November 2024
The weather in Kansas finally decided to do fall/winter temps after a fairly mild October. It rained over ten inches at my house. I love the rain, and we needed it badly. Jet and I drove to Kansas City for his first traveling soccer tournament. We made and bought handmade gifts for Christmas and our traditional gift exchange (my Granny calls it a Yankee Swap). I’ve been trying to improve my reading speed. You can measure yours here. My last test came out at 413 words per minute.
I need a slogan for From The Spine. Send me suggestions, and I’ll enter you into a book giveaway drawing. On December 15th, I’ll draw winners and send them the book of their choice.
Anyway, here are the books I finished and my reviews of them:
Fiction Books
Compulsory (#0.5)
Meet Murderbot. This story introduces Murderbot to the world in a bite-sized chunk of human rescue, internal dialog, and hacking. Murderbot doesn’t know why it rescues the humans. Technically, it shouldn’t because the HubSystem tells him to stay put and wait for the Safetybot to save the human. Is Murderbot a person or a machine? Reading this short story is a quick way to decide if you like the Murderbot vibe.
All Systems Red (#1)
Murderbot is a human/machine hybrid in charge of security for a survey team on a distant planet. It struggles with human interactions/emotions, preferring the humans in its’ charge to perceive him as a robot rather than a person. Murderbot has to step up its security game once its team is attacked by violent predators on the planet, then by an unknown, rogue team of surveyors with hacked security bots. The bad guys wipe out a different survey team and try to hijack Murderbot when it investigates the other team’s habitat. Murderbot’s team rescues him, and they work their way off the planet to safety. Thanks, Lucas, for the recommendation.
This book is for sci-fi fans and socially awkward humans.
(Rated PG-13, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Kevin R. Free, 3:17)
Artificial Condition (#2)
In book two, Murderbot wanders around space, trying to find answers about his past. He travels on transports by bargaining with the bots or constructs in charge of the ships. One ship computer nicknamed ART helps Murderbot adjust its behavior, movement, and physical appearance so it wouldn’t be immediately recognizable as a Security Construct. Murderbot acts as a security consultant for a group of researchers who are being scammed by their employer. While protecting and advising the researchers, Murderbot uncovers critical details from the incident, which earned its nickname (Murderbot). It turns out that Murderbot was not to blame for the mass murder that happened in the past. The internal dialog that Murderbot records on these adventures is an interesting balance of snark, humor, irony, tech, and emotions. Despite not understanding or liking humans, Murderbot does an excellent job protecting his clients.
This book is for sci-fi fans, short-book readers, and socially awkward humans.
(Rated R, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Kevin R. Free, 3:21)
Rogue Protocol (#3)
In book three, Murderbot develops a theory about GrayCris, the corporation involved in the scandal from book one, and the massacre Murderbot investigates in book two. The theory leads him to an abandoned terraforming facility in orbit over the planet Milu. Murderbot thinks that there could be evidence that GrayCris is illegally and craftily digging into alien ruins on planets like Milu. To get onto the facility, Murderbot befriends a humanoid bot named Miki. Murderbot pretends to be a hired SecUnit on the facility to help secure Miki’s humans. The humans fall into a trap that is set to send the facility crashing to the planet to destroy evidence that GrayCris is hiding. Murderbot finds himself saving another set of humans from imminent death. Evidence in hand, Murderbot decides to visit Dr. Mensah, who freed him in book one. She’ll know what to do with the data.
This book is for techies, sci-fi fans, and adventurers.
(Rated R, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Kevin R. Free, 3:46)
Exit Strategy (#4)
Murderbot still doesn’t know what it wants to be when it grows up, but now it has a problem. The bad guys (GrayCris) discover Murderbot is investigating their past sins. They assume that Murderbot is working on Dr. Mensah’s orders, so they kidnap her. When Murderbot returns to give Dr. Mensah the incriminating evidence, the pieces fall into place, and he realizes how things have gone sideways, and it’s probably his fault. Well, it's not his fault that bad guys do bad things, but that he put Dr. Mensah in a bad situation, and the bad people are reacting in bad ways. Murderbot has to track down Dr. Mensah and her team working to negotiate a ransom agreement. Things get messy as soon as GrayCris lures Murderbot out into the open. Murderbot faces two other security bots and a combat security bot. It looks like the team has successfully escaped, but GrayCris is fully committed to killing Murderbot and Dr. Mensah, so they attack the gunship they are on with a raiding party and a violent cyber monster thing. Murderbot manages to trick the vicious attacker and save the crew, but he suffers a complete meltdown and takes months to recover. Murderbot still doesn’t like humans or having emotions about them, but it has a pattern of saving the ones that are good to him.
This book is for the snarky reader, the rushed reader, and sci-fi fans.
(Rated R, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Kevin R. Free, 3:46)
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory (4.5)
This is a short story told by Dr. Ayda Mensah instead of Murderbot. The story shows the tension and recovery the doctor is going through after being rescued by Murderbot in book 4. Being held hostage as a bargaining chip isn’t the sort of treatment one just sleeps off. The short narrative also hints at the relationship Dr. Mensah is building with Murderbot as it protects her and learns to interact with humans as a person rather than being treated like a machine. Narrated from the doctor’s view, the language is much softer, less technical, and less sarcastic. The author also attempts to discuss the delicate blend of man vs machine in a world where the lines are extremely blurred. Are machines with human parts, people, or are they machines? How can we tell? Interesting questions as we advance in biotechnology.
This short story is for readers who have read at least book 4 in the series.
(Rated PG-13, Score 7/10, ebook, 20p.)
Network Effect (#5)
Murderbot stars in his first full-length novel. It’s just a longer story than the first four. It has the same snark, the same allergy to emotions, and the same saving the humans. Murderbot starts the story on a survey trip trying to save his humans from space pirates. The team escapes, killing a few of the hostiles, only to be captured by a different spaceship and dragged through a wormhole. Turns out the different ship is ART, the ship that helps Murderbot in book two, but ART is in trouble. ART’s crew has been kidnapped by alien-contaminated humans. Murderbot helps restore ART, find and rescue his crew, and destroy the alien construct that attacked the humans. During the adventure, Murderbot gets captured by the bad guys. ART, the humans, and a new rogue SecBot team up to rescue Murderbot. Murderbot is used to being expendable, so it has lots of emotions about being rescued. It hates having emotions. The interior dialog that narrates the story is hilarious, and the swearing is more prolific in this volume.
This book is for adventurers, alien-seekers, and jokesters.
(Rated R, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Kevin R. Free, 12:47)
Manatee Summer by Evan Griffith
Fox (Peter) and Falcon (Tommy), two 11-year-old boys living in Central Florida, are enjoying their last summer before starting middle school. The boys hunt for new animals to log in their discovery journal. Peter draws the animals, and Tommy fills in the scientific research. The boys are quirky in ways that balance each other. Peter is trying to learn how to be a caretaker for his Papa. Papa struggles with Alzheimer’s and dementia, so caretaking is both complex and important. As the boys explore, they find a manatee in the canal by their houses. They name her Zoe. One day, they find Zoe injured and in trouble. The boys call for help, and it comes from the Manatee Society. They get Zoe loaded up and off to recover. As Zoe recovers, a hurricane trashes central Florida, and Papa, confused by the storm, falls and breaks his hip. The stress of the recovery process forces Peter and his mom to battle and reach a deeper understanding of each other. Another big problem the boys work through is when Tommy’s family packs up and moves out of the state. The boys manage their emotions in totally different ways. At the end of the summer, after all the drama, Tommy flies back to Florida to stay with Peter and his family. They complete their discovery journal and find an entire herd of manatees. I liked the vibe of this book better than some of the other Battle of the Books titles. It was more authentic. It felt more real. The characters, the drama, the tension, and the resolution felt deeper. The story told from Peter’s perspective allows readers to see how complex emotions can often hit us all at the same time, and we can learn to work through them together. It is a good reminder that everyone you see is fighting a battle you know nothing about.
This is for people learning how to name and own new emotions.
(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read Mark Turetsky, 6:24)
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Opal finds a huge mess of a dog in the Winn Dixie grocery store. She rescues the poor dog and takes him home to meet the Preacher (her dad). Opal and her dad adopt the stinky, smiling, sneezing dog. Opal cleans him up, and he follows her around town as she tries to acclimate. They meet an old lady who owns the town library, some mean little boys, an old witch (who isn’t a witch), and a criminal pet store owner who is an animal charmer (and not a criminal). As the story unfolds, Winn Dixie and Opal work their way into the hearts of all the people they meet. They discover deep wells of sadness and offer healing through connection. Opal learns that knowing ten things about someone isn’t enough to know them. There were a couple of deep, emotional moments and many funny, sweet moments. I enjoyed this book, and I wonder if there is a candy that tastes like melancholy or sadness in real life. If there is, I want to try it. This book has me saying, “Can I pet that dawg?” I’m sure my family will get tired of it soon.
This is for anyone needing a smile and adventure.
(Rated G, Score 9/10, audiobook read by Cherry Jones, 2:27)
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
This is an amazing adventure story with loads of sciencey bits. Most of the fun of reading this book is not knowing how the plot will develop. The story starts with the main character waking up without knowing what's going on or where he is. He doesn't even immediately remember his name. Gradually, Dr. Ryland Grace recovers his memories and "sciences" his way through his adventure. This book is a lot like the author's previous book, The Martian (which I highly recommend) however, in this story, the bad language is dialed way back. My math, science, engineering, computer, space, and physics people will love this book. Weir touches on other themes in the book, like redemption, resilience, language, bio-responsibility, survival, bureaucracy, and more. This one leaves you with lots to ponder.
This book is for survivors, students, and environmentalists.
(Rated PG-13(language), Score 10/10, audiobook read by Ray Porter, 16:10)
Code Red by Kyle Mills (Mitch Rapp #22)
I like to read each book in a series in the proper order. My kids will read in any old order. I guess some of that is rubbing off on me. I grabbed this book from the library and was well into it before I realized I was missing some history. Drug lord Damian Losa is trying to figure out what is happening in the drug trade coming out of Syria. A new narcotic is trickling into Europe, and Losa’s experts can’t replicate some of the chemistry. Losa decides to send someone to Syria to find answers. Mitch Rapp owes Losa a favor (one of the bits from a previous book I was missing). Rapp agrees to the mission and dresses up like a Canadian attorney named Matthew Fournier. In Syria, Rapp learns that the drugs aren’t being made by the Syrian government. They are being made by Russia. They are cleverly developed to be extremely addictive and create permanent brain damage in users. The Russians intend to flood Europe and the US with these drugs, which will overload the medical and criminal justice systems of these developed countries. Losa struggles to understand the Russian approach. He can’t see motives beyond business. Rapp does his spy/ninja thing and uncovers the details of the Russian plot, eventually escaping capture and running an operation to stop the Russians. I liked this book, but it felt too easy or contrived. It’s hard to nail down, but Rapp doesn’t get stabbed or shot like the Gray Man, and he doesn’t have an internal dialogue with his demons like James Reece, so it feels too smooth when he makes it home in one piece.
This is for Rapp fans and action readers.
(Rated R, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Steven Weber, 9:42)
Non-Fiction Books
Life to the Fullest by Bryant Westbrook
I’ve read and reviewed many books, but this is the first one in which I made an appearance. The author is a friend, and I found myself in one of his stories. I still need to get him to sign my copy. This book is a collection of stories, lessons, and challenges making up Bryant’s testimony and his path to Jesus. It’s also a guide to living life to the fullest with Jesus. There are three parts: You Are Loved, Life With the Savior, and Living for the Savior. Part one covers the basics of the gospel. Part two is lessons for young believers. Part three is battle planning for the long haul of a spiritual journey. I enjoyed the stories about faith and how miracles can be big and small. We can only see them if we look. I enjoyed the positive energy in the book. Bryant is one of the kindest people I know, and his writing shows that. I’ve been trying to follow Jesus for a long time, and this book was a good back-to-basics read for me.
This is for anyone wanting to know more about living life with Jesus.
(Rated G, Score 9/10, paperback, 148p.)
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
I’ve worked my whole life to be strong and independent. That work has been valuable, but over the last year since my injury, I have learned the power of being interdependent. Reading this book again reminded me how we are all better together. The book has four parts. First, the author describes some foundational truths. The principles in this book are timeless. They focus on developing a person’s character rather than their personality. Character is deeper and more foundational. Personality crumbles under pressure. It’s the difference between being good (character) and looking good (personality). In the second part, the author discusses habits one through three, which discuss self-mastery.
Habit 1- Be proactive. Establishing this habit puts you in the driver's seat. You are in charge of your life. You happen to your life. You choose your destiny. You act with power and integrity. You are not a victim. Initiative is your superpower.
Habit 2- Begin with the end in mind. Establishing this habit builds on habit one by helping you write the plan. Write a plan for your life- a mission statement. Write your values. Write your obituary. You get to choose your path, and the guide posts along the way.
Habit 3- Put first things first. Learn to do only those things that support your mission statement and values. Plan each week according to your values and the goals that support them.
Part three explains how to work more effectively with others in an interdependent way.
Habit 4- Think win-win. This is a mind-shift from looking out only for yourself to including others in your plans and goals. Open your mind to new and better solutions.
Habit 5- Seek first to understand, then to be understood. This is the art of empathetic listening. In most conflicts, understanding the perspective of the other side and being able to articulate it will open many new opportunities and build trust.
Habit 6- Synergize. This is just a fancy way of saying that together, we can do much more than each of us can do separately.
The last part of the book is Habit 7- Sharpen the saw. This habit overarches the other habits and is the habit of renewal and continuous improvement. Sharpening the saw means to take care of your body, mind, relationships, and spirit. It means investing in growth opportunities like training. It means staying physically fit. It means taking time to build strong friendships.
This is a powerful book. There are many small pieces of wisdom in each section supporting the overarching themes. These truths are timeless and actionable. I think the habit I need the most work on is habit 5. I often rush ahead of others and come to conclusions on my own too quickly. I am learning to slow down, get curious, ask better questions, and then clearly communicate the ideas that we are discussing. I still have a long way to go.
This is for anyone seeking to be more purposeful and effective.
(Rated G, Score 10/10, audiobook read by the author, 15:07)
Preview/Currently Reading-
Leadership is Language by David L. Marquet
Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John M. Gottman
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley
I track my books in a database called Goodreads. You might find it helpful in managing your reading lists.
Final Thoughts-
I might not get any books completed in December because Brandon Sanderson is releasing book 5 in the Starlight Archives, Wind and Truth. I have the audiobook preordered. It is almost 63 hours worth of audio. It might take a very long time to complete it.
We just got back from a holiday visit to New Mexico. Thanksgiving was wonderful. We had all of my siblings and all of their spouses and kids. 27 people in all. We were able to enjoy each other’s company. Tell stories. Lots of laughs. Very minimal crying. No major meltdowns. It truly is a blessing to be part of a family that loves each other. We have lots of differences, but they don’t seem to matter. We have lots of faults and make mistakes, and we give each other grace. We are unreasonably generous. It has taken me a long time to appreciate just how special and unique this type of family and experience is. I am so thankful for my family. I hope that you were able to spend some time with yours.
Happy Birthday, Dad. I love you.
Thanks for adventuring with me.
Joshua
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