Thursday, April 26, 2012

Book Review Roundup 4

This is what is referred to as a review roundup.  Normally they come about shortly after a series of reviews, but this one was delayed due to earlier technical difficulties.  The new blogger seems to be handling table-pastes from Microsoft Word better, so I went ahead and posted this one before it changed its mind.  You will note that I got rid of the Amazon link column.  The links are in the reviews in any case and it allowed me to but down the full name of the book.

Note, as described below, the ratings Reality and Readability are not intended as criticisms, but more as guidelines to style.  To see whether I enjoyed a book or not, you will have to look at the review.

Review Link
Author
Type
Disaster
Real
Read











Barth Anderson
AP, SF
P, EC
7
5
Kathrine Hanna
PA
P
7
6
AP
P, Z
3
6
AP
P
4
6
Dreamer's Island
C
P
2
5
PA
P
1
4
Sam Winston
PA
P
3
4
Terry Nation
AP
P
6
6
George Stewart
AP
P
5
6
John Christopher
AP
P
4
6






AP
PO
5
7
Joe Nobody
AP
EC, NP
7
6
AP
N, NP, EC
4
5
Vivi Andrew
PA, R
D
5
7
C
PO, GW
7
5
AP
W, EC
1
2
Andrez Bergen
PO
EC, GW
2
2
Jim Crace
C
D, GW
3
5
David Crawford
AP
E
7
4
C
D
2
5
AP
NP
5
4
AP
NN, NP
3
2
AP
N
5
6
AP
NN, NP
3
3
AP
EC
4
4
N. Stephenson
NoA
-
5
5
Sigrid Nunez
AP, L
D
3
4
Robert Edric
AP, L
GW,EC
6
3
John Grit
AP
D
7
7
Cape,  Buckner
AP
PO, EC
6
6
PA
PO, NP
7
7
Ervin Sim
PO, SF
G
3
3
Guy Salvidge
AP
GW, EC
6
6
Stephen Hunter
NoA
-
6
7
Will McIntosh
AP, SF
B, PO, EC, GW
5
6
Kurt Cobb
NoA
-
5
5
Ardath Mayhar
AP
N
5
5
C, SF, YA
PO, GW, B
4
6
Honey Brown
AP
D
7
7
AP, L
EC, D
6
7
C, SF
PO, GW, B
4
7
C, SF
GW, PO, NP
4
6
PA
GW
5
6
Crmc McCarthy
PA
PD
6
6
Nathan Poell
AP, PA
W
5
5
Stphn Pressfield
NoA
-
7
6
Chris Sullins
AP, M
EC, NP
7
4
Jean Hegland
AP, L
EC
7
5
AP
PO, GW
5
4
Jack Womack
AP, L
EC
5
4
AP
GW
5
5
Richard Michaels
AP
N
7
2
Alex Scarrow
AP
PO, NP
7
7
Terry DeHart
AP
N,E
6
4
Carla Buckley
AP
D
7
6
Louis L’Amour
NoA
-
6
5
Neil Strauss
NoA
-
-
6
AP, M
EC
7
4
AP, YA
M, V
6
5
AP, YA
M, V
7
6
AP, YA
M, V
7
6
AP
N
7
5
Philip Revene
C
EC
5
5
PA, SF
W
4
3
AP
PD
5
5






Reviewed Earlier





Thomas Park
AP
EC, NP
5
4
AP
GW
5
5
Michael S. Turnlund
AP
EC, NP
5
3
Nova
AP
EC
6
5
PA
GW
3
4
AP
D
7
6
B.T. Post
AP
EC, GW, NP
6
5
Michelle Widgen
AP, L
PO, GW
7
7






Partial Reviews





Doris Lessing
AP, L
EC
5
4
Wm R. Forstchen.
AP
E
6
4

Disaster
N= Nuclear
E= EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse)
D= Pandemic Disease
PD= Plant Disease
B= Biotechnology
PO= Peak Oil
NP= Nefarious plotters trying to bring the world down
EC= Economic Collapse (other than peak oil)
NN= Nanotechnology
V= Volcano
M= Meteor or Comet strike
GW= Global Warming
W= Weird Science
G= God or supernatural forces

z= Zombies
Real
Realistic in tone - is it trying to portray an expected future.
7 = yes this will happen 4= barely possible1 = strong elements of fantasy
In most cases, where the effect is not ongoing, I am not factoring in unlikely disaster types.
Read
Readability = is it an easy book to read.
7 = page turner; 4= somewhat enjoyable 1= challenging; literary works often tend toward the challenging. 
Note that you will enjoy a "4" if it is your type of book, but probably hate it if not.

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