Book Recommendation: Robopocalypse

They are in your house. They are in your car. They are in the skies…Now they’re coming for you.

In the near future, at a moment no one will notice, all the dazzling technology that runs our world will unite and turn against us. Taking on the persona of a shy human boy, a childlike but massively powerful artificial intelligence known as Archos comes online and assumes control over the global network of machines that regulate everything from transportation to utilities, defense and communication. In the months leading up to this, sporadic glitches are noticed by a handful of unconnected humans – a single mother disconcerted by her daughter’s menacing “smart” toys, a lonely Japanese bachelor who is victimized by his domestic robot companion, an isolated U.S. soldier who witnesses a ‘pacification unit’ go haywire – but most are unaware of the growing rebellion until it is too late.

When the Robot War ignites -- at a moment known later as Zero Hour -- humankind will be both decimated and, possibly, for the first time in history, united. Robopocalypse is a brilliantly conceived action-filled epic, a terrifying story with heart-stopping implications for the real technology all around us…and an entertaining and engaging thriller unlike anything else written in years.

Why I Recommend It:

I'll try to keep this short and sweet. Robopocalypse blew me away. The book does not bore you with drawn out chapters or rigid chronological storytelling. Wilson draws us in by not only splitting up the book into 5 parts but the actual story is like an oral history, told with interviews, 1st and 2nd hand narration, and even what is seen in camera footage. This creates a very fast-paced page turner and will appeal to more than 1 kind of reader.

Is Robopocalypse 100% original? No. Does it pretend it is? No. I see some of the "Terminator" references such as the "Freeborn" robots, and there was even a part that reminded me a little of "Transformers" when some of the bigger robots helped defend Mr. Nomura's "fortress". But what makes this book unique is its storytelling and Daniel H. Wilson is a master at that. In the span of the novel, Wilson introduces us to a wide variety of characters from all walks of life and how each one is effected before and after Zero Hour. From the 17 year old mean spirited kid called "Lurker" in England, to the construction worker and his wife Dawn in NYC, to the soldier Specialist Paul Blanton in Afghanistan, to Lonnie Wayne and the Gray Horse Army in Oklahoma, and so on and so forth--Wilson takes us on an emotional journey, one that is not always comfortable. While the robots we created have taken over the world and is bent on destroying us, once you find out why, you can't help but question the choices mankind has made in the name of science and power-- and the severe consequences of those choices...

Robopocalypse is a MUST read, so pick it up at amazon.com, your local B&N, your local library, or buy & download it to your ebook reader. Oh, and just an FYI, Steven Spielberg has already confirmed that Robopocalypse is one of his next projects to direct and has a tentative release date sometime in 2013.

~~Mia~~

Book Review: Tempest Rising

Title: Tempest Rising
Author: Tracy Deebs
ISBN: 978-0802722317
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Theme: Mermaids/Selkies
Binding: Paperback (ARC)
Length: 288 pgs (advanced reader copy)
Published: 10 May 2011
Buy: amazon.com, bn.com, borders.com
My Rating:


Synopsis: Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

**The following review may contain SPOILERS**


My Review: Tempest Rising was on my highly anticipated list and I was lucky enough to get a hold of an ARC (advance reader copy) before the release date. One of the reasons why I was excited about reading this book is because of its subject manner. Mermaids! Stories about mermaids are still fresh and new whereas, books on vampires, werewolves, and even angels are starting to get old and redundant. It’s getting increasingly harder to find that diamond in the rough.

An interesting thing I found out AFTER I had read Tempest Rising is that this author goes by 2 other pseudonym names—Tracy Wolff and Tessa Adams. Here is the connection—I have read the first book in Tessa Adam’s adult “Dragon Heat” series--Dark Embers-- and my rating/review of the book is nn one of my earlier posts. I remember giving Dark Embers a 5 star rating for its unique dragon mythology, sexy alpha hero, and sizzling romance.

That being said, while Tempest Rising had all the pieces to make a great first young adult book for Tracy Deebs about a teenage girl who on her 17th birthday would have to make a crucial decision whether to stay on land or follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a mermaid, somehow it falls a little short. While this book is supposed to be a little more serious in tone, I actually enjoyed Tera Lynn Child’s Forgive My Fins way better, which sort of has the same premise but more comical.

So starting with what I enjoyed…I liked how the book was split into 5 parts and how the chapters were short. Not that I have anything against long chapters; I just think that shorter chapters tend to make you want to read more. It is definitely a nice tool to keep readers interested.

At first I really liked Tempest. She was sort of like a tomboy—enjoyed surfing, hung around a bunch of guys, had a great boyfriend that any girl would be lucky to have. The whole on again, off again relationship with Mark was believable since the story is centered around teenagers and we all know that their emotions can run hot and cold. I also enjoyed Kai's character--at first he is very mysterious and sounds exotic with his darker skin, long hair, and sexy name. I can see why Tempest would have a sudden attraction to him.

However, it doesn't take long for Tempest to get on my nerves. She treats her boyfriend Mark like crap. At one point I was hoping that the author was going to reveal some major flaw of Mark's; like maybe he hits her, or cheats on her, or finds out that she is part mermaid and sees her as a freak, something to justify her mean behavior towards him. Unfortunately none of those things happen. He truly does care for her, puts up with her mood swings, and buys her a beautiful birthday gift. Despite her coldness towards him, I do commend Tempest for finally acting like an adult towards the end (won't spoil it for you).

I also got tired of Tempest always wanting to "run away". Almost every chapter she is either trying to get away from her boyfriend to avoid having a serious conversation with him or she is running away from her father who wants her to confide in him or she is running away from Kai, etc.

It felt like the author was just skimming over everything. She never really gives us background details other than how Tempest feels betrayed by her mother. Why did the tattoos/symbols form on her skin? What are their significance? How did her parents meet? Why does Tempest have so much more power than even her mother when she is only half mermaid? What’s the relationship between selkies and mermaids? Why does Tempest feel such a strong connection to Kai? Why didn’t the Queen of the mer people offer to help train Tempest so she can better understand her powers? Why didn’t her mother keep her promise and return to her to help her daughter through this crucial transition? And if she couldn’t, why didn’t she at least send someone to inform her husband? It’s not like her husband (Tempest’s human father) is in the dark. He knows his wife is a mermaid. I know Tempest’s mother sends Kai to keep an eye on her, but I guess I don’t buy all this secrecy and wondering why her mother has been absent so long. Yes I know that her mother was busy trying to keep her people safe from the sea witch. But if she could send someone to keep an eye on her daughter then why she couldn’t even send a letter to her devoted husband through Kai is beyond me. It seems pretty darn heartless.

The only reason I could think of for the author to only write on the surface is because she has plans to turn this book into a series. I could see that happening since there are things left unresolved as you can tell by my long list of questions. If this is her goal, then she definitely needs to work on her mythology and focus on story development. Hopefully Tempest will be less annoying in the future. While I am in love with the adult romance series that she has written under her pseudonym name Tessa Adams, Tracy Deeps has some work to do in the Young Adult universe.

~Mia~

Book Review: Surrender the Dark

Title: Surrender the Dark
Author: L.A. Banks
ISBN: 978-1451607789
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy/Romance
Theme: Angels & Demons
Binding: Paperback
Length: 400 pgs
Published: 29 March 2011
Buy: amazon.com, bn.com, borders.com
My Rating:


Synopsis: Celeste Jackson has fought all her life against a fog of hallucination and substance abuse, but it’s not until she meets her protector, Azrael, an angel who has left the safety of the Light, that she learns of the evil forces that have been trying to ruin her, and why. A fierce battle for control of the mortal realm is brewing, and only Celeste—with the help of the Remnant, her half-human, half-angel brethren—can stand in the way. Together, Celeste and Azrael must gather an army of sensitives to defeat the dark powers that have ruled humanity for centuries, but time is running out. If Azrael surrenders to his growing desire for Celeste, he risks being trapped among humanity forever. But the longer he stays, the harder she is to resist. To save the world, Celeste must draw on her own dark experiences with addiction to help Azrael overcome the one temptation that could possibly make him an eternal prisoner—his obsession with her.


**The following review may contain SPOILERS**


My Review: I was motivated to read Surrender the Dark in quite a different way. While playing around on amazon.com, I came across the book almost a month ago. I found the cover and the premise of the novel very appealing. At that time, there were only about two reviews and both were very negative. I think one was a 2 star rating while the other was only a 1 star rating. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion so I am not trying to be disrespectful but after reading the book, I am having a hard time finding the validity of their complaints. One reviewer complained that the author's writing is bad, do to the "over explaining of simple concepts" and too much religious lecturing/preaching. Well, I don't think you need to be a rocket scientist to realize that a) the book is the 1st in a new series so of course the author is going to introduce the reader to this new world/mythology she is writing about and b) DUH! The book is about ANGELS and the possibility of the end of the world! I am agnostic and am more spiritual than religious. Those close to me know I strongly dislike people who try pushing their religious beliefs on others. While reading this book, I in NO way felt that the author was trying to make me run to the nearest church. I think some readers need to be a little more open-minded and aware of some of the topics they may come across when reading the synopsis of a novel.

That being said, here are a few things I loved about Surrender the Dark.

Third person narration worked well in this novel and I think Ms. Banks made a wise choice in starting it off with Azrael's fall and first few moments of life on Earth in a mortal body. It definitely sets the mood and in my opinion, immediately catches the interest of the reader. Azrael's fall reminded me of Gabriel's fall in the indie movie of the same name, starring Andy Whitfield. Definitely a movie worth checking out if you like this book.

I liked the different terminology that the author uses (I'll get to that later) and her mythology. One thing I found fascinating is how Angels of the Light come into human bodies depending on their surroundings/environment. For example, the main protagonist, Celeste, lives in the hood and is African American. Since Azrael is being sent down to search for her but does not want to draw too much attention to himself, it only makes sense that his mortal body would blend in, therefore, he looks African American (and has dredlocks). Once I figured that out, it made total sense. It would draw too much attention if a white guy is found walking around in a predominantly "black" section. That is just asking for trouble.

I also liked the way Banks connected natural disasters, excessive drug dealing/using, and diseases (like cancer) to that of the evil workings of the devil. I'm not going to further explain that concept as I don't want to give too much away. But it definitely got me thinking.

I was really impressed with the author's ability to write realistic dialogue and dialects. A great example is one of my favorite characters, Aunt Niecey. Banks was able to capture her old southern charm mixed in with a no nonsense, God fearing attitude of a black woman. Here is an excerpt to give you an idea what I mean:

'"This po' girl been through a lot,"' Aunt Niecey said, looking at Azrael as she rubbed Celeste's back. "I don't know who or what you are to her, but if you hurt this baby girl after all she done endured, ain't no power high enough in Heaven to keep me off your ass, son. You hear? This is my baby. My baby sister's only chile. This one here is special. This one here is anointed--jus' like every door and windowsill and floorboard up in here is anointed, I done put down special prayers on this one. An' jus' like the devil can't come in this prayed-up house, can't nobody who ain't right stay with this special chile to bring her down..."'

Banks also did great with the Jamaican accent of her angel character Isda.

Another small thing I noticed-- I liked the fact that the story takes place in Philadelphia, PA! I am from the South Jersey area and it was so refreshing to read a story where the characters are navigating down streets and buildings I have actually been to myself.

Lastly, what makes this book a little different than other urban fantasy/romance novels is the fact that the main protagonist, Celeste, is not perfect. She is on drugs when Azrael first meets her. I think this gives her a real human quality rather than some unrealistic, perfect character that is hard to relate to.

Now for my 2 small complaints if you want to call them that. Although most people detest when authors add glossaries to their books, I think it would have been an asset in this case. Banks introduces new terminology to her readers in this series that may take some getting used to. While I did figure out the meaning of most, a small guide would have been helpful. Some terms are as follows: "Most High", "The Source of All That Is", "On High", etc.

My other small issue is more of a wish. In Surrender the Dark, Azrael is not the only angel we are introduced to nor is he the only one that is sent down on a mission. There are a few of his brethren that are sent to find others like Celeste. I was hoping, wishing, and praying that Banks' sequel would be about these other warrior angels and their missions but I found out that Azrael and Celeste's story continues in the next book. It's not a huge disappointment but I at least hope Banks adds more about these other characters.

All in all, Surrender the Dark is a great start to a new series about angels & demons, light and dark, good vs. evil, and the depths of despair vs. the healing power of faith.

~Mia~

UPDATE: I Am Number Four Movie. What Happened??

Movie Title: I Am Number Four
Director: D.J. Caruso
Actor(s): Alex Petyffer, Timothy Olyphant
Language: English
Subtitles: English (when needed)
Rated: PG-13 (violence, language)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance
Run Time: 109 mins
DVD Release Date: n/a
Buy: n/a
My Rating: ***** (3 out of 5 stars)


**The following review/rant may contain spoilers.**


I'm going to try keeping this update/review brief since I already reviewed the book version of I Am Number Four a few posts ago in which this movie is based upon. I'll break it down quite easily. For those people who have not read the book and only plan to watch the movie, you will most likely enjoy it. For the rest of us who have read the book and had high hopes that the film version would be just as good if not better, like I, you will be somewhat disappointed and have a WTF moment or two.

First I will start with the good points. The movie had great special effects, a surprisingly good soundtrack, nicely picked actors that did the book characters justice, and for about half the movie, followed the novel extremely well.

It was only in the last 45 minutes of the film that things fell apart. And again, the following points I mention will be spoilers so you are being forewarned.

1) No training.
In the book, Henri teaches and pushes John to practice his skills once he begins to receive his "legacies" or powers. This goes on for quite a few chapters and is important since it slowly reveals what he is capable of. No such thing happens in the movie. In the beginning we see his hands light up and by the end of the movie...we see his hands light up. Yes yes, I know we see John stop a car and levitate a Mogadorion. But he can do much more which we never get to see.

2) Wrong time to die.
In the book someone dies and it doesn't happen until near the end. In the movie, this person is killed off way before the ending. That was right around the time I began to lose faith in this movie because the timing of that person's death is crucial to other events that are supposed to happen.

3) Time to develop film? WTF!
In the book, John and Sarah go to a party that is being held by her jealous ex-boyfriend Mark. A fire breaks out and John saves Sarah's life, resulting in her finding out who he really is. In the movie, John goes to find Sarah at the party to say goodbye since he now knows that the Mogadorians are literally in town and have picked up his scent. There is no fire, but he does end of saving her life because of another incident at the house, therefore revealing he is not as he seems. John tells her he has to go but she says almost frantically, "John, I need to show you something! Please, come with me right now!" I was thinking maybe she knew a place for him to hide or had to show him a vital piece of information that could help him. But how horribly wrong I was. The next scene is them sneaking into the high school after hours, going into a dark room and...develop photos. Yes, you read that right. The Mogadorians are in town, hunting you down and yet you have time to DEVELOP PHOTOGRAPHS?? Whoever wrote that into the script must be out of their mind.

4) The box.
At that point I was pretty much disgusted. But I think what bothered me the most was the box issue. In the book, Henri has this box that goes with them whenever they move and he makes sure it is well hidden once they are moved in. This box is special because it not only is from their planet Lorien, but it only can be opened a special kind of way and only when John starts to receive his "legacies". The things in this box are intended to help him in his training, to help him make sense of what happened so many years ago to his planet among other things. Once Henri and John realize the Mogadorians are in town, the box travels with them, even during the big show down at the school. In the beginning of the movie, they make a big deal to show the box and how Henri hides it once they move into their new home. You don't see the box again until right before the credits roll at the end. WTF. Oh and did I forget to mention that inside the box is a healing stone that also plays an important role towards the end of the book but never is explored in the movie?

I gave this movie a 3 out of 5 stars because I figured out the issue. It's not the directing, or the special effects, or the acting-- all expectations were met in those departments. What failed miserably was the script. It's almost like the writer fell asleep and missed a few points but those few points just so happened to be the most IMPORTANT.

I guess I will just have to be satisfied with the upcoming sequel of I Am Number Four called The Power of Six which will be released in August '11.

~~Mia~~

Perry Moore: R.I.P.

So yesterday I found out some disheartening news. Perry Moore--the openly gay author of HERO and executive producer of the Chronicles of Narnia films--was found dead from an accidental drug overdose on February 17th. He was only 39 years old. His death was not just a shock to my system but struck me as odd since I literally was just talking about him a few days ago and gave an extra copy of his book HERO I had on my bookshelf to a friend.

Many people probably have never heard of Perry Moore or wonder what's the big deal. While he was more known for his dedication as a producer of the Chronicles of Narnia films, I will always remember him as an author, even though he only had 1 or 2 books published. HERO is a young adult novel about a teenager named Thom who is trying to come to terms with his sexuality and superpowers. Yes, I said superpowers. Moore was an openly gay man who felt that it was important to create positive gay characters for anyone out there-- young and old--who may stumble across his book(s) (he planned to write more obviously) that might be struggling with their own sexuality. Even though I had read many stories with gay characters, they were mainly stories that were in ebook format and of the adult variety. Perry Moore's HERO was the first young adult novel I had read with a main character that was gay.

Moore's short life is not only tragic for his family and life partner, but also his fans. He had apparently just secured funding for the next Chronicles of Narnia film which was not an easy task since the last Narnia film did not do as well as expected. Moore was also in negotations with STARZ to adapt HERO into a possible tv series. I think that will hurt fans the most, including myself.

I send my love and support to his loved ones during this devastating time. I can only hope that someone close to him, perhaps his life partner, Hunter Hill, will keep negotiating with STARZ so that HERO gets adapted to film. What a great way to honor his memory.

~~Mia~~

Update: Liam McIntyre, the New Spartacus?

Back in September I wrote a post about my sadness over hearing that not only did Andy Whitfield's (right) cancer come back, but he would also be pulling out of Season 2 of Spartacus for good. Andy had a bit of a cult following after he starred in a low budget independent film called Gabriel and I was extremely pleased to see him get the role of Spartacus. With his piercing eyes, high cheekbones, strong jaw, deep but soothing voice, this was a man, an actor that brought something special to his characters. This was going to be his breakout performance and it was...

But when cancer only allowed him to give us 1 perfect, addictive season of the hit STARZ show, the cable network had to make a decision: cancel the series or try to undertake the daunting task of finding another Spartacus. With Andy's blessing, representatives began looking for a new male lead, someone who not only had the look of a gladiator but could act as well. It wasn't an easy process and Andy's sandals were hard to fill. Rumors floated around the cyber world for months. At one point Wentworth Miller of Prison Break fame showed interest. While some fans were excited at the prospect, others were not so kind, saying that Miller did not have the muscular frame nor could he pull off the accent.

Around December it was confirmed that casting had been narrowed down to 3 actors: Liam McIntyre, Aidan Turner (of All My Children fame, not to be confused with Being Human's Aidan Turner), and Stephen Amell. I personally had been rooting for Aidan Turner since he had the look, the accent, and the build.

However, this past week took an interesting turn when suddenly there was news that Dominic Purcell might be up for the role, another Prison Break star who had a huge fan following and known for his muscular physique and deep, booming voice. While Liam was still the favorite choice, STARZ representives were worried that the lean actor would not be able to build up enough muscle in time for Spring of 2011 which is when Season 2 resumes filming.

Well just a few days ago the cable network finally announced that Liam McIntyre IS the new Spartacus. They feel confident that Liam, who has been working out nonstop since his first audition, will be physically ready by the time cameras start rolling this Spring.

So how do I feel about it? I'm a bit on the fence. I like unknown actors and I have no doubt that Liam will be looking like a gladiator by Spring since we have seen big physical transformations such as Taylor Lautner promising to pack on 40+ pounds of muscle in order to keep his role as Jacob Black in the Twilight Saga or Gerard Butler as King Leonidas in 300. I guess why I hesitate to embrace this new actor is because I can't help but still see Andy as Spartacus. We are not talking about a minor character that is being replaced. However, I am relieved that the show will continue on. I'll admit that my other favorite character is Crixus and the romantic in me is dying to see what lengths he will go to in order to find Naevia.

All I can do is wait and see. In the meantime, the 6 episode prequel called Spartacus: Gods of the Arena starts this Friday at 10pm on STARZ. I wish Andy Whitfield a speedy recovery and will be keeping an eye on his future projects because I REFUSE to believe that man will succumb to cancer.

So what do you think? Is Liam McIntyre the new Spartacus?

~~Mia~~

TV Series Recommendation: Lights Out

I have a new fantasy man and his name is Patrick 'Lights' Leary :) The pilot episode for the new FX tv series drama aired on 1.11.11. I knew before the pilot ended that this was my new favorite show. FX has been promoting the hell out of it and I thought this show would not have any rating issues since it has a little bit of everything for different viewers--boxing and street fighting for the male viewers and adrenaline junkies, a hunky new male lead, (despite being middle aged) a little bit of romance, and family life for female viewers, etc. You can imagine my surprise when I did a little research and found out that the premiere ratings for Lights Out were low. So what exactly is the show about?

Holt McCallany plays Patrick 'Lights' Leary, an aging former heavy weight champion who gave up his boxing career 5 years earlier for his concerned wife who couldn't bear a moment more of watching her husband get beaten up and severely damaged. Retired life doesn't seem so bad at first--watching his daughters grow up and supporting his wife's dream of becoming a doctor just a couple of the perks. However, after 5 years out of the limelight and perhaps some bad management, his brother tells him that they are broke. He decides to hide their financial woes from his wife while trying to come up with a solution. But with a deteriorating health issue (which he also keeps a secret) and struggling to find his identity, returning back to the ring or getting involved in some shady illegal debt collecting seem like his best options.

What makes this show a cut above is the excellent acting. Holt McCallany is fairly unknown but that is in no way a weakness. He brings something fresh to the screen and to his character. He is so ruggedly male, intimidating in size and quiet ferocity and yet he can be so tender when it comes to his daughters, his family. Behind every strong man is an even stronger woman--Patrick 'Lights' Leary's wife Teresa is played by Catherine McCormack. If you are wondering why she looks so familiar (like I did) then you may remember her as Murron from the movie Braveheart. And let's not forget Stacy Keach (Prison Break), who plays Leary's father and old trainer.

The good news is, FX president John Landgraf has confirmed that the cable network will continue supporting Lights Out despite it's slow start, believing that given some time and word of mouth more people will tune in for future episodes. I figured it wouldn't hurt by doing my part in promoting the show since I definitely think it is worth devoting time to each week. So get caught up by going to On Demand to check out the last 2 episodes and please tune in Tuesdays at 10pm on FX. Trust me, it's worth it!

~~Mia~~