Polybius

BARR Discoveries is a public forum. Anybody can submit articles on library materials (or even events) to be published here.  I reserve the right to correct spellings on the entries submitted, but otherwise the entries will be published without comment from the moderator. Send any prospective articles to me at winthrop_j_quiggy@yahoo.com

 

A copy of this book is available at the Denison Public Library

F Armstrong

 

Polybius by Collin Armstrong 

As I stated at the launch of this blog, fiction is usually not my forte'. But one of my favorite non-fiction subjects is in the realm of urban legends and stuff like Bigfoot and UFO's. So a few weeks ago I saw this book at a local bookstore and noted that "Polybius" title.  And sure enough, although a fictional story, it has some basis on an urban legend of a video game from the '80's that supposedly caused extreme reactions on those who played it.  The entire urban legend is out there for more research if you care to look into it. (just Google "Polybius" and "video game" and check out the links.)

But on today's subject, this novel (be forewarned, it's a horror novel) takes place in a fictional town of Tasker Bay in California. The town is the usual run-of-the-mill people, including a character named Mal, who runs the local video rental place (yes, in the '80's most people saw videos through the outdated system of some local magnate buying copies of the VHS tapes, and then renting them to clients.) He also has a sideline of a standup video games (yes, folks, we are in the realm of that time when pretty much the only place you could play video games was a place called an "arcade". Don't forget your bag of quarters, and all that.)

Mal is probably the least likeable person you would ever meet, just looking for the bottom line of raking in money.  So he goes to auction houses and buys up second-hand video consoles.  One of these is a new game called "Polybius". Not much is known about it, and it turns out even it's development is shrouded in secrecy.  But as far as Mal is concerned that doesn't matter because when he plugs in the new game it attracts a following, and people line up to play it. Which means more money for Mal.

One of Mal's employees. Andi, is a reclusive girl who has just moved into town with her mother.  She is a computer whiz of sorts, which is the main reason Mal has her on his payroll; she is a cheap way to keep all those derelict games he buys second-hand running.  But there is something odd about Polybius (more than just one "something").  For instance it's obvious that the game has some kind of hold on people who play it.  And it even has some kind of hold on people who are just watching as bystanders.

The town becomes a center of very strange happenings during the initial weeks that Polybius is put into use.  People who would not normally be so violent suddenly start erupting in fits of rage, and yes, some people end up dying over these altercations.  Originally no one but Andi thinks there is any connection to this new video game, but as she delves into what is happening in the town, she realizes that most of the central figures in these outbursts were people she saw lined up to play this game. And when she delves deeper into the background it starts to appear that no one involved in it's production wants to be associated with it now.

Along with the few people who have managed to not be drawn into the weirdness of the game (possibly because they are too busy dealing with others affected by the game: one is the police chief, and another is Andi's mother who is the town doctor, both of which are confronted with the aftermath of the violent outbursts by the mostly usually sedate townsfolk), Andi tries to get to the bottom of the mystery. 

The book is seriously addictive, and at times I had to lay it aside to rest my mind, because the author was stirring up some strange feelings within me.  (Maybe the author was one of those who was involved in the creation of the "real" original game? A game that now no one wants to even admit existed in the first place?) I did have one issue with the book.  The author seems to be trying to make this book relatable to a younger audience, given that his protagonist is a 17-18 year old girl, but if that's the case, I really don't think he has the ability in that respect. Unless he is describing some of the outlandish violent behavior of the townspeople in general, when he tries to focus on the teens, I don't think he has a line on the concept. (But then, being in my 60's, maybe it's me that doesn't have a line on it. I just was never convinced he conveyed the teen mind however.)

I got the book on Saturday and blasted through it in three days (had to take time off to eat and sleep, you know.) If you read this and want to discuss it feel free to use the email included in this entry.  I would be interested to hear what you have to say. 

 

Until next time, happy browsing.

Quiggy

Disclaimer: BARR Discoveries is solely the opinion of the author of the entry. BARR Library is not responsible in any way for the material posted.

 

The Horror! The Horror!

BARR Discoveries is a public forum. Anybody can submit articles on library materials (or even events) to be published here.  I reserve the right to correct spellings on the entries submitted, but otherwise the entries will be published without comment from the moderator. Send any prospective articles to me at winthrop_j_quiggy@yahoo.com

A copy of this book is available at Grayson College Library

741.5 HOR  

 

 

 

The Horror! The Horror!  Comic Books the Government Didn't Want You to Read by Jim Trombetta

 If you are a fan of MAD Magazine, especially the MAD that was published in the 60's and 70's, you know the name William M. Gaines (that magazine's publisher). What you may not know is that he and several other publishers came under fire in the 50's for a series of graphic horror comics with titles such as The Vault of Horror,  The Tomb of Terror and Uncanny Tales. These comics, though possibly not so shocking by today's standards, were considered to be controversial, to say the least, in the staid 50's society.

 Some of those titles can now be viewed without the censorship that was wielded with a heavy hand in that era. Even so far as to be on TV and even on the big screen. I have seen reprints of "Tales of the Crypt", and of course there was a TV show by the same name a few years back. But even those could be considered tame compared to some of the stories here.

The book doesn't just stop with describing what was contained within these pages. It includes, in graphic detail, some of the covers of the covers of said "offensive" comics, as well as each chapter including an example of an entire story reprinted from those comics.  Now, it should be noted, these stories are probably still not suitable for children under a certain age. But if you have a strong heart, the comics can be enlightening, especially as a glimpse into the seamier side of comics from that bygone age.

Included in the book are brief essays for each chapter, which covers everything that made it's way into those comics, including chapters devoted to crime (in which the criminal always got his just desserts, even if it wasn't always behind the bars of a jail cell), the horrors of war (in which the grisly aftermath of battles made for graphic depictions of the downside of conflict), science fiction (in which mad scientists and aliens both helped to shock the reader in many ways) and of course, the standard horror stories, which more often than not, had skeletons and night creatures  making quick work of the destruction of the main character of the story.

Like the previous post on this blog TV Land to Go , this one doesn't require you to read cover to cover to get the enjoyment out of it.  You can skip around and just read those sections that interest you. As a side note: This one was a happy discovery. I saw it on the desk at Sherman Library scheduled for transfer (one of those cases where the patron made use of the benefit that the BARR library system has where you can turn books in at the nearest convenient one). If I hadn't seen it, I might never have known it was available, since I rarely get to the Grayson College location. Gotta start remedying that lapse.

Until next time, happy browsing.

Quiggy

Disclaimer: BARR Discoveries is solely the opinion of the author of the entry. BARR Library is not responsible in any way for the material posted.

 

TV Land To Go

 BARR Discoveries is a public forum. Anybody can submit articles on library materials (or even events) to be published here.  I reserve the right to correct spellings on the entries submitted, but otherwise the entries will be published without comment from the moderator. Send any prospective articles to me at winthrop_j_quiggy@yahoo.com

 

A copy of this book is available at the Sherman Public Library 

791.4575 Hill

 

 

 

 

TV Land To Go: The Big Book of TV Lists, TV Lore and TV Bests by Tom Hill

 

Trivia and TV go together like bananas and ice cream.  And like any good trivia book, this one won't bore you with the minutia of background behind the scenes stuff that no one except an avid fan of the TV show in particular would even care about.  Instead you get lists of things that even hold the attention span of someone who likes to channel surf at the speed of light.

The book is the compiled (one could say "opinionated") listing of various topics concerning classic TV. Since it is titled "TV Land" with the appropriate logo from the syndicated station, one would probably think it is a promotional book for said station, and I can't argue one way or the other.  I admit to watching TV Land broadcasts in years past, but I really don't know whether ALL the shows in the book had a residence in one way or another on the station.

While well over half of the book is a countdown of the Top 100 Sitcom Episodes (and here that disclaimer I made about not "boring you with the minutia" might be called into question, especially if you disagree with the author's ranking). The author claims to have  used some formula for determining how the shows rank, but I think it's just some made up gobbledygook to justify the arbitrary ranking he makes.  (Does it sound like I dispute his ranking?  Maybe...)

Even if you don't look at his TV episode ranking section, there are still some interesting lists to scan. One of my favorite's is "TV's 15 Greatest Grumps" which points out some of those cranky old geezers that TV audiences loved.  Admittedly, like most of these lists, it's geared towards an older crowd (for ones who saw the shows when they first aired) or for those of a nostalgic bent who just prefer the bygone era of TV to today's stuff.

The book was published in 2001, so don't expect to see anything relating to some favorite 2010's show. Like I hinted at the beginning, the book may just be one big promotional to get people interested in a then "new" network. (TV Land itself had only started as a viable station 4 years prior to the publication of this book.)

 

Until next time, happy browsing.

Quiggy

Disclaimer: BARR Discoveries is solely the opinion of the author of the entry. BARR Library is not responsible in any way for the material posted.

 

Armageddon

BARR Discoveries is a public forum. Anybody can submit articles on library materials (or even events) to be published here.  I reserve the right to correct spellings on the entries submitted, but otherwise the entries will be published without comment from the moderator. Send any prospective articles to me at winthrop_j_quiggy@yahoo.com

 

A copy of this book is available at the Denison Public Library

236.9 EHRMAN

 

 

 

 

Armageddon: What the Bible Really Says About the End by Bart D. Ehrman

 

There are many different views about the Bible and  what it says about the end of the world. The most common viewpoint these days is that the book of Revelation, as well as numerous other verses scattered throughout the book, say that a judgement is forthcoming. Often the proponents of this viewpoint say it is basically "just around the corner". This is the prominent viewpoint by evangelical Christians, most familiar to many through a recent series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.

Ehrman addresses these viewpoints with a critical eye, and explains that, through an objective reading of these scriptures, that the prevailing viewpoint has some points that need addressing.  First he takes the reader on a overview of the content in the book of Revelation. Then over the course of the book he addresses how the book itself was viewed down through history.  

One of the points he makes is that the current viewpoint only came into existence about 150 years ago. Prior to that many Christians had a different viewpoint of what the book contained, whether it was viewed at all. In the beginning, when the book was first compiled, for instance, there was even a debate as whether it qualified to be included in the official Bible at all.

Over the course of the book Ehrman points out some of the failed interpretations of the contents.  See, when people started to believe that the book predicted a forthcoming apocalypse, as opposed to it being just a symbolic representation of the ongoing battle between good and evil, some people tried to calculate when the "end of the world" was coming. 

There have been many.  And when the proponents of specific times put forth their predictions, all of them have failed to be correct.  Such people like Hal Lindsey, famed author of The Late Great Planet Earth (in which he predicted the end to come sometime in the 80's), have put forth their predictions in print. These viewpoints became popular and, on occasion, proved to be disastrous.  Some believers sold all their worldly possessions believing that the end was nigh. And the well-known events surrounding David Koresh and the Branch Davidians even resulted in mass deaths.

Ehrman's viewpoints of course are bound to be controversial, especially with adherents of the ongoing and imminent end that evangelicals hold. But his ideas can give pause to those with an open mind willing to look objectively at his arguments. His main point that I found worth considering is that the Bible should be read as a complete book, rather than the pick and choose references to individual verses that those evangelicals use to validate their viewpoints. He also makes note of the various interpretations that some use to translate such things as saying that "days" in some of the prophetic verses mean "years".

While the book may not change your already established worldview of the coming future, I think it could give way some serious contemplation of possibilities.  Dispute or accept them as you will.

 

Until next time, happy browsing.

Quiggy

Disclaimer: BARR Discoveries is solely the opinion of the author of the entry. BARR Library is not responsible in any way for the material posted.