Tag: Goodreads

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Fun Hops

Wormfest 2014! – Cloud Atlas Quote

2014 National Wormhole Week and Blog Hop! 3/10-16/2014

Click to learn more.

This blog hop and blog tour are brought to you by: Alex Cavanaugh, L. Diane Wolfe, and Stephen Tremp– the author of Escalation.

For 2014, the theme is to name one thing where science advances mankind, and one where technology with unforeseen consequences will go too far and set mankind back. Example: De-Extinction, or bringing back extinction species through back breeding, genetic engineering, and cloning. With all the breakthrough discoveries mankind is on the cusp of, are we playing God?

Feel free to reference movies and books too. These provide no shortage if inspiration. Speaking of de-extinction, the book and movie Jurassic Park comes to mind where science takes a huge leap forward, but also backfires. I’m looking forward to all the amazing responses everyone will have.

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Each day this week I’ll be sharing quotes from sci-fi movies or books along with my thoughts on how far technologies still needs to go and where I think it will go too far.

from Goodreads

Today I’m focusing on the technology that’s in our food.

The book I’ve picked for today is Cloud Atlas (similar to the movie, but better). This is not a straight-up sci-fi read, but it does have major sci-fi elements and themes.

From the book, Cloud Atlas I give you…

“This isn’t an interrogation or a trail. Your version of the truth is the only thing that matters.

Truth is singular. It’s ‘versions’ are mistruths.”~can’t recall the characters names

― David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas ~ (from Goodreads)

I don’t know if you’ve seen this movie or read the book, but it is worth experiencing at least once (of course the book is much better). I’m going to throw in a spoiler here so look away if you don’t want to know.

In this metaphysical tail of alternate realities, reincarnation, the consequences of the past, and warnings for the future- in a dystopian high-tech future it is dramatically revealed that the major source of protein comes from recycled cloned humanoid beings which serve as living machinery, free labor, and any other horrible thing you can think to use a “soulless” person for.

As shocking as this was to read and then see in the movie (which was lightened significantly) I could totally see something crazy like this happening. Have any of you ever heard of pink slime? We’re not that far from this already, but maybe I’m over reacting. How far is too far to go when it comes to feeding the masses at a reasonable cost? The truth is out there, but do people want to hear it or do they not think it’s a big deal?

This also brings up the timeless debate about preservatives and food additives. I enjoy eating all natural food whenever I can, but sometimes it’s nice to have those food advancements that keep my milk from spoiling after three days or my peanut butter from turning into lumpy oil. This is another topic to which I mostly agree with one over the other, but I’m not completely sold out to one just yet.

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If you haven’t already, be sure to check out all the other ideas and theories about where technology is heading and going wrong.

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Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
Fun Hops

Wormfest 2014! – Frankenstein Quote

2014 National Wormhole Week and Blog Hop! 3/10-16/2014

Click to learn more.

This blog hop and blog tour are brought to you by: Alex Cavanaugh, L. Diane Wolfe, and Stephen Tremp– the author of Escalation.

For 2014, the theme is to name one thing where science advances mankind, and one where technology with unforeseen consequences will go too far and set mankind back. Example: De-Extinction, or bringing back extinction species through back breeding, genetic engineering, and cloning. With all the breakthrough discoveries mankind is on the cusp of, are we playing God?

Feel free to reference movies and books too. These provide no shortage if inspiration. Speaking of de-extinction, the book and movie Jurassic Park comes to mind where science takes a huge leap forward, but also backfires. I’m looking forward to all the amazing responses everyone will have.

****

Each day this week I’ll be sharing quotes from sci-fi movies or books along with my thoughts on how far technologies still needs to go and where I think it will go too far.

from Goodreads

Today I’m focusing on what happens when people play god.

The book I’ve picked for today is a true sci-fi classic. Frankenstein: The modern Prometheus was the beginning- the book that officially gave this genre its name.

From the book, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley I give you…

“I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.” ~ Frankenstein’s monster (from Goodreads)

So the questions at hand here are, if you could raise the dead should you; if you could create life would it be pure and natural; if you could harness the power of creation would you willingly take on the full responsibility of what you’ve created.

There is so much to consider here that I don’t feel I can begin to break it all down. If you have never read the original story, please do. It’s probably not what you think it is.

One last question; would it be right or good to actually cheat death and live forever?

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If you haven’t already, be sure to check out all the other ideas and theories about where technology is heading and going wrong.

Powered by Linky Tools Click here to follow this hop or enter your link to join in.


Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
Books

Review: Divergent

Divergent (Divergent, book 1) by Veronica Roth

I give this book a 5.

 

Here is a story that is simple and yet compelling all at once. It’s YA and I like it, no question, which is really saying something for me.

As with all dystopian novels, there is a ridiculous amount of struggle in this book, but if there wasn’t it wouldn’t be dystopian. I don’t know if anyone else feels this way, but this story screams irony to me. Factions are somehow established to keep order and bring peace to this world seemingly built of wreckage, but the characters in the book don’t seem to realize how their factions are flawed and will be their ultimate demise (just a prediction).

Beatrice starts out as a small and meek member of the selfless faction and through a series of hard to imagine, understand, and believe events ends up being, Tris, a semi femme fatale member of the brave faction. There is a great deal of violence to this story that may be all shock value, but I like action in my movies, so why not in my books. There are several unanswered questions remaining when this book comes to an end, but I didn’t feel like I was lost in my understanding. I know what I know about the story and assume the rest will be explained later. Even if my questions are never answered, I’ve enjoyed the intrigue.

While this is a great novel for teens, I wonder if younger teens will be able to grasp the meaning of it all. I enjoyed the story immensely, but could understand why someone who is either a true fan of dystopian works or who isn’t a true fan of YA works might have problems with it. In any case, I think it’s worth a read just to find out whether you like it or not.

*I can’t imagine what Hollywood will do to this story on the big screen. I’m a little scared.

This review has been posted to GoodReads.

If you’d like to obtain a copy of this book, try this link.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords