Book Review - Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker

I love technology. I'm amazed at what it can do, but also a little terrified. For everything blessing that it can bring into one's life, there is a corresponding curse. As technology is able to do more, it is able to do more bad as well as good. And individual and societal reliance on technology makes it much easier to manipulate the facts and distort reality. Yet so few people understand how this actually happens or what can actually be done. This book pulls back the curtain on a real person manipulating actual technology and explaining how vulnerable the systems we rely on are. And technology isn't the most vulnerable area.

Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker is an autobiography written by Kevin Mitnick covering the part of his life when he was one of the most famous and notorious hackers and how vulnerable systems were and continue to be. It's available in all formats: eBook, Audiobook, and those old-fashioned paper book things.

The Good

The Writing. The writing was excellent. It felt like the author sat down and told me a story. It was very conversational. He included a lot of specific details and technological information that I found fascinating, but there wasn't so much nor did he go so far into detail to turn off technophobes.

Social Engineering. One of the most fascinating--yet disturbing--parts of the book was how easy it is to manipulate human beings and how the human element tends to be the most vulnerable part of any system. The author cites numerous examples of how he was able to manipulate meaning individuals into helping him commit fraud and violate what should be iron-clad security.

Pacing and Entertainment. This is a long book, but you wouldn't know it from reading it or listening to it. I was completely absorbed in the story and couldn't wait to hear what happened next. The title makes it sound like it could be tedious or overly technical, but it isn't. There's enough technical detail that those who understand technology will learn something, but it's told in a way that even those who hate technology won't get bored.

Complete Story. This is a true story about a man who is still alive and functioning in society, which means his story isn't over. Yet the book feels complete with a beginning, middle, and satisfying ending. That's not to say there can't be a sequel with what's he's done since going legit, but that would be a separate story.

Ray Porter. I listened to this as an Audiobook narrated by Ray Porter. Ray Porter is one of my favorite narrators. I actually seek out and buy books he narrates even if I know nothing about the author or subject matter, because his reading is that good. 

The Bad

Ummm.....

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I've got nothing.

Overall

Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker is an incredibly well-written autobiography about a fascinating character and era in history few know much about, at least not what actually happened. It is as entertaining as it is informative. I highly recommend it and give it a solid 5 out of 5 eReaders.

    

Book Review: 14 by Peter Clines

I'm not a huge fan of urban horror, but when it is done well I really enjoy it (such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the MTV Teen Wolf series). I also love science fiction. Peter Clines has managed to craft an excellent story that straddles both genres while providing a great mystery, interesting characters, and a compelling story. Not an easy feat.

14 is science fiction, urban horror novel written by Peter Clines that incorporates the worlds of HP Lovecraft into a modern horror story with a little Tesla science fiction for good measure. It tells the story of an apartment building and its tenants' attempts to solve the mystery of the building. It's available in all formats: eBook, Audiobook, and those old-fashioned paper book things.

The Good

The Writing. Peter Cline is an excellent writer. The writing is crisp and clean. It never talks down to the reader nor does it ever become pretentious trying to show off. It never gets in the way of the story.

The Characters. This book has several interesting characters that are entertaining on their own, but when they get together they have really good chemistry. When characters die during the course of the story, I found myself caring.

The Setting. The story centers around an apartment building and the mystery of its construction and maintenance. The author paints the building as a seemingly normal apartment building like any other, but when the characters start to take a closer look, they see something sinister hiding in the corners and shadows, but it wasn't even close to what I thought it was going to be.

The Mystery. From the first chapter, strange things happen and they continue to happen with the mystery adding two questions for every answer it gives, and the mystery isn't solved until almost the end. It kept me at the edge of my seat wondering what it all meant.

The Twist. After the first few chapters, I was expecting a certain type of story, but I was truly surprised by the twists the story took. I didn't see any of them coming, but at the same time none of them felt like cheats. They made sense and I completely bought them.

Tesla Cliché. Nikola Tesla was very famous in his day, but during the latter half of the twentieth century sunk into obscurity until the 2006 film The Illusionist put him back on the world's radar. I love Tesla and all the amazing things he did. I love Tesla stories. I just feel he's getting to be a little clichéd in today's world. This story took a different enough approach that I didn't think to myself, "Oh, no, not this again." It wasn't as fresh as I would have liked, but still different enough to be mostly unique.

Ray Porter. I listened to this as an Audiobook narrated by Ray Porter. Ray Porter is one of my favorite narrators. I actually seek out and buy books he narrates even if I know nothing about the author or subject matter, because his reading is that good. 

The Bad

Ummm...

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I've got nothing.

Overall

14 is an incredibly well-written science fiction, urban horror novel with interesting characters, and intriguing mystery, and several twists. I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend it and give it a solid 5 out of 5 eReaders.

    

Blu-ray/DVD Review: Black Jack The Movie

I've been a fan of Osamu Tezuka ever since I read my first Astro Boy comic. And it wasn't long after that when I read my first Black Jack comic and instantly became a fan. Black Jack is an unlicensed surgeon who performs procedures (usually surgeries but not always) that others can't or won't and charges exorbitant fees for his services. He stared in a series of 20-page manga stories beginning in 1973. Half his adventures are medical dramas, and the other half are unrelated adventures.

Black Jack The Movie is an animated Japanese anime that has recently been re-released in the United States on Blu-ray and DVD by DiscoTech Media. It was originally released in 1996 along with a 10-episode series in the same style. Included is the original Japanese track and an English dub. If it were released in theaters today, it would probably receive a PG-13 rating for medical-related gore and is appropriate for teenagers and up.

Quick Summary

This film stars Black Jack, an unlicensed medical genius, who is called in my a large corporation to investigate the mystery of the sudden appearance of super humans and their unexplained violent deaths.

The Good

Story. This movie had a really enjoyable story. The point of this movie is the mystery of the superhumans, where they came from, and why they are sick. Because of this, the character development is kept to a minimum, which many people will probably complain about, but character development isn't the point of this type of story.

Animation. This was animated in the 90s, which (in my opinion) was the height of craftsmanship for Japanese animation. The character designs are edgy, the colors bold, the action exciting. Everything was still mostly done by hand, and it looks like it. Today anime is too clean with too many filters and effects to cover up the poor draftsman skills.

Mystery. This movie is actually a series of mysteries with the solution of one leading into a new mystery that continues until the very last minute of the movie. It kept me at the edge of my seat with the resolution of each mystery being very satisfying. Too many shows nowadays fall into the trap of presenting the major challenge at the begging of the show or season (like Flash or Green Arrow seasons 2+) and bore the audience with failure after failure at solving it for the two hours or the 22 episodes. Black Jack does not fall into that trap.

Pacing. This movie starts with an interesting incident, the Olympics, and continues at a steady pace that never feels too rushed or too slow. This film never lost my attention.

Medical Illustration/Animation. A lot of time and care was put into making the surgical scenes look beautiful and accurate. It really sets this anime apart from others.

The Bad

Songs. This movie had the most random, dated track that had a completely different mood than the intense action scene it was set against.

Shoe-horned Environmental Message. At the very end, one of the main characters explains the mystery and then out of nowhere suddenly says people are killing the Earth and has this impassioned plea to take drastic steps to save it. This comes out of no where. There is not a single environmental or anti-industry message in the entire movie. Even if you agree with the sentiment, it still feels completely out of place and bizarre. If you want to make such a statement at the end of the movie, have a little foreshadowing beforehand.

Convenient Plot Elements. This movie flows pretty smoothly from one scene to the next with everything working out perfectly to advance to the next scene. There is no real challenge or

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I would have enjoyed a little more effort put into the writing. There wasn't a lot of conflict, the obstacles were quickly and easily overcome, and there were a few too many convenient occurrences in the plot to advance the story to the next scene. It wouldn't have taken much to justify why the characters did what they did or decided to try what they did.

Overall

Overall, Black Jack The Movie was an exciting, thrilling, mystery that kept me thoroughly entertained and wasn't fully resolved until the very end. It felt more like an American movie with very little evidence of Japanese culture which most people in this country will enjoy. I give it 4 boxes of popcorn out of 5.

    

Book Review - The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution by Walter Isaacson

I'm a huge fan of technology and huge fan of looking behind the scenes. I love seeing how things were done. The Digital Revolution is probably the most influential event in the 20th century touching the lives of every man, woman, and child and every industry. 

The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution is a nonfiction history written by Walter Issacson covering the rise and development of the digital era from the invention of the first computer to the Internet and personal electronic devices. It's available in all formats: eBook, Audiobook, and those old-fashioned paper book things.

The Good

The Writing. This was the first book I've read by Walter Issacson, and I was thoroughly impressed. The writing was clear and precise. It was completely engaging, moving at a great pace and never became slow or boring. This book never talks down to the audience, never skips necessary technical information, nor tries to show off or impress the audience with technical jargon or poor explanations. The author makes everything very easy for the average reader to understand.

The Coverage. The Innovators covers over a dozen people and their impact. It would be really easy to pick a favorite or to exaggerate the contribution of one or two men (such as been done with Steve Jobs since his death). But the author understands that the revolution happened over many decades and relied on the contribution of many people. The author does an excellent job giving each character and each innovation sufficient time inform the reader of his or its importance but doesn't exaggerate any role.

The Focus and Context. A book like this could go a lot of ways. The author chose to emphasize the impact of each innovation and his innovation and doesn't let history dull the importance. For example, smart phones are really big right now, but many people have forgotten that a decade ago mp3 players were just as big and revolutionary. And a great number of people weren't around decades ago when the pocket-sized transistor radio hit the market and made just as big of a splash as the iPod or iPhone. The author is very good about pointing such things out to the reader and helping the reader understand the effect for its time.

Pacing and Entertainment. This is a very long book, and yet it felt like it flew by. Any technical topic or historical topic has the danger of being dry, boring, and hard to relate to, but the author's strong writing kept the story moving and the events exciting and relevant to a modern audience.

The Bad

Ummm.....

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I've got nothing.

Overall

The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution is an incredibly well-written book about one of the most important topics of the 20th Century. It is as entertaining as it is informative. I highly recommend it for all readers and give it a solid 5 out of 5 eReaders.

    

TV Show Review: Erased

I'm a casual fan of anime. When I first saw it in my youth, I was blown away by the energy and visual feast of the few titles that made it to American shores. Back then it was highly curated so only the really good stuff made it, and American animation was all done on the cheap. Now it seems everything comes over, which means there's a whole lot of bad and mediocre junk covering few gems. But there are still a few gems, and Erased is one of those.

Erased is a 12-episode drama, crime thriller anime from 2016 based on a manga of the same title. It tells the story of a 29-year-old man with the ability to travel back in time to save lives. Usually he only travels back a few seconds, but this time he travels back nearly two decades to his adolescent self to stop a serial killer.

The Good

Story. This series has a really solid story, and being only 12 episodes, it focuses strictly on that story with each episode moving towards the resolution with no filler episodes. The pacing is deliberate but never too slow yet never rushed. The characters are developed thoroughly enough that we feel we know them and care about them.

Tension. This series has really good tension with a lot of edge-of-your-seat moments. The mystery

Resolution. The ending was very satisfying. It took a twist the last two episodes I wasn't expecting and didn't think would work, but it did. The animators didn't take the usual route to resolve the story, which was refreshing and appreciated.

The Mother. This main character's mother plays an important supporting role always being there for her son and seemingly able to read his mind. She is very understanding and supportive of what seems like crazy ideas about helping his schoolmates. She doesn't know he's actually his 29-year-old self come back from the future to prevent a series of murders that haven't happened yet, but goes along with it anyway in a logical and believable way.

Unconventional Take on Conventional Story Tropes. This series deals with story elements we've seen a hundred times (time travel, murder, serial killers) but doesn't take the standard approach to any. There is absolutely no attempt to explain how the main character is able to travel thru time or why. The power also works in a very convenient way, at one point giving him a second chance to fix the past almost as if there is someone looking down from above guiding him. The resolution to the mystery was also not the typical ending to this kind of story.

The Bad

Whodunit. There are a couple of red herrings thrown in at the beginning of the series to make it look like a mystery, but there's really only one character who it could be. Unfortunately, there is no foreshadowing or indications of that, so while you know who it is, it feels awkward when the killer is revealed. It feels kind of like a cheat, like someone is trying to pull the rug out from under you for a big dramatic effect.

Convenient Plot Devices. There are a few convenient plot devices such as the time travel working just right to progress the story in a certain way or people believing and supporting the main character even when it doesn't really make sense to do so. They don't ruin the story, nor are they merely lazy writing, but they could have at least been explained so they didn't feel so convenient.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

This series has a very somber tone throughout that rarely changes. Most of the characters seem upset or depressed. Twelve episodes is a long time to sustain this mood. It would have been nice to have had more breaks from it either with humor or fun or something. There is humor and there are jokes, but they are few and far between and very subdued.

Overall

Overall, I really enjoyed this series. It had interesting characters, a strong story, and unconventional twists and resolution. I recommend this series to fans of crime thrillers and give it 4 out of 5 remotes.

    

Book Review - Buz Sawyer Book 4: Zazarof's Revenge

I've been a fan of comic strips and comic strip characters for as long as I can remember. My early favorites include Charles Schultz's Peanuts (Charlie Brown and Snoopy) and Jim Davis' Garfield. I wasn't old enough to experience action/adventure strips, so I never really discovered those until I was an adult. I first came across Roy Crane when his Captain Easy and Wash Tubbs strips were reprinted. I fell in love with the characters and the creator's artwork instantly. Then I learned he created another strip after Captain Easy and had to check it out. That strip was Buz Sawyer.

Buz Sawyer Book 4: Zazarof's Revenge is a collection of action, adventure comic strips from 1949-1952 by Roy Crane. It is available in Hardcover from Fantagraphics.

Comic Strip Overview

Buz Sawyer was created at the end of World War II. Buz Sawyer was originally a pilot for the navy until the end of the war. Then he becomes a trouble shooter for Frontier Oil and travels the globe moving from one adventure to another. Many girls are originally introduced vying for his affection, but he eventually marries a very down-to-earth neighbor named Christy. Occasionally she joins him on his adventures, but most of the time she is at home worrying about him.

The Good

Artwork. The artwork is absolutely gorgeous! Roy Crane knows how to make the most of a line. Every line, every stroke communicates so much with no superfluous marks made. It's very minimalist and cartoony in the best sense of both works. And the use of shading makes each strip look like an oil painting masterpiece. At times you forget that these are black and white. Even if the stories were no good, the artwork would more than justify picking up the book, although the exotic locations weren't quite as well rendered as in previous volumes. I hope this isn't a sign of a decline to come.

Action. I love the variety of action from fist fights to gun battles to action in the air and on the sea. It's all high energy with high stakes that makes you feel like you are part of the fights and other perils.

Adventures. I love the locations Buz travels to. It's fun to see different parts of the world. I also enjoy the variety of troubles Roy Crane puts his protagonist in from revolutions in South America to sneaking in and out of the Communist Block in Europe. The stories were very much a product of their time focusing on the concerns of the day. But Roy Crane crafts them so well that they feel vintage, not dated. Roy Crane continues to improve in his storytelling, and this is his best yet.

Production Value. Fantagraphics has done an amazing job finding, restoring, and presenting these strips so they look their absolute best. The black lines are crisp and clean with solid darks. The book itself is well designed with wonderful bonus material. This book was done right. Good job, Fantagraphics! Keep up the good work.

The Bad

Silly Animal Comedy. I am not a fan of silly animal sidekicks (like Bandit in Johnny Quest) that add nothing to the story beyond attracting certain viewers/readers. This volume unfortunately has two stories with such characters, one featuring a monkey and another featuring a parrot. They are by far the weakest stories and hardest to get thru.

Lack of Direction. After World War II ended, it feels like Roy Crane wasn't sure what to do with his character. By this volume in the series, Buz is firmly established at Frontier Oil, but he still is sent on random adventures that never fell connected or like their advancing a bigger story.

Characters. Buz Sawyer does not have the most interesting characters. Buz and his wife are a pretty typical 1950s couple with little to distinguish them from any other 1950s couple. The antagonists are also pretty one-dimensional with little more than their greed, fear, desire for revenge, or lust for power to define them. Occasionally they'll have some quirk such as a fear of germs or a desire to never be photographed, but it's not enough to make them interesting on their own. This is one of the few areas where Roy's previous efforts were much stronger.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the stories would stick to the action adventure and not veer off to the silly animal comedy sidetracks that are neither funny nor entertaining (although Roy Crane draws some great animals). I also wish there was more of an overall story instead of a series of adventures that don't really connect with each other. It feels like the creator isn't sure where to take the character.

Overall

Buz Sawyer Book 4: Zazarof's Revenge is the best of the Buz Sawyer books. Roy Crane continues to produce the most beautiful artwork in comic strips and his storytelling continues to get better and better. The adventures were even more exciting, more gripping, and better told than in previous volumes with a few unnecessary comedic side trips that went on too long. I give it a solid 4.5 out of 5 eReaders.

    

Book Review: John Quincy Adams by Harlow Giles Unger

I've studied quite a bit of US History, but one period and one figure that often gets overlooked is John Quincy Adams and his time in government. Aside from the "corrupt bargain" and his relationship to the country's second president, little is said about the numerous other contributions he made. He fought with Washington, served as minister to six countries, served in Congress, as Secretary of State, and as President, and helped negotiate an end to the War of 1812. He argued cases before the Supreme Court and spoke up against slavery when such a thing was prohibited.

John Quincy Adams is a biography written by Harlow Giles Unger. It's available as eBooks, Audiobooks, and those old-fashioned paper book things.

The Good

The Writing. Harlow Giles Unger's prose were crisp, clean, and clear. The narrative never dragged, nor did I feel like it moved too quickly. I never found myself bored or wished the book had spent more time on a certain event. I would definitely read more from this author.

Linear Telling. One complaint I have with tellings of true events is how authors like to jump around in time to try and make a point and/or force their interpretation of history on the reader by manipulating the telling and order of events. This book doesn't make that mistake. It tells the story in a linear fashion letting the reader draw his own conclusions for the most part.

Completeness. The novel covers John Quincy Adams life completely. Nothing important is left out or brushed over too quickly.

Objectivity. John Quincy Adams was quite a controversial figure in his day with scandal following him from one post to another. From a floundering law practice to dissatisfaction with his work overseas as minister to various countries to the "corrupt bargain" that won him the presidency, and the "gag rule" in Congress, he was quite a despised character. But many later historians look back at his ideas that were eventually adopted such as the US funding the arts and sciences, the end of slavery, and more and see him as a visionary figure. The author does an excellent job of presenting all points of views and giving amble explanation of why he received such praise and such venomous attacks without forcing his personal opinion on the reader. For a biography, this is important.

The Bad

Audiobook Narration. I listened to this as an audiobook, and while the reading was proficient, it didn't do the story any favors. It didn't ruin the story, but it didn't add to it either. It was the weakest part.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I've got nothing.

Overall

John Quincy Adams is a well-written book about an intriguing character and his fascinating life and impact on the destiny of this nation. The story is always interesting and never feels rushed or dragging. John Quincy Adams' life is presented thoroughly and objectively without a personal agenda being forced down the reader's throat. I give it a solid 5 out of 5 eReaders.

    

Movie Review: The Lego Batman Movie

I loved the original The Lego Movie and Batman's appearance in it. So when I heard he was getting his own film, I was pretty excited (especially considering Batman's last two appearances on the big screen left me a bit disappointed).

The Lego Batman Movie is a 2017 action, comedy, superhero film. It's rated PG and is appropriate for most audiences.

The Good

Humor. The humor was brilliant. The jokes were all so funny and original and covered such a broad spectrum of subjects and types of humor. Every single one worked.

References. This movie made more references than I thought possible to stick into two hours. It made references to every big screen appearance of Batman (including the original black & white serials from the 40s), the numerous TV appearances, and several classic comics. It included over two dozen Batman villains from the major players to the minor ones most people have probably never heard of. It also included references to other movies from Harry Potter to Gremlins to Iron Man. It also had references to music and other genres. I doubt anyone could catch all of them on the first or even second viewing. I can't believe the number of SuperFriends that made cameos.

Opening & Closing. This movie broke the fourth wall at the beginning and the end to make a comment on action movies, epic movies, and movies in general that was so funny and perfectly set the tone.

Action. The action does not disappoint. It was everything one could want from a Batman anything (movie, cartoon, comic). I can't see any live action movie even coming close to the level and fun the action in this movie achieved.

Visuals. This movie was gorgeous to look at from set design to costume design to character design. The colors, the lighting, the camera angles, and ever other visual was so well thought out and composed. I loved all the versions of the characters and settings the filmmakers used with the exception of Harley Quinn. They used the current comic book look which is one of my least favorite versions, but that's a personal matter of taste.

Music. This movie uses many different popular songs, well-known soundtracks, and a slew of original songs. The original songs were so fun and catchy. The popular songs were so well used. And the tracks from the original Superman movie was fun and a nice touch.

The Bad

Heavy-handed Moral. This story had a message underneath all the jokes that was literally spelled out several times in both words and images. You'd have to be brain dead not to have caught it the first time or the seventh time. It got annoying fast.

Robin. Robin was obnoxious from the lame character design to the poor characterization. He was obnoxious and kind of weird. With such likable characters, I'm shocked and saddened that they couldn't have done more with Robin. He's one of the best characters in the comics and cartoons. This was probably the worst version of him I've ever seen.

Prosaic Moral of the Story. The resolution to the emotional conflict was so prosaic and tired. For such a clever, original movie it felt out of place and kind of insulting. It wasn't enough to ruin the movie, but it did cause me to groan and shake my head.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish they hadn't beaten me over the head with the moral of the story. All the humor, the references, the jokes, etc. weren't heavy handed. So not only was it annoying, it was out of place.

I also would have enjoyed slowing down the action scenes a little more so I could have enjoyed all the characters and references. It was a little too frantic.

Overall

The Lego Batman Movie is a masterpiece. It was funny, it was clever, it was original, it included so many villains and other parts of Batman's world that we've grown to love. The action was exciting, the story solid, and the pop culture references brilliantly done. I give it a solid 4.5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn.