Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic 50 Book Challenge 2020/What I've Read in 2020

8) My Lady Jane by C Hand, B Ashton, and J Meadows.

A recommendation from a friend. Oh, this was delightful! It's the story (albeit re-written) of Lady Jane Grey, the 9-day queen of England. The narrator in my head sounded much like the one from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I LOVED the fantasy elements added to the story and the changes to history the authors made. The only thing I didn't like was the tendency of the authors to present the girsl-are-better-than-boys attitude (honestly, why does one always have to be better, can't we just be equal?), but it was few and far between so I had an easy time continuing. So glad a snow day allowed me to sit and read all day to finish it because I did not want to put it down.

11) Law & Disorder: Inside the Dark Side of Murder by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker this again is not usually my type of reading, but having read Mindhunter this was a recommendation from my Goodreads app. Douglas here talks about a couple of high profile cases before and after his work at the FBI. It also outlines the dangers of prejudice during the investigation into the collection of evidence and how the innocent can also be wrongly convicted of crimes they didn’t commit. This book gets bonus points too for the Superman reference of fighting for ‘truth and justice’ while not in the context of Lois and Clark (he was referring to the George Reeves series) I will take it!

12) The Art of War by Sun Tzu squeezed in a Lois and Clark reference this time with this one and no unlike Monique, this is not the Reader’s Digest version though you don’t really need it as it’s not a long book by any stretch. Written over 2000 years ago, it is considered to be one of the earliest and seminal works on military strategy and tactics of which are still applicable today. I had actually read this years ago, but I was given a beautiful hardbound and illustrated copy of it by a friend so I decided to read it again. Divided into 13 chapters (or rather 13 points) and then within those headings further sub-points outlining what military planners (or corporate raiders such as Lex Luthor) must do in order to achieve success and what to avoid if you don’t want to be defeated. Still as enjoyable as it was when I first read it.

Hi Crazy_Babe,

I'll also add that parts of "The Art of War" are as applicable to cyber warfare as to traditional. For example, I used the following quote in my information security classes.
Joy,
Lynn

Absolutely

13) Mulan: Five Versions of an Ancient Chinese Legend edited and translated by Shiamin Kwa and Wilt L. Idema I’m embarrassed to admit that if it weren’t for Disney, I probably would have never heard of the story of Mulan which is an odd thing because I’m fairly well versed in many Chinese classics despite the fact that I only speak it and not read it. These are translations of five versions of the story of the girl who disguised herself as a man to fight for China against foreign invaders in her elderly father’s place as she at 17 and the oldest of the family with a younger brother not yet old enough to fight in his place (Disney’s version has her as an only child, perhaps keeping with modern China’s one child policy). Also much like other Disney movies it deviates a little from the original material. Personally I much preferred the poem to the play versions of the story.

14) A Holy Mountain: A Journey in the Shadow of Byzantium by William Dalrymple Combining history with travel the author recreates a journey eastward made by 2 Byzantine monks 1500 years ago from modern day Turkey to Alexandria in Egypt. This one reminded me of a well known story about a Chinese monk named Xuanzang whose journey westward from China is not only immortalised in Tang Dynasty records, but also a famed Chinese novel called Journey to the West (probably better known to western audiences as Monkey). Insightful and also he does well to tread lightly when it comes to the area’s political turmoil at the moment

15) Miracle at Midway by Gordon W. Prange, Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillion I’m quite the history buff and in particular I enjoy military history so most of my books tend to be books on military history or personnel with a smattering of fiction and classics. This is more academic than a general history as it is quite detailed and also draws a lot of its material from the perspective of the people involved in what many describe as one of the greatest naval engagements in history. Informative and interesting it allows people to see the Battle of Midway from both sides of the battle and also acknowledges not only Japanese failures, but also just how lucky American was dealing the Japanese a decisive blow from which they would never fully recover

The Andromeda Evolution by Daniel Wilson.

This one picks up 50 years after the events of The Andromeda Strain. Far less "techy" than it's predecessor, this was an enjoyable read with far more "nail biting" sequences. There were some really nice details that tied the events of the two books together and I really enjoyed the ride it gave me.

Great to see more people (and book suggestions!) on this thread!

#6 A Nearly Normal Family by M. T Edvardsson


I didn't like this one nearly as much as people on Goodreads did. It's told from the POV of the dad, mom and daughter. I didn't like the characters They never seemed normal to me. Their actions didn't make sense. The legal aspects didn't make sense (daughter suspected of a crime is in jail, unable to leave and not allow to see her parents until the trial?) It was entertaining but not a great story. I've read much better versions of this plot.

9) She walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchel. The main character Clara is somewhat timid and does what she's told. Learns her life is a sham and steps up to the challenge. It was enlightening.

10) The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz. My first audiobook. The story overall was good, daughter of someone important on the British side of the revolutionary war gets left behind and eventually switches sides. I didn't really follow why she switched so the last half of the story felt abrupt. As far as the audiobook nature of it, I appreciated how I could do things while listening to the book and how I could make it play faster but I did not like the accents the person reading used for the characters.

16) A Quiet Warrior: A Biography of Raymond A. Spruance by Thomas B. Buell When I think of Admiral Spruance I think of Glenn Ford’s portrayal in the 1976 movie Midway (to Superman audiences better known as Jonathan Kent) and his conversation with Robert Mitchum’s portrayal of Admiral Halsey and the scene where he says ‘did that itch go to your head?’ This book is the biography of a man who although is quiet, shy and reticent to the point he comes across as cold and unfeeling who perhaps is largely overshadowed by the more flamboyant Admiral Halsey and of course General MacArthur (who interestingly enough, Spruance got along well with despite the traditional Army/Navy rivalry). Reads like the man himself clear and concise

17) Totally Unofficial 100 Things Superman Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die by Joseph MaCabe I thought I’d lighten my usual reading a little bit with this one. Joseph McCabe is the editor of SFX Magazine on the West Coast and a writer. In this book he’s compiled a list of 100 things fans of Superman should know and do. A lot of tidbits as to where some of the locations used for various scenes in the Superman movies that you can visit. This also has interviews with comic artists and story writers as well as interviews with actors who have been involved in Superman including Dean Cain and John Shea.

18) War as I Knew It by General George S. Patton this is not a memoir by any stretch, rather this is Patton’s war time diaries. This interestingly enough doesn’t show his known bravado and flamboyance. Rather it shows a more human side to Patton beneath the brash exterior he presented.

#7 The First Mistake by Sandie Jones

A woman's seemingly perfect life unravels. The women in this story drove me nuts. The first response to, "I think my husband is having a affair" is to drink massively. I didn't like the women and the situation felt too contrived.

19) Infantry Attacks by Erwin Rommel Erwin Rommel is perhaps better known for his WWII exploits in the North African desert that would earn him the nickname ‘The Desert Fox’ as well as for his infamous suicide for his alleged involvement in the July 20 plot. This however, is not about his WWII exploits as he’d died before it was completed, but rather this is about his experience on the battlefields during WWI. Essentially this could be described as a 20th Century version of The Art of War, just as mechanised warfare was in its infancy. While I felt at times it jumped between first and third person points of view, overall I did see glimpses of the brilliant tactician he was

#8 The Dog Stars by Peter Heller


I love post-apocalyptic stories and have read a lot of them. This wasn't the best. And it wasn't the worst. The author had an odd writing style. The main character was very much a hunter/nature person which I can''t relate to as much, but still appreciate.

20) Lois Lane: Fallout by Gwenda Bond read this years ago actually, the first in the Lois Lane series. This series is aimed at the young adult market, but I couldn’t resist. This follows the DC Comics canon of having Lois as an Army brat who moves to Metropolis with her family. Starting a new high school she meets Perry White her first day who invites her to join the the Daily Scoop staff (The Daily Planet aimed at the teenaged market). The plot did remind me of one particular episode of Lois and Clark as the premise is rather similar, but I won’t say which one except only to say that it involves the concept of mind control. Also interesting is her online friendship (or maybe romance) with a guy she only knows by his online handle SmallvilleGuy. This is actually a lot of fun as you can totally imagine this is what Lois was like as a teenager too.

@scifiJoan: M. T. Edvardsson is Swedish, and European tastes in literature don't always make the transition to their intended American audience. Those folks have a different idea about what constitutes tension and compelling stories. For example, I like mysteries by Dick Francis, an English author who apparently knows horses and the racing world in England like the back of his hand. I, conversely, know next to nothing about horse racing save that the tracks are in business to make money, not to make bettors rich. His stories are tight, tense, and full of surprises, yet I still feel a bit of detachment when coming down to the final reveal. I've just read Decider and Driving Force, and they are as different as they could be and still come from the same mind. His protagonists are real people with real problems and real failings, and they are both excellent stories. They both kept me turning the pages, but I still feel as if I read each one with a distance between myself and the endings.

This is not a criticism, just a subjective observation. I'd rather read Francis than many American mystery writers who do a much less complete job with the plot or the characters. He's good, really good, but he doesn't grab my heartstrings like some others do. But that's why we have McDonald's and Burger King and Arby's and Subway and Chick-Fil-A and The Manhattan Club to buy lunch. Not everyone has the same tastes, and that's a good thing. I'd hate to live in a world where everyone ate the same thing, read the same thing, thought the same thing, did the same thing. That's totalitarian, and I'm nowhere near that. Even with that subjective caveat, though, one can learn much about writing by reading his works with a dissecting mind.

My opinion only. Your mileage will almost surely vary.

11) The Weaver's Daughter by Sarah E Ladd. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell meets Romeo and Juliet, with less death...

12) The Social Tutor by Sally Britton. I expected this one to be cheesy and silly, and while it had its moments, it was actually a good story. Christine, whose mother died when she was young, doesn't understand some things about society and enlists the help of her neighbor (who just returned from war to a failing estate) to learn the ways of society.

13) The Gentleman Physician by Sally Britton. In the previous book, Christine's sister, Julia, spends a good bit of time trying to get Christine to understand some things as well. In this book we learn why.

14) A Heart's Revolution by Roseanna M White. This is one of my favorite authors. For some reason, the library always has her books at another branch but I finally got my hands on this one. Lark Benton is betrothed and doesn't want to be. Lots of sub plots going on here, more than I would have liked, but interesting enough. White does a great job building tension and writing characters you can cheer for.

21) Lois Lane Double Down by Gwenda Bond book number 2 in the Lois Lane series. Leave it to Lois to find a juicy story while assigned to do another. After going down to Suicide Slum to interview an artist who is painting a mural she finds her friend Maddy’s twin sister collapsed outside one of the areas derelict buildings (not surprising also that Lois’ disdain for ‘puff pieces’ was there right from the get go). She races against the clock to not only help her friend’s sister, but also uncover the truth behind her friend James’ father the recently released from prison and under house arrest former Mayor of Metropolis’ conviction for corruption. All this while she navigates her maybe romance with her online crush SmallvilleGuy. Again, this had many elements in it that reminded me of a few episodes of Lois and Clark. I’ll admit too that I usually do not enjoy reading stories in a series, because I’m often disappointed with the subsequent books, but this I thoroughly enjoyed because the storyline is fast paced and full of intrigue even if you may find it unbelievable in the end. But hey this is Lois Lane and we know what stories she is capable of uncovering no matter how ridiculous they may seem.

22) Lois Lane Triple Threat by Gwenda Bond the last of the Lois Lane series. This actually made me wish that there would be more because she finally gets to meet her now long-distance boyfriend SmallvilleGuy who up until now had been a complete mystery to her in not only name, but also in appearance too. Thrown into the mix is a bunch of enhanced teenagers who are threatening her and her friends. While the first two books can probably be counted as separate books, this one definitely requires that you read the first two in order to be able to understand the plot fully as it ties them full circle. My only criticism is that now that we’ve met SmallvilleGuy (although I’ll be honest it was pretty obvious from the handle who it could be ) and another mysterious online friend known as TheInventor, I found myself wanting to see the continued progression of their relationship. Alas, Ms Bond has stated that there no plans for now, but she did put up two short stories on her website about Lois’ exploits prior to her moving to Metropolis to whet your appetite for more of our favourite reporter