The Deep Zone by James M. Tabor

   


The Deep Zone

I just finished this wonderful first thriller by the non fiction author of Blind Descent, James Tabor. This guy is the real deal. I really liked his characters and pacing. I don't know why but I am very partial to thrillers and fiction that take place deep underground. The standard for this type of book is The Descent by Jeff Long. Extremely scary and interesting to boot.
But, The Deep Zone is a very worthy read. In a nutshell:

 Unjustly fired from a clandestine government laboratory, microbiologist Hallie Leland swore she would never look back. But she can’t ignore an urgent summons from the White House to reenter the realm of cutting-edge science and dangerous secrets.
 
“Potentially the worst threat since Pearl Harbor” is how the president describes a mysterious epidemic killing American soldiers  in Afghanistan—and now poised for outbreak in the States and beyond. Millions will die unless Hallie and a hastily mobilized team can recover the ultrarare organism needed to create a new antibiotic. The good news is that Hallie knows more about the organism than anyone else on the planet. The bad news is that it can be found only at the bottom of Earth’s deepest cave.

Hallie’s team is capable—especially the mysterious Wil Bowman, who knows as much about high-tech weaponry as he does about microbiology—but the challenge appears insurmountable. Before even reaching the supercave, they must traverse a forbidding Mexican jungle populated by warring cartels, Federales, and murderous locals. Only then can they confront the cave’s flooded tunnels, lakes of acid, bottomless chasms, and mind-warping blackness. But the deadliest enemies are hiding in plain sight: a powerful traitor high in the Washington ranks and a cunning assassin deep underground, determined to turn Hallie’s mission into a journey of no return. 

The idea of being miles undergound is just plain spooky and the landscape that Hallie and her team have to travel is brutal. When reading this it is easy to start feeling claustrophobic. Traversing one of the largest and deepest caves in the world is no picnic especially when you consider it is all done by headlamps. Just the thought of running out of batteries makes you squirm.

This is a very quick read and if I remember correctly there are no "F" bombs at all in the book. Just serious suspense and some really bad guys that you want to see come to justice. Overall, a very fun book.

The Passage by Justin Cronin

The Passage (Passage Trilogy Series #1)




Okay, sorry for the delay, but I will try to get more on here than I have been. This is my first "adult" book that I have posted. Meaning that the themes are for a mature reader. There are things that are not appropriate for those under 18. But, these are only a handful. The book isn't loaded with sex and language
.
That being said, I first heard about this book when it was released in June of 2010. It had widespread awesomely great reviews with Stephen King, (whom I don't always agree with) calling it one of the 10 best books of the year. Here is a sampling:

Men's Journal

Addictive, terrifying, and deeply satisfying. Not only is this one of the year's best thrillers; it's one of the best of the past decade - maybe one of the best ever.

Time

A literary richness that rivals Stephen King's The Stand.

Which points to my next remark. I think that "The Stand" by King is one of the best books ever written. It is huge, sprawling and terrifying in all the best ways. And so is The Passage.

Here is the gist of it..

“It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.” 

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

You literally cannot put this book down. Cronin is a real writer and his talents are on full display. When you are reading this book, you have to stop and look outside just to see if there are people still walking around and life is normal. It is that good. So, if you are looking for a great summer read, that will make you think about quite a few things and you want to be ready for the sequel in the fall. Do yourself a favor and put down the trash that is 50 Shades of Gray and read some real writing with real storytelling. Great book!

 

Suggestions for the kids.

Hello!  I hope all of you are well. I have been asked recently to recommend some books that are good for young readers. There are quite a few voracious readers out there that are in the 10-12 year old range that NEED some suggestions, or I guess Mom needs some suggestions to keep sane over the coming summer and try to not hear the dreaded "B" word uttered on a daily basis. I have read these books as well and there is nothing that is inappropriate.

First, The Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan.




The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice Series #1)

This is a ten book series that is set in the fictional world of Aruluen. Flanagan's writing isn't cheap or contrived. His characters are full blooded and real. I am glad that Flanagan decided to write these books for young adults. He could have easily used his creation in more base ways and that would be a shame. This is by far one of the best crafted fantasy series available for any age.It follows the story of the foundling, Will and his experiences in training with the mysterious Ranger Halt. The Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom and Will finds adventure beyond his wildest dreams. Also check out John Flanagan's beautiful website for this series. Great music in the background.
www.rangersapprentice.com



 Next,

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson




Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (Alcatraz Series #1)

This is by far one of the funniest. most imaginative series that I have ever read. Here is the plot in a nutshell.
Alcatraz Smedry is an orphan who has gone from foster home to foster home. Not because he's unruly or bad, but because he has a Talent for breaking things. Alcatraz Smedry doesn't seem destined for anything but disaster. On his 13th birthday he receives a bag of sand, which is quickly stolen by the cult of evil Librarians plotting to take over the world. The sand will give the Librarians the edge they need to achieve world domination. Alcatraz must stop them!...by infiltrating the local library, armed with nothing but eyeglasses and a talent for klutziness. You will seriously laugh out loud with this one and it should stop the dreaded "Bored" conversation from happening in your home.
There are four books in the series.

Well, those are a couple that should help in the coming days. I will blog about a book for mom or dad later today hopefully. One that I couldn't put down.

The BG

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Okay, I am so sorry that this has taken so long but, we have a very busy month. A new baby granddaughter, a son graduating from High School and a wedding at the end of May. But, now I am ready to post the first book on this blog.
It is:
Divergent by Veronica Roth



Divergent (Divergent Series #1)

If you read Hunger Games and really who hasn't you will love this book. It is part of the current crop of Young Adult titles that have been hitting the shelves with mixed results ever since the remarkable Harry Potter came on the scene.

 Similar to Hunger Games but different. Divergent is a dystopian view of a future Chicago where most people belong to one five factions. Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, Erudite and Candor. Each contribute something different to society and are crucial to the whole.

Upon your 16th birthday, after an assessment,  you choose which faction you will devote your life to. In doing this, you will in some cases leave the family and faction that you have grown up in to completely change your life and in essence become another person with a whole different life. You leave all friends, family and beliefs behind. Unless, you choose to stay in your current faction. As you will notice, I said most. Because there are also the factionless which are portrayed as outcasts and lost souls.
The story revolves around Beatrice Prior, turning sixteen and having to make the life changing choice of  leaving her family and the tenets of the Abnegation way of life or embark on a new path.
Like Hunger Games, this book has strong female characters and themes that make us step back an evaluate ourselves if put in a similar situations. Roth's writing is strong and pure. This reads very fast, you have a hard time putting down this tale of things that seem familiar but really aren't. There are surprises, cruelty, and excitement along the way as well as mysteries about just what is really going on in this society.

 I would recommend that those 12 and up read this. There are some normal teenage, coming of age feelings involving the opposite sex, violence/death and jealousy, but nothing that is done in poor taste. In fact I am amazed at the skill that Roth shows in this her first book. It makes me green with envy.

 I strongly recommend this book. It will be a big title in the coming months as will the follow up, Insurgent, which is now and available and which I am currently devouring and there will be a third volume probably in 2013.

This is a 5 bookmark read!

Welcome!

Hello Everyone!
We will have to see how this grand adventure of discussing our shared passion about good books goes. This is a first for me even though I have been thinking about it for awhile. But, I am always asked by friends what they should read. So, I am hoping to be of service to more than one person at a time.
This will be an all genre blog. I tend to read everything, YA, fantasy, science fiction, thrillers, suspense, and I primarily read for enjoyment. So I am hoping we can help each other out and discover new books together.
Excuse my moniker of BookGod, but that is a very special nickname given to me by a former employee who loved my passion and knowledge about books. I use it tongue in cheek. Books should be fun!
 I also take requests and I am just as interested knowing what you are reading. I will also try to educate, you my friends, on the appropriateness of said book I am discussing. I believe that our children should curl up with a book rather than that nasty television, but, we need to make sure that we approve of the content. There is much out there that is for "12 years and up" that would tend to make a jaded, world weary gigolo sweat.
My goal is to get all people from 12 to 99 to read more. If you are not a reader, I can find something you would read and enjoy and yes, like. Try me!