Patton- Tenacity in Action (Book Review)

I am not very fond of military warfare, so picking up this book was a very different choice for me. The book is a great introduction on Patton's life, his military strategy and his impact on modern war. I liked the perspective this author took in sticking to facts instead of the movie persona of Patton. 


The book attempts to portray Patton as a man who was fearful of death, cowardice; led by example and demanded excellence from his men on the battlefield.  He had an intense hatred for Communism.  He was a man of great contradictions, using the most profane expletives; yet he also carried a Bible with him and wrote tender love letters to his wife, while it is also known he had extra-marital affairs. 


He is remembered for his fierce determination and ability to lead soldiers. Unlike most generals, he wasn’t content to stay behind enemy lines and watch the battle from afar. He developed a system that allowed him to be on the frontlines and maintain communication with his rear command post by means of pigeons and a group of runners.


It's likely that men would be more interested than women, but I did find it interesting to learn more about Patton, and more about his part in WWII.

Fearless!

This book by Max Lucado is definitely a one-time read. It's perfect for people who are going through a rough patch and maybe even for those who want to regain their faith in God. But don't pick up the book in case you expect something wild or fun (The lovely cover of the book drew me to it first).

I liked the book- it was different- but please be ready to expect large dollops of spiritualism and Christianity in the book.

As taken from Chapter 1 of the book, 'Jesus takes our fears seriously. The one statement he made more than any other was this: don’t be afraid. I wonder if the disciples ever reflected on the most-often-repeated phrases of Christ. If so, they would have noted, “He was always calling us to courage.”

Steelheart

William Corey Dietz is a science fiction author who may not be as popular as the other luminaries in the Sci-Fi genre. However his storytelling skills are comparable to those of at least Arthur C. Clarke's and dare I say pretty close to Asimov's.

This is one author whose books I will keep an eye out for as I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of writing, characterization and conflicts in this interesting tale.

The novel is set in the year 2176 on a planet called Zuul. There are humans, androids as well as species indigenous to Zuul.

What I liked about this book is the way that Dietz writes about androids with emotions and feelings similar to those of humans.

The ideas in this book are pretty unique and if I may say it - very original, which in my opinion, is a rarity in the Sci-Fi universe.

Have you ever read of a sentient satellite orbiting a planet for ages yet contemplating suicide because of loneliness? I hadn't before reading this book

An very good read if you are a sci-fi fan, however the last 30 pages were a bit of a disappointment considering the cohesiveness of the rest of the book.

Check it out

My rating - 4 out of 5

The Partner- Grisham

Another Grisham masterpiece to be savoured. Even though the protagonist - Patrick Lanigan is a lawyer, he has been hiding under another name in Brazil for the last four years for reasons which will become clear as you delve deeper into the book.

At the crux is a huge sum of money which disappeared when he was a Partner at a small legal firm in Biloxi, Mississippi having serious political backing.

The action seamlessly shifts from exotic locales like Brazil, the Bahamas, Europe and various hubs of activity in the US.

Grisham showcases his excellent storytelling capabilities throughout the book and one is compelled to read on. I read the book at one go after dinner and ended up sleeping a couple of hours past my bedtime.

As one goes deeper into the book, it becomes apparent pretty quickly that there are quite a few crooked characters out for revenge against Lanigan and it is pretty intriguing to read about how Lanigan has forseen almost all possibilities.

A fabulous read, highly recommended. Look out for for the twist in the end.

My rating - 4.5 out of 5

The Silence of the Lambs

The Silence of the Lambs was first published in 1988, by Thomas Harris.The novel features the cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter, pitted against FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling.

The novel became a bestseller, and won the 1988 Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel.

Its 1991 film adaptation is arguably one of the best films ever made. The film won five Academy Awards- Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress (Jodie Foster), Best Director (Jonathan Demme), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture

Starling, a FBI trainee is given the task of interacting with the psychopath Lector, restrained in a mental institution, to help the FBI draw up psychological profiles of serial killers.

I couldnt help being drawn into the extremely intense events and dialogues between the protagonists and was soon lost to the world. Having seen the movie after it had won its multiple awards, I had my doubts whether the novel would be as good.

Thankfully, I was proven wrong. This is an extremely well written book around the taboo subject of cannibalism. Harris writes a masterpiece and draws us into empathising with Starling and the various situations that she is thrown in even though she is comparatively a rookie in the FBI. To make matters more interesting, there are another two characters - Jack Crawfod (Starling's boss) and Buffalo Bill, a serial killer whose Modus Operandi Lecter seems to know too much about.

A must read if you can stomach the thought of a cannibalistic serial killer

My rating - 4.5 out of 5