Impasse by Royce Scott Buckingham

Book Synopsis

A man is left to die in Alaska while on an “adventure vacation” and must somehow survive to get his revenge on those who betrayed him.

Forty and facing a mid-life crisis, Stu Stark has lost his mojo. He simply gave up after being fired from his prestigious job as a prosecuting attorney for losing the biggest case of his career. So when Stu’s best friend gifts him a one-week trip into the Alaskan wilderness to rediscover his manhood, Stu thinks it just might do him some good. But after a horrible week, Stu is crushed when he realizes that no one is coming back for him. Dying, Stu is found by a grizzled old hunter who informs that winter has set in, and they’re not going anywhere for a while.

So begins Stu’s training to become the man he never was…and to get revenge on those who betrayed him. This adult debut by the internationally bestselling YA author is a modern day take on The Count of Monte Cristo.

My Thoughts

Impasse by Royce Scott Buckingham is a fast paced and enjoyable, modern day version of The Count of Monte Cristo. Though it does lack the long term planning that went into Count of Monte Cristo (Impasse took place over the course of six months), it was still an exciting read. It makes me wonder how soft I have become sitting behind a desk all day and wonder what would happen if I was forced to survive in the wilderness with nothing.

I love a good revenge tale and the only real negative thing I have to say was how quickly (and neatly) things came together in the end. I would have enjoyed reading another 50 pages or so about what happened in the aftermath. That being said, I really enjoyed this book.

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi

Synopsis

With his wife dead and buried, and life nearly over at 75, John Perry takes the only logical course of action left: he joins the army. Now better known as the Colonial Defense Force (CDF), Perry’s service-of-choice has extended its reach into interstellar space to pave the way for human colonization of other planets while fending off marauding aliens. The CDF has a trick up its sleeve that makes enlistment especially enticing for seniors: the promise of restoring their youth. After bonding with a group of fellow recruits who dub their clique the Old Farts, Perry finds himself in a new body crafted from his original DNA and upgraded for battle, including a brain-implanted computer. But all too quickly the Old Farts are separated, and Perry must fight for his life on various alien-infested battlegrounds. 

My Thoughts

Wow…..just, WOW. I am not much of a science fiction reader, not because I do not like it, but because my TBR pile (affectionately know as Mt. Readmore) is full of fantasy books. But this book, this book rocked my socks off. I would call this “hard” science fiction, “hard” in the sense that there is lots of science and technology, no “mystical force” or “hokey religions” (to quote Han Solo), there are very techie explanations for every thing that occurs. The story, the characters, the plot, I loved them all. I will definitely to adding this series to my reading list.

And the title, very, very appropriate. Well done, Mr. Scalzi, well done indeed.

The Companions by R.A. Salvatore

Book Synopsis

This latest installment in New York Times best-selling author R.A. Salvatore’s beloved fantasy saga, The Companions moves Salvatore’s signature hero Drizzt into a new era of the Forgotten Realms. As Drizzt’s fate hangs in the balance, he reflects on the lives of the trusted allies who stood by his side throughout his early life–the friends now known as the Companions of the Hall. Meanwhile, the first stirrings of the Sundering begin.

 

My Thoughts

The Companions by R.A. Salvatore is the first in the six book Sundering series, a realms sweeping event that will once again change the face of Toril.

I have been a longtime fan of R.A. Salvatore’s Drizzt series, following each and every adventure since the beginning.  Never once have I felt that the story dragged or had outlived itself.   Readers of The Last Threshold were left with a cliff hanger.  What would happen to Drizzt?  Had the series finally reached its end?  Had the mighty Drizzt finally reached the end of his adventures?  All of these questions ran through my head after finishing The Last Threshold.

I want to begin by saying that, in my opinion, The Companions represents Bob’s best work to date.  The book is filled with such heart rending emotion from both the characters and Drizzt’s signature introspection (which happen to be my favorite part of the Drizzt series). If you look back at my previous reviews you see that I mention emotion quite a bit.  This is an important factor for me.  I like books that make me feel what the character feels.  If I can cry when a character cries, feel his or her fury in battle, or laugh along with them, then I have experienced a great book.   Salvatore gave me this experience with The Companions more so than any other book he has written.

What would you do if you could live your life over again?  What things would you change?  What if you had a goal to work toward?  Something that could mean the life or death of a dear friend? All of these questions are asked and answered in The Companions and the journey to the end (or should I say a new beginning) was very entertaining.

I received a ARC through Netgalley in return for an honest review.