Books read in 2025: No. 40 -- Ring

by Koji Suzuki

translated by Robert B. Rohmer and Glynne Walley

Started: Dec. 2

Finished: Dec. 10

Notes: I've been trying to read horror of late with little success, usually tumbling down the hole of mystery novels and the like, but this one I'm pretty sure will fit the bill since it's the first novel of a trilogy which is the basis for The Ring horror movies in Japan and the U.S.

Mini review: The plot here wasn't bad, but I felt the characterizations weren't all that great, most of the characters not being worthy of much empathy. Also, characters seemed to make vast leaps of logic and guesswork with little to no evidence, and then being proved right. In fairness, this was a translation from Japanese, so it's not impossible there are cultural differences which went over my head. And, though I'm no translator and obviously don't know Japanese, I felt the translating job here was too literal, or at least it seemed that way. Glad I read it, but I think a better translation could have served the story better.

Beer of the Week: Landshark Lager

Beer score: 2.8

Company: Margaritaville Brewing Company
ABV: 4.7
IBU: 15

If you're headed to the beach and are interested in a fairly weak, watered-down brew for warm weather, this one might be your choice.

It pours a pale yellow, mass-produced color while giving off little to no smell, though there might be a cheap beer scent ... maybe.

There's a lot of carbonation, which hurts any tasting, but there is a hint of sweetness beyond all that fizz.

Meh, I can't say a lot good about this one. At least it can get you drunk, if you drink enough of it.

Books read in 2025: No. 39 -- The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

by Stieg Larsson

translated by Reg Keeland

Started: Nov. 15

Finished: Dec. 2

Notes: Trying to read horror of late but failing, so I'm giving this novel a try. I've seen the movie years ago but recall next to nothing about it other than a serial killer was involved, but I'm not expecting this to be horror as much as a thriller. Still, I've been meaning to read this for a while, so I'll give it a try. Also, I'm getting ready to go to the hospital for a few days for surgery, so I wanted something to read that isn't too short.

Mini review: Yep, there was a serial killer, but this was not horror but a mystery novel, and not necessarily a murder mystery. Oh, there are plenty of murders, mostly in the background, but they're not really the gist of the tale. Or are they? I mean, they sort of are but they also sort of aren't. One mystery leads to the revelation of a bad person doing very bad things even though they weren't necessarily responsible for the original mystery. And then there are several sub-plots which, in my opinion, I did not feel helped the novel; I could've done without the first 50 or so pages of this novel as well as the final 50 pages, because most of the real action happens between. All that being said, I'm glad I read this one, because it was over all quite a decent read.

Beer of the Week: Samuel Adams Harvest Helles

Beer score: 5.9

Company: Samuel Adams
ABV: 5.4
IBU: 15

For a beer released in the autumn, the coloring surprised me with its light goldenness. On the nose, I picked up light hints of citrus, flowers, and bread.

Upon drinking, the taste has all of the above, but there's also more bitterness than I expected. In fact, that bitterness lingers, as do the hints of citrus, perhaps lemon.

All in all, not a bad beer, though also not a great one. Maybe a little more carbonation that I felt was necessary.

Beer of the Week: Samuel Adams Flannel Fest

Beer score: 5.6

Company: Samuel Adams
ABV: 5.2
IBU: 20

This one pours a dark, syrupy red color while giving off scents not unlike dark baked bread.

Fairly smooth, but there is some strength here. Tastes bitter at first and that experience lingers on the tongue after the swallowing. Also fairly hearty, and the taste is a strong burnt caramel with hints of that dark bread.

Not a bad brew, but I can't say it's a new favorite. Still, I'd drink it if offered.

Beer of the Week: Samuel Adams Jack-O Pumpkin Ale

Beer score: 6.0

Company: Samuel Adams
ABV: 4.4
IBU: 8

As anyone who has read my notes on beer probably knows, I'm not a big fan of holiday brews. I usually can't stand those cinnamon and nutmeg and pumpkin flavors; they're just not my thing. However, this one's not too bad.

It pours a smooth amber color, almost like pumpkin, into a clear glass. It also gives off slight smells of pumpkin, as can be expected, and a bit of sweetness.

The taste is quite sweet at first, reminding me of pumpkin pie, but then on the way down some bitterness kicks in. In my opinion, the sweetness itself is stronger than the pumpkin flavor, almost too much so.

Is this a new favorite beer? No. But if someone tossed me one during the holidays, I wouldn't turn it down.

Books read in 2025: No. 38 -- Billy Summers

by Stephen King

Started: Oct. 25

Finished: Nov. 15

Notes: I've been trying to read horror of late, so naturally I turned to the King of horror. To be honest, I'm not sure this one actually is horror, but with King it usually is, or at least is horror adjacent.

Mini review: No, not horror, but not a bad story, sort of modern noir. A hitman is hired for a job which takes him months to complete, and to fill his time he decided to write a fictionalized biography of sorts, so this novel jumps back and forth between the that biography and the events of this work. Eventually the hitman's job is performed, but he finds he has been double crossed, but he's not going to let things lie. To say more would be to give too much away. I wouldn't say this is King's best work, but it's still a decent read. King fans will want it, those who don't know King or who don't care for him could do worse. I will say this one has a bittersweet ending, but one with a touch of hope.

Beer of the Week: Heineken Dark

Beer score: 5.0

Company: Heineken
ABU: 5.0
IBU: 28

A pretty mediocre beer. If you are a beginner beer snob, don't worry, because there are plenty of better beers out there, not that this one is awful.

It pours brown.

It smells faintly of caramel.

It's taste is of a little maple bitterness.

It's wet.

That's about all.

But even though it's wet, it's not a big thirst quencher.

To repeat myself, not awful, but there are tons of better options available.

Beer of the Week: Young's Ram Rod

Beer score: 4.1

Company: Young's
ABU: 5.0
IBU: NA

Young's makes better beers, but this one didn't do much for me, though it wasn't awful.

Pours a smooth, light brownish color while giving off a sweet, slight apple smell.

Wet with a cool bitterness going down. There's just a touch of sweetness in the flavor, and it has something of a cider feel in the mouth. The bitterness grows stronger the more you drink.

Apple cider fans might appreciate this beer.

Beer of the Week: Corsendonk Abbey Pale Ale

Beer score: 8.7

Company: Brouweij Corsendonk
ABU: 7.5
IBU: NA

To be honest, I don't even know if they make this beer any more. Maybe it goes by a slightly different name nowadays, or perhaps it has a different name in different parts of the world, but no amount of online sleuthing could prove to me this beer still exists under this name. But that doesn't mean I didn't get a chance to try it again recently, and that after not tasting it in nearly two decades. Fortunately for me, a buddy of mine had a bottle that had been sitting in his beer fridge for a good long while.

And aging did not hurt this pale ale one bit.

Pours a pale golden color and leaves behind plenty of foamy head that takes a while to vanish while giving of citrus scents, perhaps a little orange or lemon.

Has a slightly fruity, sour taste that can make the lips pucker, though it's not as tart as some lambics I've tried. Goes down easy enough that you could drink these all night and not feel full. Not quite smooth enough to be served as an after-dinner drink, like wine, but almost.

Yet another great-tasting brew from Belgium.

Books read in 2025: No. 37 -- Under a Graveyard Sky

by John Ringo

Started: Oct. 14

Finished: Oct. 25

Notes: I've been trying to read more horror of late, so why not a novel where zombies have taken over the world and to survive humanity has had to take to the oceans? It's also a nice bonus that I've been meaning for a while to check out this author.

Mini review: If Tom Clancy had written a zombie novel, it would have been this one. Hell, the USS Dallas submarine even shows up. More action than horror here, but this was a fun read, and apparently the first in a series. I'll have to look for more of these books.

Beer of the Week: Highland Brewing Daycation IPA

Beer score: 5.8

Company: Highland Brewing
ABU: 4.9
IBU: 40

To be honest, I know IPAs have been popular for a few years now, but it's one of my least favorite types of beer, so I'll be glad when that trend burns away.

That being said, this one has a huge foamy head, if that' your thing. In a clear glass it has a slightly cloudy copper color and gives off smells of citrus zest and maybe a little bitter woodiness.

On the tongue, this one is fairly watery for an IPA. There's initially a burst of citrus bitterness not uncommon to this style, but it burns away quickly to be replaced by a vague flat bitterness that lingers on the back of the tongue for a while.

One of the lighter IPAs I've ever tried.

Books read in 2025: No. 36 -- Gone Girl

by Gillian Flynn

Started: Sept. 22

Finished: Oct. 14

Notes: I've been trying to read more horror of late, but I honestly can't say if this book qualifies or not. I don't even remember why I bought it other than I had listed it on my Books I want to Read list. I don't even remember why I placed it on that list, but something must have drawn me to it. Anyway, I know there's been a movie of this novel, though I've not seen it, and I seem to have spotted some blurbs online about the movie at least having horror elements, so maybe it'll fit in with my current reading attempts.

Mini review: A wife goes missing and all the clues seem to point at the husband, as might be expected. But this is a complicated story where nothing is at it seems. Without giving anything away, I will say the true villain here is one of the most devious, though not necessarily bloodthirsty, I've read in fiction in a long while. Ultimately, this is a story about bad people who deserve one another. I can now see why this one made my list of books to read.

Beer of the Week: Highland Brewing AVL IPA

Beer score: 6.0

Company: Highland Brewing
ABU: 6.5
IBU: 70

Pours a faint golden color with some very slight cloudiness. Smells like orange zest. Has a decent foamy head.

As with nearly all IPAs, there's some bitterness that hits the tongue upon tasting, but here it's not all that strong. The bitterness does tend to linger, but it's way in the background for the most part, hanging around on the tongue.

I've had better from Highland Brewing, but I've also had slightly worse (in fairness, most of their beers are pretty good). If you're a fan of IPAs, this one is worth tasting. If you're not a fan of IPAs ... uh ... then go drink something else.

Beer of the Week: Highland Brewing Wishing Star

Beer score: 6.0

Company: Highland Brewing
ABU: 6.8
IBU: 70

Going into a clear glass, this one looks extremely pale, almost clear, though there is a hint of yellow, and there's a sizable foamy head. The smell is fairly weak, in my opinion, but there are hints of bitterness and citrus.

The taste is a stronger version of the smell, with bitterness and citrus, but neither are overly strong. To add, that bitterness is definitely present, but it's also quite smooth and not as strong as I've experienced in other IPAs, which is the style of beer here. There's also none of the skunkiness I've sometimes experienced in IPAs.

Is this a great beer? No. But it is a pretty good beer. I wouldn't turn my nose up if handed one.

Beer of the Week: Highland Brewing Trailbound Hazy Ale

Beer score: 5.9

Company: Highland Brewing
ABU: 5.8
IBU: 45

Pours a cloudy lemon color while having a nice foamy head and giving off light scents of citrus and maybe a little grass.

The taste is sturdier than this beer looks, fairly bitter when it hits the tongue, though smooth with a citrus fruitiness not unlike orange zest. That smooth bitterness lingers, but it's not overly strong.

Not a bad pale ale, but I've had better beers from Highland Brewing. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to drink one of these again, but I also wouldn't turn one down if it was handed to me.

Beer of the Week: Rogue Mocha Porter

Beer score: 5.9

Company: Rogue
ABU: 5.3
IBU: 54

This one has become difficult for me to find, especially as I had not tried it again until recently in more than a decade, but I had some luck a while back and landed some.

Pours very dark, almost black, into a clear glass, with touches of brown around the edge. Has quite the foamy head.

The smells given off are of dark and roasted chocolate.

Pretty sweet for a porter. There's some maple flavor behind all that sweetness, but there's plenty of that dark chocolate.

Heavy on the stomach. Rather unique. Not for wimps.

Books read in 2025: No. 35 -- Strange Weather

by Joe Hill

Started: August 30

Finished: Sept. 22

Notes: The couple of novels from Hill that I've read in the past were pretty good, so I'm looking forward to this collection of four novellas.

Mini review: This one took me quit a bit longer to read than I felt it should have. The four tales here are all quite excellent, written very well, but one of them, "Loaded," affected me and I had step away from it for a while. I have read plenty of horror over the decades, even darker works not necessarily related to the genre, but this story about mass shootings just hit a mark with me; it's a good story, but it's not one with a happy ending. I don't know. Maybe it's because of the number of shootings in the news of late, but usually material like this doesn't affect me in such a manner. This time it did. Ah, well. Anyway, these tales are worth reading.

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Oregon Original Beers

The Oregon Ale and Beer Company made this beers a couple of decades back. They were eventually bought out by the Sam Adams folks, but these beers no longer exist today. Such a shame. So many good beers have come and gone over the years.

Oregon Original Honey Ale

Beer score: 7.6

This would have been a good beer for novice beer snobs to start with because it was smooth with a good taste and texture without being too heavy. The touch of sweetness was just right, not enough to be annoying.

Oregon Original India Pale Ale

Beer score: 8.0

I often don't like IPAs because they sometimes have a slight sour aftertaste, but that wasn't the case here. This was quite easily one of the best IPAs I'd ever had. Very wet and frothy with a smooth bitterness. It got sweeter as you drank it.

Oregon Original Nut Brown Ale

Beer score: 7.9

This brew had an excellent bitter taste and went down wet and smooth. One of the best nut brown ales I've ever tasted.

Beer of the Week: Schaefer Light

Beer score: 0.8

Company: Pabst
ABU: 3.8
IBU: NA

I know it's hard to believe, but there is even less taste in this liquid than there is in the non-light version, and much more carbonation.

Yeah, it pours golden, as can be expected. There are hints of grain and corn in the smell.

I've tasted better used ashtrays.

A few different companies have brewed this monstrosity over the years, but most recently it seems to be Pabst.

Is there anything good I can say about this stuff? Sure. It's cheap. It can get you drunk But that's about it.

Perhaps the lowest ranking I've ever given a beer. I suppose I could have gone lower, but I can imagine worse.

Books read in 2025: No. 34 -- A Question of Time

by Fred Saberhagen

Started: August 23

Finished: August 30

Notes: I've read pretty much all Saberhagen's fantasy literature (at least all of which I'm aware), and I recently read one of his sci-fi novels, but he also wrote a series of novels based upon Dracula, the original novel and the character. This is my first time reading one of those.

Mini review: A girl from a wealthy family goes missing near the Grand Canyon. Investigators are called in after law enforcement proves ineffectual. Vampires are involved. Time Travel. And more strange stuff. Not exactly horror fiction, but definitely fiction of the weird variety. A nice change of pace.

Beer of the Week: Alpenglow Hazy IPA

Beer score: 6.3

Company: Mother Earth Brewing
ABU: 7.2
IBU: NA

Pours cloudy and orange with touches of gold. Has a decent head, but not the biggest I've seen (stop laughing). Gives off some citrus scents, but that's fairly faint.

In the mouth, this one is medium bodied, and there's more of that citrus. However, there's not much of the sourness I've experience in other IPAs, but there is a fair amount of bitterness that tastes something like orange rind. That bitterness lingers on the back of the tongue for a good while, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I can't call this a new favorite, and I can't even say it's the best IPA I've tasted in the last few weeks, but something about this one grows on me. Hell, maybe I'm becoming an IPA fan, but I find that difficult to fathom. Or maybe brewers are just making better IPAs.

Beer of the Week: Long Weekend India Pale Ale

Beer score: 6.3

Company: Mother Earth Brewing
ABU: 6.5
IBU: 13

For somebody who doesn't love IPAs, I've spent a lot of time drinking them this Summer. Maybe I'm making a turnaround, or maybe I'm just trying to be thorough.

Either way, there's some cloudiness in all that gold when you pour it, but I've seen cloudier. The head is foamy and thick with decent lacing on the glass. On the nose, there's a light, fizzy citrus smell.

The citrus sourness I find common to a lot of IPAs is here, and that's not an aspect of which I approve, but apparently I'm in the minority. Still, that sourness doesn't destroy this brew, for there's plenty of citrus rind flavors that keep this one a pretty good IPA. Fans of lemon and grapefruit might like this one.

In the aftertaste, there is some bitterness, but it's not all that strong, slowly dwindling away after a few minutes. And perhaps oddly, I rather enjoy this aspect of this beer, not something I usually pay much attention to.

Books read in 2025: No. 33 -- Sunshine

by Robin McKinley

Started: August 14

Finished: August 22

Notes: I've been trying to read more horror of late, and to tell the truth, I'm not sure this is horror, though the back cover copy does mention a vampire. In fact, I'm not sure why I picked this novel up in the first place. Did I hear good things about it? Was it a gift? Did someone suggest it? I don't know, but I'll give it a try.

Mini review: Turns out, not exactly horror, but in the general direction. Almost vampire romance, but not quite. Anyway, in a world much like our own, vampires and werewolves and sorcerers and magic are known to exist, but they're not extremely common, at least for the day-to-day individual. As background, 10 years in the past there was a war between humans and vampires, and the humans won, sort of. The vamps basically went into hiding but are still out there stirring up trouble. The protagonist here is a young woman who is a baker, her specialty being cinnamon rolls, and as the story unfolds, she has something of an unusual family line. I'll not go into more so as not to spoil anything, but I do have to say this one was written quite well; in fact, there were times I had a hard time putting this one down, which is unusual for me. My one drawback was the climax, which felt too ... hmm, I'm not sure of the word ... maybe "cerebral" or "emotion-based" ... but those don't feel accurate; basically, there's a huge confrontation that includes a lot of action, but nearly all the action is left to the reader's imagination. Still, good book all the way around.

Beer of the Week: Reef Keeper India Pale Ale

Beer score: 6.0

Company: Mother Earth Brewing
ABU: 6.5
IBU: 35

As anyone who reads this blog regularly (both of you) knows, I'm not a big IPA fan despite their popularity. That being said, I always try to give a fair shake to any beer I've not tried before, such as this one from North Carolina.

This one pours a very cloudy, almost solid gold color while giving off a little sour grapefruit smell and a mix of bitter and sweet.

On the tongue, this is a fairly heavy brew, so if you prefer something light, yeah, this might not be for you. The taste has some lemon rind bitterness and a little more of that grapefruit. The sourness is not overly strong, but it is there. However, the bitterness grows and grows the more you drink, and lingers on the tongue a good while after your last swallow.

Those who enjoy a solid, hearty brew will like this one, especially if you're already an IPA fan. Probably one of the more sturdy IPAs I've tasted.

Books read in 2025: No. 32 -- Abandon

by Blake Crouch

Started: August 8

Finished: August 13

Notes: I've not read much of Crouch's work, but what little I have read (and it's been a long while, more than a decade), I found pretty solid. So, since I'm reading horror of late, I thought I'd give him another go.

Mini review: In 1893, every single member of a mining town in the mountains of Colorado goes missing with no clues left behind. Fast forward to 2009, and a group of 6 travels to the area in search of answers. It sounds supernatural. Perhaps it is. Perhaps it isn't. I won't tell. But I will say, this was a pretty darn good novel. The action jumps back and forward between two timelines, something I normally despise, yet here it works quite well.

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Samuel Adams Boston Lightship

Beer score: 3.9

I've been drinking a number of Samuel Adams beers of late, so I thought I'd take a trip down memory lane by looking at my notes from a Sam Adams brew that is no longer with us.

The Boston Lightship was one of the earliest beers made by the Samuel Adams folks back in the 1980s, and I've even read in a few places that is was actually the second beer they ever brewed. Whatever the case, this was their first light beer, and they've made a healthy number of other light beers since, and all those I've tried have been better than this original, the Boston Lightship.

This beer had a strong bitterness, especially strong for a light beer, but it still had plenty of carbonation like many a light beer. It poured a medium yellow color while giving off light bready smells, but all that carbonation hurt this one for me.

Definitely not the worst light beer ever made, but Samuel Adams has offered better choices since.

Books read in 2025: No. 31 -- The Traveling Vampire Show

by Richard Laymon

Started: August 2

Finished: August 8

Notes: I've read a fair amount of fantasy and sci-fi so far this year, so I thought I'd turn for a while to one of my earliest genre loves, horror. I used to read a lot more horror than I have in recent years, so this should be a nice change of pace, and kicking things off with Richard Laymon can't be bad.

Mini review: This one is a slight not toward Badbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes. It's the 1960s, and a Traveling Vampire Show comes to a small town, and of course some curious young teens have to go look into things because ... well, because they're curious young teens. This one reads quick, and the writing is pretty solid, but it's definitely a slow burn of a horror novel. A few odd things happen, but there's really not much of a horror element until the last eighth of the tale, and then not everything is explained (though I don't have a problem with that). Not a bad read, but I usually prefer my horror fiction to have a stronger build than this one.

Beer of the Week: Samuel Adams Breakaway Blonde

Beer score: 5.8

Company: Samuel Adams
ABV: 4.7
IBU: 15

Pours a somewhat light golden color while giving of slightly sweet scents of citrus, maybe lime, and wheat.

A little carbonation when you drink it, so smooth but not overly smooth. Has a wheaty bitterness at first, but the aftertaste is somewhat sweet and has citrus hints.

Not the best blonde beer I've ever had, and I'm generally a fan of the type, but also not an awful beer. If you gave me one at a party, yeah, I'd drink it, but I'm not going to rush out and purchase a bunch of them.

Books read in 2025: No. 30 -- 7 Figure Fiction: How to Use Universal Fantasy To Sell Your Books to Anyone

by T. Taylor

Started: July 28

Finished: August 2

Notes: I've read absolutely no non-fiction this year, and I'm feeling the urge. So I decided to check out this one. I'm less interested in the financial aspects, though that does have its appeal, and I'm drawn more toward this author's notions of "Universal Fantasy."

Mini review: Beginning fiction writers especially mind find some solid advice here, but I felt this one wasn't quite for me. For one thing, I felt the notion of "universal fantasy" wasn't well defined, though there were tons of examples given from literature, television, and film. Maybe "universal fantasy" is self explanatory, but I've seen the term used elsewhere and it wasn't exactly the same as what I found here. Secondly, I didn't feel there was a whole book's worth of information here. For me, the author's ideas could have been fleshed out in a blog post, though maybe a long blog post. I found all the examples given to be less helpful and more tedious. But that's just me. The author did her job well enough that I purchased her book, so there's something to be said for that. Don't let my grousing leave you thinking this is an awful book, because it's not ... I just didn't find it right for me. Did I pick up some advice, or maybe a different way of thinking? Yeah, I suppose, but I really didn't find much new here. Others might experience otherwise.

Beer of the Week: Samuel Adams Postseason IPA

Beer score: 6.0

Company: Samuel Adams
ABU: 4.5
IBU: 30

Into a clear glass, this one has plenty of foamy head and a light gold and amber color while smelling like bread and a little citrus.

The flavor is much like the smells, but there's a bready bitterness that's somewhat strong. That citrus is still there, but it's much weaker on the tongue. There's no sourness here that I've found in other IPAs.

I'm not a big IPA fan, but I have to admit, this one is pretty good. I wouldn't go out of my way to try another, but if one were handed to me, I wouldn't turn it down.

Books read in 2025: No. 29 -- King's Ransom

by Ed McBain

Started: July 26

Finished: July 28

Notes: It's been too long since I've experienced one of my favorite authors and his 87th Precinct novels, which definitely is my favorite fiction series. Thus, I'm jumping back in.

Mini review: Kidnappers attempt to nab the son of a wealthy fellow but accidentally grab the wrong kid. Geez, that would be my luck if I ever turned criminal. Anyway, it's up to the gang of the 87th Precinct to find the kid and catch the kidnappers. This one started slower for me than many a novel in this series, but it sped up swiftly and the pace kept building right until the end. Not my favorite of these books, but still a darn fine read. This one was a little different in that a few characters beyond the usual detectives played rather large roles, a nice change of pace ... but each 87th Precinct novel is unique.

Books read in 2025: No. 28 -- Berserker

by Fred Saberhagen

Started: July 18

Finished: July 26

Notes: I've read plenty of Saberhagen over the years, and enjoyed it, but it's always been fantasy. So, it'll be interesting to pop into his military science fiction series which was quite popular back in the day.

Mini review: Imagine a seemingly sentient, highly intelligent Death Star with only one goal: to destroy all life. That's a Berserker. And in this book, there are hundreds of them swarming our galaxy and at war with mankind in the future. This book is really a collection short stories that tie in well with one another, sometimes with familiar characters showing up in later tales. And while war is the backdrop for all these tales, the war itself isn't necessarily the subject matter of each story here. They all work quite well, written strongly and catching various glimpses of this war against demonic machines. The only story for which I did not care was the very last one, and even it had a fine ending.

Beer of the Week: Samuel Adams Cold Snap White Ale

Beer score: 6.9

Company: Samuel Adams
ABU: 5.3
IBU: 10

I've read different reports, some saying this is the newest name for the Samuel Adams White Ale which has been around for decades, and others say that no, this is not the same beer. I'm not sure which is true, but I know I tend to like white ales, and this one isn't any different.

Pours a slightly cloudy, pale gold with a frothy head that's quite smooth. Gives off weak smells of grainy wheat and a little sweet citrus.

On the tongue, it comes off as sweet at first, but on the way down there's a light bitterness. Pretty smooth, but not watery, and has hints of orange and maybe lemon, along with some maltiness.

Reminds me more than a bit of Blue Moon Belgian White, but not quite as good. Still, a very decent beer, and I could see spending an afternoon with more than a few of these.

Books read in 2025: No. 27 -- Retief's War

by Keith Laumer

Started: July 12

Finished: July 18

Notes: I've never read any works by this author, but I do recall his series of Retief novels were fairly popular during my childhood. So, thought I'd give one a try.

Mini review: Humans seemingly control the government on an alien planet with multiple intelligent species of creatures that look as if they are part insect and part electronic, almost like robots. An outside force stirs up trouble and attempts to take over the planet, but the locals band together to find back. Into all this steps Retief, a diplomat, but he's a diplomat with much in common with the likes of James Bond. This one reminded me quite a bit of the men's action novels from the 1970s which I used to read when I was a teen. But I hated almost every moment of reading this one, at least until the end. I actually enjoyed the final 30 pages quite a bit. The writing style didn't do much for me, and too much didn't seem to make any sense and there was hardly ever any explanation or even descent description, which is rather jarring consider all the different alien races which looked nothing like humans. But I'll admit some of that was the point. This was meant to be a quick, action read and little more. That can be forgiven. What I just about couldn't forgive is that the main character never really seems to be in any danger. Oh, he faces plenty of challenges, even physical ones, but at least in this novel he is never really tested in combat, at least not as far as I'm concerned. He seemed to talk his way out of everything, and that and more than a fair share of luck seemed to save the day most times. But what really irkked me was that the main character didn't really seem to be all that much of a smooth talker, it's just that everyone around him was an idiot, and I do mean everyone. Still, as much as I felt bogged down by this novel, the ending did pick things up quite well and wrapped it all up in a pleasing and even mildly amusing manner.

Beer of the Week: Samuel Adams Blueberry Lager

Beer score: 5.9

Company: Samuel Adams
ABU: 5.5
IBU: 15

I love blueberries, but the few blueberry beers I've had over the years have been ... hmm, not necessarily a disappointment, but not overly special, either.

This one is about the same.

It definitely gives off a blueberry smell when it's poured, and in a clear glass it has a slightly cloudy golden color with hints of amber.

Not an overly strong beer, but I have to say, it's a little more sturdy than I expected.

In the tasting, I get a fair amount of the blueberry and a goodly amount of hops bitterness, but there's really not a lot of sweetness, which isn't bad but is sort of unexpected for a fruity beer.

Eh, not a great beer, not an awful beer, but at least it's something a bit different.

Books read in 2025: No. 26 -- The Integral Trees

by Larry Niven

Started: June 30

Finished: July 12

Notes: It's hard to believe, but I've never read any of Niven's work despite having been aware of him for decades and his early fame in sci-fi circles. This being one of his more popular works, I'm hoping it'll be pretty strong.

Mini review: I'll have to admit it took me a while to wrap my head around this one because there were so many characters thrown at the reader right up front and because the world(s) involved were so unusual that it took me a fair amount of consideration before understanding, though it helped there were illustrations at the front of the book. Basically, a number of tribes of humans have descended from space travelers far in the past, and now they live among giant trees that float throughout a donut-shaped area of space that is habitable. Sounds weird, yes, but it works. It's actually a pretty good story with something of a quest feel and a battle and characters who sometimes are surprising.

Beer of the Week: Samuel Adams Summer Ale

Beer score: 6.0

Company: Samuel Adams
ABU: 5.3
IBU: 8 

I've had this beer before, but it's been a long time, probably more than a decade.

A white ale with lemon added, it goes down fairly smooth despite the fact it has a touch more fizz than I feel necessary. Has a very light lemon scent, but I don't get a lot of that in the tasting, maybe just a hint.

Also, the tasting there's some wheat with a little bitterness, but not much sweet.

Others have commented on various sites that the lemon flavoring here is strong, but that is not my experience now nor has it been in the past (from looking at my old notes). Am I right and they're wrong, or vice versa? Who knows? All of us are different, so judge for yourself.

Books read in 2025: No. 25 -- The Mercenary

by Jerry Pournelle

Started: June 24

Finished: June 30

Notes: Since I'm reading sci-fi of late, I thought I'd take a turn to some action-oriented material. I don't believe I've read this author before, so this should be a learning experience.

Mini review: In the future, Earth's governments are withdrawing from colony planets and leaving those local governments to fend for themselves. In that situation, mercenaries find they are needed. I expected action, but most of what I got was politics. Oh, there was some action, but most of it came in the form of battles and there's not a lot of close-up action, almost like reading military reports. The main character is interesting, however, and the writing style is decent though not great. I can't say I'll be tempted to read more from this author, but I also didn't despise this novel.

Beer of the Week: Samuel Adams Porch Rocker

Beer score: 6.0

Company: Samuel Adams
ABU: 4.5
IBU: 8 

Apparently this beer is based upon an old Bavarian recipe that mixed beer with lemonade.

It definitely gives off a light lemon scent when you pour it, and in the glass it has a fairly light golden coloring, though not completely pale.

Has a big, foamy head, but no carbonation in the drinking. Very smooth and light with plenty of lemon flavoring. A little sweetness, but not really any bitter.

I've read where others have found this one to be very carbonated, so maybe I got an old one or something. Either way, I stand by that mine didn't have any fizz in it once the head had foamed out.

Would I drink this again? Hmm, yeah. I can't say it'll be on my regular rotation, but I wouldn't say "no" to one. In fact, this one might be a good trial for your friends who want a drink but say they don't like beer.

Books read in 2025: No. 24 -- Titan

by John Varley

Started: June 16

Finished: June 23

Notes: As sometimes happens to me, this is one of those books that's been haunting me for decades. What I mean is, I seem to keep running across it time and time again, and not just in book stores. There have been other books that have been that way for me, almost as if the universe is calling out for me to read them. Or maybe it's just good marketing. Anyway, after all this time, this novel being originally published in 1979, I thought it time I read it.

Mini review: A scientific exploration unit is sent to study the moons of Saturn and discovers far more than expected. I won't say more, and that's the bare tip of the iceberg, because to say more would spoil far too much. I have to say, though, this was a fine novel. The writing style is solid, the characters interesting, the world building done quite well. There are a number of elements that are almost fantasy instead of science fiction, but they work quite well here whereas a lesser writer might have made them rather silly. Those who love adventures where the protagonist has to go on a journey through many a hardship should enjoy this novel. The ending is quite solid, and while there isn't a cliffhanger, that ending does open doors to the other books in this series.

Beer of the Week: Samuel Adams American Light

Beer score: 5.6

Company: Samuel Adams
ABU: 4.2
IBU: 7

Samuel Adams Light has existed for decades, but apparently they've retired that beer and replaced it with this one.

It pours a pale golden color, almost clear, while giving off slight smells of wheat and grass.

The head foams up rather large, but I have to say, for a light beer there doesn't seem to be a ton of carbonation in the drinking of this one, an unusual trait for most light beers.

Goes down smooth with some light bitterness and a little sweetness. I think I tasted I touch of clover, maybe. Other than that, there are more of those wheaty and grassy flavorings.

Not an exceptional beer, but nothing awful. In truth, when I want a light beer, I'd grab this one before most others.

Chaos & Courage: 6 short stories and 2 novellas

Early this year I wrote and self published 6 fantasy short stories and 2 novellas exclusive to Amazon, and exclusivity is not my usual. This was basically an experiment, and that experiment is ongoing.

That being said, I've now gathered those tales into one collection: Chaos & Courage, also exclusive to Amazon. This collection is available in e-book, soft cover, and hardback. Also, occasionally, as Amazon allows, the e-book version will be free for at least a few days here and there.

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Harpoon Ale

Beer score: 6.7

I was disappointed to learn this one was no longer on the market, for I had enjoyed plenty of these back in the '90s when I lived up north.

Anyway, at least I still have some notes about this quality brew.

It poured a great caramel color, and the taste was a little stronger than many traditional American ales.

When poured, it gave off scents of bread and maybe a little citrus. The tasting was much the same, but stronger with medium textures and maybe a little dryness.

A pretty good beer. Hopefully they'll start brewing it again some day.

Books read in 2025: No. 23 -- Star Trek 1

by James Blish

Started: June 14

Finished: June 16

Notes: These paperbacks were quite popular when I was a kid back in the 1970s, and despite my being a fan of the original Star Trek show, I've never read one before now. There were a dozen or so of these books, and each one contains a short adaption of a variety of episodes of the original show. Apparently these adaptations, I suppose one could call them short stories, were based upon the scripts and not the actual airing of the show, so some differences are to be expected.

Mini review: Each of these shorts got to the point, not spending a lot of time of characterization or speculation, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. More than half a dozen episodes of the original show were covered here, and yes, there were some differences from the episodes as they aired, but not much. I wouldn't think such a book would sell well today, but back when these were popular in the 1970s, Star Trek and sci-fi fans didn't have nearly the options they do today, so I can why this series was snapped up by fans. This was a nice bit of nostalgia for me, and I could see returning to this series at some point.

Books read in 2025: No. 22 -- Orbit 1

edited by Damon Knight

Started: June 8

Finished: June 13

Notes: Since I'm reading sci-fi of late, I thought it fitting I jump into a collection of short stories so as to experience different writers. This one as first published in the 1960s.

Mini review: With every anthology, there are always some stories that are better than others, but this one kind of stumped me. While none of the tales were truly awful, neither did any stand out to me as great. It was weird. There was almost this seeming middle-ness, like every story stylistically and often thematically were the same, as if they could have been written by the same person, though I know that not to be the case. Maybe it was a matter of the times, with writers somewhat sounding like one another, or perhaps the editor had a singular voice which he sought for publication. Whatever the case, I didn't love this one, but I also can't say I hated it. It was just sort of ho-hum.

Beer of the Week: Cave Creek Chili Beer

Beer score: 4.1

Company: The Chili Beer Brewing Company
ABU: 4.5
IBU: 20

This one has come and gone a few times over the last few decades, but a new company has brought it back. While I can't call it a favorite, it's definitely different, and I'm always happy to see a beer survive.

As can be expected, this one is an extremely spicy hot beer because there's a pepper sitting in the bottom of the bottle. This isn't a match I car for, but you pepper fans might enjoy it. I just want my beer to taste like beer and my peppers to taste like peppers.

It pours a pale yellow color while giving off pretty much nothing but a spicy pepper smell.

Pepper dominates the flavor so much there's barely any beer to taste. The texture is smooth and the flavor might be worth trying if you didn't have so much of that pepper taste with which to contend. All that being said, while this is a spicy brew, I didn't find it so hot that I couldn't finish it, and I didn't need to follow up with a drink of another kind to cool me off.

Worth trying if you like Mexican food with peppers, but I can't recommend this one as a regular drinking beer.

Books read in 2025: No. 21 -- Childhood's End

by Arthur C. Clarke

Started: June 2

Finished: June 7

Notes: It dawned on me recently I have not read much science fiction in recent years, so I thought I'd correct that in coming weeks and months. I decided to start with a known author in the genre. I've read some Clarke before but not much, and wanted to try him out again because it's been so long since I read any of his work that I don't really recall if I enjoyed it or not.

Mini review: When mankind is on the verge of first venturing forth to the moon, spaceships appear in the sky and suddenly the world has new Overlords, which is what they are called. Not malicious, the Overlords work over years to better mankind, but ultimately even the Overlords have others to which they must answer. Taking place over a century, this novel jumps forward in time on more than one occasion, but it's not jarring. The writing style is solid, though having been published originally in the early 1950s, there are a few places where things seem outdated or even anachronisms, but there is very little of this.

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Liftbridge Amber Lager

Beer score: 7.6

This one had been out of circulation for a while because the brewer went out of business about a decade ago. Anyway, I didn't have a chance to try any new beer this week, so I thought I'd share a few old notes about this beer I tried years and years ago.

This one instantly assaulted the tongue with a strong amber and caramel taste with just a hint of sweetness, and I mean that in a good way.

It went down smooth and frothy.

That's about all I have on this one. Wish I'd taken a pic.

Books read in 2025: No. 20 -- The Last Battle

by C.S. Lewis

Started: May 30

Finished: June 2

Notes: This is the last of the Narnia novels which I had not read before and the actual last in the series. To tell the truth, I'm glad this is coming to an end, for though I enjoy some of these books, I don't care for all of them.

Mini review: I didn't care for the first three-fourths of this novel, feeling it was too haphazard, but I must say I found the ending quite fulfilling from a Christian point of view. Of course, likely an agnostic or atheistic viewpoint might find the ending rather silly or even banal, but I felt it worked for Lewis' seeming goals.

Books read in 2025: No. 19 -- The Magician's Nephew

by C.S. Lewis

Started: May 26

Finished: May 30

Notes: I'm reading the Narnia books and this one is next in my lineup. It's also one of the few Narnia books which I've not read before now. My understanding is that this is the tale of how Aslan created Narnia, so hopefully it'll be interesting.

Mini review: This turned out to be one of my least favorite of these books. I've found Lewis to be one of the strongest Christian apologists, but I feel his creation myth here was fairly weak, as was the overall plot. I suppose part of my feelings about this are the fact the reader knows everything is going to turn out all right, that there's no real threat to the characters. Lewis was creating not only a mythology and something of a metaphorical tale for Christianity, but also a fairy tale, so I supposed he can be forgiven for what I consider weak storytelling here.