Essential guide for hikers, hunters, and outdoors people

Outdoor Survival Skills For Teens: Master Outdoor Skills, Stay Calm In Emergencies, Build Confidence And Be Ready For Anything—in The Wild Or Real Life by Emma Davis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Teenagers are full of energy and are always exploring, learning about the world. Some like indoor and technology, while others like to spend time in the great outdoors – hiking in the forests, traversing mountains, camping, etc. These activities are fraught with risks of injury, disease, and even death. It is crucial that anyone intending to explore or spend time outdoors should develop a strong understanding and appreciation of these risks. Learning, training, and practicing the skills learned are essential for survival outdoors.
One way to learn and imbibe these essential traits is by reading Emma Davis’ book titled Outdoor Survival Skills for Teens. Though the 198 page volume is titled and aimed at teens, the knowledge can help people of all ages. Davis, an author with many talents and training including social work, therapy, and financial advice, brings this to join her several books aimed at teenagers. She has written several books on a diverse range of topics including finances, career planning, DBT techniques, among others.
Survival Skills for Teens spans six chapters, preceded by an introduction and followed by an exhaustive reference list. The book teaches readers how to survive in the wilderness, camping skills, and several tips that can be helpful while spending time outdoors. Introducing the book to readers Davis explains that this volume is aimed at teens, adults, and children who not only want to learn how to make a fire, but also how to stay calm if they get lost in the forest. It is for those individuals who want to take calculated risks, be prepared for any eventuality they might face while outside.
My favorite chapter of this book is the one titled “Snack or Poison” in which the author gives a detailed description of foraging while lost in the wilderness. She makes it a point to explain the distinction between edible berries vs poisonous ones, how one can differentiate and prevent catastrophic events. The three tests before you munch section is very useful guide for the first time forager. The box on how poisoning takes effect is very informative too.
Overall I believe the book will prove to be a very useful resource for all those who wish to explore outdoors and be prepared. The information in this volume will not only help teens, but adults alike. I would recommend this book for everyone interested in outdoors, irrespective of age.

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Thrilling Sci-Fi Novel

Zethra Rezanu: The Hollow Throne by The Architect
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fast paced science fiction novels are one of my preferred genres to get lost in a different world of fantasy and extra-terrestrial experiences. These stories enable the reader to create our own worlds and live vicariously through the characters featured in the book. So I was naturally drawn to the Book One of the Zethra Rezanu Saga, titled Zethra Rezanu: The Hollow Throne by The Architect. This relatively short 89-page novel is written in an easy-to-read language which captures the reader’s attention from the beginning. Short enough to finish in one session the novel takes one on an interesting journey through different worlds, mythology, and a liberal dose of fantasy.
The book starts off with the reader getting teleported to a different galaxy ruled by Queen Vaelrith, where alien species walked. The character description of the Queen is vivid and conjures the image of royalty. “She stood on a terrace of shaped starlight, her robes woven from nebulae and mirrored silk, each thread singing a different age. Her face was carved with impossible symmetry, beauty refined until it became inhuman. Her golden eyes did not blink. Her hair did not stir in the false wind,” writes The Architect enumerating the regality of the ruling class in the alternate galaxy.
The overall premise of the story is to reiterate the fact that empires often are forgotten due to the persuasive nature of enemy propaganda rather than their military might. Much like how many of the ancient civilizations on this planet have now been forgotten due to systematic narrative setting and propaganda. The book depicts the struggle for truth and survival of several characters Master Aikedu, Hymedall, and the fierce Zarkeeth.
I enjoyed the writing style and vivid descriptions of memory, battles, character building, and action sequences. This story also puts into full display that it is possible to rewrite history and make the actual truth questionable. I don’t want to present more of the story here and spoil the enjoyment of reading this novel. The Hollow Throne is definitely worth reading, and a must for those fans of science fiction and space age storytelling, and adventure spanning different galaxies.

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Book Review: Rider

This is one of the few Romantic or rather erotic fiction stories I have read. I chanced upon this book while playing with the Kindle app on my smartphone and it was free, and related to my favorite topic - motorcycles so decided to read it.

The book tells the story of a former marine (Fang aka ) who has returned wounded and physically broken from Afghanistan. Doctors at the VA are unable to provide him adequate pain relief with prescription drugs which sends him into the world of illegal drugs and into addiction. As he gets deeper and deeper into addiction he also gets entrenched into a motorcycle gang - The Damned. The only difference between this 1% motorcycle club and other outlaws is that this is an organization of ex-military people.

At some point Fang comes to realize the futility of addiction and living the biker life and decides to become a FBI informer. Things start heating up when an actual FBI agent, pretty Claire Powell is assigned as his partner to take down the drug dealing outlaw motorcycle gang that Fang is part of. Not only Claire is stunningly beautiful and sexy, she is also Fang's late friend Greg's wife. Even though Claire and Fang are drawn to each other they are both unsure of where this operation will lead them to. The rest of the book deals with some explicitly smoking hot sex and how the villain "Fatman" is taken down by FBI.

Author Helen Lucas has written a gripping, fast paced, and highly erotic tale of two wounded people, but the lack of attention to spelling and grammar comes as a surprise and in places shock. According to the biography page on Amazon, Lucas is a High School English teacher who writes "trashy books for classy people". I would definitely expect better quality of proof reading and editing from an English teacher or maybe in the era of mobile phones and texting, anything goes so long as the content is gripping enough to hold the reader from cover to cover.

This book is a easy and quick read. I was able to finish it in one sitting over couple of hours on my cellphone as I waited for my car get serviced. If you have some waiting to do in the doctors office or at the car repair place it may not be a bad idea to read this book. Be warned though, parts of this book is heavily punctuated by erotica and may leave you wanting to jump into bed with your significant other for a passionate love making session.

Movie Review : A Walk in the Woods

Image Source: Wikipedia

The great outdoors have been my passion since childhood and hence when this movie was released I naturally wanted to see it. This movie is about two senior citizens (men) attempting to hike the 2,000 mile plus long Appalachian Trail. The story starts with famous travel writer Bill Bryson (Robert Redford) being interviewed on TV once again.

He comes home and is informed of a funeral of one of his peers. He is a successful published writer with a great wife Cathy (Emma Thompson) and grandchildren who have come of age. He feels this void in life... something like a senior life crises. It makes him decide to embark on a one-in-a-lifetime hiking trip across the Appalachian. He shares the idea with his wife and children and is met with shock and surprise. They all try to dissuade him but he is persistent. Bill asks his son to help him shop for gear and of course they go to America's best outdoor store REI, where he outfits himself for the hike. As he continues preparations his wife realizing the futility of her attempts to dissuade him agrees to let him go only if he is accompanied by someone. He asks every one of his friends and contacts, most of them tell him that he is crazy to even think about such an adventure. Either his friends are not healthy enough or willing to join him on his odyssey.

Unexpectedly Bill gets a call from a long-lost friend Katz (Nick Nolte) who wants to accompany him on the trail. Even though he has his reservations about going with Katz, Bill is forced to agree simply because nobody else has expressed interest in the journey. Katz on the other hand is going on this trip to escape prison, and experience another adventure before he dies. Unlike Bill, Katz does not have any savings, career, retirement or family. As they progress on their sojourn they discover more about each other and learn to accept their flaws and idiosyncrasies.

The rest of the movie showcases the spectacular natural beauty of the Appalachian Trail and demonstrates to the world that despite all the modern advancement and development, there are parts of America that still host pristine natural beauty. There are few places in this world that offer such natural beauty. This movie is definitely worth watching at least once and for the fans of the Appalachian Trail, Nick Nolte or Robert Redford, it may be worth watching several times.

Movie Review: Sky Fall

The latest Bond movie is an action film without the usual glitz, glamor, and gadgetry that is associated with this genre of movies. Sky fall is about an attack on the espionage headquarters of England. Sky Fall starts off with the British espionage agency's computer system getting hacked and a list of under cover agents who have infiltrated terrorist organizations is lost. Bond is in search of this list and the first part of the movie is perhaps the best. The chase involves a high speed automobile pursuit and then a motorcycle chase which ends on top of a train.

The chief of M6 gives an order to shoot to Bond's associate. Expectedly the shot hits Bond instead of the actual culprit. Bond goes underground in shock and is declared dead. Three months later the list is published on the internet and the terrorist organizations start killing the spies. Meanwhile there is an attack on the intelligence headquarters also.
Bond returns to London and reports to duty. His investigations take him to Shanghai and then to a private island where he discovers who the real culprit is. The rest of the movie is about how the culprit is subdued and eliminated.

Like I said earlier the best part of the movie is the chase sequence at the beginning. Surprisingly for a Bond movie there are very few titillating and sexually charged scenes in this movie. This James Bond actor is perhaps the least handsome of all. I wonder why British film industry couldn't find a better actor. Anyway this is what it will be for the next few years I guess.

Book Review: Long Way Round – Chasing Shadows across the World

Saga of Motorcycle Adventure
Long Way Round – Chasing Shadows across the World by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman; TimeWarner books; 312 pp

There is something about Men and Motorcycles, it is a fatal attraction that refuses to die out with age. An infatuation which remains for ever. The two-wheeled steed attracts the man like flowers attract a bee. Sometimes this attraction is a stronger draw than that of the female species. During the recent past there have been a handful of women who have been bitten by the two-wheeled bug and adventure travel insect. But still it is more common to see men strapping up their things, gassing up their motorcycles and heading out into the wild to explore the world. The book under review Long Way Round tells the story of two such men who despite being famous Hollywood stars decide to break away and live their passions.

Long Way Round (LWR) by UK-based Hollywood actors and motorcycle aficionados Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman also available as a movie in DVD, is a first-hand account of an ambitious motorcycle odyssey across the world from London to New York through Europe, Asia and North America. Presented as a diary of events recorded before, during and after the journey by the two actors, LWR is distinguishable from normative travelogues and its technique of interplaying both stars’ varying experiences and feelings as they hit roads and adventure around the world, is quite appealing.

Comprising 12 chapters, two appendices and interspersed with maps and glossy colour pictures of fascinating locales, LWR chronicles the duo’s experiences, observations and ruminations as they journey across Europe, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, across Bering Straits into Alaska, down through Canada, finally ending back home in the US.

Some of their notable easy rider style escapades include being chased by paparazzi in Kazakhstan, being accosted by gun-toting militia in Ukraine, harassed by the police everywhere and served bulls’ testicles for supper by Mongolian nomads. And yet despite all trials and tribulations they sped over 20,000 miles (35,000 km) in four months, a journey which according to the authors has changed their lives forever. Despite exhaustion and round-the-clock excitement, the authors have meticulously documented, photographed and video shot their encounters and experiences and produced a highly entertaining travelogue in two media.

On the down side McGregor’s endless whining about being away from his wife and kids is annoying. On a round-the-world journey anyone would miss his family, and surely there’s no need to harp on this theme in almost every chapter of the book.

LWR is especially invigorating for dyed-in-the-wool biking buffs in India, most of whom dream of hitting the road and circumnavigating the world. The authors’ can-do determination to traverse tarmac, stones, mud, water and often barely discernable paths to attain their mission is admirable. It drives home the point that beyond romantic notions of inter-continental road travel, great journeys require substantial reserves of perseverance, determination and guts-and-glory hard slog. The actor duo repeatedly detail experiences of common folk who didn’t have a clue of their star status spontaneously coming forward to help them. It’s enough to restore one’s faith in humanity and the brotherhood of man.