Their increasing ability to pull the wool over your eyes.

And that is where Hugh Howey’s Wool steps in and joins the classics of these other writers.

A dead Earth in the future where everyone lives underground. The residents of Silo 18 are all that are left. Their underground city must all work together to survive. No one can leave the Silo. Death comes quick in the old world. But there are rumors of the past. What came before? What happened on the surface? Is it the destiny of man to live under the Earth forever? And why must people be sent out to preform the Cleanings, never to return?

Some of the residents dare brave ask those questions and risk their lives. The answers are disturbing, but will they also change the future? Or will they condemn it?

Howey’s book is a cautionary tale that will become a classic of Sci-Fi’s subgenre of post-apocalyptic fiction. In an era of ever-growing power in the hands of the few, it is a tale that needs to be told.

It is also a story of how the human spirit can never be suppressed forever.

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