Bruce Mccandless Iii

Jewel Lightfoot is a Texas Ranger who can't let a good mystery pass him by. In the fall of 1908, Jewel receives a case from the commissioner of insurance that he can't let go. The whole Peterson family has been gruesomely murdered on their farm except for their five year old daughter, Lyssa, who tells a story more like a fairy tale. Jewel is now tracking a group of Mayans who are potentially carrying a strange piece of cargo across the Texas desert in hopes of returning to Mexico and restoring their people to power. Jewel enlists the help of an old silver miner, Ernesto and his grandson, Antonia who tell Jewel of an ancient Mayan god who was laid to rest in the hills nearby. However, this god isn't going to restore the Mayans to power as the team of bandits hope, it is the Mayan god of darkness whose sole purpose is destruction and death. Jewel must figure out how to kill a god while thwarting a group of Germans who want to stir up trouble between Mexico and the States. Jewel has always said he was hard to kill, but the god of darkness may have other plans for him.

In the Land of Dead Horses is a fast-paced Western paranormal historical murder mystery. Right from the start, the expedition to unearth the Mayan god pulled me in. Jewel's character was a perfect blend of hardened Texas Ranger and wizened old soul making him a complex person that I cared about. The combination of a Western mixed with Mayan mythology and the effects of colonialism in Mexico created a unique story with action at every twist and turn. I actually do wish a little more of the story could have been told from the Mayan gods point of view as he woke up and I could have learned more of his history and importance to the Mayans. The addition of the meddling Germans along with an old foe of Jewel's determined to kill him added to the suspense. Filled with gore, mystery, ancient gods and a surprising amount of heart, In The Land of Dead Horses is a wonderful read.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.… (meer)

Review of eBook

Navy fighter pilot Bruce McCandless II joined NASA as part of Astronaut Group 5 in 1966; three years later, he served as the capsule communicator [capcom] for Apollo 11 when Neil Armstrong and “Buzz” Aldrin walked on the moon. As he worked and trained, he hoped, but McCandless had no idea when he could expect a crew assignment. So, despite the frustration of not being chosen as part of a crew, he continued to train until, some eighteen years later, he would finally be selected as part of a shuttle flight crew.

That first flight, STS-41B aboard Space Shuttle “Challenger,” launched on 03 February 1984 and placed Bruce firmly in the pages of space history as, four days later, he made the first untethered spacewalk [traveling some three hundred twenty feet away from the Orbiter] in Earth orbit with the Manned Maneuvering Unit. The iconic photograph of the astronaut, seemingly hanging in space, continues to inspire today.

Six years later, McCandless flew into space once again, this time on 24 April 1990 aboard Space Shuttle “Discovery” as part of the STS-31 crew responsible for deploying the Hubble Space Telescope. His long and storied career both in and out of NASA, is an inspiring story of hopes, disappointments, frustration, and persistence.

This book . . . part memoir, part family biography, part American space history . . . serves as a loving, heartfelt tribute to a supremely talented man who dreamed of spaceflight even as it reveals the complexities of growing up in the McCandless family. Readers can compare events in McCandless’s life with various NASA events, creating a unique dual timeline of events in the astronaut’s life and in NASA’s programs.

The inspiring story of Bruce McCandless’s life, both professional and family, creates a compelling, can’t-put-it-down reading experience.

A montage of photographs, both family and NASA, are included in the book.

Also included: a list of notable dates related to Bruce McCandless’s life that highlight his dedication to the space program as well as his perseverance as he strove to accomplish his goals.

Highly recommended, especially for space enthusiasts.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Greenleaf Book Group and NetGalley
#WondersAllAround #NetGalley… (meer)

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Wonders All Around: The Incredible True Story of Astronaut Bruce McCandless II and the First Untethered Flight in Space by Bruce McCandless III is a memoir / biography of the author’s father. Mr. McCandless is a published author and writer.

This book was a wonderful homage to the author’s father and his huge contributions to the United States, as well as the space program. Bruce McCandless II was an intelligent, productive scientist and engineer. Indeed, he waited a long time, longer than most would find acceptable, to go into space.

Certainly, in all the reading I did about the space program, the name of Bruce McCandless II came up. In Wonders All Around: The Incredible True Story of Astronaut Bruce McCandless II and the First Untethered Flight in Space by Bruce McCandless III, the author unquestionably does justice to his hero.

Without a doubt, the tagline got it right: “The man you never knew you knew”.

Mr. McCandless II, was a Navy pilot before joining NASA in 1966. You can see him in many documentaries, including being the capsule communicator (CAPCOM) in Huston talking to Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin during their historic moon landing. During his time, Mr. McCandless II developed many tools and technologies used by astronauts, until he got to go on the 10th Challenger shuttle mission.

The author talks about his father’s project of developing the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) while working at NASA, as well as his role in developing, and fixing the Hubble Space Telescope. Along the way, there’s a memoir of the son about what it meant to grow up in a family of such an extraordinary man, who is dedicated to his job.

Like the majority of us, you only appreciate your parents in hindsight, with the benefit of time passed. As an adult, one sees the past differently, as well as an eye on parents which are no longer superhuman.

I enjoyed reading this book very much, about the space program, as well as coming of age in a time where technological developments were not a “given”. The author, justifiably, shines a light on the contributions his beloved father made to the world at large.… (meer)