The Techno Scholar Chronicles

Book Review: Island of Silence (The Unwanteds #2)

Mon, 18 May 2026 05:15:00 -0500

Island of Silence is the second book in The Unwanteds series, and it largely deals with the aftermath of the battle between Artimé and Quill from the first book. Artimé has survived and is now able to come out into the open, as well as allow travel between Artimé and Quill. As such, many of the Necessaries in Quill choose to leave behind their jobs and move to Artimé to start a new life. Since the Necessaries were the ones doing much of the essential work, Quill begins to struggle.

Book Review: Making Sense Out of Suffering

Sat, 09 May 2026 17:00:00 -0500

Making Sense Out of Suffering is a book by Peter Kreeft, a Catholic philosopher at Boston College. He writes very well, and this book is no exception. Part of what makes his writing style so effective is that it is very accessible. He is clearly a philosopher and knows the subject deeply, but there is a distinction between knowing philosophy and being able to communicate it. That is what Peter Kreeft does so well: he makes philosophy accessible to a general audience.

Book Review: The Unwanteds (The Unwanteds #1)

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 22:00:00 -0500

The Unwanteds is a middle-grade fantasy novel set in a dystopian society called Quill, where citizens are divided into three groups: Wanteds, Necessaries, and Unwanteds. At the age of 13, children undergo a yearly judgment in which any sign of creativity is deemed undesirable. The only catch is that those labeled Unwanted are sent to the Death Farm to be killed. However, we soon discover that these children are secretly rescued by a mage named Mr. Today. This is where the story becomes more engaging and hopeful.

Book Review: Of Angels and Men: A Thought-Provoking Look at Angelic Action in Human History

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 19:00:00 -0500

Throughout salvation history, there is an unseen action of angelic beings intimately involved in human activity. This is taught theologically, and we encounter angels periodically in Scripture. Fr. Giesler reflects on events in salvation history from the angels’ perspective and highlights the “struggle between the good and the bad angels, and between good and not-so-good human beings.” He engages in a form of theological meditation, starting from what the Church teaches and thoughtfully developing what can be understood about the perspectives and activities of angels. It is beautifully done and makes for a good book for spiritual reading.

Book Review: Come Rack, Come Rope

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 22:00:00 -0500

Come Rack, Come Rope is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, a time when practicing Catholicism could bring danger or even death. This historical fiction novel weaves real historical details into a gripping fictional story, following Catholic characters, mainly Robin and Marjorie, in how they respond to persecution and remain faithful to their beliefs.

The book contains rich elements of steadfastness in faith and the temptation to yield to the demands of the state. It explores the tension between religious and civic duties and the secret practice of the faith. The story also highlights hiding places for priests, navigating dangerous circumstances, and the varied responses of Catholics, with some engaging in conspiratorial resistance and others showing principled fidelity.

Book Review: The Documents of Vatican II

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 13:23:00 -0600

Growing up, I often heard about the many changes in the Catholic Church that followed Vatican II. It was a spiritually challenging time for many Catholics and for the broader culture. Many parishes experienced dramatic shifts in liturgy and practice, resulting in diminished reverence and understanding of the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist. I wasn’t there to witness it firsthand, but we still experience its effects in the Church and the wider culture.

Book Review: The Wild Robot Protects (Volume 3)

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0600

The Wild Robot Protects is the third book in the series. The first book focuses on survival on the island where Roz, a robot, finds herself. The second book follows Roz as she escapes from the mainland and returns home to the island. The third book centers on protecting the island from a poison tide that is killing life in the ocean and threatening the island itself. Throughout all three books, the common themes are family, home, and helping others.

Book Review: The Wild Robot Escapes (Volume 2)

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 20:00:00 -0600

The Wild Robot Escapes continues the story of Roz, the wild robot, in this middle-grade science fiction story. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but as the title suggests, Roz must escape. The story follows her adventure as she breaks free from human civilization and attempts to return to the wilderness island where she spent the first year of her life. That island is truly her home, where her animal family and friends live—especially her goose son, Brightbill. Her life is there.

Book Review: The Wild Robot (Volume 1)

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 19:30:00 -0600

The Wild Robot is a middle-grade science fiction book about a robot shipwrecked on an island and forced to survive among the island’s wildlife. Interestingly, it is about survival, community, and family. I first watched The Wild Robot movie and really enjoyed it. However, the movie ended on a cliffhanger, and I wanted to know what happened next. When I looked into it, I discovered that The Wild Robot is actually a trilogy, so I had to start reading the books!

Book Review: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:49:00 -0500

The Return of the King is another great book in the Lord of the Rings series and the final volume in the epic quest to destroy the One Great Ring of Sauron. I read this book years ago and watched the movie version, but I remembered that there were a number of parts I did not fully understand, such as the Paths of the Dead. This time around, I made sure to pay close attention to the details, re-reading as necessary to fully grasp what was happening and the significance of certain aspects of the story.

Book Review: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:52:00 -0500

The Two Towers is the second book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. After more than 15 years since I last read it, I found it amazing to pick up on more details and themes—and to appreciate just how well-written this series truly is.

The narrative splits into three interwoven storylines: (1) Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli; (2) Merry and Pippin; and (3) Frodo and Sam. We encounter reunions and meetings where characters recount their adventures. For the parts we already know as readers, Tolkien simply summarizes. He only expands on what is new to the reader’s perspective, which keeps the storyline relevant and purposeful.

Book Review: Passion Flowers in Bloom

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 12:04:00 -0500

Passion Flowers in Bloom is a beautiful collection of art and poetry centered on the Gospels and the Christian spiritual life. The book contains 51 poems, each well-suited for contemplation and prayer. The poems serve as meditations—focused on the truths and mysteries of the faith—and reflections on creation, personal struggles, or the simple beauty of life. Many are written from the perspective of a Passionist nun, yet they remain accessible to both lay and religious readers. The rhyming nature of the poems helps draw the reader into each mystery or reflection.

Book Review: At the Speed of Mind (Book #3 of the Astral Alliance series)

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 19:42:00 -0500

Megan says, “I’m always troubled when I hear about people dying.” This is one of the reasons I love this book—and the Astral Alliance series—so much. At the Speed of Mind takes on the evil of child trafficking with love, mercy, and resolve. Megan is determined to fight for the kids without compromising her moral compass. This third book brings fast-paced action, deep strategy, and a lot of heart.

Throughout the series, Megan and the other kids grow into a strong team. As captain, Megan earns loyalty through love and sacrifice. Her teammates follow her freely because she helped free them. Yet, she’s often reckless, doing what they call her “hero thing.” That begins to change in this book. Crystal has a hard conversation with her, insisting Megan needs someone to watch her back—“on her six.” Megan listens, and Crystal repeatedly saves her, helping her grow into a better leader.

Book Review: Engineering Design: A Survival Guide to Senior Capstone

Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Engineering Design: A Survival Guide to Senior Capstone contains a wealth of information about the engineering design process. One of the goals of this textbook is to bridge the gap between academia and industry. To that end, it draws on project management resources and provides extensive insights from an industry perspective—yet it remains tailored to senior design courses.

I used this textbook while developing a capstone course in computer engineering. Although I couldn’t implement every design process outlined in the book (especially in a one-semester course), it served as a strong foundation to build upon. My advice for instructors is to treat it as a flexible resource—pick and choose the most important parts of the design process to include in your course. For students, this book can be a valuable resource, not only to help navigate senior design but also to prepare for and gain exposure to design work in industry.

Book Review: The First Starborn (Book #2 of the Astral Alliance series)

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0500

This is another good book and a very enjoyable read! I must say, I’m perhaps even more hooked on this series now than when I first started it. The story is pretty action-packed. You know that saying about real-life events where all you can say is “You can’t make this stuff up!”? Well, that’s exactly how this series feels right now. These books are like a mystery that has to be unraveled and discovered piece by piece. The plot thickens in ways that really keep you engaged.

Book Review: Across Astral Realms (Book #1 of the Astral Alliance series)

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This story takes place in space and weaves an intriguing narrative around the main character, Megan, who is branded a pirate. She fights for survival and strives to do what is right, especially after learning about child trafficking and making it her mission to free the enslaved children. Although still a child herself, Megan was raised by her parents—both branded as pirates—and taught a sense of moral right and wrong, even if they didn’t always practice it. She dedicates herself to living by the principle that all life is sacred. This principle becomes her moral struggle as she fights oppression, rescues enslaved children, and faces numerous life-and-death situations in which she must defend herself and others. I’m reminded of the Bible quote where God says, “Vengeance is mine,” which suggests that we should not seek revenge, but leave justice to a higher power. Megan shows mercy several times, and we witness a sense of divine justice unfold.

Book Review: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600

It has been over a decade since I last read The Lord of the Rings, so I decided to pick it up again. It is amazing how many details stand out upon rereading, even though I am already very familiar with the story. I chose to revisit this book as a way to relax—what could be better than a great novel? This story is filled with adventure, loyalty, fellowship, enemies, and bravery.

Book Review: Diary of an American Exorcist: Demons, Possession, and the Modern-Day Battle against Ancient Evil

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

This is an excellent spiritual read! Msgr. Rossetti, an exorcist, and his prayer team regularly perform exorcisms to drive out demons from people and places. Nothing is done by his own power but only through Jesus, the sacraments, and the intercession of the saints. An exorcist has a special authority given to him to command demons to leave. It is essential that the exorcist is obedient and faithful.

I had wanted to read this book since hearing Msgr. Rossetti speak at a Marian conference. As with spiritual warfare-type books, temptations can always arise. As a precaution, I always pray before reading from the book.

Book Review: Lord of the World: A Novel

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Lord of the World was written by Robert Hugh Benson, a Catholic priest, and published in 1907. Benson himself was a convert to the Catholic faith. He wrote this novel about a dystopian society centered around an anti-Christ figure, Julian Felsenburgh. This is a very packed and well-written novel! It shows one way that the Book of Revelations in the Bible and the loss of Christian faith could happen. The central theme is a growing belief in Humanism while denying Christianity and belief in God.

Book Review: Digital Design and Computer Architecture, RISC-V Edition

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

I am an instructor, and we use this textbook to teach Computer Architecture. I enjoyed reading it and thought the authors wrote in a simple and understandable style. They introduced and built on concepts throughout the book, providing detailed explanations and a wealth of information. The book can be read cover-to-cover or used as a reference. It offers many circuits, designs, and relevant information for each topic.

The textbook uses examples throughout each chapter to work through problems and designs. At the end of each chapter, there are numerous exercise problems that cover the material, with solutions to odd-numbered exercises provided through an online supplement on the authors’ website. Additionally, the authors include sample interview questions that have been asked during real job interviews—something worth looking at if you’re preparing for one!

Book Review: The Power and the Glory

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This book was fascinating and mysterious, and it kept me wondering what would happen next. It is a fictional novel about a priest in Mexico during a time of anti-Catholicism when Catholicism was outlawed. This priest had been on the run for years, and the police had been unable to catch him. We start in the story by being introduced to different people, and it is unclear what is happening. However, as we progress through the pages, the story starts to focus on the priest, known as the whisky priest. We learn he has many moral struggles and is pulled between certain vices or sins and his higher calling.

Book Review: The Story of the Family: G.K. Chesterton on the Only State that Creates and Loves Its Own Citizens

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

G.K. Chesterton lived in the early 1900s and wrote on the issues of his time. He was a great defender of Christian orthodoxy. In this book, Dale Ahlquist compiled a collection of poems, quotations, excerpts, and essays on the family from G.K. Chesterton. In today’s society, we see all kinds of attacks on the family around feminism, birth control, divorce, promiscuity, etc. To quote Ecclesiastes 1:9, “There is nothing new under the sun.” It was the same in G.K. Chesterton’s time. He speaks on these topics, which are just as relevant today.

Book Review: Stories, Statistics, Solutions: Towards Understanding and Including People with Disabilities in Faith Communities

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This book has been very enlightening for me to read. It gives the perspective of many individuals who are disabled in some way and living with that disability. They tell their stories, providing insight into their lives. But it’s not just about their stories. They also give advice, speak about their faith, and tell us what we should know about them to better incorporate them into our lives, work, and faith communities. The stories constitute most of the book. In addition, a good discussion of solutions provides some practical advice for listening better and incorporating those with disabilities into faith communities. The practical advice is not limited to faith communities but can also be applied to other situations where one works with people.

Book Review: Murtagh: The World of Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle)

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

I really enjoyed reading Murtagh as a follow-up story in the Inheritance Cycle. It is essentially a standalone story narrated from the perspective of Murtagh and Thorn, his dragon. We really get into their characters and experience what they both are going through. Murtagh had a difficult life growing up in Galbatorix’s court, and we learn about his backstory in this book. In this story, Murtagh and Thorn uncover a dark plot to undermine the kingdom. Along the way, the characters run into all kinds of problems. I get to feeling sorry for them! Along the way, the characters face several obstacles. Although there was a section in the book that was hard to read through (I don’t want to give any spoilers), it does get much better after that! I loved the ending! This book exemplifies an unsung heroism.

Book Review: Adventures with the Holy Spirit: A Journey with RUACH

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Deacon Durban writes about his life and how the Holy Spirit worked in his life. When I first started reading the book, I didn’t quite know what it was going to be about. I’m sorry to say that the book title and description didn’t do it justice. However, as I read further, I came to understand that this was about his life with all it’s ups and downs, and on-and-off relationship with God and the Holy Spirit.

Book Review: Git: Project Management for Developers and DevOps Teams

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

I very much enjoyed reading this book as it has helped teach me the skills I need to use Git in my professional work. The authors, in my opinion, were very thorough on the topic. They explored not just Git, but how Git can be used by developers in teams. They covered the Git commands, low-level details of how Git internally works (up to a point for basic understanding), using Git with platforms such as GitHub and GitLab (and other alternative platforms), workflows using Git in teams, using Git in real life, Git problems and solutions, etc.

Book Review: How Christ Saves Souls―with Us: The Mystery of Co-Redemption

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

This book was well done! I have not read a book on co-redemption before and it is not a topic I typically hear about. But, it is a topic that is easy to relate to!

The mystery of co-redemption is the free participation of Christ’s followers in the redemption of their fellow men and women. Becoming closer to God, participating in the sacraments, certain decisions we make for living out our faith, in how we work, play, and love one another, all participate in co-redemption.

Discover: An Aunt's Animal Alphabet: From A to Z, Come Rhyme with Me - A Whimsical Breeze Through the ABCs!

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Get ready to rhyme and roar, and discover your ABCs like never before!

Visit the towering giraffe on the safari, sneak a peek at the lion hiding in the grass, and soar with the majestic eagle through the skies. Crawl with the snail past giant tomatoes or play with the puppy in the park. Which animal will you meet for each letter of the alphabet?

An Aunt’s Animal Alphabet makes mastering letters irresistibly fun through charming hand-drawn illustrations and catchy rhymes that will have children eagerly turning each page while spending special time with their favorite grownup.

Book Review: THE KAI: The Adventures of a Mystic Martial Arts Maintenance Man

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This is an honest memoir of Jamey Toner’s life with all the ups and downs, and the wanderings of his life. Constant throughout his life have been the martial arts (Kai) and his Catholic faith. There are many times he has gone from place to place and sometimes without money or a place to live.

As I read along, I was glad to see him get more stability in his life and to turn away from that old life of wandering. He relates wisdom from his Catholic faith throughout this memoir which edifies his story. It was edifying to me, for example, to see that he chose to be chaste (faithful in his faith) rather than to sin in a dating relationship.

Book Review: Python Microservices Development: Build, test, deploy, and scale microservices in Python

Fri, 05 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This book was a good read for me. It covered many aspects of developing microservices in Python that are relevant to my engineering job. Some of these aspects include developing a REST API with a web server such as Flask; writing, testing, and documenting code; interacting with other services via synchronous vs. asynchronous calls; using task or topic queues (e.g., RabbitMQ); monitoring services; securing services; packaging services; containerizing services; and deploying on AWS. The aim of the book is to provide insight and examples of how to develop a microservice by focusing on a toy application called Runnerly.

Book Review: The Legacy Code Programmer's Toolbox: Practical Skills for Developers Working with Legacy Code

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0600

I had this book sitting on my desk for a few years, recommended by a coworker. Life got busy. I decided to pick it back up and finish it! Here’s some of the insight I’ve learned from it.

The author begins by defining legacy code as code that is hard to understand, uncomfortable to change, and causes concern. Attitude plays a significant role in how we approach legacy code. There’s the natural mindset, often negative, versus the effective mindset, which is more constructive. We can choose to understand legacy code as a solution to past problems accumulated over time and recognize it as a reason we have jobs.

Discover: Passion Flowers in Bloom

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Passion Flowers in Bloom enlivens a love for our Lord through charming illustrations and touching poetry. Cultivating an eye for seeing God in the little things, Hailey Hall invites us into humble contemplation.

Adults will find this collection a valuable tool for meditation. This little volume also can assist teachers and parents in helping children appreciate the gift of a religious life rooted in the Passion of Christ.

Like dainty blossoms, Hailey’s simple imagery expresses profound truth and beauty that calls us to deeper faith.