One Piece

Call me crazy, but I just LOVE One Piece.  I could never get enough of the gang and their pirate adventures.  Each one helping the other find their individual dreams, they make up the perfect group of unlikely comrades and the best of friends.   They go against practically insurmountable obstacles and invincible adversaries, and yet they prevail by honing their own special abilities and never failing to lend each other a hand.  How I wish I were a part of such a motley and endearing pirate crew!  

Patience - Guns N' Roses

(One of the best songs ever!  I love GN'R!)

One, two, one, two, three, four

Shed a tear 'cause I'm missin' you

I'm still alright to smile

Girl, I think bout you every day now

Was a time when I wasn't sure

But you set my mind at ease

There is no doubt you're in my heart now

Said woman take it slow, and it'll work itself out fine

All we need is just a little patience

Said sugar make it slow and we'll come together fine

All we need is just a little patience

Mmmm, yeah

I sit here on the stairs 

'Cause I'd rather be alone

If I can't have you right now I'll wait dear

Sometimes I get so tense but I can't speed up the time

But you know love there's one more thing to consider

Said woman take it slow and things will be just fine

You and I'll just use a little patience

Said sugar take the time cause the lights are shining bright

You and I've got what it takes to make it

We won't fake it, I'll never break it

'Cause I can't take it

Little patience, mmm yeah, mm yeah

Need a little patience, yeah

Just a little patience, yeah

Some more patience, yeah

Could use some patience, yeah

Gotta have some patience, yeah

All it takes is patience

Just a little patience

Is all you need (background vocals)

I've been walking the streets at night

Just trying to get it right

It’s hard to see with so many around

You know I don't like being stuck in the crowd

And the streets don't change

But maybe the names

I ain't got time for the game cause I need you

Yeah, yeah, yeah, 'cause I need you

Ooo I need you, whoa I need you

Ooooh, all this time 

Watch the video

Looper (2012)

This film was released in 2012 and starred Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt.  I have to say it’s one of the best sci-fi/action stories I’ve ever seen.   I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a sci-fi flick this much since Equilibrium (2002).  The main pull for me was the plot itself, because for a sci-fi flick, this one didn’t really have too many mind-blowing visual effects.  The story and the characters drove the motion of the movie, and it swept me along on its urgent and rather emotional race toward the finish.  Excellent, excellent!

The story is set in a rather dystopian world, still quite similar to our own present.  Time travel has not yet been invented.  But thirty years into the future it will be.  Immediately it is outlawed, but criminal organizations in the future still use it to get rid of their enemies by dumping them, bound and with their head in a sack, into the past, where a waiting “looper” will shoot them dead as soon as they get there.  A looper is paid in silver, bars of which are strapped on to the person sent to him for killing.  Eventually though, having a looper running around is too risky, so the bosses from the future would find the looper’s future self, and in a stroke of bitter irony, send him back to the past for his younger version to kill.  In this case, gold bars are given as an incentive, and thus the “loop” is closed.  Our Joe (Gordon-Levitt) is one such looper.  The events of the film begin to escalate when his best friend fails to close his “loop” and ends up getting killed.  Joe believes he himself was entirely at fault for not being able to save his friend.  And then things get really bad when he himself fails to kill his future self.  So then Future Joe (Willis) must now try to set things in motion so that his present self will not have to live a life in which he would eventually watch his beloved wife get murdered.   For that particular offence, Future Joe blames the “Rainmaker,” the evil overlord of the future.  He sets out to kill the Rainmaker in the present so that the child will never grow up to be the evil overlord that he will be.  I’ll stop here to avoid giving away too much of the movie.  Really, it must be seen to be truly appreciated.

The movie touched on a varied number of themes, but I think the central one is that of taking responsibility for one’s actions, facing the consequences, and being honourable and noble enough to accept them.  By the end of the film, Joe finally finds the perfect solution to break the cycle of pain and bloodshed that binds his life with that of the Rainmaker.  He takes the future into his own hands and saves everyone even at the cost of the only thing he has left.  Other themes the flick touched on were loyalty, parenthood, a child’s innocence, revenge, and the redemptive power of love.  It’s a glorious mishmash of all that and more. Fast-paced, thought-provoking, and emotionally intense, I highly recommend this film to one and all.  

Watch the trailer.

Black Sheep - Gin Wigmore

(One of the most bad-ass songs I've ever heard.  This song became a great favorite from the moment I first heard it.) 

I got lots of jealous lovers that all wish they had me back
Got a pistol for a mouth, my own mama gave me that
Making my own road out of gravel and some wine
And if I have to fall then it won't be in your line

Everybody's doing it so why the hell should I?
Everybody's doing it so why the hell should I?

I'm a bad woman to keep
Make me mad, I'm not here to please
Paint me in a corner, but my colour comes back
Once you go black you never go back
I'm a black sheep
I'm a black sheep

I wasn't born a beauty queen but I'm okay with that
Maybe radio won't mind if I sing a little flat
I wear my boots to bed, hang a cross up on the wall
To save me from a shallow break who wants to take us all

Everybody's doing it so why the hell should I?
Everybody's doing it so why the hell should I?

I'm a bad woman to keep
Make me mad, I'm not here to please
Paint me in a corner, but my colour comes back
Once you go black you never go back
I'm a black sheep
I'm a black sheep

I got lots of jealous lovers that all wish they had me back
Got a pistol for a mouth, my own mama gave me that
Making my own road out of gravel and some wine
And if I have to fall then it won't be in your line

I'm a bad woman to keep
Make me mad, I'm not here to please
Paint me in a corner, but my colour comes back
Once you go black you never go back
Once you go black you never go back

Black Sheep music video

Maou (2008)

This has to be one of the best series I have ever seen.  The story was just so absorbing and suspenseful.  The central characters were all interesting and magnetic.  A wonderfully delivered plot, plus great performances, plus a smorgasbord of themes, made this an intensely gripping and emotional story. 

The title is literally translated as “devil king”.  That’s because the central character is a lawyer who’s being dubbed as “angelic” for his reputation for clearing accused people who were really innocent of their purported crime.  In truth, though, this lawyer is very carefully manipulating his clients and his entire career in order to stage a vengeance that took him eleven years to plan and execute.  When he was seventeen years old, Manaka Tomoo’s brother was accidentally stabbed by a classmate named Serizawa.  

It all began there.  Slowly but surely with each episode all the events that led up to Manaka’s bitter search for vengeance unfolds.  Death comes one by one to people who were related to the case.  Serizawa, who now has become a police detective, tries to unravel the mysteries surrounding the deaths caused by a mysterious figure called Amano Makoto.  Eventually Serizawa finds out the truth about the deaths that seem to be hounding his friends and family and their connection to the painful past that he has been trying to overcome since the unfortunate incident eleven years ago.  Unfortunately, the tides cannot be turned anymore.  Manaka and Serizawa must confront each other and face the consequences of their actions, and the series comes to an appropriately tragic conclusion.

The series dealt with some very serious themes, including guilt and atonement, closeness to one’s family, loyalty to one’s friends, betrayal, justice, sacrifice, and the redemptive power of forgiveness.  It also had a supernatural element, represented as a psychic ability possessed by Manaka’s love interest.  That particular aspect of the story gave the entire series even more depth because although Manaka finds love and the hope of happiness, he ultimately sees himself unworthy of anything good – love, forgiveness, or joy.  I was truly enthralled by the story, its twists and turns, and the unexpected ways Manaka delivered his vengeance.  He was so dead set on it that he gave up his entire life for the fulfilment of his crusade.  The pacing was excellent, and the characters were all flawlessly portrayed.  I highly recommend this series to all who are looking for something of a detective thriller/mystery, because you will definitely get much more than you expect.  Maou has quickly become one of my most favourite series of all time.  

More information on Maou.

A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness

Deep in the heart of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, Diana Bishop – a young scholar and the descendant of witches – unearths an enchanted alchemical manuscript.  Wanting nothing to do with sorcery, she banishes the book to the stacks.  But her discovery has set a fantastical underworld stirring, and soon a horde of daemons, witches, and other creatures descends upon the library.  Among them is the enigmatic Matthew Clairmont, a vampire with a keen interest in the book.  Equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense, A Discovery of Witches is a mesmerizing and addictive tale of passion and obsession that reveals the closely guarded secrets of an enchanted world.  (Back cover)

I’m on a short vacation right now, so I chose to read something very light and escapist.  I don’t want to think about anything too deeply, and this book fit.  I’m a big fan of magic in fantasy literature, so I found this interesting enough.  Another thing that I liked about it was that it dealt a lot with books and libraries.  Magic, books, and libraries – a winning combination. 

Although the book is a hefty 718 pages (mass market paperback), the back cover says about all it actually is.  The heroine, Diana, has been living in denial and suppressing her powerful magical abilities since a very young age.  She turns to the world of academia where she feels that she can accomplish much without needing to use any magic.  But she can’t escape her true nature.  So one day, she finds her hands on an enchanted manuscript.  She didn’t know, however, that for centuries all sorts of creatures have been searching for this tome, having each their own desperate agenda relating to it.  So when she opens the book, other creatures felt its magic as well and soon Diana is being hounded by other witches, daemons, and vampires.  And of course, once a vampire enters the picture, we all know how everything will turn out.  Yep, they fall in love.  Surprise, surprise. 

Matthew Clairmont is your average fantasy vampire.  Around and about him the author uses words like enigmatic, magnetic, tall, dark, mysterious, princely, knight-in-shining-armour, and the like.  You get the drift.  This vampire turns out to be scientist, too.  He is very curious about the genetics behind the different creatures out there – humans, vampires, witches, daemons, etc.  Turns out that the book Diana found may hold the key to his search for the answers he wants.  But of course, there’s a whole lot more they have to deal with.  Suddenly Diana is in terrible danger and Matthew then plays the role of protector.  As their relationship progresses, they find that a lot of things stand in the way of their romance.  Matthew carries a whole lot of history with him – 1500 years of it, to be exact.  Diana has to deal with that.  Then a long-ago covenant made between vampires, daemons, and witches actually forbids inter-species fraternization.  Add to that Diana’s raw magical power spilling out of her uncontrollably, coupled with a troubled past that she has yet to resolve.   So our pair has quite a lot on their supernatural hands. 

What made the book as long as 718 pages?  It was something pretty likeable and interesting, actually.  History, literature, and science.  Since the two protagonists are both scholars, and one of them apparently lived through all 1500 years of history, you get a crash course in those three fields of interest as you follow their tale of “the two of us against the world.”   Although the plot is basic and predictable, I did enjoy going through the crash course.  After all, you’d never get your genetics, physics and chemistry, literature, and history classes spiced up by romance, adventure, and suspense in a university course.  There’s an idea.  Why not throw in a magnetic, brooding vampire and a captivating, intelligent witch into a microbiology lecture?  I’m sure fewer students would be falling asleep as the professor drones on. 

So did I enjoy the book?  Yes.  It fit what I was looking for at the time.  I finished it in two days – all 718 pages of it.  Like I said, it’s light and doesn’t really require much of deep thinking.  You just sit back, imagine yourself in the wonderful world of Oxford, or a medieval castle in France, or surrounded by spectacular books in a great old library.  And oh, don’t forget to imagine yourself surrounded by unnaturally gorgeous peoples.  There.  Plus, I enjoyed the scholarly parts of the story, too.  I tend to read very fast when I’m actually having fun with the book.  So if you think all that’s appealing, then try the book and I hope you enjoy.   

Unscene #12

Kaleidoscope

There was blood everywhere – on the walls, on the bed – the carpet had turned into a sick dark brown where it wasn’t creamy blue.  The boy lay down on his side, clutching a toy gun in his hand.  His mother slumped against the far wall, her bloody hair hanging limp down to her elbows.   The steely odour of all the blood filled Sarah’s head.

She took a step back towards the open window to get a breath of untainted air; her foot hit something that rolled away from her.  Sarah stooped to pick it up and saw that it was a kaleidoscope.  She put it to her eye and watched the patterns dance as she slowly spun the tube.  She had always wanted one when she was a child.  She put it down and walked towards the boy, squatting next to him to stare at the ashen six-year-old face.  Should she think him lucky for having had a kaleidoscope?

Sirens and flashing lights came from the window.  Soon enough Sarah heard footsteps running up the stairs.  She stood back and watched as the policemen rushed into the defiled room, checked the bodies for signs of life, and proceeded to start their investigation.  Of course, no one noticed Sarah as she calmly walked toward the window, threw herself out, and rose to glide away from the once-beautiful house.

Lips of an Angel - Hinder

(Here's one of those really emotional 

heartbreak songs that's just pure... well, heartbreak.

His voice is so husky - perfect for a song like this.)

Honey why you calling me so late?
It's kinda hard to talk right now.
Honey why are you crying? Is everything okay?
I gotta whisper 'cause I can't be too loud

Well, my girl's in the next room
Sometimes I wish she was you
I guess we never really moved on
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak

And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

It's funny that you're calling me tonight
And, yes, I've dreamt of you too
And does he know you're talking to me
Will it start a fight
No I don't think she has a clue

Well my girl's in the next room
Sometimes I wish she was you
I guess we never really moved on
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak

And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak

And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

Honey why you calling me so late?

Music video of "Lips of an Angel"

Angelology - Danielle Trussoni

Sister Evangeline was just a girl when her care was entrusted to the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.  Now at twenty-three, she discovers a 1943 correspondence between the convent’s late mother superior and the famous philanthropist Abigail Rockefeller that plunges her into a secret history stretching back a millennium: an ancient conflict between the Society of Angelologists and the monstrously beautiful descendants of angels and humans, the Nephilim.  Blending biblical lore, the Miltonic fall of the Rebel Angels, the apocryphal book of Enoch, and the myth of Orpheus, Angelology is a Luminous, riveting tale of ordinary people caught up in a battle that will determine the fate of the world. (Back cover synopsis)

I read this book about a month ago.  So a researcher named Verlaine wants to get into the library of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, which is famed for its collection of everything related to angels.  Why?  Because he works for Percival Grigori, a Nephilim who is dying and desperately looking for information leading to a cure for the mysterious disease plaguing him and others of his kind.   Verlaine then meets the lovely Sister Evangeline, and the two begin a search into some pertinent letters of a strange nature related to a certain “discovery” made in 1943.  Thus begins the sometimes adventuresome, sometimes mysterious, a little bit thrilling, and quite intriguing tale of Evangeline’s family history, their relationship with the angelologists, and the war that has been waged against the Nephilim since the time of Noah’s Ark. 

I quite liked this book – there were plenty of well-developed allusions to the Bible, mythologies, world history, and at the same time it gave the possibility of the presence of angels some credence however fantastical.  Very interesting, I thought.  The imagery was well-done; I could quite easily imagine for myself what these Nephilim looked like, their power, their mystique, and so on.   The novel was nicely paced, too, in my opinion.  It’s not unlike reading The Da Vinci Code, that kind of feeling.  Not really the type that gets you hanging at the edge of your seat, no, but enough to intrigue you and hold you and keep you reading.  The thing is, once it was revealed that Evangeline’s grandmother had an affair with Grigori, well it all got predictable from there.  Another thing, the Watchers (fallen angels held prisoner in some cave somewhere in Europe) was a frustration for me.  They were just left there, like abandoned puppies.  I kind of wished the author gave that particular aspect of the story some more development.  One good thing, though, was the ending.  It was kind of hanging but in a good way.  I felt like I could be free to imagine my own conclusion; quite nicely executed, and I’m glad it wasn’t given a candy-coated fairy-tale happy ending.  That would have been really corny.  I wouldn’t call this book a favourite though it was a pretty good read; but if you’re interested in something with an element of angelic fantasy, mystery, detective thrill, history, and mythology, this story might prove worthwhile.

Visit the author's website.

The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch

An orphan’s life is harsh – and often short – in the mysterious island city of Camorr.  But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist.  As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler.  But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly.  Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own game – or die trying… (Book jacket)

Last night I finished reading The Lies of Locke Lamora and I must be allowed to rave.  Scott Lynch delivered such a wonderful kind of magic with this book.  It’s the kind of story that just sweeps you off your feet and takes you on a thrill-laden adventure you just wish you couldn’t come back from.  I never wanted this book to end.

Set in the city/country of Camorr, where the poor resort to whatever desperate means to beat hunger, cold, and find some means to thrive; and the rich live quite literally in gilded towers, the world of The Lies of Locke Lamora has to be one of the most well-conceived, empathic, most adventure-ripe settings I’ve ever encountered.  It is a world that, for all the fantastical elements that make it seem far-removed from our own, is brutally honest and unapologetically stark in its vivid portrayal of human truth.  You can practically smell the stink of the slums and the sweat of the toiling working class right along with seeing the glow and reflected glory of the elite’s glass towers, the shine of their gold. 

The main plot of the novel dwells on the painful and tragic clash between Locke’s Gentleman Bastards and the forces of a mysterious, vengeful foe called the Gray King.  Locke and his band of skilled and audacious con artists are on a big heist when the Gray King suddenly comes into the picture, compelling Locke to be his accomplice in a mad scheme or else.  It would have been easy for Locke and his crew to deal with this guy, but the Gray King had a malignant and terrible ace up his sleeve – a Bondsmage.  Possessing indescribable magical abilities, the Bondsmage made short work of all the Gentleman Bastards’ efforts to resist or fight back.  With him in the Gray King’s employ as well as a crew of seasoned bruisers, assassins, alchemists, and shark-fighting gladiators, Locke and his friends suffered the most horrific, most tragic consequence.  Locke finds himself bereft of almost everything he held dear, and soon begins a desperate campaign for absolute revenge even if it meant he must pay for it with his own life.

Interspersed among the chapters comprising the central plot of the novel are “interludes” where little by little the history of Locke and his companions are revealed.  Where did they come from, how they all met, who taught them the skills required for them to ply their “trade”, and what were the experiences that brought them together and turned them into a unit as close-knit as any family tied by blood – all these and more are illuminated, rendering you further and further absorbed into their lives.  As a reader I felt so close to them I could just imagine the sound of their voices and footfalls.  I felt so much for them, that it hit me doubly hard when things started to turn bad.  And then I really couldn’t stop turning the pages anymore.  Not knowing immediately what would happen next was plainly unthinkable.  The book just took me by a death-grip and pulled and pushed me to the very end.  Spectacular kind of compulsion, this, that only a good story can deliver.  My eyes felt so sore by the time I finished the book, deep into the dead of night.  I think I might have tried not to blink.   

I loved all the characters, even the bad guys (they were such utterly despicable hell-spawns… perfect), but I developed a soft spot for Locke.  He was a splendid thing.  In spite of being a profligate thief, a shameless liar, and a (somewhat unintentional) killer, he still maintained his own particular brand of innocence and naiveté.  I could just imagine him swagger through town all self-assured and witness his deft mummery.  A rakish leader he might be, but he also deeply cared for his family the way a rough but loving elder brother would.  And then, just like any loving brother would, he turned coldly unforgiving and merciless to those who sought to harm his family.  Relentless in his pursuit for vengeance, his ruthlessness can only be matched by none other than that of his enemy, the Gray King. 

This book was just lent to me by a good friend, but I swear by all that’s holy (or unholy) I will grab myself a copy as soon as I spot it, as well as all of the sequels (I think there are two by now) so that I may re-read at my leisure.  This is just the kind of book that I cherish – one that lets me escape into another world without ever leaving my seat (actually in my case, bed).  How is it possible to get an adrenaline rush while lying down and cuddling with a book?  Well, when the book happens to be something like this.  

Scott Lynch Website 

Silver Linings Playbook

One of the most interesting movies I’ve come across recently, its story revolves around Pat, who suffers from bipolar disorder.  He was admitted into a mental facility for treatment after nearly beating to death his wife’s lover after he caught them in the act to the background of ‘Ma Cherie Amour’ which happens to be his wedding song.  Whew that was a mouthful.    So, Pat checks out of the loony bin enlightened, positive, and out to find the silver lining in everything.  He sets for himself the goal of reconciling with his wife.  In the process of trying to get his life back, his not-quite stable relationship with his parents, his brother, and his friends are revealed little by little.  He and his parents try to walk the delicate balance of being a family again and dealing with Pat’s condition.  In an effort to establish contact with his wife (who has a restraining order against him), he goes to dinner at her friend’s home and that is where he meets Tiffany.  Now Tiffany is a piece of work.  Widowed at a young age, depressed, and slightly crazy herself, she has a reputation for sleeping around and having many unsavoury relationships with men.  After that dinner, she propositions Pat, he refuses, and thus begins their quirky friendship.  More things happen (football games, tantrums, bets, promises, superstitions, etc.) and the happily ever after soon hangs upon the result of a dance competition.  Like I said before, this story is very interesting.  I loved it to bits.

I really liked Bradley Cooper as Pat.  You just felt for the guy – he just wanted to get a second chance and be happy.  But it was Jennifer Lawrence who gave the most noteworthy wonderful performance – assuredly deserving of the award she received.  Tiffany was like a bomb onscreen.  She was just big and all over the place and you couldn’t look away from her.  Lawrence gave the character ample amounts of guts and nerve and vulnerability – it was just awfully raw and very refreshing, even in spite of all the f**k words and other such colourful expletives.   What surprised me was that Robert De Niro did not win for his supporting role.  He was brilliant!  I loved all the scenes where he was there, and my heart just bled for him, the darling man.   Oh well, I’m sure the winner was just as good if not better.  But for me, De Niro was simply awesome.   Alternately heart-wrenching, laugh-out-loud-inducing, and thought-provoking, if you haven’t seen this movie yet, you should. 

Silver Linings Playbook Official Trailer

The Foundation Series - Isaac Asimov

I experienced these five books through audio.  I listened to them as I was working on my latest cross-stitch project (The Kiss).  I have been dreaming of getting my hands on these books since high school (that was a long time ago) when I began to fall in love with sci-fi and fantasy.  Of course the first name in sci-fi is Isaac Asimov.  In the realm of sci-fi and fantasy (indeed, in all Literature) the man is a GOD.  Unfortunately I never did get a hold of them (so many destitute hours spent scouring second-hand books for a complete set because I couldn’t afford them brand new) and I despaired of ever acquiring the whole series.  Then through the miracle of modern technology, I got myself the audiobooks.  Hallelujah!   In this blog post I will not give you a summary of these books anymore since there are any number of synopses and summaries available elsewhere online (I know how terribly lazy that sounds but what the heck), so allow me to simply share some of my thoughts as I journeyed through this most spectacular and legendary series.

What I admired most about the whole thing was the continuity of the story.  Each ‘segment’ wherein the events of the series unfold was supposed to be centuries and light years apart, and yet it all seemed to make sense that the events were still related to each other and affected one another in profound ways.  It was just a hell of an IMAGINATION that put all of it together in such a plausible, believable set-up.   The cohesiveness astounded me.   The fact that it all melded and made startling sense attested to Asimov’s skill at construction.  And it wasn’t just that.   The characters were alive and human, with human strengths and equally human failings.  You learned lessons from them and they made you think on yourself and your life and how you deal with other people just as human as you.  It made you ponder deeply about the world and why we are here; why we struggle so hard for unnameable unseen things, and why we want to be free to live our lives as both individuals and as a society.  I am awed by how deeply and how clearly Asimov understood human nature and human struggle.  I wonder how long the author took to come up with ways to put all of it together.  But then, he was a genius.  It probably took all of five minutes.

I loved the voice of Larry McKeever.  He gave the story such life and the characters distinct personalities.  As I listened to him narrate and dramatize, I could almost see the story unfold with my own eyes.  Nothing, but nothing beats a great story told by a great story-teller.  Through his voice the series was given thrill, mystery, drama, and even comedy at times.  He pulled you in and didn’t let you go until the last word.   Listening to him was an absolute pleasure. 

Altogether I listened to five books: Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation, Foundation’s Edge, and Foundation and Earth.  While I found most every character engaging and interesting, I had a few favorites here and there.  First was Hari Seldon (of course!) – the Godfather of the Foundation, the Big Daddy, the Mover and Shaker.  He came up with the science of psychohistory, which predicted the future by looking at the trends of mass motions.  At the beginning of Foundation, he predicted the inevitable downfall of the Empire and the virtual collapse of human society on a galactic scale.  Thus began the events that enabled Seldon to set up the Foundation in order to save mankind from itself – an effort that will take thousands of years to reach full circle.  Second favorite character was Bayta Darrell (Foundation and Empire).  I love these strong, intelligent women with enough heart to temper their coolness.  She was the one who prevented the Mule (major baddie) from discovering the location of the Second Foundation, thus saving the galaxy from the tyrannical rule of a slightly deranged megalomaniac with some extraordinarily impressive mutant abilities.   Third favorite was Golan Trevize (Foundation’s Edge, Foundation and Earth), who staunchly refused the idea of all the galaxy becoming a “unified mind” or “a unified organism” where all its constituents are constantly aware and connected to each other.  In other words, he didn’t like the idea of eventually wiping out individuality.   Even though “unification” has it’s obvious advantages, he persisted on fighting against the idea, going around the galaxy to find an explanation for this dilemma, and trying to stand up for the individuality that he believed made people “human.”  Did he find the answers he desperately searched for?  Did Hari Seldon manage to save the world?  I leave it to you to discover for yourself, and I wish you as much fun in the journey as I had.  

More information about The Foundation Series.

Shelter from the Storm - Bob Dylan

I was in another lifetime one of toil and blood

When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud

I come in from the wilderness a creature void of form

"Come in" she said

"I'll give you shelter from the storm".

And if I pass this way again you can rest assured

I'll always do my best for her on that I give my word

In a world of steel-eyed death and men who are fighting to be warm

"Come in" she said

"I'll give you shelter from the storm".

Not a word was spoke between us there was no risk involved

Nothing up to that point had even been resolved

Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm

"Come in" she said

"I'll give you shelter from the storm".

I was burned out from exhaustion buried in the hail

Poisoned in the bushes and blown out on the trail

Hunted like a crocodile ravaged in the corn

"Come in" she said

"I'll give you shelter from the storm".

Suddenly I turned around and she was standing there

With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair

She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns

"Come in" she said

"I'll give you shelter from the storm".

Now the bonds are broken but they can be retied

By one more journey to the woods the house where spirits hide

It’s a never ending battle for a piece that’s always torn

"Come in" she said

"I'll give you shelter from the storm".

Well the deputy walks on hard nails and the preacher rides a mount

But nothing really matters much it's doom alone that counts

And the one-eyed undertaker he blows a futile horn

"Come in" she said

"I'll give you shelter from the storm".

I've heard newborn babies wailing like a mourning dove

And old men with broken teeth stranded without love

Do I understand your question man is it hopeless and forlorn

"Come in" she said

"I'll give you shelter from the storm".

Now there's a wall between us something there's been lost

I took too much for granted got my signals crossed

Just to think that it all began on an uneventful morn

"Come in" she said

"I'll give you shelter from the storm".

In a little hilltop village they gambled for my clothes

I bargained for salvation and they gave me a lethal dose

I offered up my innocence and got repaid with scorn

"Come in" she said

"I'll give you shelter from the storm".

Well I'm living in a foreign country but I'm bound to cross the line

Beauty walks a razor's edge someday I'll make it mine

If I could only turn back the clock to when God and her were born

"Come in" she said

"I'll give you shelter from the storm".

Sprout (2012)

This is a very high school story, if there ever was one.   I decided to give it a try so as to give myself a break from all the other things I’ve been on to lately that tended to be more on the serious, psychological, and dark-themed persuasion.  I’d say it was cute, if you liked this kind of high school candy.  I’m sure many out there would like it.

Souhei, along with two other people, end up as boarders in Miku’s home.  Things get awkward at first – Miku wasn’t really willing to let strangers invade her cushy home-life.  But then soon enough she develops a crush on Souhei and thinks of him as her “fated person.”  Problem is, Souhei has a girlfriend, Miyuki.  Miku, while not exactly popular in school, finds herself creating an awkward friendship with Miyuki, who gets bullied and gossiped about.  And then there’s Hayato, Souhei’s best friend, who ends up falling for Miku.  It’s a four-way street from there.  The story goes through the motions of showing the awkwardness of youth, naivete, first love, and heartbreak through a dewy summer-themed lens to the background song Betty’s a Bombshell by Grouplove.  I rather liked this song.  As to the series, the pace was good – thirty minute episodes, so it went quite fast and didn’t get too boring.  The thing is, the actors (except perhaps for the Souhei kid) came off as stiff, cold, and awkward; as if they didn’t feel quite comfortable with their roles.  But come to think of it, given the themes, they were supposed to look awkward and uncomfortable, being teens trying to figure things out by trial and error, yes?  Oh well.   Anyway, it wasn’t all that bad.  It’s good for something light and cute, if that’s what you’re after.  Enjoy! 

Empire - Orson Scott Card

Another Orson Scott Card book that had been waiting for my attention for quite some time now, I finally picked Empire up.  I must say it’s entirely different from the other books I’ve read by the same author – rather surprisingly so.  It’s about a group of American soldiers trying to prevent an American civil war, all the while not really knowing whether they are being manipulated by a very clever, ambitious dictator-wannabe in such a way that in the end everything will fall perfectly into place so that he may take complete control of America. 

 This book followed in the wake of September 11, and I have to say it carried a sense of paranoia all throughout the story.  Mr. Card did however, give a rather lengthy explanation for his reasons to write such a story at the end of the novel.  I will not dwell on that – the politics behind terrorism and civil wars and dictatorships, and so on – I would much rather take the story as I see it.  It’s a very interesting and engaging story after all. 

So Reuben Malich is a brilliant soldier.  From the outset he’s given this all-around-good-guy heroic image.  He seems to have everything and he’s on the way to the top.  And of course someone like him has to be set up for a downfall by the bad guys – in this case Averell Torrent, our ambitious little baddie who thinks himself a Roman Emperor in the making.  Reuben along with Cole, his trusty sidekick, almost but not quite succeed in foiling an attempt to assassinate the President of the USA.  From there begins the many trials and tribulations that Reuben and Cole must go through to get to the truth of what’s really happening in the White House.  Conspiracies galore; left wing vs. right wing factions; a hostile takeover of New York City by weird walking tanks, and so on and so forth, in the center of which is Reuben.  And then Reuben is murdered.  Just like that.  I almost cried!  I couldn’t believe it.  Right smack in the middle of the story the hero dies.  I must admit that throughout the rest of the novel I was hoping that Reuben would pop back out somewhere, that he really planned to fake his own murder, etc.  But he didn’t.  He died.  So it’s up to Cole, Reuben’s wife, and Reuben’s loyal group of soldier-brothers to save the day.  In the end, Averell Torrent is the uncontested President of the USA.  What the hell?!  But the book was quite a statement – it clearly reveals Orson Scott Card’s opinion of governments, wars, religion, heroism, family, and friendship.  I rather think he’s an idealist who’s a bit frustrated by the way things aren’t going in the ideal fashion.

Anyway, it’s good.  I couldn’t let go of the book.  The characters were interesting and the conspiracies were intricate.  The pace was really tight and exciting and you just want to know what they’re going to do next, whether the conspiracy will be revealed or not, who’s really the bad guy, or is the bad guy not so bad after all?   It got to the point where it’s frustrating and I just wanted to skip the remaining pages between where I was and the last page of the story to peek at the ending (I try to never do this with any book – peek at the ending, I mean.).  This is quite a novel experience for me because even though you wouldn’t really call this a politics-themed story, it did have a healthy dose of government jargon and politics involved, which I usually dislike reading about (I read Primary Colors  a couple of years ago and I really didn’t like it one bit, sorry.).  I just hate politics, local or foreign.  Politicians to me are all the same rotten banana, all out to line their own pockets with the honest money the common people shed their blood and sweat for, all the while spouting public service and for the good of the people  yadda, yadda.  But anyway, I actually liked this book.  It was exciting and thrilling and interesting all the way.  So even though the theme didn’t appeal much to me, I’m still glad I gave it a try.  It might be a while, though, before I willingly pick up another similarly themed story.  Better be careful.  

Warm Bodies

I must admit to a considerable amount of prejudice against this movie since I first heard of it.  Zombies have never been my thing.  I do remember enjoying Night of the Living Dead when I was young, and I had loads of fun playing Resident Evil on PlayStation; I stand on the ambivalence line when it comes to The Walking Dead though I did appreciate the first few episodes of Season 1… but all in all, I’ve always thought that zombies were overrated.  Probably because they’ve been saturating everything over the past few years – like vampires and werewolves and wizards and aliens and angels and ghosts… yeah the whole kit and caboodle.  I’ve grown tired of them.  I don’t know exactly what made me think of giving this one a chance, but whatever the reason, I’m glad it got through to me.

I found Warm Bodies to be a pleasant surprise.  Alternately witty, grisly, and heart-warming, it was fun to follow right from the start.  R is a zombie who’s trying his damndest to hold on to his humanity.  He even tries to maintain a zombie-friendship with M, who seems to still be a little bit on the responsive side as well.  Then on one of their “hunts” for food (human brain, in particular), they smell out a group of still living people scavenging for medical supplies.  In this group are Julie and Perry, and R is immediately struck by Julie when he sees her.  But then a violent encounter ensues and R ends up eating the brains of Perry, who happens to be Julie’s boyfriend.  This allows him to acquire some of Perry’s memories.  Seeing Julie in the dead Perry’s memories, R becomes even more affected by her.  He then does the unthinkable – he protects Julie from the other zombies and takes her back with him to his cushy little zombie pad.  And the rest of this charming little story follows.  I really enjoyed it.

But what I loved most was the music.  This movie has the awesomest soundtrack ever – or at least to my ears in particular.  I’m gonna try to find me a CD of this soundtrack every time I pass a record store from now on.  Songs from John Waite, Axl Rose, Bob Dylan, and so many others – just awesome!   I wish we still had our old turntable.  I have such fond memories of our stack of vinyls – my mom would play them on Sunday mornings at full volume and we’d just all be screaming along to the songs.  R was right when he said they just sound more “alive.”  I swear I’m gonna get me this soundtrack. 

Warm Bodies official trailer