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Dan Simmons – Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos #1)(audiobook)

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Grāmatas apraksts no Goodreads/Synopsis from Goodreads:

On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of the Hegemony of Man, there waits the creature called the Shrike. There are those who worship it. There are those who fear it. And there are those who have vowed to destroy it. In the Valley of the Time Tombs, where huge, brooding structures move backward through time, the Shrike waits for them all. On the eve of Armageddon, with the entire galaxy at war, seven pilgrims set forth on a final voyage to Hyperion seeking the answers to the unsolved riddles of their lives. Each carries a desperate hope—and a terrible secret. And one may hold the fate of humanity in his hands.

A stunning tour de force filled with transcendent awe and wonder,Hyperion is a masterwork of science fiction that resonates with excitement and invention, the first volume in a remarkable new science fiction epic by the multiple-award-winning author of The Hollow Man From the Paperback edition.

Izdevniecība/Publisher: Audible Frontiers

Kā tiku pie šīs grāmatas?/How I got this book?

Lejuplādēju no torenta. Izvēlējos no Top 100 Sci-Fi Books grāmatu listes.

Vērtējums/Rating: 4.75/5

Mana recenzija/My review

Jau ar pirmajām minūtēm varēja just, ka šī būs laba (audio)grāmata : ). Seši dažādi stāsti un tagadne, septiņi svētceļnieki un vēl daudz kā cita!

Stāstu un svētceļnieku vienojošie faktori ir Hyperion planēta, uz tās esošās Laika Kapenes un radījums Shrike, ko vieni pielūdz kā sāpju dievu, bet citi vienkārši baidās kā no briesmoņa.

Stāsti savā starpā ir atšķirīgi – ir detektīvs, erotika, romantika u.c. – bet vislabāk tomēr patika pats pirmais un pēdējais vismazāk.

Mūsu Zeme (Vecā Zeme) vairs nepastāv Saules mūža beigu dēļ, un cilvēce izpletusies pa Visumu; ir arī liela attīstība interneta pasaulē. Nav daudz konkurentu, kas spētu stāties pretī. Ļoti patika mistiska ap deviņu labirintu pasaulēm, viena no tām Hyperion, kurus noteikti izveidojusi kāda civilizācija agri, agri pirms cilvēkiem.

Pats radījums Shrike lielā mērā paliek kā noslēpums. Skaidrs gan ir tas, ka drošs par savu dzīvību viņa klātbūtnē nevari būt.

Beigās kārtīgs klifhengeris, kas liek vēlēties VĒL! Noteikti patiks sci-fi faniem.

                                                                                                                                                

With the first minutes I could tell that this (audio)book will be great : ). Six tales and the present, seven pilgrims and many more!

What links all the tales and pilgrims is the planet Hyperion, the Time Tombs on it and the Shrike creature which some worship as god but others fear as from monster.

Tales are very different – there are a detective, erotic, romance etc. – but my favorite was the first tale and the least likable for me was the last one.

Our Earth (The Old Earth) no longer exists thanks to Sun life’s ending process, and humanity has conquered the Universe with not much resistance; also web has developed quite a lot. Very liked mystery around nine labyrinth planets (one of them Hyperion) which were clearly build by some civilization much ancient than humans.

The Shrike itself remains a secret. One thing that is clear is that when he is around you can’t be sure about your own life.

The ending is a real cliff-hanger which makes you to want MORE! Certain recommendation for sci-fi fans.

Tess Gerritsen – The Sinner (Rizzoli & Isles #3)

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Grāmatas apraksts no Goodreads/Synopsis from Goodreads:

Within the walls of a cloistered convent, a scene of unspeakable carnage is discovered. On the snow lie two nuns, one dead, one critically injured – victims of a seemingly motiveless, brutally savage attack.

Medical examiner Maura Isles’ autopsy of the murder victim yields a shocking surprise, but the case takes a disturbing twist. The body of another woman has been found. And someone has gone to a lot trouble to remove her face, hands and feet.

As long buried secrets are revealed so Dr Isles and homicide detective Jane Rizzoli, find themselves part of an investigation that leads to an awful, dawning realisation of the killer’s identity…

Izdevniecība/Publisher: Ballantine Books

Kā tiku pie šīs grāmatas?/How I got this book?

Lejuplādēju no torenta

Vērtējums/Rating: 4.5/5

Mana recenzija/My review

Patologanatome Maura tiek izsaukta uz neiedomājamu nozieguma vietu, klosteri, kur varētu šķist, ka nekas tāds kā slepkavība nevarētu notikt. Māsas Kamillas autopsija dod negaidītus jaunumus, upurei kādu laiku pirms savas nāves bijušas dzemdības. Tā kādu laiku Ridzoli izmeklēšanas galvenā uzmanība vērsta viņas virzienā, bet drusku tiek piemirsts par citiem pavedieniem.

Grāmatā ir vairāki upuri, un atliek vien prātot, kā tās savijas kopējā stāstā. Pirmkārt jau prologā minētais vairākas nodaļas tiek tā arī atstāts, bet nav, par ko bēdāties, jo par to nav aizmirsts.

Uz Mauras galda nonāk arī upure ar sākotnēji neizskaidrojamiem ādas bojājumiem, bet pats dīvainākais, ka gan kājas, gan pēdas slepkava un arī sejas ādu slepkava paņēmis līdzi. Skaidri noprotama nabadzīga izcelsme.

Gan Maurai, gan Ridzoli ir sava romantiskā stāsta līnija; abām nav ne vainas : ). Mauras gadījumā tas ir bijušais vīrs, kurš negaidīti uzrodas pēc trim gadiem un uzjundī atmiņas un jūtas; vien kāda var būt sakritība, ka tieši sākoties šai lietai, ņemot vērā viņa darbavietu.

Tikmēr Ridzoli mēģina aprast ar domu, ka ir stāvoklī, un pirmās domas visticamāk pārsteidzīgas. Nomāc arī neziņa, kā gan to uztvertu FBI aģents un tēvs Gabriels Dīns (otrajā grāmatā) un kā tad izvērstos abu nākotne un attiecības. Ridzoli nespēj iedomāties sevi mātes lomā, un līdzīgi kā Maura tā pieradusi ar ‘’masku’’, ko valkā darbā, ka brīžiem aizmirst to noņemt ārpus tā.

                                                                                                                                                

Medical examiner Maura Isles gets a call to unthinkable crime scene, to convent, as you might think that nuns would be safe behind those walls. Sister Camille’s autopsy reveals surprising news that some time before her murder she gave birth. And that sends most of detective Rizzoli’s attention in her way forgetting a bit about other leads.

Camille isn’t the only victim in the book, and the reader can just wonder how that all fits together. Firstly it’s the prologue which is left there for few chapters but no need to fear as it won’t be forgotten.

On Isles’ examination table arrives a victim at the first with unknown lesions but the bizarre thing that the killer cut of her hands and feats and also took her face skin. Her origin of poverty is obvious.

Both Maura and Rizzoli has her own romantic story lines, and both were quite good. In Maura’s case it’s her ex-husband who turns up after three years without any message bringing up old memories and feelings; only what are the odds that it is right when the case starts considering his workplace.

Meanwhile Rizzoli tries to comprehend with idea that she is pregnant, and the first thoughts are rash. She’s overwhelmed by not knowing how FBI agent and the father Gabriel Dean (second book) would react and by thoughts of possible future and their relationship. Rizzoli can’t imagine being a mom, similarly to Maura they sometimes forget to take off their ‘’toughness’’ mask outside the work.

Steve Berry – The Patriot Threat (Cotton Malone #10)

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Grāmatas apraksts no Goodreads/Synopsis from Goodreads:

The 16th Amendment to the Constitution is why Americans pay income taxes. But what if there were problems associated with that amendment? Secrets that call into question decades of tax collecting? In fact, there is a surprising truth to this hidden possibility.

Cotton Malone, once a member of an elite intelligence division within the Justice Department known as the Magellan Billet, is now retired and owns an old bookshop in Denmark. But when his former-boss, Stephanie Nelle, asks him to track a rogue North Korean who may have acquired some top secret Treasury Department files—the kind that could bring the United States to its knees—Malone is vaulted into a harrowing twenty-four hour chase that begins on the canals in Venice and ends in the remote highlands of Croatia.

With appearances by Franklin Roosevelt, Andrew Mellon, a curious painting that still hangs in the National Gallery of Art, and some eye-opening revelations from the $1 bill, this riveting, non-stop adventure is trademark Steve Berry—90% historical fact, 10% exciting speculation—a provocative thriller posing a dangerous question: What if the Federal income tax is illegal?

Izdevniecība/Publisher: Minotaur Books

Kā tiku pie šīs grāmatas?/How I got this book?

Lejuplādēju no torenta

Vērtējums/Rating: 3.5/5

Mana recenzija/My review

Pēc attiecību pajukšanas ar Kasiopeju, Malons pats sāk meklēt spriedzi un briesmas, piesakoties atpakaļ uz laiku zem Stefānijas vadības, un meklētais galu galā arī atrod viņu.

Iesaistīti ne tikai amerikāņi, bet arī ķīnieši, ar kuriem amerikāņiem samērā draudzīgas attiecības, īpaši pēc The Emperor’s Tomb notikumiem, kā arī ziemeļkorejieši.

Kim Yong Jin cer atriebties pusbrālim par kļūšanu par Ziemeļkorejas mīļo Līderi, kaut patiesībā tam būtu bijis jābūt viņam (šis aspekts vēsturiski patiess). Pie viena sagraujot ļaunāko ienaidnieku ASV, kā arī Ķīnu. Kims par sevi ir augstās domās, kaut arī īpaši neatšķiras no saviem radiniekiem, un uzskata, ka ir pietiekami viltīgs, lai pārējos apspēlētu.

Bet iemesls, kāpēc, kas tāds pat teorētiski iespējams, jo pastāv lielas šaubas vai federālā ienākumu nodokļa pieņemšana un ratifikācija bijusi atbilstoša un likumīga. Par visa katalizatoru kalpo Anan Wayne Howell, kurš apsūdzēts un notiesāts par izvairīšanos no nodokļu maksas, bet paguvis aizbēgt no valsts un pat izdod e-grāmatu atspēkojot apsūdzību.

Kims neceļo viens, kopā ar viņu ir viņa meita Hana. Hanai bērnība bijusi no traģiskākajām, līdz pat deviņu gadu vecumam viss, ko viņa zināja bija skarbā dzīve iekšpus darba nometnes sienām. Kaut arī pagājuši 14 gadi kopš Kims par viņu uzzināja un deva civilizētu dzīvi, Hanai joprojām labā atmiņā ir viss agrāk notikušais, kas neglābjami viņu izmainījis.

Malons nav nolemts mesties briesmās viens, vēlreiz darbībā atgriežas prezidenta brāļa dēls Lūks. Klāt nāk arī Izabella Šēfere. Varam vērot, cik labi dažādas izlūkošanas organizācijas spēj sadarboties; sākums nav tas gludākais.

Patika, ka bez ienākumu nodokļa, ir vēl kāda neliela mistērija.

                                                                                                                                                

After breakup with Cassiopeia Malone looks for danger himself, and is temporally back at Magellan Billet. Of course shortly enough the danger do find him.

Americans aren’t the only ones involved, their supposed allies with whom they should have friendlier relationship after The Emperor’s Tomb, and also North Koreans.

Kim Yong Jin hopes to have against North Korea’s Dear Leader and his half-brother who has taken his rightful position. Simultaneously destroying the greatest evil USA and with China too. Kim thinks about himself very highly and believes that he can outsmart anyone.

The reason why all this is even theoretically possible is that there are serious doubts if the 16th Amendment was correctly ratified and if the Federal income tax is legal. Anan Wayne Howell serves as a catalyst to everything when he flees the country after prosecution of tax evasion, he publishes an e-book where defends and explains himself.

Kim doesn’t travel alone, together with him is his daughter Hana Sung. The childhood for Hana was horrible, living inside the walls of labor camp until an age of nine when Kim found out about her and got her out. It has been 14 years since then but those 9 years are still deeply inside her memory which changed her forever.

Malone isn’t doomed to fight alone; once again Luke Daniels is there to help with assistance of Isabella Schaefer. We can observe how nicely different intelligence agencies can play together, and the start isn’t a smooth one.

I liked that besides taxes there was also another little mystery.

Robert A. Heinlein – Starship Troopers (audiobook)

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Grāmatas apraksts no Goodreads/Synopsis from Goodreads:

In one of Robert Heinlein’s most controversial bestsellers, a recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the Universe–and into battle with the Terran Mobile Infantry against mankind’s most frightening enemy.

Izdevniecība/Publisher: Blackstone Audio

Kā tiku pie šīs grāmatas?/How I got this book?

Lejuplādēju no torenta. Izvēlējos no Top 100 Sci-Fi Books grāmatu listes.

Vērtējums/Rating: 3/5

Mana recenzija/My review

Sākums un arī liela daļa vairāk tāda teorētiska un nekā aizraujoša, un gandrīz jau noticēju, ka nekas nemainīsies, bet kļūdījos.

Sekojam galvenajam varonim Juan Rico, kurš piesakās armijā pēc tieša Kukaiņu uzbrukuma Buenosairesai. Izejam cauri no pašas uzņemšanas līdz pat apmācībām un kaujas laukam. Diemžēl stāstā parādīta vien viena kauja, un uzreiz lielā, izšķirošā. Ir redzēta filma, un šķiet, ka tur bija vairāk (interesantāk).

Bija vairāki brīži, kad nevarēja nesaklausīt aizspriedumainas, iespējams, attiecīgā laika piezīmes gan par sievietēm, gan militārisko aspektu un lielvarām.

Citplanētiešu Kukaiņu apraksts un viņu kā stropa tipa sabiedrības raksturojums ar karalienēm, strādniekiem, karotājiem un smadzenēm/smadzeņotājiem :D bija saistošs. Neliela filozofēšana, kuram lemts un pienākas apdzīvot Visumu; par citām rasēm neko īpašu nesadzirdēju.

Beigas noteikti izglāba kopējo iespaidu.

                                                                                                                                                

The beginning and most of the book was more theoretical than I would have liked, and I almost believed that that’s all there is but I was wrong.

We are following the main character Juan Rico as he joins Mobile Infantry after direct attack to Buenos Aires by Bugs. We go through from admittance to training and even battlefield, just a bit disappointing that it’s only one – the big, important battle. Have seen the movie, and as I remember there were more action.

There were moments were you could not have missed stereotypical remarks, both about women, military things and superpowers.

Descriptions about alien Bugs and their hive society (queens, workers, warriors and brains) were fascinating. Also some philosophical moments about who is meant to inhabit the Universe; didn’t heard much about other races.

The ending definitely saved the whole impression.

Mans TBR priekš Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

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Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon noris no 14. līdz 27.septembrim. Lai gan divas nedēļas ir diezgan daudz salīdzinoši ar citiem rīdatoniem, tad mācības gan jau dos savu ietekmi. Pieteikties var šeit.

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Šo varētu uzskatīt arī par septembra TBR papildinājumu, kurā palikušas abas minētās audiogrāmatas – Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein, un tad jau manīs vai sanāks arī Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos #1) by Dan Simmons

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Jau nedaudz iesākts pagaidām pēdējā pieejamā Cotton Malone sērijas grāmata The Patrio Threat

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Uzdrošinos pielikt klāt vēl divas grāmatas no Rizzoli & Isles sērijas, attiecīgi trešā The Sinner un ceturtā Body Double by Tess Gerritsen. Ja ne abas, tad iespējams, ka Body Double tiks pārcelta uz oktobri.

Frank Herbert – Dune (Dune Chronicles #1)(audiobook)

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Grāmatas apraksts no Goodreads/Synopsis from Goodreads:

Set in the far future amidst a sprawling feudal interstellar empire where planetary dynasties are controlled by noble houses that owe an allegiance to the imperial House Corrino, Dune tells the story of young Paul Atreides (the heir apparent to Duke Leto Atreides and heir of House Atreides) as he and his family accept control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the ‘spice’ melange, the most important and valuable substance in the cosmos. The story explores the complex, multi-layered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion as the forces of the empire confront each other for control of Arrakis.

Published in 1965, it won the Hugo Award in 1966 and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel. Dune is frequently cited as the world’s best-selling sf novel.

Kā tiku pie šīs grāmatas?/How I got this book?

Lejuplādēju no torenta. Izvēlējos no Top 100 Sci-Fi Books grāmatu listes.

Vērtējums/Rating: 2.75/5

Mana recenzija/My review

Dune ir gan politiska, gan filozofiska zinātniskā fantastika. Tas pamatā ir jaunā Pola skatpunkta, kuram, pēc vardarbīgās tēva nāves, jāieņem viņa tituls un jāmēģina to pienācīgi izpildīt.

Darbība galvenokārt skar tuksneša planētu Arrakis. Ūdens ir tik lielā vērtē, ka pat no miruša cilvēka tas tiek izspiests un izmantots. Varētu jautāt, kāpēc tad kāds tur vispār grib dzīvot, bet tieši Arrakis planēta dod ļoti vērtīgu garšvielu. Pola pozīciju un viņa pārstāvēto namu apraud daudzi citi, kuri vēlētos rīkoties pa savam un iegūt no tā bagātību. Kā pirmo obligāti būtu jāmin pats imperators.

Lai cik pārsteidzoši tas varētu šķist Arrakis planētai ir savi pamatiedzīvotāji (Fremen), kā arī milzīgi, pazemē mītoši tārpi; to apraksts atgādināja vienu daudzsēriju filmu, kurai nekādīgi nevaru atcerēties nosaukumu(s). Lielākā daļa pamatiedzīvotājus uzskata par prastiem un atpalikušiem mežoņiem, bet Pols saprot, ka patiesība ir pavisam atšķirīga, jo, ja citi pamatoti baidās no tārpiem, viņi apguvuši prasmi ar tiem jāt.

Vēl ārkārtīgi neparasts tēls ir Alia, vien dažus gadus veca meitene, bet ar tādām pārdabiskām spējām, ka pat varenākajiem kārtīgi jāpiedomā, vai ir vērts radīt sev nevajadzīgas problēmas. Savas lietas bīda arī Pola mātei Džesikai.

Iespējams, priekš manis drusku par kompleksu, īsti nepārliecināja un nepiesaistīja.

                                                                                                                                                

Dune is both a political and philosophical sci-fi. Its main POV is from Paul who after violent death of his father’s death has to fill his shoes as the new Duke.

Action mainly is on desert planet Arrakis. Water there so hugely valuable that they even squeeze it out of dead bodies. You might wonder who would want to live there then, but Arrakis is the place that produces a very profitable spice. Paul doesn’t have time to practice to be a Duke as there are many that threatens his position and would like to have their way and that they could make the profit. The first in the line is Emperor himself.

As surprisingly it might be considering the harsh environment Arrakis has its own natives – Fremen; also giant sandworms. Most of people think about Fremen as wild and uncivilized savages, but Paul realizes that the truth is far from that. Because if everyone else are justifiably afraid from sandworms than they have learned how to ride them.

Another peculiar character is Alia, just few years old but with such supernatural powers that even the mightiest should think twice before challenging her. Paul’s mother Jessica also is an active player and has her saying.

Maybe a bit too complex for me, wasn’t that exciting.