Out of the Dark, by Gegg Hurwitz. 4th Book in the Orphan X Series

2018 was a good year for me finding new series to read and I found two great series.  The first was the Eddie Flynn series by Steve Cavanaugh and the second was the Orphan X series by Gregg Hurwitz.  Out of the Dark is the fourth book in the Orphan X series and it is one of the best books of the spy thriller genre I've read in a long time.  The one thing I like about it is that Evan Smoak, also Orphan X and The Nowhere Man is he is human, well more human when compared to Scot Harvath or Mitch Rapp.

Out of the Dark starts out, well go to where I blogged about the first two chapters here.

Orphan is has been trying to retire from his assassination gig for years but his past comes back to haunt him.  He tries to do his 'mea culpa repentance' by being the Nowhere Man, a man that sometimes resorts to violence to protect somebody that can't take care of themselves when violence occurs. He is also a man of rules.  Rules that have been drilled in his head since he was twelve.  So this time when his past comes back to haunt him, in the form of the President of the United States he breaks one of his rules and takes on his Nowhere Man personification at the same time as he becomes Orphan X.  As Smoak bounces between the two and between the east and west coast, his job gets more dangerous, and one of those jobs is to kill the President.

I love this book.  I want to give it a 10 rating but I don't like handing them out so I'm going to give this a 9.  If you like books like this, then start with the origin book, Orphan X.  It'll hook ya.

Out of the Dark by Gregg Hurwitz
Orhan X series book 4.

Books vs Movies, Part 2

Vs.

Mortal Engines the book is written by Philip Reeve is a pretty good book. I've read the first and look forward to the next three.  These are YA books so they are simply written, easy to read and even though there is a lot of war and the carnage of cities eating cities the gore is left out.  Hester is shy about her looks and keeps her face hidden or rarely holds her head so Tom can see her scars.  Katherine Valentine and Bevis Pod really should have been used way more in the movie since they had really big parts in the outcome of the book.

Mortal Engines the movie has Peter Jackson attached to the producer's names and a couple of big names like Hugo Weaving and Colin Salmon along with a cast probably more well known in England than here in the USA.
The movie starts out kinda sorta like the book but then the direction of the movie takes a turn and becomes just a movie with really good CG and turns it into something that comes up with the same ending.  Characters like Pod are dropped are dropped into nothingness, deaths are changed and to me, Valentine's part is changed probably just because of having Weaving attached to the project. The actors also appeared to be older than I pictured them in the book.  You would really think that with Jackson's name so prominent on the movie poster the movie would at least tried to be closer to the book.

I think the best thing captured from the book is the CGI.  The cities and airships really came out looking like what I imagined in the book.  The CGI was realistic and didn't come out like a 2D cartoon in so many movies out recently.  The movie makers seem to think they have to change the story to make an eight-hour book into a two-hour movie.  Maybe a screenplay can't be done that way and that's why so many movies based on books just don't make it.  Or is it the people that write a screenplay think they know more than about the book than the book author.

Variety states that Mortal Engines lost more than 100 million dollars and Peter Jackson was hoping to turn 'Mortal Engines' into a new fantasy movie franchise.  In his defense, the YA fantasy franchises just aren't working.  Maybe the people making these movies are trying to hard and should stay closer to the books.

In all honesty, I probably would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't just read the book.  The IMDB rating is at 6.3 at this time and can change direction after the DVD and on-demand releases.  Which way is the question.

Out of the Dark by Gregg Hurwitz, Orphan X #4, Part 1

Evan Smoak had a contract put out on his life. Jonathan Bennett had put it out on the Nowhere Man.  Evan Smoak is the Nowhere Man.  Jonathan Bennett is the president of the United States.

"Ending Jonathan Bennett was the ultimate Nowhere Man mission." 

Before Evan Smoak was Evan Smoak he was 12 years old when he was put into a program training orphans to be weapons. Before Evan Smoak there was only Orphan X. If you had read the first 3 books of the series you would have learned that Orphan X was no longer, now it was the Nowhere Man, sort of a 'pay it forward' program with the Nowhere Man looking out for the small guy, the kid being engulfed into a gang, a girl being raped, somebody that could not take care of themselves in situations that people like you or me could never handle.

Before Jonathan Bennett was president, he was the man that called the shots and I do mean shots.  He depended on the Orphan program and Orphan X was his go-to Orphan.  Now that he was president he wanted to cover all traces of any black ops, any operation that did not fit into the constitution,  Orphan X had to die.

I wrote this after the second chapter.  I love this series and can't wait for the rest.

Seargent York (1941)

I just watched Seargent York (1941) tonight, really a great movie for something as dated and forced accents go.  It starred Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan and a young unrecognizable girl named June Lockhart.

Seargent York is a good movie for 78 years old, showcasing Gary Cooper who at the age of 40 when this movie was released played the part of a young man that you thought would be in his early twenties.  Born and raised in Daniel Boone country in Tennessee, Alvin goes through a time where he goes out to sow his wild oats by boozing and gambling while his poor old mother goes to church and prays for him.

Alvin meets his girl, Gracie, she looks like a teenager and immediately the two know they are going to marry.  Alvin's plans don't work out, so when he goes out to reap his revenge he is struck by lightning, blowing up his rifle.  Then while walking home he passes his mom's church where Walter Brennan is the preacher and gets that 'Old Time Religion'.

This movie is based on the life of Alvin York, WWI hero and was awarded the Medal of Honor and other numerous awards and medals from other countries for his life-saving work during the war to end all wars.  He also gets the girl in the end, but that was a done deal before he went to war.

Back to June Lockhart, movie and TV star and from my childhood, the TV show Lost in Space.

See if you can find it, for what we would call a flag-waving propaganda movie today, it was probably a top movie for its time.

Blogging with Grammarly

If you don't have Grammarly added to your browser, then add it. In my opinion, it is the best money can buy, which is free.  They do have a paid version but unless I can start making real money doing little blogs like this then I won't try it.  Grammarly really helps me with my typing on a small keyboard and with punctuation.  Right now I have 4 errors, but you won't see them because Grammarly will fix this. Now grammar might be different if I purchased, or subscribed to the monthly payment of Grammarly, but hey, I could win the lottery.  Now 9 errors.  Wait for it . . .

All correct now, and the worst thing is I was using an 'e' in Grammarly.   Just 3 advanced issues that I have to pay to get rid of.   Or get more education.  One day.

Speeding Up My 8 Year Old Laptop (Part One)

I've got an old Acer laptop or notebook or whatever they're called and It is just dragging.  Not only have I had it 8 years but it had probably been on the market a couple of years before I bought it. I've always dual booted my computers between the latest release of Ubuntu and Windows 10's developer version, using Ubuntu most of the time. But everything drags.

I always install the freshest release of Ubuntu and everything drags.  It takes a couple of minutes to boot, then Firefox takes 30 seconds to load and all the other programs take a while, then when I get into Windows that just takes that much longer.

So I bought a Kingston 120GB SDD for $20.00 on Amazon and Ubuntu flies now, and Windows, well that has been an utter failure.   I don't have a copy of Windows since it's on a separate partition on my old hard drive so for now, it's Ubuntu 18.10.  Ubuntu boots in just under 30 seconds and Firefox starts in tow or three seconds.  I quit using Chrome because it would seem to stall my computer, but this weekend when I redo everything I'll get back with Chrome.  I'm not too worried about Google tracking me and there are a few things that Chrome does better.

This weekend I'll put my old hard drive in and follow some instructions I've found on Microsoft's website and I'll hopefully have windows working.
Until then it's Canonical all the way.

Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor, Scot Harvath Series, Book 1

I decided to re-read one of the books that I guess you would call bro-mance books.  Spy thrillers were the All-American hero can't be slowed down or killed. Secret Service Agent Scot Harvath escapes avalanches, numerous concussions, gun battles, freezing water and saves our democracy and gets the girl in the end.

I think the only reason I like books like this was that I was brought up on Roy Rogers and John Wayne movies and this genre are just like those old westerns except modernized for today's way of life.

I won't really review it, I just wanted to get the audio-book and read along so I had to search for the best deal.  I just wished the library system I belong to had a better and bigger choice on audio-books.  I'll probably save some money and do the next book in the series, Path of the Assassin.

On a side note, the audio-book cover is one of the best book covers I've seen in a while.

Rating 9 of 10 on my scale.  This is one of the books that got me hooked.

Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor
Scot Harvath series book 1

Stay Hidden by Paul Doiron, Mike Bowditch Series #9

After reading Stay Hidden I've finally caught up to the complete series, that is until July 2nd of 2019, and after reading straight thru the series, I think I can go 5 months until I read another Mike Bowditch book.

In Stay Hidden, we find Mike Bowditch no longer a Warden, but a Warden Investigator, a Warden that investigates hunting accidents incidents (In law enforcement there are no longer accidents, ie car crashes) and sitting alone in his office being a 4 month rookie without the qualifications to investigate any incidents or murders while everyone else is at a shooting investigation.

Mike receives a phone call from an island off Maine about a death that could be hunting incident and is told by his superior to go investigate with another warden, that has the flu, and a Maine State Police Detective.  The detective is there to take over if the hunting incident turns to homicide.

Mike, being Mike has never played well with others so when the warden leaves with the body and the detective leaves for a court appearance Mike finds himself alone, with that chip on his shoulder that he must solve it before law enforcement returns.

Maquoit Island is run by the harbormaster, a mean tough man that will not allow his authority, which he really has none be usurped, even by the elected constable. Most of the people that live there year-round are lobstermen and feel they are outlaws kindred to the old west where the law is dealt out by the people themselves with no outside involvement.

With only a few hours before his superiors come to take over the investigation and Mike already in trouble with his Captain for the way he has run his first investigation, Mike works every angle to solve the crime.  Can he do it?

Paul Dorion has written a neat series and shows he is really capable of writing a best selling series.  I really suggest this series to anyone that enjoys law enforcement books and books about outdoor investigations.

I rate this 8 of 10. Really a good read.

Stay Hidden by Paul Doiron

Mike Bowditch series, book 9

Knife Creek by Paul Doiron, Book 8 in the Mike Bowditch Series

I've gotten through 8 of the 9 books Doiron has written to date in the Mike Bowditch series.  Knife Creek is not the best book in the series but definitely not the worst I've read.

Mike is on temporary assignment in an area that has been recently been overtaken by feral pigs. While stalking out a group of pigs, called sounders Mike and his girlfriend Stacey come across a sow rooting in the mud.  Stacey takes the sow down but another sow attacks her and that sow is taken down after mildly goring Stacey.  Shortly after that, the 250-pound male is taken out.  While investigating they find what the pigs had been rooting in the mud at.  The corpse of a week old baby

Mike, being the man of intrigue that he starts knocking on doors with the pretense of looking for more wild pigs.  Then he comes to THE house.  Two women and one is familiar but he can't put the face to what is in the back of his mind.

This starts out the 8th book of the series and it is pretty good.  Doiron really is good when it comes to putting down 'pen to paper' but he can be caught dragging a little every now and then.  Knife Creek is the start of a new way of life for Warden Mike Bowditch and tomorrow I start the 9th in his series, Stay Hidden.

I rate this a solid 6 of 10.

Knife Creek by Paul Doiron

Mike Bowditch series, book 8

Books vs Movies

VS

I know this is kinda off subject but I just watched 'The Girl in the Spiders Web' and I don't remember the book being anything like the movie, just the movie was blah.  Nothing except a different world and nothing like the book.  The Jack Reacher movies I can live with like they are a Jack Reacher from another dimension, just a foot shorter. I realize why it's done but why are some just so inferior? 

Now I gotta read that book again.  It's not like I have a hundred other books I want to read or re-read.

Widowmaker by Paul Doiron, Mike Bowditch series #7

I think Paul Doiron has it down now.  This is his 7th book of his Mike Bowditch Series and now each book is getting better and better.  It appears Mike is growing up at the age of 28.

The book starts with a Mike Bowditch pulling over a suspicious woman that keeps asking Mike to take him back to his residence so they can talk.  Naturally, this being a book and also the curiosity of what she might want wins MIke over to the idea of taking her home, but Mike is very cautious. The woman explains that her son is a young man that just got out of prison on a couple of crimes of a sexual nature after being caught being 18 and sleeping with his underage girlfriend from an affluent family. She also tells Mike that her son and mike are step-brothers. Queue the soap opera organ music. She asks Warden Mike Bowditch too help find his long lost brother, which Mike reluctantly does.

The book follows Mike going to the area that the woman, Amber Langston lives and the resort she works at, named Widowmaker.  Between a near death arrest, he has to make at the beginning to this book and a near-death experience his girlfriend Stacey has, the book follows Mike through his investigation of his missing brother.

I still suggest that Paul Doiron's Mike Bowditch series is worth the read.  The past couple of books are books hard to put down.

I rate this an 8 of 10.

Widowmaker by Paul Doiron

Mike Bowditch series book #7.

The Precipice by Paul Doiron, Mike Bowditch series #6

I seem to bounce around on my feelings about the books Paul Doiron writes for his Mike Bowditch series. His last book, The Bone Orchard was not as good as some previous books, but The Precipice is his best book yet, in my opinion. Paul did a really good job in all the areas of this book and kept my interest peaked the entire book.

Fact.  The Appalachian Trail goes through Maine, and include a stretch called the Hundred Mile Wilderness.

There is a sign at the southern entrance to the Hundred Mile Wilderness. It is made out of rust brown wood and painted with white letters, and it sends a stern and unmistakable warning to all who enter:

Caution. There are no places to obtain supplies or help until Abol Bridge 100 miles north. Do not attempt this section unless you have a minimum of 10 days’ supplies and are fully equipped. This is the longest wilderness section of the entire Appalachian Trail and its difficulty should not be underestimated.

Now for the review.  Two young women fresh out of college send a picture of themselves at the beginning of the trail and send it to their parents.  They say they should be through this leg of the journey in 10 days and they would contact their parents again when they have completed the Hundred Mile Wilderness trail.  After thirteen days the well to do and well-connected parents contact powerful people in high Maine government offices and the search begins.  Insert Warden Mike Bowditch.

As always Mike Bowditch thinks outside the box and with the help of his new girlfriend he gets started in the search and rescue.  Without giving away spoilers more deaths happen to make matters more urgent, both professionally and personally, Mike Bowditch gets the job done. As with all the books with one exception Mike Bowditch always gets his man or woman person. 

Sit back and read or listen to a very good story.  I've read some people suggest that The Precipice can be read as a stand-alone book but I really suggest that you start the series from the beginning.  I may be critical of a couple of books and have an issue with how he had described his sex scenes in the past books but this still is a good series.

I give this a 7 of 10, still a great book.

The Precipice by Paul Doiron

Mike Bowditch series, book 6

Massacre Pond by Paul Doiron, Mike Bowditch Book 4

If anybody looks at my shelf at Booklikes, or My Books on Goodreads you'll see I read series and start new series and usually, I'll read all the available books in that series. Now I'm on the Mike Bowditch series by Paul Doiron.  Paul Doiron is a writer from Maine that I think does mostly magazines, but I could be wrong about that.  I do know the 1st book in the Mike Bowditch series is his first book, and there was a lot of room for improvement.   He really did a good job on his second book and now I've made it to book 5 in the series, which I'll tell you about when I finish it.  I just started and haven't got through chapter 1 yet.  Mike Bowditch is a Main Game Warden and in Maine, they have the same power as a State Trooper.  Mike Bowditch also stays in hot water with his superiors because he gets his job done and makes his superiors look bad.  I like Mike because he is as human as all of us.  Doiron does a good job bringing his many faults up in the books.  All this and I haven't started my review.

Massacre Pond is based loosely on a real-life story.  A rich hippie woman buys up thousands of acres and cuts off any hunting or lumber farming on her land and now she gets death threats by the dozen.  Somebody breaks onto her land and kills 6 moose and leaves their bodies.  Not poached just murdered for the lack of a better term.  Her term to be correct.  Mike Bowditch answers the call and that's how the book begins.  Bowditch, the whipping boy for his LT starts his work on the case, doing what is asked which is basically stay away from it but keeps getting pulled in more and more.  By the end of the book, Doiron has written a great book.  I am hooked on this series like I am with Craig Johnson's Longmire, C. J. Box's Joe Pickett, and others.  After I catch up I will be reading his new releases as they come out.  For me, 7 of 10  and means its a great book.

Massacre Pond by Paul Doiron
Mike Bowditch series book 4