Top 5 Reasons to read Jerry B. Jenkins "The Betrayal"

I am going to veer from my normal review style, and revert back to one of my old blogs: The Top 5. Here are the Top 5 reasons to check out Jerry B. Jenkins upcoming novel, "The Betrayal":

The Thrill: The real reason to read any novel is good storytelling. Jenkins offers up a classic who-done-it, a good old-fashioned detective story, and a flat-out modern thriller.

The Hero: Any good story needs a hated villain and a loveable leading man. I’m not sure that Jenkins delivers either of those in “The Betrayal”, but Detective Drake Boone is a man’s man and an actual hero. You want Boone to win the girl, win the race, and win the day.

The Cast: For all of the love and hate that is missing for the protagonist/antagonist, it is made up for by the supporting characters, in spades. The members of the 11th Precinct are engaging, and Jenkins actually brings the reader to like a lawyer: Fritz Zapollo.

The City: For me, I read authors who make the setting a major character in their novels. I know Chicago and its suburbs a little, and Jenkins gives a minor wink to the Second City. If I’m advising Jenkins for the future: give me more, give me more, give me more.

The Faith: Jenkins is, first and foremost, a Christian writer. Although I am a Christian, I have not read any texts that incorporate my faith. It was one of the most refreshing experiences that I’ve had. All of the thrills that I expect in my reading, through characters who share their daily faith, just like me.

Journal of a UFO Investigator

The Good: It was imanginative. There was good character development. That's about it.

The Bad: This was like a work of surrealism. I'm sure it's very intellectual to say that you've read this, but it's really just garbage. It was a 10 hour metaphor of a boy dealing with the death of his mother. That's about 9 hours and 55 minutes longer than it needed to be. Blah.

The Ugly: All of it, really. Just awful. Without merit.

Overall rating: 0.5 out of 5. I'd like the 10 hours of my life back.

American Tempest

The Good: With all of the references to the Tea Party, it is only fighting that the history of the original Boston Tea Party would draw new attention. This is an intricate look at all of the pertinent events that led up to, and followed the Boston Tea Party, and resulted in the American Revolution. Although this is a history text, told by a history professor, it is told in just the way that I love history told. Human history, for me, is defined not by time, or events, but by humans, and that is how this tale is told. The story is framed in the characterization of the two key players in the Boston Tea Party, and, in fact, the move toward independence itself: Samuel Adams and John Hancock. I loved this fact.

The Bad: It was a history text. It felt for long intervals like I was reading a history text. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

The Ugly: None.

Overall rating: 3 out of 5.

Straight Talk... No Chasers

The Good: It's all good. This is a follow-up book to Steve's original relationship guide for (Black) women. It's a take-off of his relationship questions part of his radio show. It's entertaining, it's funny, and it's helpful. I want every woman I know to read it. I think if every woman read it, half the assholes in the world wouldn't wind up with good women, and almost all of the bullshit fights between men and women in relationships wouldn't happen. Ladies, please read.

The Bad: It's specifically geared toward woman, and specifically black women.

The Ugly: Why was I so entertained and enthralled by a relationship book for black women???

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5.

Update: Branch Rickey

The Good: Dick Hill. That, in and of itself, is enough. If there is a narrator in Heaven, it'll be Dick Hill. If there is someone who will narrate my life story, I want it to be Dick Hill. Okay. I'm off of my soap box.
But, I can't say it enough. Like... I am the anti-sports narrative, "sports as life"-type of guy, and, just because Dick Hill read this story, I was enthralled.
Also, the only thing that I knew about Branch Rickey was that he was the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers when they decided to bring the first negro player into the big leagues. Au contraire...
The story of Branch Rickey is too big for me to summarize here. I suggest that you let Dick Hill tell you the story.

The Bad: If something about this story was bad, and I'm sure that it was, I couldn't tell because Dick Hill covered it up.

The Ugly: Being from the South. Knowing the stories of my forefathers. The atrocious nature of human indignity that Jackie Robinson must've suffered, and the courage it took, is grossly understated. I would think.

Update: Gov Rick Perry's "Fed Up"

The Good: This is like a primer for a Rick Perry national campaign. Governor Perry has a lot of credentials with the limited government crowd, of which I am a proud member. He suggested, in response to federal overreach, that Texas may choose to secede from the Union. He is a stalwart supporter of the 10th Ammendment project. I am a fan.

The Bad: Unfortunately, I read this immediately after I finished "Rollback", which made this come off as political drivel, a plutocrat trying to portray himself as a revolutionary.

The Ugly: It did him no justice, with me, that the introduction was written by Newt Gingrich, who has become the ultimate government insider.

Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Update: Tom Woods' Rollback

The Good: Everything. This book starts off as an indictment of the Obama administration and congressional Democrats in regards to the economic meltdown. In that regard, it is the political equivalent to Michale Lewis' "The Big Short", extremely detailed and educational. However, that is not the true merit of this text. It quickly morphs from a specific response to the 2008- economic meltdown, to an overarching manifesto on Austrian School economics and Liberatrian American civics. This is very similar to what has happened in Woods' previous books that I have read, "Meltdown" and "The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History". If there is an author who most completely summarizes my political thought, it is Tom Woods. And "Rollback" brings us up-to-date. Read it! Read it! Read it!

The Bad: Very little. The transition from current events wiki to overarching manifesto is not a smooth one. That's about it.

The Ugly: Woods is front and center, one of those Ron Paul crazies. Although I espouse many Libertarian sensibilities, I can't put myself on that crazy train. I'm not sure how to rectify the two...

Overall rating: 5 out of 5. Must read