March Fourth! Science and Science Fiction for You! I cruise the internet constantly and pick up interesting science articles and science fiction. Here are the best ones I’ve found.
But first, a laugh for you.
March Fourth! Science Incoming
I read science articles all the time. I subscribe to GE’s newsletter to get these cool news bits from them. Then I post the best ones on my Facebook page.
Zombie viruses? Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah–
March Fourth! Science Fiction for You Coming Up Next!
Here’s my review of Liu Cixin’s last book in his ‘Three-Body Problem” trilogy.
book cover from Goodreads
Author Liu Cixin concludes his trilogy in fine fashion. He maintains the reader’s interest through 1,800 pages and manages to surprise them time and time again. His characters suffer much but triumph through perseverance.
The Earth and Trisolarian invaders’ conflict is finally resolved. Like most wars, no one wins. But the dark forest view of the universe, where everyone is out to destroy any intelligence turns out to be optimistic. As humanity’s technology advances, they find out more about other civilizations. And they’re not nice.
There is wonderful hard science throughout the series, including string theory, curving space for speed of light travel, and changing the physical constants of the universe, such as the speed of light.
That’s my only criticism, from a hard science point of view. There’s a subplot that hinges on changing the speed of light through a solar system–and Liu doesn’t realize that would wreck the sun in the system. Fusion hinges on converting matter to energy, and if the speed of light is reduced, the energy of the star goes way down, (due to e=mc2 – reduce c and energy goes down) the star collapses, and it no longer warms the system.
What did you like best about Zombie Turkeys? What did you like least?
There were times when the book was laugh out loud funny, but other times it was just cheesy. Also, repetitive use of the word “said” in the dialog portions was obnoxious.
I’m increasing my rating on this book, because I listened to it over a year ago, and it still pops into my head sometimes. I still say “Zombie Turkey” every time I hear a turkey gobble. And I felt compelled to order an autographed copy of the book. All of this says to me that I under-rated it the first time, and need to make it right.
What’s New Science and Reviews in 2022? Find out as I go through breaking science news and book reviews so far this year.
Let’s begin with military science, which is becoming military SciFi.
A 1000-mile cannon would be revolutionary, but it’d be rather like a hypersonic weapon on a movable platform. One of my favorite military SciFi series is by John Ringo concerning the invasion of the alien Posleen. In it, he has a super cannon mounted on a battleship–and a tank.
Have you read John Ringo’s Posleen/Aldenata series? Let me know and I’ll send you a free copy of:
I really wasn’t expecting much from a book about zombie turkeys. I don’t watch the zombie tv shows or movies, so I was expecting this to be some creepy story where evil wins, and good people are destroyed. Guess what? That’s pretty much how this book was, yet it was done in a fun and entertaining way.
I didn’t think it was hilarious, as some people said. However, it was obviously written tongue in cheek with lots of opportunities to chuckle…if you aren’t worried where the next zombie outbreak is happening!
I moved to Florida from Central Illinois MANY years ago, so I was pleasantly surprised when the zombie plague visited all the small towns back home. I wonder if there really are turkey farms around there? Hmmm, I DO remember lots of corn. Maybe I had better go on Amazon and get me a flame thrower before I go back up to visit!
Grab some snacks, (Anything but corn chips,) and enjoy a good read. (You’ll understand when you finish reading it!)
Just finished this book tonight. Charles Gannon writes a crackling good story about John Ringo’s zombie apocalypse from a wholly different point of view in a wholly new setting.
The point of view? A sailing ship full of teens learning to sail on the ocean. Their plan is to sail to South Georgia Island off Antarctica. The point of view is Alvaro, a savant from the tough streets of LA with a perfect memory.
He doesn’t hit it off with anyone among the other teens, but especially Chloe–a hyper aggressive and hostile teen from Alaska. The gruff and taciturn captain tasks him with learning to navigate. Then he has to teach it to the other teens–starting with Chloe. First he has to teach her how to read.
By this time the zombie outbreak has begun around the world. The captain maintains radio silence and trains the teens for survival in the new world. Their first challenge is at South Georgia Island.
I started by reading this author’s book about the Turkey Apocalypse. I had so much fun (yes, fun, even though the turkeys were out killing everyone and thing in their path!) Then I read about the Undead Mother in law. Even better! Each book gets more accomplished than the next.
This one was a surprise! I thought I had purchased the same book twice (I’ve been known to do that!) However, this is just a group of short stories that are prequels or sequels to the others that fill in some questions I didn’t know I had or start me on a new train of thought.
Fun to read! Just make sure you check all wildlife around you for metal caps before you settle in! They’re watching you!
What Do Readers Think of Villain’s Vacation? Here is where you’re going to find out. I go through Amazon, Audible, and Goodreads reviews to give you what other people are saying.
Along the way, I’ll tell you how you can get a free copy of Villain’s Vacation.
Four disabled seventh-graders with superpowers take a vacation at Coaster World. They need a break from fighting criminals. Ever since the beginning of the school year when they acquired their unusual abilities, they’ve been training and using those powers to fight crime in their town.
Little do they know the arch-villain they recently defeated also loves coasters and is vacationing at Coaster World. Worse, the villain wants revenge. Nothing less than turning these teens to a life of crime will satisfy.
Can Jeremy, Dan, Kayla, and Aubrey withstand the villain’s attacks? Or will they become Super Villains?
Note: While this is Book 2 in the series, it works pretty well as a stand alone story (tho book 1 is a lot of fun).
Once again the Secret Supers (Jeremy, Dan, Kayla, and Aubrey) combine their skills to fight evil! Well, actually, they were having a bit of a vacation and evil found them. But evil will certainly be sorry! Once again, Andy Zach gives us another delightful kids’ book. I’ve listened to his other audiobooks, including the Zombie Turkeys books, and this is a great addition to that collection.
The first half of the book is pretty much told from Jeremy’s point of view, though we do get to know his hamster (who has developed some great communication skills). The second half lets us see the story from other points of view as one after the other gets kidnapped and then rescued, until finally all are held under the steel robotic thumb of our Evil Overlord. (cue sinister music).
The settings are so much fun and my favorites were the Coaster World and the submarine. I also like that the Secret Supers have to pull in more allies, like parents. Their circle of support staff grows! And this will mean better costumes in the future.
Each of our superheroes has a disability but it doesn’t leave them disabled (even before they get their powers in book 1). Their physical limitations have given them a ‘think outside the box’ attitude, coming up with creative solutions. It also lets them be very accepting of others, including the unexpected texting hamster. It’s a fun story suitable for kids and adults with a happy ending. 5/5 stars.
Note: While this is Book 2 in the series, it works pretty well as a stand alone story (tho book 1 is a lot of fun).
The Narration: Michael Stafford did a great job with this story. He had the perfect voice for Jeremy and I liked his voices for the other kids as well. His robot voices were good too and I like how he added a little something to the telepathic discussions that let you know right away that it was telepathy. The pacing was good & there were no tech issues with the recording. 5/5 stars.
Andy Zach and his team of superheroes are back in Villain’s Vacation Secret Supers 2. In this sequel to Secret Supers where we meet 4 young teens with disabilities who are given superpowers by their leader Jeremy who stumbled upon the way to give them powers in book 1. This continuing saga gives disabled kids a chance to see themselves as superheros!!
After a busy school year of trying to survive middle school while fighting crime all over town the friends go on vacation to Coaster World, unfortunately so does a villian who wants revenge after having been defeated by them. In a series of action packed (some a little over the top) events the teens with the help of their super powered hamster work to find out who keeps kidnapping them and why.
This book is a fun follow up to the first and continues the story well.
… and tells you her opinion of Villain’s Vacation. You’re reading ‘What Do Readers Think’. If you want to give me your opinion, comment here.
Chapter 4 icon of Villain’s Vacation
Overall 5 out of 5 stars
Performance 5 out of 5 stars
Story 5 out of 5 stars
09-06-21
What a ride!
A talking hamster named Dancer. What more could you ask for in an audio by Andy Zach? A vocal appearance by the author himself. The Supers have another unbelievable adventure that kept me giggling and listening straight through. An enjoyable listen for kids and adults alike.
Villain’s Vacation is the second book in the Secret Supers series. I admit I haven’t read the first book, but I didn’t feel lost at all. Clearly the first book was the introduction to the human characters, and possibly the team’s formation, but there isn’t any critical information left out. Four disabled preteens are saving the world X-Men style and their handler writes their adventures as fiction novels.
In this installment, the team gets a mascot in the form of Dancer, a hamster owned by one of the team members who also gained special abilities along with the team but no one noticed before now. He’s literate! Dancer reads everything he can get his paws on and ends up communicating with the team via cellphone.
I love all the positive disability representation in this book full of unstoppable kids with powers that replace and complement what they’ve lost. The addition of a talking hamster is adorable and will definitely make this book more appealing to the kids who might have been hesitant to read a superhero book.
My one criticism of the book itself is that the dialogue, though definitely reading level appropriate for a middle-grade audience, sometimes ventures into painfully blatant exposition territory. Middle-grade readers might not mind, but the parents and teachers reading along with them (if this is a group or family read) probably will.
On the flip side, there are so many pop culture references in this that those adult reading buddies will catch onto and laugh at. Scooby-Doo fans? There are easter eggs in here for you!
The audiobook narration was good overall and I appreciated the narrator’s effort to make the different characters sound distinct. With that said, I nearly turned it off in the beginning when Dancer the hamster was thinking his dialogue rather than typing it. Thank goodness his voice shifted when he started using technology because the pitch-shifted squeaky rodent voice was indecipherable at my preferred 2x listening speed!
Overall this is a cute superhero story with a lot of important positive representation, and I highly recommend these books to scifi and superhero fans looking for a good middle-grade series.
I was granted complimentary audiobook access to Villain’s Vacation as part of my participation in a blog tour for this title with Audiobookworm Promotions. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
Great performance for a feeling of nostalgia of my childhood, reminding me of watching them with my father. It was very enjoyable as well as very entertaining. It also had good humor sprinkled throughout.
I really enjoyed listening to this story. I haven’t read the first book, but I was still able to follow along easily. Stafford did an excellent job of bringing the characters and story to life.
I absolutely adore Dancer. How can you not love a Hamster that can read and type?! I really appreciate the team of heroes and how they’re disabled, yet unlike what we often see in media, that isn’t an impediment. This positive representation of the community made my heart soar.
Although the story is definitely middle-grade aimed, if you’re reading along as an adult, you’ll appreciate the pop culture references peppered in. I really enjoyed this book, and it’s made me want to check out book one!
Our 4 Heroes from Book 1 take on new challenges from old enemies/Villains. Not to worry, we have super intelligent hamster and an old friend/mentor to help the Team along the way. This series is light, fun, and highly recommended for readers up to about 15 years of age, so think YA fantasy adventure.
