Book Description
Retired from his fighting days, John Perry is now village ombudsman for a human colony on distant Huckleberry. With his wife, former Special Forces warrior Jane Sagan, he farms several acres, adjudicates local disputes, and enjoys watching his adopted daughter grow up.
That is, until his and Jane's past reaches out to bring them back into the game--as leaders of a new human colony, to be peopled by settlers from all the major human worlds, for a deep political purpose that will put Perry and Sagan back in the thick of interstellar politics, betrayal, and war.
Customer Reviews:
The dialogue fairly crackles........2007-10-15
The tone of "The Last Colony" (2007) is somewhat gentler than the first two books in this series "Old Man's War" and "The Ghost Brigades." That allows Scalzi to cover fresh ground with his characters John Perry and Jane Sagan, as well as their adopted daughter Zoe. There are a few surprises in store, especially for Jane, but all the apparent loose ends are tied up nicely by the novel's end.
As usual, Scalzi's journalistic experience is evident to *this* TV reporter's eye and ear, in both his narrative and dialogue. I found myself saying, "I've had conversations like that with *real* people!" There's notably less profanity and "extracurricular activity" than the first two books in this series. I'm also looking forward to the next volume in the series, entitled "Zoe's Tale" (2008).
Excellent end to the series.......2007-10-05
The Last Colony is the third book in the series. If you haven't read the other two, Old Man's War and The Ghost Brigades, then I urge you to get your hands on them and read them. The Ghost Brigades was probably my favorite of the series, but really, all of the books, including the novelette, The Sagan Diaries, are good and contribute to the overall story arc.
As of this moment, I think this may be the weakest book of the three, but don't take that as a criticism. I often find it takes me a little while after reading a story to fully appreciate it. By writing this review right away I'm being unfair. I haven't had time to appreciate the subtleties.
I'm amazed by how well Scalzi was able to surprise me with the story. Yet, he somehow, comfortingly, allowed me to predict a few things. I like that combination.
The story progressed at a good pace, constantly keeping me entertained, unlike Excession, where I felt bogged down for days and weeks suffering through what seemed like mindless background to get to the good stuff. In the end Excession paid off, but I didn't have to wait until the ending twist for The Last Colony to pay off.
*** Spoilers Below ***
Even though I feel all glowy about the book, I do have a few complaints. I didn't feel much for the new characters. When Hiram Yoder is killed it should be a poignant scene, but it isn't. Yes, I feel a loss of someone important to the colony, but not to the story. Even Savitri, who is an interesting character to be sure, lacks the depth that gives me any feeling for her. Hickory and Dickory are the only new characters that I really felt a sense of attachment.
I felt much more for the characters introduced in the other two novels: John, Jane, Jared, Harry, even Szilard and Boutin.
I'm also a little disappointed that the werewolves disappeared after a critical scene. What happened between them and the colony? Was it possible to negotiate? I know it would have needlessly extended the book to go into those details, but I still wonder.
Overall though, it's an excellent end to the series. Scalzi wrapped up the plot and the series in a happy ending without making it sappy or unbelievable. In the afterward he said he wouldn't be coming back to these characters. Although I'll miss them, I'm glad. As I get older my patience for long series grows short. Even though each book he's written so far can stand alone, I don't think I could stand another 10 year series.
He hasn't left out the possibility of returning to the world again one day and I look forward to new stories from this world.
i think its running out of gas but its still got some go juice.......2007-10-02
While this novel didn't have the charm that old man's war did, it was entertaining to a point. the political motivations were a bit obscure and never felt real for me. A large build up in the colonization phase that never fulfills any depth it ends with too neat of a solution for my taste. I'm trying to not spoil any plot elements here but i think if the universe is a messy place its gonna have some messy endings, no?
Different than its predecessors.......2007-09-10
"The Lasr Colony", alas, is also the last of a trilogy that began with the brilliant "Old Man's War" and was followed by the inventive "The
Ghost Brigades". The first two volumes literally crackled with excitement, very interesting future technology and reverberated with good old-fashioned space combat.
John Perry, hero of "Old Man's War" and Jane Sagan, formerly of the Colonial Special Forces, have taken up housekeeping on the colony planet Huckleberry. With their adopted teenage daughter Zoe, they live a reasonably content, if placid life. (Without ever saying so, Scalzi does lead you to think about why anyone would want to be a colonist anywhere, any time, regardless of the technology available. In a way, Scalzi describes a simple life that would drive most urbanites out of their minds in short order.)
One day General Rybicki appears on the planet to make Perry and Sagan an offer they can't refuse: take leadership of a new colony to be established by the Colonial Union. Reluctantly Perry and Sagan accept and become the leaders of Roanoke, a new colony of Earthlings.
A rather large problem looms since an (unbelievably) secret organization of more than 400 races from around the Universe have formed the Conclave which has ordered that no new single race colonies be created. (Scalzi's Universe, by the way, is not at all a peaceful place.)
Unlike the two earlier volumes, "The Last Colony" is largely a story about interstellar politics and old-fashioned diplomatic gameplaying. Sadly it is not nearly as exciting as its predecessors. There's not a whole lot of science in this fiction.
Scalzi, in earlier works, did a bang-up job of centering the story individually on Perry and then on Sagan. This time, he tries to spread the attention over Perry, Sagan, the young Zoe and her Obin bodyguards, hostile (but humane) generals, local political opponents . . . and, frankly, too many people. Scalzi doesn't fail, but he does dilute the power of his writing.
Overall, "The Last Colony" is a good read, but probably only if you've read "Old Man's War" and "The Ghost Brigades". Scalzi tries to fill in the backstory, but really can't. Standing alone, I don't think "The Last Colony" would have made a lot of sense.
Like many, I am sorry to see the end of the John Perry and Jane Sagan characters, at least in the roles we'vd become accustomed to. By the same token, Scalzi is a very strong writer and I will be interested in seeing what next springs from his imagination. (I also recommend Scalzi's The Android's Dream).
Jerry
An excellent novel that stands on its own merits........2007-08-28
Although I did not read the first two novels in this trilogy (an oversite I intend to correct), the author has created such a wonderful novel here that I found it to stand out amongst the deluge of science fiction books that have past across my desk recently. Scalzi gives you enough background on the main characters, and weaves his intricate plotline through one of the most successful excercises in "world building" that I have seen. I found myself wrapped up in the storyline, and dreaded any interruption that took me away from this book. The author has a witty, clean style of writing that is a pleasure to read, and I highly recommend another of Scalzi's novels: "The Android's Dream" which was originally published in late 2006.
Book Description
Over 300 hundred years ago, the first European colonists landed in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean to found permanent outposts of the great empires. This epic migration continued until after World War II, when some of these tropical colonies became independent black nations and the white colonials were forced -- or chose -- to return to the mother country. Among the descendants of the colonizing powers, however, were some who had become outcasts in the poorest strata of society and, unable to afford the long journey home, were left behind, ignored by both the former oppressed indigenous population and the modern privileged white immigrants.
At the dawn of the twenty-first century these lost white tribes still hold out, tucked away in remote valleys and hills or in the midst of burgeoning metropolises, living in poverty while tending the myths of their colonial ancestors. Forced to marry within their own group if they hope to retain their fair-skinned "purity," they are torn between the memory of past privilege and the extraordinary pressure to integrate. All are decreasing in number; some are on the verge of extinction and fighting to survive in countries that ostracize them because of the color of their skin and the traditions they represent. Though resident for generations, these people are permanently out of place, an awkward and embarrassing reminder of things past in newly redefined countries that are eager to forget both them and their historical homelands.
In the remote interior and in bustling São Paulo, the Confederados of Brazil linger on, the descendants of Confederate families that fled the American South to rebuild their society here rather than face victorious Yankees. Wrenchingly poor then and now, these would-be genteel planters cling to their romanticized memory of a proud antebellum past. In Sri Lanka, once Ceylon, the children of Dutch Burghers haunt their crumbling mansions, putting on airs and keeping up appearances. In the steaming jungle of Guadeloupe, the inbred and deformed Matignons Blancs scrape out an existence while claiming the blood of French kings in their veins. On the beaches of Jamaica, a young man with incongruously blond dreadlocks -- the destitute descendant of a shoemaker from the Duchy of Saxony who became an indentured servant to earn passage from Germany to the new world -- still gazes out at the Caribbean over a century and half later. The Poles of Haiti are descended from troops lured over by Napoleon to quell slave rebellions. His promise of independence for their homeland went unfulfilled; they persist in hidden valleys in the island's interior. In the desert expanses of Southwest Africa, the famously devout Basters, the green-eyed, mixed-race Afrikaners, still doggedly pursue vast territorial claims as the continent's new power brokers sweep them aside. These are the lost white tribes.
More than an entrée into a world we are unfamiliar with, this amazing chronicle opens up a world that we did not even know existed. In his masterful report, Riccardo Orizio has written the final chapter in the history of the postcolonial world, and in him these forgotten peoples have found their unique historian.
Customer Reviews:
History's Forgotten White Cultures.......2006-12-21
Forgotten pockets of culture in unlikely places are brought to light in Riccardo Orizio's book, "Lost White Tribes," subtitled "The End of Privilege and the Last Colonials in Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Brazil, Haiti, Namibia, and Guadeloupe." One steps into a world clinging to the golden past while poverty run rampant for the colonies' inheritors. Six groups of once-privileged white culture - now the minority - are meticulously uncovered by Orizio, editor of CNN Italia.
Confederate families voluntarily resettle to Brazil after the Civil War to escape the victorious Yankees. Other groups are poor or unable to depart failing colonial outposts; the Poles in Haiti become stranded after helping Napoleon's army. Complicated histories between the natives and the outcast whites emerge effortlessly from Orizio's pen. "Lost White Tribes" is precise and loaded with information; the writing is presented in a lively manner, but also provokes questions on race, history and culture.
Bohdan Kot
Sometimes sad, but never boring.......2005-06-29
In this fascinating book, author and journalist Riccardo Irizio looks at the "tribes" of white natives living in far off corners of the globe. In the six chapters of this book, he looks at the Dutch burghers who never left Ceylon, the German inhabitants whose ancestors had been tricked into emigrating to Jamaica, the colony of Confederate exiles who fled the United States after the Civil War, the descendents of the Polish soldiers who stayed in Haiti after that countries defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Dutch Basters of Namibia whose ancestors had trod a different path than the Boers, and the Guadeloupe descendents of the Frenchmen who went native.
Overall, I found this to be a wonderfully interesting book to read. The author does an excellent job of weaving together the tales of his search for these "lost white tribes" with the story of how they came to be there. Some of the stories are quite sad, with Haitians that consider themselves exiles and are waiting for someone to come take them home after 200 years, people who look down on the countrymen around them because they are not white, people who look down on these people for being white, and so much more. I found their stories to be quite enthralling, sometimes sad, but never boring.
If you want to see the tales of white people who went native during the colonial era, then this book is for you. I highly enjoyed it, and think that you will as well!
Lost Corners of History.......2004-02-29
The misleading subtitle of this book is a bit of a shame, and it's hard to imagine Italian journalist Orizio being very pleased with it. By positioning the contents in relation to colonialism, the subtitle overlooks the fact that at least three (more depending on interpretation) of the "lost white tribes" visited in the book have nothing to do with colonialism as the word is commonly used-in the imperial context. Unlike the bulk of books about colonialism, which tend to focus on history, politics, and economics, Orizio's six chapters are largely unrelated essays that merge travelogue with anthropology. His style-as in his previous book of essays on ex-dictators, Talk of the Devil-is to start the story by detailing his search for his subject matter. This may put off those looking for straight history, but the stories of traveling down dusty backroads to reach these "lost white tribes" set exactly the right context for their stories.
And once he finds his subjects, their stories are fascinating. Americans will probably find the chapter on Confederates in Brazil the most interesting. This tells of the thousands who fled the South after the Civil War, rejecting Reconstruction in favor of a new life in Brazil. Their stubborn "rebel" identity and annual carnival in full Confederate costume is rather bizarre. My own favorite chapter is about small pockets of Polish genes in Haiti. These are the descendants of soldiers sent by Napoleon to assist in quelling the rebellion of 1803. When the rebels led by Toussaint Louverture won, the remaining French were systematically killed but the Poles were spared, as their country was also under Napoleon's boot. Orizio also tracks down pockets of inbred French in Guadeloupe whose reasons for settling in remote parts of the island in the late 1700s are lost to history, the remnants of indentured German laborers imported to Jamaica in the 1830s, Boers who left South Africa and mixed with a local Namibian tribe to become the Basters in the late 1860s, and the remnants of Dutch colonial rule over Sri Lanka/Ceylon.
The communities share some characteristics: most are, if not desperately poor, living on an economic razor's edge. Almost all retain some disturbing notions about race and the superiority of their own genes compared to others in their country. The past is clung to in bizarre and fantastic ways, such as the French on Guadeloupe insisting on their connection to French royal blood, and the Haitian Poles waiting in vain for their Polish Pope to help them. They're pathetic figures in many cases, as they seem unable to break free of their tight communities in order to assimilate to any degree that may bring a better life. Of course, Orizio's journeys are to find those stuck in their ways, and it emerges in many cases that the best and brightest youths often don't stick around. His style is fairly conversational and choppy, and each chapter stands alone as its own essay since Orizio never attempts to make connections between any of the groups' experiences. This may be off-putting to some, but it never bothered me-just think of it as a series of related long magazine essays. An excellent glimpse into some of history's lost corners, and sure to be of interest to amateur anthropologists (a bibliography on each "tribe" would have been nice or those of us interested in further reading).
More like a travel magazine.......2004-02-12
This book was shorter than I expected. Its a good book for beginner's, but it is as much an account of Mr. Orizio's travels as it is a scholarly work. Good book, needs an in-depth follow up
Fair Account of Colonists Decendents.......2003-08-28
The book gives a fair account of the decendents of European colonists in remote corners of the world. I found it interesting that it did nort include those nations where colonists decendents still live in large numbers and are a major success in their new home! It is interesting to note that in almost all of the countries discussed the economy and lifestyle have plummented for everyone since independence.
Book Description
For a remote strip of Saharan desert along the Atlantic seaboard, the Western Sahara has begun to attract a lot of attention. The European Union, the USA, the UN and Morocco have all declared an interest in this former Spanish colony, not to mention the indigenous Sahraoui people, who have fought for self-determination for over quarter of a century. Toby Shelley has talked to Moroccan, Western Saharan Polisario and other diplomats, as well as contacts in the oil industry. He has visited the territory and had access to both the Moroccan administration and the underground opposition. What emerges is that there is now a real prospect of a definitive resolution to this long-running, often bloody, conflict between Morocco and the Sahraoui people.
Average customer rating:
- A Bad Book written on an infantile level
- A Bad Book written on an infantile level
- Olongapo, Barrio, and Subic
- Hard-to-find novel on life at Subic Bay
- A Must Read for those that have been to Subic
|
Subic Bay: The Last American Colony
Anthony R. Mills
Manufacturer: Noble House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Naval
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Southeast Asia
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| African American
| Asian American
| Classics
| Collections & Readers
| Drama
| General
| Hispanic
| History & Criticism
| Humor
| Jewish American
| Letters & Correspondence
| Native American
| Poetry
| Short Stories
| Women Writers
ASIN: 1561674303 |
Customer Reviews:
A Bad Book written on an infantile level.......2003-08-08
A Bad Book written on an infantile level.
The author never develops a plot simply skips from anecdote to anecdote, with little coherence. Very little is actually said about Olongopo, Subic City or The Barrio, (I have been in all of these places.) Most of the stories revolve around the USN Chaplain Corps, which the author seems to confuse with a mission service. The author also seems to be unaware that MSC does not comprise the Merchant Marine, (I have sail as a Merchant for 20+ years, never on an MSC vessel.)
ALL in all skip this book.
A Bad Book written on an infantile level.......2003-08-08
A Bad Book written on an infantile level.
The author never develops a plot simply skips from anecdote to anecdote, with little coherence. Very little is actually said about Olongopo, Subic City or The Barrio, (I have been in all of these places.) Most of the stories revolve around the USN Chaplain Corps, which the author seems to confuse with a mission service. The author also seems to be unaware that MSC does not comprise the Merchant Marine, (I have sail as a Merchant for 20+ years, never on an MSC vessel.)
ALL in all skip this book.
Olongapo, Barrio, and Subic.......2000-11-24
This is a novel written by an honest, hard-working seaman, who undoubtedly decided to leave out some of the nastier parts associated with our occupation of The Philippines. All in all, it's a well-written novel and it takes you back to how things were. I visited Olongapo 5 years after the Base closed down, and walking down Magsaysay, I saw the Subic that used to be in the form of ancient ruins. Many of the buildings, bars and discotheques long abandoned. This novel let's you relive the sights sounds and smells of the "Old Sailor Town". I only reccomend this book to people who have been there.
Hard-to-find novel on life at Subic Bay.......2000-06-26
Interesting book, written as a novel from the perspective of a deck seaman serving on the USS Spice, a fictional Military Sealift Command ship (probably based on the USS Spica (TAFS-9) that was actually homeported at the Subic Bay Naval Base). Takes place in the late 80's/early 90's, ably relating the story of everyday life at Subic and aboard an underway repenishment ship (my personal experience is from USS Mars (AFS-1)). The book even tastefully works in the readily available prostitution and its affects on the local inhabitants. World events intrude into life at Subic as the Spice deploys to the Persian Gulf for Desert Shield/Desert Storm. The ship returns just in time for the devastation caused by the Mount Pinatubo volcanic eruption, as well as the rejection of the U.S. Bases agreement by the Philippine Senate and the end of the U.S. military presence in the Philippines. A must read for any Navy/Air Force man or woman who ever set foot at Subic or Clark Air Base, it will certainly bring back memories. The one drawback to the book is that it appears to have been printed without the benefit of proofreading, and the many spelling and grammar errors can be frustrating. Also, military acronyms are broken out differently in different chapters of the book. Even with these drawbacks, it is still a fascinating look into a place that is gone forever, except in the memories of many service men and women. Many thanks to Mr. Mills for telling this story.
A Must Read for those that have been to Subic.......1999-04-24
An excellent read for anyone that has ever been stationed in the Philippines while in the service, or for anyone that has ever had the pleasure of making a "port of call".
Book Description
Having saved the Federation one more time in Star Trek®: The Undiscovered Country™, Capt. James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise™ have finally gone their separate ways. Spock, McCoy, Sulu, and the others are spread out across the glaxy, pursuing their individual destinies -- until an interstellar crisis touches all their lives.
Bored with retirement and ill-suited to teaching at Starfleet Academy, Kirk jumps at the chance to help his nephews colonize an uninhabited planet in a distant corner of the Alpha Quadrant. He even manages to persuade Scotty and Chekov to come along for the ride.
But Kirk soon discovers that the hardy human colonists are not alone on the planet they call Sanctuary. An alien race, of whom little is known, has also established an outpost on Sanctuary for its own mysterious reasons. Suspicious, Kirk investigates, only to discover a terrifying threat that strikes at the secuity of the entire Federation.
Light-years from Starfleet Command, without a ship or a crew to call his own, Kirk thinks he faces the menace alone. Yet the bonds of loyalty transcend even the awesome distances of space, bringing together a legendary crew for one final, fantastic adventure!
Bridging the gap between two generations of Star Trek motion pictures, The Last Roundup fills in a missing chapter in Star Trek history -- and provides science fiction's greatest heroes with an unforgettable final hurrah.
Customer Reviews:
Good considering the recent Star Trek books .......2004-08-08
Bored with his new life of teaching classes at Starfleet James Kirk signs on with his brothers children to start a new life on a colony world. Strange i've been following Trek books for some time and this is the first mention I have heard of these guys Julius and Alexander. I hope it is not the last they should prove worthy additions t the universe.
The plot is preety standard they get to planet and find out that things are not all as they seem. Which is just as well because if they got to the place and nothing happened it would make for a very dull Star Trek book. The only thing that hurts the book is that the main conflict is wrapped up so easily.
Overall-My small critisms do not mean that the book is not fun to read I polished it off in an afternoon it was also nice to see the Orion Syndcate they are probably my most favorite component of life in the Star Trek universe proves that there are still people in space that don't buy the federations high minded ideals.
A good story, well-written........2004-03-12
Set in the aftermath of "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country", this is an adventure that deals with the crew of the Enterprise as aging, post-Enterprise members of Starfleet, mostly going their own separate ways. If that, and a lot of complaints about aging, aren't your cup of tea, then there is a definite downside to this book. But it IS handled well, so you may find it to be more interesting than you would think even if the idea DOES sound dull.
Furthermore, this is one of those "Kirk & co. save the Federation and civilization as we know it" storylines, but it's handled better than I've ever seen the idea handled before. Most of the threats of that magnitude seem contrived, and the idea that our heroes can stem the tide even more so. But in this story, the threat seemed VERY plausible, and given the nature of it, the solution seemed equally plausible.
One of the best original series "Trek" books I've read in quite a while.
Good Final Bridge to Generations.......2003-12-25
I own this book. It was good but the trio of Spock, McCoy, and Kirk doing their things together as only they can do is lacking, and thats a bummer. The idea of the book was good though I think that the ending was somewhat of a let down. It was a little too easy to stop the destruction of warp drive engines. All in all it was enjoyable read, and if you're interested in Star Trek novels of the orignal series, this is a very good one to get the closure from the series that started it all.
Fairly predictable - Isn't a full "Original Crew" story.......2003-10-01
I was home visiting family recently, and when I left, I borrowed this book from my brother for the flight home. It's 280 or so pages, and I read the entire thing waiting for my plane in the terminal, and for about the first 45 minutes of the flight. I flew through it pretty good, and I don't know if that's because the book is good, or I was bored.
The book was pretty decent - I generally tend to get suckered in by books that proport to tell a story of a single event in an already existing universe that we don't get to see on screen. In this case, it's the "final adventure of the original crew". Which is an odd phrase for the book, because the bulk of the story has Kirk, Chekov, & Scotty in it. The remainder of the original crew is barely there, and only superficially involved with the main plot of the story. We do get Kirk's two nephews from his barely mentioned brother. This story takes place right before the events of movie #7, "Star Trek Generations". There's a lot of characters in it that play a MAJOR part in the story, but are new characters. This almost reads like a fan story - "Hey, let's put me in the story at the expense of some other character(s)". It's not quite like that, but I've read enough of those kinds of stories in the past, that this somewhat feels that way. I suppose it's just a grip at seeing McCoy, Uhura, Spock, and Sulu relegated to backgrond status when this was billed as an original crew adventure.
That said, the book was enjoyable, if a bit predictable. Definitely a bunch of "I'm old - I'm useless" stuff from Kirk, which seemed to be a theme of the latter original crew adventures. Still, it was a good read - I can't say it's my most recommended book, but I did enjoy it. I also felt that the main villian of the story "gave up" a bit too quickly, and the reason he was coerced into giving up was well.. never explained, so it felt really rushed and cheap to me.
I'm glad I borrowed the book from my brother instead of buying it - you might want to see if your library has a copy of it to borrow it from them. If you're a Star Trek fan, it's probably worth a read, but I would have felt ripped off if I actually paid full price for the book.
Bringing the cows in to pasture.......2003-08-18
The Last Roundup is a Star Trek tale of Captain Kirk's final adventure before the events of Star Trek: Generations. This being the final adventure, there are a lot of "I feel old" moments from Kirk, as well as a few of the other characters. There are discussions of age and how things must finally be handed over to a new generation. It's also quite a nice book, though it's very light without a lot of substance.
First of all, I will say that this isn't necessarily the "final adventure" for Captain Kirk, and it certainly isn't for the rest of the crew, who pop up in various books that take place after Generations. The reason it's not Kirk's is because, while the epilogue takes place just as Kirk is getting ready to go inspect Enterprise-B, it takes place months after the end of the story, so there is definitely room for more. Not that I think there should be, of course.
Now, as for the book itself, it should make any Trek fan happy. It's a thoroughly competent, enjoyable story. There's just not a lot of meat to it. It's pretty short with a large typeface, so it's a quick read, and I certainly wouldn't pay hardcover prices for it. If you're looking for depth, go elsewhere. If you're looking for yet another adventure with some of your favourite characters, then this would be a good pickup at the library or in paperback.
My first complaint about it is that the original crew doesn't figure in it very much, with the exception of Scotty and Chekov. That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course, as some of the better Trek books have involved only a few of the characters. The problem is that they are featured in quite a few scenes, so why not make them a bigger part of the story? As it is, they take up space that could have furthered the story elsewhere. Uhura and McCoy are especially given short shrift. They are helping Spock with the Klingon peace negotiations that resulted from the events in the movie Star Trek VI. A number of scenes of these cultural and medical exchanges happen at the beginning of the book, but that's the extent of their contribution. Sure, they go along for the ride with Spock after Kirk is reported missing, but they don't actually do anything. They're background material, and they deserve better than that in their supposed "final adventure." Sulu is given just as short shrift, but he does get a couple of juicy scenes that also set the stage for future Sulu novels if Pocket Books is so inclined. He's characterized very well, overall.
Not only are some of our favourite crewmembers sidelined, but their stories introduce more superfluous characters that clutter the book. The Klingon opera singer is just filler, giving Uhura somebody to play off of (which, since Uhura doesn't do much involved with the story, seems even more needless). The Klingons are only in the book to get Spock and the rest involved. They don't do much but talk, fire a few weapons, and act as ferries for our heroes.
The story, what is left of it, is actually pretty good. Kirk is feeling his age, and he's feeling useless. He doesn't want to be stuck in a classroom, but there's nothing else active for him to do. He wants to be in Starfleet, even if it only needs him as a teacher of the young. The dynamics of Kirk's story are well done, with Kirk being involved just enough to make him the obvious hero of the story, but enough happens despite his actions or before he can intervene that he is shown that maybe it is time to stop pining for another starship. He realizes that he has a new role in life, and that he must embrace it. I thought Kirk's thought processes through this entire book were wonderful and Golden is to be commended for creating a story where Kirk has to deal with this without wallowing. As a caveat to my point about McCoy above, he does figure very prominently in Kirk's conclusions, and the final talk between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy is a wonderful tribute to the friendship these three share. As a Trek fan, I was moved by this scene, and it made the book worth finishing.
None of the other characters are very interesting, though they do serve their parts well. Skalli, a cadet who becomes very attached to Kirk and serves as an illustration of what Kirk's reputation can do, is the most well-rounded. Some have complained that she bounces back and forth between overly emotional and enormously competent, but I think Golden pulled off the difference. I think readers who feel that way missed the point. Like Kirk, they just saw the hysterical, annoying character, not realizing that it's perfectly possible for that sort of person to be skilled. I did find her annoying at first, but I warmed to her after a bit. There's also a female admiral who Kirk is friends with, and while there is a bit of sexual tension, it's obvious they're just good friends. I'm glad Golden was able to avoid that cliché.
If you're a Trek fan, you'll probably enjoy this story. It's not ground-breaking, but it is pleasant. Just don't buy the hardcover. The story's not meaty enough to support it. Check it out, or pick up the paperback. It'll still be there when you're ready for it.
David Roy
Average customer rating:
- Outstanding!
- Hilarious, in part, but ultimately a bit sad.
|
Last Pink Bits: Travels Through the Remnants of th
Harry Ritchie
Manufacturer: Hodder Headline
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Fiction
| Friendship
| Social Situations
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Business
| Business & Professional
| Cats, Dogs & Animals
| Comedy
| Computers & Internet
| Cooking
| Doctors & Medicine
| Essays
| General
| Hunting & Fishing
| Jokes & Riddles
| Lawyers & Criminals
| Limericks & Humorous Verse
| Love, Sex & Marriage
| Parenting & Families
| Parodies
| Political
| Puns & Wordplay
| Religion
| Rural Life
| Satire, Classic
| Satire, General
| Science & Scientists
| Self-Help & Psychology
| Sports
| Theories of Humor
| Urban Legends
Travel
| Writing
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Great Britain
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0340666838 |
Book Description
A hilarious tour of the last vestiges of the British Empire.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding!.......2002-06-13
The trademark adage of the Victorian era proudly (and accurately) declared that the sun never set on the British Empire. Turn of the century maps designated British territory by using the color pink, and pink bits could indeed be found littered across the globe. However, given Britain's imperial decline and notable retreats from former prize possessions such as India and Hong Kong, at the start of the new millennium the adage is regarded (wistfully by some) as yet another testament to faded grandeur. It may strike readers as shocking therefore, to discover as Ritchie did, that Britain still has some sixteen dependencies, and that... wait for it... the sun still doesn't set on the British empire!
Intrigued by a list of these last remaining "pink bits", Ritchie sets out in this slim and compelling travelogue to asses the status of the empire by visiting a selection of them. Restricting himself to only inhabited territories, striking Pitcairn Island as being too inaccessible, and limiting himself to only one of the Caribbean territories, he sets out on a grand tour of Bermuda, Ascension Island, The Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, The Turks and Caicos Islands, Tristan da Cunha, and St. Helena. Each of the chapters contains a chatty pocket history of the territory along with an overview of the current political, social, and economic climate. Of course, woven amidst this information are Ritchie's own adventures amidst the natives, recounted in a amusing self-deprecating style reminiscent of Bill Bryson.
The chapter on Bermuda describes a lovely economic powerhouse beset with few social problems and a brilliant climate. It is essential readering for anyone planning to visit. Ascension Island gets short treatment as it is essentially a 35 square mile airbase, famous for about two seconds as a staging area during the Falklands War. Still, Ritchie manages to wring some humor out of the military types surrounding him there. Then it's on to the Falklands, which gets the lengthiest and most complex treatment in the book. Although the war was about 15 years past at the time of Ritchie's writing, the islanders are still in recovery from it, especially psychologically. It's a war that tends to be thought of as a bit of a joke (much like the US invasion of Grenada), but anyone reading this chapter will quickly learn that even the most minor of conflicts with minimal casualties are traumatic in the extreme to the non-combantants in the area.
Next is a tour of Gibraltar, which reveals its population as wildly diverse and deeply segregated. Again, there is some very interesting history here, especially the tension between "the rock" and mainland Spain. In the Caribbean, Ritchie visits the beautiful and deserted backwater that is the Turks and Caicos Islands. Struggling to develop, the islands languish out of sight and out of mind but are the equal in natural splendor of any other part of the Caribbean The next stop is Tristan da Cunha, which is probably the most interesting of any of the places Ritche visits. Originally a naval base, its civilian population began in 1817 with a British couple who produced 16 children, and almost two centuries later, one finds there are only eight surnames in use. Ritchie's five hour visit unearths an incredible 300 person utopiaýa cooperative, sustainable, and happy community. Interestingly, due to its homogeneity, Canadian researchers have found it a perfect place to try and isolate the gene responsible for asthma. It's a territory that begs for further study.
Finally, Ritchie stops at St. Helenaýthe famous prison island of Napoleon. Here is perhaps the greatest example of woe and imperial neglect. Indeed, it's the capstone to a book whose somewhat bitter running theme is that Britain's few remaining imperial outposts (total population around 150,000) are being utterly neglected by their imperial owners. All in all, this is an excellent piece of travel writing, filled with good humor ("Ritchie's First Law of Colonial Lifeýwhich states that, whichever pink bit I visited, I would have a better than evens chance of meeting an expert on Scottish football), nuggets of history, and pointedly detailing problems and injustices in the last "pink bits."
Hilarious, in part, but ultimately a bit sad........1999-07-20
The author takes a jaundiced look at the remnants of a once-great empire and finds little to celebrate. However, there are some great set-pieces along the way, including an hilarious description of a cruise-ship load of fat American tourists who are disgorged onto Bermuda and the author's Kafkaesque tour of Gibraltar, in which he meets himself coming and going. But the book is ultimately a bit sad, the reader being left with a sense that what remains of the empire is being neglected and even ignored by an otherwise distracted mother country.
Average customer rating:
|
Appeasement and Germany's Last Bid for Colonies
Andrew J. Crozier
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Germany
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Emigration & Immigration
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0312015461 |
Average customer rating:
|
Aurora, Their Last Utopia: Oregon's Christian Commune, 1856-1883
Eugene Edmund Snyder
Manufacturer: Binford & Mort Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Oregon
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Other Denominations & Sects
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Political Doctrines
| Political Science
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0832305065 |
Book Description
The fascinating history of Oregon's most famous utopian commune is traced back to its roots in eighteenth century Europe; predecessor communes at Harmony, Pa.; New Harmony, Ind.; and Bethel, Mo. Aurora was a community of about 650 peoples, which flourished until Dr. Keil's death, and whose hotel and restaurant were popular resorts for Oregonians a century ago. Illustrated. Index. 148 pages.
Book Description
On March 13, 1697, Spanish troops from Yucatán attacked and occupied Nojpeten, the capital of the Maya people known as Itzas, the inhabitants of the last unconquered native New World kingdom. This political and ritual center—located on a small island in a lake in the tropical forests of northern Guatemala—was densely covered with temples, royal palaces, and thatched houses, and its capture represented a decisive moment in the final chapter of the Spanish conquest of the Mayas.
The capture of Nojpeten climaxed more than two years of preparation by the Spaniards, after efforts by the military forces and Franciscan missionaries to negotiate a peaceful surrender with the Itzas had been rejected by the Itza ruling council and its ruler Ajaw Kan Ek’. The conquest, far from being final, initiated years of continued struggle between Yucatecan and Guatemalan Spaniards and native Maya groups for control over the surrounding forests. Despite protracted resistance from the native inhabitants, thousands of them were forced to move into mission towns, though in 1704 the Mayas staged an abortive and bloody rebellion that threatened to recapture Nojpeten from the Spaniards.
The first complete account of the conquest of the Itzas to appear since 1701, this book details the layers of political intrigue and action that characterized every aspect of the conquest and its aftermath. The author critically reexamines the extensive documentation left by the Spaniards, presenting much new information on Maya political and social organization and Spanish military and diplomatic strategy.
This is not only one of the most detailed studies of any Spanish conquest in the Americas but also one of the most comprehensive reconstructions of an independent Maya kingdom in the history of Maya studies. In presenting the story of the Itzas, the author also reveals much about neighboring lowland Maya groups with whom the Itzas interacted, often violently.
Customer Reviews:
dry as dust.......2003-01-21
I can hardly believe that some of the other reviewers were reading the same book I was. I read a lot of history, and a lot on the Mayans, and was drooling over this book. But reading it was painful - it is SO dry, SO academic, that despite repeated attempts to continue I finally gave up on it.
This should be a movie........2001-05-08
I just finished reading "Conquest" and I must say that the story it tells has many classic elements to it. While author Grant Jones is concerned with getting all the facts, dates and listing of sources right, I found the drama behind his words more exciting.
The real story of Nojpeten, the last Maya kingdom to be conquered by the Spanish, is better than fiction. There are political machinations on both the Spanish and Maya sides. Unfortunately for the Maya, the political machinations on their side, namely that their king had essentially lost control of his kingdom, spelled their ultimate doom.
While it is not certain that, in the long run, the Spanish would've maintained their promises of not using force in terms of dealing with the area, attacks by Maya kingdoms adjacent to Nojpeten created the perception that the Maya were not to be trusted.
Overall, I found the information in this book very useful. I found it helped me understand the Maya as a real people, with family and political problems just as we do today. I'd say the only other book that does a better job of describing these elements (on a grander scale) is "Lost Chronicles of the Maya Kings" by David Drew.
The Conquest of the Last Maya Kingdom.......2000-06-07
Dr. Grant Jones's book The Conquest of the Last Maya Kingdom is an excellently researched and well written piece. I had the pleasure of taking a course from Dr. Jones in which this book was used and I think that its primary strength is that it is entertaining and gripping as well as informative and educational. If you are interested in Mesoamerican history, you must read this book.
Spanish invaders destroy the last intact Maya Kingdom.......1999-09-16
I can't say that I have ever had the pleasure to read from beginning to end a more thoroughly and carefully researched work of archeo/historical significance which simultaneously succeeds in grabbing your attention with a sense of paced suspense and drama. The Conquest of the Last Maya Kingdom is based on records Jones painstakingly unearthed from 300+ year old Spanish archives,. It really amounts to the rescue from time's decay of a story, too often repeated, of the directed destruction of an advanced indigenous people of the New World by European invaders, driven by their greed for wealth and power. Additionally, "Conquest" has great relevance to the present day. I find astonishing the uncanny historical parallels between the current conflict over the construction of a road by the Mexican Government into the Lacandon region of the Chiapas for the military suppression of a popular indigenous revolt, and the creation at great expense by the Spanish colonial government of Yucatan in 1697 of a road from Campeche to Lago Peten Itza for the purposes of "reducing" the virtually uncontacted and intact Itza Maya kingdom that ruled Peten and tens of thousands of Maya living there. Traditional Maya custom is to view history as a series of cycles that repeat, so perhaps the parallels are to be expected. The "The Conquest of the Last Maya Kingdom" by Grant Jones, an anthropologist, sets force with remarkable detail and scholarship exactly what happened 300 hundred years ago on the Yucatan peninsula, including a detailed examination of the forces and internal conflicts among both the Spanish and the Maya ruling elite regarding the construction of the road through previously unexplored jungle. Ostensibly it was to link the Yucatan with Guatemala, but Jones makes its clear that the introduction of an army into the Peten by the Yucatecan government was the real intent of the road builders. Let's hope that the outcome this time around will be more favorable to the Maya. The military adventure 300 years ago, whose intent, hiding behind a complex screen of religious motives, was to enslave the Maya as laborers on Spanish encomiendas, resulted in the swift and bloody deaths of thousands of uncontacted Maya when the island where the King and the other Maya elites ruled was suddenly attacked by a Spanish galeota laden with soldiers and cannon. Most of the remainder of the Maya died through the introduction of smallpox and influenza and overall civil collapse, leaving the region severely depopulated for centuries.
Average customer rating:
|
Cupid's path in ancient Plymouth: The last Pilgrim houses
Sumner Wood
Manufacturer: Printed by Judd & Detweiler
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
General
| Colonial Period
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Massachusetts
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Massachusetts
| United States
| Genealogy
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B0007EI11E |
Books:
- The Leadership Experience (Thomson - South-Western)
- The Modern Mind: An Intellectual History of the 20th Century
- The Occult Roots of Nazism: Secret Aryan Cults and Their Influence on Nazi Ideology
- The Open Society and Its Enemies: Hegel and Marx (Routledge Classics)
- The Origins of FBI Counterintelligence (Modern War Studies)
- The Origins of Totalitarianism
- The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers
- The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity Ad 200-1000 (Making of Europe)
- The Scalpel and the Silver Bear: The First Navajo Woman Surgeon Combines Western Medicine and Traditional Healing
- The Shi'is of Iraq
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- A Basic Guide To Importing
- Stink and the World's Worst Super-Stinky Sneakers
- Poverty, Ethnicity, and Gender in Eastern Europe During the Market Transition
- Resurgence of the Warfare State: The Crisis Since 9/11
- Scales, Intervals, Keys, Triads, Rhythm, and Meter: A Programmed Course in Elementary Music Theory,
- The Glory Field
- Solar Radiation and Daylight Models, Second Edition: For the Energy Efficient Design of Buildings
- The Best Restaurants on Long Island
- Mastering Jakarta Struts
- International Perspectives on Competence in the Workplace - Research, Policy and Practice
The Ghost Brigades
The Sagan Diary
Old Man's War
The Android's Dream
Dauntless (The Lost Fleet, Book 1)
