Book Review: Blood Rites

My cover looks different. But it is Book Six of the Dresden Files. After this book the publishing company did away with the numbering system which I disagree with. I enjoy reading the series in order. Relationships change. Characters grow. References to previous cases and stoylines make more sense.

As to this book in the Dresden series. It's not my favorite. Book 1 Storm Front was my favorite. I also enjoyed the previous book 5: Death Masks .

I liked how this novel started. Dresden is drawn into a bit of a magical murder mystery as a favor for his 'friend' Thomas - a vampire of the White Court and a snappy dresser. Women in life of Thomas' friend Arthro are dying is very bizarre unlikely ways. Who? Why? How? Dresden quickly determines that someone is throwing killer entropy curses. But who has it out the maverick film maker?

I thought this was a solid interesting plot and had enough steam to hold its own for the whole novel. But Butcher decides (once again) to add a second major stoyline, running simultaneously with Dresden's magic murder mystery. It's Marva the female vampire of Red Court gunning for Dresden with curses of her own. While Book 5 also had two major storylines running through the same timeline, I could handle that once. But twice? This is getting a little irritating. Everyone loves action packed stories, but planning one major battle for noon, and then assuming you'll survive that one, schedule another at dinnertime.... it's a bit much.

I enjoyed the revelations of Dresden's family tree, and the new branch that was added. learning more about Dresden's mother was an added bonus, since his abilities are obviously not from his showman father's side of the family.

Overall, it was a good book, but not one of Butcher's best efforts.

Grade: B-

McDoogle

PS. Your challenge: Find a branch in the backyard. Whittle it into a staff. Use it to scare the mailman on bill days.

Who is The Mole?

My favorite TV show is back on the air. The Mole! The original version. Not the crazy celebrity version. The real deal. 11 regular people trying to win money in a variety of team contests. And one mole - trying to sabotage the games, and purposely lose money for the players.

I love trying to figure out which of the players is actually the Mole. It's difficult, because some players are just naturally gumballs who blow the games unintentionally. Other sneaky players try to get the other players to think they are the Mole, to throw others off the scent and give themselves an advantage.

After Week #1 I think the Mole is Craig (Occupation: Graphic Artist, Age 30). I suspect him mainly because because he looks so un-mole-like. He's the type of fellow that if he causes the team to lose points you tend to overlook it because you figure he's an out of shape guy, no wonder he couldn't to the task successfully. Very sneaky!

My second suspect would be Liz (Occupation: Retiree, Age 60). I mean really... who's going to suspect an 60 year old lady? I would!

Will I be right?

After week #1, Marcie (housewife, mother) was sent packing, since she did the poorest on the 'Who is the Mole' quiz. Both my suspects are still alive. Next Monday, 10:00PM on ABC can't come soon enough.

McDoogle

PS. Your challenge: The Mole is at the airport. Find her!

Solaris!

Planet of mystery.

I finally managed to rent a DVD copy of the movie Solaris. The 2002 version with George Clooney. Based on the book of the same name by my all-time favorite SF writer: Stanislaw Lem.

Yes, the movie was a bit confusing, but overall, I kind of liked it. To me it made sense that the movie was confusing, since I read the book twice and still wasn't sure what was going on.

I thought George Clooney actually did a decent job in this movie as the space psycho-analyst Chris Kelvin send to out to save the Solaris mission.

But the best acting was from Jeremy Davies who portrayed Snow. The hand gestures, speech patterns, eye movements - all very odd, and perfect for his character.

Is Solaris really just a planet? Or a sentient being capable of reaching into your subconsious past and 'creating' visitors for you? Kelvin's wife Rheya had committed suicide. And now (after Kelvin wakes up from a nap)... here she is - living and breathing! But is she human, or alien sub-matter? And how human can someone culled from the limited memory of the sleeping dreamer be?

<* Spoiler Alert! *> We later find out that Snow is the 'visitor' who survived an attack from his original self soon after he is 'created'. In self defense the original Snow is killed and stuffed in a vent by the visitor Snow. But he's cool with it.

Overall I rate the movie: B+

McDoogle

PS. Your challenge: Discover a new planet of your own. Note any anomalies. Report back to base camp - ASAP!