Review of "The Heathens," by Ace Atkins

 Review of

The Heathens, by Ace Atkins, ISBN 9780593328408

Five out of five stars

Atkins outside the Parker box

 My familiarity with the writings of Ace Atkins has previously been restricted to his stories that are a continuation of the characters created by Robert B. Parker. I have been impressed by his work in this area Atkins does a good job expressing the personalities in ways very similar to Parker.

 In this book Atkins weaves a story packed with supporting characters that are ruthless, single-minded, a whole lot of quirky, afraid of facing the world, rebellious, intelligent, single-minded and determined to discover the truth.

 The main characters, if there really is such a thing, are teenage delinquent TJ Byrd and Tibbehah County Sheriff Quin Colson. When TJ’s mother is murdered and her dismembered body is found in a nearby shed, such is the nature of TJ’s wildness that she is the prime suspect in the minds of nearly everyone.  Knowing this, TJ teams up with her boyfriend, best female friend and with her nine-year-old brother, they hit the road with U. S. Marshall Lillie Virgil in pursuit. They travel across several states.

 The boyfriend is an expert at hotwiring cars, and they find some assistance with one of his relatives. While this is in many ways a road story, there are many flashbacks to the characters at their point of origin, for that is where the original crime will be resolved. The characters there are generally criminals from the brutal murderers to the almost hapless con artist.

 There are unusual twists and turns as TJ and her group travel. They encounter some very bad actors along the way yet manage to find enough resources to continue until there is the inevitable climactic events where TJ and her band end up as well as the resolution at their point of origin.

 Even though the story follows several threads, they are well interconnected, so there is no sense of any of the characters and their exploits being unnecessary. The story is set in the modern world, TJ and her band are savvy social media users. This aspect is also very well done.

 I found the story to be an intense page-turner. You root for TJ and her group to survive as well as focus on the actions of Sheriff Colson as he follows several threads that converge on an explanation of what really happened with TJ and her mother. This is clearly in the pure Atkins voice as he demonstrates his ability to create and exploit characters outside the Parker universe.

Review of "Babysitters," DVD

 Review of

Babysitters, DVD

1 out of five stars

Ridiculous premise poorly executed

 The premise of this movie is a simple one, high school age babysitters that become sexually involved with the fathers of their charges. It begins with a new hire that turns out to be an excellent sitter with many features of a maid, even to the point of scrubbing the kitchen floor. After a few virtual dance moves and some innuendo, the father and the sitter become sexually involved. 

 This quickly expands out into what is in essence a call girl ring where several girls at the high school are recruited to become sitters with benefits. It goes on for some time until there are just too many people involved, and the secrets cannot be kept, even from these incredibly ignorant mothers. There is even an extended scene where one of the fathers joins in a major vandalism of the high school. 

 The premises are so absurd that the movie is quite boring. There are a few scenes where the sitter and the father engages in some genuine interpersonal dialog, but not enough to make it interesting. About one-third through the movie I was convinced that there would be a rash of scenes of bare chested girls in an attempt to save the movie from terminal idiocy. To the credit of the producers, they did not do that. 

 With simple interactions and an extremely unworkable plot, this movie fails to generate even the slightest interest. I had to watch it in 15 minute segments in order to male it to the end. 

Review of "On Conan Doyle," by Michael Dirda

 Review of

On Conan Doyle, by Michael Dirda, ISBN 9780691151359

Five out of five stars

A deep look into the works of Doyle

 Arthur Conan Doyle is most known for being the creator of the superlative detective Sherlock Holmes. Yet, Doyle wrote much more than that. To the extent that his other writings are mentioned, they are often restricted to Doyle’s writings on spiritualism. His other writings, some of which Doyle considered to be his best work, are rarely mentioned. 

 The strongest feature of this recapitulation of Doyle’s life is the mention of his other writings. Some of those writings are examined in significant detail, a valuable feature for readers that want to expand beyond the Holmes tales. 

 Dirda is a member of the group “Baker Street Irregulars,” a club of people dedicated to delving deep into the meanings and unusual extensions of the characters beyond what Doyle actually wrote. There is extensive mention of these musings, no place more than on page 146. “Jason Rouby conjectured that Holmes let Moriarty go at the Reichenbach and that the reformed master criminal went on to pursue a career in law enforcement the United States, taking the name J. Edgar Hoover. C. Arnold Johnson, by contrast, hypothesized that Moriarty returned to London as Fu Manchu, while William Leonard determined that Moriarty survived because he was actually the undead Count Dracula.” 

 Delving into the total work and mind of Conan Doyle is some of the most interesting literary exploration that you can embark on. This book is a must read for deep fans of Conan Doyle. 

Review of "Trent’s Last Case," by E. C. Bentley

 Review of

Trent’s Last Case, by E. C. Bentley

Five out of five stars

Truly a landmark in the murder mystery genre

 Originally published in 1913, this story is a bridge between the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle and the full development of the murder mystery by the writers of the middle of the twentieth century. No less a luminary as Agatha Christie considered it one of her favorite stories.

 The main character and detective is Phii[ Trent and he is brought in to investigate the murder by shooting of businessman Sigsbee Manderson. No one was saddened by his death, Manderson was a ruthless businessman and the list of enemies that he made is extensive. It was argued that the world was a better place when he was not in it, but it was the position of the legal profession that no murder should be ignored. 

 There is little action in the modern sense of the murder mystery, everything is based on extensive dialogue between Trent and the other characters. Manderson has a wife that lived in the same dwelling, yet there seemed to be no real affection between them. Given no hard evidence pointing to a specific perpetrator, all are suspects, yet the facts give all reasonable alibis.  The solution is a complex one, so convoluted that while the case is solved, no one is to be charged with the crime of murder. 

 Given the complexity of the case, the reader familiar with the works of Agatha Christie will recognize the influence of this story on many that Christie wrote. The case is solved by interactions of Trent with other people, using what the Christie character of Hercule Poirot would call, “Order and method.” 

 The events proceed slowly, yet to a satisfactory solution. If you desire action in your detective stories, then you will likely find this one dull. However, if you are interested in the development of the murder mystery genre, then this book will serve as a valuable lesson. 

Review of "SS-GB: Nazi-Occupied Britain 1941," by Len Deighton

 Review of

SS-GB: Nazi-Occupied Britain 1941, by Len Deighton, ISBN 0394504097

Five out of five stars

Interesting alternate history premise

 The basic premise of this detective thriller is one of significant alternate history. After the defeat of the Allied forces in 1940, Germany was successful in their invasion of Britain. While there were major battles on British soil, the remaining British forces were no match for the Germans. The King is hostage in the Tower of London, Winston Churchill was captured and executed and there is no government in exile in the British colonies. 

 The year is 1941 and the alliance between Germany and the Soviet Union remains intact. There was a great deal of damage to the British infrastructure and many British soldiers were captured and remain as P.O.W.s elsewhere. Most of the British people try to live as best they can with rationing and German troops patrolling the streets. There is a resistance movement, but it is small and generally ineffective. The areas of Britain that remain unoccupied are slowly being starved out. While sympathetic, the United States remains neutral, with no great desire to come to the aid of the British nation. 

 Within the British population, there are some officials that remain in their positions and try to serve the British people as best they can under the watchful eyes of their German superiors. One such person is Detective Superintendent Douglas Archer of Scotland Yard. He continues to do the best he can in investigating crimes and has a professional relationship with the Germans. 

 The story has a complex plot, and much is based on the historical fact of the deep animosity between various segments of the German military. The Army retains much of its Prussian aristocratic office core and they have a deep dislike for the more working class and brutal SS. The machinations inside the German military made this a joy for history buffs like me to read. Few historical accounts or works of historical fiction deal with these rivalries within the German military. If you are not a student of history, then some of the aspects of the plot will seem incorrect. However, those that know the history will find them superb features of a delightful story. 

Review of "Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration," by Buzz Aldrin

 Review of 

Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration, by Buzz Aldrin, ISBN 9781426214684

Five out of five stars

Solid, practical plans for space exploration

 Buzz Aldrin was the second man to walk on the Moon and is considered one of the most intelligent of the astronauts. He had a doctorate in astronautics and the other astronauts gave him the nickname “Dr. Rendezvous,” because of his deep knowledge of orbital mechanics.  Aldrin is also credited with inventing underwater training of astronauts to simulate weightless conditions. 

 This book is a detailed description of Aldrin’s position on how human exploration of space and other planets should proceed. He uses his expertise on complex orbits, knowledge of how projects are approved and funded to describe a way in which a semi-permanent shuttle that would travel between Earth and Mars could operate. 

 A large ship capable of coupling modules for crews would fly in a continuous looping orbit between Earth and Mars. A module containing an outbound crew would rendezvous with it when it is near Earth and then move out to Mars. While the ship is near Mars, the module would detach and the module containing returning astronauts would rendezvous with the ship and attach to it for the journey back to Earth. Once the large ship is constructed and placed in the looping orbit, minimal fuel would be required to make the journeys. 

 Aldrin also points out that the two small moons of Mars would serve as excellent way stations and bases for travel to the Martian surface. With little gravity and a rapid orbital speed around Mars, these moons would be easy to disengage from and provide a superb observational platform. 

 This is a book that should be read by all people interested in space exploration that has the goal of exploring Mars. Aldrin has experience in space, a strong background in the science needed to send ships on long, complex voyages and has the gravitas that forces serious attention to his positions. 

Review of "Asteroids: Deadly Impact," National Geographic DVD

 Review of

Asteroids: Deadly Impact, National Geographic DVD

Five out of five stars

Explanation of humanity’s existential threat

 For decades, humanity has faced potential extinction due to a major thermonuclear war. However, there is another existential threat that has existed since the first humans walked the Earth. That threat is from space in the form of the ultimate wanderers of the solar system, comets and asteroids.

 These objects are remnants of the creation of the solar system that have no orbit with a fixed distance from the sun. Their orbits take them from a shorter distance from the sun out to great distances. If the alignment is right, the Earth’s gravity will attract them into a collision course with Earth.

 There is evidence that there have been spectacular collisions in the past, there is now general agreement among the scientific community that such a collision led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. There was one major collision in human history, and it took place in Siberia in June of 1908.

 This video is the story of geologist Eugene Shoemaker and his decades-long quest to convince the scientific world that meteors of significant size have impacted with Earth and that the craters on the moon were made by meteor strikes. It is a fascinating story of persistence and the conclusion that there is a real, albeit small probability that humanity will be wiped out by an asteroid collision. There is a higher probability that there will be a repeat of the Siberian strike, most likely in an ocean, that will not be at the level of an extinction event.

 This is a video that should be shown in all K-12 programs, because it is possible for humanity to mount an effective deterrent to such a strike.  To create such a defense would require significant expense and that would necessitate public support. Generating such support will require educating the taxpayers.