A Universe From Nothing is a non-fiction science book about the origins of the universe by theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss. Krauss is a phenomenally insightful writer that approaches this cosmological argument from a point of view that is accessible and digestible to someone with no prior experience of physics or astronomy. Buy this book in paper or elec­tronic format* Some of the questions Krauss tackles in his book include where the universe came from, what came before it, what the future entails and why there is something instead of nothing. Krauss begins his tale diagnosing the origin of the universe from the Big Bang up to the Cosmological Microwave Background Radiation. In A Universe from Nothing, Krauss dismisses String Theory as he claims it provides an inadequate amount of scientific proof for success. In addition, Krauss has argued effectively in A Universe from Nothing that the origins and physics of the Universe do not require any supernatural deity or god. Krauss argues that “nothing” is unstable and eventually through quantum fluctuations a an immense period of inflation could occur which was the result of the Big Bang. Moreover, this is a book for anyone interested in learning more about cosmology in a way that…

Buy this Star Wars Book in paper or elec­tronic copy* Andrew: Orig­i­nally pub­lished at: http://www.rancorslovetoread.com/2010/01/andrews-review-of-corellian-trilogy-vol.html 3/5 Rancors – Assault at Selonia, the second volume in Roger MacBride Allen’s Corellian Trilogy, picks up the pace considerably from the leisurely first book. The story opens with our heroes stuck in various predicaments. Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian have left the fringes of the interdiction field blocking all access to the Corellian system and are on their way back to Coruscant to report and formulate a strategy. Han Solo and Chief of State Leia Organa Solo are being held prisoner in separate facilities by Han’s treacherous cousin Thracken Sal-Solo. Han and Leia’s children have escaped along with Chewbacca and are on the run looking for a hiding hole. The New Republic is working to identify the true puppet masters behind the Corellian situation, on the theory that Thracken’s Human League and the other Corellian splinter groups simply don’t have the wherewithal to have put together such a large-scale conspiracy. There is quite a bit more action in Assault at Selonia than is found in its predecessor. The book opens with Thracken conducting an interrogation of Han followed by a forced fight pitting him against an intimidating Selonian named Dracmus. A great…

Buy this Star Wars Book in paper or elec­tronic copy* Andrew: Orig­i­nally pub­lished at: http://www.rancorslovetoread.com/2009/04/andrews-review-of-children-of-jedi.html 1/5 Rancors – Barbara Hambly’s Children of the Jedi kicks off a sequence of stories unofficially known as the “Callista Trilogy.” First published in the spring of 1995, this novel is representative of a period of time when Bantam Spectra was struggling to find its footing with its successful Star Wars license. Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogyhad met with massive success and acclaim, and subsequently Kevin J. Anderson’s Jedi Academy Trilogy also saw significant sales, although less fan acceptance. These two trilogies set out many key elements of the Expanded Universe that would ripple through all the stories to come, including Han and Leia’s children, Luke’s attempts to revive the Jedi Order, the shape of the New Republic, and more. One element common to more than a few of the Bantam novels was something Anderson picked up from the Death Stars in the films, and that is superweapons. Hambly keys in on this plot device and introduces a new one of her own: the immense Dreadnaught Eye of Palpatine, an automated ship built in secret and designed to wipe out an enclave of Jedi on the planet Belsavis. Why Palpatine would need such a gigantic ship to…

Ambush at Corellia is not a difficult read or particularly long. It simply felt slow because of the dragged-out storyline.

When it comes to science fiction, fantasy, and horror, stories are expected to embrace the absurd of what our imaginations can produce. With talented artistic abilities, an author can put grotesque images in our minds and make us see what he or she does when they write a novel. Stephen King is one such individual with his novel “Desperation” having the ability to allow readers to embrace the absurd and be drawn into a story-line that may seem inconceivable, yet can get our adrenalin pumping anyway. Buy this book in paper or in elec­tronic format* More Books by Stephen King In “Desperation,” we introduced to a demonic element calling itself Tak. This demon of sorts is able to inhabit human hosts but is only allowed a limited time as the host begins to disintegrate. This leaves the create having to find a regular supply of hosts, and creatively possesses a deputy sheriff in order to obtain unsuspecting individuals and detain them for later use. If not for the efforts of a boy who communicates with God, Tak would have succeeding in killing everyone. 1. Characters – One of the most endearing abilities of Stephen King his is ability to write details that involve you in…

Many thanks, Zohar, for having me over today! There are millions of readers in the world, and the ever-present question on the minds of each one of them is, “What should I read next?” It’s a hard question to answer in a general sense, because every reader has different influences, interests, and literary turn-offs that tumble around in their reading brains until they all come together, point at a book, and say, “THAT ONE!” I can’t speak for every reader, but I can talk about the various ways I come to my reading choices. I’m betting at least a few of these are pretty common motivations. The Love at First Sight Book I’m in a bookstore, and a pick up a book off the shelf—idly at first. Maybe I liked the cover, or the title, or something about it seems vaguely familiar. I read the back cover, and if I like the description, I open to page one. Then I realize I’ve been standing in the aisle for like 20 minutes reading this book, and there’s no way I’m putting it back. It will be mine! I’ll fight for it if I have to, because I need to read the…

For an interesting book that can suck you in, “Ghostman” by Roger Hobbs can easily eat any available time you may have. If you like crime stories, this novel involves the classic casino heist with an added twist. The heist doesn’t really go as planned and a man simply known as ‘Jack’ is called upon to help. It’s a fun novel that has everything you could want in a crime story, and Roger Hobbs delivers a well written and hard to put down book. Buy this book in paper or in elec­tronic format* 1. Flashbacks – The book is written using a style of flashback that is easy to follow. These glimpses of the past happen five years prior to the current events of the novel and could stand apart from the book itself. Many times, authors try to engage the reader with character building flashbacks that usually end up confusing them. That confusion is simply not present in “Ghostman.” 2. Unique Characterization – The character of ‘Jack’ is developed very well and is easy to visualize. Being a master of disguises, ‘Jack’ can change his appearance to become virtually anyone he wishes. Roger Hobbs has done a masterful job at detailing these…

Upon reading Malcolm Gladwell’s book, “Outliers”, I was drawn to a passage about violence in the American South and that region’s culture of honor. He posited that this was a relic of Scots-Irish culture, particularly as it applies to the hill people who eventually settled in Appalachia area

Mike Harris is taking the route chosen by many authors throughout history – by trying to make his Grandfather’s novels a self-publishing success. Are you ready to take a chance on an unknown author, and help make it happen for him? Self-publishing feels like a relatively new thing, doesn’t it? It’s thanks to the ebook revolution, it seems, that we have seen an explosion in self-published books. Amazon’s shelves are positively teeming with offers, some good, some bad, some extraordinary and some downright awful. But the truth is that self-publishing has been around for a lot longer than you’d think. Before the likes of E. L. James, Amanda Hocking and John Locke took over the best seller lists, authors of all walks of life were taking the DIY route, and for many reasons. The popular image of the self-published author is one of an egotistical brat who can’t really write but can’t take no for an answer. But the fact is that it wasn’t just those who had been rejected by one too many publishing houses who were doing it. Edgar Allen Poe, Alexandre Dumas, Mark Twain and James Joyce are just a handful of famous names who decided to…

Today’s guest author is Lisa April Smith, who will sharing her approach to writing. She is author of three books: Dangerous Lies, Exceeding Expectations and Paradise Misplaced – a genre she has named “Suspense with Sizzle.” My Approach to Writing Lisa April Smith I’m often asked at book events, “Are you ever stymied by writer’s block?” And I am delighted to reply that I’ve never experienced writer’s block. I think the reason for that has to do with my concept of work. When I was at IBM I didn’t ask myself if I was in the mood to do something. I looked at the tasks at hand, prioritized them and got to it. In the process of constructing a book, I have many varied ways to be productive. Editing. Plotting. Incorporating my latest epiphany. Creating a calendar so that I know how old characters are during the time frame of the story. I maintain a separate file that has the physical appearance, ethnicity and traits of every significant character. Except when we’re traveling, five to six days a week, I’m at my desk about 7:00 am and quit between 1:00 and 2:00. But whether I’m at my desk or not,…