Book Review - Rewired: An Unlikely Doctor, a Brave Amputee, and the Medical Miracle That Made History by Dr. Ajay K. Seth

I am a big fan of biographies, history, science, and technology. I'm also a big fan of science fiction becoming science fact. It's not often these five areas come together in one story.

Rewired: An Unlikely Doctor, a Brave Amputee, and the Medical Miracle That Made History by Dr. Ajay K. Seth is a nonfiction short novel about one woman losing an arm and then regaining feeling and function via surgery and a prosthetic. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Story. This book tells the story of a woman who is bitten by a racoon, her arm becomes severely infected to the point it has to be amputated, and then a new, never-before-performed surgery restores sensation and motor functions to the art. The story itself is pretty remarkable, because everything that happens is pretty basic and ordinary, and yet the results of every event and every action was not the usual or even the expected. There were also many unexplained and seemingly impossible twists in the story.

Telling. The author is the doctor who performed the amputation and the surgery to restore sensation and function. He does a remarkable job detailing the events in a very interesting way. His ghostwriter(s) should probably credited on the cover as well.

Technology. This book discussions cutting edge technology and surgical techniques that not long ago were strictly in the realm of science fiction. It was a lot of fun to see them move into the light of science fact.

The Bad

Stops too Soon. This book stops too early. There is still so much more to this story, but I suppose the author wanted to get the important part out there for all to read, and maybe we'll have a sequel to finish the tale.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I really want to know what happens next. Does the main character get a new prosthetic, and does it work like a real arm?

Overall

Rewired: An Unlikely Doctor, a Brave Amputee, and the Medical Miracle That Made History by Dr. Ajay K. Seth is a nonfiction short novel about one woman losing an arm and then regaining feeling and function via surgery and a prosthetic. The story itself is pretty remarkable, because everything that happens is pretty basic and ordinary, and yet the results of every event and every action was not the usual or even the expected. There were also many unexplained and seemingly impossible twists in the story. The author is the doctor who performed the amputation and the surgery to restore sensation and function. He does a remarkable job detailing the events in a very interesting way. His ghostwriter(s) should probably credited on the cover as well. This book discussions cutting edge technology and surgical techniques that not long ago were strictly in the realm of science fiction. It was a lot of fun to see them move into the light of science fact. This book does stop too early. There is still so much more to this story, but I suppose the author wanted to get the important part out there for all to read, and maybe we'll have a sequel to finish the tale. Overall, it is a fascinating story. I highly recommend this book and give it 4.5 out of 5 eReaders.

  

Book Review - The House Guest by Mark Edwards

I really enjoy mysteries and psychological thrillers, but it's hard to find one that's really good and takes surprising twists.

The House Guest by Mark Edwards is a psychological thriller mystery. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Concept. The concept was one I had never heard of quite like this. A couple is house sitting for friends they had met previously on a cruise. One night a young lady appears at the door claiming she's there to visit the owners of the house and charms her way in. All seems to be fine until the husband wakes up one morning with a terrible hangover and his wife and the house guest are no where to be seen. And it only gets better.

Twists. While none of the twists were completely shocking or original, only one of them was obvious, so that made for an enjoyable read.

The Bad

Conclusion. The conclusion wasn't bad, it was just a little too quick, neat, and easy. It relied on betrayal of which there was absolutely no hint of before it happened, so it felt like a bit of a cheat.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the solution had been as well thought out as the rest of the novel. It seemed to end just a little too easily and a little too neatly.

Overall

The House Guest by Mark Edwards is a psychological thriller mystery. The concept is one I had never heard of quite like this. A couple house sits for friends they met previously on a cruise. One night a young lady appears at the door claiming she's there to visit the owners of the house and charms her way in. All seems to be fine until the husband wakes up one morning with a terrible hangover and his wife and the house guest are no where to be seen. And it only gets better. While none of the twists were completely shocking or original, only one of them was obvious, so that made for an enjoyable read. The conclusion wasn't bad, it was just a little too quick, neat, and easy. It relied on betrayal of which there was absolutely no hint of before it happened, so it felt like a bit of a cheat. I highly recommend this book and give it 4.5 out of 5 eReaders.

  

 

Magazine Review - Mystery Weekly Magazine (December 2019)

I love short stories and short story anthologies. When I bought my first Kindle, I purchased a ton of short stories and read them each night with such a thrill. But it's hard to find good short stories even though there are so many out there.

Mystery Weekly Magazine (December 2020) is a monthly mystery anthology of excellent crime and mystery stories that delve into the normal, the supernatural, and the science fiction realms. It is available as an eBook and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

The West Texas Rookie. This story involves a rookie reporter investigating four murders and finding out details the local authorities didn't bother to ask about which leads to her solving the crimes. 3.5 out of 5 eReaders.

Exposure. This is a story of murder and revenge with a slight hint of horror. The title refers to the cold weather that serves as the setting. This one was the best of the bunch. 4.5 out of 5 eReaders.

The Job Interview. This story is about a bank robbery gone awry and a young man looking for a job at a hardware store. It's a little cookie but entertaining. 4 out of 5 eReaders.

Rachel's Place. This is another bank robbery story, but takes place after the fact and mostly involves two people talking about it and the solution to the mystery unfolding. 3.5 out of 5 eReaders.

A Really Great Team. This story involves two married couples and an extramarital affair that has a couple of twists. 4 out of 5 eReaders.

Taking Debbie Rabbit. This story is about a hitman and a job he has moral qualms about. The story is entertaining, but the ending a is a little disappointing. 4 out of 5 eReaders.

A Minute to Murder. Each issue has a "you solve it" mystery where a situation is set up and you have to figure out who the guilty party is. They're usually pretty short and not all that interesting. The solution is in the next issue. This one is closed room murder mystery. 4 out of 5 eReaders.

The Bad

Peat. This is murder mystery with an odd twist. The twist was unique and the story was fairly entertaining. 3 out of 5 eReaders.

   

 

Book Review - The Black Box (Harry Bosch Book 16) by Michael Connelly

I find it interesting how

The Black Box by Michael Connelly is a crime in the Harry Bosch series. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Linking Past and Present. This mystery begins at the beginning of Harry Bosch's career as a cop with one of his first assignments but isn't resolved until twenty years later when he is back on the police force at the end of his second career. There is a certain poetry to it, but it also feels natural and not forces or contrived.

Incorporating Read History. This story begins with the LA Riots, and then forwards to their anniversary with concerns from the real world. This story feels like a documentary or a true story with all the details and real life happens that are considered and included.

Variety. This story feels 100% like a Harry Bosch novel, but at the same time it is so different than any of the previous stories that I didn't feel like I was rereading any them. I really appreciate how the author is able to come up with something new and different without changing the formula. So few can do it so well.

The Bad

Leadership/Politics. Many of the people in power are jerks without any motivation beyond they're just bad guys. I wish they had more motivation to make them a little more sympathetic.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

Hmmmm.

Overall

The Black Box by Michael Connelly is another thoroughly enjoyable crime/police mystery. I really enjoyed how the story presented a mystery at the beginning of Harry Bosch's career that he finally resolved twenty years later when he was back on the police force. I enjoyed how the author was able to tie his story so tightly into the LA riots. This read like a true story. This story feels 100% like a Harry Bosch novel, but at the same time it is so different than any of the previous stories that I didn't feel like I was rereading any them. I really appreciate how the author is able to come up with something new and different without changing the formula. So few can do it so well. I give this book 5 out of 5 eReaders.

     

Book Review - The Safe Man by Michael Connelly

I love ghost stories, and I love Michael Connelly stories, so would I love the combination of the two?

The Safe Man by Michael Connelly is a ghost story mystery NOT in the Harry Bosch series. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Setting. This story concerns a man whose profession is opening safes (legally) and a job that goes unexpectedly. I've experienced very few stories about legal safe openers, so this was really interesting.

Concept. This story has ghosts, time travel, and uses them in a way that hasn't been overdone. It wasn't a huge surprise at the end, but it didn't feel old either.

The Bad

Hmmm.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

Hmmmm.

Overall

The Safe Man by Michael Connelly is a great story about an average man going about his job while expecting his first child. The supernatural elements were very subtle and not immediately obvious. The story is entertaining, the supernatural elements are fun, and the ending is very satisfying. I give this book 5 out of 5 eReaders.

     

Book Review - Suicide Run: Three Harry Bosch Stories by Michael Connelly

I love short stories, and I love Harry Bosch books, so how could I not pick this up!

Suicide Run: Three Harry Bosch Stories by Michael Connelly is an anthology of three crime mystery short stories in the Harry Bosch series. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Suicide Run. The first story is about a potential suicide of a girl who came to Hollywood to make it big but hadn't yet. The story is very strong and interesting, but it's the twist at the end that moves this into the realm of excellent.

One Dollar Jackpot. What makes this story stand out is the way Harry is able to catch the killer, the husband of a woman who is famous for high-stakes poker and was murdered the night she won a large jackpot.

The Bad

Cielo Azul. This wasn't a bad story, it just wasn't a great story. It involves a serial killer of younger victims on death row. Harry Bosch tries to get him to reveal the identity of one of his victims. He refuses and the story ends. The concept is different and I get the point the author is trying to make. I just wish there had been more to the story. Maybe making the investigation of the cases more involved and more interesting to make up for the mild ending.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the second story had contained more.

Overall

Suicide Run: Three Harry Bosch Stories by Michael Connelly contains two excellent short stories and one very good one. All involve murdered victims, but all differ in how the victim was murdered, why, who did it, how the story is told, and what the point of the story is. I give this book 4.5 out of 5 eReaders.

    

Book Review - The Drop: Harry Bosch, Book 15 by Michael Connelly

I've become a bit addicted to Michael Connelly's writing and the world of Harry Bosch. I just wish I could get into the TV series on Amazon Prime.

The Drop by Michael Connelly is a crime in the Harry Bosch series. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Story and Writing. The story was incredible. I couldn't put it down. The book contains two different cases that don't directly interact. Normally this is a turn off for me, but somehow the author managed to move from one to the other without losing any steam or interest.

Twists. This novel actually surprised me with where it went. I thought the story was over a couple of times, but it kept going, and I wasn't sure where the author wanted to go and why. But after reading the twists I saw why and was glad.

Variety. One case is a cold murder while the second was a possible suicide. Even though both involved a dead body, they were very different, the investigations went in different directions, and the fallout from both were very different.

The Bad

Main Character. The main character still isn't that interesting. He's kind of a jerk, he's not that clever, and I still have a hard time rooting for him.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

Hmmmm.

Overall

The Drop by Michael Connelly was the best Harry Bosch book yet. The story really grabbed my attention and took turns I didn't see coming, but ones that made sense and didn't feel like a cheat. I give this book 5 out of 5 eReaders.

     

Book Review - Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship by Robert Kurson

Pirates have always fascinated me, both the myths created by storytellers and movie makers and the reality that wasn't so violent or glamorous. So little of real pirates and what they did is known, that every new nugget of knowledge is an exciting find.

Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship by Robert Kurson is a nonfiction account of an actual search and discovery of an obscure pirate and his ship that should be much more famous. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

John Banister. I had never heard of John Banister, but this book included so much of his story and character that I'm dying to see a movie about his life. He was a fascinating character, filled with brilliance and contradictions, and lived several exciting adventures that would be perfect for the silver screen.

Background on Treasure Hunting and Searches. The author did an excellent job spelling out the realities of treasure hunting, the lifestyle, the challenges, the sacrifices, and the rare payoffs. I've seen fictional portrayals of all this, but to find out what happens in real life to real people was very interesting.

The Bad

Not a Lot Happened. I enjoyed the story, but it would be hard to turn into a movie without a lot of creative license. While quite a bit happened, not at much as one would expect happened. And a lot of it wasn't unique to this particular incident, but sounded to so many other stories.

Weird "Learned from the Natives" Shoehorned in at the End. The author shoehorned in a single experience about natives using a rock and sticks to change his tire, then made it some major point of learning right at the end. It felt like pandering and trying to make the author sound enlightened and not like an experience he actually learned from. If he really was so impressed with the natives and their ingenuity, he needed to include a lot more examples thruout the book and not some quick, unnecessary side note near the end.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish there had been more to the story.

Overall

Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship by Robert Kurson is a well written account of a handful of men and a pirate that should be a lot more famous than he is. The story of John Banister, the pirate, was fascinating and would make an incredible film. The story of the discovery of his ship not so much. I give this book 4 out of 5 eReaders.