Dark days of past, present and future: Did you see the eclipse?
I was going to post some book reviews of tales set in dark days of past, present and future. Life kind of delayed me though, together with my own delightfully dark and beautifully bright and sunny day when the sun disappeared. Did you see the eclipse?
It's long been a dream - on a par with dreaming that I might one day walk on the moon - that I could see a "real" solar eclipse. When I found it would only take an hour's drive (possibly longer with traffic), I tried holding my breath. But could I really impose on my husband to take time off and go with me? It turns out I could - in fact, he suggested it without even knowing my childhood dream. So here I sit at my computer, still wondering, still staring into space; did it really happen? And if dreams come true, can they come true in threes? Can I still walk on the moon?
What surprised me most about the eclipse? The ring was white, not gold.
What intrigued me most? The sky wasn't black.
What absorbed me most? The whole process, watching the movement of celestial bodies, feeling so small, delighting in math made visible.
What disappointed me? I wished it could have lasted longer.
What will I remember? A hole in the sky!
How will I remember? Not with photos - I'd need a better camera, though the video wasn't bad.
What will I do with my eclipse glasses? I know there are lots of really good things to do, but I'm keeping mine as a perfect souvenir.
What about you?
Anyway, here are those book reviews of dark days past, present and future. Pour yourself an appropriately dark coffee and see what you think.
The Fuhrer’s Daughter (episode 1 of 5) by Joshua Graham is first in a set of 5 books set in a parallel world where a teenage girl is about to come of age as daughter to the American Fuhrer. Hitler won in this world, but what does that mean to the girl who has it all? The story's complete in the same sense as a good TV episode, but there's far more to come. For teen readers, it's action-filled, intriguing, and maybe even thought-provoking too. Enjoy with some dark five-star coffee.
Just before the time of Germany's Fuhrer, Spain was at war with itself and disillusioned Americans gave their lives looking for meaning in Depression. Hermanos by William Herrick reads like a cross between For Whom the Bell Tolls and Band of Brothers. These brothers give their lives and loves to a cause that morphs around them, enticing with promise and breaking faith with morality. It's a long thought-provoking book, and a fascinating read for our times where other disillusioned young men are enticed by false promises. You'll need a seriously dark five-star coffee with this one.
Going further into the past, Paula Rose Michelson's Rosa and Miguel from the Love's Legacy series gives an intriguing glimpse into the world Columbus left behind, with Jews forcibly converting to Christianity, and natives of very different beliefs safely hidden from the conflict. It's a short novel, a slow read with lots of internal and external dialog, but a well-researched and fascinating tale. Enjoy with some more dark intense five-star coffee... though I'm not sure where you'll find it.
And going in the opposite direction, Humans and Other Aliens by Alexander Winzer invites readers into a terrifying near-future where aliens/demons have invaded the earth with indiscriminate and horrific killings. But is this crime, punishment, or a kindness intended to teach us who we really are? Blending rather strange science with intriguing philosophy and plenty of gory killing, this is another one to read with some five-star coffee.
Eleven: 1 (Oxygen) by Victoria Vass offers another intriguing look into a dark future. The science is considerably more convincing, with well-balanced mysticism and faith and a truly terrifying vision of the future. Communication is key and dangerous in another tale to enjoy with dark five-star coffee.
It's long been a dream - on a par with dreaming that I might one day walk on the moon - that I could see a "real" solar eclipse. When I found it would only take an hour's drive (possibly longer with traffic), I tried holding my breath. But could I really impose on my husband to take time off and go with me? It turns out I could - in fact, he suggested it without even knowing my childhood dream. So here I sit at my computer, still wondering, still staring into space; did it really happen? And if dreams come true, can they come true in threes? Can I still walk on the moon?
What surprised me most about the eclipse? The ring was white, not gold.
What intrigued me most? The sky wasn't black.
What absorbed me most? The whole process, watching the movement of celestial bodies, feeling so small, delighting in math made visible.
What disappointed me? I wished it could have lasted longer.
What will I remember? A hole in the sky!
How will I remember? Not with photos - I'd need a better camera, though the video wasn't bad.
What will I do with my eclipse glasses? I know there are lots of really good things to do, but I'm keeping mine as a perfect souvenir.
What about you?
Anyway, here are those book reviews of dark days past, present and future. Pour yourself an appropriately dark coffee and see what you think.
The Fuhrer’s Daughter (episode 1 of 5) by Joshua Graham is first in a set of 5 books set in a parallel world where a teenage girl is about to come of age as daughter to the American Fuhrer. Hitler won in this world, but what does that mean to the girl who has it all? The story's complete in the same sense as a good TV episode, but there's far more to come. For teen readers, it's action-filled, intriguing, and maybe even thought-provoking too. Enjoy with some dark five-star coffee.
Just before the time of Germany's Fuhrer, Spain was at war with itself and disillusioned Americans gave their lives looking for meaning in Depression. Hermanos by William Herrick reads like a cross between For Whom the Bell Tolls and Band of Brothers. These brothers give their lives and loves to a cause that morphs around them, enticing with promise and breaking faith with morality. It's a long thought-provoking book, and a fascinating read for our times where other disillusioned young men are enticed by false promises. You'll need a seriously dark five-star coffee with this one.
Going further into the past, Paula Rose Michelson's Rosa and Miguel from the Love's Legacy series gives an intriguing glimpse into the world Columbus left behind, with Jews forcibly converting to Christianity, and natives of very different beliefs safely hidden from the conflict. It's a short novel, a slow read with lots of internal and external dialog, but a well-researched and fascinating tale. Enjoy with some more dark intense five-star coffee... though I'm not sure where you'll find it.
And going in the opposite direction, Humans and Other Aliens by Alexander Winzer invites readers into a terrifying near-future where aliens/demons have invaded the earth with indiscriminate and horrific killings. But is this crime, punishment, or a kindness intended to teach us who we really are? Blending rather strange science with intriguing philosophy and plenty of gory killing, this is another one to read with some five-star coffee.
Eleven: 1 (Oxygen) by Victoria Vass offers another intriguing look into a dark future. The science is considerably more convincing, with well-balanced mysticism and faith and a truly terrifying vision of the future. Communication is key and dangerous in another tale to enjoy with dark five-star coffee.
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