The Book I'm doing in this book talk blog is Night, by Elie Wiesel. I found this book to be rather dark, but I also liked it. Judgeing from what its about, no wonder its dark though. It chronicles Elie's travels from his hometown of Sighet to Auschwitz concentration camp to being liberated at the end of the war. You read this book and think about what transpired and wonder if the Nazis were even human. The only problem was, they were. They had human faults, that acted like decent people around thier families, but left that part hidden while at the camp. I don't think anybody can really enjoy this book with the grim subject material, but it was well done.
End Of The Beginning, by Harry Turtledove
Book Two of this intriguing series was about World War 2. What if the Japanese had invaded the Hawaiian Islands after Pearl Harbor? It is a fiction/science fiction genre book. In book one of this series, the Japanese are having their way with the Americans. Japanese forces overrun the overconfident Americans and seem to be unstoppable. But in book two, everything starts crashing down for the Japanese. American submarines sink Japanese shipping and shell Oahu. The Grumman F6F Hellcat, a close relative of the Grumman F4F Wildcat, which was so overmatched by the Japanese airplanes, now dominates the skies. Nowhere is its advantage so obvious than during dogfights with the incredibly agile Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Reisen, better known as the Zero or Zeke. The Zero carried a pair of forward-firing 7.7mm machine guns as well as a pair of 20mm cannon, but was overmatched by the speed, power and durability of the Hellcat. The Wildcat, which the Hellcat was descended from, could take a lot of pounding, and the Hellcat was even harder to bring down. Not only that, with six .50 caliber machine guns, the Hellcat could knock just about anything out of the air. Some models also had two 20mm cannon replace two of the machine guns. Some of the main characters are Joe Crosetti, an American fighter pilot; Commander Genda, a Japanese naval officer; and Jim Peterson, a naval pilot converted into a foot soldier due to the lack of planes. One exciting part in this book was when the American Hellcats first encountered the Japanese planes with intense air combat descriptions. The book ends with the USA retaking Hawaii from the Japanese and preparing for an island-hopping campaign to retake all the Pacific islands from the Japanese. Citations http://www.aviation-history.com/grumman/f6f.html http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Days-Infamy-Harry-Turtledove/dp/1400163935#_ Consensed Books I've readBlood and Iron-Another Harry Turtledove novel. This details the aftermath of an alternative World War One.
The Center Can Not Hold-The follow up book to Blood and Iron. It details a uncertain world with the USA fighting the Japanese and the stock market soaring. The Great War-American Front- The first book in the Great War trilogy(The book before Walk in Hell) It details the USA beginning to battle the CSA, which has defeated the USA in two different wars. The Man with the Iron Heart- A what if book, again by Harry Turtledove(I've been reading him alot throughout the school year)These details what might have happened if the Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich had survived to lead a Nazi resistance movement against the British, Soviets, and Americans.(Iraq/Afghanistan parrell, anyone?) In the Presence of Mine Enemies-A novel about a Nazi victory in World War 2 and the undercover Jewish network that still exists in Germany, constantly fearing detection. Proably my favrite book of the quater. The Guns of the South- A novel, in which South African Terrorists travel back in time and give the Army of North Virginia AK-47s, leading to a southern victory in the Civil War. West and East- A alternitive history novel about what would have happened if World War 2 had started early. Its the second book in a series. The Big Switch-The thrid book in The War that Came Early series. In this book England and France join with Germany against Russia. Halo-Cryptum- A Halo novel. Halo is a combat video game which has several companion novels. This book is not one of my favorite Halo novels due to its technical terms and somewhat dullness. Halo-Primordium-If I didn't understand Cryptum, I really didn't get Primordium, which is the second book and the one I read first by acccident. It is even more technical. Semper Fido- This is a chapter book about a Military Dog Handler in Iraq. We Were Heroes-The diary of a World War 2 soldier involved in the D-Day landings. Vietnam-I Plege Allegiance-This is the first book in a series about Vietnam. The main charecter in this book is a navy gunboat crewman. Vietnam-Free Fire Zone- This is the thrid book in the same series that I Plege Allegiance belongs too. This book is about a Marine. Into No Man's Land-The Diary of a Marine based at Khe Sanh during the Vietnam War. Heros Don't Run-A chapter book about a Marine during World War 2. This is the thrid book in a series. Flags of Our Fathers- A novel about the Marines that rose the American flag at Iwo Jima on Mount Suribachi. Black Hawk Down- A novel about the breif war in Somalia and a speficic incident, namely the shooting down of a pair of American Black Hawk Helicopters and the rescue attempt by Rangers and other Special Forces personnel.This was also the title of a movie. Apache Dawn-A novel about the Apache helicopters and thier crews during the War in Afghanistan. Roberts Ridge-A novel about a resue attempt to save a lone navy SEAL stranded on Takur Ghar in 2002. Seal Team Six- A self biography written by a Navy SEAL who fought in Somalia. Rainbow Six-A fiction Tom Clancy novel about a commando team specializing in taking down hostage situations. Red Rabbit-A Tom Clancy fiction novel about the escape of a family of Russians to the USA.However, the father knows about a Soviet plot to kill the Pope, which means getting them to the USA safely is no easy task. The Bear and The Dragon-A Tom Clancy novel about a war between China and Russia. Patriot Games-A Tom Clancy novel about a CIA analysist who is targeted for death by a branch of the Irish Republican Army after he foils thier plot to kill or capture the Prince of Wales. River Monsters- A novel by Jerermy Wade, host of the TV show River Monsters, detailing his travels to rivers around the world to catch Dangerous Fish. Chomp-A novel by Carl Hiaasen, an author who writes very good books in my opinion. This one is about how a animal wrangler kid and his dad help out of a show set with a very stupid star. Guerilla Season-A novel I aquired at the dollar store. Its about a Misssouran family trying to stay neutral during the Civil War. Black Powder War- An novel of Temeraire. The premise of this series is that dragons existed and were around at the time of the Napeleonic Wars. The Plot Against America-An alternative History novel by Philip Roth. This book is an account of a young Jewish boy living in America during WW2, only with a twist. Dedicated isloationsist Charles Lindbergh has been elected President. Threat Vector-The newest Tom Clancy novel. Its premise is a war with China. Against All Enemies-Another Tom Clancy Novel. This details an alliance between a major drug cartel and the Taliban, and the US governments' moves to bring it down. Ghost Recon:Combat Ops- A futuristic war novel detailing the US Special Forces and thier mission in Afghanistan. EndWar:The Hunted-Another futuristic war novel detailing the hunt for an ex-KGB terrorist leader. Ghost Recon-The intial book about the future Special Operations soldiers. How Few Remain-A Harry Turtledove novel about another war between the USA and the CSA,only the CSA wins this one. In at The Death-The final novel in the Southern Victory series.The USA defeats the CSA once and for all and Jake Featherston is killed. Without Remorse- Another Tom Clancy novel detailing the life of John Clark, a highly effective CIA agent. The Sum of All Fears-A Tom Clancy novel detailing the hunt for a missing Russian Nuke Clear and Present Danger-A novel about a operation against the Medelian Cartel by a team of Special Forces Soldiers Red Storm Rising-A novel about a Soviet invasion of Europe. Executive Orders-Details a war with Iran. \ The Last Stand of Fox Company-Deatils a battle in the Korean War. US Marines hold open a pass and help keep US forces from being annihalated at the Chosin Resovior. Finding Zasha-A novel about a young undercover partisan during World War 2 who plans to steal the dogs of a German Major. No Easy Day-A novel about the active career of a Navy SEAL leading up to him killing Osama Bin Laden The Forgotten 500- An novel about the rescue of hundreds of pilots downed behind enemy lines in Yugoslavia by the OSS and resistance forces. A Devil is Waiting-A Jack Higgins book about a young Britsh officer who is also fighting for the Taliban and the group that in the end stops him. The Killing Ground-British Intelligaince operator Sean Dillon-formly highly feared IRA hitman Sean Dillon-stops a man at the airport who begs for help. His daughter has been kidnapped by his father and is to be married to a major Taliban fighter. Dillon's mission-to get her back. Eye of The Storm-An early Jack Higgins novel. Sean Dillon is hired to take out the entire British government in one fell swoop, andd only one man can stop him-Martin Brosnan. The Eagle Has Landed-A great book. Hitler is obessed with knocking Britain out of the war. His plan-land a crack team of paratroopers lead by disgraced war hero Kurt Steiner to kill Churchill. Disguied as Polish soldiers and aided by an IRA gunman and a South African fifth columnist, Steiner's soldiers prepare to execute thier plan. When one of Steiner's men is killed saving a young child, the truth is revealed. The Fallschirmjäger are forced to hold the town incognito. Word gets out though, and a group of American Rangers assaults the town. Despite taking heavy losses, the Americans win the battle. Steiner is badly wounded and taken prisoner, and most of the paratroopers are killed. IRA gunman Liam Devlin and one paratrooper, Leutnant Ritter von Neumann, escape, however. I really enjoy science fiction so a lot of the books I've read in this quater are science fiction. Here's a brief runthrough. The Great War:Walk in Hell by Harry TurtledoveThis book was really good. It was the second book in a series of alternative history books by Harry Turtledove. Harry Turtledove has written alot of alternative history books, and this is part of a several series collection titled Southern Victory(The south won the Civil War and another war called The Second Mexican War before losing World Wars 1 and 2) . The book has a revolving cast of at least a dozen charecters, with each getting little point of view segments throughout the book.It chronicles a alternitive history World War 1 with England, France, Russia, and the Confederacy on one side and Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the United States in the book. It features fighting in Utah, Oklahoma, and Canada as well as a African American revolt. The book ends with the revolt winding down somewhat but the United States pushing its way south. Picture Copyright:http://www.fictiondb.com/coversth/th_0345405625.jpg HALO Encyclopedia:The Definitive Guide to the HALO Universe. This book is all about HALO, which is a combat video game. It discusses humans, the fanatical Covenant, the parasictal Flood, and the mysterious Forerunners. The war between the humans and Covenant raged for years. The humans were fighting for survival, but the Covenant was just too advanced.(Plasma weapons, as opposed to human projectile weapons)The creation of the Spartans, human supersoldiers with special battlesuits, slowed down the Covenant, but the drive towards Earth seemed unstobbable until the Flood were unleashed at Halo and the truth about the Covenant's universal religon came out, causing a Covenont Civil War. The Flood were completely destroyed, and the Covenant Loyalists were beaten by the humans and the Covenant Seperists.This book details human and Covenant ships, technology, vechiles, worlds, and weapons. I enjoyed this book greatly. Picture copyright:http://perlbal.hi-pi.com/blog-images/513244/gd/1262868733/HALO-ENCYCLOPEDIA.jpg American Empire:The Victorious Opposition This book was set after alternitive World War 1 were the Confederacy was beaten. However , the the Freedom Party(alternitive version of the Nazi party) has just won the election and has taken over the C.S.A. They immediatly begin rearming for the next war while the USA lets them. The USA also lets part of Texas and the whole of Kentucky go back to the C.S.A.However, President Featherston of the Freedom Party isn't sastisfyied until finally the USA says no and then he orders an invasion of the USA to take more land by force. The book ends with the CSA invading the USA.
Photo Copyright:http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20060616180957/turtledove/images/4/44/VictoriousOpposition.jpg The War That Came Early: The Big Switch This book's premise is about what would happen if World War 2 came earlier than 1939. Its' the third book in a series. It's an alternative history,science fiction novel.It is set in the World War 2 era,throughout Europe with a few minisettings in America.The main charecters are mostly soldiers.Theo Hossbach is a German panzer radio operator, Luc Harcourt is a French soldier, Pete McGill is a marine corporal, Vaclev Jezek is a Czech soldier fighting for France,and Alistair Walsh is a British soldier.One of the main exciting parts is when Vaclev and his fellow soldiers are attacked by German troopers and armoured cars and Vaclev fends them off with a anti-tank rifle.I think people who like history and science fiction will like this book. Copyright:http://lytherus.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/The-War-That-Came-Early-Turtledove-Harry-9780345491862.jpg |
Matt P.My goal is to break the record of 96 books read and catch multiple touchdowns.I love my family. Archives
April 2013
Categories |