I Will Review

The first one, "The Lightning Thief" is a pretty good book.

Here's a sign where you can tell that I am enjoying a book:

I love Mythology. VERY MUCH. I know a lot about it and when pop culture references them in books, TV shows, and/or movies, I want it to be faithful and consistent. With the movie "Clash of the Titans", apart from Sam Worthington, the EPIC deviation from the mythology of Io turned me the fuck off. I was so uninterested for the remainder of the movie. (And if you watched it, you'll know that they reveal who Io is in the first 30 minutes of the movie.)

The Percy Jackson books depend a lot on Greek mythology. After all "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" - Percy being a demigod and all. There's a camp where all the children of the gods go to train and stuff. There were kids of Poseidon (Percy himself), Hermes, Aphrodite, Zeus (but she died), and... Athena.

But you see... Athena never had a lover. Athena Parthenos. Virgin Athena. Hephaestus attempted to rape her but he failed in that and impregnating her. Yet in the first Percy book, one of his best friends is the daughter of Athena. And I didn't even gripe about that!

So there you go. It's a good book!

[The movie, however, is a piece of horse shit.]

Okay, I'm done nerding out.

Follow up to Generation Kill is this book. One Bullet Away by former USMC Captain Nathaniel Fick [aka the most awesomest man in the universe]. Nate is one of the Marines featured in GK, the platoon leader of Bravo 2. In the miniseries, he was portrayed by Tony-nominated actor Stark Sands.

This memoir starts from his decision to join the Marines, to his tour in Afghanistan, until after his deployment to Iraq. Like in GK, this is not about the war... but the people in and affected by the war. It is very human and you can't help but ADMIRE the crap out of this MAN.

Nate is currently the CEO of CNAS. He lives in Washinton DC with wife Margaret Angell and newborn daughter, Ella.

"For the first time in my life, desire and effort wouldn’t be enough. I was learning that in the Marines, the only easy day was yesterday. Success the day before meant nothing, and tomorrow might never happen. I woke up each morning at Quantico wondering whether I’d still be there that night." -- Nate Fick.

Generation Kill / Evan Wright

Based on the true story of the first marines to arrive in Baghdad, told by Rolling Stone writer Evan Wright, who traveled with them, witnessing the beginning of the war on terrorism. It tells the story of the first 40 days of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

I have been interested in Military [especially USMC] History for a long time and this is one of the best non-fiction pieces out there. In fact, this is the best book that I have read in 2009. Evan Wright did not hold back on his observations. He wrote everything from the impromptu karaoke in 2-1 Alpha's Humvee to the Command's sheer incompetence.

Wright mainly writes about what was going on in the lead vehicle two-one-alpha led by Sgt. Brad Colbert [now, Gunnery Sergeant]. Just through Wright's words, Colbert's courage and "Iceman" coolness can be appreciated. Also in the spotlight is platoon leader Lt. Nathaniel Fick [one of my favorite people in the world!] and his struggle to do what he thinks is "right" but he had "orders" from Command to do otherwise. The book really gives the reader a civilian's insight to what it is in Iraq early in the war and what the Marines really think of it.

I have two copies of this book. My first copy looks like a school book with all the highlighted dialog and quotes. It is so quotable - with just "good" quotes and technical dialog.

"Whatever happens, just promise me you won’t leave me alone." - Cpl. Gabe Garza to Sgt. Tony Espera before rolling into Al Gharraf. “Generation Kill” chapter 13.

GK was made into a miniseries by HBO, which I also LOVE. I recommend both book and miniseries to everybody.