Joseph Baneth Allen's Blog, page 69
January 27, 2023
The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human
Just finished reading "The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human" by Siddhartha Mukherjee, released by Scribner.
Cancer physician and researcher Mukherjee, who previously wrote the Pulitzer Prize winning "The Emperor of Ally Maladies", has written a fascinating history about the evolution of cancer treatment and how views of the nature of human cells have evolved and are still evolving over time.
Mukherjee also explores how advances in cancer and other medical treatments will change human evolution.
A very through and thought provoking exploration of how cancer treatments have evolved.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Song-Cell-Expl...
Cancer physician and researcher Mukherjee, who previously wrote the Pulitzer Prize winning "The Emperor of Ally Maladies", has written a fascinating history about the evolution of cancer treatment and how views of the nature of human cells have evolved and are still evolving over time.
Mukherjee also explores how advances in cancer and other medical treatments will change human evolution.
A very through and thought provoking exploration of how cancer treatments have evolved.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Song-Cell-Expl...
Sherlock Hound
Just finished watching "Sherlock Hound" by Hayao Miyazzki and Kyosuke Mikuriya, released by Discotek Media.
"Sherlock Hound" is a delightful re-imaging of the traditional Sherlock Holmes canon originally written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in a vividly stylized Victorian Steam Punk World brought to life in the usual great Studio Ghibli style.
Doyle's great detective and his partner along with the world they inhabit is, I think the proper term is, a canine anthropomorphic one that adds a few new delightful twists. Mrs. Hudson is not only the owner of the boarding house on 221 B Baker Street, she has a fully realized past as a pioneering aviator who's husband tragically died in an airplane crash years before Sherlock Holmes took rooms in her house. Her skills as an aviator also come into play in several stories, and she even manages to unwittingly win the heart of Professor Moriarty when he kidnaps her in an attempt to humiliate his arch nemesis Sherlock Hound.
Professor Moriarty is true to his original ruthless self in the Doyle stories in this anime adaptation, and while there is no Limehouse Express; the Professor does have a nifty airplane that he manages to make last-minute escapes in.
"Sherlock Hound" is great fun.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Hound...
"Sherlock Hound" is a delightful re-imaging of the traditional Sherlock Holmes canon originally written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in a vividly stylized Victorian Steam Punk World brought to life in the usual great Studio Ghibli style.
Doyle's great detective and his partner along with the world they inhabit is, I think the proper term is, a canine anthropomorphic one that adds a few new delightful twists. Mrs. Hudson is not only the owner of the boarding house on 221 B Baker Street, she has a fully realized past as a pioneering aviator who's husband tragically died in an airplane crash years before Sherlock Holmes took rooms in her house. Her skills as an aviator also come into play in several stories, and she even manages to unwittingly win the heart of Professor Moriarty when he kidnaps her in an attempt to humiliate his arch nemesis Sherlock Hound.
Professor Moriarty is true to his original ruthless self in the Doyle stories in this anime adaptation, and while there is no Limehouse Express; the Professor does have a nifty airplane that he manages to make last-minute escapes in.
"Sherlock Hound" is great fun.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Hound...
Lost In The Moment And Found
Just finished reading "Lost In The Moment And Found" by Seanan McGuire, released by Tor Books.
Like the previous novels in McGuire's Wayward Children series, "Lost In The Moment And Found" is a portal fantasy that is written in the style of the lyrical portal fantasies mostly written by British authors in the early and mid-20th Century - though the quest the children go on when they enter a doorway with the words "Be Sure" written on their mantles center around their particular situation with their family life.
Now in a brief forward, McGuire states that this latest entry in her Wayward Children series is based on her own personal life where she fell victim as a children to a sexually abusive adult in her life. Her character, Antsy, a five-year-old girl tragically looses her father when he suffers a widow-maker heart attack during their father-daughter shopping time in Target. Her mother quickly moves on and soon marries Tyler - the boyfriend she started dating six months after her late husbands funeral.
Antsy doesn't like Tyler and soon has reason to distrust him as he begins to set up circumstances to drive a wedge between Antsy and her mother. Antsy decides to run away and escape from Tyler. She had intended to go her grandmother's place in Manhattan, but finds a doorway leading into a resale store that is a nexus point of various worlds and accepts a job as a shopper for the two keepers of the store. Only the store has a deadly secret to ordinary humans because it steals time from them - McGuire's metaphor for child sexual abuse - which it does in the real world.
"Lost In The Moment And Found" is the survival story of one young girl who manages to escape her situation only to confront a more dire menace she must discover and overcome.
A powerful allegory and cautionary tale combined.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Moment-Fo...
Like the previous novels in McGuire's Wayward Children series, "Lost In The Moment And Found" is a portal fantasy that is written in the style of the lyrical portal fantasies mostly written by British authors in the early and mid-20th Century - though the quest the children go on when they enter a doorway with the words "Be Sure" written on their mantles center around their particular situation with their family life.
Now in a brief forward, McGuire states that this latest entry in her Wayward Children series is based on her own personal life where she fell victim as a children to a sexually abusive adult in her life. Her character, Antsy, a five-year-old girl tragically looses her father when he suffers a widow-maker heart attack during their father-daughter shopping time in Target. Her mother quickly moves on and soon marries Tyler - the boyfriend she started dating six months after her late husbands funeral.
Antsy doesn't like Tyler and soon has reason to distrust him as he begins to set up circumstances to drive a wedge between Antsy and her mother. Antsy decides to run away and escape from Tyler. She had intended to go her grandmother's place in Manhattan, but finds a doorway leading into a resale store that is a nexus point of various worlds and accepts a job as a shopper for the two keepers of the store. Only the store has a deadly secret to ordinary humans because it steals time from them - McGuire's metaphor for child sexual abuse - which it does in the real world.
"Lost In The Moment And Found" is the survival story of one young girl who manages to escape her situation only to confront a more dire menace she must discover and overcome.
A powerful allegory and cautionary tale combined.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Moment-Fo...
January 16, 2023
Derelict For Trade
Just finished reading "Derelict For Trade" by Andre Norton and Sherwood Smith, first released by TOR Books back in February 1997.
Now for those who have come in late; yes Carter, I am lifting that particular phrase from The Phantom comic strip, several years ago I started what I call my "Great Re-Reading of Favorite Books from My Youth" project - and "Derelict For Trade" is the sixth book in Andre Norton's highly popular Solar Queen series, and it's an interesting one because it's the second attempt to reboot the series - the first attempt was "Redline The Stars" that Andre Norton co-wrote with P.M. Griffin back in 1993. Then there was a four-year lull between the next Solar Queen novel until Sherwood Smith had been brought on to co-write not only the next two novels in the Solar Queen series, but the Time Traders series as well.
Of note, James R. Frankel edited both "Redline The Stars" and "Derelict For Trade, so he does bare blame as to the differences between the two books and their success or lack of success of "Redline The Stars" in relaunching the Solar Queen series.
Now there are various camps as to why P.M. Griffin was dropped as the co-writer of the Solar Queen series and Sherwood Smith was brought on and the pros and cons of both co-writers.
"Redline The Stars" failure to reboot the Solar Queen series was that P.M. Griffin, forgotten, or wasn't allowed to use her own writing style to bring the story to life, and the decision to sideline Dane Thorson in favor of Rael Cofort, who turns out to be a Mary Sue. Though I suspect that there was a lot more going on behind the scenes which required a retooling which would not surface until four years later.
Sherwood Smith rectifies this error in "Derelict For Trade," which is a success novel that relaunches the novel from the original series relaunch. Whew, a mouthful, and no Greg Appelt, I don't like mouthfuls.
While "Derelict For Trade" offers a more rounded view of the Solar Queen crew, and gives each character an opportunity to voice their own thoughts about the ongoing action in their fight for survival as they enter orbit around the Exchange, an orbital outpost around the planet of Mykos, but are off course and only survive by encountering an abandoned freighter that they claim salvage rights to. Only it turns out that the abandoned freighter may be the doom of the Solar Queen as forces at the Exchange try to kill the crew of the Solar Queen. Rael Cofort is no longer the Mary Sue she was in "Redline The Stars," and gasp, she's more human and more fallible, more likable of a character without having all the answers like she did in her introduction as the newest member of the Solar Queen crew in "Redline The Stars."
Reviewing the co-authored books in Andre Norton's Solar Queen and Time Traders series does come with certain risks. Something happened that caused P.M. Griffin to be yanked as the co-author of both series. In the re-issues of and in the original new releases of novels in her Star Commandos series, P.M. Griffin wrote that Andre Norton gave her permission to use Andre's quotes praising the novels in the series and and she had every right to do so. Yes, P.M. Griffin did have every right to use those quotes because they are a matter of public record; and the defiance of what she wrote indicates that P.M. Griffin suffered badly over the failure of "Redline The Stars" and "Firehand" to relaunch to of Andre Norton's widely popular series. But, that's just my opinion, so take it for what it's worth.
"Derelict For Trade" was a successful rebooting of a reboot and brought a fresh take on Andre Norton's beloved Solar Queen series, while giving it a harder edge and cutting edge science fiction. It also sets the stage for something Andre Norton played around the edges in her earlier novels and never directly brought into the forefront; and that is seen in the last novel in the Solar Queen series " A Mind For Trade" - which is the next book I'll be reading in my "Great Re-Reading of Favorite Books from My Youth" project.
https://www.amazon.com/Derelict-Trade...
Now for those who have come in late; yes Carter, I am lifting that particular phrase from The Phantom comic strip, several years ago I started what I call my "Great Re-Reading of Favorite Books from My Youth" project - and "Derelict For Trade" is the sixth book in Andre Norton's highly popular Solar Queen series, and it's an interesting one because it's the second attempt to reboot the series - the first attempt was "Redline The Stars" that Andre Norton co-wrote with P.M. Griffin back in 1993. Then there was a four-year lull between the next Solar Queen novel until Sherwood Smith had been brought on to co-write not only the next two novels in the Solar Queen series, but the Time Traders series as well.
Of note, James R. Frankel edited both "Redline The Stars" and "Derelict For Trade, so he does bare blame as to the differences between the two books and their success or lack of success of "Redline The Stars" in relaunching the Solar Queen series.
Now there are various camps as to why P.M. Griffin was dropped as the co-writer of the Solar Queen series and Sherwood Smith was brought on and the pros and cons of both co-writers.
"Redline The Stars" failure to reboot the Solar Queen series was that P.M. Griffin, forgotten, or wasn't allowed to use her own writing style to bring the story to life, and the decision to sideline Dane Thorson in favor of Rael Cofort, who turns out to be a Mary Sue. Though I suspect that there was a lot more going on behind the scenes which required a retooling which would not surface until four years later.
Sherwood Smith rectifies this error in "Derelict For Trade," which is a success novel that relaunches the novel from the original series relaunch. Whew, a mouthful, and no Greg Appelt, I don't like mouthfuls.
While "Derelict For Trade" offers a more rounded view of the Solar Queen crew, and gives each character an opportunity to voice their own thoughts about the ongoing action in their fight for survival as they enter orbit around the Exchange, an orbital outpost around the planet of Mykos, but are off course and only survive by encountering an abandoned freighter that they claim salvage rights to. Only it turns out that the abandoned freighter may be the doom of the Solar Queen as forces at the Exchange try to kill the crew of the Solar Queen. Rael Cofort is no longer the Mary Sue she was in "Redline The Stars," and gasp, she's more human and more fallible, more likable of a character without having all the answers like she did in her introduction as the newest member of the Solar Queen crew in "Redline The Stars."
Reviewing the co-authored books in Andre Norton's Solar Queen and Time Traders series does come with certain risks. Something happened that caused P.M. Griffin to be yanked as the co-author of both series. In the re-issues of and in the original new releases of novels in her Star Commandos series, P.M. Griffin wrote that Andre Norton gave her permission to use Andre's quotes praising the novels in the series and and she had every right to do so. Yes, P.M. Griffin did have every right to use those quotes because they are a matter of public record; and the defiance of what she wrote indicates that P.M. Griffin suffered badly over the failure of "Redline The Stars" and "Firehand" to relaunch to of Andre Norton's widely popular series. But, that's just my opinion, so take it for what it's worth.
"Derelict For Trade" was a successful rebooting of a reboot and brought a fresh take on Andre Norton's beloved Solar Queen series, while giving it a harder edge and cutting edge science fiction. It also sets the stage for something Andre Norton played around the edges in her earlier novels and never directly brought into the forefront; and that is seen in the last novel in the Solar Queen series " A Mind For Trade" - which is the next book I'll be reading in my "Great Re-Reading of Favorite Books from My Youth" project.
https://www.amazon.com/Derelict-Trade...
January 14, 2023
Into The West
Just finished reading "Into The West - The Founding of Valdemar Book Two" by Mercedes Lackey, published by DAW books.
I remember reading "Arrows of the Queen;" the first novel in what was to become the first trilogy in Lackey's widely popular Valdemar series back in the early 1990s when I discovered it on the shelf in the new release section of the Barnes & Noble near where I live - though now-a-days everything is hodge-podge in Barnes & Noble when it comes as to how they display new releases.
There are strong elements of Andre Norton's Witch World series that run through Lackey's latest outing in her Valdemar - or Heralds series if you prefer - series which explores how the kingdom was founded by a nobleman who was fleeing with him family and people in tow from a corrupt empire that had just fallen - well Baron Kordas Valdemar did help give a good solid push on that corrupt empire's foundation. Lackey's use of gates to travel great distances does strongly parallel Norton's use of gates in the Witch World, and it should be pointed out that Lackey and Norton did collaborate on several novels together.
"Into The West" focuses on the journey Baron Valdemar and his people undertake to find a new home far, far from the reach of the fallen empire they are fleeing. While the outcome is preordained, Lackey does allow her characters to grow and overcome their self doubts, though she never really gives anything of significance for the development of the Dolls beyond their desire to be of help while they are still bound to the physical form that the Empire had imprisoned them in. And there are times in this novel that Lackey seemed to be channeling Norton, which isn't a bad thing, but Valdemar is not Witch World.
It will be interesting to see how Lackey's continues the story of how Valdemar was founded in the next book in this, I believe, trilogy.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Into-Founding-...
I remember reading "Arrows of the Queen;" the first novel in what was to become the first trilogy in Lackey's widely popular Valdemar series back in the early 1990s when I discovered it on the shelf in the new release section of the Barnes & Noble near where I live - though now-a-days everything is hodge-podge in Barnes & Noble when it comes as to how they display new releases.
There are strong elements of Andre Norton's Witch World series that run through Lackey's latest outing in her Valdemar - or Heralds series if you prefer - series which explores how the kingdom was founded by a nobleman who was fleeing with him family and people in tow from a corrupt empire that had just fallen - well Baron Kordas Valdemar did help give a good solid push on that corrupt empire's foundation. Lackey's use of gates to travel great distances does strongly parallel Norton's use of gates in the Witch World, and it should be pointed out that Lackey and Norton did collaborate on several novels together.
"Into The West" focuses on the journey Baron Valdemar and his people undertake to find a new home far, far from the reach of the fallen empire they are fleeing. While the outcome is preordained, Lackey does allow her characters to grow and overcome their self doubts, though she never really gives anything of significance for the development of the Dolls beyond their desire to be of help while they are still bound to the physical form that the Empire had imprisoned them in. And there are times in this novel that Lackey seemed to be channeling Norton, which isn't a bad thing, but Valdemar is not Witch World.
It will be interesting to see how Lackey's continues the story of how Valdemar was founded in the next book in this, I believe, trilogy.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Into-Founding-...
"Platypus Matters - The Extraordinary Story Of Australian Mammals" by Jack Ashby
Just finished reading "Platypus Matters - The Extraordinary Story Of Australian Mammals" by Jack Ashby, released by The University of Chicago Press.
With the possible exception of the kangaroo and the Tasmanian Devil - through the courtesy of Looney Tunes, Australian wildlife, particularly it's marsupial mammals are not too well known outside of the Land Down-under and the Commonwealth.
Ashby, who is the assistant director of the Museum of Zoology in Cambridge, brings the adventurous romance of the Outback and why Australia's marsupial mammals are an intriguing look at an alternative path of mammalian evolution here on Earth and explores how the prejudices and preconceived notions of the scientific community of the past and even in the present.
A very resounding look at how the generational scientific views of Australia's marsupial mammals have evolved over several hundred years.
Highly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://www.amazon.com/Platypus-Matte...
With the possible exception of the kangaroo and the Tasmanian Devil - through the courtesy of Looney Tunes, Australian wildlife, particularly it's marsupial mammals are not too well known outside of the Land Down-under and the Commonwealth.
Ashby, who is the assistant director of the Museum of Zoology in Cambridge, brings the adventurous romance of the Outback and why Australia's marsupial mammals are an intriguing look at an alternative path of mammalian evolution here on Earth and explores how the prejudices and preconceived notions of the scientific community of the past and even in the present.
A very resounding look at how the generational scientific views of Australia's marsupial mammals have evolved over several hundred years.
Highly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://www.amazon.com/Platypus-Matte...
January 7, 2023
Black Adam
Just finished watching "Black Adam" released by Warner Brothers.
"Black Adam" is part of DC's Shazam family and has run the gambit between villain/anti-hero/hero through his decades-old run in the comics. Black Adam's infamy is that he murdered his son centuries ago to obtain the power of Shazam - at least in the darker incarnations of the character.
So when Dwayne Johnson stepped into the role of "Black Adam," the character's origins were changed a bit so that Black Adam gained his powers by his son who was killed by the king's assassins after he transferred his powers to his father in order to save his life.
But because Black Adam took a terrible vengeance on the king who had murdered his son, the wizards who granted his son the power of Shazam, imprisoned him in a tomb where he remained for over 5,000 years until a desperate woman spoke the word to free him from his prison.
Black Adam's sudden prison break alerts Amanda Waller, who contacts Hawkman and the Justice Society, with the intent on capturing and imprisoning him to prevent him from destroying the world. It was rather nifty to see Henry Winkler as the retired superhero Atom Smasher. "Black Adam" also marked the film debut of Doctor Fate.
"Black Adam" isn't really a great superhero movie. It's not a bad one, but not a great one either. It's far better than Arnold Schwarzenegger's turn as Mister Freeze in the critically panned "Batman and Robin" movie.
With the recent upheavals in the DC Cinematic Universe, it's doubtful that there will be a second "Black Adam" movie and I don't think that Dwayne Johnson will reprise the role. Perhaps if there is a third Shazam movie.
Not Really Recommended unless you are a steadfast Dwayne Johnson and/or DC Synderverse fan. Though this is the last time we will see Henry Cavil as Superman.
Two-and-a-half Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Adam-Noa...
"Black Adam" is part of DC's Shazam family and has run the gambit between villain/anti-hero/hero through his decades-old run in the comics. Black Adam's infamy is that he murdered his son centuries ago to obtain the power of Shazam - at least in the darker incarnations of the character.
So when Dwayne Johnson stepped into the role of "Black Adam," the character's origins were changed a bit so that Black Adam gained his powers by his son who was killed by the king's assassins after he transferred his powers to his father in order to save his life.
But because Black Adam took a terrible vengeance on the king who had murdered his son, the wizards who granted his son the power of Shazam, imprisoned him in a tomb where he remained for over 5,000 years until a desperate woman spoke the word to free him from his prison.
Black Adam's sudden prison break alerts Amanda Waller, who contacts Hawkman and the Justice Society, with the intent on capturing and imprisoning him to prevent him from destroying the world. It was rather nifty to see Henry Winkler as the retired superhero Atom Smasher. "Black Adam" also marked the film debut of Doctor Fate.
"Black Adam" isn't really a great superhero movie. It's not a bad one, but not a great one either. It's far better than Arnold Schwarzenegger's turn as Mister Freeze in the critically panned "Batman and Robin" movie.
With the recent upheavals in the DC Cinematic Universe, it's doubtful that there will be a second "Black Adam" movie and I don't think that Dwayne Johnson will reprise the role. Perhaps if there is a third Shazam movie.
Not Really Recommended unless you are a steadfast Dwayne Johnson and/or DC Synderverse fan. Though this is the last time we will see Henry Cavil as Superman.
Two-and-a-half Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Adam-Noa...
Blood Of The Serpent
Just finished reading "Blood Of The Serpent" by S.M. Stirling, released by Titan Books.
Confession time: While I have greatly enjoyed S.M. Stirling's Terminator sequel trilogy which is a solid sequel to Terminator 2 - Judgement Day, and a majority of his novels, including his "Dies The Fire" series, I was a bit hesitant to order the latest Conan novel because I hadn't really read any of Robert E. Howard's original Conan stories, nor have I read any of the Conan books and stories that were written after Howard's death.
Dad was a huge Howard fan and he loved reading Conan stores - though he stated on more than a few occasions that he didn't like the non-Howard Conan novel that he had finished reading.
So it was with Dad in mind that I decided to go ahead and order "Blood of the Serpent" prior to it's release on Amazon.com.
You could rightly say that I read this book for Dad, though I'm pretty sure he's already got a copy in heaven's vast library and has read it.
"Blood of the Serpent" is a prequel to Howard's widely acclaimed novella, "Red Nails." It set's up the story of how Conan first met Valeria of the Red Brotherhood, and how her actions as a mercenary in Zarallo's Free Companions required her to flee for her life and set a cursed Conan on the trail to not only save her for the man who is tracking her down to kill her, but himself as well.
The problems with prequels that are written to famous stories is that they never live up to how readers imagined the circumstances that led up to what the reader had previously imagined them to be.
I suspect that "Blood of the Serpent," is not going to be too well received by true, die-hard Conan fans.
That's not to say that "Blood of the Serpent" isn't a good, solid Conan tale. It is and it does rather dove tail somewhat rather smoothly into "Red Nails" which is also included in the book - along with a rather odd and disturbing disclaimer about not wanting to take away the power of Howard's original story. In other words, someone at Titan Books was afraid of a woke reader being offended by Howard's original tale.
Strongly recommended for Conan fans.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Conan-Serpent-...
Confession time: While I have greatly enjoyed S.M. Stirling's Terminator sequel trilogy which is a solid sequel to Terminator 2 - Judgement Day, and a majority of his novels, including his "Dies The Fire" series, I was a bit hesitant to order the latest Conan novel because I hadn't really read any of Robert E. Howard's original Conan stories, nor have I read any of the Conan books and stories that were written after Howard's death.
Dad was a huge Howard fan and he loved reading Conan stores - though he stated on more than a few occasions that he didn't like the non-Howard Conan novel that he had finished reading.
So it was with Dad in mind that I decided to go ahead and order "Blood of the Serpent" prior to it's release on Amazon.com.
You could rightly say that I read this book for Dad, though I'm pretty sure he's already got a copy in heaven's vast library and has read it.
"Blood of the Serpent" is a prequel to Howard's widely acclaimed novella, "Red Nails." It set's up the story of how Conan first met Valeria of the Red Brotherhood, and how her actions as a mercenary in Zarallo's Free Companions required her to flee for her life and set a cursed Conan on the trail to not only save her for the man who is tracking her down to kill her, but himself as well.
The problems with prequels that are written to famous stories is that they never live up to how readers imagined the circumstances that led up to what the reader had previously imagined them to be.
I suspect that "Blood of the Serpent," is not going to be too well received by true, die-hard Conan fans.
That's not to say that "Blood of the Serpent" isn't a good, solid Conan tale. It is and it does rather dove tail somewhat rather smoothly into "Red Nails" which is also included in the book - along with a rather odd and disturbing disclaimer about not wanting to take away the power of Howard's original story. In other words, someone at Titan Books was afraid of a woke reader being offended by Howard's original tale.
Strongly recommended for Conan fans.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Conan-Serpent-...
December 31, 2022
"Macabre" by Steve Orchard
Just finished listening to "Macabre" by Steve Orchard, released by AD Music.
As frequent readers of my reviews here on Facebook, Goodreads, and other social media know, I always believe in full disclosure, especially when I have a connection to the book, CD, DVD, or what ever medium I am reviewing at a given moment.
Although we have never met in person, or even spoken to each other over the phone, Steve Orchard and I have been friends for years now. Perhaps one day we will finally get the opportunity to meet in person. You' could probably say that our friend began in letters - even though it began through email correspondence.
Now, I also have to reveal that my undergraduate degree is actually in Gothic Literature - a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina. - so when I learned that Steve was working on a Gothic-themed CD, I became very excited.
While Gothic themes have been previously explored in New Age Music - Martin Walker, Llewellyn (James Henry), and Stephen Rhodes, just to name a few - it's generally forgotten that the Gothic tradition embraces all aspects of the supernatural, the good and bad, or the divine and the eerie, if you prefer. An encounter with a fairy, ghost, angel or other supernatural being is a macabre encounter because it takes place outside of the ordinary and natural human realm, even if it's a positive one. In traditional Gothic literature, the tragedy is initiated by a human bent on his own selfish desires and they turn to supernatural forces in an attempt to obtain their goal.
So naturally, I was curious to listen to the Gothic themes would be exploring in his latest CD. Steve never disappoints with his music and "Macabre" is a great musical journey into the ghostly realms of mystery, sorrow, and the unknown.
My favorite tracks are: "Ghost Train," "Dark Angel," "Stay Close To The Candle' "Wiccan Trinkets," "Haunted Piano," and "Ghost Train."
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.admusicshop.com/product/s...
As frequent readers of my reviews here on Facebook, Goodreads, and other social media know, I always believe in full disclosure, especially when I have a connection to the book, CD, DVD, or what ever medium I am reviewing at a given moment.
Although we have never met in person, or even spoken to each other over the phone, Steve Orchard and I have been friends for years now. Perhaps one day we will finally get the opportunity to meet in person. You' could probably say that our friend began in letters - even though it began through email correspondence.
Now, I also have to reveal that my undergraduate degree is actually in Gothic Literature - a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina. - so when I learned that Steve was working on a Gothic-themed CD, I became very excited.
While Gothic themes have been previously explored in New Age Music - Martin Walker, Llewellyn (James Henry), and Stephen Rhodes, just to name a few - it's generally forgotten that the Gothic tradition embraces all aspects of the supernatural, the good and bad, or the divine and the eerie, if you prefer. An encounter with a fairy, ghost, angel or other supernatural being is a macabre encounter because it takes place outside of the ordinary and natural human realm, even if it's a positive one. In traditional Gothic literature, the tragedy is initiated by a human bent on his own selfish desires and they turn to supernatural forces in an attempt to obtain their goal.
So naturally, I was curious to listen to the Gothic themes would be exploring in his latest CD. Steve never disappoints with his music and "Macabre" is a great musical journey into the ghostly realms of mystery, sorrow, and the unknown.
My favorite tracks are: "Ghost Train," "Dark Angel," "Stay Close To The Candle' "Wiccan Trinkets," "Haunted Piano," and "Ghost Train."
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.admusicshop.com/product/s...
"Journeys" by Divine Matrix
Just finished listening to "Journeys" by Divine Matrix, released by AD Music.
Divine Matrix is actually the pseudonym of electronic musician and producer, Steve Barnes who is a veteran of the dance music scene and has worked under many different guises and names over the years.
With "Journeys," Divine Matrix, a.k.a. Barnes, takes the listener on a vivid travels to destinations around the world across various times in history with upbeat rhythms.
My favorite tracks on this CD are: "One Small Step," Gliding On Thermals," "Walking In East Berlin," "Ballooning At Dawn," and "Blue Origin."
Highly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://www.admusicshop.com/product/d...
Divine Matrix is actually the pseudonym of electronic musician and producer, Steve Barnes who is a veteran of the dance music scene and has worked under many different guises and names over the years.
With "Journeys," Divine Matrix, a.k.a. Barnes, takes the listener on a vivid travels to destinations around the world across various times in history with upbeat rhythms.
My favorite tracks on this CD are: "One Small Step," Gliding On Thermals," "Walking In East Berlin," "Ballooning At Dawn," and "Blue Origin."
Highly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://www.admusicshop.com/product/d...
