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2010-08-30T23:35:00.000-05:00

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Lord of the Flies by William Golding

2010-08-29T23:30:00.000-05:00

Just completed Lord of the Flies by William Golding which I vaguely remember reading when I was in high school. My recollection was that I had found the book interesting, but not wildly so, and that I was a bit startled by the idea that supposedly civilized human beings would devolve into an anarchist, thrill-for-the moment state.

Now in my early 40s, I'm not quite so naive.

The theme itself was still fascinating. I thought perhaps the execution was a bit heavy-handed, though. Golding tries too hard to include symbols and metaphors rather than allowing them to more naturally and more subtly unfold.

I found the reading to be rather a difficult slog, perhaps due to my own reading laziness. Too much description for me. I also had a hard time trying to determine who was speaking in much of the dialogue.

While I'll never forget the last two or three pages, I found it strange that I completely mis-remember most of the events in the last half of the book. I didn't recall Simon as a character at all and I seemed to have merged Simon's and Piggy's fate in my memory.

One poignant comment was made at the end of the novel where the naval officer mistakes the paint and the hunt for the more idyllic life in The Coral Island, a 19th Century novel by R.M. Ballantyne, which I loved as a kid. (Ah, the breadfruit tree!)

I know. Jolly good show. Like The Coral Island.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

2010-08-27T00:09:00.000-05:00

Benjamin Franklin's autobiography was an unusual treat; I really didn't know what to expect when I chose to read it next from the Essential Man's Library listing.

I found much of the work to be surprisingly folksy and witty in tone. And, it is certainly different from biographies written today both in its relative informality and its more episodic nature, rather than attempting to fill in periods of Franklin's entire life. In fact, some of the most "famous" stories today, such as flying the kite in a thunderstorm are merely glossed over. Franklin's work on the formative documents of the American founding and the Revolution aren't even mentioned (it appears that the autobiographical work was left uncompleted).

Franklin was certainly a charismatic, creative, and energetic man. In spite of his forethought (lending libraries, firefighter unions, scientific method, etc), he was also a product of his time. For example, although he argues that women should be educated, he asserts that this would permit a widow to keep her husband's business running until her son could take over. Becoming an abolitionist later in life, he repeats a bawdy joke about slavery and "blacking" the Quakers.

Perhaps the most insightful quote I read was:

"If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fix'd in your present opinions, modest, sensible men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the possession of your error."

I am considering having this quotation printed up and posted near my computer at work to remind me not to be inflexible, but to consider openly and fully what others tell me, and then make an informed decision.

For me, the earlier portions of the book were more interesting than the rather tedious legislative machinations and the building of a militia stockade in the third and fourth sections.

3 1/2 stars out of 5

Urchin of the Riding Stars by M.I. McAllister

2010-08-25T22:00:00.006-05:00

Every so often, I need to read a more lighthearted book, a book that doesn't necessarily include complex conceits (paradoxes, hard core scientific principles) or Machiavellian intrigues. Sometimes, I just need to read about squirrels.

Urchin of the Riding Stars is one of those books. This is the first of several adventures of "The Mistmantle Chronicles" (and the only one I have read so far).

Mistmantle is an island surrounded by a mysterious mist which prevents those creatures who leave it from ever returning in the same manner. The island inhabitants are squirrels, moles, otters, and hedgehogs. The animals retain most of characteristics of their species but do have a level of civilization and culture. The royal court lives in a castle (one of the few buildings specifically mentioned since most of the commoners seem to live in tunnels and burrows) filled with tapestries, called "threadings" by the animals. The captains of the guard wear cloaks and carry swords and daggers. Small merchant vessels trade with other parts of the kingdom. However, writing is unknown, so verbal instructions are given and are sometimes reinforced by a dried leaf imprinted with the paw print of the official.

Throughout the book is the optimism and cheerfulness of Urchin, a foundling squirrel who ultimately become a page to one of the captains. One of the most memorable images is when Urchin is asked to deliver a message and, instead of using the stairs, he hops out of the nearest window, scurries up the side of the castle, and back in through a window on another floor. The other image is of "Hope", an extremely near-sighted hedgehog whose endearing qualities of innocence, bravery, and sheer cuteness make him the nursery's pet.

Unfortunately, the idyllic kingdom has begun to rot from within. A twisted captain has influenced the hedgehog king (the kingship rotates between the species when the line fails) through drugged wine and despair and intends to rule the kingdom with an iron fist.

The book is a wonderful mix of joyful fun but surprising sadness and violence. Although much of the violence is done somewhat "off-stage", there are enough deaths and sad partings to make this more than just a children's book.

I listened to the audio version performed by Andrew Sachs, whose narrative and character voices are well suited to the genre.

4 1/2 stars out of 5.

The Trojan War: A New History

2010-08-25T21:25:00.008-05:00

As I was reading The Odyssey, I ran across The Trojan War: A New History by Barry Strauss at the local bookstore. Paging through the first few chapters, I was fascinated by the descriptions of other minor epic poems about the Trojan War and that the city of Troy was associated with the Bronze Age Anatolian culture rather than Greek.

Unfortunately, many of the most interesting and meaty sections of the book were in the introduction and early chapters.

I think the problem I had was that the author attempted to validate the writings of Homer and other traditions based on manuscripts, artifacts, and inscriptions of other Bronze Age peoples. Perhaps I was hoping for too much: evidence from the site of Troy itself.

While the anecdotes of the Hittites, Assyrians, and Egyptians (for example) were interesting in themselves, I was a little skeptical that their cultures were complete analogues. Also, the examples that were used covered perhaps 400 years around the currently assumed date of the war.

Later sections become a rehash of The Iliad itself, summarizing the main action and then inserting a comment or two about the likely armor used or how the conscripted commoners would have been treated in the Greek army. My interest in the other non-Homeric epics was dashed by the statement about two-thirds into the book:

"Only sketchy summaries and a few quotations survive from the Cypria, Aethiopis, Little Iliad, Sack of Ilium, and The Returns."

I don't want to give the impression that the book was all bad, but it seemed a bit like a thesis where the student can't seem to find enough evidence so they brought in somewhat related information and then widened the margins of the paper.

2 1/2 stars out of 5

The Odyssey by Homer

2010-08-15T23:00:00.000-05:00

I thought I had read The Odyssey when I was in high school. Having just finished it, I realize that I knew the plot and the various exciting adventures of Odysseus from reading tons of mythology when I was a kid, but I had never actually read the epic itself.

The version I listened to was translated by Robert Fagles (who was the translator for the Aeneid we used in my Latin language class) and was read by Ian McKellen. The translation was smooth and very readable, but yet still seemed to have the classical verse feel. I generally dislike reading these classics in verse form since the line breaks interrupt the flow of the thought for me; it is intensely worse if in rhyming verse (which this was not). But having GANDALF read the lines, easily tripping from his tongue, was wonderful.

Back to the content, a few thoughts:

The Telemachus' frame story was much more rich and lengthy than I had imagined.
Many times, Homer alludes to the actions of the gods and goddesses in ways that could easily be attributed to chance, to natural events, and to "inspiration". I found this to be very charming. I was also intrigued by the repeated references to Athena transforming Odysseus, Laertes, and Telemachus into taller, more robust, more noble men.
One tiresome image was the repetition the break of day as "Dawn with her rosy fingers". I suppose that this might be a literary devise when reciting the epic, but its unvarying wording became grating a bit.
The actual adventures were rather short episodes in the story: Calypso, Circe, the Lotus-Eaters, the Cyclops Polyphemus, the winds of Aeolus, the Sirens, and Scylla and Charybdis. The vast share of the story is about Telemachus's search for news of his father and the events after Odysseus lands on his home shores of Ithaca.
My image of Odysseus' vaunted loyalty to his wife and his neverending desire to return to her was a bit tarnished, since he clearly has a physical relationship with Calypso and Circe (albeit pressed to it by the power of these women) and his untrusting testing of Penelope.
I was enthralled by the cast of commoners (the pig herder, the housekeeper) who truly exemplify some of the most noble character in the book. I wonder if this was unusual for the time period?

Books read in February 2010

2010-03-01T19:00:00.008-06:00

February definitely quieted down from January. Just finished 3 books:

The Harrowing of Gwynedd -- Katherine Kurtz (fantasy)
King Kelson's Bride -- Katherine Kurtz (fantasy) audio
First Lord's Fury -- Jim Butcher (fantasy) audio

So, I finished the Kelson chronology of Deryni books by Katherine Kurtz. They were good, but my favorites are the Camber time period.

The Harrowing of Gwynedd always makes me a little sad because there's a bit of hopelessness. You can see that the world is heading toward a darker period where the wicked, or charitably perhaps the misguided, begin taking power and begin spinning actions of the past into a new light. Beginning in the first Camber series and throughout the second, the body count also mounts.

I also finished the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher, which I did entirely via audio. I enjoyed the quasi-Roman world-building and the magic system that Butcher created. I hope that he writes maybe one or two outrigger books or perhaps one or two short stories in this world. He did leave an opening for another series in the future, but likely set 100-200 years later. We'll see.

Books read in January 2010

2010-02-01T17:30:00.000-06:00

The Bishop's Heir by Katherine Kurtz (fantasy) audio
The King's Justice by Katherine Kurtz (fantasy) audio
Camber of Culdi by Katherine Kurtz (fantasy)
The Quest for Saint Camber by Katherine Kurtz (fantasy) audio
Saint Camber by Katherine Kurtz (fantasy)
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner (children's)
Camber the Heretic by Katherine Kurtz (fantasy)

As I mentioned in the last post, Katherine Kurtz's Deryni books have been released in audio, so I have had the chance to casually re-read them, which then got me interested in re-reading the chronologically earlier novels (which aren't yet in audio). So, at one point in time I was physically reading one series and listening to another; sounds more confusing than it actually was. I did notice some interesting clues between the various series and definitely noticed a difference in style and maturity of writing.

In amongst the books, I re-read The Boxcar Children which I remember fondly from my younger days. I remember being so fascinated by how the orphaned children were so self-sufficient and clever. I also recall being happily warmed by the discovery that Grandfather was just the type of parent the children were looking for. Not surprisingly, the book lost some of its allure and (what I remember it to have) depth. Frankly, the book was short, but it was nostalgic.

Books read in 2009

2010-01-04T18:15:00.002-06:00

This is my annual summary of books read during the calendar year. This year I finished 79 volumes (but 81 actual books if you include a 3-in-1 volume).

Once again, the books were mostly science fiction and fantasy based.

I re-read a number of books, either because the next book of the series was released or I just wanted something familiar.

I've started to read the early books in the Sword of Truth series (Goodkind) after watching the TV adaptation via Netflix. I've actually gotten farther in the series than I had previously and will likely finish the series in 2010 -- those books are big!
The Deryni books by Katherine Kurtz are some of my favorites and I was thrilled to see that audio versions were released through www.audible.com, so I've had the opportunity to revisit that world. The next several books have recently been released and I have them all queued up for the near future.
And, every once in a while, I need a Star Wars fix. This year, I concentrated on the X-Wing novels which are some of my favorites, especially the series written by Allston.

I read 4 books this year which were part of The Essential Man's Library book listing from which I challenged myself to read 50 of the 100 for my 101 in 1001 days project:

57. Essential Manners for Men by Peter Post (07/19/2009)
61. A Separate Peace by John Knowles (11/06/2009)
53. Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs (11/16/2009)
10. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (12/24/2009)

As part of that project, I also read a number of the Witch World novels, something I'd always intended to do but never had the time.

This year was much more multi-media oriented than past: a good number were audios but I also read quite a few on my Amazon Kindle (and Kindle for iTouch) which I've enjoyed a lot.

Was able to catalogue all of Janet's and my books on librarything -- you can see my library here -- which will help me find my books and, hopefully, ensure I don't continue to buy the same ones over and over again.

January

Valiant -- Jack Campbell (science fiction)
Birthright: The Book of Man -- Mike Resnick (science fiction)
Kingdom's Dawn -- Chuck Black (Christian fantasy)
Kingdom's Hope -- Chuck Black (Christian fantasy)
Kingdom's Edge -- Chuck Black (Christian fantasy)
Hyperion -- Dan Simmons (science fiction)
Whipping Star -- Frank Herbert (science fiction)
Kingdom's Call -- Chuck Black (Christian fantasy)
The Tar-Aiym Krang -- Alan Dean Foster (science fiction)
The Wind in the Willows -- Kenneth Grahame (children's fiction classic)
Kingdom's Quest -- Chuck Black (Christian fantasy)
Kingdom's Reign -- Chuck Black (Christian fantasy)

February

For Love of Mother-Not -- Alan Dean Foster (science fiction)
The Tales of Beedle the Bard -- J.K. Rowling (fantasy)
The Final Empire -- Brandon Sanderson (fantasy)
The Kingdoms & The Elves of the Reaches book 1 -- Robert Stanek (fantasy)

March

The Ruins of Gorlan -- John Flanagan (fantasy)
Oliver Twist -- Charles Dickens (classic fiction)
The Burning Bridge -- John Flanagan (fantasy)
The Icebound Land -- John Flanagan (fantasy)
Meltdown: A Free-Market Look at Why the Stock Market Collapsed.... -- Thomas E. Woods, Jr
The Battle for Skandia -- John Flanagan (fantasy)
Orcs -- Stan Nicholls (fantasy)
Rogue Squadron -- Michael A. Stackpole (star wars)

April

Wedge's Gamble -- Michael A. Stackpole (star wars)
The Krytos Trap -- Michael A. Stackpole (star wars)
The Bacta War -- Michael A. Stackpole (star wars)
Wraith Squadron -- Aaron Allston (star wars)
Iron Fist -- Aaron Allston (star wars)
Solo Command -- Aaron Allston (star wars)
The Courtship of Princess Leia -- Dave Wolverton (star wars)
Storm Front -- Jim Butcher (paranormal fantasy)
Fool Moon -- Jim Butcher (paranormal fantasy)

May

The Fellowship of the Ring -- J.R.R. Tolkien (fantasy)
Furies of Calderon -- Jim Butcher (fantasy)
Grave Peril -- Jim Butcher (paranormal fantasy)
Summer Knight -- Jim Butcher (paranormal fantasy)
Academ's Fury -- Jim Butcher (paranormal fantasy)
Death Masks -- Jim Butcher (paranormal fantasy)
Blood Rites -- Jim Butcher (paranormal fantasy)

June

Dead Beat -- Jim Butcher (paranormal fantasy)
The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World -- Stephen J. Nichols (history)
Cursor's Fury -- Jim Butcher (fantasy)
The Way of Shadows -- Brent Weeks (fantasy)

July

The Magic Thief -- Sarah Prineas (fantasy)
Nightwings -- Robert Silverberg (science fiction)
The Silmarillion -- J.R.R. Tolkien (fantasy)
The Case of the Missing Message -- Charles Spain Verral (YA mystery)
Captain's Fury -- Jim Butcher (fantasy)

August

Sum VII -- T.W. Hard (science fiction)
Case of the Counterfeit Coin -- George Wyatt (YA mystery)
Storm Over Warlock -- Andre Norton (science fiction)
Princeps' Fury -- Jim Butcher (fantasy)
The Winds of Dune -- Brian Herbert (science fiction)
Birthright: The Book of Man -- Mike Resnick (science fiction) read again
The Secret of the Old Mill -- Franklin W. Dixon (YA mystery)
Wizard's First Rule -- Terry Goodkind (fantasy)

September

Local Custom -- Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (science fiction)
Deryni Rising -- Katherine Kurtz (fantasy)
Deryni Checkmate -- Katherine Kurtz (fantasy)
Stone of Tears -- Terry Goodkind (fantasy)
Blood of the Fold -- Terry Goodkind (fantasy)
Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold! -- Terry Brooks (fantasy)
Temple of the Winds -- Terry Goodkind (fantasy)

October

The Lies of Locke Lamora -- Scott Lynch (fantasy)
Soul of the Fire -- Terry Goodkind (fantasy)
High Deryni -- Katherine Kurtz (fantasy)
Faith of the Fallen -- Terry Goodkind (fantasy)
The 5000 Year Leap -- W. Cleon Skousen (politics, history)

November

A Separate Peace -- John Knowles (fiction)
Animist -- Eve Forward (fantasy)
A Natural History of Latin -- Tore Janson (history)
Tarzan of the Apes -- Edgar Rice Burroughs (fiction)

December

Witch World -- Andre Norton (science fiction)
Web of the Witch World -- Andre Norton (science fiction)
Red Seas Under Red Skies -- Scott Lynch (fantasy)
The Picture of Dorian Gray -- Oscar Wilde (fiction)
The Cathars -- Sean Martin (history)
Three Against the Witch World -- Andre Norton (science fiction)

Nightwings and the Mouth of Truth

2009-07-06T22:46:00.006-05:00

I recently read the book Nightwings by Robert Silverberg. The book is a collection of three stories originally published in Galaxy magazine in 1968-1969. This edition is part of IDW Publishing's "New Classics of the Fantastic" imprint.

The stories are set in the future on Earth, in the "Third Cycle". The First Cycle is our own time. The Second Cycle represented the height of technology and learning and the fellowship with the worlds of the galaxy, culminating in a great fall due to arrogance. In the Third Cycle, mankind specializes to such a degree that each human either chooses or is bred for a single life's work and relegated to a Guild. The stories describe how humankind finally has to face punishment for its past sins and must reach for redemption through belief in something larger than themselves.

It is a very odd book. The worldbuilding is wonderful, but the story is more philosophical than action-packed. I especially enjoyed puzzling out Third Cycle names for First Cycle places (Roum = Rome, Usa-amrik = USA America, Atin = Athens, Jorslem = Jerusalem, Stralya = Australia, Ais = Asia, and so on).

While the main character, the Watcher, is in Roum, he is taken to see the Mouth of Truth.

"It is impossible to lie in this place," Gormon told her. "Can you imagine any relic more worthy of protection?"....

We found ourselves before the ferocious head of a monster in high relief, affixed to an ancient wall pockmarked by time. The monster's jaws gaped, the open mouth was a dark and sinister hole. (pp. 55-56)

The Watcher is then instructed to place his right hand into the Mouth of Truth and a question is posed to him. He is told that if he speaks a falsehood, he will lose his hand.

This episode reminded me of my own trip to Rome (in 1990 during the First Cycle) where I saw "La Bocca Della Verita" (the Mouth of Truth), this same sculpted Roman disk currently displayed in the Santa Maria in Cosmedin church.

Our tour guide told us the following story, which I've never read anywhere else:

It is said that the Roman gods punish those who lie about their adultery while their hand was held within the mouth of the statue. A liar would feel the bite of the god's head, while the blameless would be spared.

Now, as it happened (narrated the tour guide), a man who suspected that his wife was having an affair decided to test her faithfulness. He told her that they would be visiting the god's head. Somehow, the crafty woman was able to get a message to her lover (who her husband had never met). The lover conceived of a plan to circumvent this threat. As she strode through the Roman plaza, the woman pretended to swoon. As she began to fall, a man in the street (her disguised lover) conveniently caught her and brought her back to her feet. She and her husband both thanked the man.

As they reached the stone, the husband placed his wife's hand within the stone and asked her to assert her innocence. She confidently declared, "I have been in no one else's arms but yours... oh! except for that man's who helped me to my feet in the plaza." As she told no lie, the god did not bite.

Whether the tour guide was telling an actual Roman story or if it was from his own imagination, I'll never know. In fact, since the story was told to me (an American) in French in an Italian city, it could be that I misinterpreted everything!

Young adult fantasy from Iowa author

2009-07-03T22:41:00.003-05:00

On a whim, I purchased a book on the "local authors" shelf in the juvenile/young adult section of the bookstore, The Magic Thief.

A few hours later, I had finished it. What a wonderful experience!

The book tells the story of a young "gutterboy" who has been surviving on the streets of Wellmeet as a pickpocket and a picker of locks. An easy mark passes him on the street, an old man with a cane. Reaching into his pocket, Conn retrieves a locus magicalicus from the wizard's pocket. Unknown to him, it should have killed him in short order.

The grumpy, but well-meaning wizard finds Conn intriguing and feeds him and eventually adopts him first as a servant and later as apprentice. Nevery the wizard has returned from exile to determine why the city's magic is draining away, which will eventually leave it uninhabitable.

The book is told in the first person (from Conn's point of view) but is interspersed with short passages from the wizard's personal journal. The journal often punctuates how Conn is perceived outside of himself, and often adds humor to the story.

Conn himself is an endearing character, striving to do his best, and never offering a lie to his master. The bad characters are very clearly bad, as is needed in a juvenile book, but there are a few surprises to be had.

A nice touch is a secret code language which the reader can use to decode short sentences added to the wizard's journal by Conn (after Conn picks its lock). Simple letter transposition, but I thought it was fun. Also, make sure to read the biscuit recipe in the back -- both versions.

Sarah Prineas, the author, is from Iowa City and has added a sequel called The Magic Thief: Lost. I can't wait to read it.

Both books are available in kindle versions.

Tolkien on Kindle

2009-06-05T21:13:00.006-05:00

Very excited to see that many of J.R.R. Tolkien's book are now available electronically on the Kindle:

The Silmar illion
The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings (Trilogy)

Unfinished Tales
The Children of Hurin
The Legend Of Sigurd And Gudrún

Books read in May 2009

2009-06-05T19:18:00.005-05:00

May 3
Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera, Book 1) -- see my earlier post. Very enjoyable epic fantasy. Instead of actively reading this book, I downloaded an audio version from audible.com. Kate Reading's narration was very skillful; she provided a variety of distinct voices. My only quibble was that the main character, Tavi, sounded a bit too sullen.

The Fellowship of the Ring. Definitely not my first reading of the first part of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings cycle... Each time I read the series I appreciate a different aspect of his writing. Last time it was the poetic use of language (I listened to the audio version). This time I particularly noticed the description of the lands' geography and land forms.

May 10
Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, Book 3). This paranormal installment of the Dresden files introduces the residual memories of dead humans (ghosts) and the Knights of the Cross. Butcher does a good job describing faith as a powerful force in the world.

May 19
Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, Book 4). I really enjoyed learning more about the White Council of wizards, but the world of faerie wasn't my favorite.

May 25
Academ's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 2). There's a lot going on in this novel and it somewhat suffers as a "middle" book in the series. New enemies and seemingly forgotten threads from book one caused some bemusement, but a deeper look at the world's political structure and intrigue fascinated.

May 26
Death Masks (The Dresden Files, Book 5). Strange collision of demons, the Shroud of Turin, and a war between wizards and vampires. The final pages definitely set up a looming confrontation in Dresden's near future.

May 31
Blood Rites (The Dresden Files, Book 6). Readers learn more about Dresden's past.

Currently reading: May 2009

2009-05-10T22:26:00.002-05:00

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, Book 4) by Jim Butcher

Academ's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 2) by Jim Butcher (listening via audiobook)

Dissolution by C.J. Sansom -- a historical mystery set in Tudor England

Treasure Island (Signet Classics) by Robert Louis Stevenson

Surprising urban fantasy: Dresden Files book 1

2009-05-10T22:25:00.002-05:00

Frankly, I don't care for urban fantasies. My preference is for a more fully realized imaginary world, but a friend at work kept mentioning how she was devouring The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, so I thought I give the first novel a try.

Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) introduces a slightly alternate Chicago where Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden has set up shop as a paranormal investigation consultant (no love potions). Most people don't believe in the supernatural (wizards, vampires, werewolves, sorcery, etc), but Harry does get a few responses to his advertisement in the Yellow Pages. He also consults with Special Investigations of the Chicago Police Department. No one really takes him seriously, but he gets paid nonetheless. He is a real wizard with real powers; in fact, he's one of the more powerful human magic users in the world.

The novel is an interesting mix of detective mystery, light horror, and urban fantasy. But what really ties it together is the humor. Harry is sarcastic, witty, and has a timely knack of understatement which gives him a lot of personality. The book is a fast read because of the humor but also due to the first person narrative.

There are enough pop culture and literary (genre) references that I was thoroughly entertained. For example, a new mailman points to Harry's doorsign which reads "Harry Dresden. Wizard." Incredulous, he asks,

"Spells and potions? Demons and incantations? Subtle and quick to anger?"

Harry responds, "Not so subtle".

This is obviously a reference to The Fellowship of the Ring when Gildor the Elf advises Frodo Baggins:

Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger. (Book I, Chapter 3 "Three is Company")

As with his more traditional fantasy novel Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera, Book 1), Jim Butcher is a master of only doling out small pieces of information from book-to-book. Only glimpses of Harry's training and family, the nature of the White Council of Wizards, and the creatures of magic are given. While the reader wants to know more, somehow Butcher's parceling of data seems right.

With the mixture of the mundane and the supernatural, it's definitely a good start to a series.

Salt as a magical component

2009-05-10T21:10:00.003-05:00

I've been reading two series: The Codex Alera, an epic fantasy, and The Dresden Files, an urban fantasy/mystery both by Jim Butcher. I was struck by the use of salt as a disruption to active magic or as a purifying element in each. Why salt?

According to the Jewish Heritage Online Magazine,

From ancient times, salt was used both to indicate and to repel the presence of evil. This is evident in the ritual of mothers salting their babies mentioned in the book of Ezekiel, a practice which included but was not limited to Hebrew women: "Your father was an Emorite and your mother a Hittite, and as for your birth, on the day you were born your navel was not cut nor were you washed in water for cleansing, you were not salted at all nor were you swaddled...." (Ezekiel 16:4)

The site further describes numerous other cultures who "salt the baby" to protect against demonic forces including Arabic, Catholic Christians, Baltic, Swedish, Laotian, and Thai among others.

Supposedly,

Salt being incorruptible, averts demons and protects against black magic. As an ancient writer put it, witches and warlocks "like their master, the Devil, abhor salt as the emblem of immorality."

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, salt is used in the Catholic liturgy as an element of the baptismal rite and also as part of the preparation of holy water.

The old superstition of throwing a pinch of salt over the left shoulder (into the face of the Devil) after spilling salt is one of the remaining vestiges of these beliefs.

Me, I prefer freshly cracked pepper. But I may have to browse through the book, Salt: A World History, to rediscover the importance of this substance of life.

Furies of Calderon

2009-05-03T01:35:00.003-05:00

Just a few comments about Jim Butcher's Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera, Book 1) which is the first novel of his Codex Alera series.

In the paper version of the book (I actually listened to the audio version from audible.com), I was disappointed that there was neither a map of the world, nor an appendix describing key terms. I really feel that a small map would have helped to orient the reader

The largest mystery are the furies. Butcher gives only a partial discussion of what they are. Little to no time is spent describing how they are captured by (?) / bonded to (?) the human population. We know that these elemental spirits are obtained in one's youth (Tavi's lack is very clearly unusual). We are shown how the various furies are used (wind, water, fire, earth, wood, metal), but minimally about the relationship between Aleran and fury.

Another interesting facet of the novel is its setting in an Ancient Rome analogue. The names (Gaius Sextus, Fidelias, Aquitainus) and terms (legionares, academ, patriserus, Knights Aeris) all have a Latin sound to them. The special rights granted to those called "Citizen" are also reminiscent of Rome as is the barbarian horde attacking the land's frontiers. I'll be interested to see how far the similarities go when Tavi goes to the capital city to be educated at the Academy -- the City of Rome (likely under another name), perhaps?

The book is very dense with a good deal of character development. The villains for the most part aren't "mwuah-ha-haaa" evil, which is refreshing. Instead, they are merely greedy, ambitious, self-involved, traitorous, or believe they are more right than the current ruling class.

This book is followed by:
Academ's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 2)
Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 3)
Captain's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 4)
Princeps' Fury (Codex Alera, Book 5)
First Lord's Fury (Codex Alera) -- not yet released

The Courtship of Princess Leia

2009-05-01T00:48:00.004-05:00

I recently reread The Courtship of Princess Leia (Star Wars) in order to refamiliarize myself with the ultimate fate of the warlord Zsinj. The X-Wing Wraith Squadron books, although written after this novel, introduce Han Solo's relentless pursuit, and I had just finished them.

Since I hadn't read the novel since Episodes I - III were released, I wondered whether there were discrepancies with the movies, or just plain oddities not seen elsewhere:

* Like many novels, Wolverton assumes that all Jedi bodies "dissapate" after death. The movies (and related lore) seem to indicate that only some Jedi learned to become one with the Force as a "force ghost" who is able to interact with the living.

* The long dead Jedi for whom Luke searches is described as the "curator of records for the Jedi at Coruscant", a striking prediction of the librarians of the Jedi Archives in the Jedi Temple complex on Coruscant. The holographic recordings in the novel certainly reflect the types of recordings shown on the library "shelves" in the movie.

* The recording discovered in the ruins describe Yoda and other Jedi giving reports to the high master in a throne room. Similar to the Jedi Council?

* Wolverton several times describes a Jedi ability to use the Force to translate alien languages (and even Droidspeak) into Basic. Both Luke and the witches of Dathomir appear to do this -- I don't recall this ability in any other novel....

* The deed to Dathomir is described as "a registry chip, one of the old kind with a holo cube built in. She thumbed the switch, watched the planet materialize in the air before her, a scene from space showing the planet." Reminded me of the holographic device that Qui-Gon Jinn used on Tatooine to project the image of the Naboo ship.

* A Jedi academy on board a roving starship in not contradicted by the movies to my knowledge.

With so few people strong enough to master the Force, the ancient Jedi would have needed to scour the galaxy hunting for recruits. In each star cluster they might have found only one or two cadets worthy to join. (page 165)

* At the end of the novel, the Hapan Navy launches "pulsemass generators" to keep the warlord's ships in realspace, preventing them from entering hyperspace. In other novels, the Alliance/New Republic relies on maneuvering their enemies into the gravity wells of planets and stars or use Interdictor cruisers or destroyers for this purpose. If these pulsemass generators were available, why aren't they used in other situations? Seems like a one-off.

Plot-wise, not the most impressive Star Wars novel. Luke's character feels right, but Leia is waaaay off.

One of the best Star Wars audiobooks

2009-05-01T00:29:00.005-05:00

We Don't Do Weddings is an audio dramatization based on a short story by Kathy Tyers originally published in the short story collection Tales from Mos Eisley Cantina (Star Wars).

The story recounts the backstory of the Bith band that plays the Cantina theme in A New Hope -- how did a group that "played in the finest palladiums in the galaxy" end up in a dirty Mos Eisley Cantina? Figran D'An and the Modal Nodes had been the exclusive band for Jabba the Hutt until accepting a gig for the wedding reception for another Tatooine gangster. Normally, the band doesn't "do weddings" because they're too much trouble for far too few credits, but the offer this time is too good to pass up: a surprising amount of credits and free run of the sabaac tables when on break.

The dramatization is simply exceptional and the voice acting, particularly the Bith narrator (Doikk Na'ts, the fizzz player), is top notch. The audio producer liberally adds appropriate background noises, Star Wars sound effects, and soundtrack snippets to bring the story to life. Several new Modal Nodes tunes were also performed.

You may need to listen to the story several times before fully appreciating the story, but you'll want to.... it's THAT good.

Star Wars geek alert

2009-04-05T23:55:00.004-05:00

While reading The Krytos Trap (Star Wars: X-Wing Series, Book 3) this evening, I noticed that the Dramatis Personae in the front of the novel shows Captain Aril Nunb as a "human male from Sullust" when the previous books explicitly state that she's a Sullustan female from Sullust. Ooops.

(At least with my first edition paperback published in October 1996. I wonder if it's been corrected in later editions?)

Star Wars: Meet the working folks

2009-04-04T17:00:00.001-05:00

I have always been fascinated by Star Wars ever since I saw the first film in 1978 with my family. While some of the Expanded Universe books have been dreadful (Children of the Jedi (Star Wars) and The Crystal Star (Star Wars (Random House Paperback)) are two that come to mind!), there are a few which continue to capture my imagination. The X-Wing Rogue Squadron series by Michael Stackpole which were continued by Aaron Allston in his Wraith Squadron books are some of the best.

I last "read" Rogue Squadron (Star Wars: X-Wing Series, Book 1) via audiobook. Actually, the last few times I've read through the series was audio-based. As I was organizing part of my book collection last weekend, I ran across the physical books and decided to take the plunge again.

What intrigues me the most about this series is that it doesn't focus on the more mystical aspects of the Star Wars universe: the force and the Jedi Order. Instead, the "working joes" in the Alliance military are the stars. Rather than use deus ex machina through a creatively applied force power by a single Jedi, Stackpole's characters use practiced flying skills, creative manoevering, tactical thinking, and logic as a team to meet their assigned goals.

It is also interesting how Stackpole builds the comradery and trust between the pilots. Corran Horn, an extremely talented flyer among talented flyers is relatively aloof, but perhaps not consciously so. He knows that his flying and targeting skills are formidable and that he outclasses most of the other pilots in the newly reformed Rogue Squadron. His past as a law enforcement officer in Correllian Security and several years under assumed names in hiding from the Empire causes him to reserve trust in himself and in those few who have totally proved themselves. Wedge Antilles has to take him down a peg for him to see the light.

I sensed realism in the way that hot-shot pilots are given their head to a degree within the military organization, and then yanked back when they go too far. I also believe that it was crucial that some members of the squadron not come back from difficult missions -- it is war, and the Empire doesn't play fairly.

One quibble I have is that the "bad guys" in the form of Ysanne Isard and Kirtan Loor are a bit too shallow.

Isard is a more mysterious figure with plans to hold the remnants of the Empire together. Her sinister character is similar to that of the Emperor in the movies -- hidden behind the scenes, mysterious, with an almost over-the-top evil. We don't get to see enough of her to understand her motivations.
Kirtan, on the other hand, is almost too weak and spineless. Although the reader gets a few glimpses of his insight and logic, he is almost always subservient to another's will. He's a coward rather than a forceful, imposing figure. I wouldn't expect a story's antagonist to be likable per se, but I'd like to respect their will or their inner strength. Granted, he's just a tool for Isard....but I expected a bit more.

Very enjoyable book, and a great start to the X-Wing novels.

Review -- Orcs

2009-03-26T21:15:00.000-05:00

I finished Orcs by Stan Nicholls a few days ago. The conclusion of the trilogy very obviously opened the way to a sequel which I confirmed for myself at Nicholls' website. The site lists a second trilogy called "Orcs: Bad Blood" with volume one, "Weapons of Magical Destruction," apparently being published in the United States as Orcs: Bad Blood.

My previous post expressed some surprise with the adult themes in the first few chapters of the book. These scenes moderated through the remainder of the text. I suspect the sexual content was largely introduced for shock value and to differentiate it completely from more traditional fantasies such as The Lord of the Rings.

Nicholls turns the traditional on its ear by creating a world where the humans are perceived as evil invaders, and the orcs as misunderstood members of a warrior culture. Orcs, as one of the few exotic races without inherent magic (humans are the other), are born to fight and become mercenaries, hired guards, or almost self-indentured soldiers for others. It is clear, however, that wasn't always like this.

In the years since humans began crossing the desert beyond, the world's basic fabric has started to unravel: weather patterns have changed (a rapid ice age is approaching), relationships between the races have deteriorated, the land has been ravaged by deforestation, religious wars have ignited, and the magic tied to the land is being depleted.

Stryke and his Wolverines, a warband of orcs, are sent to capture a relic that their evil mistress wants to obtain. In that quest, they find that they can find freedom and a better life by following their own wills.

The first thing that struck me was the volume of action sequences in the form of skirmishes, battles, and duels. There are surprise attacks and incidental run-ins with other denizens of Nicholls created world every few pages. Surprisingly, they kept my interest even though there are only so many ways to describe them.

There were also several oddities I noticed:

World size -- The text seemed to give the indication that the orc warband was traveling to the far ends of the land, but everything appeared to be only several days' walk or ride.
Warband speed -- The warband of 20 or so orcs seemed to travel extremlely slowly. Bounty hunters, warband sent to find them, and potential allies caught up with them even though the orcs always had a head start.
Invinceability -- Readers always expect that the main characters will survive to book's end. But even "red shirt" grunts in the warband survived battle after battle; in many cases surviving overwhelming odds. Admittedly, the orcs are tough. True, many might be wounded. But, it seemed a little unrealistic.

An interesting read, but not the best book I've ever read. Not bad for a light read, though....

I did read this entire book on the Kindle 2: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation). Expect a review shortly!

Started non-traditional fantasy Orcs by Nicholls

2009-03-16T23:41:00.010-05:00

I've just started to read Orcs by Stan Nicholls via Amazon.com's Kindle for iPhone interface (on my iPod Touch).

The omnibus edition of Orcs being sold in the US through the Publisher Orbit is an extremely handsome trade paperback, notwithstanding the grim face of a warrior Orc staring back at the reader. The cover has a very fine tactile feel and the page edges are colored pinkish-red. The typestyle is large and a very readable font. Nicholls' trilogy, Bodyguard of Lightning, Legion of Thunder, and Warriors of the Tempest are included.

Although I am a traditionalist when it comes to fantasy novels, it is always refreshing when an author sets a tried-and-true concept on its ear (c.f. Villains by Necessity by Eve Forward). In this case, orcs are the protagonists.

I'm very impressed with Nicholls writing style so far. After having read the blurb on the back of the book and some of the reviews and recommendations, I was not surprised that the opening scenes describe a purposefully unnamed invading force and "defenders". Not until the battle ends does Nicholls identify which side are humans and which are the orcs.

I was, however, a little taken aback by two early incidents: the orcish band of warriors under the influence of some sort of drug they captured in the raid and the overt sexual scene between the evil Queen Jennesta and a captured enemy. I suspect some of my surprise is the puritan American in me.... but readers should be aware.

One last comment from my early reading: I was very amused by the traditional warband marching song introducing the first book, which is obviously a parody of the Napoleonic era sea shanty, "Spanish Ladies".

"Oh we'll rant and we'll roar like true orcish warriors
We'll rant and we'll roar for all that we be
We'll march back from yonder all laden with plunder
Oh what treasures, what pleasures, then you will see"

On one last note, I am very anxious to receive my Kindle 2: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation) tomorrow in the mail. I've used various Palm devices and my iPod Touch to read books in the past but this will be the first dedicated reader that I've used. I'll post a review of my impressions over the next week or so.

Books Read in 2007

2007-12-16T20:00:00.000-06:00

When I laid out the list of books I've read this year sequentially rather than by author, I realize that there were a few oddities there.

First up -- my reading of the Dark Tower series by Stephen King looks rather random, interspersed between more traditional fantasy and science fiction novels. This is because I listened to the books via Audible audiobook unabridged, mostly to-and-from work. Some of those books are huge...and it took a long time to finish the series.

June was evidently David Eddings month. My wife started to read through the first several books. I picked up the first one again and somehow, 10 books later, I was done. Very fast reads, but I do love the characterization and the humor.

There are a few interesting trends I noticed -- quite a few Orson Scott Card novels both at the beginning and the end of the year. Card's novel are so intriguing. I had never finished the Ender Shadow series so that was a winter project last year after rereading the core Ender books. Later in the year, I read Hart's Hope and re-read The Worthing Saga.

Napoleonic War sea novels had a definite place this year. I read a number of the Hornblower books, but did not complete the series. I also read a pseudo-English navy series by James Ward late in the year. I purchased the latest Temeraire novel (#4) but just didn't pick it up yet.

A few gems, read for the first time this year:

The Historian -- I listened to this book on audio. The method of story telling was incredibly riveting... especially in audio. Flashbacks of flashbacks of flashbacks. I was disappointed, frankly, with the ending of the novel.
The Pillars of the Earth -- OK, I didn't know that this would be an Oprah selection when I read and finished it. Very Machiavellian plotting. Can't wait for #2 to be published in PB.

Books in progress at the end of the year include The Worthing Saga by Orson Scott Card, The Middle Ages by Morris Bishop, Dracula by Bram Stoker, and The Rise of the Wyrm Lord by Wayne Thomas Batson.

January

First Meetings in Ender's Universe -- Orson Scott Card
Ender's Shadow -- Orson Scott Card
Shadow of the Hegemon -- Orson Scott Card
Dune -- Frank Herbert
Urchan of the Riding Stars -- M.I. McAllister
The Gunslinger -- Stephen King

February

Shadow Puppets -- Orson Scott Card
Shadow of the Giant -- Orson Scott Card
Hospital Station -- Jack White
Star Surgeon -- Jack White

March

Major Operation -- Jack White
Prince Caspian -- C.S. Lewis
The Drawing of the Three -- Stephen King
Voyage of the Dawn Treader -- C.S. Lewis
The Wastelands -- Stephen King
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower -- C.S. Forester

April

Lieutenant Hornblower -- C.S. Forester
Hornblower and the Hotspur -- C.S. Forester
Hornblower During the Crisis -- C.S. Forester
Magyk -- Angie Sage
Wizard and Glass -- Stephen King
Hornblower and the Atropos -- C.S. Forester

May

Beat to Quarters -- C.S. Forester
The Children of Hurin -- J.R.R. Tolkien
House Atreides -- Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
House Harkonnen -- Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
House Corrino -- Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
King's Dragon -- Kate Elliott

June

Wolves of the Calla -- Stephen King
Pawn of Prophesy -- David Eddings
Queen of Sorcery -- David Eddings
Magician's Gambit -- David Eddings
Castle of Wizardry -- David Eddings
Enchanters' End Game -- David Eddings
Guardians of the West -- David Eddings
King of the Murgos -- David Eddings
Demon Lord of Karanda -- David Eddings
Sorceress of Darshiva -- David Eddings
The Seeress of Kell -- David Eddings
Midshipman's Hope -- David Feintuch
Challenger's Hope -- David Feintuch

July

Prisoner's Hope -- David Feintuch
Fisherman's Hope -- David Feintuch
Song of Susannah -- Stephen King
The Eyes of the Dragon -- Stephen King
Conqueror's Pride -- Timothy Zahn
Conquerors' Heritage -- Timothy Zahn
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince -- J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- J.K. Rowling

August

Hunters of Dune -- Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Sandworms of Dune -- Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
The Dark Tower -- Stephen King
The Road to the Dark Tower -- Bev Vincent
The Historian -- Elizabeth Kostova

September

Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France -- Leonie Fieda
Hart's Hope -- Orson Scott Card

October

Dune -- Frank Herbert
Dune Messiah -- Frank Herbert
The Innocent Mage -- Karen Miller
The Awakened Mage -- Karen Miller
A History of the Middle Ages -- Crane Brinton et al

November

The Colour of Magic -- Terry Pratchett
Empire Star -- Samulel R. Delany
The Pillars of the Earth -- Ken Follett
A Game of Thrones -- George R.R. Martin
A Clash of Kings -- George R.R. Martin

December

The Storm of Swords -- George R.R. Martin
A Feast for Crows -- George R.R. Martin
Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe -- James M. Ward
Dragonfrigate Wizard -- James M. Ward
The Door Within -- Wayne Thomas Batson
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation -- Lynne Truss