mucnos multiverse

Coyote the First Book of a Good Trilogy

2008-08-10T15:20:00.003-04:00

As promised, I am back reviewing books for those who have more to do with their spare time than read. I was lucky to stumble upon Allen Steele's trilogy Coyote and I must admit for summer reading one could do worse. I must admit I enjoy Mr. Steele's style since it is not overly dramatic, and each of the books in the series are an easy read. Mostly a cinematic feel to the first one gives the reader time to learn to either like or hate the main characters.
The premise is that the Liberty party has pretty much turned the United States into a dictator/communistic state where free will has been subjugated and contained. The US government has spent itself into near bankruptcy in building the first interstellar colony ship to the first planet that looks like it could be colonized.

Enter Captain Lee. A direct descendant of the famous General Lee. He has ingratiated himself into the hierarchy of the space program to be the leader of this first expedition. He does however have ulterior motives and is lucky enough to pull off the hijacking of the millennium. With the help of his crew and some moral dissidents that he is able to replace certain crew members and low and behold we have a major space-jacking. Essentially they are starting over in another galaxy.
Not much is given in time spent in transiting to the new planet Coyote, except for a brief interlude where one of the crew is awakened a bit early and must live out his life on board the ship whilst the remaining crew and colonists are in suspended animation. The dialog with the computer alone makes one think that even in the future Microsoft still does the software for NASA.
The meat of the novel comes when the cast of characters arrive on Coyote and begin their initial attempts at colonization. This is where the novel shines and makes you want to read into the wee hours of the night. We are introduced to the local flora and fauna and the biodiversity of the planet is well thought out. This book Coyote reminds me of that half hard half spaceopera blend of SF. The pace is well edited and the even though the characterizations are initial there are some that will get fleshed out the further in the series we go. And that will be our next jaunt.
So if your looking for an easy read with well thought out science and politics that cover the broad spectrum, you could do no wrong with Coyote. I feel this is a good beginning to a well compiled trilogy. I give this one *** out of 5 asteroids.
S

What the Fourth and America mean to me.

2008-07-06T00:47:00.005-04:00

My first touch of what one would call "patriotism" came from my father. I think every one that sees America for what it is well, that is where we get the idea. My dad was a Sgt Major in the U.S. Army so for what its worth I got a very healthy dose of patriotism. He served in the Berlin Airlift, Korean War and two tours of the Nam. So it was that era that I grew up in. The 60's, 70's were the time that I lived at home. His view of America was far from the world view that we see these days. I can remember a sticker on his car that said "America Love it or Leave it".
When I was that rebellious youth of yore, I thought I knew it all, boy was I wrong.
He had it set up that I could get into either the Air Force Academy or West Point and I think that it truly broke his heart when I turned them down. Looking back what right did I have to pass up not only the benefits but the learning that would have freely been given to me. Boy was I a dumbass.
Well what has passed is passed. This isn't about me its about our country. America never was a Utopia. Never was meant to be. But the one thing we are or could be proud of is our strengths. When the proverbial offal hits the air oscillation device we stand up to the challenge and persevere. That we are not perfect is one of our greatest strengths. Some say we are a socialist state and well maybe that is the case since WWII but I thank God every day that I wake up in a country that has so many opportunities available if only one gets up and meets the day with the strength that our fore bearers had. One of the things that I miss from my youth? Hanging out on a summer evening with the neighbors. Do you know who lives next door? When I lived in NYC we knew everyone on our floor. Maybe not personally, but when something needed to be done or someone needed something one of us was there to lend a hand. Can you say that about your neighbor. Thats one of the things I miss about the 'past'; are we a neighborhood? Do you care about your neighbors. Everyone is yammering about change well hell yeah things change. My gut for one, its not the same size as it was back in the 80's and 90's but thats my job to change it. Change is normal. Change is uhm unchangeable? Yet the more things change [cliche alert] the more they stay the same.
When we as a community come together as one, we are unstoppable. (just ask the terrorists domestic and foreign) I look at our country with love. I have never been a world traveler so maybe my view is narrow, but this land brought me up and showed that as long as I was responsible for myself and took the hard knocks that life offered me then I would excel. I learned from my dad that a man stands on his word, work and honor. That God and country were nearly one and the same. You cared for both. I heard something from Jeff Foxworthy once that really struck home. "If we would only think of ourselves as number 3 more often this country would be different" . God Family and self in that order. I makes sense to me. Jeff some would tell you thats an over simplification, that no one would think that way since its not the "easy way and its always someone else's fault that I couldn't rise to meet the challenge". Excuse me but when some one drives down the entitlement road I just want to swerve into the oncoming traffic and derail them.
Some say that the government is here to help me. What, help me spend more money? Crap I can do that myself thank you very much. The government by the people and for the people shall not waver. We Americans are the government. It is a codicil in the Constitution that when the government is not doing its job it is our mandate to change it. So when its time to vote will I? Yep for none of the above. It is our job as Americans to pick our leaders wisely and with out a popularity for the moment feel. Who we vote in this November will affect our youth. If your a youth question authority. Thats what we do we're Americans. Are we proud of our country? Damn skippy. Are we perfect oh hell no. But we never claimed to be. So this weekend as it comes to an end and we go back to the grist mill on Monday think about what America and the Fourth of July means to you. Be proud of where you come from. Take time to smile at someone you don't know. Say hello to your friends, and family. Our freedom to be Americans shall never be taken unless we allow it. Take a moment and pray for our soldiers and sailors and airmen and Marines and Coasties at the tip of the spear. For they are making the sacrifice that is required to keep us AMERICAN'S. God speed you on your journeys this next week and I will get back to you when I can.

And then the month went by like it wasn't there.

2008-06-29T18:41:00.003-04:00

So the end of June rears its benign head and I have been nothing but irresponsible when it comes to this blog. You would think I was avoiding putting in time here but nay nay. It looks like my prediction of Hollywood being saved by the summer of 08 may be bearing fruit but I will hold final analysis until the Labor Day weekend. Lets see what did I miss so far? Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The Incredible Hulk and I am sure thats only for starters. Somewhere in there Uwe Bols is probably got something that is entirely missable. I spoke to a friend last week [Lets call him Phil shall we?] Well Dr. Phil (God he is going to hate me for that one) in his infinite wisdom spoketh that he is forever eschewing the theatre experience since it is full of "noisy Walmart drones that scream and take away from the theatrical experience and the food sucks and well I can watch it on DVD at home". Ah philosophy 101; patience is a virtue. Well I for one still like the fact that I can watch it at home but there are some things that roar nay HOLLER REAAAALLL loudly to be viewed at the theatre. Like Batman the Dark Knight and Wall-e and Hancock oh and did I mention Hellboy II? Geezer Geekin at its best dude. So if I am right will this be the summer that save LA ? Well time and receipts will tell. Although Kung fu Panda looks great will wait for the DVD and there are a slew of indies and foreigns that beg to be watched on the big screen but living on the edge of reason sometimes means we have to pick and choose our entertainment wisely. Lets see was in Jersey last week and diesel was 4.80 a gallon and up at Rock Tavern NY it was 4.95. So I guess yeah we will be choosing our entertainment wisely. The up side of where I live I could get good exercise walking to the mega-plex or just ride the Kaw.
Just finished up the Allen Steele series of the Coyote saga. Good summer reading. will review that series plus Spindrift soon. I hope everyone has a safe 4th of July I am off to Tupelo for the mucno trucktour 08. So if you see my big red 12399 well honk. or flip me off or just make weird faces at me as I tour the U.S.
C-ya! PEACE

Weekend Update

2008-06-08T00:11:00.004-04:00

Well so it seems I need a boot to the head since I have not been maintaining my blog as I should or just a general smacking around would be sufficient. Though there has been a bit of a learning curve going on. Things I have learned lately; never do a review of a movie when you are tired or the latest episode of Battlestar Gallactica is on in 20 minutes. What was I thinking. Also if you want to have a dialog with your wife its hard to do on a motorcycle so get her one of her own and you can become irresponsible adults at ones leisure. The stable has grown into 3 bikes now that my oldest son James has a new 05 Ninja 636 courtesy of his dad who comade on his loan. Hey if he misses a payment guess who has a sportsbike? mmmm shiny. Well I went and did the unthinkable and joined one of those social networks called Facebook. So if your wondering you can mosey over and take a look at my facial book on the web, G. Steven McCollum would be the search criteria. Myspace seems a bit too teenie bopper for me, now I know alot of my friends have myspace pages but I don't know seems a bit weird at times. Of course this is likely to change since I probably have adult add oh look a chicken... I am taking a break from reviewing this week just to kind of log out some of the things that have been going on in my world which not one gives a whit about anyway.
Lets see Karen has a new 08 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 and James has a new 05 Ninja so I guess you could say we are definitely a metric family although Karen said when the boys get out of university that I can finally have a Harley. We'll see.
I am currently recovering from outpatient neck surgery from Friday, I had a Thyroglossal Duct Cyst removed from my neck and so talking is somewhat of a difficulty at present. I will be out of work for a week so it's going to be a bit rough fiscally for the next two weeks or so. Just watched National Treasure 2 and it was pretty good as Disney adventures go. Also picked up Appleseed Ex Machina and it was stunning in both animation and story. oops there I go micro-reviewing stuff again. Currently I am reading Coyote Explored by Allen Steele and as far a sf trilogy goes it is quite enjoyable. I am having second thoughts about the Slice of Scifi podcast since they seem to be a bit self indulgent and veering away from the core of their podcast in the realm of hey if we don't like it, it has to suck, right? Just report the news and keep your editorializing to yourselves. Lets see thoughts on the political side? If given a chance I would go none of the above since lets face it their all going to drag us further to the pit of financial ruin and if your expecting the government to save your butt well thats like taking financial advice from broke people and dietary advice from fat folks. Be careful what you wish for since the Chinese have a curse that is playing out as we speak: May you live in interesting times. Of course my favorite one is "don't annoy the crazy person". Well its getting a bit late and I am going to try to head to church in the morning and Kit Kat is grousing for a hand out. So until next we meet. Peace.

Von Neuman's War By John Ringo and Travis Taylor

2008-04-20T12:26:00.006-04:00

Wow it has been way too long since my last review and I am soooo behind schedule it is not funny, or maybe it is. No excuses since really I have had many ample weekend opportunities to write about John Ringo and Travis Tays new (on paperback) book Von Neuman's War. Hey but since I try to put away at least 2 books a week, and work tends to interfere or as John Lennon once said " life is what happens when your making other plans", no quibbles here it goes. [GUSH ALERT] Okay so I will admit it: I am a John Ringo fan. There its out now stop beating on me. Travis Tay, a new voice in science fiction, I am still reserved about since I really do not know his work other than the collaborations that I have read where he is involved. The Mucno Theorem of Finite Collaborations states thus: If I can't tell where one writer ends and the next one begins then that is a Fine Collaboration. Herein is the case. With VNW we get just that, a well blended adventure yarn of the old Ringo School o' Semibeliveable Situationocity. Okay it is Science Fiction but that is my big box of love. Weaned on old school Heinlein and Asimov and Clarke and Von Vogt.
This is your non typical earth invasion yarn handled with the usual Ringo/Tay audacity. Throw it out there and watch to see if it is andante and if it sticks to the wall then the pasta is ready. Those of you which are already Ringo fans and have sucked down the Posleen saga and what I call the There Will Be Dragons Legacy, will have no doubt already ingested this novel. I haven't been keeping up with Ringo's work of late, so many authors and so little time, so like everything else I will be going back and finish up the Posleen wars last one I caught was Hell's Faire which rocked. Go Bun Bun Go!
Those of you who are new to Ringo/Tay's work will be happy with this novel that appears to me to be the beginning of a new series of work. The ending is left so far open that you could drive a dodecahedron ship through it. Our premise here is based on the theory by scientist/theorist Von Neuman that held to explore or colonize a world that nanobots would self replicate enough to build ships that could move from system to system (Replicators anyone?) This was a theory that predates most of your present day SF and so seems to be in public domain. Although Von Neuman used large scale non-sentient robots vs. nanobots that for the most part are part of a larger intelligence. Our heros are a intrepid crew of nerds and warriors that seems to be taken right out of present day. In this book we meet Capt. Shane Gries and his First Sergeant Cady and their squad and the crew that takes rocket science to the readable level with Roger Reynolds and how with true human ineptitude and mettle turn the tide on and slow down the invasion of earth by a massive alien force, that just happens to eat everything metal that is not tied down and then even eat that as well. The use of the web, Hooters Restaurant, late night call in radio shows, rocket science, government contracts gone balls up and ballistic are liberally poked fun at and used to a such an extent that your suspension of belief actually pulls up a chair and enjoys it self. What I call a Reading Magnet..okay so I read this one in literally one sitting. The pace is hectic with out being confusing, the rocket science and history behind it is grounded in actual science. The governmental bickering and shortsighted tomfoolery is written as such that it neatly reflects present day without soapboxing.
Ringo brings such authenticity to his combat sequences that when we lose a member of the squad you actually feel the pain of loss. Being a veteran myself that is important when I read mil-grade SF, I suppose that is why I am impartial to know if the author actually spent service time or not. It is not a deal breaker but if gives more relevance to know the writer has been if not at the point at least holding the shaft of the spear.
There are weakness' inherent in every alien invasion book I have ever read and this one thankfully suffers from only a few which are easily overlooked, sometimes the pace drags during the less relevant rocket science at times I felt lost during these sequences but that could be due to my lack of love for calculus. The human interaction is believable and strong and I think John or Travis must have sat through a few episodes of Rollye James or Coast to Coast AM with a liberal dosage of Michael Savage thrown in.
My normal take is that I rarely if ever give 5's and in this case that stays the same I give Von Neuman's War a strong 4.5 based on these points. Humor, style, action, sf elements. and hey we are talking John Ringo.
If your a fan well I am preaching to the choir here.
If you haven't read a Ringo novel yet. This is a good start.
If you don't like science fiction, can't help you there seek help now!!!
Now I have some toys for you go check out: Adventures in Scifi Publishing.com and Scifi surplus.com for some very entertaining podcasts about the industry in general and you can't go wrong with either of these and I use them to exercise and fill my brain with that good ol' scifi fix. Look them up on iTunes they are free, sometimes funny and always informative.

Steve Martin: Born Standing Up

2008-03-30T12:41:00.005-04:00

My take on autobiographies is somewhat twisted since I have always felt that someone that has achieved some level of success ordinarily writes a autobiography to 'unload' on someone or something that has occurred in their past. My cousin Rick loaned me what is probably the first autobiography since my college days. Which goes to prove that I haven't learned much since then and that maybe I should pick up more non-fiction in my life.

Born Standing Up is the defining guy book about Steve Martin . I call it a guy book since the revelations made in it will speak to any man that has had a split with his father. I will not call it a homage to Mr. Martin's father more so a reason for his inner chemistry what drove him to the world of entertainment. It traces Steve's beginnings from a Disneyland street urchin up to just before his most current films. This is one of those mid-life autobiographies that seem to say "Hey this is what made me tick for the most part and there is still more to come later so just hang out and you will find more" (okay you can breathe now) . Full of his memories uncluttered by malice or aggrandizement, Mr. Martin's prose makes for an entertaining read albeit at times really gives you an insight to one of the most groundbreaking comedians of the 1970's. His handling of his parents is one of endearment laced with irony for what makes Mr. Martin tick. We all are formed by our environments and it is obvious that Steve is "the child is the father to the man."
Back in the 70's I was not a huge fan of Steve Martin since I was raised watching Red Skelton and Jackie Gleason and a parade of other comedians. It took listening to an old Lenny Bruce album to see where his comedy was coming from. I would have been called square up until that point since I thought that Jerry Lewis was the fount of comedie del arte'. So it took The Jerk for me to start to really appreciate Steve Martin as a comedian this book fills in the reasons and somewhat explains the world in which he grew up in and the canvas that he used to paint his comedic art upon. Steve is one of the most accomplished artists out there when it comes to comedy although most of the newer comedians attempt to break new ground in what takes us away from the reality of todays headlines. I found the book enlightening and well written since it didn't take us down a road of reality showmanship it was a treatise on how one man stood up in the hardest job there is, to succeed where so many others have gone home or a different direction. Granted there were some movie choices that left me wanting, but on the whole Steve Martin is one genuine article in the world of cheapass knock offs. I rate this a 4.5 out of 5 periods
..../

The Eyre Affair

2008-03-15T22:18:00.004-04:00

Well another week from the road wars and I have returned to share quite the gem I found at my lfre. (local favorite reading emporium) hey just keeping up with the jargon de computer. Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair the first book in the Thursday Next cycle. If you are a literary fiend as am I you will find the puns that run rampant in this tome exceedingly funny. Some of them are what most would call boomerangs. They come around about two pages down the way. First lets meet our heroine. Thursday Next works for the SpecOps division of the LiteraTec somewhat like the literature police. They make sure that no one mucks about with the classics. Well apparently someone is and it appears it is an old nemesis of Thursday's by the name of Acheron Hades. They have a history apparently (which you'll find out as you read) going back quite a ways. The Crimean War has been going on for over a hundred years of course egged along by the wonderfully inept Goliath Corporation. Whose chief snoop and general ne're do well Jack Schitt is always impeding the investigation into the goings on of Hades. Someone is kidnapping characters out of fiction and it's up to Next as she tries to keep up, and her crew to stop Hades from changing the course of Brontian fiction. It appears there are those in this alternative timeline that have the ability to enter written fiction and well muck things up.
Fforde has this uncanny ability to make a believable world that not only can be quite adventure filled bearing to the serious side; but also be able to make references that are not only funny but quite hilarious as well like the send up of Richard the 3rd done to a Rocky Horror Picture Show audience. One of my favorite references is the use of spheres to fill time holes. Like a basketball.
I can only hope that the remaining books can keep this level of Pseudo-insanity. I really would like to meet Fforde and discuss some of his references he has so many different levels of humor and literary references that one can get lost in the fun. I give this one a 4.5 out of 5. Pick it up and enjoy it like a nice long dinner. This is definably a enjoy like a fine wine in front of a fireplace just make sure your up on your Dr. Who, Monty Python, Jim Butcher, Harry Potter and Steven Hawkings...

Canis mort

2008-03-10T13:25:00.003-04:00

Theodore "Spaz" Bear. 1997-2008 Teddy passed away today due to complications brought about by liver cancer and kidney failure. If you knew Teddy he brought joy and happiness to our family and quite a few laughs to everyone around him.
He was born in 1997 the brother to Sadie and Cleo. He was a rare one since he was a product of a split embryo. His father (unknown Scottish Terrier), and 1/2 father Milo. Teddy was one in a million, Karen helped him into the world since he was a difficult birth and was with him in the end.
He was one of the only dogs I know that I could get to howl like a bluesman. He was Karen's joy and like all our dogs we loved him no matter what. Our little ewok has gone to run the fields of Heaven where we all will meet. Chasing that elusive doggy treat.
If your wondering where my review is this week well I have had other things on my mind this weekend as you can see. We love you Teddy and will miss you dearly.

Cryptonomicon: a review of Neal Stephenson's book

2008-03-02T11:52:00.005-05:00

Hello once again. It has been a few weeks since I have posted anything, simply been extremely busy around Casa De' mucno.
I thought for something different I would start doing movie, book and television reviews since I c an be somewhat the media mole. My first take will reviewing the book Cryptonomicon. By Neal Stephenson. I have been a fan somewhat of Neal's since Snow Crash since I have an affinity for cyberpunk/steam punk and this fell into that genre quite handily.
Cryptonomicon is an 11oo plus page tome that dives head first into the realm of alternative history. Although the figures; Alan Turing, Douglas MacArthur are historical fact Neal's ability to bring them alive is definitely alternative. The book covers the period just prior to World War II to the "present", and, to go into the multilayered plots that Stephenson puts forth would be akin to juggling jello and take just as long as to clean up. Neal handles the logistics of these plots that are somehow supposed to come together by way of actual narrative and flashback. How these are handled is another thing. The nefarious things about Neal is that he can draw you in with these premises like spys, Marines, computer programmers gone bad, and make you want to turn the next page. This book kept me turning pages to see what would happen next. Thats just it, what was going to happen next wanted me to find out what would happen next and next and well you get the picture. There was no payoff. Somewhat like the best looking girl/guy in the class teasing you to the point of uber tension then not making the payoff or... it turns out to be akin to the menu picture at the restaurant, looks good but hey wasn't that supposed to be larger. Neal goes in so many different directions (oh and be sure to bring a dictionary since Neal has the vocabulary of a Rhodes scholar). That you actually want the book to payoff better than it does. Instead it felt as though the last 20 pages were pulled by some Hollywood hack that just wanted to end the book so he could go on to something else. Don't get me wrong, if you are a Neal Stephenson fan this is probably one of his best works aside from the Diamond Age. Neal is the only writer I know that can take the different plot devices, humor, adventure, romance, masturbation (manual override) , Japanese typecast camp officers, Marines, drug use, drug addiction, (damn I would hate to have the job of the copywriter that would have to write that one up for the ratings board for the movie) did I mention gold hunting, gold melting, gold sinking to bottom of the ocean. Did I mention as well there are misplaced loyalties, misplaced Nazis, misplaced submarines, misplaced cryptographers? And this is in just the first 500 pages. If you read this book be prepared for long discourses over the proper eating of Capn Crunch, Code breaking, the inter-relationships between the two.
Neal's ability to twine these together is one of his saving graces, any other author would fail horribly. The payoff just did not work for me since there really was no conclusion. Does Randy (the eventual lead protagonist) get the girl and the gold? What happens to the Dentist and his S/M wife. What about General Wing? And Enoch what is going on with him. Too many questions left unanswered and these are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Now I know Neal has started a new series that has Enoch Root back during the Baroque to Newtonian era (starts with a witch hanging) so maybe those questions could be cleared up as we go. Cryptonomicon starts in the pre-war torn era of China with a Marine formulating Haiku as his squad mates are attempting to depart Nanking before the Japanese attack. I swear Neal's literature is like the best kiss you ever have when they open up only to find out 3 weeks into the relationship that you married a space alien (although from some relationships I have had, that wouldn't be such a bad thing). My rating scale is based on a 1-5 scale and Neal's tome receives a 2 out of 5. Only get this one if you are a real fan. If not grab it from the library as an audio book.
Until next time when I review Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair. Happy reading.

Canis Mortus

2008-02-15T10:05:00.003-05:00

I had 5 dogs in my life at one time. Now I have to say farewell to one of them. Chiro passed was euthanised recently due to lung and age complications. She was just over 15 years old. Whatever took her was so aggressive that she went off her feed and could hardly walk within two weeks. The hard part was that I was on the road at the time. This is one of those things that really makes me regret my career choice. Suffice that I am alienated somewhat around the house as it is since I only have about 48hrs per weekend to cram in as much 'life' as I can before I am back out on the road, it still makes it rough trying to live ones life in weekend snippets. This is not about me though this is about Chiro.
She was the alpha bitch of the pack. Mother to Cleo and Theodore Bear compatriot to Kit Kat, Harbinger of much barking and growling to Harley and Milo and generally diffident to Ashley the Psycho Cat of Doom. She was my pal, my friend, and my confidant. When the telly was on we would sit on the couch or in the recliner in her later years and I would spend many long hours just petting her and after a long week of stress she would be a welcome salve to those moments.
She would be the first to bark at a newcomer in the home and the last to "would you hush". When you have 5 dogs when one starts well you know the deal the Greek Chorus of Woof was ongoing at our abode. One vivid memory I have of her was when we bred her with Milo and if you know anything about breeding dogs that the two can get stuck together to make sure that no other dogs can interrupt the insemination process. The look of unmitigated bliss on her countenance was classic. If a dog could be said to have the big "O" then I think Milo worked his love magic on her. Way to go Dammit! Milo's legal name (Milos' Dammit Devo)
We have a place for her in our hearts and she is still looking over us albeit from the mantle of our fireplace since we had cremated. She is running spiritually through the fields of Dun Cannon.
We love ya Chiro an miss you everyday.