Kaiju Preservation Society Book Review

I love John Scalzi’s books! There. I am revealing my bias up front, for all the world to see. Despite my history of enjoying Scalzi’s books, I don’t usually track his new releases very closely, therefore, his excellent Kaiju Preservation Society novel snuck up and bit me. Here is my Kaiju Preservation Society Book Review.

I actually had heard of this title, but it took a friend posting about it on social media to motivate me to read it. Being rather cheap, I rarely buy books anymore, I checked out a digital copy of the book from my local library system (Did you know that the King County (WA) Library System is third in THE WORLD in digital downloads? Neither did I. Wow!)

Anyway, after downloading the digital version of the book (Mr. Scalzi, sorry I did not buy it), I began reading it and I could scarcely put it down. Ok that is an old-fashioned phrase from when I would actually, physically hold onto a book made of actual paper, but I think you get the meaning, right?

Back to the book: Without giving away too much spoiler-like stuff, our main character (yes, the protagonist) is Jamie Gray, a failed academic who, in the early days of The Pandemic (yes, a COVID-era novel—YES!) finds himself helplessly in the tender mercies of New York venture capitalism. Can you say downsized? Anyway this leads him to a new job with the Kaiju Preservation Society.

Even the most casual sci-fi fan probably knows that Kaiju is a Japanese term for, how shall we put it…Godzilla-like creatures. Without going into too much detail (don’t want to spoil it for you), these critters exist…somewhere hard to get to, and Jamie is recruited to try to preserve them.

That is pretty much it for plot summary. Yes, go read it. Why? Ok, here are the reasons I liked it:

1. Kaiju are cool. Scalzi’s creativity in creating his Kaiju-verse is clever, as his how these animals get their individual names. Yes, there is a Kaiju named Kevin!
2. He gets the angst and uncertainty of the Pandemic down right. He, and we, lived through it, so that is not a real surprise.
3. Humor. Lots of low-key humor, seen in the regular interactions Jamie has with roommates, co-workers, and, yes, the bad guys.
4. Speaking of bad guys (yes, the dreaded Antagonists), there are no real surprises other than the fact that even the main bad guy is almost relatable to regular folks. This is a theme of a lot of Scalzi’s work throughout his books.
5. The science part of Scalzi’s sci-fi sounds logical. For a non-science major, that may not mean much, but if it makes sense to me, then it should for you as well. Plus, the original social media recommendation came from a high school science teacher, so…yeah.

Scalzi’s page on Wikipedia lists this book as a “stand-alone novel,” so we may or may not see a sequel. The book ends with a real conclusion, but it leaves an opening for another book. I do hope we get a sequel.

I highly recommend this one for anyone who wants/needs a good read. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Hey, you are still here. Cool. I have other book reviews on this site as well. Enjoy!

Analysis and Commentary on Stanley Kunitz’s “Snakes of September” Poem

When I first realized this poem was about snakes in a garden, my first assumption was that the theme would be around good vs. evil, as in The Snake in The Garden, of Biblical lore.

While this does not appear to be that sort of snake and garden relationship, the use of words and sounds in this poem does seem to reinforce the human mind’s sometimes automatic defense mechanisms and stereotypes about snakes. For the record, I do NOT like snakes…ugh!

Words and phrases such as “rustling,” “whisper,” “a shadow,” “torpor of blood,” “slipped,” “nether world,” and “deceptive,” all evoke negative thoughts of snaky sneakery as they slither out of their green hallows to slip once again into our world of order and gardened plots.

The poet refers at one points to the snake presence in “that spoiled …garden,” but juxtaposed to this garden, the snakes are welcome visitors (renters/squatters?) in his cultivated “green brocade.”

And, unlike the infamous snake of yore who, in some versions, hung down from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil to tempt Eve, these more copacetic snakes are just hanging around on a “north-country spruce,” like a couple of upside-down dogs, just waiting to be petted. The poet takes our base assumptions and turns them around. Instead of the Devil in snakeskin, we have Fido and Spot just chilling…literally, as the poet explains that the “torpor of blood,” that afflicts these cold-blooded critters makes them a bit logy as the heat of the day escapes into the twilight of the eve.

Part of my reading of the poet’s actual real-life relationship (and the torpor of the blood meaning), I got from an NPR article on Stanley Kunitz at https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2013/09/05/218543796/wild-things-hanging-from-spruce-trees. This was a great article that explained the history of the gardener’s relationship with his snake buddies. Reading that article really fleshed out the meaning of the poem for me, and also highlighted my original concept of the poet’s intentional use of snakes and gardens to turn the Genesis story on its head. I still would never pet a snake though…yuck!

Like this poetry review? We have more poetry reviews and commentaries for you!

Quark -Armin Shimerman-Answered My Question About the SAG-AFTRA Strike and STLV

Last night (July 13, 2023), after the announcement of the SAG-AFTRA actor’s strike, I took to Twitter to ask several Star Trek actors if the strike would affect their ability (per union strike rules) to attend the Star Trek fan convention in Las Vegas (#STLV) in August. STLV is the biggest Star Trek event for fans each year, and over a hundred Star Trek (and this year, also, The Orville), actors, showrunners, writers, etc. are scheduled to attend.

At STLV, lots of fans pay good money for autographs and photo ops with their favorite Trek actors. If union strike rules forbid attendance by actors, that would impact a lot of fans who have already doled out money for the show.

So, I went to the Elonverse (i.e. Twitter), to ask Star Trek actors if they can attend. I got two responses, and both made my day!

First, Chase Masterson (Leeta from DS9) responded:

Chase Masterson's response to the #STLV question 07.13.23 — Chase Masterson’s response to the #STLV question 07.13.23

Then, Armin Shimerman (Quark, also from DS9) responded:

In both cases, their responses are exactly what I wanted, and needed, to hear.

Thank you to Chase Masterson and Armin Shimerman for clarifying their ability to attend STLV. Note that the Star Trek Las Vegas event is put on by Creation Entertainment, and is NOT (thankfully) an officially recognized or sponsored event by ANY of the studios. That, I believe, enables the actors to attend and make their fans hearts happy!

Let us hope that our Star Trek actors and the rest of SAG-AFTRA win their battle against the Ferengi-like Studios!

Live Long and Prosper!

PS. Check out my review of Strange New Worlds S2 Episode 5

Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 5 is GREAT!

A Treat for Trek Fans!

The latest Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode (S2, E5), titled “Charades,” is a wonderful example of why this latest iteration of Star Trek is one of the best Trek shows in franchise history.

Without getting into spoilers (yet), I can say that this episode hits all the buttons (for a non pew-pew, no phasers/photon torpedo type of episode), featuring character and plot developments, emotional and relationship plot lines, and quite a bit of humor. We ever have amorphous, gas-like and mysterious alien beings of immense power. A consistent feature of And, for this old TOS fan, the possible plug-ins to the Spock/T’Pring/Christine Chapel continuity are, to borrow a phrase, “Fascinating!”

Ok, on to specifics as to why this episode is great. Yes, that means spoilers ahead!

Humor: One thing that made TOS great was the easy camaraderie among the characters that came through in humorous comments peppered throughout the show. Strange New Worlds takes that to a new level. Anson Mounts’ facial expressions during the Vulcan Engagement Dinner ritual alone is worth watching this episode for.

The crux of this episode, on the surface, is Spock’s “accident” in which powerful, but clueless aliens “fix” him by wiping out his Vulcan DNA. Hence, for most of this episode, Spock is 100% Human. Oh, no…you know what that means…bonus points here for this not being the result of a Transporter Accident!

Watching the now fully human Spock learning what it is like to be a human (the bacon scene is hilarious!), is great, as is when his human and Illyrian friends try to coach him on how to be a Vulcan again is classic. Melissa Navia, as Erica Ortegas, has a natural comedic talent, and it shows as she demonstrates the classic Vulcan eyebrow arch.

Vulcan Culture: Fans of TOS well know about how Spock and T’Pring’s engagement concludes, but the ongoing story of their relationship brings new light to our knowledge of Vulcan culture and habits. The engagement dinner, and rituals fit into what we already know of Vulcan culture, and add to the backstory of Vulcan life. Also, bonus points to the mention of how Vulcans have issues with how Humans smell. First brought to light by T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) on Star Trek: Enterprise, the inclusion of this factoid again helps to connect SNW with the Trek shows that preceded it.

Spock: Spock’s ongoing internal battle over his dual nature has always been a major feature of the character, regardless of whether he is played by Leonard Nimoy, Zack Quinto, or Ethan Peck. This episode, along with Spock’s struggles with his romantic attachments, is a great new chapter in the story of Spock. Ethan Peck is superb in this episode, both as a dramatic actor (Spock gets ANGRY!) and as a comedic actor.

Gaseous, Amorphous Aliens: A staple of Trek encounters with aliens, this show features a new variety of all-powerful “ancient aliens,” to quote Ortegas, but the humor here is that they are entirely clueless. Again, great writing and great humor. Anyone else get the “Ancient Aliens” reference, or am I the only one?

SNW S2E5 Charades-Ortegas mentions "Ancient Aliens" — SNW S2E5 Charades-Ortegas mentions “Ancient Aliens”

Any Trek fan should enjoy this episode. “Charades” (the title comes from Pike’s attempt to delay having Spock’s humanness revealed; again, a great comedic moment), has all the humanity, vulcanness, humor, and great character and relationship-building that a Trekkie (or is it “Trekker,”) could want.

Star Trek: A Lifelong Passion

Star Trek: The Next Generation, was the first live-action Star Trek show I watched as each episode made its initial appearance on TV. I grew up watching the original series, simply known as “Star Trek,” back then, and I also vaguely recall watching the Star Trek: Animated Show when I was a kid. I now assume I saw the episodes as they “dropped,” to use the modern parlance, but for me, as a kid growing up, the live-action Star Trek show with Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Klingons, Romulans, and phaser shoot-outs, was THE show to watch.

My old buddies from Star Trek: The Original Series

Neil Young, Joe Rogan, and the Spotify Issue

For those not familiar with Neil Young, his work, and his politics, it may look like an old man inserting himself into a political feud with a big media star and a big media company just to make himself look good. Got news for you…Neil has been commenting on social and political issues his whole career. Heck, just a quick look at his song catalog shows multiple times he has “gone political” in his lyrics. His spat with Spotify and Joe Rogan has made the news, and both sides in America’s current ideological divide are fighting over what it all means.

“Southern Man,” “Ohio,” “Rockin’ In The Free World,” “American Dream,” and many others, all poked at authority, the dominant social order, wars, racism, and other issues in American society. Neil has been doing this literally since the 1960s and the Vietnam War. While I do not really care about Joe Rogan one way or another (his viewpoints on the pandemic, from what I glean from various sources, border on the idiotic, if not malevelant), I also do not always agree with Neil Young’s political stances. That is part of the joy and advantage of being an American, in my view. You can disagree with someone and still like them. I have many friends who are either more conservative than I , or more liberal than I. Yet, while we may disagree, we are still buddies.

I take that attitude into my music and media consumption as well. I love the music of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, John “Cougar” Mellencamp, Neil Young, and many others whose political songs and other commentary on the world I do not always agree with. The same is true on the other side of the ideological coin. I love Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and I like a good deal of the music of Ted Nugent and Kid Rock (despite the fact that is a really stupid stage name!), again, among others. I don’t always agree with them either. The point is, I am tolerant of varying viewpoints, as long as they do not stray into “evil” territory, like out-and-out racism, or violence.

Part of this, I admit, is about selfishness. I do not want to deny myself the company of friends (and relatives) who think differently than me, nor do I want to deny myself the music I have enjoyed my entire life. But it is also more than that. My willingness to see both sides and tolerate a certain degree of ideological differences is a choice as an American who still believes in America.

To me, America is the promised land of freedom. If we take the spirit of the First Amendment to heart, (as we all should), that means that we recognize that we all have true freedom of speech, and we should all respect that (again, to a point in my opinion-racism and violence excepted). Yes, that means that Joe Rogan DOES have the right to spread disinformation and lies. And yes, Neil Young DOES have the right to call out Spotify and remove his music from that service. And I have a choice of what to do also, as does every other person. If someone wants to be stupid (see, I am expressing my right to have an opinion) and not believe in what true science and medical experts say, then that is their right as Americans. Take the horse dewormer and see if it cures your COVID infection, while I choose to get vaccinated and survive when I do catch it (I did get it, and I am clearly still alive!)

Listen to Neil Young music, or listen to the Joe Rogan podcast. That is your choice. Sign up for Spotify or cancel your subscription. That is your choice. I shake my head at the wonder of how otherwise intelligent people make stupid decisions (yes, I have made bonehead decisions in life also…that is part of life), but in all this debate and haranguing about this small battle in the war of words we now have in our nation, we need to keep in mind that we are all in the same boat, and that we are all Americans who have been raised to believe in the personal freedoms we are all born with and guaranteed in the Constitution and in the Bill of Rights and other Amendments. Our country is losing sight of that basic truth. We DO all have the freedom and liberty to make choices, but we must also recognize that the other person has the right to make choices and, yes, the right to be wrong.

Political and financial boycotts, which is what “cancel culture” is really about, have been with us forever. The idea of taking your money and walking away from a service (we see you Spotify), or from a performer (I’m guessing a lot of people on one side of the debate are now avoiding Neil’s music), that is a very American idea. And that is ok. I choose to side with Neil, because I agree with him on this issue, (plus I am a long-time fan). In full disclosure, I have never used Spotify, as I use a competing streaming service, so I am not actually changing anything I don’t already do. But this is a fascinating example of how we as a country are tearing ourselves apart instead of accepting that some people have differences. Cancel Spotify? Go ahead, it is your right. Cancel Neil Young? Go ahead, it is your right. But please people, do not cancel your ability to talk and interact with other people with respect. We all have the freedom and liberty to our own opinions. Americans have always had this right (though many Americans had to fight to actually make use of their Constitutional rights in our history), and we need to remember that the person we debate also has those rights. Remember that!

Neil Young Rocks!

Star Wars and Star Trek: That Time Ensign Kim Almost Killed Han Solo

Garrett Wang, who is best known for playing the eternally low-ranking Ensign Kim in Star Trek: Voyager, disclosed in the Delta Flyer Podcast that he creates with fellow Voyager alum Robert Duncan McNeill, that back when Voyager was in production in the 1990s, he almost ran over the legendary actor, Harrison Ford.

In recounting this near-disaster, Wang described driving through the Paramount Studios’ parking lot, he recalled speeding around a bend and Harrison Ford appeared out of nowhere, right in front of Wang’s car ‘I’m actually speeding around the parking lot, and I come around this one bend and this guy in a suit walks between two cars, right in front of my car, so I slam on my breaks,’ Wang said.

When he realized who the gentleman in the suit actually was, Wang’s first thought was “Oh my god, I almost killed Han Solo!” I would have been hated by nerds everywhere.”

Thankfully, no one was hurt in this parking lot episode, but think about this for a minute in a geeky nerdy way…had Star Trek’s Ensign Kim actually hit and harmed or killed Star Wars’ Han Solo, the eternal debate between fans of the two franchises could be decidedly more belligerent. As it is, many fans debate on social media which fictional universe is better, Star Trek or Star Wars. That debate is, and should be, ongoing and be both passionate and logical.

This reminds me of a comment made by George Takei (Hikaru Sulu from the original Enterprise) some years ago, where he said, in effect, that Star Trek and Star Wars fans should unite in a grand Star Alliance to fight the real enemy: The Twilight Franchise! I thought that was a hilarious comment, especially as, having seen the first of the Twilight movies, and going “ugh, glittering vampires?”

Regardless, it is a good thing that Ensign Kim did not run over Han Solo and Indiana Jones. The fictional movie world is a better place with Han alive. BTW, have you seen the recent Star Wars movies…?

Poetry Analysis-The Farmer-Allegory for a Veteran’s Pain

I see poem “The Farmer” as not just a poem about a man literally working the “barren earth,” but as an allegory for his post-war life, dealing with the trauma and perhaps the PTSD that hits many veterans.

After reading W.D. “Bill” Ehrhart’s poem “The Farmer”, the first time through, I looked him up on the internet. He has written both poetry and prose, and a lot of his writing reflects his experiences in Vietnam, even the poems that, on the surface, do not seem to mention the war.

His website, https://wdehrhart.com/biography.html, has some of his prose and poetry available for visitors to peruse, and it makes for interesting reading.

One of those poems is “The Farmer,” and after reading it a couple times and from also looking at some of his other work, (and a review of poetry by him and other “Vietnam Vet Poets” at http://worldsofhurt.com/chapter-five/), I started to see The Farmer as not just a poem about a man literally working the “barren earth,” but as an allegory for his post-war life, dealing with the trauma (and perhaps the PTSD-one of his other poems shows him reflecting on his anger and how it scares his wife and daughter) that hits many veterans. As a man, depicted as a farmer, who every day has to go out into society, and work the fields of life, despite how he feels as he deals with the emptiness in his soul as he works through “the slow intransigent intensity of need.”

Similarly, I see the line “I have sown my seed on soil guaranteed by poverty to fail” as what he sees as his failings as a husband and father (look at his poem The Simple Lives of Cats) likely due to his problems from his war experience.

The passage:

But I don’t complain—except

to passersby who ask me why

I work such barren earth.

They would not understand me

if I stooped to lift a rock

and hold it like a child, or laughed,

or told them it is their poverty

I labor to relieve. For them,

I complain.

Can be seen as the experience of a veteran who encounters civilians in everyday life, who do not understand what he does and why. I have read and heard that the comment people often tell to veterans and active duty military, “Thank you for your service,” is often looked at by many vets as a meaningless platitude by well-meaning people who can’t think of anything deeper to say. The line, “I work such barren earth. They would not understand me,” I think speaks to this, as anyone who was not in Vietnam (or Kuwait, or Iraq, or Afghanistan) can truly understand what the veteran went though.

“They would not understand me…[if] told them it is their poverty I labor to relieve,” is significant in this context, as the veteran knows those well-meaning people would not understand what is going on inside him and how he deals with the barrenness of his heart and soul, despite the fact that he served in their stead in the war(s), for it is their poverty he labors to relieve. This goes back to the “Thank you for your service” line, where the unspoken piece of that phrase could very well be…”in our place, since you went to war and we did not.” Again, the non-veteran can never truly know what barren fields the veteran is plowing and working as Ehrhart phrases it “Each day I go into the fields” to try to heal the “barren earth” of his soul.

Discovering Star Trek: Discovery

First impressions here without spoiling much, of Star Trek; Discovery, which I began watching from the POV of a long-time Trek fan.

Discovering Star Trek: Discovery

I just began watching Star Trek: Discovery. Yes, I know, for a guy touting himself as a Geek, to just now start watching what is turning out to be a very interesting, very geek-worthy Star Trek show is scandalous.

Before you start slinging bat’leths at me, let me hasten to explain…

You see, I am rather stodgy and old-fashioned when it comes to certain things. When I first heard that CBS All Access was a paid subscription for the new STAR TREK series, my proletarian sensibilities were upset. In the old days (and, as you all know, “in the old days” is grumpy old man talk), we could watch Star Trek with only an antenna…and then with a cable hookup…and then through Netflix, and so on. You see, it took me a while to decide that it was ok, that the Alpha Quadrant would not collapse into a tizzy if I actually subscribed (with money) to the new CBS access to see my new Star Trek show.

Plus, from talking with fellow Trekker fans at the recent Emerald City Comic-Con, and getting-first hand reviews from real people who also shelled out good money to meet George Takei, well, that helped convince me. I had heard bits and pieces over time from fellow geeks at work, and, frankly, the news that Sir Patrick Stewart himself is getting a new show titled “Picard,” well, that sealed the deal for this geek!

So now, I have duly subscribed to the Old Gods of CBS All Access, and am now five episodes into the first season. My thoughts on what I have taken in so far? Well, WOW!

Star Trek Discovery-GIF — Star Trek Discovery

I had heard that CBS was putting a lot of money into the production values for the show, based on the idea that a lot of Trek fans would pony up money to see it, and you can really see the quality in the props and special effects. Top notch! Each episode looks like a mini-movie, and the acting is also quite good.

I’m going to give my first impressions here without spoiling much, I hope. The first two episodes had me scratching my head a bit, since I knew the show is named after a Federation vessel (Discovery-named, as I later learned, from the ship in 2001: Space Odyssey), yet the main ship in the opening episodes is the USS Shenzhou, captained by Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Crazy Rich Asians) as Captain Philippa Georgiou. First Officer is a woman named Micheal Burnham, played by Sonequa Martin-Green (Walking Dead). While this show, now that I am into it by five episodes, plays homage to all of the previous Star Trek shows, is unique in several ways. Our main character, Burnham, is not a starship captain. The show opens with a ship that is not the ship of the show’s name, and the show leaves a few questions in my mind.

Among those questions (again, trying to not spoil things here): What is up with how the Klingons look? This is at least the third iteration of the physical appearance of Klingons across the various shows and movies. Will ST: Discovery eventually explain this? Also, we see a lot of advanced tech on board Discovery that was not seen on Kirk’s Enterprise. Now, obviously, the special effects of the mid-late 1960s were inferior to what we have today, but if this new show is supposed to hold onto the continuity and the canon of the overall Trek Universe, we will need to have some explanations. From some brief readings online (https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/10/23/star-trek-discoverys-holodeck-has-fans-freaking-out and https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/18/15658904/star-trek-discovery-klingon) some of my questions and concerns have been alleviated, but I am a continuity and canon geek for my fictional universes, and I want clarity!

Before I go away to watch the next episode, I will say, that the references to historical figures (like Jonathan Archer) and “current” people like Christopher Pike and certain Vulcans and their family members do send the true Trek fan in to fits of geeky ecstasy. If you are a Trek fan, then this is a series worth checking out. More reports on the show as I progress through the episodes.

Live Long and Prosper!