Read Books This will provide a list of the books I've read with a brief review. Users are blocked, contact me for access. I welcome discussions, but I'm tired of spam.

June 17, 2025

Carl’s Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman

Filed under: Adventure — Tags: — Randolph @ 11:40 am

Carl and Princess Donut have reached the third floor of the dungeon. They choose a race and class and pick up new skills. Now they have to deal with an outdoor dungeon, cities and a circus.

All along they are picking up more viewers and followers. Now Zev is pulling them out from time-to-time for interviews. Through these interviews and discussion with Zev and Mordecai, Carl is picking up clues to the galactic politics around these shows.

The book is all situational humor. In spite of average writing and plot development, the humor carries the book. Although books 1 and 3 are better.

June 14, 2025

Lieutenant Hornblower by C. S. Forester

Filed under: Adventure — Tags: — Randolph @ 11:19 am

Horatio Hornblower is starting his first commissioned post on the HMS Renown. Here he becomes friends with Lt. Bush and they have to deal with the insanity of Capt. Sawyer.

The book goes through a mutiny and lots of concerns over where this may lead and leaving five lieutenants in charge of the ship.

They go through sea and land battles, they have to deal with a fort protecting a harbor. Hornblower excels in almost every area where he is able to help.

The book has a strong naval vocabulary. I kept going to a nautical dictionary, but it isn’t necessary to understand everything to follow the story. My one complaint is that Hornblower seem a bit too competent, bordering on being a superhero. But the story is enjoyable and well-told.

June 8, 2025

Writing the Action Adventure Film: The Moment of Truth by Neil D. Hicks

Filed under: Art,Writing — Tags: — Randolph @ 11:00 am

Hicks is writing a book, ostensibly for writers of action-adventure films. I feel it applies to any genre, although the examples are all taken from movies.

The book defines what an action-adventure film is and talks about different styles. It breaks the story into several parts and discusses the protagonists role and how it works.

One of the more interesting parts of the book to me was when it discussed the genre with respect to other cultures, mostly European. It talks about why their versions often fail and how they interpret the films. Although interesting, this as a minor portion of the book.

The book will be of interest to anyone interested in how the genre works or who wants to learn more.

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