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Category Archives: Point Blank Reviews

Point Blank Review: 1632 by Eric Flint

I turned the page, so to speak in December, 2011 when I took the recommendation of a co-worker and downloaded the first book in the Ring of Fire alternate history series from Eric Flint from titled 1632. Described as the “ultimate Y2K glitch” when the town of Grantville, West Virginia,  it’s surrounding area and residents find themselves in the middle of war torn Europe and the Thirty Years’ War. The year, 1632.

I had been tempted by Flint’s 1632 series previously, instead deciding to re-read all of Clive Cussler’s offerings instead. After talking to my friend further I was convinced to give his initial book a try. What I find most surprising about this series is the world that has been created at 1632.org in support of the series. Rarely do I get involved with “fan sites” that support a book or more commonly a video game, but this community that supports 1632 has a wealthy of information to offer to support Mr. Flint’s (and contributing writers) alternate reality.

Of the main characters, Mike Stearns, mine worker and UMWA member takes control the situation in an attempt to defend their town from neighboring Germany. As the charismatic leader of the Americans, Stearns is well liked, quick to think and decisive when it comes to his decision making skills. Early on in the book, he leads the mine workers against a marauding band mercenaries, which sets the stage for the rest of the book.

It’s the ultimate “butterfly effect’ as Grantville, West Virginia was brought into the middle of the Thirty Years War. The citizens of Grantville must quick adapt to their new surroundings of Thuringia or die. Known as “up-timers” these people band together behind charismatic leadership and a desire to survive and thrive in their new homeland as they face challenges.

Behind the leadership of Stearns they draw allegiance with Gustav II Adolf, the King of Sweden, as they go against the likes of Spain and underhanded dealings of Cardinal Richelieu in France. Both powerful leaders during this time period, one in which Gustav II Adolf gains the upper hand, thanks in part to the advanced technology.

Flint’s 1632 is the first in a continuing series (now up to 1636: The Saxony Uprising) of the Ring of Fire series. “Fans are encouraged to contribute to the series though an online message board known as Baen’s Bar. The entire Grantville Gazette and large portions of the Ring of Fire anthology, both of which are considered canonical, are paid, fan-written (albeit edited by Flint) works, and have directly contributed material to the main novels. The author also worked with other established authors to develop new stories and plot lines for further novels which are also published in the two Ring of Fire anthologies*.”

It’s quite amazing to see such support and collaborative efforts put forth by the like Eric Flint, David Weber, Andrew Dennis, Virginia DeMarce, Gorg Huff and Paula Goodlett, along with many individuals who contribute to the 1632 universe at Baen’s Bar (forum) as well as through the Grantville Gazette. Currently I ‘m reading 1634: The Galileo Affair as the transplanted West Virginians continue making an impact in their new surroundings.

If you want some entertaining reading that really draws you in, this is a wonderful series. It’s been interesting to read excepts about the Thirty Years War or some of the powerful individuals during that period, along with some of the same scenarios that end up playing out differently than how history originally recorded them in the books brought by Grantville. You can even download 1632 for FREE.

Point Blank Review: The Engine 2 ‘Kitchen Rescue’

It has been an interesting and informative journey for nearly 3 months, now that I have changed my diet, which is really more a lifestyle change. I added another Forks Over Knives documentary today called The Engine 2 ‘Kitchen Rescue’ with Rip Esselstyn, which is available on Netflix. Rip is the son of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, surgeon, who “completed one of the most extensive studies on the relationship between the heart and diet–proving that a plant-based diet can reduce and even eliminate heart disease” (source). Currently Rip is employed as a firefighter with the Austin Fire Department.

I was introduced to Rip in Forks Over Knives, as his story was used as an example at the firehouse he works at. The fire fighters at Engine 2 had a peer who’s total cholesterol was 344. In a challenge they decided to move to a “plant strong lifestyle.” This documentary explores two families who decide to take the challenge and learn about a plant based, whole food diet.

Much like FOK and The McDougall Program, Rip is introduced to the families and prepares them for the change they will experience. The refrigerator and pantry are open and foods that make up the “standard American diet” or SAD are removed. The families are introduced to reading the nutritional facts, as opposed to the label to see what they are eating. A trip to the local market for vegetables and a little education make these families eager to see what flavorful recipes Rip can cook up.

As a “SAD” eater I have experienced what these families were going through, looking for recipes that are filling or “having substance” as my wife calls it, as well as having good flavor, while avoiding those foods, such as meat, dairy and oil that are not healthy. Having cooked for 3 months now my library of recipes continue to grow. Initial it was difficult or found it time consuming to put together a good tasting meal that my wife and 6 year old would enjoy and look forward to eating.

With the help of the families rip put together a daily menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner for both. Needless to say the meals were quick, easy and from the comments of the families very tasty. For example, the Wali Family was introduced to Ann’s Panani Sandwich with Hummus, Mushrooms and Spinach while the White couple were introduced to am American favorite, which has been made heart healthy, a vegetarian burger with potatoes cut into fries. Both meals made with plant based, whole foods and introducing both to a “plant strong lifestyle” in the kitchen.

The Engine 2 Diet ‘Kitchen Rescue’ also has a supporting web site that provides some good introductory recipes that are quick and easy for people wanting to take control of their healthy and eat differently. Rip also authored The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter’s 28-Day Save-Your-Life Plan that Lowers Cholesterol and Burns Away the Pounds. This book is similar to what Dr. John McDougall outlined in The McDougall Plan. Unlike Dr. McDougall’s 12-day program, Rip provides readers with a 28-day plan to better health.

Overall I enjoyed the documentary, which I took as more supporting evidence for a “plant strong lifestyle.” It’s a bit quicker and easier to follow than Forks Over Knives and doesn’t include the numbers, science or studies behind the diet. Rip does a good job of keeping it simple for the family members, while providing them introductory information to what the lifestyle change constitutes. I do have his book on my want list and look forward to reading it. While I am promoting a plant based, whole food diet I won’t push others to join me. It’s a personal decision and one must make a strong commitment and have the desire to change your lifestyle for the betterment of your health.

Point Blank Review: The Fourth Kind

Before adding the movie The Fourth Kind to my queue on Netflix, I did not think much about the movie. It came up as a recommendation because of the background nature of the movie. Alleged alien abduction. I can already see some reader shaking their heads, at such an outrageous claim. Regardless of what you think, I found the movie rather intriguing to view, since I had not done any prior research on the film, it’s background or “real life” story that makes up the plot.

*Spoilers ahead* The movie centers around a hosted television interview through Chapman University with Dr. Abigail Tyler, a psychologist in Nome, Alaska who discuss the “fourth kind” of close encounter. Abduction. Tyler, played by Milla Jovovich, best known for her work in the Resident Evil series, records numerous therapy sessions with patients who have similar experiences and claiming to see an owl in the window.

After the mysterious death of her husband, Will, she undergoes her own therapy session with Dr. Abel Campos, a psychologist from Anchorage and colleague to Tyler. Her regression session raises questions as to her husband’s disappearance. After hearing similar stories from numerous patients, Dr. Tyler believes they were possibly abducted.

After Campos is unable to draw an further conclusions in regression session with Tyler and calls in a language expert after hearing an unidentifiable language recorded. Dr. Awolowa Odusami, an expert in ancient languages and called in by Campos. He identifies the language as Sumerian.

It’s the abduction of Ashley, Tyler’s daughter that brings the abduction theory to life, a portion of which is caught on video by a police patrol car that was guarding Tyler’s house after she was confined to her home by the sheriff.

Like many alien/abduction based movies you never get that good glimpse of an extraterrestrial or a UFO, but you get what could be discerned as “not of this world.” In each of the regressions, the video scrambles and the audio is broken, as violence seems to erupt in the background. This was the case each time the entity spoke in Sumerian and the UFO took Ashley.

In the end, nothing is resolved, the film goes on to discuss each of those involved in the film, leaving the audience to decide. As credit scroll, taped phone calls of people recounting UFO sightings play.

If I would have read reviews or followed the movie prior to seeing it, I don’t believe it would of had as strong an impact as it did. The movie is filmed in the same vein as Blair Witch Project of Paranormal Activity, on a low budget and through the use of a home video camera. Still the interspersing of archived video combined with the dramatization is well done and does provide a story from two different angles.

I do have an interest in the subject matter I was taken in by the film and when it was over, I thought what I had just seen was the real deal. Guess that is what the director would have wanted. Still, even if you have read reviews and know that what you are seeing is a “hoax” and these incidents in Nome did not happen, the movie still holds entertainment value. I would recommend it for those who take an interest in the abduction theory or like a good paranormal thriller.

The movie centers around a chain of disappearances in the remote region of Nome, Alaska from the 1960s to present day. A few years back the FBI was called in to investigate the abnormally high disappearance rate, but their conclusions were somewhat inconclusive.

At the center of attention is Dr. Abigail Tyler (psychology), played by

There are some interesting use of split screen, as well as actual video and audio footage to support Dr. Tyler’s claims. At the beginning of the movie Jovovich explains the use of this original material in order to help support the claims made by the movie. Convincing? I guess that is up to you the viewer. I thought it to be rather well done. Of course other Internet based claims are so fond of it.

As the story rolls along, Jovovich starts having her own mental issues an sees her shrink, Abel Campos. Through out the movie there seems to be a connection between all the regression sessions we see from the archived footage into the strange and unexplained disappearances in Nome.

It becomes evident an extraterrestrial force is at work when Dr Tyler records a late night session of “Scott” while mentally suffering in his home. The video is rather shocking as the regression seems to go wrong, as an unknown voice, a presence is heard through the body of Scott.

Enter Awolowa Odusami, a expert in language who recognizes the unknown language on the videos as Sumerian. He long with Campos attempt to work with Dr. Tyler to figure out what happened, not only to her husband but to her.

 

Point Blank Review: Sanctuary

Being a science fiction fan I was enthralled with what Stargate, the movie brought to the big screen in 1994. Three year later, Stargate SG-1 was born, which centered around the “flagship team” of the Stargate program, SG-1. Featured on this team was Amanda Tapping, who played Samantha “Sam” Carter for the shows 10 year run. She also reunited with the Stargate franchise in Stargate: Atlantis, as well as a few appearance on SGU Stargate Universe. Her recent role has her portraying new character as she works to protect “the network” and those within.

I was in luck when a suggested title through Netflix was the TV series, Sanctuary featuring Amanda Tapping as the enigmatic (and sexy) Dr. Helen Magnus. The show follows the”exploits of Dr. Helen Magnus and her quest to protect various cryptids, legends, and normal animals/people with certain extraordinary powers and abilities – what most people would consider monsters. “The Sanctuary” serves as a safe haven for these “Abnormals”.

The exotic and shadowy past of Dr. Magnus is not revealed up front, but you learn about her background and how she became to be over the first season. Over her years she had surrounded herself with some great minds, such as Nikola Tesla as well as John Druitt, otherwise known as Jack the Ripper, each of whom have their own unique abilities.

During Season 1, we are introduced to Dr. Will Zimmerman, a former police forensic psychiatrist, who’s abilities allow him to look beyond a crime scene. These abilities made him unpopular with the police force, which had him taking time off when approached by Dr. Magnus.

In their own rights, the rest of the team that supports Magnus are all strange, from self proclaimed geek, Henry Foss and Dr. Magnus’s daughter, Ashley to Bigfoot. Season 2 we are introduced to Kate Freelander, who seems to have Cabal connections, allowing Magnus to seemingly get the upper hand. With the unfortunate departure Ashley Magnus earlier in Season 2, apparently killed off after being a super assassin, as part of the Cabal plan to infiltrate and destroy the Sanctuary.

Ashley Magnus was the femme fetale combining beauty, brains and packing a serious punch when it came to fighting the Cabal. Unfortunately her willingness to bring the conflict to a resolution by fire power sometimes got her in trouble. Kate Freelander is similar and attempts to fill the position now vacated by Ashley Magnus after being snatched by the Cabal during Season 1. She does a fair job, not sure have been all that fond of her. She is growing on me (now after 2 seasons), but how she because a part of the Sanctuary “team” just didn’t fit well.

We learn about “The Cabal” in episode three, introduced as, “a powerful shadow organization that captures, studies, and experiments on Abnormals, in the belief that the Abnormal population is a threat to the human species.” Much the opposite of what the Sanctuary was created for.

What makes the show even more interesting is the heavy use of CGI and the fact the series actually started out on the Internet as 15-20 minutes webisodes. “Sanctuary is the first television series in North America to use the RED camera exclusively. The RED camera system does away with tape and film and records straight to a hard drive allowing the Anthem Visual Effects and the series’ post production team immediate access to the day’s footage, and is capable of recording at resolutions up to 4096 horizontal by 2304 vertical pixels, four times the resolution of current day HD.” (*)

Even laced with heavy CGI, the show still has a great plot as the Sanctuary and Cabal seemingly battle head to head over the existence of “Abnormals.” You can easily overlook the use of green/blue screens, the”virtual setting” as opposed to “on location” shoots. Sanctuary is a very good series. There is a wonderful balance between character development and the science fiction nature of the show. It will be interesting to see how Season 3 plays out, which is available online. Can’t wait to see how the Kali story plays out. Rumor is there are already talks underway between SyFy and Sanctuary Productions for a Season 4.

Point Blank Review: Stargate SG-1

Prior to starting in on the 10 season epic that is Stargate SG-1 courtesy of Netflix, I was a bit curious as to the 8.5 rating as seen on IMDB. I had never really put much thought into getting into this sci-fi series, but now that I am 8 seasons in, that rating no longer needs to be justified.

I made the mistake after I was 6 seasons into the series and read about the series on Wikipedia. That ruined some of the surprises that were yet comes. In fact I was trying to see where Stargate Atlantis fit into the picture, which is at the start of Stargate SG-1, season 8. Regardless of what I read, the series has been amazing!

The television series was built off the movie, Stargate, which came out in 1994 starting Kurt Russell as Colonel Jack O’Neil and James Spader as Dr. Daniel Jackson. In the movie, on the Giza Plateau a cover stone is found, underneath it holds what comes to be known as the “stargate.” This is a “ancient” transport device that allows travelers to gate to other worlds.

The movie while not highly popular did spawn the television series, which stars Richard Dean Anderson as Colonel Jack O’Neill, and Michael Shanks as Dr. Daniel Jackson. The show also introduces Amanda Tapping as Major Samantha Carter and Christopher Judge as the Jaffa, Teal’c. The characters are very well developed, which helps you identify with them. O’Neill is a driven military leader trying to make up for a failed marriage and a family tragedy, which could have been prevented.

Samantha Carter is much her like her O’Neill, in that she is a very driven individual who is married to the military and the stargate project, which is hidden under the guise of deep space telemetry. As part of SG-1, shi is the science expert and theoretical astrophysicist. Again, like O’Neill, she has some family skeletons in her closet as well, driven by her father, Jacob, a general in the Air Force.

Carter also bonds amazing well with Dr. Daniel Jackson, a civilian archaeologist responsible for translating the ancient symbols, which allowed activation of the stargate. Prior to the series, Jackson was a failed lecturer who was no longer taken serious about his theories on the pyramids. Much like O’Neill and Carter, he too was witness to great family tragedy when his parents were killed establishing a new museum exhibit.

The only “alien” presence on the team is Teal’c who comes to SG-1 as a Jaffa, with extensive knowledge of the Goa’uld as he defected from the ranks as the First Prime to Apophis. Many of the Gou’ald know of his exploits and is considered a “Shol’va” or traitor by those he fought next to. His knowledge of the Gou’ald and System Lords plays an important role in providing timely information to SG-1 and those he now vows allegiance to. Much like the other members of SG-1 He too is wrought with tragedy in his past. He abandoned his wife and son, for their protection after wanting “freedom” from the Gou’ald and the “false Gods” as the System Lords refer to themselves.

The storyline and plot is excellent throughout the series (remember I’m on Season 8 here). Many episodes play off previous missions or story lines that were set up earlier in the show. The introduction of the System Lords and their desires to rule the universe by acting as Gods and enslaving the people on a wide variety of planets, most of which end up being human based. This goes back to the Ancients who spread their civilizations through many different worlds.

The Stargate is housed in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Wyoming and overseen by Major General George Hammond. He controls the activity of the gate, sending SG (Star gate) teams on missions to other worlds. SG-1 is the main team, thus the show centers on their missions and exploits. The shows main protagonist early on is the System Lord, Apophis, as he searches the galaxy for new Gou’ald hosts. After Teal’c defects a Jaffa Rebeillion begins, in which a small group search for their freedom from the Gou’ald.

Even after 8 seasons the show continues to fascinate and surprise even as I am now two seasons away from the end of SG-1. With all the interest generate by this show, I have started to explore the Pegasus Universe, which is home to Stargate Atlantis, which ran in parallel with SG-1 for a few years.

I have watched some good sci-fi shows in the past, Space: Above and Beyond comes to mind, but that series was short lived. The new Battlestar Galactica also comes to mind, from what I have heard from others. But Stargate SG-1 has something special that makes it an excellent sci-fi series as you explore the universe. I recommend you become a “Gater” and watch the series. It truly is an amazing series.