Book "Animated Realism" by Judith Kriger

About the Book: With the development and accessibility of animation tools and techniques, filmmakers are blurring the boundaries between documentary filmmaking and animation. The intimacy, imperfection and charm of the animated form is providing live-action and animation directors with unique ways to tell stories, humanize events and convey information not easily adapted for live-action media. Animated Realism presents animation techniques as they apply to the documentary genre with an inspirational behind-the-scenes look at award-winning animated documentaries. Animators and documentary filmmakers alike will learn how to develop a visual style with animation, translate a graphic novel into a documentary and use 3D animation as a storytelling tool, all in the context of creating animated documentaries.
With insight and inspiration, Animated Realism includes interviews from industry luminaries like John Canemaker, Oscar Winning Director of The Moon and the Son, Yoni Goodman, Animation Director of Oscar Nominated Waltz with Bashir and Chris Landreth, Oscan Winning creator of Ryan. Packed with beautiful, instructive illustrations and previously unpublished material (including storyboards, photos and hand-drawn sketches) and interspersed with interviews - this is an exceptional source of inspiration and knowledge for animators, students and fans alike. With a companion website featuring animated shorts from leading animated documentaries, animators, students and documentary filmmakers will be able to analyze and apply Oscar-winning animation techniques to their own films.

About the Author: Judith Kriger is a Los Angeles, CA-based independent filmmaker and animator. She has worked professionally in the entertainment industry for over twenty years on various projects for film, broadcast, video games and the web. Ms. Kriger's credits include: Cats and Dogs, Antz, A Simple Wish, Bebe's Kids, South Park, Ren and Stimpy, The Family Dog and various Doughboy commercials. Ms. Kriger produces, directs and animates her own independent films and is currently working on an animated project about the Hebrew alphabet. She is an Assistant Professor of Film and Television at the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University. Ms. Kriger teaches introductory and advanced courses in 3D animation and visual effects production.

My Review: If you are expecting to learn how to do animation, this is not the book for you. This is a superb book on why we should use animation on documentary film-making. The author brings to the book all her experience and through interviews with some masters on the subject, she was able to compose a very easy reading and enjoyable learning tool. It gives you so many ideas and sparkles the desire of starting a new project right after finishing reading the book.
She interviews Yoni Goodman and talks about "Finding Pleasure in the Imperfection. Then comes Bob Sabiston, on "The Halfway Point to Reality". Next we have John Canemaker, talking about "Personal Documentaries". Fourth is Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre, a French-Canada's Rising Star, followed by Dennis Tupicoff, that talks about "Documentary Filmmaking with an Animator's Sensibility". Chris Landreth is the next one and his theme is "Making Ordinary Human Experience Extraordinary". And the last interview is with Paul Fierlinger, "The Iconoclastic Animator".

I recommend this book to all those who have a passion for film-making and would enjoy playing with animation but are afraid to try. You might get a lot of incentive and ideas from reading this book.
This book was written by Judith Kriger and was published by Focal Press in December 2011. Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this book for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not request to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Book "Farsighted" by Emlyn Chand

About the Book: Alex Kosmitoras's life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead-broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he's blind. Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, a new girl from India moves into town. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Yes, sophomore year might not be so bad after all.
Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival--an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to "see" the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they begin to suggest that Simmi is in danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and new friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex must embark on a journey to change his future.

About the Author: Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she's not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit www.emlynchand.com for more info. Don't forget to say "hi" to her sun conure Ducky!

My Review: This is a good book, written in a very easy language and the author did a superb job creating all the environment for the plot to develop.
The plot is simple: our main character is a blind young man named Alex. He attends a school where he is bullied and his relationship with his father is a complicated one. But suddenly things change, once he finds out he has some kind of special power, an ability to foresee the future. At school he befriends with two girls, and that is a new experience for him. One of the girls is Simmi, new to the school, and Alex starts liking her very much, but he foresee her death and now he wants to quickly develop his power so he can control it, in order to try to avoid that to happen. He tries to get help from the psychic lady that has a store next to his mother's flower shop. He is surprised to find out that Simmi also has special powers. She is able to manipulate the emotions of other people and she is also trained by this same lady. They start training together and Alex hopes he will be able to stop her death from happening and make her fall in love to him. An the reason of the difficult relationship with his father is well explained and understood during the development of the plot. There is a promised sequence for this book named Open Heart, to be released in 2012.

I would recommend this book to any reader who enjoys young adult novels with mystery, romance and psychic powers, to read during a rainy weekend and enjoy very much the story. It is an easy reading and it took me approximately eight hours to read this book (And I like this cover better than the first one).

This book was written by Emlyn Chand and was published by Blue Crown Press in October 2011 and Goddess Fish Promotions were kind enough to send me a copy for reviewing through their blogger book review program.

If you are reading this review, feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts.

The author will be giving away a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour and a $50 Amazon GC to the host whose post receives the most comments (excluding Emlyn’s and the hosts).

Book "The Genesis Code" by Abraham Lopian and Julie A.Snyder

About the Book: You live in an era of the 'great awakening' and something remarkable has happened. An ancient Biblical message has been discovered that will guide you through your transformation. God's message has risen to change your perception of reality. The Genesis Code: God Has Spoken is an untraveled path that leads to God’s giving of the Luchot Haedot—the “first and most profound” tablets Moses brought down the mountain. Most scholars assume God's first tablets of Sinai (the Luchot Haedot) held the same message as Sinai's second set of tablets (the Ten Commandments). Nothing could be further from the truth. The message of God's Luchot was of the highest order--its enlightenment unparalleled. Over 3000 years ago, at the depths of God's written word, another story and level of understanding was hidden in the Five Books of Moses--buried in the ancient Hebrew texts. Time would pass and the story of the Luchot, together with its profound enlightenment, would become lost in human awareness. At the core of the Five Books of Moses, God's ultimate truth would lay dormant for thousands of years--waiting for a future and advanced level of man to discover God's secrets of creation. That time has come. The Genesis Code: God Has Spoken is an ancient message for the 21st Century. We live in a time the prophets foresaw, and the vibration of the Luchot has risen to awaken a new level of male and female. With passion and intelligence, you are taken into the rabbit hole of advanced conceptions where a new and extraordinary perspective of God, man, nature, life, death, love, and reality emerges out of the shadows and into the light of human awareness.

About the Authors: Originating from London, England, Abraham Lopian is a new level of spiritual mastery. Born into traditional Orthodox Judaism, his family's lineage has produced leading rabbis and heads of Talmudic Academies throughout the world. Surrounded by philosophers and scholars, it was only natural that Abraham would delve into the depths of creation's mysteries. As a young boy he studied with his rabbinical uncles and, years later, with his Grandfather, Reb Elia Lopian, a famous and well-respected spiritual man known for his remarkable insight into the Torah (the Bible). Abraham's decades of Talmudic study span the oceans and include several Talmudic Academies throughout the world.
His enlightenment, however, would not be realized through scholastic studies, but through a metaphysical experience in 1988 that would forever change his perception of God and creation. Years later, Abraham was led to Julie Snyder--the woman he calls his "enlightenment." Julie understood it was vital for The Genesis Code to be revealed to humanity and, nearly a decade later, their insight, passion, and creativity has given birth to The Genesis Code book series.
The Genesis Code is a level of enlightenment that could only be activated through a joint perspective of male/female consciousness. Before this seed of enlightenment could flower in our world, it required the nourishment of a particular type of relationship--a union between a male and female that represents the "total" Adam on earth. What most have not yet realized is the true "Adam" is both male and female. The Torah specifically states in Genesis 5:2, "Male and female, he created them; and God blessed them and called their name, Adam, on the day they were created."
Abraham and Julie, through their diverse backgrounds, lifestyles, and experiences bring forth extraordinary revelations of enlightenment for today's consciously evolved male and female. With passion and intelligence, the reader is taken into the rabbit hole of advanced conceptions where a new and extraordinary perspective of God, man, nature, life, death, love, and reality emerges out of the shadows and into the light of human awareness.

My Review: This is quite an interesting book. We clearly see a lot of effort and research by the authors in producing this book. They provide with some very interesting ideas and new point of views of the Scriptures and their interpretation sometimes has its merits. There is a lot of learning you can take from their studies, but for me as a Christian, there are some buts and whats. If you are not strong in your believes, you might be tempted to think that what is said in this book is the new absolute truth, but if you think it as just an opinion from the authors, you should be entertained.
I could mention here dozens of different reasons why I was not thrilled by the contents of this book. For example, as a Christian I do not like to see Jesus compared at the same level as Muhammad and Buddha. The authors estate that "..., subsequent biblical writings, spiritual doctrines, and prophets, including Jesus, Muhammad, and Buddha - brought down enlightenment...". For Christians, the Torah is part of our believes. And there we read and it is crystal clear that the Jews are the chosen people of God. For the Gentiles (me included) our only hope of salvation is through Jesus. We also fear the same God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But for Christians, Jesus was not just another prophet, but the only Son of God.
And as a student of the Scriptures (I have a bachelor degree in Theology), I always learnt that the interpretation of the Scriptures is a difficult subject because of the many metaphors used in the text of the Bible. In many points the authors are trying to take what it is written in the literal way, and that might not necessarily be the right way. Don't take me wrong, but I am hard to be convinced of new ideas just because they are well described, if there is no biblical support. Remember how many people read the "DaVinci Code" and thought that everything in that book was true, just because the author was providing references supporting his views. They just forgot that the references provided were apocrypha. I am not here to judge the authors and tell that what they are saying is true or lie. Who am I to do that? I think this was an excellent book that triggered on me the desire to study more and try to understand better the Scriptures.

This book was written by Abraham Lupian and Julie A. Snyder and it was published in January 2012. The authors were kind enough to send me this book for reviewing.

If you read this post, feel free to leave a comment!

Book "Life Promises for Couples" by Gary Chapman

About the Book: Everybody wants a strong, loving, God-centered marriage. In Life Promises for Couples, New York Times bestselling relationship expert Dr. Gary Chapman provides trusted words of wisdom designed to encourage and inspire couples, alongside key Bible verses that illuminate God’s plan for marriage and for nurturing healthy, happy relationships. Whether you are a young couple just starting out or you’ve just celebrated your 50th wedding anniversary, your marriage is sure to benefit from the timeless wisdom contained in this beautifully designed two-color gift book.

About the Author: Married more than 45 years to Karolyn, Dr. Gary Chapman is just the man to turn to for help on improving or healing our most important relationships. His own life experiences, plus over thirty-five years of pastoring and marriage counseling, led him to publish his first book in the Love Language series, The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate. Millions of readers credit this continual New York Times bestseller with saving their marriages by showing them simple and practical ways to communicate their love to their partner.
Since the success of his first book, Dr. Chapman has expanded his Five Love Languages series to specifically reach out to teens, singles, men, and children (co-authored with Dr. Ross Campbell).
He is the author of numerous other books published by Moody Publishers/Northfield Publishing, including The World's Easiest Guide to Family Relationships, Anger, The Family You've Always Wanted, The Marriage You've Always Wanted, Desperate Marriages, God Speaks Your Love Language (Jan 09), Parenting Your Adult Child, and Hope for the Separated. He co-authored The Five Languages of Apology with Dr. Jennifer Thomas.
Chapman speaks to thousands of couples nationwide through his weekend marriage conferences. He hosts a nationally syndicated radio program, Love Language Minute, and a Saturday morning program, Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman, that air on more than 100 stations. Dr. Chapman also serves as senior associate pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Dr. Chapman holds BA and MA degrees in anthropology from Wheaton College and Wake Forest University, respectively, MRE and PhD degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and has completed postgraduate work at the University of North Carolina and Duke University.
Dr. Chapman and his wife have two adult children and two grandchildren, and currently live in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

My Review: This is a very well presented hardcover book, with a ribbon attached to the spine that allows you to mark the current reading page without having to use anything that might damage the book. Dr. Chapman is a well-known authority in this field of marriage counselling. His advises based on his own experience and on the Scriptures are great. The format is quite easy to follow: on the left (even pages) there are usually 3 verses from the Scriptures on a predetermined theme, while on the right (odd pages, the author expose his point on that theme in question. Themes cover a variety of topics, like servitude, love, sex, and many others. The size of book is very convenient as it is small and easy to carry around.
This is a must have book in the permanent library of any Christian couple who wants to live a full and happy marriage.

This book was written by Gary Chapman and was published by Tyndale House Publishers in December 2011 and they were kind enough to send me a copy for reviewing through their blogger book review program.

If you are reading this review, feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts.

Balance of February

During the month of February, I read/watched and/or reviewed the following:

Books:
- "Touchstone" by Melanie Rawn. Read my review.
- "Cyberlife" by W.H.Buxton. Read my review.
- "The Fourth Fisherman" by Joe Kissack. Read my review.
- "The Cloudy Corners of Creation" by Mark Tate. Read my review.

Other Products:
- "Case Logic Sleeve for 9-10.1-Inch Tablet/iPad". Read my review.

Book "The Cloudy Corners of Creation" by Mark Tate

About the Book: From the Author: "The Cloudy Corners of Creation is an introduction for many who are unaware of the paranormal subculture in the world. Because I have been a pastor for over twenty years, it is especially pertinent to followers of Jesus who are not very aware of this subculture, but it is not too religious for anyone who may also seek to be aware of this paranormal subculture. These kinds of things have fascinated me my entire life and I am not a young man. As a follower of Jesus, I thought most of what was in the world could be stretched to merge into the Bible somehow, with a few details that don't fit, knowing that of course the Bible does not mention so many things in the world. I have not been able to do that. Christendom has taught a closed system-there is God, Satan, the Bible, and everything one might experience can be explained from these and, if not, they do not need to know about it anyway. But if we as followers of Jesus believe that all truth is God's truth, whether we find it in the Bible, or in creation, or even in human experience, then we should note these experiences and try to relate to them and explain them the best we can. This book is my attempt to explain what I do not understand. I am not attempting to judge any of the people, places, or phenomena that I list here. I have left that task of discernment to the reader. I have divided the material into four sections and each section has several chapters. Part I is entitled "Just Beyond the Veil." Here, it is my goal to show two things. The first thing that I would like to show in this category is the difference between what I generally designate ghosts and what I call spirits. Part II deals with nature and is entitled, "The Para-Natural." In this section, I have placed nature religion, paganism, known formally in some of its appearances as Wicca, in others as Voodoo. Next is a chapter on human-animals with short sections on were-animals (changelings), such as werewolves, vampires, and Native American shape-shifters. I also include sections on crypto-zoological animals such as the Loch Ness monster and Bigfoot. Lastly, I deal with the unknown in nature, a really creepy experience by a Utah family and later by an investigation team. Part III, "Aliens Among Us," contains information about UFOs, aliens, and ancient architecture. All sorts of people have seen UFOs, from citizens to pilots to military personnel. What are they? There is only speculation so far, but the accounts of their appearances are incredible. The section on aliens is disturbing; are they real; where do they come from; who are they; what do they want? Part IV, entitled "The Fluid Boundary," presents different belief systems, spiritualties, or religions from across the globe as they pertain to prophets, prophecy, and the spirit world, the "Fluid Boundary" between the present and the future, the physical and spirit worlds as spoken and seen through those who are not followers of Jesus. Many times Christians act as though they have a corner on predicting the future and ignore any others that might provide information about the future, whether they turn out to be wholly true or not. I conclude with some thoughts about my analysis of these people, places, and phenomena. I have found that I don't know much more than before. The universe (multi-verse) is a strange and sometimes scary place. There is much in it that we cannot explain; much in it that is exceedingly mysterious."

About the Author: Mark Tate has pastored churches in Oklahoma and Utah and has taught at a number of schools, colleges and universities in these same areas. He now lives in Tulsa with his wife Laura and where his grown, married children live. Dr. Tate has five grandchildren.

My Review: Paranormal is a subject that always attracted me since I was young. I attended seminars at the Latin America Center of Parapsychology, from Father Oscar Quevedo, a known authority in the field of parapsychology. Father Quevedo is always willing to prove that any paranormal phenomena is misconception or fraud. Mr. Mark Tate tries in his book to explain the paranormal, instead of denying its existence or trying to prove that it is not real or has not a reasonable and scientific explanation. His approach is based on what he can find on the Scriptures and his own interpretation of facts based on his experience. This is not the typical approach I would expect from a Pastor, and that makes this book much more valuable, as the author has a deep knowledge on the Word of God. He does not avoid any subject. We can notice a lot of research on his work, even on Islamism, Hinduism and Buddhism and their prophecies. Excellent compilation on paranormal topic!

This is a very interesting and entertaining reading that I would recommend to the permanent library of all readers that are interested in the paranormal/parapsychology field. It is very easy reading and well written and took me about 6 hours to read the entire book.

This book was written by Mark Tate and published by Outskirts Press in January 2012 and the author was kind enough to send me this book for reviewing.

If you read this post, feel free to leave a comment!

Book "The Fourth Fisherman" by Joe Kissack

About the Book: We each came to a moment of brokenness; what we found there was God. And he was enough.
It was the subject of headlines around the world: Three Mexican fishermen in a small open boat without any supplies, drifting for more than nine months and 5,500 miles across the Pacific Ocean. Through blistering sun and threatening storms, they battle starvation, dehydration, hopelessness, and death. Their lifelines? An unwavering faith and a tattered Bible.
Thousands of miles away, Joe Kissack, a successful Hollywood executive, personified the American dream. He enjoyed the trappings of the good life: a mini mansion, sports cars, and more. He had it made. Yet the intense pressure of his driven and high-powered career sends him into a downward spiral, driving him deep into suicidal depression, insidious addictions, and alienation from his family. His lifelines? A friend and a Bible on the table between them.
Thoughtfully told with candor and humor, Kissack weaves together the incredible true voyage of fishermen adrift in the sea and his own life’s journey as a man lost in the world. It is a story that will buoy your spirit and renew your hope and faith.

About the Author: Joe Kissack is a pretty regular guy. He is also a speaker, author, screenwriter, publisher, film and television producer, executive,and an entrepreneur. He has worked on a farm, cleaned out refrigerated swinging beef trucks, pushing cow hearts, kidneys, and lungs into a drain, been a senior executive at Sony Pictures, and served as CEO of major internet content company now owned by a cable network. He has lived out many of his dreams and lived through some of his worst nightmares.
Kissack wrote The Fourth Fisherman based on his own life's journey, and his interactions with the Tres Pescadores during hundreds of hours spent with them. He researched the circumstances surrounding this story, sat in on every major interview involving Tres Pescadores, and recorded dozens of hours of video material. He didn't want to write this book himself, but soon realized no one else really could write it, but him.
He wrote a screenplay based on this story before he wrote this book. The film is titled ALPHAOMEGA, and Cannes Film Festival award winning director, Spiros Stathoulopoulos has signed on to direct.
As a 20+-year veteran of the television, entertainment, publishing, and multimedia worlds, Joe has a diversified wealth of knowledge and experience. Known for his creativity, knowledge of sales and marketing, relationship building, and family values, he has founded and entertainment company, Ezekiel 22 Productions, partnered in the publishing world with the award winning storytelling company, August House Publishers, overseen a multi media company, HowStuffWorks, managed domestic sales and marketing efforts of dozens of nationally syndicated television shows and feature films, including the multibillion dollar assets of "Seinfeld" and hundreds of motion pictures.
Currently, Joe divides his time between family, speaking and writing his next book, and working with North Point Community Church. He lives in Atlanta Georgia with his wife of 26 years, Carmen and their two daughters.

My Review: This is a very inspirational book, where the author describes in parallel his own story and the incredible story of three Mexican fishermen who were lost at sea for almost 10 months before being rescued. The parallel he describes is strong and can be applied to many lives, probably including mine. While the fishermen were lost at sea, they had their faith supporting them every moment of their ordeal. While the author was safe in his home and with his job, his lack of faith make him feel completely lost and delusional in his own world. He goes from a red carpet reception on an important event, to suicidal depression and addiction to prescription drugs.
And after his experience with God, the author had an unique opportunity of interacting with the three fisherman and that experience changes his life forever.

This is a very well written and touching story that deserves to be in the permanent library of any Christian person. The author divides the story in 40 short chapters and an epilogue, making the reading very easy and enjoyable. It took me approximately 7 hours to read this book.

This book was written by Joe Kissack and was published in March of 2012 by WaterBrook Multnomah Books. The publishers were kind enough to provide me a copy for reviewing through their Blogging for Books Program.

If you read this review, feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts and give a feedback about this review using the link below.

Book "Cyberlife" by W.H.Buxton

About the Book: The year is 2069 and Jim Murphy thinks he has the world pretty much figured out, as a Knowledge Management Consultant (whatever that is!) muddling through various technology consulting jobs. That is, until his company, SciPop Inc., assigns him to work a particularly unusual project involving the acquisition of a small backpacking and hiking services business owned by techno-hater Laura Meyers. Jim, however, never works alone. He, like everyone else in the world, is armed with the ultimate technology super-support tool: a personalized, artificially intelligent, holographic Virtual Life form, more commonly known as a Vertal, named Jasper. Just as Jim lives, works and socializes in the physical world; Jasper lives, works, and socializes in the Cybersphere, coexisting and coordinating on behalf of Jim with other Vertals as both navigate the world of the Cybersphere; a 24/7 on-line computer world connecting everyone to everything. Everyone uses it, but in order to use it, you need a Vertal. Somehow, Laura Meyers has learned to exist in the Cybersphere without a Vertal, unfathomable to Jim, Jasper or anyone else at SciPop. But as Jim works the project, he soon discovers there is much more going on in the Cybersphere than SciPop's acquisition of this small, unassuming business when Jasper suddenly goes missing. Jim discovers SciPop has a much bigger and darker plan for "Laura's Hikes" than just a simple acquisition of one of the few non-technical companies left in existence. Much more. Welcome to CyberLife: A weeklong initiation into the cybercentric universe of techno-biologic symbiosis which is considered by all to be perfectly organized, functional, efficient, and effective. As long as Jim, Laura and Jasper follow the rules and regulations of SciPop. Which, so far, they have tended not to do very well.

Read the Excerpt!

Introduction
I must be dreaming. At least I think I’m dreaming.
Nope. I’m aware of myself lying in bed, so I must be somewhat awake. I glance
over at Clock—0247. I guess that’s good news since I have enough time left to actually
go back to sleep before my usual 0600 go time.
Drifting in and out of sleep can be aggravating. But drifting in and out of real and
dreamlike virtual experiences seems normal to me. Over the past twenty-one years
I’ve become comfortable with my mental and virtual wanderings, and if Clock is
right I have plenty of time to transition back and forth this morning before I activate
my internal motivation gene that will enable me to get up and earn my paycheck.
This little bit of personalized power is enough to keep me satisfied for the moment.
I don’t know if it’s normal, but I can, at least to some degree, orchestrate my
dreams when I’m in this twilight state of mind. I can’t control what my dreams are
about when I’m fully and completely asleep; no one can. But as I lie here in a quasi-
comatose meditative state enjoying a temporary unplugging, I take advantage of my
awesome talent and force the direction that my future dream may take when I do
eventually fall back asleep. Call it a gift .
Thinking of gifts: Lying here in my technology-saturated apartment, I begin to
think of something simple and happy—before I acquired all this character-building
life experience. I guess that’s a gift unto itself, but not something I want to think
about now while looking fuzzily at my darkened ceiling through half-opened eyelids.
I want to think of something better. As I have done many times before, I think
back to my eighteenth birthday, before I was hardwired in to the full-time 24-7-365
business world. Just before I got the gift of all gift s.
Engaging dream control. Disengage fact checking. Memory systems nominal.
Proceed.
Happy birthday, Jimmy.

About the Author: Winslow Buxton is a retired Navy Commander and helicopter pilot who received his Masters of Science in Information Technology and Management from the Navy Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. After retiring from the Navy, he worked as a Knowledge Systems Architect Consultant, helping multiple Navy and Air Force Commands initiate and develop their Knowledge Management Programs. He currently resides in Gulf Breeze, Florida with his wife, Bonnie. CyberLife is his first novel.

My review: I love science fiction. I really do. This book did not disappoint me at all. It is a great book, brilliantly written. The story develops on 2069, when we find a world controlled by what is called Cybersphere, a virtual layer of information that everyone is connected into it through an entity called Vertal, or Virtual version of yourself. In this world all appliances have their own different personalities and interact with their owners.
Our hero is a guy named Jim Murphy that works for a company named SciPop. His mission is to convince a small business owner named Laura to sell her business to SciPop. But she is not just an ordinary person in this world. She does not have a Vertal and she does not want to be connected to Cybersphere. The author was very competent creating all the environment for a great humorous story. Jim's co-workers are very well described and the appliances interfering on the selection of the menu for Jim's meals is hilarious. His dialog with Mirror, Toilet,  Clock, Boozemaster and Jasper (his Vertal) are hysterically funny. In some moments this story reminded me of 1984 from George Orwell in the sense that the author describes a world where everything is controlled (by the Cybersphere) and you cannot make any movement without being observed. This book is well worth reading. It is an easy reading an took me about 9 hours to finish it. It is one of the best books I have read in the last 12 months! There is a promised sequel to this book and it will be called CyberSapien, that I will definitely read as soon as it becomes available.

I recommend this book to any science fiction lover. This book has all ingredients to become a classic in the science fiction genre.

This book was written by W.H.Buxton and it was published in October 2011 by Bennett & Hastings Publishing. The author was kind enough to provide me a copy for reviewing.

If you read this review, feel free to leave a comment!

Book "Touchstone" by Melanie Rawn

About the Book: Cayden Silversun is part Elven, part Fae, part human Wizard—and all rebel. His aristocratic mother would have him follow his father to the Royal Court, to make a high society living off the scraps of kings. But Cade lives and breathes for the theater, and he’s good — very, very good. With his company, he’ll enter the highest reaches of society and power, as an honored artist — or die trying. Cade combines the talents of Merlin, Shakespeare, and John Lennon: a wholly charming character in a remarkably original fantasy world created by a mistress of the art.

About the Author: Melanie Rawn (born 1954) is an author of fantasy literature. She received a BA in history from Scripps College and worked as a teacher and editor before becoming a writer.
She has been nominated for a Locus award on three separate occasions: in 1989 for Dragon Prince in the first novel category, in 1994 for Skybowl in the fantasy novel category, and again in 1995 for Ruins of Ambrai in the fantasy novel category. The third novel in the "Exiles" trilogy has been "forthcoming" for over a decade due to the author suffering from clinical depression and moving on to other projects to facilitate her recovery.

My Review: This is a very interesting book, although not very easy to read. The author was brilliant in the creation of the environment where the story develops. Her fantasy world has characters from mixed races like giants, elves, trolls etc. Our main character is Cayden and his wish is to assemble a theater troupe. In his land, those groups are composed of four members. He has two other old friends (Rafcadion and Jeschenar) that want to join him. The fourth one is Mieka. Magic is performed to create illusion on each play. They start to being recognized as good and they are invited to participate in a contest to see which troupe is the best in the land.
The author uses a lot of terms defined later at the end of the book in a long  glossary, and that is why I mentioned earlier that this is not an easy reading at all. But it is entertaining. If you have the patience to dig into the glossary and find the meaning of the term, you will definitely enjoy the book.

This book was written by Melanie Rawn and was Published by Tor Books on February of 2012. Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this book for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not request to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "Case Logic Sleeve for 9-10.1-Inch Tablet/iPad"

About the Product: Fits 9 to 10.1 inch tablets and iPad 1 & 2.
Slimline design protects your tablet without adding bulk.
Unique striped jersey fabric gives the sleeve stylish appeal and dimension.
Asymmetrical zipper provides easy access to your tablet and allows in-case charging.
With hand-drawn graphics printed over variegated stripes, each has a one-of-a-kind look.

My Review: This is a very well produced item with nice finishing, that has enough padding to safely protect your iPad or e-reader or any other electronic device that can fit there. My daughters even asked to use it to store their DS games as you could place the DS plus some of their favorite game cartridges inside, as well as the power adapter. The stripes provide a nice grip and zipper seams to work fine. I would recommend this item to those who feel like they need extra layer of protection to their tablets. Definitely this case will do the job.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not request to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

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