"Dies the Fire" by S.M. Stirling

What do a Wicca witch and an former military special forces solider have in common? Nothing at all until the lights go out for good. Through circumstances not of their choosing they end up as two powerful clan leaders in the northwestern US.

"Dies The Fire" is the opening novel of the change by Stirling. The premise is that all modern technologies stop working after a brilliant flash of light one night and it is the story of man's attempt to adapt to life with no modern conveniences. We get a good look at what may happen should such an event occur and more than anything it is a story of the human spirit. I recommend the book if this the kind of story that would interest you.

"Open An Autobiography" by Andre Agassi

A very open story of his life, I found this a very interesting and easy read. The book opens with Agassi on the morning his last US Open match. He tells the story of his father and his influence in his life. He shares his hate of tennis which he feels no one believes. He tells of the hours in his back yard facing the dragon and his father driving him never letting up.

He shares his feelings of being sent to Florida and his behavior there. He eventually drops out of school and soon goes pro. This is a story of a person's search for himself and the trials he goes through. I found it very enlightening and in the end made me a fan.

The Law of Nines by "Terry Goodkind"

The trouble starts when Alex saves a woman's life form being hit by a truck. Little did he know that would plunge him into a flight to save his life and the lives of millions of people on two worlds.

The woman Alex saved turns out to be from another world and she tells Alex he is the key to saving her world. Alex does not believe her until one day he is suddenly attacked and nearly killed with Jax arriving just in time to save his life. The two go to visit Alex's mother and end up as patients in the mental hospital being questioned about a gateway. The two barely escape with their lives and head toward Maine and answers to what is happening.

The story comes to a climax at the gate when Alex figures out how to activate the gateway and for the moment saves millions of lives on his world and gives the people on Jax's world hope.

The story is a stand alone one but if you have read the Sword of Truth series it makes it easier to understand. I find it ironic that the last names of the characters are the same as the main characters in the previously mentioned series. The story line is interesting but to many things seem to be understood by Alex and Jax adapts to this world way to easily. That being said I recommend the book.

Goodkind leaves room for another book so I will wait and see if another one is forthcoming.

"Simple Genius" by David Baldacci

A body is found just inside a secret CIA compound and the cause of death is ruled suicide. The man's employer does not believe it so they hire a PI firm to investigate.

Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are partners out of work and almost out of money at the beginning of the story thanks in great part to a near complete breakdown by Michelle. She goes into a bar and picks a fight with the biggest meanest dude in the place and is nearly killed. After settling with the man and paying for the hospital they are nearly broke. Michelle is convinced by Sean to seek help and checks into a facility.

In the meantime Sean goes to an ex for a job and is given one that lands in Northern Virginia investigating the mysterious death of a man found on CIA property. He is stonewalled at every turn and soon learns much more is going on than was first suspected. The victim had a daughter whom he taught a secret code to and the key to solving his death is cracking the code.

Michelle checks out of the hospital and joins Sean in Virginia and they work to solve the mystery . Many complained that the author had Michelle suddenly well, frankly I did not see that part of the story is her dealing with the ghost of her past and how she is going to get well. I also read many complain the author jumps around to much, I did find this to be the case at all. The author did have multiple story lines but that keep the story interesting in my opinion.

In the end the death is solved some rough agents are "taken care" of and Sean and Michelle endure some trials along the way. This was my first Baldacci book and I like it.

"Just Like Jesus" by Max Lucado

"God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be like Jesus."

What a very strong and true statement that I believe is lost on us at times in the hustle and bustle of our every day lives. Lucado makes us stop and really examine our actions and thoughts and poses the question, "What if, for one day, Jesus were to become you?" I don't about you but for me that is a daunting thought but the flip side is if we were to become Jesus for a day how much different would we look at life and all the things we face.

In this work Luacdo examines the different aspects of Jesus' life and gives us easy to understand examples. While the concepts are simple the impact they can have on a life is profound. This book is well worth the time to read and even better the application to one's life is invaluable.

"The Gunslinger" The Dark Tower Book 1

"The Gunslinger" is the first book of the Dark Tower series. It is also one of the first books Stephen King wrote. I read the revised and expanded edition I picked in a boxed set containing the first four books of the series.

The tale takes place in a very hot and dry land with Roland (the gunslinger) in pursuit of the dark man. He eventually comes to settlement the dark man passed through and in which he leaves Roland a trap. Seeking information about the dark man Roland learns of the magic the dark man did in resurrecting a dead man and before he leaves the trap is sprung by the woman he was sleeping with and getting information from. The Gunslinger is forced to kill the entire town to escape and thus he continues his pursuit.

Roland then encounters a boy named Jake and he learns his strange tale and knows that he is also a trap left by the dark man. They travel together and experience many trails but in the end Jake loses his life when Roland is forced to choose pursuit of the dark man or saving Jake.

At the end the gunslinger and the dark man palaver and the gunslinger learns more about the nature of the dark tower but he does not fully comprehend all he learns. He also learns the dark man has been a part of his life for a very long time and after the palaver finds remains of what appear to be the dark man but he does not believe it to be so. So the gunslinger continues his quest for the tower.

"The universe (he said) is the Great All, and offers a paradox too great for the finite mind to grasp. As the living brain cannot conceive of a nonliving brain-although it may think it can-the finite mind cannot grasp the infinite."

"The Gunslinger" by Stephen King

"The Great House of God" by Max Lucado

Another wonderful study by Max Lucado this time focusing on The Lord's Prayer. He takes the tact of using a house to explain the Lord's Prayer. He goes from room to room and explains different parts of the prayer and helps us understand each part. He gives us a unique look on the prayer and encourages us to live in the prayer rather than just saying the words.

I highly recommend this book and it comes with a study guide to help with the application to every day life. Lucado does a great job of making the gospel easy to grasp and he does it with everyday language and illustrations.

"The Lord's Prayer is a floor plan of the house of God: a step-by-step description of how God meets our needs when we dwell in him. Everything that occurs in a healthy house is described in this prayer. Protection, instruction, forgiveness, provision . . . all under God's roof."

Max Lucado "The Great House of God"