Book Thoughts: "Guadalcanal Diary" by Richard Tregaskis

I haven't read a ton about WW II, and most of what I have read to this point has been about the war in Europe. I'd recommend this book as a good starting place for folks interested in the Pacific war, though I suppose some that are more well read on the subject might disagree.

Richard Tregaskis was a war correspondent for INS when he landed on Guadalcanal with the US Marines in August, 1942. He stayed on "That f*cking Island," as the Marines called it, for the next seven weeks and witnessed most of the pivotal action in the battle to secure Guadalcanal and it's strategically important airfield.

Tregaskis explores many episodes of the Guadalcanal Campaign in great detail, including the initial landing, securing the airfield, expeditions to villages on Guadal and the neighboring islands where Japanese forces were holed up, a Japanese counter invasion that attempted to push the lines back across the Tenaru River, and the climactic Battle of Bloody Ridge. It's all there, and it puts you right in the middle of the action.

Tregaskis was an historian as well as a journalist, and this lends not only a very well written and detailed account of his time on the island, but one gets the feeling that Tregaskis knew he was in the middle of history unfolding and was documenting it as best as he could. The narrative is both emotional at times, and at other times very clinical. One thing is sure however, when you're done reading this book, you'll feel like you were right alongside him witnessing the Marines in action on Guadalcanal.

Book Thoughts: "The Strain," by Del Toro and Hogan

This is, without a doubt, the creepiest, scariest, most horrific book I have ever read. I mean that in a very good way. This novel will literally make the hair on your neck stand up.

Del Toro and Hogan use their wild imaginations to put a scientific explanation behind the vampire legends. In their world, vampires are actually made through a parasitic virus that takes over the human form. The virus is brought to New York City on an international flight from Germany. Despite the efforts of our heroes: two CDC doctors, an professor who happens to be a holocaust survivor, and a Rambo like exterminator, the vampire virus spreads through Manhattan in just a few days, leading to a final encounter worthy of inclusion in any "Castlevania" game.

Despite putting a science behind vampirism, the legends are still there. There's silver bullets, silver swords, beheadings, crosses, holy water, and garlic. Some of these work, others don't. The authors also incorporate the Stoker traits of vampires not crossing moving water and frying in the sun. Ultimately the story is very imaginative and the characters leap off the page at you from the get go. One of my favorite reads in a long time.

If you just loved Twilight, you'll probably hate this book. It's destined to cure you of your love of vampires. These vamps aren't beautiful and charming, they're horrifying, scary, and out for your blood!