Reduce, Reuse, RECYCLE

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning by James Patterson

The American Government has tried its hardest to get the flock to come to a regular special school where they can learn more about them, but they would still have some freedom that “the school” didn’t give them, i.e. growing up in dog crates. Max and the gang quickly turn down all offers, except when Max’s new found mom offers an option to help scientists do research down in Antarctica. The flock decides to give the research a try and have a small amount of time where they don’t feel hunted or pursued in any way, of course it wouldn’t be much of a book without a little action, so they are captured once again and offered to be auctioned off. Max during this time realizes her higher purpose when saving the world, she should actually be saving the world from global warming. As she continues to work out her plans she is learning more about her purpose all of the time.

If I thought the last book had a hint of environmental propaganda, that’s all that this fourth installment is about. Max goes to congress to get things changed, which is so not like her. I hope that something changes or the end of this series is going to be a major disappointment. A flock of mutant kids running from evil scientists, that’s something I can jump on board with, but them having a mission to save the world from people not recycling, is not my cup of tea.

Max and Fang are still not together, I have high hopes for the fifth book, I hope I’m not disappointed. I don’t have much to say about this one. I have since taken a break from the Maximum Ride and moved on. With the sixth installment coming out later this year, I’ll read Fang (currently at the Texarkana Library) and Angel, to come out in February 2011, whenever I get a chance. Because of this book, I'm in no hurry. What do you think? Is this story the best you've ever read or is it slowly dying a slow painful death?

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Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson

Max and the flock have missed death and miserable science lab lives once again, they now have another member in the flock, Total, the talking dog. In this third book of the Maximum Ride series, there’s trouble in paradise and the flock breaks up. Max and Fang get into a huge fight and decide to go separate ways. Max, Nudge, Angel, Total, and Ari (the Eraser with an expiration date) decide to follow a lead to Europe, while Fang, the Gasman and Iggy go to the West Coast to see what they can make happen with Fang’s blog. As his popularity gains advancements, he believes that kids can take down these evil corporations and live a normal life.

In this particular book the reader will start to pick up on the hints of Environmentalism. One thing I do not appreciate is a preachy book. I didn’t realize that this series was headed in that direction, and it made me sad. Adults are ruining the world one aluminum can at a time. Well the action and the story are still good, so I will keep reading.

During the split up, Max realizes quite a few things about herself that she may not have been able to learn with the whole gang together. She knows now that nothing should separate them, the flock should always be together. Also, some of the flock members are mutating and getting a new power, which is interesting, they are not only flying bird kids, but now they can do extra-ordinary things. You’ll have to read the series to know what I’m talking about.

This was a great book, kept the story going, still loving Max and Fang and look forward that that story continuing the develop. There is a lot of give and take and I love watching the characters grow and mature in their part of the story. So far all three books have taken less than 6 months, but it’s been an interesting ride.

Schools Out for Now...

Maximum Ride: School’s Out-Forever by James Patterson

Now that Max and the other avian/human children have saved Angel from the school, they are on a mission. They want more than anything to find their parents, get some answers, and find out why they grew up in dog crates being poked and prodded by evil scientists in the school. As they get closer to the answers they are looking for, they also are closer to danger. With Erasers showing up at every turn and good things turn bad at each step, Max, Fange, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel have more hard times coming for them.

School’s Out-Forever was an exciting second edition to the Maximum Ride series, we find out a little more about the kid’s past even things they don’t want to know. Fang and Max have started to get closer and realize things about each other that they haven’t thought before.

I did like the Eraser Max and the Max II, Maximum learned a lot about herself in this book and she continues to find out who she is not only as the leader of the flock, but also as her own individual person.

Fang starts a blog about their travels and exactly what the school and the institute, other evil corporations are up too. I like Fang’s blog and within the series it’s good to see his point of view. There is a book later in the series that is called Fang and I’m excited about reading his story.

Genetic mutants or World Heroes?

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Growing up in a cage can be hazardous to a person’s developmental health. Somehow the six, winged bird children that grew up in cages at “the school” made out ok. They were rescued by Jeb Batchelder who adopted Max as a child of his own, thought to be dead the flock has lived without adults, rules, and cages for some time. All goes horribly wrong when the flock is attacked by Erasers and Angel the youngest is taken back to the school. The flock including Maximum Ride, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, and the Gasman devise a plan to rescue Angel from most certain death.

The first book of the Maximum Ride series was great. The characters are easy to care about. I enjoyed Max and the others. The one character that I had a great time reading about was Fang. I think that throughout the series there will be a lot more coming from him. He’s a great character and I’m excited to see what develops between him and the other characters. I also enjoyed Max’s changing perspective of Fang and how Fang surprised the others with things that he said.

That raptor just ate him!

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Can you imagine reading this book before watching the movie? I have seen the movie multiple times, probably more than 20, and I was still on the edge of my seat at the end. I loved that they changed the details from the book to the screenplay. It made reading the book even more enjoyable. While reading this book I kept reaching for Simon and asking him why they didn’t put certain scenes in the movie. They were incredibly suspenseful and exciting. There were also characters that lived in the movie that died in the book. I thought that was very interesting.

Based from a screenplay that Michael Crichton read, this book is about genetically recreated dinosaurs. The question that this book rises is not whether humans can do things, but should they? Ian Malcolm a mathematician that was brought onto the project of Jurassic Park to give his theory about the outcome of this experiment. He states that when things seem to get better, that is when the bottom is going to fall out. The mathematical chaos theory is what this whole book is about, that and humans trying to escape an island before they become a carnivore’s meal. When scientists think that they can do anything and don’t look into the end result of those decisions, then there will always be consequences for actions either of the scientists themselves, or the people they bring into the picture.

The book was well written and enjoyable. The characters were easy to love or hate. It was a great book that I highly recommend.

Thanks for reading!

Faith a Large Subject for a Small Book

Have a Little Faith: A True Story by Mitch Albom

This true story starts with Mitch Albom telling the audience the story of his lifelong Rabbi asking him to write is eulogy. At the time he was confused by the request and assumed that the Rabbi must be sick or about to die. Eight years later, Reb Albert Lewis and Mitch Albom grew very close and the book is about their journey. Interspersed within the story is also the story of Henry. Both life stories are heartwarming and stories that will stick with the audience for a while.

This is not my normal book choice. I have read another book by the same author years ago called, The Five People you meet in Heaven. My opinions of that particular book will probably never make the blog, for many reasons. Let’s just talk about two. First it was a very long time ago and I can’t remember any details about the book, the Five People book was suggested to me by a friend. The second reason is I didn’t like it enough to go find the book and reread it and spend time blogging about it. I feel the same about Have a Little Faith.

First of all it was a sweet story, I was glad Albom got to know his Reb before he died, oh, sorry spoiler alert. The book is about the Reb’s eulogy. It’s like I just walked into Star Wars Episode 1 and said, oh that cute little kid is going to be Darth Vader. Anyway, so, I am glad about Albom getting to know him since he was scared of him his entire adolescence. I admit that there were a few times that I cried, and laughed, and I did finish the book, so it wasn’t completely hogwash.

Beyond that, the lessons he learned because of knowing the Reb were ideas that I guess I would have thought a person would learn through life instead of from one man. He learned that religions are different. Being Jewish or being Christian, in the world they can mean the same thing. They can both do good works and the actions come from the heart. Just because you have a horrible past doesn’t make you a horrible person, God can change a person’s life.

To me it comes down to one basic truth, the most important truth. What do you do with Jesus? That is all. I will not go further into my beliefs, I will not condemn anyone because that is not my job. If you like true stories then this could be the book for you. If you are more of a sci-fi, fantasy, thrill seeking reader, then I’m sorry for this blog and stay tuned, more vampires, werewolves, or wizards to come.

Thanks for reading!

Not remembering could be a beautiful thing... or maybe not.

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

What would you do, if you wake up in the hospital and you can’t remember the last 3 years of your life? You not only have new people in your life (new friends, new husband), but you look totally different with a new body and new teeth. She walks into a job that she’s the boss from Hades and it looks like someone is after her job. As she’s trying to learn the new her, her new husband, and everything that goes with that, her husband’s architect won’t leave her alone. He keeps saying that she is his lover when all she wants to do is get to know her husband and get on with her life. As she tries to find herself in the plain clothes in her huge closet and the neat and orderly area of her office, she feels even more lost. Will she remember who she is before her life unravels around her?

This book is a beach read. That’s what I like to call a book that you can sit on the beach with plenty of distractions around and still know exactly what’s going on in the book. It’s an easy read with not a lot of action. Actually I got pretty bored with it and wanted it to be over before I finished. I have read a few of her books in the past and they are a fine read, but don’t pick up this book if you are looking for something that will stimulate your brain. If you need something that will distract you from the crazy world you are living in, then go on and pick up this book or one of her other books. But if you think it’s a big waste of time, I’m not going to argue with you.

Sorry this blog stinks.