Response to Star Trek: Resistance

           I like this book. A lot. It has room for improvement, certainly, but liking is my general impression. J.M. Dillard...I feel like s/he tries too hard to be a good writer. In writing, it's good to rephrase things differently so the reader understands better/receives a different perspective. But Dillard does this to the point of redundancy. Dillard also has a tendency to zoom in on detail and emotion and writes about it in a very poetic way, but which more often then not comes off as cheesy.
           This has only a minor impact on the story, which is filled with emotion, detail and action. Because I am familiar with the TV series, the interaction between characters amuses me, although may be dull or confusing to an unexperienced watcher. So, if this book were a food, it would definitely be an acquired taste. It doesn't appeal to a big field of readers, judging from experience, but for those who find it interesting it's and excellent pick.
         

Response to the Hunger Games

              Oh, my goodness. I read this book in a blur; I really couldn't put it down. The main character, Katniss Everdeen, lives in a half-fantasy, half-reality world where her district is forced to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a brutal fight between kids ages 12-18. Besides enthralling and compelling, this book is emotionally conflicting. What would I do if I were in this situation? Would I stake my own life above everybody else's? If I won, would I feel guilty? How good am I of a survivor?
                Suzanne Collins writes like the teenager Katniss is, and makes me believe in her fear and her confusion. Hmmmm, I wonder if the second book is in paperback yet...