3 Books I Want to Read This 9 Weeks

1. "The Box" by Richard Matheson

I chose "The Box" as something to read since the main theme of trading something for wealth though I did not see the movie version of the book.

2. "Packing for Mars - The Curious Science of Life in the Void" by Mary Roach

"Packing for Mars" seemed interesting because the book contains information about the different environment of being alone in space and simulating the environment on Earth.

3. "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen Ambrose

"Undaunted Courage" is a biography about Meriwether Lewis and I chose the book for a very different change of reading.

2nd Quater Annotated Reading List

Drew Karpyshyn exposes his talent of expanding the universes of well-known video games and movies in the final part of the Darth Bane story, Dynasty of Evil. Darth Bane struggles with the effects of age and loss of his orbalisk armor. His apprentice, Zannah, still has not challenged him for the title of Sith Lord and appears to lack the ambition needed to lead and continue the Sith way of life. In an attempt to make sure the order stays alive, Darth Bane begins to research Darth Andeddu, a Sith lord who unlocked the secret of immortality. Bane finds the location of Anddedu's holocron, which contains the secrets and memories of Anddedu. To distract his apprentice, Bane sends Zannah to Doan where a Jedi was murdered while searching for Sith artifacts. Zannah, however, knows of Bane's falling power and uses the opportunity to find her own apprentice so she can challenge her master. The novel contains two types of evil characters. One desires absolute power and sees no use in art or money. The other works towards personal gains of money and art in order to live a comfortable life. Both use the world around them with little care for the pain they cause towards others. Could one type of person described be more evil or do both seem the most evil in different ways? (319)

Karpyshyn, Drew. Star Wars: Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil. Del Rey, 2010. Print.

Including the story that inspired the movie of The Box, The Box: Uncanny Stories contains twelve short stories with varying characters and plots. The author, Richard Matheson, places his characters in different situations to test the true character and morals of any average human being. An example of the situations would be the use of the female character's powers in "Girl of My Dreams" for monetary gain through the use of blackmail. The most important factor in the short stories in the book of average people in very abnormal settings make the characters feel more like the reader and not some extraordinary hero who can not fall and always make the correct decision or be able to deal with the consequences of the wrong decisions. By use of these average characters, Matheson creates opportunities that make the reader wonder what would they do in situations like the characters in the stories. (272)

Matheson, Richard. The Box: Uncanny Stories. New York: Tor, 2009. Print.

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void shows the annoying and frustrating part of space travel not commonly thought of as people gaze at the sky, thinking of floating with the stars. Mary Roach explains the frustrations of scientist teaching astronauts how to function in a completely new environment to the world. The author uses humor and facts gathered from her personal research into sending humans into space with interviews and even some experiences that she saw personally. Roach explains the difficulty of learning to simply move across the room or eating food without floating in the chunks for the rest of the mission. The amount of delays and research needed to fix these problems amazes. Astronauts sign up for their positions and become babies again as the simple act of moving becomes a different set of movements. The lack of gravity causes complications that bring all those that wonder about life in space to think if their journey really can be as simple as shooting a rocket into the sky. (334)

Roach, Mary. Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. Print.

Reflection of Reading

During the summer, I only read a few articles on different topics, mainly about video games and space. The school year started and I read for about an hour for two or three days a week. My reading after the seventh week of the quarter slowed down with only thirty minutes for a day or two.

The writing that I read was mostly fiction extending the story of a video game. "Brave New World" and the related articles seem to be the deepest level of writing and thinking that I read. Next quarter, I hope to read books about different topics than what I read and read more consistently than the first quarter. Right now, I am reading a book about the exploration towards the Pacific Ocean.

Socratic Seminar Reflection

New ideas were introduced in the Socratic Seminar. My ideas were generally agreeing to the rest of my groups. The discussions caused the thinking and reasoning to look into a deeper level of thinking. The reasearch of finding the relation between real people of the world and characters in the book led to interesting distractions when looking at scientists and thinkers that helped inspire part of a character in "Brave New World."

I could not find a way to approach question with others around me thinking about the question and bringing more ideas. The main themes of the book came out in greater detail. In order to improve my part in the dialogues, I would prepared more in order to find even more different ideas to put into the discussion. Getting into the conversation seemed to be difficult with the idea quickly being taken by someone else in the group. The format for the Socratic Seminar can work with all of the members of the dialogue being able to enter into the conversation of the group.

Annotated Reading List

"Mass Effect: Ascension" focuses on the story of scientist of the Ascension program for biotics, Kahlee Sanders, and pro-human terrorist group member, Paul Grayson. The ruthless pro-human group, Cerberus, wishes to put humanity in a position over the other alien races of the Milky Way. Paul worked as an assassin for the group before raising a girl with astonishing biotic potential, Gillian. Raising Gillian as his own, Paul follows the instructions of Cerberus' leader, the Illusive Man, to act as the young biotic's family while she studies at Grissom Academy in the Ascension program. The power of a biotic who surpasses all other humans would give Cerberus a major advantage when asserting humanity at the top of the galactic community. Space travel represents one of the greatest achievement of humans and the chance of other life forms in space becomes more likely each day. The way humanity handles the interaction between species could result in the demise or total rule of humans in the galaxy. Will humans be able to handle politics of space if the politics of just own home planet can be devastating to the race. (342)

Karpyshyn, Drew. Mass Effect: Ascension. New York: Del Rey/Ballantine, 2008. Print.

Continuing the story of Paul Grayson and Kahlee Sanders, "Mass Effect: Retribution" features another attempt by Cerberus to exploit a chance to advance the human race up the political ladder of galactic politics. The events in this book happen after the video game, Mass Effect. The pro-human group, Cerberus, acquire the technology left in the wreckage after the battle at the political center, the Citadel. The alien machinery contains technology greatly more advanced then the entire galaxy's technology. Cerberus views the machines as a chance to prepare for an alien invasion. Paul Grayson, after freeing his daughter from Cerberus' grasp, becomes a human experiment of melded organic and synthetic life. Kahlee Sanders receives a desperate message before Grayson is captured and rushes to liberate Paul from the monstrous atrocity he may become. The way to overwhelming power can come in various places and times. Limits of the person or group searching for the power restrict the lengths that can be taken to reach the power. Cerberus desires galactic control by any means. In the same way, tyrants of our past attempted to control the planet through brutal conquest. The same goals could be achieved by peace. (368)

Karpyshyn, Drew. Mass Effect: Retribution. Del Rey, 2010. Print.