The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I continue to review this book with my team annually, and every couple of years I do a complete cover-to-cover re-read.  This was one of those years.  See my previous reviews here:



2016: https://www.fictionroom.com/2016/08/the-five-dysfunctions-of-team.html

2014: http://www.fictionroom.com/2014/08/five-dysfunctions-of-team-by-patrick.html

2011: http://www.fictionroom.com/2011/11/five-dysfunctions-of-team-leadership.html

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This book is supposed to be some sort of classic. I first heard about it in high school, as some classes were assigned it as required reading, although I never was. It had sat on the edge of my awareness, and I had even used the colloquialism "Catch-22" from time to time in common language to describe events where the results of an action would undermine or invalidate the reason for taking the action in the first place. And then it was chosen for a book club I am in, and I read the book.

This book is a heap of rubbish. Sure there are opportunities to discuss human nature here and there, but all of the characters and situations are so far fetched and extremely fictional that it isn't a discussion of human nature at all. The characters aren't human. In mind-numbingly stupid scene after scene, characters are faced with insanity and the author plays at making rational decisions in the face of insanity. The whole thing is a dumpster fire.

How could there have been value here? If any of these situations were real situations, with actual people and organizations trying to make decisions in them, then there would be potentially valuable topics for discussion here. But that isn't the case.

On top of the insanity that this book is trying to pass off as human behavior, it is coated in a layer of immorality that doesn't need to see the light of day. I thought that the constant objectification of women was a thing of the past? If it is, then this book should be cleared off the shelves. Prostitution, casual sexual encounters, and general abuse are just where it starts. The book itself objectifies female characters often by not bothering to give them names or identities as characters outside of their roles as objects for the men to use. If you step back you will find that there was not a single female character of note in the whole book. Nurse Drucker is as close as it came, yet our introduction to her was in the form of a sexual assault by our supposed protagonist. So her character is unraveled by taking the abuse and forming a romantic relationship with her abuser.

This book is awful, and it depresses me to think that so many of our children have been required to read this in our school system. I'm generally not an advocate for censorship, but I am an advocate for education, and from that standpoint this book is worthless.

The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley

The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really want to like this series more than I do. I like mysteries, I like period British stories, I like Flavia's character. Yet these stories just haven't ended satisfactorily to me. And this doesn't end the series well at all. Where is Flavia headed, as she rides off into the sunset? Is Collin a future love interest? Is her future really based on a partnership with Dogger, a man old enough to be her father, if not grandfather? If nothing else, Undine is a loose end. Are they really going to coexist? I thought for a while that maybe Flavia would accept her as some sort of partner, yet in the end she obviously still thinks of her as a child. If this is really it for the series, I want all of these questions answered. Instead we embarked on another stand alone mystery, which was ok for what it was, but lackluster given the expectation to wrap up the series as a whole. Disappointing.

Of course, if he continues to write these, maybe there is a chance of a better wrap up in the future, but even in that case, this book didn't move her character forward at all. Waste of space.

The Grave's a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley

The Grave's a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm returning to the Flavia series to finish it up now that the final books are out. Flavia is a great character because she is incorrigible, but the start of this book was a little heavy handed with her precociousness, even for her. This story introduced another new, albeit temporary, setting, but the downside is that there were none of her hallmark chemistry experiments, since she didn't have her lab at her disposal. I did like the increased part played by Dogger, and look forward to his further character development, even though the series is wrapping up.

Finally, if there was anything that made this book ho-hum for me, it was the ending. I felt like it was missing the complete wrap up scene, where all of the evidence was explained and dots connected. Yes, there was an effort, but it didn't feel complete. Also, the plot didn't contribute to a bigger picture such as her mother's disappearance, or her father's death, or the fate of her home, so this also falls flat because it doesn't move the greater "Flavia" story arc forward. I'm looking forward to the wrap up, and better execution of a classic mystery, and hopefully a good wrap on Flavia's story arc.

View all my reviews

Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson

Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

3 star.

My wife recommended this one, comparing it to Wednesday Wars, a book we both read in the past. It is definitely compelling as a story, and has deep conversation points about life, growing up, and dealing with death. The serious topic is paired nicely with the comedic viewpoints of three boys, making it enjoyable as well as thought provoking, keeping the reader from wallowing in the sad plot line throughout the book. I don't remember Wednesday Wars all that well, but to me this book is better compared to To Kill a Mockingbird. The whimsical viewpoint of Scout describing serious events matches the approach of Topher and his friends dictating their viewpoints as narrators.

So why not give it more stars? I don't recommend you read this book. I don't wish to get into the reasons why, so the best thing to do is hope this book gets lost in the sea of thousands of equally well written books. I recommend you read To Kill A Mockingbird and Wednesday Wars and call it good.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I hadn't read this since my elementary or middle school days, and something made me put it on my list. This book is wasted on school children.

It is a masterpiece of creating a setting and a culture through the observations of an inexperienced character. I was explaining this to my 15 year old son, and he demanded an example. For instance, when Scout is listening to the ladies at the missionary society meeting, she isn't catching the nuances of the conversation, but as the reader you see what is happening: the prejudices, the insults, and the emotional under currents. In several scenes, with very benign prose, I felt emotional about what was happening. That might sound run of the mill, but I'm generally known as a non-emotional person. My wife likes to make the point by reenacting Hermione Granger's accusation "you have the emotional range of a teaspoon." So when this book, without any sappy dialogue, started to tug at my heart strings I was shocked. How!?! It was all in the quality of writing. Presenting real life drama without, well, fake drama. All presented through the eyes of a likable, unassuming character.

So I haven't said anything about racism or politics or history. Yeah, that stuff is there too, and don't get me wrong, it's also well done. That is what gives this book timeless attention, but frankly, there are many other books with those features, they just aren't as well written, or as accessible. You shouldn't read this book because it is useful way to start discussions and prompt essays in English class. You should read it because it is a masterpiece of writing.

I feel like I've wandered in my comments, but I think you get the idea. I appreciated this book, and recommend it to every reader.

Stone Cold by David Baldacci

Stone Cold by David Baldacci
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So I decided to try a second Baldacci book, just to get another data point. The writing in this one is much improved, but still has some of the same stylistic annoyances. While it was less frequent, Baldacci still likes to pause the narrative to give backstory. He doesn't teach the reader about the new character smoothly as the plot moves forward. Also, while less frequent, his characters still make logical jumps (it's not deduction) that are never wrong. So it was better, but still a little painful.

On a personal note on the content, I dislike books where none of the characters can put together meaningful relationships. All of these characters are relationship-stupid. The one character who is supposed to have a positive family life doesn't actually act in a way that would keep his family together, it just does because he is supposed to be a family guy. I don't know Baldacci's story, and this isn't meant as an insult, but I would guess that he either has a saint for a wife, or doesn't have a great track record with relationships. That part of the book smacks of someone writing about something he doesn't know much about. Less research on guns, more on successful marriage, that would be my advice. Which no one asked for. So there you go.

The Camel Club by David Baldacci

The Camel Club by David Baldacci
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was a new genre for me, but I was recommended this author by a coworker who claimed to not like fantasy. He said fantasy books were boring. Naturally, I found this unbelievable, but was curious to understand this perspective, so asked for a recommendation, and David Baldacci was the immediate response. I randomly searched for Baldacci in my library app, and The Camel Club was one of the first options that showed up, so I grabbed it.

It was a slow start. The author had the unfortunate habit of introducing a character, then stopping the story to give that character's backstory. This happened often enough that it took the first half of the book to get anything started. It did pick up though, and the suspense started to build. And then the magic happened.

I thought this wasn't supposed to be a fantasy, but what else can you call it when really important facts just happen to fall into the protagonist's lap? When huge leaps in logic, bordering on a random guess, happen to be exactly right. Really, I don't think any one main character had a false assumption in the entire book. If these were real people, I'd want to meet all of them. I mean, heck, Harry Potter Potter was a fictional wizard, but even with the benefit of magic he was often wrong in his assumptions, and he certainly made mistakes. He would not have been invited to join the Camel Club. Their intuition is 100%.

And can anyone tell me why these grown men formed a club with meetings and stuff in the first place? They were like a bunch of 10-year-olds who have a tree house and paper hats. Only these guys have cars and an occasional gun here and there. "I used to be a government assassin, but now I am calling this meeting in the woods to order. Billy's mom said he has to be home for dinner by 5 so we have to hurry." It just seems silly.

So to wrap it up, it was gripping at the end. When it came to the final confrontation, he really had me. But overall the book was just ok. Fantasy or no fantasy, the writing quality wasn't there. I was sharing this opinion with another well-read friend who told me that this was one of Baldacci's early books, and that he got a lot better, so I'm not writing him off, but this one was just ok for me.

Warcross by Marie Lu

Warcross by Marie Lu
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I went into this with dreams of another Ready Player One. RPO has surprised me by becoming one of my all time favorite books, and not because of the movie they made. It stunk.

Sadly, Warcross is no Ready Player One. It is a decent idea, plagued by multiple drawbacks. The characters are annoying. The plot is as holey as swiss cheese. The setting is a waste of a virtual space.

Characters: Emika seems like a weak, powerless character who for some reason is taking out bad guys while on a skateboard. What? This makes no sense, other than a potentially flashy book cover/movie poster. And then there is Hideo, with all of his internal anguish and unexplainable tech genius. He is a mishmash of so many fantasy characteristics (rich, attractive, genius) and antagonistic roles (insane, dictator, control freak) that in the end he didn't make sense either. He was a too perfect as a good guy, and too perfect as a bad guy that it left him, in my mind, not a person at all.

Plot: Why didn't Zero try to recruit Emika from the beginning? She apparently had some hacking skill, and then was obviously in a useful position, but that didn't even come up. Then, the first time they met, why not just tell her what he was about? If this game has professionals, no amateur is going to hang with them. That is how being a professional at something works.

Setting: Why does Emika need to be physically close to someone to hack them? How come she hacks everyone, and never gets hacked herself? Why is there an awesome VR world all centered on ONE GAME? That is the craziest part. It is like the XBOX/Playstation/Nintendo shows up with one game and everyone is just like, boom, that's all we need. Never need another game. It would never go down like that. (To get an idea of how it WOULD go down, check out RPO, or if you're into serial murdering psychopaths, Otherland by Tad Williams.)

To be fair, I might be overly critical given the expectation set by RPO. That is possible. Yet, when I look at these issues, they do all seem to stand on their own. And in the end, all I feel toward this book is disappointment.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This started out slow for me. The first chapter or so literally put me to sleep and I had to restart it. Part of that was because I was tired--a common prerequisite to sleep--and part because I had to reorient myself to the world on this book. I didn't know anything about the book, so I was trying to understand it as a British coming of age relationship story, when I was encountering a dark fantasy-world-hidden-in-our-world thriller. Once I got into the right frame of reference things went smashingly.

Croupe and Vandamar are superb villains, as they strike the terror of torturing serial killers with the readability of Horace and Jasper from 101 Dalmatians. Without that snappy--albeit dark--dialogue, I think they would have been a bit too much for me and this would have moved toward being a Dean Koontz style thriller, which I sampled in Jr. High years ago and decided wasn't for me.

The concept of having a story about multiple Londons, with a main character with the ability to magically open doors seemed a bit worn out after reading VE Schwab's Shades of Magic (book 1, 2, 3) series in the last year or so. While there are some overlapping features, the plots are different enough that I suppose it's ok, but to me there was also a similar writing style, as the level graphic violence/torture was also similar. I wonder which book came out first, and if the second author would admit to being influenced by the other... (I looked it up later. Neverwhere was first by over a decade, so Gaiman wins.)

Finally, the magic system. In this book magic is ever present, but never really center stage. Many characters have special abilities, but the origin of those abilities are never explained, and they are generally secondary to everything else going on. They are treated more like innate hereditary talents than character defining traits. Even Door's family is more defined by their political role than their magic ability. Their titles are political (Earl, Baron, Marquis) rather than magical ability (wizard, mage, witch, Door Opener). A final comment on the magic system: a rare but interesting approach is to mix religious characters and features into the magic system. Having an angel, a traditionally religious figure of power, central to the plot was a nice twist.

Overall, this book was unexpectedly good. Interesting concepts and characters throughout. Weaknesses for me were in certain characters at certain times. Richard was a wimpy corporate figure who was supposed to be old enough to work in an investment house, but acts like a teenager at times and is even called a kid by the Marquis near the end. I don't know what to make of him. Door is portrayed as a teenage girl, but sometimes acts like a mature woman. In both cases, I think the intent was to provide character growth to explain the concern, but they are inconsistent and flip flop through out the book, with mature moments at the beginning and juvenile moments at the end. When it comes to Croupe and Vandamar, their intrinsic motivations are unclear. Time traveling serial killing partners, yes, but why? Characters are the weakness for me, but this is a book club read for me, so I'll see if someone in that group can handle my concerns.

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Agatha Christie is a household name, I believe, yet my experience with her works is fairly limited. After reading And Then There Were None last year, I put this Murder on the Orient Express, one of her most famous stories, on my to-read list. I was not disappointed.

While there were some weaknesses, such as the fact that Poirot happened to know so many details about the Armstrong case, it kept me guessing until the end. Or at least almost to the end. Then there is the style of the classic mystery, which somehow focuses on the mystery and discovery of the cast of characters, and at the same time leaves them underdeveloped. Part of that is due to the limitation of having only one point of view so the reader doesn't get too much information too soon, but it does make the book a little hollow.

I enjoy a good mystery so I'm giving this one a solid 4 stars and recommend it as a standard in classic mysteries.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Hmm, this was strange story. I can't really say that I enjoyed it, but then again I've never been much for vampire books. In learning a little more about the story itself, which has been published both in a collection of short stories and as a stand-alone book, it was an early foray into both vampires and dystopian stories. Given the popularity of dystopian stories, I can see how this has caught peoples interest again, both on film and in print.

I didn't like Robert Neville much. While he was in a tough situation, and obviously in a mentally straining situation, he also wasn't very deep as a character, so there wasn't much to relate to. His range was from grumpy drunk to raving madman. I wanted him to win, not for him, but because I wanted humanity to win.

What is slow about this book is that there is no real action or plot movement for a long time. Finally when Ruth shows up, things begin to happen. I wonder if that was necessary? Why wait? The story could have been roughly the same and about a third shorter... which is saying something since it is already a short story.

Finally, what did I like about this story? Well it was the prototypical English class short story. There are some obvious themes that you make you think about the world around you. How does change fit into our world? Does the new always have to replace the old? Is someone justified in hating, despising, or fearing the old ways? Or the new ways? How do we demonize those who are different from us? Are there people or things in life that seem patently evil at first, but which might not be what we think they are?

So, I'm not a fan, but I can see why this story has endured over the years. It will be interesting to see what it's place in literary history is in another 50 years.

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is the lowest score I've ever given a Sanderson book. The characters, plot, and magic system were all great. I loved the occasional comedy! The problem was the style. It was very much like the Lemony Snicket books (A Series of Unfortunate Events), just with a better ending. I made it through that series and thought that I could handle this one, but the unending interruptions of the story became too much. I'm sad to say that I may not finish this series. I'm not a fan of graphic novels in general, but that may be my best chance to get the rest of this story arc without the interruptions.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It isn't very often I re-read a book at all,  but it is even less common that I re-read a book in the same year.  But that is what happened this time. It wasn't of my own choosing.  My sons wanted to listen to it on a family road trip and my wife and I finally relented.  I love this story for the imagery,  the concept, and the nostalgia,  but the language and some of the content is a little much for us,  even though our teenagers probably hear worse every day in the halls of their high school (and now college for the oldest one...) So we relented on our family ban and tried to do some editing. The story was as great as I remembered, and the theme was positive.  Get out and live life.  Try to improve your community,  not just live selfishly. I do wish the language had been toned down a bit, and that he had skipped the "intimate" part with his haptic rig, but I can't have everything...

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I understand this book to be Sanderson's first published novel, but it lacks the obvious flaws that you would associate with a debut. I remember noting the stereotypical progression of Terry Brooks, an author I enjoy, in his Magic Kingdom For Sale, Sold series. It is a series he started and then left for a decade or more and returned to later in his career, and his later efforts were of much higher quality. Somehow Sanderson is showing up on day one with the skills of a seasoned professional, and it is both enjoyable to read and at the same time daunting for those who would love to share in his craft.

As to the story itself, we have solid characters, a deep magic system, and plenty of movement in the plot and characters--all things we expect from Sanderson at this point. The only downside is that this is by all reports intended to be a stand alone book. Why? There are surely other stories to tell here, and it seems like a waste of the magic system and world he created to leave it after one book. I hope he reconsiders that part (or that I have heard wrong:) ).

Read this one. You are in for another fantasy treat.

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was both captivating and frustrating, and in the end I'm left somewhat disappointed. I decided to read this on a long flight where a more studious choice would not have made the time pass as quickly. I needed a story that captured my imagination and let me escape for at least 11 hours, and this book was just that. I was pulled into a well written fantasy with a great setting, diverse cast of characters, and deep magic system. It was the page turner I needed.

While it did fill that role, it also had its weaknesses, and as I continued to read the pile of weaknesses began to look more like a mountain. Somehow, in the midst of great characterization and intriguing plot twists, this book became focused on sex. It came out of the blue and hijacked a great story. I can't recommend this book to my 14 year-old read-aholic son now. I hate that.

Second, while I was eager to find out what Kvothe would do next, this page-turner was also a sleeper at times. The reader is left on the edge of their seat, waiting to see what happens next while chapter after chapter rolls by. It was really odd. I still consider it well written, but it also felt like it took forever. Perhaps it is the fact that the story being told is in past tense that snaps back to the present now and then. The inner story processes around year in time, while the telling of the story only moves a day. I guess that the tension adds to the overall suspense of the story, but so little movement happened in this book that I don't feel I got my money's worth. And when I say money, I mean time.

Finally, Kvothe's relationship with Denna makes no sense. Their relationship didn't develop, and after the experiences he had there is no way that it would still be in the same state. Either the commitment level would increase, or at least one of them would be moving on. Maybe it worked when they were both young and innocent, but the innocence is gone for both of them, so something's gotta give.

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

By now there isn't much I can say about Flavia that I haven't already said. I guess I can add that she has a superhuman ability to operate in all kinds of weather. If I was walking, riding, or sleuthing in the rain and snow like she does, I'd definitely at least complain about it, if not hesitate to go on or even completely give up. Then again, I plan on retiring to Arizona some day.

Of course, the situation with her father has implications for the rest of the series, but Bradley kept that as a subplot the whole time, and I'm not sure what to think. Part of me feels like it is the replacement conflict now that the Harriet and Buckshaw questions seem to be resolved. Or rather than the new conflict, this could be a resolution to her father's financial problems, thereby letting the series either wrap up or move on to new territory.

I am now in the unfortunate situation of waiting for the next book to come out in September. I hate that, but I have no one to blame but myself. As for this book, I give it a solid 3 stars. I enjoyed it, but nothing in this series is wowing me at this point.

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The change of setting in this installment in the Flavia series was hard for me. I'll give it credit for the variety it brings and the chance for the character to grow, but it had some issues. First, while I get that Flavia is supposed to be a child prodigy, she still is human and she doesn't remotely act her age. Second, an Academy of all girls at that age seems like there would have been more conflict. A tickling attack? An obsession with smoking? OK, I guess that one might have been a real thing, I don't know, but it still seems like we didn't see the underside of any establishment like that. Cliques, negative peer pressure, those that naturally fight Flavia's control of situations. Other than that it was OK. A nice 3 star read, but not one I would spend time on if it weren't for my commitment to the series.

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This one had a slower pace than previous books in this series, as all the action was around the funeral. Also, it lacked the ingeniousness of her normal sleuthing activities, although we still got the usual heavy helping of precociousness. The bright spot was the deepening of the bigger plot. I wonder if this was really all planned out in the beginning, or if around book three or four Bradley realized he was on to something and started building up to a cloak-and-dagger type plot? While I do like the "new" plot, it is lacking some of the whit and charm of the old plots, and we will have to see how the next school setting installment turns out before I decide if I feel like the series was ruined, or given new wings.

On a final positive note, the exclamation "Yaroo!" has officially entered my vocabulary during this reading, so points to you, Mr. Bradley.

I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley

I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Flavia marathon continues! Now I'm on an extended road trip with my family, and since I am in the drivers seat most of the time, I'm get to choose the book and so we are making some good progress on Flavia.

This book continues the subplots started in the last book regarding the death of Harriet and the financial woes of the family, all in the context of the post war rebuilding era. The best thing about this book isn't the sleuthing, but rather the emotional growth of our relationship with the de Luce family, which we needed if this was to be a series. We needed to understand their complex interactions better, ironically so we could be mystified by them at the same time. We needed to know that the sisters really do love each other, to be properly confounded when they mistreat each other for obtuse reasons. We need to see Colonel de Luce's love for his youngest daughter, and for his beloved wife, so he doesn't fade into the background of this story like an uncaring stamp-collecting stump. Bradley steps up to the plate and does all of this and more in this book, earning it an extra star. I'm looking forward to the next book more for the overarching emotional tension than I am to hear another whodunit, although, that is a necessary part of a mystery.