Captains Courageous

Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling

The narration of this audiobook left a lot to be desired. There were some kids that were out on a see somewhere on the east coast of the US. The kids come from a moneyed background. There are trains and other "modernish" technologies. Things happened, but I had trouble having any interest in what they were.

Dracula: Starring David Suchet and Tom Hiddleston

A BBC adaptation of a play based on the original Dracula book seems as good way as any to get introduced to Dracula. I was surprised at how little I knew of the original story, but how much I understood of the characters. Many of the "vampire" themes are present in this original book. There is also a distinct "vampire romance" involved. No wonder Twilight and the like of gone so far on the romance. Dracula spreads vampire-dom on other unwittingly. Some people also have managed to discover some of the defenses. The "happy" ending only occurs after great challenge.

The Invisible Man

The "Invisible Man" in this story is a dejected academic. He had worked hard, but seemed to not get the credit he wanted, nor find the money he needed to complete his work. At the start of the story, he seeks isolation in a small town. He covers himself completely to hide his invisibility, and finds his privacy very important. His journals and equipment are his most important possessions. Once he is outed as being invisible, he goes on the run, where he confides in a tramp and eventually an old University colleague (from whom he hear the backstory.)

The invisible man has let his invisibility go to his head, and can only think of using it for personal gain. He plans a great streak of robberies and murders to help strengthen his position. He carries out a number of robberies and murders one man before he is finally caught by a town mob and inadvertently killed. (They only realize he is dead when they can't find his breathing and see him become visible.)

The book provides a cautionary tale of science and scientists. Innovations can lead to benefit or great destruction depending on how they are applied. People who feel oppressed in their life can launch out on to the mass oppression of others if their needs and desires do not show a positive trajectory.

While the book starts slow, it ends as a fast moving action story as everyone tries to capture this "evil villain" before he unleashes more murder and mayhem.