What Am I Reading Wednesday: False Positives by Kim Aleksander

Well! I have to say that even though the cover says A Techno-Thriller on it, this lovely piece of intrigue falls perfectly into the conspiracy genre. Hold up kiddies there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with that. I love a good conspiracy, almost as much as I love paranormal romance.

Kim puts together a cast of characters who bring a strong presence to every part that they are in.  I found two weak point the whole book where I wasn’t feeling them but good googly moogly, who cares.

The story is based the idea that computer programming could possibly be the reason for the start of world war three. Sound familiar? It should there are enough movies about this same idea. I think own a few... 

We open with a college student circa the Viet Nam era tripping on something and creating the first computer bug by hand, punch card style. The book flashes forward from there to 2007, but then makes it a point to follow this genius throughout important parts of said tripper’s life. The books leads you, the reader, to the business end of Washington DC, divey areas of Thailand, the fall of Saigon, and even to Tehran. A lot of research went into this book and it’s not lost on you as you traverse the world with the characters.

I can say that this book comes with all the requisite ingredients for a thriller: deranged military and government officials, creepy assassins, and old men considered harmless or crazy, good stuff really. What makes this a stand out for me is the random Thai tranny, the girl on girl action, and the fact that everyone seems to have daddy issues. How they feel about Daddy seems to motivate just about everyone even those who’s father isn’t even relevant. 

Junior the voiceless and some would want to think brainless machine, makes a perfect foil for all America’s fears. The program operates without concern for moral rightness. It is business, the opposite of humanity and ironically created by humans. It’s after results, and humans constant need to have a decision made for them makes the system so easy to abuse. It’s a means to an end but is it the right end?

I think a good portion of time was spent understanding why this machine should not exist, inside each characters mind. The way that they eventually blended together and worked toward the solution for Junior was neatly arranged. If that time was not spent I think the characters would have been flat and the story would have suffered. Some books I’ve read lately have not been able to pull that off.

What did I not like about the book? Not much. Because this book does not really need romantic undertones, it’s just that good, what little romantic interactions there were, could have been omitted. I’m not even really strong on that stance because the story doesn’t really have to reach that far AND it’s done in such a matter of fact ay that you don’t even really question it. I did love how smitten one of the minor characters became with the aforementioned tranny. I especially loved it when he got warned by both his/her father and brother. Freaking classic, as a comic relief moment goes that was superb.

The end was a little too tidy but what do you expect? These are, despite their collective big brains, humble citizens of the world and all they really wanted in the end was to just live in peace. Sorry no sunsets or sailing off into the moon light here.

Was this a good book? Yes. Did this live up to it’s techno-thriller title? Yes. We already said this was a great conspiracy novel. Super Yes. Is this a guy book? MMM maybe, but not so much a guy book as just a really good book.

Thanks Kim Aleksander for putting some seriously good hard work into this story. It was totally worth the wait ordering the print copy.

So does Kim get two thumbs for this? Of course he does. You can find your copy of False Positives at Amazon.com here. Or you can go find it some other way and then you'd be on you're own.

What are you still hungry for a little more? You're in luck I've vlogged this review and if you just click a little further you can watch me wax poetic some more.

What Am I Reading Thursday: The Withes Hand by Wendy Joseph

This book begins with a brief history of the Fourth Crusade, which sets the tone along with some religious dissension. The story is full of references to long forgotten members of the Catholic Church as well as beautiful descriptions of France in the Middle ages. Under the reign on Pope Innocent III the search for witches is made main stream in order to bring the people back under the Church’s thumb. 

We are first introduced to Malaxia, a witch of some serious power, approaching a home in dead of night and setting it ablaze. She burns it down to the ground for one person the main character Liana. She tells Liana that she’s been chosen as her successor.

Liana being a peasant of the middle ages does the whole silly uneducated peasant thing and runs for the nearest church where she is met by an equally uneducated Bishop, labeled a witch for showing up half naked and chased out of how own town by the church guards.

Enter the next main character Jettaret a former Crusader on his way home to marry. Liana and Jettaret travel together under his protection to Lyon, where he lives. He sees her first as weak and troubled and unquestioningly continues to protecter her from Malaxia even though his faith in anything seems to be a little on the faulty side

When Liana begins using her new found powers he grows wary of her but still believes the best place for her is with him at Lyon.

I love all the beautiful descriptions of the terrain the travelers take. A picture is clearly made and appreciated, but when it comes to the characters I wanted more depth. I get that Jettaret is an honest man and that he’s disillusioned with the Church. For the first half of the book he is half angry or confused about both Liana and his faith. It does not help that she is confused as well. I just didn’t see his motivations for staying with her, spelled out. It was not until Jettaret teams up with an old crusader friend that we see the many more facets of his character.

Malaxia however was given that opportunity. While truly a malevolent woman she had a purpose, goals and was steadfast to her desires for Liana until the bitter end of the book. She is a character of great depth and full of mercurial mood swings executed superbly with minimal words to clog the story.

I found Liana to be a weak confused little girl even if the people in the story did not find her to be so. She has a stubborn streak that is recognized and used by both Malaxia and Jettaret, but that does not make her a strong person. A mule could be stubborn for all Liana was worth.

I found the richest parts of the book were moments between Malaxia and Liana after Liana’s training began and between Jettaret and his crusader friend Alberge. The interactions during these times were the best. Yet the time when Liana and Jettaret were alone in the woods traveling just seems long confusing and dry.

Maybe it is my lack of familiarity with the behavior between men and women during the middle ages that leaves me wanting more. Maybe it is the difference in classes between the two of them Jettaret being of the nobility and Liana a peasant that leaves me wondering what’s not being said. Whatever it is, I don’t know. Somehow a bond is formed between Jettaret and Liana, that spurs him to search for her after they are separated. This bond is the reason the story continues and does make for a nice ending  even if the end came as a surprise to me.

For the ending alone I give it one thumb, for the colorfully painted picture the journey was, I give this another thumb. I guess that makes two. But overall, I can honestly not  stay with that vote. Some places in the story were too sparse, some places so rich in detail, and a few places met a perfect balance of detail and interaction without wasting any words. So my final vote on this is 1.8 thumbs if that is such a thing.

I encourage everyone to read this book though if you like stories about boys coming home from war, women with knowledge being persecuted, and like thinking about how far we've come since the middle ages. You might even see a few parallels to the type of ignorance you see in this book and what you see now in the news.

You can get your copy of The Witch's Hand by Wendy Joseph  here on Amazon.com 

The Bean Counter: So Random It Kind Of Gives Me A Head Ache

Well Thursday is fast approaching and I of course must do a break down. The randomness of these past ten days or so astound even me. So I'm just going to start with zero. Beware there are links all over this one.


When Otters Attack. Yahoo is on fire  with craziness. A triathlon-er  was, well training for a triathlon, when a deranged otter bit her 25 times. I'm not sure what's worse being bit by an otter or the comments from some of the people who shared their two cents. +15


Manage to witness some crack pot on Google + claim rather passionately that he not only is a vampire but was turned against his will. Well that seemed fresh out of a Dakota Cassidy novel... +10


Stuck on Chapter 9 after spending exactly 8 days on Chapter 8. -12


Mom arrived today and already my life is upside down. -8


Was denied financial aide this week due to my non residency status. I've lived in California since January but they only deal with people who've lived in the state for over a year. -25


The up side is I can appeal. +10


Went to Karaoke Sunday night. Some random drunk moron calls me Titties to my face when I came from the restroom. I asked him if he wanted to die that night. He went away after shortly after that. +19 (hey it was funny and awkward)


A witness to my desire to end people, blogged about this either Monday or Tuesday night. So I'm freaking famous. +10


In a very surprising turn of events I found both EL James' Fifty Shades Freed and Kresley Cole's Lothaire at Freaking Walmart of all places. +16


Speaking of Walmart since I was in the center of mediocrity, I broke down and purchased a fan for my apartment. Well it is for the dog but I'm the one in front of it. +5


The Photo Prompt is out and I actually saw it early enough to think of something to write. +6




I can't think of anything yet. -11


Got pegged to work at a new magazine launching in August. +5 


My gut feeling says it might not make it. -12




My mentor from my last ship managed to get time off the ship to come to San Diego. He gave me a thumbs up on how things are going. Of course like all mentors he said I had room for improvement but at at least I'm heading in a semi good direction. +23


Ate some fairly good Indian cuisine at this place called India Palace. Had something fishy that was beyond nom noms. I think I might have even mouthgasmed on the Samosa. +14


And because I just can't ignore the news Zimmerman told Sean Hannity that it was "Part of God's Plan" to kill an unarmed teenage boy. You have got to be kidding me... -17

OKCupid Bot

Let's not forget dating on Ok Cupid: 
Guy: Hey want to have some fun? I've never been with a Black Chick before.
Me: There's a pet store on University that sells chicks in all colors. Hook yourself up.
Guy: Screw you. Slut.
Me: Your Mom must be so proud. -15


Then Huffington Post put out this awesomely funny article about a guy so well endowed that TSA frisked him because they thought it was a pistol. And the kicker is this guys does not do porn. +5 


If he did would I watch it? I think most likely no. Somethings aren't meant to be seen by this woman. +/-0


And Last but not least it's Pride week in San Diego. I've a bunch of friends that will be attending. Which means so will I and Mommy Dearest is coming to the parade! How cool is that??? +28




And the total of all random in this crazy few days: 66 Meh...