Capt Hook by: J.V. Hart

Capt. Hook
J.V. Hart
Harper Collins - Browse Inside
ISBN 0060002204
August 2005

This first effort by J.V. Hart is an excellent story. Like the movie Hook, or Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry this story takes characters that we know from the original Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie and casts them in a new light. In this wonderfully inventive novel we are told the story of a young man trying to make his way in the world. Even if the world is against him. Our Hero or Anti Hero depending on how you read it, is a bastard son of an English Lord, His father is the Queen man has made a way for him to attend Eaton Collage. There he becomes a hero James Matthew Bastard, or King Jas to the Oppidan’s, the underclassman.

There is love for a Sultana, a mutiny on the high sea’s and a boy who becomes a hero to freed slaves and his crewmen alike. Thus is born the hero Capt. Hook. Along the way our hero discovers many gems of wisdom that all of us could apply in our lives, such as “Courage is the decision to fly straight into the flame while knowing the consequences.” And “Knowledge is Power.” And my favorite “someday our foes may win, but not today!”

The story leave’s you wanting more. One can only hope that there will be more stories by this author and with these characters. All in all this book is a jolly good romp that any youth, teen or adult will enjoy. Many will find themselves cheering for someone they know will one day be a villain, but not today.

The Captain Hook Book!

Shadowed by: Jerry Jenkins

Shadowed
Jerry Jenkins
July 2005
Tyndale House Publishers

Yes, this is one of the authors of the famed or infamous ‘Left Behind’ series (over 63 Million copies sold), and though that series started off well, it slowed down so much and became so dry I could just not finish it. This, on the other hand, is a third book in a new trilogy. It reads like a spiritual Tom Clancy or Dan Brown. The first two books in this series are Soon and Silenced and now finally Shadowed.

The premise or background in this series is based in a post World-War III world. In 2009 a new world government was established in Bern Switzerland. This WW3 is known as the religious war. Since then all religion has been banned and has been persecuted. The world has stopped using A.D. (anno Domini, ‘in the year of our lord’) with the new designator P.3. (Post-World War III) Our book takes place 37 years later in 38 P.3. and our hero is an unlikely religious hero. Paul Stepola did a Masters in Religious Studies after serving in the military. He worked for the regime in power as a sort of cop and intelligence community officer. He often infiltrated religious groups to break them up and persecute them. In the earlier books, Paul’s life went through a drastic change, from finding a letter his father wrote at his birth, in which his father declared his faith, to being blinded in an explosion, to being a believer.

Paul’s journey went from being undercover to being under suspicion for being a double agent. In most of the second book he is suspected of having turned, yet continues to convince the government of his loyalty. In this final installment he has to go underground, and not only that, he has his wife and two children with him. He has been found out and is hiding with the Columbia underground when former colleagues start helping him evade authorities.

Can he save his family, can he help bring religious freedom to the world again? Will faith prevail or finally be squashed forever? Read this fast-paced book or the whole series and find out!


(First Published in Across the Creek the St. Jerome's Students' Union newspaper column 'Book Look' December 2005)

Bloodsucking Fiends by: Christopher Moore

Bloodsucking Fiends
Christopher Moore
Harper Collins


Christopher Moore wanted to write horror books; he dreamed of being the next Stephen King. Unfortunately for him but fortunately for us, people laughed when they read what he wrote. Thus was born a humorist of the caliber of Dave Barry or Christopher Buckley and some have gone so far as to say he is the next Kurt Vonnegut. Now that we know a bit about our Author, what about the book?

Bloodsucking Fiends is a glorious romp through the night. We have an office worker, Jodi, who has a 9-to-5 dead-end office job in San Francisco, and wakes up one morning under a dumpster and the sun burns her and she has super human strength. She has never watched vampire movies or read the books, so she doesn’t know what to do or how to do it. She is on the hunt for the man/creature who turned her.

This is where C. Thomas Flood comes in, a beatnik author from Indiana, who works midnights at the Safeway. He falls in love with Jodi immediately, and realizes that there is something strange about his love.

Follow the humorous journey through the night, the underworld, the streets and alleys of San Francisco as Thomas tries to find a way to be with the woman he loves even if she is undead. And Jodi tries to find out what being undead is all about. Can this love survive? And if you’ve enjoyed this one, check out his other writings: Island of the Sequined Love Nun, or The Lusty Lizard of Melancholy Cove.

(First Published in 'Imprint' 2005-12-02 as 'Horrific Humour')

Other Moore Books I Have Reviewed:
Bloodsucking Fiends
A Dirty Job
You Suck: A Love Story

The Barbarian Way by: Erwin McManus

I have to reccommend to you a great little book I just read. It is called "The Barbarian Way" by Erwin McManus. I reieved it for my birthday last week and can not give it a high enough reccomendation. It focus is on the fact that the christian faith should not be the simple quiet protected life. Thatb the call to be a christian is a call to risk, to live on the edge, with danger, trials and troubles. That the churh has become domesticated and it lack's appeal because of that.

It is out by Thomas Nelson ISBN 0785264329 Not only do I reccomend it, but they guarantee it, if you buy it and are not satisfied they will replace your money.

Some quick quotes.

"The claim to believe is simply not enough. The call of Jesus is one to action" p.5

"Perhaps the tragedy of our time is that such an overwhelming number of us who declare Jesus as Lord have become domesticated - or, if you will, civilized. We have lost the simplicity of our early faith. Beyond that, we have lost the passion and power of that raw, untaimed, and primal faith." p.12

"The barbarian way is abour love, intimacy, passion, and sacrifice. Barbarians love to live and live to love." p. 13

"The call of Jesus is far more barbaric that either of those. It is a call to live in this world as citizens of an entirely different kingdom." p.32

"your life is unique before God, and your path is yours and yours alone." p. 37

"Just do whatever Jesus calls you to do the moment it is clear to you. Do not procrastinate; do not hesitate; do not deviate from whatever course of action He calls you to." p.53

"When you join the barbarian tribe, you begin to live your life with your eyes and heart wide open. When the spirit of God envelops your soul, your spiri comes alive, and everything changes for you. You are no lobger the same." p.69

....

For those who liked John Eldreges "Wild at Heart" or "Waking the Dead" you will love this book. Take a risk and pick it up, you will either be challanged or angry. If your angry you can get your money back. If your challanged, who know's where it will lead you!

Catholic Books Read 2005

Catholic Books Read 2005

 

Bible - Today's New International Version
Bible - New Living Translation
conamara blues - John O'Donohue
Paved with Good Intentions - C.S. Lewis
With Bound Hands: Alfred Delp - Mary Francais Coady
Dead Man Walking - Sr. Helen Prejean
Critical Theology - Gregory Baum
The God of Life - Gustave Gutierrez
Gustavo Gutierrez: An Introduction - Robert McAfee Brown
Catholicism in the Third Millennium - Thomas P. Rausch
Theology, Politics and Peace - Ed. Theodore Runyan
Medellin Documents on Social Justic - CELAM
The Wisdom of the Desert - Thomas Merton
Why? - Andrew M. Greeley
Compassion and Solidarity - Gregory Baum
Amazing Grace - Jonatha Kozol
The Confessions of St. Patrick - Saint Patrick
The Warm Sand - J.F. Powers
The Warm Sand - J.F. Powers
Wheat That Springeth Green - J.F. Powers
Look How The Fish Live - J.F. Powers
The Many Love's of Thomas Merton - Michael W. Higgins
Spirituality and Reason - Michael W. Higgins
Prince of Darkness and Other Stories - J.F. Powers
The Presence of Grace - J.F. Powers
From Protestant Minister to Roman Catholic - Dr. Scott Hahn
The Warm Sand - J.F. Powers
The Warm Sand - J.F. Powers
Father Damien: An Open Letter to Rev. Dr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
A Holy Meal: The Lord's Supper in the life of the Church - Gordon T. Smith
Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas - Various
The Way of Opus Dei - David Van Brema

The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and Wirton Arvel - 70th Anniversary Edition 

List of Favorite Movies 2005

Favorite Movies and TV Shows 2005

Molokai
Constantine
We Were Soldiers
Fight Club
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Dead Man Walking
The Shawshank Redemption
Kingdom of Heaven


I started keeping track of the books I finished reading in October of 1995, and movies watched in January of 1996. I have lists for:
All Books Read by Year
Favorite Books By Year
All Movies and TV Series Watched by Year
Favorite Movies and TV Series by Year


I also do a Top Ten List of books each quarter and for the year. They can be found here. I was also asked to pick a Top Ten Catholic Books I have read, you can find that list here (and occasionally I add a note when I come across something exceptional.)

List of Movies Watched 2005

Movies and TV Shows Watched 2005

We Were Soldiers
Tomb Raider II
Blue Collar Comedy Tour
We Were Soldiers
Ocean's 11
Matchstick Men
Dare Devil
Nightmare Before Christmas
Brotherhood of the Wolf
Lemony Snicket
Lord of the Rings - Return of the King Extended
Bourne Supremacy
Pirates of the Caribbean
Titan AE
Final Fantasy
We Were Soldiers
Pirates of the Caribbean
Band of Brothers - HBO
Ray
S.W.A.T.
Force of One
Band of Brothers - HBO
Ray
S.W.A.T.
A Man Apart
Snatch
Constantine
Fight Club
Boondock Saints
Hostage
Gladiator
Gladiator
I Robot
I Robot
Fight Club
Spiderman 2
Hardball
West Wing Season 3
Babylon 5 - In the Beginning
Babylon 5 - The Gathering
Babylon 5 - Thirdspace
Babylon 5 - River of Souls
Babylon 5 - A Call to Arms
Harts War
Harts War
Power of One
Babylon 5 - Season 1
Babylon 5 - Thirdspace
Babylon 5 - River of Souls
Babylon 5 - Crusade Season 1
Shrek 2
Days of Thunder
Aspex Extreme
Men With Brooms
Blue Collar Comedy Tour
Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again
Dune
Pretender Season 1
Crimson Rivers
National Treasure
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
XXX
Butterfly Effect
Fight Club
Fight Club - Palahniuk Commentary
Blade Trinity
Blade Trinity
Blade Trinity
Blade
Postcards from the future:The Chuck Palahniuk Documentary
Blade II
FireFox
Half Past Dead
Exit Wounds
Tombstone
Get Carter
Harley Davidson & The Marboro Man
Tango & Cash
Cradle 2 the Grave
Fight Club
Fight Club - Palahniuk Commentary
The Crow
The Longest Yard 2005
Driven
XXX2: The Next Level
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Matrix reloaded
Matrix Revolutions
Troy
Troy
Pirates of the Carribean
War of the World's
Dante's Peak
Nightmare Before Christmas
Dune
Children of Dune
Charlie and the Choclate Factory
Ladder 49
StargateSG1 - Season 7
Starship Troopers II
Ocean's 12
HellBoy
Blade
Ocean's 12
Friday Night Lights
LOTR - Fellowship of the Ring
LOTR - The Two Towers
LOTR - Return of the King
Riddick
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Pacifier
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Demolition Man
Drop Zone
Johnny Mnemonic
Leathal Weapon
We Were Soldiers
Italian Job
A few Good Men
Along Comes a Spider
The Devil's Own
The Transporter II
Virtuosity
John Carpenter's Vampires
Shawshank Redemption
Veggie Tales - The Toy That Saved Christmas
Dead Man Walking
Dead Man Walking The journey - Sr. Helen Prejean Lecture
Robots
Corpse Bride
Torque
Dark Angel - Season 1
Torque
Hard Target
Kingdom of Heaven
Torque
Kingdom of Heaven
Kingdom of Heaven
Dark Andel - Season 2
Kingdom of Heaven - Historical Commentaries
Kingdom of Heaven - Fact and Fiction
Rocky
Kingdom of Heaven
Rocky II, III, IV
Torque
Rocky V
Count of Monte Cristo
Driven
Inidana Jones II The Temple of Doom
Driven
Driven
Torque
Mask of Zorro
Andromeda Strain
Assault on Precinct 13
Million Dollar Baby
Unbreakable
Rome
Battle Star Galectica - Mini-Series
Veggie Tales - Lord of the Bean
Shadow Raiders
Battle Star Galectica - Mini-Series
Battle Star Galectica - Season 1
Nuremberg
Nuremberg
St. Theresa de Liseux
Molakai
The Cutting Edge
Aeon Flux
Toy Story 2
Resident Evil
Pain Killer Jane
12 Monkeys
Alien
Aliens
Alien III
Alien Ressurection
Roller Ball 2002
Roller Ball 1975
Hermie: A Fruitcake Christmas
The Island
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
The Shawshank Redemption
Kingdom of Heaven
Molokai


I started keeping track of the books I finished reading in October of 1995, and movies watched in January of 1996. I have lists for:
All Books Read by Year
Favorite Books By Year
All Movies and TV Series Watched by Year
Favorite Movies and TV Series by Year


I also do a Top Ten List of books each quarter and for the year. They can be found here. I was also asked to pick a Top Ten Catholic Books I have read, you can find that list here (and occasionally I add a note when I come across something exceptional.)