Šajā iknedēļas rakstā iekļūst trīs grāmatu vāku bildes, kuras man šķitušas interesantas un foršas jeb spridzīgas, vai vienkārši neparastas. Ideja radās aplūkojot LE BELLE blogu.
Anne McCaffrey – The Renegades of Pern (Pern #22)
Jonathan Maberry – Patient Zero (Joe Ledger #1)
Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book Volume 2 (The Graveyard Book Graphic Novel #2)
Title: Locket Full of Secrets
Author: Dana Burkey
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
Publication Date: July 4th 2015
Add it to Goodreads / But it on Amazon
Synopsis: After over 4 years, Olena comes rocketing back into Claire’s life, changing everything for the worse. Picking up the shattered pieces, Claire is not sure who to believe. Is Olena who she says she is, or is she a killer to stay away from? Leaning on her new boyfriend Steven for support, Claire is faced with the choice on who to trust: a friend she barley knows, or a history lesson she barely remembers. Together, the three will begin a journey that will take Claire from the safety of her home to the last place she thought she would ever be: The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. With the wreckage of rector four looming behind her, Claire will have to see Olena’s plan through until the end if she wants any chance of making it out alive.
Guest post:
I Might Be Crazy….
I might be crazy, but a few years ago I decided I wanted to get more in shape. Okay, that is not the part that makes me crazy. The crazy part will come in a minute, I assure you. Well, at first I started to just work out, eat right, and generally stay active. It was working well for a little while, so I signed up to do a local fun run. It was two miles, and lead to me trying out two 5ks in the next few months. After that second 5k (3.2 miles for those of you who need to google it like I did back then), I somehow decided I was going to go for a bigger race. But why skip to a 10k, or simply try to better my time on a 5k? No, instead of those logical next steps, I went and registered for my first half marathon.
That’s right, I decided that I could go from wogging (walking/jogging) 3.2 miles to suddenly completing 13.1 miles all at once. This is the crazy part, in case you were not sure! And it was crazy! It was crazy for me to think that I could just do this. Especially since training turned out to be really boring! I have never liked the idea of running in my neighborhood, and since I did not have a car at the time to drive to a local running trail, I bought a treadmill and trained at home in my basement. So, each night I would start going and just stare at the wall. It was super boring, and I would always stop after about 3 miles. The one time I actually pushed myself to go farther, I only made it to a whopping 5 miles!
Well, race day arrived, and it was time for me to see what I could do. The race was on September 25th 2011, and happened to also be my 26th birthday! My dad was in town from Ohio to visit me in Washington State, so he took me to the race and was going to be there to cheer me on when I finished. Or rather, if I finished. I had a few friends taking part in the race that day as well, so I hung out with them at the start and listened to them chat about how fast they were going to go, or how their latest training run went. Did you catch that? Their “training runs.” As in they did more than just walk 5 miles on a treadmill in their basement! I knew I was in trouble by the time the starting gun went off.
I think it was around mile 3 when I started to feel great about my life choice. The sun was shining and I got some water and things were going great. I was passing people, I didn’t have to stop and use the porta potties that were sitting in the sun all day, and my body was not really in any pain. In fact, I was feeling so good I even started to jog a bit in celebration at how great I was doing! And, when I passed mile 5, the farthest I had ever gone in training, I was excited for the unknown world ahead of me. I knew there was something called “hammer gel” at mile 6, and then I could start counting down the miles I had left.
Hammer gel turned out to be about the consistency of glue, and tasted like glue with a little bit of a Kool aide powder mixed in for fun. It was pretty terrible, but it was almost like food, so I loved it! I ate it super-fast and kept going, feeling pretty good. But then, my body started to realize what was going on. My body suddenly realized that I was not going to be stopping in a few minutes, but rather had half of a race to go! That was when my knees, hips, ankles, and shins started to hurt. It was like my whole lower half was trying to fall off of my body so they could quit before I made them do anything else crazy like run or even walk.
Sadly, I could not just quit or take off my legs and phone in the rest of the race, so I kept on going. I put one foot in front of the other and before I knew it, I heard a sound I loved. People cheering! I was near the finish line! I walked up this hill that was in front of me, and there was a crowd of people cheering! But my heart fell. They were not cheering for me. They were cheering for the people who were finishing, people that were 4 miles ahead of me! I wanted to cry in that moment, but instead just kept going while people literally walked past me on the other side of a rope. They were finishing, and I was still heading out farther and farther from the finish. And, to make matters worse, the wind was picking up. Every step felt like three, the wind pushing on me every second of the way.
One thing that I didn’t do as part of my “training”, if you can even call it that, was look at the course map. If I had, I would have known that the last few miles would take me out to Boulevard Park and back. But, I did not know this until there it was in front of me. It happened to be one of my favorite parks in town, and to this day is my favorite place in the world to watch the sunset. The problem is that one element of the park is a long boardwalk that extends over the ocean from the land above. That land truly is above, making it a massive uphill climb. I have since walked up the hill a few times, and even when it is at the start of a walk it feels like a million mile trek to get to the top!
As I started up the hill, noticing that mile 11 was located about half way up. It was hard, but I felt like I could do it. I put one foot in front of the other and forced myself to keep going. At the top of the hill I was so happy I wanted to cry! I had done it! I was up this massive hill, and I was getting close to the finish for real this time. But, as if to stop my celebration in its tracks, my stomach began to growl. I was hungry, and my body really wanted to let me know about it. Not only was I hungry, however, I was hungry and still would be burning quite a few calories while continuing on to the end of the race. Oh, and in case things were not looking bad enough, the next mile was a stead uphill that was slight enough to make you feel like you could do it, but at the same time steep enough for your body to always be working double time just to keep moving.
It was at this point in the race, with less than 2 miles to go, that I remembered something. I had a burrito in the fridge at home! It was my leftovers from dinner the night before, but was enough food to fill my empty stomach for sure. So, each step I took suddenly was not about the finish line, but about my burrito! I said the word in my head with each step, and imagined how great everything would feel once I could eat the whole thing while sitting down! Thankfully, the idea of this amazing food that was still to come kept me going when I wanted to quit so bad!
With the idea of Mexican food in my mind, and my legs still trying to quit on me, I continued to walk and jog my way to the finish. My dad stood cheering me on as I crossed the finish line and received my race medal. I had to fight back tears of both joy and pride in that moment, happy I finished what I set out to do, and also happy that it was all over! And it was over indeed! I limped to the car with my dad, my legs now wanting to stop working all together, then headed home for lots of food, a shower, and rest! It was, up until that point, the hardest thing I have ever done.
In the hours that followed the race I thought about what I had done over and over again. I thought about how insane the 13.1 miles had been, but also how I made it through it all. All of a sudden, the idea of doing it again was sounding like a great idea! Every time I looked at my beautiful race medal, I got the feeling I could do it a second time. So, it in the years that have followed I have done 9 more half marathons, countless 5ks and 10ks, and even a triathlon this past summer! The memory of crossing the finishing line and feeling accomplished keeps me going for each new race I set out to run.
The other thing that has come from me doing that first race, and even some of the ones since that day, is that I know I can do more than I think I can sometimes. When I face difficult things in my personal life or in my work life I remember how much I worked hard and pushed through in that race on my birthday. I think about how easy it is to quit, but how rewarding it is to keep going! Now, I get to apply that to my writing. I get to go one step closer to the finish line as I write words, edit paragraphs, and create characters. Self-publishing really is like a half-marathon, so much work put in to each page. But, in the end, seeing readers enjoy my work and reading reviews posted online feels the exact same way as that medal around my neck! I know it will not always be easy, and often feel like an uphill climb, but the accomplishment and feeling of pride I get for really pushing myself makes all of it worth it!
About the author:
I graduated college from Youngstown State University in 2009 with a degree in theater and a minor in creative writing. I am currently living in Washington State in a little cabin in the woods with my cat Cato. I work full time at a kids camp, and spend my free time doing community theater and adventuring in nature! I am an avid geocacher, and love watching reality TV shows like So You Think You Can Dance, Project Runway, and Big Brother! I am currently working on my next project that includes a few YA romances and a YA dystopian series!
Giveaway:
U.S. only (paperback)
INT (e-book)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
Grāmatas apraksts no Goodreads/Synopsis from Goodreads:
For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future — to a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save mankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire — both scientists and scholars — and brings them to a bleak planet at the edge of the Galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for a future generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation.
But soon the fledgling Foundation finds itself at the mercy of corrupt warlords rising in the wake of the receding Empire. Mankind’s last best hope is faced with an agonizing choice: submit to the barbarians and be overrun — or fight them and be destroyed.
Izdevniecība/Publisher: Books on Tape
Kā tiku pie šīs grāmatas?/How I got this book?
Lejuplādēju no torenta. Izvēlējos no Top 100 Sci-Fi Books grāmatu listes.
Vērtējums/Rating: 2.25/5
Mana recenzija/My review
Matemātiķis (un ne tikai) Hari Seldons ar ticamiem aprēķiniem izsecina, ka Galaktiskā Impērijas gals ir neizbēgams, bet tam sekos 30 tumšas(zināšanu ziņā) tūkstošgades. Tomēr, ja visas zināšanas tiktu apkopotas un paglābtas no impērijas sabrukuma izraisītas degradācijas un barbarisma, ir visai reālistiski samazināt skaitu līdz 1000 gadiem.
Seldons tiek izsūtīts uz Galaktikas nomales planētu, kur kopā ar sekotājiem viņam ļauj uzsākt apjomos milzīgo projektu.
Dažos vārdos grāmatu varētu raksturot kā cīņu par varu, kur ir savi trakie militāristi, spēlētāji no aizkulisēm un cilvēki augstos posteņos, kurus patiesībā vada un kontrolē citi; daļa tēlu samērā vienkārši un ne pārāk izstrādāti, kā arī maz sieviešu kārtas tēlu. Darbības laiks ir liels, tāpēc jāpiepūla atmiņa visus atcerēties un iegaumēt kas ir kas. Laika izstieptības dēļ atkārtojas pāris sižetiski risinājumi.
Grūti iedomāties kādiem būtu jābūt aprēķiniem, kas simtprocentīgi precīzi spētu paredzēt nākotni ar tik daudziem mainīgajiem; noteikti noderētu superdators, un tikai apsveicami, ja iztiek bez. Nevar salīdzināt teiksim ar kontinentu pārvietošanās paredzēšanu.
Toties, redzot dažu ziņu sižetisku kā ISIS iznīcina pasaules mantojumu, ir saprotama ideja par kāda visaptveroša arhīva esamību, domājot arī vispārīgi par zudušo antīku un ne tik senu informāciju un priekšmetiem.
Mathematician (but not only) Hari Seldon with believable calculations can predict that Galactic Empire’s end is inevitable and after that there will be 30 thousand years of barbarism like Dark Age. Although if all the knowledge in Galaxy would be preserved than that number could be reduced to just 1000 years.
Seldon is sent out to the edge of Galaxy where he and his followers are allowed to start their enormous project.
In two words this book could be described as power struggle with its crazy warlords, players from shadows and those in high positions but are actually just puppets; part of the characters are simple and plain, also few if any female characters. Timescale is quite long so to keep in mind who is who you have to strain your memory. Because the time is so stretched sometimes it gets repetitive.
It’s a bit hard to imagine what kind of calculations there should be to predict future so precisely with so many variables; didn’t hear that he used a supercomputer, and so just more reasons to congratulate. Can’t compare to predictions about continents (their movement).
But seeing videos where ISIS destroys world heritage the idea about all-round archive is understandable; also when you think about all the information and things lost from ancient and not so ancient world.
Undercover With the Enemy by Sharron McClellan
Title: Undercover With the Enemy
Author: Sharron McClellan
Publisher: Entangled Select Suspense
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Format: Kindle
When opposites ignite…
High-risk securities operative Holly Milano usually prefers to work alone. Having a partner is, well, annoying. Case in point-her current assignment with Kane MacMillan. They’re working undercover in high society to retrieve a priceless diamond necklace.
And Mr. Plan Everything is seriously cramping Holly’s fly-by-the-seat-of-her-sexy-pants style.
Kane takes his job seriously, and he knows from experience that working with Holly usually ends in disaster. Their conflicting approaches could destroy their cover-or worse, get them killed. But when they’re forced to pose as an engaged couple, neither Holly nor Kane are prepared for the possibility of an unexpected attraction…or that they’re now putting their lives and their hearts on the line.
ORDER INFORMATION
About the author:
Sharron likes to blow things up, dabble with Armageddon and sometimes, just sometimes, crash an airplane. In books, people – in books! And while it sounds all action adventurish (it is), there’s steamy hot romance for balance.
The inspiration for many of her earlier books springs from her background in Archeology. Sharron graduated with a degree in Archeology form the University of Alaska Fairbanks. After spending several years in the field searching for ancient artifacts and burials, she was decided writing about it would be way more interesting than digging in the dirt.
So in 2001 she hung up her shovel and decided to focus her efforts on writing action adventure romance, combining her love of archeology with her interest in romance the genre. She’s been blowing things up ever since.
Visit Sharron’s website.
Pirmdienas teikums ir mana versija par Bonespark~ “Sunday Sentence”, kurā tiek izcelts teikums no tā, kas iepriekš izlasīts.
While this undoubtedly sounds like a safer strategy, moving a body involves its own dangers, including the risk of being spotted by witnesses, let alone transferring yet more evidence.
Lisa Gardner – The 7th Month (Detective D.D. Warren #5.5)
Grāmatas apraksts no Goodreads/Synopsis from Goodreads:
In her seventh month of pregnancy, D.D. should be taking it easy. Instead, she accepts a small consulting role on the set of a serial killer film shooting in Boston. D.D. figures she’ll be useful to someone for at least one night, serving as a police expert and making a little extra money in the bargain.
It seems like a simple task—until the previous film consultant, a former Boston cop, is found beaten to death. Suddenly D.D.’s date with Hollywood gets serious. Extremely pregnant, on the trail of a killer, and surrounded by a hundred and four murder suspects in the middle of a graveyard, D.D. must quickly unravel a tangled web of lies. As another cast member is attacked, D.D. realizes that like it or not, her priorities have changed—and her last desperate hope is that she can catch a killer before she and her unborn baby face mortal danger.
Izdevniecība/Publisher: Bantam Books
Kā tiku pie šīs grāmatas?/How I got this book?
Lejuplādēju no torenta
Vērtējums/Rating: 3.5/5
Mana recenzija/My review
Būdama septītajā mēnesī, seržante detektīve Vorena nosēdināta darbā ar papīriem, un nebūt nav sajūsma, ka laiž garām aktīvu izmeklēšanu. Vienā tādā garlaicīgā dienā rodas negaidīta iespēja konsultēt filmas uzņemšanā, lai izmeklēšanas detaļas un policistu lomu spēle būtu pēc iespējas akurātāka.
Tomēr lietas izvēršas nopietnākas, kad iepriekšējais konsultants, atvaļināts policists, tiek atrasts nogalināts, nosists ar beisbola nūju. Kā arī FBI aģenta klātbūtne kā aktierim ir visai negaidīta.
Vorena izjūt bailes par gaidāmo nākotni, ko viņai nepavisam negribas atzīt (neuzdrošinies to teikt viņas klātbūtnē :D), ne vien par gaidāmo mazuli, bet arī nenovēršamo kopdzīvi ar Aleksu, un, kā tas viss vēlāk ietekmēs viņas darbu un karjeru. Brīžiem labs, neliels humors, kas mazāk manāms garākā sērijas grāmatā.
Šo īso stāstu noteikti der izlasīt arī pavisam vienkārša iemesla dēļ, ja nu noder nākotnē, ka starp nodaļām ir īsi, ātri izlasāmi padomi kā nogalināt, izvēlēties upuri un ieroci, un, protams, ko tālāk iesākt ar līķi.
Being pregnant and in the 7th month Sgt. Detective D.D. Warren works behind desk with paperwork and she isn’t that thrilled to be out of action. In one such boring day an unexpected opportunity shows up and she has a chance to consult on movie about investigation details and that actors that play cops would be believable and as much accurate as possible.
However things turn out to be a bit more serious when the previous consultant retired cop is found killed; also a presence of the FBI agent as an actor is a surprise.
Warren feels fear (that she doesn’t like to admit even to herself; be careful not to say that in her presence) thinking about future and inevitable moving in with Alex, and how that all will affect her carrier. There is a good humor which is less observable in other books.
Besides the story between chapters there are advices how to kill, choose the victim and your weapon, and of course what to do with the body. Who knows what the future holds so a must read for everyone, especially if the killing is in your job description.
Grāmatas apraksts no Goodreads/Synopsis from Goodreads:
WHO DO YOU LOVE?
One question, a split-second decision, and Brian Darby lies dead on the kitchen floor. His wife, state police trooper Tessa Leoni, claims to have shot him in self-defense, and bears the bruises to back up her tale. For veteran detective D. D. Warren it should be an open-and-shut case. But where is their six-year-old daughter?
AND HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO . . .
As the homicide investigation ratchets into a frantic statewide search for a missing child, D. D. Warren must partner with former lover Bobby Dodge to break through the blue wall of police brotherhood, seeking to understand the inner workings of a trooper’s mind while also unearthing family secrets. Would a trained police officer truly shoot her own husband? And would a mother harm her own child?
. . . TO SAVE HER?
For Tessa Leoni, the worst has not yet happened. She is walking a tightrope, with nowhere to turn, no one to trust, as the clock ticks down to a terrifying deadline. She has one goal in sight, and she will use every ounce of her training, every trick at her disposal, to do what must be done. No sacrifice is too great, no action unthinkable. A mother knows who she loves. And all others will be made to pay.
Love you more . . .
Izdevniecība/Publisher: Bantam Books
Kā tiku pie šīs grāmatas?/How I got this book?
Lejuplādēju no torenta
Vērtējums/Rating: 4.75/5
Mana recenzija/My review
Policistes Tesas Leoni dzīve vienudien apgriežas kājām gaisā, kad viņa atgriežas mājās pēc maiņas, bet meita Sofija tur vairs nav, bet vīrs Braiens ar pašas dienesta ieroci tiek nogalināts viņas acu priekšā. Ar šaubīgu pagātni un īsti nezinot, kurš vēl iesaistīts, Tesa neuzdrošinās uzticēties saviem kolēģiem vai likuma aizstāvjiem vispār.
Šajā lietā varam baudīt kā Vorena un Bobijs apvienojas kopīgam darbam. Abi, īpaši jau par Vorenu, atraduši otro pusīti, bet tomēr jāuzmanās vienuviet esot, jo agrāk jau pirms pirmās sērijas grāmatas bijuši pāris, bet, saprotams, darbs katram bijis nozīmīgāks. Vorenai, ņemot vērā ar jauno sevis stāvokli un cenšanos aprast ar domu, lieta izvēršas citādāka. Viņas mērķis nostādīts uz Tesu un nepavisam negribas noticēt Tesas notikumu versijai.
Apbrīnojami, ko gan Tesa gatava paveikt, ja runa ir par briesmās esošo meitu, ko visticamāk citādāk nepieļautu pat domās. Bet, ejot arvien tālāk, pastāv drauds zaudēt vairāk no savas cilvēcības. Stāsts ietver sevī arī problemātiskas tēmas, kā aizraušanas ar azartspēlēm, neskatoties uz augošiem zaudējumiem plus vēl aizņemšanās no nepareiziem avotiem.
Vorenas sērijas grāmatas nezaudē savu šarmu ar katru nākamo grāmatu sērijā un spēj joprojām noturēt interesi, nezaudējot spriedzi un mistēriju, cerams arī atsevišķās Tesas sērijas grāmatas (pēc Goodreads datiem vēl divas ira) ir līdzīgas.
State police troopers Tessa Leoni’s life turns upside down when after a long shift she comes home to find her daughter Sophie missing and her husband Brian at gunpoint and then killed with her own gun in front of her. With suspicious past and not really knowing who else is involved Tessa doesn’t dare to trust her colleagues or other law enforcement.
This case gives the reader a chance to enjoy the investigative work when Bobby Dodge and D.D. Warren join together. Both of them have found a significant other but still as once ex-couple (before the first book in the series) and realizing that both of them enjoyed the work more. For Warren this case turns out to be something more as she tries to accustom with her new condition. Her target from the beginning is Tessa as she doesn’t buy her story.
It’s amazing what Tessa is willing to do and how far to go when her daughter is in danger, and probably what she didn’t even thought capable of before. But going further and further there are risks to lose more and more from your humanity. The book contains problematic themes as gambling even when your losses are increasing plus borrowing from wrong people.
Detective D.D. Warren series as it goes on doesn’t still can be interesting and not lose its mystery and suspense, hopefully that’s the same for Tessa Leoni series. According to Goodreads two more books in that series.
Šajā iknedēļas rakstā iekļūst trīs grāmatu vāku bildes, kuras man šķitušas interesantas un foršas jeb spridzīgas, vai vienkārši neparastas. Ideja radās aplūkojot LE BELLE blogu.
Ryan Craig Bradford – Horror Business
Anthony Renfro – A Haunted House Tale
Mary Anne Edwards – Criminal Kind (The Charlie McClung Mysteris #3)
Grāmatas apraksts no Goodreads/Synopsis from Goodreads:
A special new Introduction by the author highlights this reissue of a classic science fiction novel that changed the way people looked at the stars–and themselves.
Izdevniecība/Publisher: Brilliance 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: 5/5
Mana recenzija/My review
Sākumā autora ierunātais ievads, paskaidrojot par grāmatas tapšanu un drusku par turpinājumu nepieciešamību, kā arī par filmas tapšanu un atšķirībām no grāmatas, bija interesants, dāvājot ieskatu tā teikt aizkadrā.
Paša stāsta ievads noris aptuveni pirms trim miljoniem gadu, kad primitīvie cilvēka priekšteči, paši īsti neapzinādamies, saskārās ar inteliģentām būtnēm. Arī šajā daļā saistošs tēls – agrīnais līderis.
Kosmosa odisejas katalizators ir neparastas, apraktas ierīces atrašana uz Mēness, kuras vecums ir minētie trīs miljoni gadu, tātad noteikti cilvēks nav bijis tas, kas to tur atstājis. Kad ierīce saskaras ar Saules gaismu, no tās iziet signāls. Tas jau vien liek pārdomāt cilvēka nozīmību un saprast, ka, ja ne šobrīd, tad vispār cilvēks nav vienīgā inteliģentā radība.
Odisejas komandā Frenks un Deivids, kā arī vēl trīs komandas biedri kriogēna miegā, un pašu kuģi monitorē mākslīgais intelekts/dators HAL 9000. Pat drusku baisa, bet ne īpaši, jo diezgan ātri apturēta datora sacelšanās. Tomēr iemesls visai saprotams, jo, lai gan datoram uz Zemes tika veikti visvisādi testi, tam netika paskaidrots, ka to izslēdzot, tas nemirst, manuprāt.
Patika, ka fragmenti, kur, piemēram, kuģis saņem ziņu no Zemes stacijas vai savā starpā sazinās bija izmantotas skaņas, ko varētu salīdzināt ar lidmašīnas pilota sazināšanos ar pasažieriem~. Tas padarīja visu ticamāku nekā, ja būtu nolasīts bez tā.
Pie Saturna Deivids sastop, šķiet, kaut ko līdzīgu zvaigžņu vārtiem, un arī tālāk redzamais varētu likt elpai aizrauties. Vienīgi nekur neierauga sagaidītājus, kas liek padomāt, ka cilvēce, iespējams, nedaudz nokavējusi mirkli, kad doties plašā Visuma izpētē.
Author’s introduction in the beginning explaining how the book was written and a bit the need for sequels, and also about the movie and its differences with the book was helpful and interesting giving an insight behind the pages.
The introduction of the story itself happens three million years ago when ancestors of man probably not really knowing encountered with aliens. Also in this part there is a captivating character – an early leader, Moon-Watcher.
A catalyst for space odyssey is a discovery of extraordinary and buried artefact on Moon. As it is about three millions it is clear that humans didn’t put it there. When the Sun light reaches this device it emits a signal. This discovery alone is a proof good enough to reconsider significance of mankind and realise that at least once humans weren’t alone in the Universe.
Frank Poole and Dave Bowman and three others in the cryogenic sleep make the team of Space Oddysey. An AI HAL 9000 runs the ship, and there’s even a good and a little scary uprising but not that much as the AI isn’t given such a long time to run wild. But the reason for such actions is quite simple as no one didn’t try to explain it that by shutting it off he doesn’t die (I think).
I liked that in those fragments when the ship received messages from Earth etc they used voices/sound effects like when a plane’s pilot speaks with passengers or something like that : )
Near the Saturn Dave encounters something similar like stargate and what he sees next might take the breath away. Only those who put the artefact on the Moon and that stargate are nowhere to be seen; perhaps mankind were just a bit too late to explore the vast Universe.
Grāmatas apraksts no Goodreads/Synopsis from Goodreads:
A savage crime has rocked a working-class neighbourhood of Boston; four members of a family have been brutally murdered. The father is lying in an intensive care unit, his survival in doubt. He is the principal suspect. Female police detective D.D. Warren, however, is not one to take things at face value. At the same time, Danielle Burton is about to have her life thrown into turmoil; a nurse whose life is at the service of her profession, she has tentatively recovered from a devastating family tragedy of decades before – and the investigation by Warren and her partner is about to throw Danielle’s life into chaos once again. There is one more angle to the triangle: the devotion of a mother, Victoria Oliver, to her disturbed son is about to be tested to the limit.
Izdevniecība/Publisher: Bantam Books
Kā tiku pie šīs grāmatas?/How I got this book?
Lejuplādēju no torenta
Vērtējums/Rating: 4.5/5
Mana recenzija/My review
Tuvojas 25.gadadiena kopš Daniela izdzīvoja, kopš viņas tēvs nogalināja māti, māsu, brāli un pats sevi, bet viņu atstāja dzīvu. Katru gadu Daniela tuvojoties šim datumam uzņemas vairāk maiņu darbā kā ierasts, un strādā viņa slimnīcas nodaļā, kura ārstē garīgi slimus bērnus.
Darbaholiķei seržantei Vorenai prātā ik pa brīdim iešaujas doma, ka būtu pēdējais laiks atrast dzīves draugu un mēģināt veidot ģimeni, bet vienmēr atrunājies ar ilgajām un neparedzamajām darba stundām, kā arī, ka vienkārši nav tam domāta. Tomēr Bobijs kalpo kā pamudinājums kaut ko darīt, īpaši, pēc tam, kad viņa un Anabellas ģimenē skaitlisks pieaugums. Šajā ziņā interesanta autores intervija ar Vorenu pēc recencijas. : )
Jaunākā lieta, visa ģimene tiek atrasta nogalināta un izskatās, ka vainīgais tēvs, kurš mēģinājis izdarīt nesekmīgu pašnāvību. Bet papētot tuvāk atklājas interesantas lietas kā iespējamas finanšu problēmas (bet ne bezcerīgas) un garīgi slims adoptēts puika ar tendenci uz vardarbību.
Nepaiet īpaši daudz dienu, kad jau līdzīgu likteni piedzīvo cita ģimene. No pirmā iespaida varētu domāt, ka abām ģimenēm nav nekā kopīga, bet izrādās, ka ir – Danielas darbavieta, kura piedāvā savu klāstu aizdomīgo.
Kā vēl vienu interesantu tēlu var pieminēt agrāku finanšu haizivi, bet tagad garīgu dziednieku Endrū Vieglpēdi (Andrew Lightfoot). No malas, pārāk neiedziļinoties, var padomāt, ka tāds nekaitīgs kadrs ar vien labiem nodomiem.
Viktorija un viņas astoņgadīgais dēls Evans ir gandrīz kā atsevišķs stāsts, kas atklāj savu saistību ar pārējo vien tuvojoties beigām. Jāpiebilst, ka Evans arī cieš no garīgām kaitēm un mēdz būt īpaši nežēlīgs, bet tādas epizodes mijas ar retām priecīgām, un māte akli tic, ka tikai viņa zina, kas būtu labāk un ka tikai viņa spēj palīdzēt. Bet, manuprāt, tā vien pasliktinot situāciju.
25th anniversary is near since Danielle survived; since her dad killed her mother, sister, brother and himself and left her live to tell. Each year Danielle buries herself in the work and picks up extra shifts, and she works at hospital’s unit for mentally ill children.
Workaholic Sgt. D.D. Warren occasionally thinks that it might be the last time to think about starting a family but always excused herself with long and unpredictable work hours and also that it’s not just meant for her. However Bobby and Annabelle are as a stimulus especially when their daughter is born. In this case afterwards the review there is an interesting interview. : )
The newest case, the whole family is found killed and it seems that father was responsible who later unsuccessfully tried to shoot himself. But after looking into the matters more closely interesting fact are revealed like that the family had financial troubles but not so desperate to kill or that they had adopted mentally ill child with violent episodes.
Not that many days go by when another entire family is killed. From the first sight you might think that there is nothing common between them but there is – Danielle’s workplace, and there are enough suspicious characters
And one of those is former financial shark but now a spiritual healer Andrew Lightfoot. He gives an impression as harmless person with only good intentions.
Victoria and her 8 year old son Evan could be almost another story that reveals its connection to the main one only when the end is approaching. I should add that Evan also is mentally ill and can be very violent and cruel. But such episodes vary with happy ones, and the mother blindly believes that only she knows what’s best for her son and that only she can help, but in my mind only making everything worse.
Lisa Gardner Interviews Detective D.D. Warren / I thought that she became a Sgt. in the second book
Lisa Gardner: D.D.–What do you find most fascinating/frustrating about working with the new guy, crime scene expert Alex Wilson?
D.D.: Alex seems sharp. Knows his blood spatter–I respect that in a guy. ‘Course, he’s been teaching at the Academy, which is one thing, while we’re now standing in a Dorchester home with five dead and carnage in every room. I don’t want lectures, I want results. This was a family–according the neighbors, even a nice family who seemed to actually like one another. Until, of course, the father snapped and killed them all. Or did he? These are the kinds of questions I gotta ask, and Prof Alex better be ready to answer.
LG: When did you know you were going to have your own novel?
D.D.: First time I walked on scene in Alone. Please, I’m five times tougher than fellow detective Bobby Dodge and twenty times smarter. Plus, I look damn good in Jimmy Choos. Let’s see the former sniper do my job in my heels, then we’ll talk.
LG: What’s the most difficult case you’ve ever had to handle? Why?
D.D.: These past two family homicides. For one thing, any crime involving kids wrecks you a little. For another…I don’t believe in coincidence. Here are two families, totally different neighborhoods, socioeconomics, lifestyles, etc., yet they both wind up the same way, dead. Now, what are the odds of two totally different fathers going whacko in exactly the same way? I don’t believe it, but my boss isn’t into gut feel. All comes down to evidence. I would like some. Really, it would be nice right about now. Yo, Alex…
LG: What is the thing you love most about being a Boston P.D. Sergeant?
D.D.: Being in charge, calling all the shots, being the boss. Did I mention being in charge?
LG: What’s on your nightstand? What’s in the drawer?
D.D.: On my nightstand–back issue of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin I keep meaning to read. In the drawer–emergency stash of chocolate, couple of condoms (don’t I wish), and a Kindle loaded up with the latest J.R. Ward steamy hot, seriously action-packed vampire novel. Tell anyone, and they will never find your body.
LG: Favorite food?
D.D.: I’ve always been partial to Italian. Which my squadmate Phil, told Alex all about. Now, Alex claims to be a serious Italian cook–apparently his mother is a Capozzoli and they know their Bolognese. A little wine, a little homemade pasta, a little tiramisu. All I gotta do is pick up the phone, tell him a time and date…one phone call. How hard can that be? One little call.
LG: You drive that butch police car all day. What’s your idea of a dream ride?
D.D.: Walking on a beach. No car, no pager, no shoes. Just me, the wind, the waves and the cry of the gulls. I’d probably go nuts within minutes, but it would be nice to give peace a chance.
LG: Can you ever see yourself partnering successfully with another cop? Or are you the quintessential lone wolf?
D.D.: Excuse me, I love my squad and my squad loves me. Neil is one of the finest detectives around, plus better him than me viewing all the autopsies. And Phil–hey, family man, great wife, four kids, works in homicide to escape the violence. Gotta love Phil. They have my back and I have theirs. Life is good.
LG: I’m a woman traveling alone, staying in a hotel. What are your top three tips to keep me safe from psychos?
D.D.: Most hotel crimes have to do with property theft. Unfortunately, a guest walking in on a burglary, or a thief breaking in assuming the room’s vacant only to find a guest present, can lead to violence. Thus, your best defense is to always use the deadbolt, and always advertise when you’re “home,” so to speak.
Bolt all locks anytime you’re in the room and hang out the Do Not Disturb Sign Double-check door is closed and latched (failures happen more than you think) Try to avoid staying in rooms closest to the elevators and/or stairs–these rooms are more frequently targeted by thieves as the location allows for quick getaways.
LG: Do you have any scars?
D.D.: Maybe, but you should see the other guy. Give as good as you get, that’s always been my motto.
LG: What’s the most you’ve ever spent on a pair of shoes? Describe!
D.D.: Silver sequined Jimmy Choos, on sale $500. Should never have bought them, but they’re really pretty and when I wear them, I don’t look like a cop, walk like a cop, or think like a cop. How does that commercial go…? Oh yeah, priceless.
LG: If you had to: dog or cat?
D.D.: No! Never! Don’t even think it!
LG: Tell me something I don’t know about you.
D.D.: I like mobiles. Don’t ask me why. But there’s something cool about looking up and watching the various shapes and colors slowly twist around. Sometimes, after a really bad day, I go home, close my eyes and create mobiles in my head–maybe one with bright origami animals, or another with silver geometric shapes. I let them go round and round, til finally I can sleep. Then when I wake up, I’ll know something critical about the crime–a piece of the puzzle I missed the day before, a clue I’d overlooked. I think it’s from focusing on patterns. That’s what crimes are, really–very violent patterns that a good detective must deconstruct, then rebuild in her head.
LG: Worst crime scene?
D.D.: The mummified remains of six girls on the grounds of the abandoned mental institute in Mattapan. Never saw anything like it, never want to again. Funny, that was Bobby Dodge’s first case as a detective (Hide)–got him a wife, and now a baby girl. But he never talks about it, and neither do I. Sometimes, finding justice for the victims isn’t enough, but it’s all we got. So a good detective walls it up, puts a Do Not Disturb Sign on that section of memory and walks away. Gotta in this job, or you’ll go mad.
LG: What do you wish you knew five years ago?
D.D.: Can a working woman have it all? Five years ago, I sweated my job. I worried I wasn’t working smart enough, closing cases fast enough. Now, I sweat my entire life. Am I working too hard? Missing out on other parts of life? Maybe I should take Alex up on his offer of homemade alfredo, except can I really be the detective I need to be, while trying to be the girlfriend I’d like to be? Can’t figure it out. So I wish that I’d realized five years ago, how good I had it. That focusing only on my policing career was a luxury I’d never have again. Spoken like a true workaholic, huh?
You must be logged in to post a comment.