"Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie

I've said this before: Agatha Christie is the standard by which other murder-mystery authors are measured. She wielded her pen with a devious imagination that was nothing short of genius.

In this classic story, our hero is the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. (Okay, confession time: In my head I still say his name like a weird, British-accent version of "pirate.")
While riding the Orient Express, Poirot is approached by a gentlemen who wishes to hire him as a bodyguard because he is in fear that he will be murdered. Poirot declines the offer (because the man has an evil look about him), and subsequently the man is, in fact, murdered on the train.
The train gets stuck in a snow storm, and it is up to Poirot to determine which of the passengers committed the crime before the killer may strike again.

It is a fantastic nightmare scenario! Without using overly grotesque imagery, or unnecessary gore, Agatha Christie still conveys the terror and suspense.
I absolutely love her pacing. The story is neither too long nor too short. The scene changes come at the perfect times to build suspense. And she does not get bogged down in unnecessary details.

Her characters are always so well-developed and diverse. This is remarkable, given the number of characters and the relatively short length of the book.

On a negative note, the ending began to be a little obvious to me at some point (and I am working under the assumption that I am not extremely clever). But the VERY end flabbergasted me a bit..... I can't spoil it - you'll just have to read it. To be honest, I did not care for the manner in which the case was resolved (which only involved perhaps the last two or three paragraphs). Let's just say it didn't seem "just" to me. But it did not lessen my enjoyment of the book very much.

There is a little bit of antiquated word usage, some of which would probably be considered racially offensive today. Beware of that. Remember the era in which it was written.

Great story, great book, great author. 'Nuff said.

"Inside Threat" - Riley Covington series book #4 by Jason Elam and Steve Yohn

***SPOILER ALERT!!!!  This book is #4 in a series, and there are some major SPOILERS in this review!!!!***

As I was looking back at my blog, I can't believe I didn't write any reviews for the other three books in this series. They were all enjoyable, although some were better than others. The first book "Monday Night Jihad" may have been the best...

In this book, domestic terrorist attacks begin to intensify. The analysts in Riley's former counter-terrorism unit believe they are diversions for the "big event." They are correct. Terrorists take over 300 people hostage at a funeral - several of whom are congressmen and congresswomen (also taken captive are their security personnel, including Khadi, Riley's old romance flame).

This was my least favorite book of the series, for several reasons. Incidentally, I can't help but feel that I put Jason Elam and Steve Yohn at a disadvantage by reading this book immediately after "Blaze of Glory" - which is superior to this book in every way. But this book was just bad, so it may not have mattered.

Let's talk about what I hated:
1. Riley Covington was an out-of-control jerk in this book. That's what I got, anyway. He was rude, quick-tempered, selfish, and forced his friends into compromising positions because of his thoughtless actions. He totally lost his mind when he found out Khadi was held hostage. He coerced people into letting him have his way and get into the action. It seemed so out of character from the Riley I remember in the other three books...but it's okay, because:

2. The authors kill the main character at the end. Is there any better way to alert the readers that there will be no more books in the "Riley Covington" series than to kill off Riley Covington? He trades himself to the terrorists for Khadi, and they kill him before the good guys can diffuse the situation. The authors attempted to make his death look so noble - but because of his horrendous attitude and behavior in the first part of the book, his death didn't make me sad or even shocked. It was just STRANGE. (Not to mention that he broke all kinds of governmental agency protocols in order to get to the hostage site to begin with).  His death was not noble in my mind. There was no redemption, even though he gave his life for Khadi. Did the authors have a grudge against Riley when they set out to write this book?

3. The first half of the book seemed drawn out and full of unnecessary fluff. It really annoys me when a book that claims itself to be a "thriller" (and that also has a really cool cover photo) is SOOOO SLOOOW to get to the action. There was an inordinate amount of time given to the fact that Khadi and Riley still desired a relationship with each other, although they had agreed to part ways. Many of the scenes in the first half of the book involved them...simply... missing each other.

4. Humor is overused at a teeth-grindingly frustrating pace (okay, so I use made-up words occasionally). I am not an "operative" or an "operator" or a "spec-ops warrior" or a "CIA spook" or even a school crossing guard. But I can't imagine that average law enforcement/military professionals use so much cheesy humor, especially in tense situations. If they do, don't tell me. It would shatter my mental picture of them.....

5. In order to get to the hostage scene where he will eventually perish, Riley is held up by a young marine who is in charge of screening people through the security line... Riley doesn't have time to wait in the line like everybody else, so he CUTS in front of EVERYBODY, dials the PRESIDENT (!??!?!) on the president's private line, and the president (despite the intense hostage situation) happens to have time to tell the young marine to let Riley through....because he owes Riley a favor. Seriously. It would have been more believable and interesting if Riley had just shanked the marine with a broken spork.

What I liked about the book? Good guys win. Khadi starts to seek out the true God. It was less than 400 pages.... after that, I'm struggling.

I hate to say it, but I give this book 1 out of 5 stars. Fortunately, the other books in the series are better. Unfortunately, the authors won't have a chance to redeem themselves in the next book, because the series is over.

"The Effects of Reading" - a paper by John Chancey

I have been an outspoken proponent of reading for years and years. The discipline of reading (whether one loves to read or not) is essential for intellectual growth. It is also essential for spiritual growth, since the source for spiritual growth given in Scripture is the Word of God itself (I Peter 2:2). Therefore, a reading habit can be the difference between growing as a Christian and NOT growing! Honestly, though, my paper focuses more on reading as a source of "fun."  (And it really is fun!)

Yesterday, I ran across a short paper that I wrote for Creative Writing class my freshman year of college (almost 12 years ago!). The paper is called "The Effects of Reading," and it is not scholarly in any way, shape, or form. I will include my thesis and outline, followed by the body of the paper itself. Don't laugh.... In actuality, it was a fun class - and every outline and paper in THAT class (unlike the research papers of other classes) was written solely from my own mind. No research or footnotes required! This is the reason my thoughts are not well-developed....  

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Thesis: Many benefits result from reading books.

I. Reading ingrains lasting virtues.

     A. Patience

     B. Prioritization

II. Reading instills a larger vocabulary.

     A. Understand the word for recognition

     B. Understand the writer's thought for remembrance

III. Reading ignites a love for variety.

     A. Expansion of reading tastes

     B. External variances (other than reading)

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The Effects of Reading

      At one time in the world, there were no such things as televisions or computers. There were no video games, nor were there CD players or stereo systems. What did people do to entertain themselves? They read books! Books are an incredible form of entertainment. Some writings are merely recorded knowledge, some writings are works of fiction, and others are philosophical speculations. Many benefits result from reading books.

      To begin with, reading ingrains lasting virtues. The book itself may not teach virtuous truths. I am speaking more of the act of reading itself. Readers learn patience. It takes time to read books. Some people do not have the patience or determination to finish a book once they have started. Readers also learn to prioritize. While reading a book, the reader must focus on what he is reading to comprehend the message. This requires the reader to block every outside distraction from his mind.

      Secondly, reading instills a larger vocabulary. Generally, when a reader finds a word that he does not know the meaning of, he looks up the definition. This act not only satisfies his curiosity, but it also helps the reader remember the word later. The knowledge gained will also enable the reader to understand what the author was trying to convey in the first place.

      Finally, reading ignites a love for variety. The average reader is drawn to a particular style of writing. Someone who reads more than average is quickly challenged to step outside of his normal selections and expand his taste. The regular customers in the bookstores can attest to this fact. How often do you see people just roaming around a bookstore waiting for something to grab their interest? This happens frequently. This is bolstered by the fact that there is an inexhaustible supply of material from which the reader can partake. Variety in reading can also lead to variety in other areas.

      Reading can be a very enjoyable past-time, but it is not without benefits. Reading can produce lasting virtues, a larger vocabulary, and a love for variety. To reject a good reading habit is to rob oneself of the experience and education of others. The author is reminded of a quote from Erasmus which states: "Whenever I get a little money, I buy books, and if any is left, I buy food and clothes." Learn to love to read, and you will find that it is more exciting and educational than any modern form of entertainment today!

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(By the way, I got a 100 on this paper. The professor wrote at the bottom: "Excellent! May I have a copy?") 

If you really like this one, I'll publish another paper of mine from that college course - maybe my paper about hacky-sacks!

"Blaze of Glory" by Major Jeff Struecker and Alton Gansky

*ALERT: SPOILERS BELOW*
In the second fiction offering from the combined talents of Jeff Struecker and Alton Gansky, Sgt. Major Eric "Boss" Moyer and his Special Operations team are once again thrown into a desperate situation - this time, it is to prevent a suicide bomber from taking out 20 of the world's leaders. But that is not the only crisis they face... Their mission will take them to Mexico to face a ruthless drug lord.
A new character is introduced to the team to replace a man they lost in their last mission (read the first book). But the new guy, Jerry "Data" Zinsser, suffers from PTSD after his previous team was mostly wiped out - and his flashbacks may compromise this new mission and put his team at risk.

I absolutely loved their first book, "Certain Jeopardy," and the second book is just as good. The writing is well-done, the characters are real and believable, and the pace is perfect. The action scenes will keep your heart racing until the last page.

If I had a criticism (and this is entirely a matter of preference), the humorous lines may have been a tad too numerous - especially in the tense moments. But, at the very least, they helped to break up the drama, and give your nerves a second to ease up. And mostly, they seem to be in-character for the ones who are saying them.

Besides that one minor thing, the book is everything you want in a military fiction - without the swarms of swear words and the unnecessary sexual scenes you find in other works. The characters are so real, you feel sympathetic for them without even realizing it. Your heart pangs for the ones who lose loved ones and friends as they weep. When Zinsser contemplates suicide (multiple times), you want to reach into the pages and shake him back to reality. The authors do a great job of painting a picture of a man tormented by PTSD. This is an issue that is hard to grasp for those of us on the outside looking in. As in the first book, the character J.J. - who is the lone Christian on the team - has to wrestle with his own conscience when he takes the lives of his enemies.

I appreciate the authors for tackling difficult subjects with grace. After reading Struecker's autobiographical book, "The Road to Unafraid", I have a lot of respect for the man. And Alton Gansky has proven himself to be a talented writer who can weave a great story.

Get these books - you won't be disappointed at all.
5 out of 5 stars.

"Here's Looking at Euclid" by Alex Bellos

It is coincidentally appropriate that my 100th blog post here is a review of a book about numbers. This book was one of the most interesting and enjoyable reading experiences of my life.

Let me start by explaining how this book caught my attention. I was introduced to a YouTube channel called "Numberphile" a while back. It is a very fun channel that has videos discussing all kinds of interesting "numbery" things: calculating pi, randomness and card shuffling, prime numbers, the invention of the first mechanical calculator (not electric), infinity, etc. I find these videos fascinating - which surprises even me, because I was always so bad at math in school. (I miserably failed the math portion of my college entrance exam... The registrar said, "Hm... Well, you're a theology major, so it doesn't matter.")

One of the videos that I saw was an interview with Alex Bellos, and the description of the video mentions that he had written a book called "Here's Looking at Euclid" (or, in the UK, "Alex's Adventures in Numberland"). I thought to myself that I would like to have the book one day. So when a Barnes and Noble gift card made its way into my hands this past Christmas (you know who you are - thanks!) I sought out the book and purchased it.

I didn't know what to expect, but the book is fantastic. This is out-of-the-box for me. I read a lot of fiction, and lots of Christian living/inspirational/ministry books; but I have never read a book on math and numbers!

The very first chapter astounded me, as the author discussed tribal people whose languages do not have words for numbers above 5, and the very idea of counting anything never enters their minds. They don't count hours, days, family members, fruit in a basket - practically nothing! We cannot even imagine such a thing, but cultures like these exist today.

From that point, I was hooked. Some chapters in the book cover the history of mathematical ideas, things like the invention of the number zero (again, I never considered what life was like before zero existed!), or the invention of the decimal point. There are chapters about things like probability and gambling, number games (like Sudoku), and the presence of the Fibonacci sequence in nature.

The author's style of writing is VERY comfortable to follow, even for a math-challenged mind like mine. He introduces historical characters (such as Euclid, or Blaise Pascal) in fresh new ways. Whether he is explaining the math behind a card trick, or describing how people memorize the digits of pi to thousands of places, the author keeps your attention firmly engaged.

I wish my high school  math classes were as fun as this book. Perhaps if they had been, I would not have failed the math portion of my college entrance exam!

101 out of 101 stars (given in binary).