Review: Feed by Mira Grant

Feed by Mira Grant

Orbit, May 2010

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Official Description:

"Alive or dead, the truth won't rest. My name is Georgia Mason, and I am begging you. Rise up while you can."

The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beaten the common cold. But in doing so we had created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. The infection spread, virus blocks taking over buddies and minds with one, unstoppable command: FEED.

Now, twenty years after the Rising, Georgia and Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story of their lives—the dark conspiracy behind the infected. The truth will out, even if it kills them.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. In a world where capturing the news has been outsourced to the blogosphere, the brother and sister partnership of Georgia and Shaun is both fun and sympathetic and the journey they invite the reader into is thrilling and engaging.

Each chapter is punctuated by a blog post, poem or quotation that both sets the stage for the coming chapter and gives further insight into the mindset of the character. I really enjoyed this set up and at times it was extremely moving- even to tears at one point.

I thought that the zombies were well utilized. They weren't the focus of the novel but they provided the framework for the society; the technology, social cues, cultural norms, political positions and catalysis for movement. I appreciated the scientific approach to the zombies and especially how that was revealed to the reader in a very gradual and natural manner. It was also neat to see how Grant had thought through how the political machines would be affected by the introduction of the zombie threat.

I really enjoyed Mira Grant's writing style and was really impressed by how the shift in perspective character before the final action sequence was handled. It was carried out very smoothly and didn't interrupt the flow of the narrative.

I highly recommend reading Feed and I definitely look forward to reading the sequel, Deadline.

Written as Part of the Speculative Fiction Challenge

Other June Reviews from the Speculative Fiction Challenge

The Week of June 29-July 6

The Week of June 29-July 6

Wednesday June 29

Thursday June 30

6:15-7:15 Big Apple Class with Coyle Parker and Rachel Ries

PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30-11pm Thursday Swing with Live Music by Devin Phillips and Black and Blue

PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson

8:30 Live Music

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137874776290394

Friday July 1

Portland Blues Experience

Waterfront Park, Portland

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=200248210016888

8:00pm-12am Djangophiles at Living Room Theater

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Living Room Theater (341 SW Tenth Ave, Portland)

Saturday July 2

Portland Blues Experience

Waterfront Park, Portland

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=200248210016888

Sunday July 3

Portland Blues Experience

Waterfront Park, Portland

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=200248210016888

7-11pm Sunday Swing

Scottish Rite (1507 SE Morrison, Portland)

7:00 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson

8-11pm DJ'd Music

http://www.stumptowndance.com/

Monday July 4

Portland Blues Experience

Waterfront Park, Portland

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=200248210016888

6:30-8:30pm Beginning to Beyond Beginning Swing with Josh and Emily McLaughlin

Wimbledon Square (2837 SE Colt, Portland)

6:30 Drop-in Lesson

7:30-8:30 Dance Practice

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=138845799520031

7:30-9:30pm Guided Swing Practica

Lower Melody Ballroom (615 SE Alder, Portland)

7:15 Beginner Drop-in Lesson

8-10 Dance to DJ'd Music

http://www.stumptowndance.com/

9-11pm Kung Pao Chickens

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Laurelthirst Public House (2958 NE Glisan, Portland)

Tuesday July 5

7:30-12:30 Tuesday Blues

Lenora's Room (615 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30 Intermediate Blues Lesson

8:30 Beginning Blues Lesson

9-12:30 Dj'd Music

Wednesday July 6

5:00-7:00pm Music on Main Street with the Stolen Sweets

Portland Park Blocks between Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and Antoinette Hatfield Hall

http://www.pcpa.com/event/event.php?event=5906

Upcoming Events!

July 13 First Night of Pete Krebs Trio at New Day/Same Time, Morrison Street Hotel

July 17 Shim Sham Class and Workshop with Ben White, Scottish Rite (1507 SW Morrison, Portland)

August 12-14 Seattle Lindy Exchange (Seattle, WA)

September 2-5 Camp Balboa Seattle (Seattle, WA)

October 12-16 Sun Valley Jazz Festival (Sun Valley, ID)

Confessions of a Neglectful Writer

I think that I took too much time off of writing. I didn’t mean to but it just kind of happened. It’s been long enough that I don’t feel connected enough to any of my stories that I can write even a simple 250 words for a snapshot of the life of a single character. I’ve been a neglectful writer. I have a list of stories that are in various stages of writing: mostly finished first draft, partly finished first draft, fully outlined, bare bones outlined, fleshed out idea, and one sentence story concept. I think that I need to change how I write to be more effective and more focused. I’ve developed a method to try that I know will work better than the flailing I have been doing. Changing how I write will be hard work but I know that I will come out on the other side as a better and more consistent writer. I may write with an outline but in effect, I’ve still been a “pantser”. I’ve learned from NaNoWriMo that I can write a novel in a month but I need to fine tune my writing process so that after a month, I can still be writing and working on the novel. I know that spending more time in advance building the characters and the world will make writing flow easier for me even though the temptation for me is to just envision a concept and sit down to write while it is still shiny and new. I’ve been a neglectful writer and I know that I can do better.

My Little Garden Update

My last post about my little garden had two full flats of vegetables planted with a fair number of seedlings growing. Between watering issues, not feeding them soon enough and a cold spell once I started the hardening process, I only had a couple of plants left including a happily growing lettuce plant. Unfortunately, some little creature ate my lettuce plant down to the ground. So, all that's left is this little guy who may or may not be a pepper plant.

My little experiment with growing vegetables may not have gone real well this year but it gave me things to learn from for next year; starting with label which seeds go into which pots.

Open Letter to Old Chicago

Dear Old Chicago,

I am part of a group of local swing dancers that has been meeting at your restaurant weekly for at least five years after our Sunday night dance. For years, Old Chicago has been a friendly and comfortable place for our group to meet-up, eat, chat and play board and party games on Sunday nights. We are on first name basis and friendly terms with all the regular Sunday night servers and the manager.

For the last six to eight months, a friend who happens to have epilepsy has been a part of our weekly gatherings. Her epileptic seizures can be triggered by both light and sound. Old Chicago is well lit and the only flashing lights are the occasional police cars passing by on the street and the red light camera at the nearby intersection. One of the sounds that triggers epileptic seizures is frequently found in music: the synthetic, deep thudding bass common in a few musical genres. During the first several months, there were very few issues and when a troublesome song came on it was a matter of simply requesting the bartender to change the song to one without the synthetic bass sound.

Two months ago, the manager on duty took issue with the request to change the music being played and came to explain to us why coming out to Old Chicago with epilepsy and expecting music that won't trigger a seizure is like coming to a pizza place and expecting gluten-free food. Furthermore he explained that all their music is on a set of playlists selected by corporate and the individual store has no control over what is on the playlists and they cannot predict what music would be played. We requested that the music in the main dining room be shut off (while leaving the music playing in the bar intact) if suitable music could not be played and were told that corporate required music to be playing at all times and if a customer complained (we were the only customers not in the bar) they would get in trouble, and also that they can't prevent customers in the bar from selecting music on the Jukebox.

Two months, numerous song change requests, and a second manager later we finally received the business cards of the Store's General Manager and the Regional Manager; just in time for two "bad" songs in a row to trigger six major seizures (full body tremors) in the space of half an hour. During which time, one of the other members of the group is on the phone with the Regional Manager attempting to get the music changed or shut off and in lieu of that accommodation arrange a face to face meeting between our seizing and currently non-verbal friend and the Regional Manager.

Is it really so difficult or unreasonable for music without the synthetic bass to be played during the hours of Midnight and 2:00am on a Sunday night?

In the past, Old Chicago has been a friendly and fun place for our group to hang out but it certainly isn't the only option available to us. We'll be saddened by the end of an era but the health of our friend is far more important than loyalty to an establishment that is unable to make reasonable accommodations for a life threatening medical condition. For those reasons we shall be taking our business across the street to Denny's.

Sincerely,

Allisyn Bridges

The Swing Dancers from the Corner Booth

Review: Dauntless by Jack Campbell

Dauntless by Jack Campbell
Ace Books, Reissue Edition June 2006

Genre: Science Fiction

Official Description:

The Alliance has been fighting the Syndics for a century, and losing badly. Now its fleet is crippled and stranded in enemy territory. Their only hope is a man who has emerged from a century-long hibernation to find he has been heroically idealized beyond belief.

Captain John "Black Jack" Geary's legendary exploits are known to every schoolchild. Revered for his heroic "last stand" in the early days of the war, he was presumed dead. But a century later, Geary miraculously returns from survival hibernation and reluctantly takes command of the Alliance fleet as it faces annihilation by the Syndics.

Appalled by the hero-worship around him, Geary is nevertheless a man who will do his duty. And he knows that bringing the stolen Syndic hypernet key safely home is the Alliance's one chance to win the war. But to do that, Geary will have to live up to the impossibly heroic "Black Jack" legend.

My Thoughts:

The premise of this science fiction tale is one that I found very intriguing and even better, it was skillfully executed. Campbell throws you straight in the action because the protagonist, John Geary, is thrown straight into the action. Since Geary wakes up from stasis in the middle of the war, Campbell is able to introduce the current situation to the reader by way of briefing Geary. Some of the chain of events that lead to Geary taking command of the fleet are a tad unbelievable but if you suspend belief the story takes us into a very believable retreat behind enemy lines.

Dauntless has a couple of the characteristics that tend to endear science fiction novels to me: the battles are described with as few technical terms as the author can get away with and don't dominate the novel, and the focus is on the social and political interactions within the crew and the fleet.

I found this to be an excellent and enjoyable read. It certainly did the job of enticing me to read the next book and I'd gladly recommend it to fellow science fiction fans.

Written as Part of the Speculative Fiction Challenge

Other June Reviews from the Speculative Fiction Challenge

Portland Lindy Hop Events June 22-29

The Week of June 22-29

Wednesday June 22

Thursday June 23

6:15-7:15 Big Apple Class with Coyle Parker and Rachel Ries

PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30-11pm Thursday Swing

PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson

8:30 DJ'd Music

Olympia Jazz Festival

St Martin's University Campus (5300 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey, WA)

Friday June 24

Olympia Jazz Festival

St Martin's University Campus (5300 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey, WA)

6pm-Midnight Solstice Party with Pete Krebs, Caleb Klauder, The Pickups and More!

The Spare Room (4830 NE 42nd Ave, Portland)

6-9pm Kids Welcome

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=176934775700154

Saturday June 25

Olympia Jazz Festival

St Martin's University Campus (5300 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey, WA)

8:00-10:30pm Swing Outside Saturday

Peninsula Park (700 N Rosa Parks Way, Portland)

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=171414472921170

9:00pm-12:00am Bridgetown Sextet at Duff's Garage

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Duff's Garage (1635 SE 7th, Portland)

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=181363935251162

8:00-11:00pm Djangophiles at Brasserie Montmartre

Brasserie Montmartre (626 SW Park Ave, Portland)

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=113573438732604

Sunday June 26

7-11pm Dress Up and Dance Night at Sunday Swing

Scottish Rite (1507 SE Morrison, Portland)

7:00 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson

8-11pm DJ'd Music by Rod Young

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=193503204033495

7:00- 10:00 Swing Night in the Knife Shop with Boy and Bean

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Kelly's Olympian (426 SW Washington, Portland)

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=173274679399670

Olympia Jazz Festival

St Martin's University Campus (5300 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey, WA)

Monday June 27

6:30-8:30pm Beginning to Beyond Beginning Swing with Josh and Emily McLaughlin

Wimbledon Square (2837 SE Colt, Portland)

6:30 Drop-in Lesson

7:30-8:30 Dance Practice

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=138845799520031

7:30-9:30pm Guided Swing Practica

Lower Melody Ballroom (615 SE Alder, Portland)

7:15 Beginner Drop-in Lesson

8-10 Dance to DJ'd Music

http://www.stumptowndance.com/

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=237973939548738

7-9pm Pete Krebs Trio

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Morrison Street Hotel Bar (719 SE Morrison St, Portland)

Last Monday Gig at the Morrison Hotel

9-11pm Kung Pao Chickens

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Laurelthirst Public House (2958 NE Glisan, Portland)

Tuesday June 28

7:30-12:30 Tuesday Blues

Lenora's Room (615 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30 Intermediate Blues Lesson

8:30 Beginning Blues Lesson

9-12:30 Dj'd Music

Wednesday June 29

Upcoming Events!

June 30 Devin Phillips and Black and Blue Live at Thursday Swing, PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

July 1-4 Portland Blues Experience, Waterfront Park (Portland)

July 13 First Night of Pete Krebs Trio at New Day/Same Time, Morrison Street Hotel

July 17 Shim Sham Class and Workshop with Ben White, Scottish Rite (1507 SW Morrison, Portland)

August 12-14 Seattle Lindy Exchange (Seattle, WA)

September 2-5 Camp Balboa Seattle (Seattle, WA)

October 12-16 Sun Valley Jazz Festival (Sun Valley, ID)

Idiot Points for Bikers

As summer inches its way to Portland, more and more people are starting to bike around town. Now, I'm totally for biking: great exercise, fun, good for the environment, etc. However the way people go about biking leaves much to be desired (kind of like Portland drivers, but that's a different soapbox). Half of the bikers I see on a day to day basis do a numbers of things that make it unsafe for themselves and other people, cars and pedestrians included. I see enough hazards that I've started keeping score in my head.

Idiot Points for Bikers

+1 Riding on the sidewalk

+1 Riding on the sidewalk on the wrong side of the street

+1 Riding on the wrong side of the street

+1 Not wearing a helmet

+1 The helmet is hanging from the handlebars

+1 Riding on busy streets with narrow lanes, no bike lane and no shoulder

+1 Blocking the crosswalk when stopped

+2 Riding in the blindspot of a car

+5 Weaving through motor vehicle traffic

+5 Ignoring red lights or stop signs

Please Note: this is not a complete list, this is merely off the top of my head. Feel free to propose other additions. Point values are based on risk, annoyance, and idiocy of the behavior.

Note, the Second: This is not to discourage anyone from biking, merely to point out neglected safety concerns.

Note, the Third: An excellent manual on how to safely bike on the street: http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/intro.htm

Portland Lindy Hop Events June 15-22

The Week of June 15-22

Wednesday June 15

Thursday June 16

6:15-7:15 Big Apple Class with Coyle Parker and Rachel Ries

PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30-11pm Thursday Swing

PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson

8:30 DJ'd Music

Friday June 17

Saturday June 18

Sunday June 19

7-11pm Sunday Swing

Scottish Rite (1507 SE Morrison, Portland)

7:00 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson

8-11pm DJ'd Music by Ronda Wallace

Monday June 20

6:30-8:30pm Beginning to Beyond Beginning Swing with Josh and Emily McLaughlin

Wimbledon Square (2837 SE Colt, Portland)

6:30 Drop-in Lesson

7:30-8:30 Dance Practice

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=138845799520031

7:30-9:30pm Guided Swing Practica

Lower Melody Ballroom (615 SE Alder, Portland)

7:15 Beginner Drop-in Lesson

8-10 Dance to DJ'd Music

http://www.stumptowndance.com/

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=225214964163842

7-9pm Pete Krebs Trio

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Morrison Street Hotel Bar (719 SE Morrison St, Portland)

9-11pm Kung Pao Chickens

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Laurelthirst Public House (2958 NE Glisan, Portland)

Tuesday June 21

7:30-12:30 Tuesday Blues

Lenora's Room (615 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30 Intermediate Blues Lesson

8:30 Beginning Blues Lesson

9-12:30 Dj'd Music

Wednesday June 22

Upcoming Events!

June 23-26 Olympia Jazz Festival, St Martin's University Campus (5300 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey, WA)

June 26 Swing Night in the Knife Shop with Boy and Bean, Kelly's Olympian (426 SW Washington, Portland)

June 30 Live Music at Thursday Swing, PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

July 1-4 Portland Blues Experience, Waterfront Park (Portland)

July 17 Shim Sham Class and Workshop with Ben White, Scottish Rite (1507 SW Morrison, Portland)

August 12-14 Seattle Lindy Exchange (Seattle, WA)

September 2-5 Camp Balboa Seattle (Seattle, WA)

October 12-16 Sun Valley Jazz Festival (Sun Valley, ID)

Portland Lindy Hop Events June 8-15

The Week of June 8-15

Wednesday June 8

Thursday June 9

6:15-7:15 Big Apple Class with Coyle Parker and Rachel Ries

PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30-11pm Thursday Swing

PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson

8:30 DJ'd Music

Friday June 10

Saturday June 11

7-12pm Vancouver Swing Dance

Pop Culture (1929 Main Street, Vancouver, WA)

Live Music By Jenny Finn Orchestra

8:00 Drop in Lesson by Amber Dannals

9:00 Live Swing

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=121920337890578

8-11pm Swing Outside Saturday

Peninsula Park (700 N Rosa Parks Way, Portland)

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=203450459698570

8:30-? The Sportin' Lifers at the Eagles Lodge

SE Hawthorn Eagle Lodge (4904 SE Hawthorn, Portland)

8:30 Live Jump Blues and Swing

http://www.sportinlifers.com/calendar.html

Sunday June 12

2-5pm DecaVita's Swing/Lindy Workshop

Scottish Rite (1507 SE Morrison, Portland)

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=226122607414866

7-11pm Sunday Swing

Scottish Rite (1507 SE Morrison, Portland)

7:00 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson

8-11pm DJ'd Music

Monday June 13

6:30-8:30pm Beginning to Beyond Beginning Swing with Josh and Emily McLaughlin

Wimbledon Square (2837 SE Colt, Portland)

6:30 Drop-in Lesson

7:30-8:30 Dance Practice

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=138845799520031

7:15-10pm 30+ Swing Dance

Lower Melody Ballroom (615 SE Alder, Portland)

7:15 Beginner Drop-in Lesson

8-10 Dance to DJ'd Music

http://www.stumptowndance.com/

7-9pm Pete Krebs Trio

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Morrison Street Hotel Bar (719 SE Morrison St, Portland)

9-11pm Kung Pao Chickens

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Laurelthirst Public House (2958 NE Glisan, Portland)

Tuesday June 14

7:30-12:30 Tuesday Blues

Lenora's Room (615 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30 Intermediate Blues Lesson

8:30 Beginning Blues Lesson

9-12:30 Dj'd Music

Wednesday June 14

Upcoming Events!

June 23-26 Olympia Jazz Festival, St Martin's University Campus (5300 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey, WA)

June 30 Live Music at Thursday Swing, PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

July 1-4 Portland Blues Experience, Waterfront Park (Portland)

August 12-14 Seattle Lindy Exchange (Seattle, WA)

September 2-5 Camp Balboa Seattle (Seattle, WA)

October 12-16 Sun Valley Jazz Festival (Sun Valley, ID)

Portland Lindy Hop Events June 1-8

The Week of June 1-8

Wednesday June 1

6:30-7:30 Intermediate Swing Dance Class with Stefan Durham and Bethany Powell

Unknown, Canceled?

7:30-8:30 Big Apple Class with Coyle Parker and Rachel Ries

Unknown, Canceled?

Thursday June 2

7:30-11pm Thursday Swing

PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson

8:30 DJ'd Music

Friday June 3

Saturday June 4

9-11:30 Midnight Serenaders at Duff's Garage

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Duff's Garage (1635 SE 7th Ave, Portland)

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=190324687681362

8-11pm Swing Time Speakeasy

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Secret Society (116 NE Russell Street, Portland)

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=221873831161263

8:30 Swing Lesson

9-10 Live Music with Annapaul and the Bearded Lady

10-10:15 Variety Show

10:15 Live Music with Annapaul and the Bearded Lady

Sunday June 5

7-11pm Sunday Swing

Scottish Rite (1507 SE Morrison, Portland)

7:00 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson

8-11pm DJ'd Music

Monday June 6

6:30-8:30pm Beginning to Beyond Beginning Swing with Josh and Emily McLaughlin

Wimbledon Square (2837 SE Colt, Portland)

6:30 Drop-in Lesson

7:30-8:30 Dance Practice

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=138845799520031

7:15-10pm 30+ Swing Dance

Lower Melody Ballroom (615 SE Alder, Portland)

7:15 Beginner Drop-in Lesson

8-10 Dance to DJ'd Music

http://www.stumptowndance.com/

7-9pm Pete Krebs Trio

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Morrison Street Hotel Bar (719 SE Morrison St, Portland)

9-11pm Kung Pao Chickens

Drinking Age Only, 21+

Laurelthirst Public House (2958 NE Glisan, Portland)

Tuesday June 7

7:30-12:30 Tuesday Blues

Lenora's Room (615 SE Alder, Portland)

7:30 Intermediate Blues Lesson

8:30 Beginning Blues Lesson

9-12:30 Dj'd Music

Wednesday June 8

6:30-7:30 Intermediate Swing Dance Class with Stefan Durham and Bethany Powell

Venue Unknown

Upcoming Events!

June 11 Vancouver Swing Dance with Jenny Finn Orchestra, Pop Culture (1929 Main Street, Vancouver, WA)

June 12 DecaVita's Swing/Lindy Workshop, Scottish Rite (1507 SW Morrison St, Portland)

June 23-26 Olympia Jazz Festival, St Martin's University Campus (5300 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey, WA)

June 30 Live Music at Thursday Swing, PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)

July 1-4 Portland Blues Experience, Waterfront Park (Portland)

August 12-14 Seattle Lindy Exchange (Seattle, WA)

September 2-5 Camp Balboa Seattle (Seattle, WA)

October 12-16 Sun Valley Jazz Festival (Sun Valley, ID)