The Singing Sword (Jack Whyte)

[***] ISBN: 0765304589

Not as much story fill the pages of the second book in this series. It's all very good writing, but much of it seems like filler. There are episodes that don't seem necessary to moving the plot forward. And the parts that are pertinent seem a bit drawn out. Even so, I pushed through and enjoyed the ending, which is very key to the overall epic.

The Abs Diet Get Fit Stay Fit Plan (David Zinczenko, Ted Spiker)

[***] ISBN: 1594864098

This book just makes a lot of sense to me. It presents a very balanced view of diet and exercise. I first heard about it by chance on the Internet. Then I looked at a summary of the program at the Men's Health web site. Then I got the book from the library. Finally, I bought the book so that I can reference it any time.

I don't know if I'll manage to lose 15 pounds and 4 inches of gut in 6 weeks like some of the people. I've already been following many of the diet guidelines for a while and don't think I can get much more fanatical about them. But I think I can follow the exercise program pretty well, and that should be a big help. We'll see.

Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need (Blake Snyder)

[****] ISBN: 9781932907001

This is the best book on screenwriting that I've read so far. It can't take the place of basics like "Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting" by Syd Field. But whereas Syd's book shows you the form of a screenplay and gives you the overall strategy for creating one, Blake's book gives you the nitty-gritty details and tactics for actually getting one written.

Look for even more guidance on creating a killer logline than "Crafty Screenwriting" gave. Look for a better explanation of genre than I've seen elsewhere (which is expanded on in "Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies"). Look for the amazing Black Snyder Beat Sheet (BS2) that gives a page by page breakdown of what goes where in your movie (every movie that works) and why. This is a must read for prospective screenwriters. And it's fun to read, too.

Scene & Structure (Jack M. Bickham)

[***] ISBN: 0898799066

A very well structured and highly detailed book on how to do a highly detailed and well structured analysis when plotting a work of fiction. The problem for me is that doing all this analysis up front feels mechanical and artificial. I think these principles will be helpful in analyzing stories that don't seem to be working. This is good for skimming and getting general principles, but I would avoid getting bogged down in the details too soon.

The Sword-Edged Blonde (Alex Bledsoe)

[***] ISBN: 1597801127

I would have probably never picked this up if I hadn't read a recommendation for it somewhere and it just happened to coincide with my plan to also write a first-person cross-over mystery. I'm glad I did. It's a fun read. This book tries to answer the question: what would happen if Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe lived in a world of sword and sorcery, rather than 20th century Los Angeles. What happens is that you get a hero with an attitude and a story filled with genre-bending non-sequiturs and humor. It just sort of works. This isn't Tolkien, or even C.S. Lewis, but there is plenty of story and interesting characters for the pages allocated. Recommended for a few hours of light reading.

Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies: The Screenwriter's Guide to Every Story Ever Told (Blake Snyder)

[***] ISBN: 1932907351

I enjoyed the tone and perspective of this book and will be reading its predecessor, "Save the Cat!", in order to get a better understanding of how the plots can be broken down. The examples in this volume shed much light on how various sorts of films all share the same basic plot. Yet the book also shows how any basic outline, when done well, can be made fresh and alive. And when done really well, the same old plot becomes something new and unique. Recommended for any author, especially those writing screenplays. Warning: the plot breakdowns do contain spoilers (I skipped the ones for films I have not seen and plan to) and get a bit repetitive.

Fragile Things (Neil Gaiman)

[***] ISBN: 9780060515225

An uneven, but ultimately satisfying collection of short stories, poems, and a novella from the author of "Stardust" and "Mirrormask" (and others I haven't yet read). Even though several of the stories and most of the poems fell flat for me, all of the entries showcase Gaiman's gift for imagination and invention. My favorites were "A Study in Emerald" (which re-imagines Sherlock Holmes in the world of H.P. Lovecraft), "Goliath" (which is from the world of "The Matrix"), "The Day the Saucers Came" (the one poem I liked), and "The Monarch of the Glen".

How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read (Pierre Bayard)

[****] ISBN: 1433208016 (audio), 1551929627 (hardcover)

This is a very fun book. The (English) audio version, especially, reminded me at times of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. More to the point it helps one think about what it means to read (or not read) a book. The overall conclusion is that there is not that much difference, in the long run, between reading and not reading a book. I have to agree, to a point. Of all the books I have read, I probably have a distinct memory of only a few. And of those I probably have only a hazy impression.

How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author (Janet Evanovich with Ina Yalof)

[***] ISBN: 9780312354282

This is a fairly informative, pleasant, and entertaining look at how one working writer does it. As best she can, the author goes into her approach to character, plot, humor, adventure, outlining, storyboarding, drafting, and editing. This is how she keeps cranking out books that sell. There are some good tips here, including the rudimentary and common notion of keeping one's butt in one's chair and writing, everyday, no matter what.

High Five (Janet Evanovich)

[***] ISBN: 9780312203030

I liked this quite a bit better than the first book in the series, One for the Money. The main character, Stephanie, has finally gotten some brains and manages to actually solve a case. The biggest problem is that the police and Treasury department, with the amount of manpower they had dedicated, should have solved it long before she did.

So, I think I'm done. She's still not that smart, takes too many chances, and is surrounded by too many crazies and coincidences. That may be part of the fun for her regular readers, and it keeps the plots fast paced, but it doesn't completely work for me.

Eclipse One: New Science Fiction and Fantasy

[**] ISBN: 1597801178

I wasn't as impressed as I was supposed to be. I think I read a recommendation for this on someone's blog and figured it was time to be up-to-date in my short story reading. But this can't really be the good stuff, could it? I can't say I read a single story that really knocked my socks off. There was one about a hermaphrodite bigfoot that captured my attention and then lost my respect when the ending imploded. To top it off, I wasn't that impressed with the binding. This one gets two stars for trying, but I'm sure there are better collections out there.

Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction (Patricia Highsmith)

[**] ISBN: 0871160722

I skimmed through this and read a bit of several chapters. Interesting, but not earth-shattering. Mostly it recounts how Ms. Highsmith, the author of Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley, approached her writing. It's filled with the typical stuff about twisting any old idea into the plot of a whodunnit by combining it with other ideas and real life incidents and allowing them to ferment. A little bit about mechanics, but not enough to suit me. I suppose if I was more interested in her style of writing, I'd be more interested in how she did it.

Writing the Breakout Novel (Donald Maass)

[****] ISBN: 9781582971827

In this book, a literary agent gives his perspective on what an author needs to do, in their writing, to break out of the mid-list and into the best-seller lists. What's interesting is that there may not really be anything new here. It seems as though I have heard much of this advice before. But Mr. Maass presents it in such a compelling and straightforward fashion that it seems new. And it seems right. His thoughts should help me, and any author with their current work. I know I will have to return to this book more than once when I'm ready to take things to the next phase. Recommended.

One for the Money (Janet Evanovich)

[**] ISBN: 9780312362089

I hope these get better. I got this title from the library because I read an interview with the author in Writer's Digest and liked her approach to writing. It also sounded like I might like her books. I have mixed feelings.

On the one hand, I stuck with it and read the whole thing through in only six evenings. I was fascinated by this brassy, klutzy character and her predicament. The characters and setting were vivid, the pace was (mostly) unrelenting and the thrills and mysteries kept piling up.

On the other hand, the coincidences kept piling up as well. I didn't like that. Just how likable is this dame that her new acquaintance Ranger would bail her out so many times? Isn't it amazing that her brother in law is a cop that can train her to use a gun? How did she ever survive so long in New Jersey by being so stupid and reckless? Why should anyone like a book where the mystery is solved by someone so stupid just happening to be in the right place at the right time? Hello? Stephanie Plum should have been staking out the butcher shop long before 40 pages from the end of the book.

No doubt Ms. Evanovich has figured this all out and her plots have improved. Otherwise, she wouldn't have the fan base she has. Even some of her loyal readers have made negative comments about how much more raw this first book feels. I will have to try another one on for size. And I'll keep busy figuring out how I would do it better.

Tides of Light (Gregory Benford)

[**] ISBN: 9780553282146

This is the fourth book in Benford's "Galactic Center" series, and the second one set far in the future. I finally liked it. But it was a tough slog through the middle third or so. I think the whole book could have used the tightening of another draft.

To his previous war between man and mechs, the author adds insectoid cybers and other organic and inorganic lifeforms that may or may not be sentient. The fascinating and frustrating part of this book was the totally alien point of view that the cybers bring to it. That might be enough for some readers. But the only thing that really kept me going was desiring the payoff for the investment that I'd made in the previous book.

There are two more books in the series. I hope Professor Benford does not disappoint.

The Measure Of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Sidney Poitier)

[***] ISBN: 9780061355431 [audio], 9780061357916 [hardcover]

I think I could tell what Mr. Poitier was trying to do in this book, as evidenced in his title. But I don't think he quite does it. He doesn't really give us anything spiritual on which to hang our hat.

Yes, he waxes philosophical in many places. But I don't think these ramblings can really be counted as spiritual or that enlightening. They really just come across as the opinions of one senior citizen looking back on life. Without any corroborating accounts or data, that all they really are: ramblings and opinions.

On the other hand, when the author really sticks to what he knows - his life - then the story tends come alive and speak. It's in these moments where we actually get some actual glimpses into the 'spirituality' of the man. He doesn't have to pretend to be a philosopher to reveal his spiritual or philosophical side. He should stay with the facts.

Still a fun listen, in the audio version.

Crafty Screenwriting: Writing Movies That Get Made (Alex Epstein)

[****] ISBN: 9780805069921

If this isn't the first book you read about writing a script, it ought to be the second. The author has very pointed and practical advice about all of the phases of the process of getting a script actually made into a movie. He starts with the concept (the hook) and follows it all the way through to the rewrite and then shopping it around. Every step focuses on making sure that the script you have will capture the attention of a producer that will pay money to make it.

My Stroke of Luck (Kirk Douglas)

[****] ISBN: 9780060081416 (audio) 9780060009298 (hardcover)

I really enjoyed this book. Who would have thought that Kirk Douglas was so poetic, so thoughtful, so inspirational? While this short volume does focus in on the changes a minor stroke brought to his life, he also manages to give some insights into his life, his family, and his soul. Anyone with older parents struggling with health issues (stroke or otherwise) will benefit from reading this book.

Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life (Steve Martin)

[****] ISBN: 9781416553649

Sometimes I think of Steve Martin like an older cousin I never met. We both lived in Garden Grove, California (I even performed on the stage of the theater at Garden Grove High School, which he attended) and we both worked at Disneyland (albeit 20 years apart). It's been fun watching him make good and this book does a good job chronicling that process, up through the beginning of his film career.

What works is that he doesn't sensationalize anything, but he doesn't shrink away from emotional issues, either. He really does seem to want to tell it like it was, successes and failures. What also comes through is the amount of persistent hard work it took to be an overnight success. He seems to personify the saying the luck is being ready to take advantage of an opportunity when it comes.

For any fan of Steve Martin, this is a must read.

Voyagers (Ben Bova)

[*] ISBN: 9780786154289 [audio] 9780385148900 [hardcover]

An alien encounter novel that probably felt outdated when it was published. It is full of descriptions of technology and behavior that was probably not even real at the time. Both felt clumsy and misunderstood. Perhaps the story was not quite as boring back then, which is why it still gets good marks from other reviewers.

This tries to be a reality-based account of humanity's reaction when an alien spacecraft suddenly arrives in our solar system. Odd radio signals are found to emanate from Jupiter. Then a powerful telescope spots the spacecraft orbiting that planet and watches it turn toward earth. The story follows a motley group of scientists and others, falling in and out of bed with each other, using computers that take minutes to program and hours to do calculations, as they jockey for power.

None of the characters ever really sprang to life for me. All were there to serve the plot and not vice versa. I liked the overall premise of the story. It's too bad much of the book felt like padding. Five pounds of potatoes in a ten pound bag. I won't be picking up the next books in the series to see what happens.