Since I’m writing about science at the minute it might seem like a good idea to write about the LIGO discovery earlier this week of gravitational waves, the final prediction of Einstein’s 1916 Theory of General Relativity to be confirmed. This could be tricky, I only have a glancing understanding of relativity, I’ll have a go though.
The niece wanted to know
How glow sticks work. It’s quite handy that I happened to write my dissertation, way back in 2003, on the subject of luminescence since that’s what we’re talking about. Unfortunately, I can’t find my dissertation or my OHP slides – yes we were still using overhead projectors at Durham University in the early 2000’s – so I’ve actually had to look things up, mostly Jablonski diagrams. I had a really good one that I used for my dissertation, but like I said, I can’t find them.
Short story: The Dress
Hello, it’s been a while since I inflicted my story telling abilities on you, my dear readers, but today I found a marvellous prompt on todaysauthor.com’s Write Now post. http://todaysauthor.com/2016/02/09/write-now-prompt-for-february-9-2016/
This is my at least five minutes of writing. Once I’m finished I’m going back to the novel, book two. I finished the first draft of book one yesterday! I’m very happy with myself.
He considered his options carefully as he stared across the desk at the unhelpful customer service agent.
Shared from WordPress – The Call of the Vaettir
The Call of the Vaettir – http://wp.me/p5MCkF-1Dm
In a world where one’s understanding of the natural world and society is one founded on a complex web of dynamic relationships nothing can be treated as a lone object operating in isolation. All things depend on and influence each other.
A post I found on Gods and Radicals that I think is important.
Also, I’m going quiet for a few more days. When I come back it should be with a selection of book reviews.
Rose
xXx
Shared from WordPress
Giving Power, Taking Power: Emotional Labor, Gender, and Abuse – http://wp.me/p5MCkF-1hO
Review: ‘How English became English’ by Simon Horobin
How English Became English
A Short History of a Global Language
Simon Horobin
Published by: Oxford University Press Publications date: 28th January 2016 Edition: Hardback ISBN: 9780198754275 Price: £10.99
Continue reading “Review: ‘How English became English’ by Simon Horobin”
Review: ‘Benjamin Franklin in London’ by George Goodwin
George Goodwin
Publication Date: 16th February 2016
Edition: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780300220247
Price: $32.50
Continue reading “Review: ‘Benjamin Franklin in London’ by George Goodwin”
Review: ‘Battling the Gods: Atheism in the Ancient World’ by Tim Whitmarsh
Battling the Gods
Atheism in the Ancient World
by Tim Whitmarsh
Published by: Faber & Faber
Publication Date: 4th February 2016
Edition: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780571279302
Price: £25.00 (GBP)
Continue reading “Review: ‘Battling the Gods: Atheism in the Ancient World’ by Tim Whitmarsh”
Review: ‘Witches Protection Program’ by Michael Phillip Cash
Chelshire Inc. Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members’ Titles Published: 14th May 2015 Paperback ISBN:9781511411349
Blurb
Witches Protection Program is filled with adventure & suspense Michael Phillip Cash creates a tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern day New York City.
Michael Phillip Cash is an award winning and best selling author of horror, paranormal, and science fiction novels. Michael currently resides on Long Island with his wife and children.
My Review
Firstly, the plot; it has a great deal of potential and could be extended from this novella in to a full novel or even a series. I was disappointed with certain aspects – such as the explanation for Bernadette’s great conspiracy, and the reason Wes lost his original position. They just weren’t ambitious enough. If that was all I wouldn’t be too bothered but the insistent and weakly developed romantic plot irritated me.
Secondly the writing: not bad, although tension would drop in all the wrong places.
Characters: All the men are heroes of one sort or another, and all the women are horrible (either physically or psychologically) or weak. Returning to Bernadette, all her actions are predicated on the assumption that the romantic rejection by her sister’s husband would make her hate all men and want to lock them up in internment camps. Or Scarlett, who’s jealousy of Morgan should somehow drive her mad with power lust. It all tickled at something, and then I realised what it was. Straw-feminist arguments advanced by misogynists include ‘feminists hate men’, ‘women hate each other’, and ‘women compete for male attention’; I’m sure the author isn’t a misogynist, but his book read like an MRA fantasy, complete with the handsome white man coming in to save the day and get the, equally white, younger, pretty girl.
I really hope that is the ‘tongue-in-cheek’ aspect of the book.
Overall, I was underwhelmed by this book, although the idea itself has a lot of potential.
2/5
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The Most Anticipated Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2016 – http://wp.me/p4llEQ-19d
Everything Is Better With Dragons 