The Arrival by J W Brazier Gives You Something to Think About
580708
The Arrival is a Christian fiction book that combines both politics and biblical prophecy and I really enjoyed the story that J W Brazier created. This story begins with a discovery in 1948 at the exact time that Israel becomes a nation. This discovery unleashes an evil that will play a major role in the end times.

J W takes you from 1948 through the 1980's and into the near future with an American government that is hostile toward Christians and trampling over our citizen's constitutionally protected rights. The scenario he creates is very plausible as many of the pieces are currently already in play such as the Jade Helm martial law exercises currently getting ready to begin.

This book was given to me from NetGalley in EBook format for my honest review.

This is the first book in a series that really has the potential to be great; I love the fact that the Black Robe Regiment is incorporated as part of the force for good. The characters that are being developed are ones you can really enjoy getting to know, however there are quite a few so take your time while getting to know each of them. My only criticism of the book is there are a few swear words that really could be omitted.  If you are a politically savvy Christian, up on current events you will love this book, for all others, you will be by the end of the book.
4022149
A thought-provoking book. Though this book seems outlandish it is actually a very probable outcome for the future. I recomend to read it
2306111
Uncertainty is the only certainty there is - John Allen Paulos

Most of us try to carefully monitor and control the events of our lives. It has never seemed easier. Or so we think. We have so many electronic tools to coordinate our schedules, instantly stay in touch, book restaurant reservations, buy movie tickets, buy books, buy furniture, buy clothes, pay bills, do banking and stay on top of the pieces of our daily existence.

It makes us feel like we are in control. It makes us think we know what our children, co-workers, spouses, and friends are doing. Then something happens that we do not expect.

There is a serious illness or a death. There is the loss of a job or an economic downturn. People and events behave in ways we did not expect. Suddenly we think there is uncertainty introduced into our well-ordered world.

But what we fail to recognize is that the uncertainty has been there all the time. (Prologue).

Two sets of lives will meet at a cross roads that will intersect the participants and adversely affected their lives forever. In the novel, The Illusion of Certainty by Greg Messel, the reader is in for quite a treat. Not since such great classic romance stories like Sleepless in Seattle or You've Got Mail, has there been such a great writer who can create romance and inspiration out of the characters he pulls the reader into the lives of.

The novel opens with Marc Wilson, a resident of Portland, Oregon, a successful businessman, happily married and on the verge of seeing his oldest son off to UCLA and his daughter to follow to the University of Oregon a few years later. However Marc has been noticing some changes in his wife Aimee. Besides working late nights at the hospital, she hasn't been the same all summer. She's distant, distracted, and avoiding Marc for some odd reasons. She chalks off his questions to just being so tired with her job, but Marc feels there is something more.

Seeking the advice of his best friend since college, John Robertson, a successful doctor, married to Tina along with their two daughters, they spend a Sunday afternoon golfing where Marc unloads his concerns to John. He advises that they all take a trip, just the four adults to their beach house in Cannon Beach, without the kids to help Aimee get away from work and get back in touch with Marc.

It all seems like it works after a long weekend, until late one night while picking up his car, he sees Aimee heading into an underground parking garage at a local hotel, while she's supposed to be working late. What he finds there, will change his life and the path it's on forever.

Next we meet, Alexandra Mattson, a successful attorney in Portland who finally meets the man of her dreams, Sean, while saving the life of an neighbor's daughter. Sean is the police officer who responds in more ways than one. After making sure Alex is well enough to return home, he asks her out and finds out that she has saved more than one life that day. She just saved her own as she begins to fall hard for Sean.

I received this book compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Greg Messel for my honest review and once again we have a grand slam, out of the park, home run with this romantic fiction. Set in various locations around Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Washington, London, England, and even Paris, France, the reader will be captivated in a perfect story you will not want to put down until you finish the last word on the page. The only thing wrong with it, is that it's over too soon, but the reader leaves with a sigh and a smile in their hearts. A MUST READ for any fan of romantic stories of love, hope and faith. This one wins a perfect 5 out of 5 stars in my book and thank you Greg for adding another book to a permanent home in my personal library.
4805943
This book gives one an opinion of what might be should events come to pass in the future of the unknown
296378
A well written story told from a new perspective
1893789
When the protagonist achieves Nirvana within the first few pages, you know you're entering a story thats goin places. When the first words a hero  hears after rebirth into physical life are Brace yourself you know the ride is going to be exciting.

J.F. Dubeau has created a post-human universe of gods, engineered life-forms tasked with repairing a damaged, uninhabitable galaxy while we hibernate in safety. Dagir is born into a lush universe, a vivid and thrilling trans-human society  and into instant calamity. She is quite literally made-to-order and unleashed barely in time to respond to a civil war that is staggering in its bredth and suddenness, though the causes for it are rooted in human programming written hundreds or thousands of years before.

If you're looking for a fast pace and a grand scale (and thats my bag, baby), you won't be disappointed with The Life Engineered.
3978753
It is very difficult to review this novel, because it is not just merely a science fiction novel, but a political commentary. In order to give this novel a proper reply, I might have to do a thorough research (which I might do someday, given the circumstances) and write a full-length thesis.

This novel is a political commentary, comparing two opposing ideology: 'propertarianism' in planet Urras, which is based on ownership, and anarcho-syndicalism in planet Anarres, which is based on no ownership, hence the title "The Dispossessed". The story is told from the point of view of Dr. Shevek, a physics scientist from Anarres, which is invited to witness the life of their counterpart in Urras.

The plot is not the strongest point of this novel, even it is engaging at some points. So if you are a plot junkies, you might get disappointed. This book is about ideas, and you can find ideas are debated, rebutted, crushed, defended along this novel. It is the ideas that make this book alive. And once I read it, it kept ringing in my head and haunt my dream. At some points it answers some of my questions, but most of the time, it gives me new questions to ponder.

But two things especially capture me. It is the question of manual labor and the law of inheritance.

1. Schooling has been a way of avoiding manual labor; so the least fortunate of us, which are not bright enough or wealthy enough to get a degree are doomed to do manual labor, that everybody abhors.
This thought has haunted me very long. In Anarres, manual labor is rotated for EVERYBODY. Everyone needs to do the share. No one has the privilege to avoid manual labor, even the brightest one (the wealthiest one does not count, because there are simply no ownership).

2. Law of inheritance has made an uneven starting point in the beginning or their life, especially if you don't live in a welfare state. In Anarres, even a child is not a property. A child belongs to the society, so the society will take care of it. Sound like Sparta, right? Actually there are primitive societies that practice this. So if you are a child in this primitive society, you can have your lunch in anybody's house, because you are the child of everyone.

I am not going to answer those question. Simply to think about it is hard enough. Those are questions for a life time.

This is the reason why I give this novel a FIVE STAR. It gives you enough material to think for your entire life time. The one that I mention here just some of them, there are plenty of others. Like I said, I might need to write a thesis about it, someday.
2028529
This is my first Toni Morrison novel. At times difficult, at times you have to put the text down and think about what you have just read. A beautifully written story that really hits home and really makes you think. As a white man, reading this book at this time (a time when we are close to electing a black man as president), it made me realize how far we have come as a country; and yet it made me think about how far we have yet to go. This is an important "don't miss" novel. If at all possible try to read it in one or two sittings. Ms. Morrison has done a masterful job!
4756931
In case this is your first encounter with this book, It is a fresh story but a continuation to Ayn Rand's philosophy that started out with books like "We the living" where she knew something was wrong but could not put her finger on it. She progressed to books as "The Fountainhead" where she could describe the problem quite well. Now in "Atlas Shrugged she has come up with a plausible answer to the problem. In essence your head can work without your hands yet your hands can not work without your head.

The story is not unique but it still holds you attention. The world is becoming more socialized and it is harder for individuals to make an impact without having a multitude of parasites on their back. Some chose to fight, others chose to ignore; some do not have a clue as to what is happening. The world seems to be gearing down is just coincidence or is there someone taking a hand in it. "Who is John Galt?"

I can tell you of my experience with the book. I must have been a late bloomer or just unlucky, because I did not come across "Atlas shrugged" until I was 20 years old. I was in the military and needed some reading material. My younger sister sent me the book. It looks just a little thick to me but I started reading, and reading and reading. I do not know if it was the story or the clarity of thought. Now I saw everything in a new or different light. It felt weird to see the newspapers and politics paralleling the book.

I was in New York (West Point) at the time and three things stood out to this day. This was a public service announcement on the TV "The law says that an apartment owner cannot charge more than 30% of what you make" and at the same time the apartment buildings were closing down. The postal carriers went on strike and the military had to deliver the mail. That winter the snowplow drivers went on strike. When the strike was over the snowplows were missing. They found them the next summer in an empty lot.

There is nothing quite as convincing as watching the world and book parallel each other. I have mellowed out some lately. However, I really think that this book should be read by high school age where it would have maximum impact of one's train of thought.
430541
Beautiful thought provoking book that makes you think about your life.
3776687
I met Divine at a legal conference (he now attends Yale Law School) and it wasn't until later I discovered his work. The book has made my 40+ minute bus commute pass quickly and enjoyably. Divine does a great job of telling a story that had the conclusions I wanted as a reader, but in ways I didn't expect. Divine's style (I presume) allowed him to see the arc of the story and re-craft it to do so. At time same time, the story read somewhat to plainly, but those were few and far between. Overall, Divine has a great sci-fi thriller that entertains and provokes thought.
4427233
I enjoyed Gustafsson's observations on life and its ending, but I can't say I came away with a clear notion of what he is saying.  The writing is poetic.  His observations of himself, particularly, are wonderful.  His description of his pain and the significance of that pain are thought-provoking.  I finished the book with a positive feeling about life and death but I'm not sure the message I got was the one intended.  Perhaps as it marinates in my mind, it'll get clearer.  Glad I read the book.  It gets you thinking....
2337128
I would like to give this book a 4.5 star rating for being well written and for holding my attention very well. The pictures that it drew in my mind will remain with me, I am sure. Although I do not agree with some of the conceptions of Hell depicted in the story ( I believe in a loving and forgiving God ), I can imagine that there are those who will say "yep that is It". I liked the book "The Shack" better for its description of heaven and the way the Lord works in our lives, but I must say that this story was a more in depth idea of the concept of life and its rewards in the afterlife. The author hints in the prolog that divine inspiration may have been at play in the writing of this novel, but I submit that the author was more influenced by his own imigination than that of the Lord. You should read to see if you agree or disagree with me. In the authors defense I will say that he presented it as a work of fiction (but then aren't all human endeavours such? Think about this, our history, philosophy, text books, even our bank statements and surely our income tax return.) In all I enjoyed the reading. Sorry I digress.
jasbond
756972
All over the world, the dead are returning to life.  These are no shambling zombie figures, however, but genuine people who appear just as they did before their deaths.  As the number of Returned grows, society must adapt quickly.  An entire new government agency is created specifically to handle the phenomenon and the resources of an already over-crowded world must be stretched even further.  As you might expect, there are varying opinions on what it all means.  Some view it as the work of God and some say the Returned are from hell itself.  Tensions mount as the world tries to figure out just what is going on, and what should be done about it.

Author Jason Mott tells the story of <I><b>The Returned</b></I> primarily from the pov of Lucille and Harold Hargraves, an elderly couple whose only child, Jacob, died tragically at the age of eight.  Mrs. Hargraves, a devout Christian, believes that the Returned are evil until, that is, her own beloved son comes home to her.  She slips back into her role as a mother almost without missing a beat.  Harold, however, is a bit more practical.  He believes that some things should be left well enough alone and it takes him longer to warm up to the boy.

Soon enough, things begin to get out of hand and the Returned are all forced into camps, fenced in and guarded containment facilities run by the military.  The Hargraves home town of Arcadia, becomes the center for one of these camps so they, and we, can witness the full evolution of events.  Some protest for the Returned to be freed while others say they should all be done away with.  Harold and Lucille, on their farm outside the town limits, try their best to stay out of things but one day Harold and Jacob are caught down by the river by some soldiers.  Jacob, of course, is thrown into the camp and Harold, who has finally begun to accept the fact that this really is his boy, refuses to leave Jacobs side and enters the camp with him.  Lucille is a devoutly Christian woman, but what extremes will she be willing to go to save her family?

Believe it or not, this is Jason Motts first published novel, although not his first written.  He says that <I><b>The Returned</b></I> was sparked by a dream he had in which his own mother, who passed on back in 2001, was waiting at his home one day when he came home from work.  They visited and caught up on all she had missed in the intervening years.  Its no wonder this is such a great book, it came straight from Motts heart, where all the best writing comes from.  The novel has created quite a stir in the literary world and Mott says that people are always approaching him with stories of their own relatives who have passed, something he enjoys.  I personally found it to be a beautifully written book, one of those that stays with you for a long time after you finish it.

At one time or another we have all wished for one more day with a lost loved one, but what would happen if we all got our wish?  The author never does reveal just how or why the dead are suddenly returning to life.  Questions of morality are explored by various characters in the book but ultimately left unanswered and it is up to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions.  Rather, Jason Mott seems to be reminding us to be careful what we wish for.  But even more than that, I think he is saying that we should treasure the time we have with our loved ones, every single moment, because even though it may be fun to think about, youll never get those moments back again.

Narrator Tom Stechschulte did a fine job with <I><b>The Returned</b></I>.  Ive heard him before, most notably on Cormac McCarthys <I>The Road</I> and I always enjoy listening to him narrate.  Stechschulte has had some minor roles in film and television but is probably best known for his audiobook narrations such as James Ellroys <I>The Black Dahlia</I>, Tim OBriens <I>The Things They Carried</I> and Dennis Lehanes <I>Shutter Island</I>.
4484767
The Last Bastion of Civilization will capture your mind and get your wheels turning. The author calls his work "speculative fiction", but if you pay any attention at all to the news, current events, trends, etc., you will see that this isn't a fantasy book. It is very grounded in the matters that we face now, and attempts to theorize the problems we'll see in the future.

Now, if you're used to reading novellas, teen vampire romances, and the like, you will realize as soon as you open this book that that's not the way this is written. It reads more like academic articles than a novel, at some points. But if you like to read works of art that dive into the deeper matters that humanity will face, you owe it to yourself to set aside the time to get into this book. I say "get into" because I found it a little hard to get into the swing of reading it. But I think if you'll stick with it you'll become enthralled by it. Like I said, maybe a little slow out of the gate, but worth the time to dig deep and get to the heart of what the author is saying.
149725
I am not surprised if many readers read this book more than a time. The book has its own attraction, specially once we go further into the latter part of the book. The main theme of the book is:  Everything in this earthy world was arranged by God, God of any religion. Some readers may think that Anna - the principal character of the book-  leaves God to dominate much of her life, and that was the cause of much of her problems. "A Journey of Body & Soul"  may be used to prove that there was a fourth dimension beside our space of three dimensions. If there was not  the unseen hands touching the world Anna was living how she could experiences the amazing events recounted by the author, her father. Anna must has a sixth sense to synchronize with other dimension. I may not agree with the statement of the author that  this  book was a refection of his experience with war and death and with the trial of immigration and starting  a new life in the United Sates. The book was rather about the wonderful life of her beloved daughter, Anna Vu., and the book was very well written.
809214
Author John Mickus presents his debut novel bristling with all the insights of his first career as a Software Engineer with technical experience from working in Defense, Internet Security, Medical and Multimedia industries. His blend of passion between art and science play out with startling accuracy in this first excursion into the realm of writing a novel.

So many of us question the safety and the future of an automated world - a world where conversation is being converted into tweets and texting, actual experience of nature and artistic events are funneled through the lens of instant photos on cellphones as opposed to standing and experiencing one on one with nature and beauty, and everything from driving (with the emergence of driverless cars), to watching theater films on a iPad, to dissecting symphonies into bits and pieces by electing to download only favorite parts on mp3 via Bluetooth, to microwave cooking, to wifi access everywhere, to purchasing goods with an iPhone and the demise of credit cards and checks, motion opening of car trunks, stoplight cameras to replace traffic cops - the list goes on and on. Is this healthy? Is this using our minds or relinquishing our individuality and ability to communicate/think/respond honestly as an individual? These are some of the questions that clutter our minds while we function by remote control and perform surgery through robotics.

John Mickus tackles our current status in this impressive debut. If the story takes some patience to enter and follow and understand, then this reader believes that is part of John's mission: challenge us to grasp what we have done, are doing, and discover whether what is happening is `meant for greater things,'

With exceptional skill John pulls us into the world of his narrator and to give a bit of an idea where we are going, offers this synopsis: `Jasper Joyce is good with lasers and satellites, but he's not so good with people. He is a loner who actually goes into nature for morning walks only to return to his sterile but wholly automated abode. He prepares for a successful interview for work and becomes Principal Software Engineer for GreenTech Corporation. `Everyday life for others seems to give Jasper a very hard time, but solar physics-- he can understand. Little by little, he endures his new job and continues to build mysterious devices. But why doesn't Mr. Joyce quite fit in? Why does he care so much about us and the world we live in? Does he know something we don't? Many of his inventions are radically advanced. In fact, Jasper is creating technology that will change the world.'

John Mickus weaves a fine story with wholly identifiable characters (even if his Jasper Joyce's brain functions like a James Joyce stream of consciousness), but the true revelation of his book is his ability to place our world of automation squarely before our eyes and lets us take that information and consider it, incorporate it, and perhaps re-program it for our own benefit. THAT is when a book succeeds - if a good story can make us cogitate long after the book is finished. John Mickus has a very strong start with this fascinating book. Grady Harp, March 15