Because This Is The Last Harry Potter Trailer

Oh. My. God. This is probably the last Harry Potter trailer we will see as the last part of the seventh movie is coming out in less than a month. I am so frigging excited!!!!! The trailer is EPIC. E-P-I-C. I want to watch the movie already. July 15 is too far away. I have already bought tickets for the midnight premier. Sadly, it wasn't the first showing, since the 12:01 show was sold out. SOLD OUT! So had to settle for 12:05. Anyways, it's not like I would be the first person to see the premier. Being on the west coast means a million have already seen the movie before me.
I AM SO EXCITED!!!!! I cannot even put my excitement into words. Harry Potter is my generation's greatest treasure, gift, creation, epic, legend, etc. SO EXCITED!!!!

Crossing Tip #23: See above.

Because I've Read The Venetian Betrayal

The third novel in Steve Berry's Cotton Malone series is The Venetian Betrayal. In the last post, I made several assumptions on what the novel would be about. Boy, how wrong I was. Sure, Malone and his friends were once again in a pickle and of course the fate of the stability of the modern world rests upon tactical maneuvers. At least I was right about one thing: Venice was a setting destination for the crew and it was in Venice that they found something important. So, quick plot.
Cassiopeia Vitt needed Malone's help in thwarting the plans of Irina Zovastina, Supreme Minister of the Central Asian Federation. Obsessed with Greek history, especially with the conquests of Alexander the Great and the epic stories of Achilles, Zovastina wanted to take over the Middle East, much like what Alexander the Great had done over two thousands years ago. And she's planning to do it using biological warfare. Unlike many despotic rulers, Zovastina was loved by her people, however, leaders of other nations knew that she holds power and continues to want more. Gaining control of western Asia is one of her obsession, but finding the tomb of Alexander the Great was another obsession. Definitely a thriller.
Character breakdown!

• Cassiopeia Vitt. This novel focuses on her mission since she's on a personal vendetta. And of course, this isn't anything new in plotlines. In Templar, it was Stephanie Nelle on a personal mission and in Alexandria, it was Cotton Malone. And what we've managed to figure out, Vitt is apparently very accomplished with a bow and arrow and hand-to-hand combat. Zovastina is definitely her match. Though, Zovastina doesn't have friends like Vitt. 
• Henrik Throvaldsen. The man may be old, but he's insane! Somehow, he reminds me of Dumbledore. Full of knowledge. Full of plans. And he's an amazing friend to Malone and Vitt. He bought a museum just to have it burned to the ground. 
• Cotton Malone. The guy must have plenty of patience to go through some shit his friends and former bosses give him. Retired, but not so, he's always pulled back into helping his government, albeit in secret. And not to mention, they don't tell him the whole story! Yet, he's always there to help them and has his head full of common sense. So love the guy! 

Points I enjoy:

• The subplotline with the biological warfare. I think it makes the fiction sound more relevant that Berry includes these modern issues into the plot. Of course, history students know that biological warfare isn't a modern invention, though its microbiological reasoning are modern. Although it depresses me a bit to now the economic manipulations that played out with pharmaceuticals since my planned career path is pharmacy. Sigh. But anyhow, that's nothing I haven't noticed before. As said, in fiction, there is a sliver of fact. 
• Greek fire. I learned about Greek fire in Classical Mythology class during my fall semester of third year. It was interesting and it made me wonder what other technological advances the ancient Greeks had that are now lost due to thousands of years of raids and disasters. 
• The characters. After three books, I really don't think I need to point this out anymore. 

Overall, I like the book. It has more double-agent, triple-agent stuff than the other two books, so it really makes me wonder what the next book will have. It's like an increase in espionage with every book. 

Because I've Read The Alexandria Link

The Alexandria Link is the second novel in Steve Berry's Cotton Malone series. The title itself leaves a lot open for interpretation since there are a lot of historical details that are linked to Alexandria that spanned many ancient cultures. Thanks to a little game on my itouch called "Seven Little Words" and an idea of what topics Berry might write about (from The Templar Legacy), I thought of the lighthouse of Alexandria, formally known as the Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Unfortunately, The Alexandria Link is not about the lighthouse, but about the Library of Alexandria. That was a real place, check it out on wikipedia.
In this novel, we meet new characters as well as our old, friendly, clever characters. We meet Cotton Malone's wife and son, Pam and Gary. We're taken into the story with Pam showing up at her husband's Copenhagen home to tell him that someone kidnapped their son, and unless Malone give them the Alexandria Link, they would kill Gary. However, things are never as simple as it seems and Gary Malone's kidnapping was merely a ruse for something much more sinister. Something that would affect the entire western world. Unlike The Templar Legacy, in which there was only one side to the battle, this book contains three fronts of battle, therefore three head antagonists. While Malone and his wife travel with a man (antagonist number 1) to find the Library of Alexandria, Stephanie Nelle (a character we have met in the previous book, head of the Magellan Billet from the Justice Department of the U.S.) and Cassiopeia Vitt (my favorite Spanish sharpshooter with keen eyes, great mind, and a love for classical and ancient things) are in Washington D.C. trying to unravel a plot that would affect the top level of government and destabilize the world (antagonist numero dos). Nelle and Vitt has to move about as spies and play a game of espionage, having the first rule being who to trust. If readers are like me, trying to guess which person our favorite female leads should trust, you'll be at the edge of your seat until the end. Not everything is what it seems or sounds. The last front is from Henrik Throvaldsen and Gary Malone, who are in Vienna, trying to figure out what the Blue Chair, the leader of the Order of the Golden Fleece, was trying to do (antagonist number c). They come upon a great conspiracy that begs us to dryly ask the question: what would one do for power.

Points that are good:

• The ending. It really makes you go, "Damn". 
• Reappearance of our lovable characters such as Cassiopeia Vitt and Henrik Throvaldsen.Throvaldsen proves that he's more than just a rich guy; he's resourceful. I would be SO devastated if something were to happen to him during the rest of the series. 
• Cotton Malone. I swear! He's like my new fictional crush! Sure, he shoved his ex-wife out of an Army cargo (there were parachutes), but hell, if he never did, she would never have agreed to jump and hence they would miss their point of destination. Hell, if he shove ME out of a plane like that, I'd probably do what his ex-wife did. 

Overall, after reading this book, I am very much looking forward to the rest of the books in the series. The next on is titled, The Venetian Betrayal. Venice, Italy? Betrayal, meaning some more espionage and secret society stuff? Venice was quite a Renaissance city. I am very excited! 

Crossing Point #22: The elbows and the knees are one of the few hardest parts of the body. Extremities on the human body are quite sensitive. Contact of the elbows or the knees to the extremities can be quite effective. Hence, as always, if you think you can get away from your attacker, an elbow to the nose or a knee to the groin would probably help. For a bonus point, if your elbows are too short, use the hard part of the palm to the nose. Anything to the nose will force the other person to close his or her eyes. For a split second. So run. 

Because I've Read The Templar Legacy

The Templar Legacy is the first novel in Steve Berry's Cotton Malone series. With the title alone, one can immediate surmise what the plot would be about and what sort of issues we might run into, especially if we've read Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code. The Templar is a subject that continues to awed and piqued the curiosities of many people in the world: historians, treasure seekers, religious orders, etc. Being connected to the most populous religion in the world and inspiring many theories and fictionalized accounts also gave it its glamour. It is no different here.
Berry introduces us to his protagonist, Cotton Malone, a former agent of the U.S. Justice Department, who retired to Copenhagen to open his own bookstore. While waiting to meet his former boss, Stephanie Nelle, Malone raced after a man who had snatched Nelle's purse. Unknown to him, the purse snatcher was not whom he seemed to be and with that encounter, Malone couldn't help but wonder what situation Nelle was caught up in. In following Nelle, Malone managed to get himself caught into the action, and eventually decided that he needed to help Nelle since she was being pursuit by men who sought her late husband's journal. We soon learn that Nelle's husband was seeking to unfold the mystery of the Templar before he died and Nelle had came to Europe more out of regret than to try to figure things out. However, unknown to her and the close characters around her, their destinies had been set out by the late master of Abbey des Fontaines in France. In the course of their journey, they met both friends and adversaries. Their one challenge was Raymond de Rouquefort, once marshal of the Abbey des Fontaines, now currently master of the abbey (he gained this position through a series of policies and votes that would make more sense if you read the book). de Rouqefort tried to hunt down what is called the Great Devise, some proof that would vindicate the brothers of the abbey and bring their reputation into light again after the crown of France and Catholic Church had hunted the thirteenth century brothers down. Apparently, the brothers, called the Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon, are directly connected to the infamous Templar Knights. The brothers themselves are considered Templars, even to the present day. This thriller, is basically a race to seek out a long hidden treasure that was considered so great that it could change the course of history. It has a mix of historical investigation, espionage, personal sacrifices, etc.
Points that annoy me:

• The extended historical context. There were so many of it and yet later we find that some of them were false (within the parameters of the story). However, a person who pays attention to great details could probably figure out which parts are conflicting as they are being told from this side and that. 

Points that were good:

• I like the writing style. Descriptive, but not loaded with unnecessary details. Also, the whole novel was written in third person omniscient, so you can know the thoughts and actions of most of the characters. It doesn't get confusing since Berry separates everything with a Templar cross and before every chapter, you have the setting and time. 
• Cotton Malone. I like him as a protagonist. He's no walking encyclopedia like Robert Langdon (Da Vinci Code), but as described, he loves history and books (he does own a bookstore in Europe), a former Navy officer, an attorney, a former proficient agent of the Justice Department (according to Nelle, one of the best she ever had), and has a eidetic memory. How I wish I have a eidetic memory; imagine the fun. He's also pretty clever in confrontations with de Roquefort's men directly and indirectly. Not to mention he's pretty handy with a firearm. Clearly, I have a newfound fictional crush. 
• Cassioppea Vitt. She's a supporting character, but she's like a female version of Malone. With a very good eye for sharpshooting and a quick, clever mind. Think of Lara Croft from Tomb Raider with talents, intellect, and wealth. I always like strong female characters in novels. I found Stephanie Nelle to be a strong female character as well since she works as a supervisor for agents in the Justice Department, leading a specific team. She is like that 2% in the world of male domination. However, her character is rather stubborn. 
• Geoffrey. Amazingly loyal guy. Like beyond loyalty. Never wavering. And I mean never. Even when you come to a part where you think uh-oh, remember, Geoffrey never wavers. 

Overall, I like this book. And I'm really excited to read the rest in this series. Thankfully, I managed to snatch them all from the library's ebook servers. Yay!

Corner Tip #21: Remember that fiction novels are called so because they are FICTION. Even though some accounts are true in history, one must not take some points in here seriously. I know some people take things too literally or seriously so they take away the fun in these novels. My two rules: 

1. Fiction is fiction. 

2. In every piece of fiction, there are slivers of facts, but overall, rule 1 applies.