Books At Home

Books at Home hosted by Reading in the Wilderness.

Another shelf full of books.. imagine that!  All of the reviews are from Amazon, as are the links.

So.. on the left side we begin with 1: The Star Trek Reader II, by James Blish.

James Blish was a science fiction writer who wrote over 27 novels, most notably the Cities in Flight series, and A Case of Conscience, for which he won a Hugo Award. He also was a highly respected critic, and his criticism in collected in the books The Issue at Hand, and More Issues at Hand, (published under the pen name of William Atheling, Jr.). Using the original scripts, which sometimes differed from the final filmed episode, Blish turned each episode of the original Star Trek into a short story, which were collected into anthologies and published as paperback originals. 

The Star Trek Reader collects three of these anthologies: Star Trek 1, Star Trek 4, and Star Trek 9. The episodes present include Charlie's Law; Dagger of the Mind; The Unreal McCoy; Balance of Terror; The Naked Time; Miri; The Conscience of the King; All Our Yesterdays; The Devil in the Dark; Journey to Babel; The Menagerie; The Enterprise Incident; A Piece of the Action; Return to Tomorrow; The Ultimate Computer; That Which Survives; Obsession; The Return of the Archons; and The Immunity Syndrome.


2: Pathway to the Gods by Erich Von Daniken.

A spaceport in the Andes! A computer chart in Egyptian ruins! Primitive sculptures of figures wearing space suits! Erich von Däniken's Chariots of the Gods stunned the world with the archaeological discovery that alien beings once colonized earth.
 Now, in Pathways to the Gods, von Däniken reveals the story of his travels following the trail of the ancient visitors---from the technologically sophisticated stone ruins in the Bolivian Andes to the sensational Sanskrit descriptions of space battles in Calcutta---new proof of von Däniken's startling theory that man descended from the stars!

3: Chariots of the Gods by Erich Von Daniken.

The startling book that asks: Did astronauts visit the earth 40,000 years ago? Is there evidence of a prehistoric airfield in the Andes? Did extraterrestrial beings help set up the giant stone faces that brood over Easter Island? And other earth mysteries unanswerable until our own space age.


4: A Trilogy: Shadow Raiders/  Storm Raiders/ The Seventh Sigil by Margaret Weis and Robert Krammes.

Shadow Raiders:

The known world floats upon the Breath of God, a thick gas similar to Earth's oceans, with land masses accessible by airship. The largest of these land masses are ruled by the rival empires of Freya and Rosia. Magic is intrinsic to the functioning of these societies, and is even incorporated into their technological devices. But now a crucial scientific discovery has occurred that could destroy the balance of power-and change the empires forever.

 
5. Storm Riders:

In a magical world, two enemy kingdoms have long sought a weapon that will win lasting dominance. But then both are attacked by the Bottom-Dwellers, bitter people whose own land was destroyed. Using contramagic strengthened by blood sacrifice, they threaten to bring down whole cities. Freya and Rosia must put aside their age-old conflict to defend themselves. As the Bottom-Dwellers' contramagic eats away the magic of the dragons that protects the world above, a former dragon-riding hero gathers a new dragon brigade, the one desperate hope of the two kingdoms to defeat the fiends who threaten their world. The new dragon brigade's high-flying heroics will be to no avail, though, unless they can uncover forbidden knowledge, long hidden by the Church.

 
 
6. The Seventh Sigil:

Five hundred years ago, a clan of rebels was banished to the bottom of the enchanted world of Aeronne; ever since, these Bottom Dwellers have sought revenge, and now they are waging all-out war on the rest of humanity. Their deadly "contramagic" beams destroy buildings and attack naval airships, and their demonic drumming brings terrible storms and disrupts the magic of the people and dragons Above. The attack of their full contramagic power will create a magical armageddon.

In an effort to prevent further death, Captain Stephano de Guichen leads the Dragon Brigade, taking the fight to the Bottom. But strength of arms alone will not be enough to conquer their foe.

As the Bottom Dwellers' blood magic eats away at the world, those Above realize their only possible defense lies in the heretical secrets of contramagic. Loyal priests must decide whether to protect the Church, or risk its destruction in pursuit of the truth.



7: The Icewind Dale Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore.

Icewind Dale. Windswept passes and forbidding glaciers stand at the top of the world. Below them, in the cold valleys, an evil force broods: the magic of Crenshinibon, the crystal shard.

Now dwarf, barbarian, and drow elf join to battle this evil. Tempered in the furnace of struggle, they form an unbreakable friendship.
A legend is born.

For the first time in one volume, here is New York Times bestselling author R.A. Salvatore's adventure that introduced Drizzt Do'Urden, the heroic dark elf, one of the most beloved characters in fantasy literature.



8: The Mammoth Book of Victorian & Edwardian Ghost Stories edited by Richard Dalby.

Gathers forty of the best English and American ghost stories from the genre's golden age of 1839 to 1910, including works by Charles Dickens, Bram Stoker, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Ambrose Bierce. Original.



9: Vanishing Cornwall by Daphne du Maurier.

'There was a smell in the air of tar and rope and rusted chain, a smell of tidal water. Down harbour, around the point, was the open sea. Here was the freedom I desired, long sought-for, not yet known. Freedom to write, to walk, to wander, freedom to climb hills, to pull a boat, to be alone . . . I for this, and this for me.'

Daphne du Maurier lived in Cornwall for most of her life. Its rugged coastline, wild terrain and tumultuous weather inspired her imagination, and many of her works are set there, including Rebecca, Jamaica Inn and Frenchman's Creek.

In Vanishing Cornwall she celebrates the land she loved, exploring its legends, its history and its people, eloquently making a powerful plea for Cornwall's preservation.



10:  Cheech Isn't My Real Name But Don't Call me Chong by Cheech Marin.

The long-awaited memoir from a counterculture legend.

Cheech Marin came of age at an interesting time in America and became a self-made counterculture legend with his other half, Tommy Chong. This insightful memoir delves into how Cheech dodged the draft, formed one of the most successful comedy duos of all time, became the face of the recreational drug movement with the film Up in Smoke, forged a successful solo career with roles in The Lion King and, more recently, Jane the Virgin, and became the owner of the most renowned collection of Chicano art in the world.

Written in Cheech's uniquely hilarious voice, this memoir will take you to new highs.
 
 
11: The Parade's Gone By by Kevin Brownlow.
 

 

Because so many films of the silent era have been lost or are damaged or projected at the wrong speed (24fps instead of 16fps) the general public's notion of them is a bit skewed. Kevin Brownlow's love of film, and especially the Silent Films, brought forth this invaluable book published in the 1960s. He was able to interview many of the pioneers of the film industry while they were still alive--at a time when so many had already been forgotten by both the public & their own industry. Digital restoration of early silent films has now shown us how well-made & beautifully photographed many of them were. It's a shame this book is out of-print, but film lovers & future filmmakers alike will find it enthralling & educational.