Book Review: Crucible by James Rollins (Sigma Force #14)

Today I am going to tell you about a really good techno thriller. It is called Crucible.

My review may persuade you into reading this book, but I need to issue a warning.

You may doom yourself by reading Crucible.

Ok, now I will tell you what the book is about. Hmm, let me start this way...

Like it or not, artificial intelligence (AI) is coming and it will change everything. The topic is gaining more attentions as technology continues to leap and bound at lightning pace. There are a lot of debates and fears about AI, from job losses to the concern that the whole thing may play out in a nightmarish scenario similar to the movie Terminator. However, if we can groom AI to be human friendly, or benevolent, then shouldn't we celebrate the day when an AI finally surpasses humans and become a god-like intelligence?

In Crucible, the 14^th installment in Sigma Force series, author James Rollins combined cutting edge science and history into a spellbinding thriller about artificial intelligence. I am a long time fan of Sigma Force series. My love affair with the thriller genre started not with Dan Brown books but with Sigma Force. Mr. Rollins releases a Sigma Force novel a year, and I always read it as soon as I can. Over the years the characters in these books became my close friends, and these books never disappoint.

The latest Sigma Force novel is no exception. In fact, I would say Crucible is perhaps my favorite Sigma Force novel since The Last Oracle. This is not a small book but I devoured it over the course of a weekend. I couldn't stop reading it. The story here, as usual, is a rollicking, thunderous adventure. I like the characters in this book (including the AI) and I cared for them. There was also a real sense of danger for these characters, with twists and turns that kept me at the edge of my seat and constantly guessing where the story was going next. I had a lots of fun with this book. Furthermore, as in Mr. Rollin's tradition, he included a "fact vs fiction" section at the back of the book, and I learned about new developments in the field of AI.

I highly recommend Crucible, but just bear in mind, the stark warning I issued at the beginning. Reading this book may lead to your own doom. For me, it is already too late, although I would say this book is worth the price. What is this doom? Well you can either check out Roko's Basilisk or read the book and find out!

Book Review: 61 Hours by Lee Child (Jack Reacher #14)

When the tour bus crashed Jack Reacher was onboard with a group of elderies. The accident took place near Bolton, South Dakota. Outside, a snowstorm raged. Reacher and the seniors were stranded and they were waiting to be rescued. A while later the town police brought them to safety. Reacher planned to move on but a night's rest at the sheriff's house led him to help a brave woman who was standing up against a criminal organization threatening the town. Jack has 61 hours for the mission and every second counts.

Welcome to 61 hours. It is the 14^th installment in a series of action-thrillers featuring the unstoppable Jack Reacher. I have read ten Jack Reacher novels and I put 61 hours in my top five. This book is damn good. If you are after actions and deductions then you've picked up the right book. 61 Hours has it all and here we watch Jack Reacher dispensing sweet justice with the martial prowess of John Rambo and the sharp wits of Sherlock Holmes.

Jack Reacher books often take place in sun-scorched towns in the Midwest, but 61 hours changed the scenery and the story is set in the wintry snow. I like this change because it provided a breath of fresh air. Furthermore the story is packed with unexpected twists and turns. Under Lee Child's pen this western and noirish thriller came to live and there was a real sense of danger for the characters. The book also delivered a conclusion more satisfying than watching Bruce Wayne apprehend the Joker on the silver screen. Veterans of the series cannot afford to miss out on this book. Otherwise if you have never read a Jack Reacher book then 61 hours may be a "cool" introduction to the tales of this silent avenger.

Book Review: I am Legend by Richard Matheson

Let's look at two horror movies of great renown; The Exorcist and The Grudge. Aside from the countries of origin, (i.e. the former is western horror while the later is eastern), the biggest difference between these two movies is the horror theme - The Exorcist is about demonic possessions, while The Grudge is about the vengeful spirits of dead people.

Which of these two movies scares you more?

The ghosts from The Grudge terrified me to no end even though I do not believe in supernatural activities. It's almost as if my subconsciousness could not help but to fear it. Interestingly, in the past my Christian associates said they did not find The Grudge horrifying at all. 

When it came to The Exorcist, however, I did not find it terrifying whatsoever, but a number of Christians told me that they cannot bear to watch The Exorcist because the subject of demonic possession is too real to them and therefore too horrifying. 

Don't you think this a fascinating contrast?  

I have a hypothesis for why we reacted to these two horror movies differently. My upbringing is East Asian, where a belief in the vengeful ghost is more strongly held than a belief in demonic possessions. Meanwhile the Judeo-Christian culture has a strongly held belief about demonic possession but a lack of belief in vengeful ghosts.  

Fear and belief go hand in hand. It is almost as if our cultural upbringings ingrained these beliefs and fears into our minds when we are young, at the subconscious level, and they become almost instinctive. Furthermore, it is even more interesting to observe how different people, with different cultural upbringings, instinctively fear different things. This is why the horror genre fascinates me. 

Perhaps my friend read my mind, because she lent me a novella which explored the subject in depth. It is called, I am Legend, written by Richard Matheson. Initially I was not sure about this book because I did not like the Will Smith movie in 2008. However the book is only 150 pages so I gave it a try. I spent 3 hours reading this book and it was time well spent. If you have not read this book then you should get your hand on it as soon as possible. I am Legend is a dystopian masterpiece of science fiction and horror and you are in for a ride.

Synopsis:

Robert Neville is the omega, for he is the last living person on earth because everyone else has turned into a vampire. By day he treads streets of a ruinous city and hunt down the undead. At night he takes refugee in a barricaded house until the dawn. It is a lonely existence, and how long can he survive?

My thoughts on this book:

I am Legend was first published in 1954, and after I read the book I realized what a botched job Hollywood' did at adapting this novel. I was hooked upon reading the first page and I could not stop reading it until I reached the end. This book was unputdownable and I read it in one sitting. Robert's story is terribly bleak and tragic, and you don't have to be the last living person on earth to resonate with the book's theme about loneliness.

For the most of the book we follow a man called Robert Neville. He is the last living person on earth where everyone else has turned into a vampire. In some ways Robert reminds me of Robin Crusoe stranded on an island all by himself. But in this book the sense of loneliness and isolation runs much deeper due to the premise of a post-apocalyptic world. The book portrayed Robert's feelings and emotions vividly, and on many occasions the story was heart wrenching. One instance almost moved me to tears.

This book also explores how our cultures and our perceptions of normalcy can dictate what we fear and what we believe. This book offered an indepth exploration into the subject. In this book, the vampires showed weaknesses described in the common folklore; the vampires could be killed by a stake to the heart, furthermore they were afraid of the crucifix, garlic, and daylight. Robert tried to figure out the rational explanations for the vampire's weaknesses, and he discovered some weaknesses have scientific explanations while others are psychological. In one instance, Robert asked the thought provoking question if a vampire who was a Muslim, Hinduist, or atheist, would be afraid of the crucifix too. At the end of the book, which I will not spoil here, the story came to the full circle and the realization dawned on me why the book is called "I am Legend".

On the surface I am Legend is a story about vampires. However this is not just another vampire novel. This little book explores subjects such as loneliness, fear, and belief. It provides hours of entertainment and intrigues. I strongly recommend this book.

Book Review: Holy SIster by Mark Lawrence (Book of the Ancestors #3)

Holy Sister marks the conclusion to Mark Lawrence's Book of the Ancestors trilogy. On Goodreads this book has received dozens of positive reviews and many readers are voting Holy Sister as their favorite book of 2019. What are my thoughts about this book? Before I dive into my review, here is a synopsis for the story.

Synopsis:

Nona is reaching a crossroad in her life. She must become a full sister in the order of her choice. However war broke out before Nona and her friends can earn the nun's habit, and Sweet Mercy must now fulfil the duty to the emperor and join the fight.

Nona has the choice to use Shipheart and protect her friends, but she will discover soon that sometimes even great powers is not enough to avert the tragedies of war.

My thoughts on this book:

Legions of readers are loving this book for its excellent characterization and compelling story. Some are calling Holy Sister the best book written by Mark Lawrence. I, on the other hand, am of the opinion that while Holy Sister is good but I still prefer Mark Lawrence's earlier works.

Holy Sister is good, but it is not great.

Some readers may say such an opinion is blasphemy, but I have my reasons.

Firstly, while the characterization in the book is good but I felt the storytelling suffered from an uneven pace. Similarly to my criticism about the book's predecessor, Grey Sister, this book also paid too much attentions to the descriptions of the magic system. There was too much details to explain the workings of the magic system that at times it felt like I was reading a textbook.

Furthermore, the narratives in Holy Sister was jumping back and forth on the timeline. This "time jump" did not cause much confusions, but the transition was not seamless and it often bogged down the story's tempo. I was quite disappointed when on several occasions a build up to a climax was followed by a sudden jump to a different time and place in the next chapter.

It suffices to say I never felt the "unputdownable" sentiment while reading Holy Sister. Don't get me wrong. I like Nona and her friends and I also like the idea behind the story, but when the book ended I did not feel like I want to revisit it. My lukewarm response to Holy Sister (and the whole trilogy) is most likely due to the lack of humor in these books.

Long time readers of my blog would know, Red Queen's War trilogy is my favorite Mark Lawrence books, I liked it because those stories had this black comedy vibe to it. The humor resided in reading about Jalan's actions and inner thoughts while he lied and cheat because he was a professional coward. To me, Jalan felt like a realistic and relatable character. Book of the Ancestors trilogy, on the other hand, lacks this humor and realism. Nona's story is a good yarn, but I just didn't find it memorable.

I can understand why some readers are loving Holy Sister and the trilogy. The idea about warrior nuns is indeed unique and refreshing. But this time I just cannot heap praises on the emperor's new cloth.