Sharpe's Triumph - Bernard Cornwell

In the fall of 1803 Richard Sharp is still in Seringapatam India. 4 years after we were introduced to the private he hasn't moved very far. Rewarded with Sargent stripes for his role in freeing prisoner of war Colonel McCandless from the Tippoo's dungeons, he has continued to serve her majesty's army by helping Major Stokes maintain the defenses of Seringapatam.

Our story begins with Sharpe sent on an errand to retrieve and transport back 80,000 rounds of musket cartridges from a nearby fort. While he is there, a surprise attack wipes out the defenders and most of the women and children in the fort. Sharpe survives by accident. Having taken a glancing blow on the head from a musket ball, Sharpe is assumed to be dead given the huge quantity of blood that poured from his head.

When Sharpe returns to Seringapatam and reports what occurred, he finds out that the man who lead the raid, Major Dodd, was recently a Lieutenant in her Majesty's army. Having signed on with the Mahrattas, he was immediately promoted and promised a fortune for his services in helping to defeat the British.

Shortly after Sharpe has settled back into his routine at Seringapatam, Colonel McCandless arrives and takes Sharpe back to the war. McCandless has been tasked with capturing Major Dodd and returning him to the British army to stand trial. Never having seen the man, McCandless requisitions Sharpe to aid him in this perilous mission.

Cornwell continues to paint a vivid and accurate picture of this period in history. Using the backdrop of actual events and battles, he places his characters in situations that allow us to witness the history through the eyes of people involved rather than through the dry recitation of history books filled with dates and names. We get a feel for life at the time.

Absolute Certainty - Rose Connors

There is always a bit of risk when a lawyer writes a crime novel. Especially when the protagonist happens to be a lawyer. The level of detail that goes into the lawyerly aspects of the story can easily get out of control. Fortunately, Rose is able to balance the plot and the law fairly.

This is a modern story told in an innocuous setting. Marty Nickerson is district attorney for Barnstable county MA and a divorced mother of a teenage son. In this tight-knit community on Cape Cod, she finds herself arguing a string of murder cases while trying to raise her son and take care of family and friends directly impacted by loss of loved ones.

The story is filled with a rich and diverse cast of characters. She endeavors to develop each character fully even when they have a fairly minor role. For a first novel, this is exceptional work. I am looking forward to reading her future efforts.

I say reading but, I listened to this one. Bernadette Dune read the book. She makes a good effort to keep the voices of the characters distinct. Sometimes though, she struggles with the males and they all seem to be the voice of retirees who smoke 2 packs a day and have for the past 50 years. She does, however, do an excellent job of pacing. The story is compelling and moves at a brisk pace.

Rose Connors is an up and coming author. I recommend you start reading her now rather than waiting until she has 15 or 20 novels on the shelves.

Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand

I have not read Ayn Rand before. Going to school in northern California, I heard a lot of positive things about her work. It is generally agreed that Atlas Shrugged is her masterpiece.

Well, it certainly is a piece. I have to dispute the masterful part though. Some of my disgust probably has to do with the fact that I consumed this work in audio form rather than written. With a book I can start skimming the pages when the author gets into a rut. With an audio book it is a bit more difficult. Especially if you are driving at the time. I listened to an almost 2 hour description of a train ride in the Rockies. A boring description of the mountainsides and the feel of the train on the tracks with next to no dialogue, internal or otherwise.

Which brings up another major problem with this book; the dialogue. The tripe that came out of her characters mouths was mind numbing. Her penchant for having them voice in minute detail the reason they were doing or thinking what they were at every single opportunity made me daydream fondly of steering my car underneath a semi.

This was her last work of fiction. From here she went on to develop her philosophy of objectivism. I have not and do not intend to read these later works but, I trust she did a better job with them. Her transparent and clumsy effort to develop such a philosophy in fiction fell terribly short in my opinion.

More than 1000 pages. I cannot express how grateful I am that this was never assigned reading during my formal education. I forced myself to listen to it through to the end. I couldn't do it all at once and honestly, I only got through the last 25 hours or so because I had no other books on my MP3 player and I was in the middle of a trip to the Philippines.

BITE magazine

I happened upon BITE completely by accident. My wife and I had finished some shopping in SM mall and hopped in a taxi to go home but, the taxi broke down just as it was turning out of the mall. So we walked back to get in the taxi line again but decided it was too long. Instead, we decided to have some coffee in a cafe overlooking the sidewalk. When the line was reasonable, we would get back in it.

There was a line in the coffee shop too. Standing there, the cover of the magazine caught my eye. I had decided to grab a copy as an impulse buy. When I got to the front of the line and ordered, I reached for a copy about to ask the cashier to add it to my bill when i noticed FREE was printed in large letters across the bar code. What a score.

BITE is really little more than a monthly pamphlet. The September issue I grabbed is about the size of a business envelope and only 40 pages. It focuses on topics important to the youth of today. Concerts, online gaming, that sort of stuff. This issue had an expose of the skateboarding scene in downtown Cebu.

Overall, I found the writing to be quite good. The magazine is published in English so I was able to digest it quite easily. The magazine is able to distribute for free because they are liberal with their add space. Unlike most US publications that do this, they keep content pages free of adds and the add pages free of content. This makes it much more enjoyable and easy to read. I also find myself taking the time to look at the adds when they are grouped together like that.

Next time you find yourself in Cebu City Philippines, try and pick a copy up. Until then, you can view it online. Some of the site is still under construction but, they are doing a very professional job. It is easy to navigate and organized well. Also the clutter is kept to a minimum on each page.

I guess it was actually pretty lucky that our taxi broke down. If it hadn't, who knows when, if ever, I would have found this wonderful magazine.

Power Hold'em Strategy - Daniel Negreanu

In the tradition of Doyle Brunson, Daniel has brought together a collection of world class poker stars to write the "Bible" of poker. Unlike Super/System, this book focuses exclusively on Texas Hold'em. More specifically, on No-Limit Texas Hold'em.

The authors attack the game from a number of angles. Tournament and cash games. Internet and live games. Playing at short-handed tables, shifting gears and playing small ball. There is very little time spent on limit games. Usually limit games are mentioned only to point out the strategy being discussed has no chance of working in a limit game.

Evelyn Ng provides a good and in depth discussion of basic big bet strategy for playing tournaments. She is quick to point out that there are problems with the strategy she advocates but, it is designed for the player who has little to no tournament experience.

Eric Lindgren provides an insightful piece on Internet cash games. What to look for and how to protect yourself. His advice goes beyond how to manage your game but has implications for how to manage your life successfully.

Daniel's "chapter," it takes up half the book, focuses on a strategy he calls "Small Ball." The explanations and examples are very well put together. This is definitely the most enlightening part of this treatise. Without a doubt this is a worthwhile investment of your money and your time. If you play no limit hold'em, buy it today and start digesting it tonight.

NetLibrary

I have been travelling a fair amount for work and have found audio books to be a good way to fill those stretches where I cannot find a radio station that appeals to me. My local library subscribes to a couple providers.

NetLibrary allows you to download the audio books and transfer them to your iPod or other MP3 player. The ebooks are delivered in a single file. This is nice if your MP3 has bookmarking capability. You can mark your spot and return to it later. If your MP3 player doesn't have bookmarking capability this can be a pain.

You will need to remember how far into the book you were and then fast forward to that spot if you listen to anything else or if your MP3 doesn't resume from the spot it was shut off at.

I bought a new MP3 player for a trip I recently made to the Philippines. I bought it because it has a battery life of 24 hours. It charges via the USB port on my computer. I loaded a couple books onto it from NetLibrary and was off. Once in the Philippines I needed to charge it so connected it to my computer.

Here is the problem with NetLibrary. The licencing process needs to validate every time the MP3 connects to your computer. Your computer must be connected to the Internet because the licence is not on the computer but is validated against the NetLibrary website. Needless to say, this was more than a little inconvenient.

Personally, I will not be using NetLibrary again. There must be better options out there. If you have any suggestions, let me know and I will give them a try.

Death and Honor - WEB Griffin and William E Butterworth IV

Another WWII story set in Argentina. Beginning with a short status check of the war in Europe and Asia during the summer of 1943, we get an understanding of the political climate in neutral Argentina. This chapter of the Honor Bound series spans 22 June to 12 August 1943.

Major Frade of the Marines has been on assignment to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) for some time now. An aviator who has been grounded due to injuries, he leaped at the chance to play an active role again in the war. While it is not as glamorous or thrilling as dogfights are, he has an important job to do.

We pick up where Secret Honor left off. The Germans are still trying to land their secret cargo in Argentina. Due to some good sleuthing and key contacts, Frade is able to determine what this cargo contains and why it is so important. While this plot continues to unfold, a new wrinkle is introduced by the Commander in Chief.

FDR has decided that he wants an airline in Argentina that is controlled by the US. With Frade's history as a Naval Aviator, Argentine ancestry and personal friendship with Howard Hughes, he is the perfect candidate to establish and operate South American Airlines.

Things do not go smoothly. But in typical fashion, Frade finds a way. He continues to be his arrogant and flippant self. Somehow managing to charm the ones he needs to and earning the respect of his opposition. There is nothing spectacular about this installment, it ends as the others have. Leaving you wondering what will happen but resting assured that there will be another story to read.

Sharpe's Tiger - Bernard Cornwell

My library has a number of Cornwell's books. I have read a few of them and enjoyed them all. The Sharpe series is not well represented though. I have a slightly compulsive habit of reading a series in order whenever possible. Fortunately, I have been able to locate and download all but 2 of the books in this series. The missing titles come late in the series so I have hopes that I will locate and acquire them in a timely manner.

Sharpe's Tiger introduces us to Richard Sharpe in 1799. A private in Her Majesty's army who is contemplating desertion. But where can he run to in India? Add in the fact that he is in love with a Sargent's widow and running really isn't much of an option.

Mary Bickerstaff is a beautiful woman. And Sharpe isn't the only one with designs on her. Sargent Hakeswill has already blocked Sharpe's attempt to get permission to marry her. But Hakeswill has no desire to wed rather, he sees a business opportunity. He goads Sharpe into hitting him in front of witnesses. After a verdict of 2000 lashes, Hakeswill is certain he will be able to arrange the sale of marry into a local brothel. With Sharpe dead, there is no one left to protect her.

General Harris has a suicide mission he needs a volunteer for. Sharpe appears made to order for the job. After a mere 200 lashes, he has the punishment stopped and Sharpe brought to his tent. Sharpe agrees to the Generals offer on condition that he be made a Sergeant should he be successful.

The story is told with great detail and admirable attention to historical accuracy. The fact that this is a series and this is the first chronologically, we know that Sharpe will be successful. Watching him attain that success is quite enjoyable.

Dead Money - Rudy Stegemoeller

I first started this book some years ago when it was being presented in a condensed version as a series in Card Player magazine. I missed the beginning and I missed the end. I also missed several parts in between. I wasn't a subscriber to the magazine so I only got to read it when I could find a copy laying around my local card room. Needless to say, when I saw it on the shelf at the library, I added to my stack.

When I started reading, it was at once familiar. And also clearly not the same. The original story I read took place during a marathon session at his local casino playing in a $30 - $60 game. This story is set during a fairly large tournament. The plot line is the same. A very strong player that most of the poker world is less than fond of is found dead in the parking lot.

Mark Newcomb is a talented amateur poker player. He does well in the cash games when he isn't working in the public defenders office. His wife is less than thrilled with the time he spends playing cards but, she isn't making any ultimatums. Not yet.

The tournament trail is filled with a class of unique individuals and we are introduced to several. People from all walks of life. A multi-millionaire who plays only for the hope of victory to an immigrant who arrived in the country without a cent to his name. Rudy does a good job of fleshing out the characters. We can see whole people, not just cardboard cutouts. More impressively, he does this without slowing the pace or development of the story.

This murder mystery is surprisingly well written. Poker is the backdrop on which the story is told, not the centerpiece. The story itself is compelling and well thought out. Even if you have no interest in poker, this is a great read for any mystery buff.

RssReader

I have a lot of favorites stored in my Internet browser. I go through them looking for stuff that interests me. That's how they go to be favorites in the first place. As I went I visited a few sites that had nothing to grab my attention. I considered removing them from my favorites but, what if they had something tomorrow that really interested me?

This dilemma has been solved by the aggregate reader programs. These programs allow you to surf your favorite websites without having to actually surf the web. It is a pretty cool concept. I decided I would give it a try.

There are a number of people at work who use these. I spoke with half a dozen people and and got 10 recommendations. Some of my co-workers use multiple programs for this purpose. That is what I get working for a software company. (I am not a programmer, that is why I am asking people about it instead of telling you about my experiences with it for the last 20 years.)

After consulting a few people "in the know," I was no closer to a decision about which reader to use. I decided to let Google choose for me. I typed in "rss reader" and hit enter. 4 of the top 10 hits were for RssReader. One was for Google Reader, of course. Decision made. I downloaded and installed RssReader.

During the installation process it gave me the opportunity to choose some feeds. I chose a few nature feeds from National Geographic, Discovery and such. I also chose some news feeds. And a couple tech feeds. Once it finished installing and launched, it went out and started grabbing articles. In less than 2 minutes there were nearly 600 articles waiting for me to review.

I diligently spent the next couple hours going through my new feeds. I found I had made a few impulsive choices that weren't so good and deleted them. When I was done, I still had enough energy to go through a few of my favorites and add them as feeds.

At least, I thought I did. It said it was compatible with Atom feeds. I had site I almost always find interesting that has the little Atom icon displayed. I read the help files about how to add the feed and followed the instructions diligently. Still, i got the message it could not validate the feed. So I moved to another site with the Atom logo and tried it. Same result. Finally tired, I gave up and went to sleep.

Next day, I decided to give it another shot. 10 minutes in or so, my browser started opening on its own. Sometimes it opened to add ware sites, but sometimes to porn. Most of the time though, my firewall blocked the site. Great. I got a nice malware virus. Thanks Google, this was your recommendation. Fortunately, I have been the victim of malware before and I learned my lesson. I had a system restore point from the previous week.

RssReader...what piece of crap. Avoid it at all costs. Thinking back, none of my co-workers had recommended it.