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 

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.

Adam of the Road - Elizabeth Janet Gray

“A road’s a kind of holy thing… it brings all kinds of people and all parts of England together.”  Eleven-year-old Adam loved to travel throughout thirteenth-century England with his father, a wandering minstrel, and his dog, Nick.  But when Nick is stolen and his father disappears, Adam suddenly finds himself alone.  He searches the same roads he travelled with his father, meeting farmers, pilgrims, minstrels, priests, and thieves along the way.  Through these encounters, Adam discovers that somewhere in the crowds of people are his father and his dog.  But will Adam be able to find them and end his desperate search?  (Book jacket)

First published in 1942, this timeless tale of adventure, friendship, and self-discovery was a winner of the Newberry Medal.  Upon finishing the book, I immediately thought it might as well have been the precursor to Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, only this is for younger readers. 

I loved Adam immediately.  He knew what he wanted from life – he was a minstrel, born and bred.  He couldn’t tolerate the thought of becoming anything else.  And so, stuck in an Abbey school where his father left him for some learning and bored out of his mind, he arranges for a way to sneak out and visit his faithful beloved spaniel, Nick.  One day, his father (undoubtedly the best minstrel in all the world, thinks Adam) comes back to get him, and he’s sure to become a real minstrel now that he, his father, and Nick will be on the road together at last.   Thus begins his adventures.  Songs and tales of love and adventure are learned, money earned and spent, lovely ladies and gallant knights, hard-won friendships to be made, and shady characters to be met.  Recklessly Adam’s father, Roger the minstrel, lost their war-horse Bayard in a bet to the same culprit who eventually will steal his Nick.  Sorely grieved by the loss of his dog, Nick goes after the man, and loses his father in the process – now he is truly alone.  But there is no choice but to keep going and soon he realizes that to a minstrel, the road is as good a home as any home could be.    Filled with music, wit, life’s wisdom, and beautifully illustrated, I absolutely recommend this book to one and all.  

Rurouni Kenshin (Live Action Movie) 2012

Finally the long-awaited live action film has been released in Manila. This movie was released in Japan in August of this year, and so many Filipino fans have been waiting for it to come to our shores.  The anime adaptation (then called Samurai X) gained so much popularity here, that it was run and rerun on TV several times over.  If you ever were a follower of this series, you must not miss the live action movie!  It's absolutely worth the wait. 

It's a nearly perfect adaptation.  From the characters, the plot, the nuances and the overall atmosphere of the story-line; it strove to be as faithful to the original as possible and I really appreciate this fact.  It makes me want to see the entire anime series from start to finish all over again.  The fight scenes were really cool, not exaggerated or spoiled by too much obvious computer magic.  I'm glad they managed to show the variety of fighting styles that were such a big deal in the anime version, especially Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu (how quickly he moves, etc., it was really exciting to see it). The portrayals were also as good as I hoped; the actors played their parts well.  There were even a good number of comedic moments which the original versions had plenty of.  Takeru Sato was great as Kenshin; I think it quite suited him to play the part.  He was able to show the many sides of Kenshin's complex tormented character - torn between his nature as a killer, and his deep-seated yearning for peace and belonging.   

My favorite fight scenes: the fight between Kenshin and Gein (the guy with the guns and the dagger), the fight scene between Kenshin and Jine (the one who pretended to be Battousai), and the fight between Sanosuke and Inui (the priest-type fist-fighter).  Those are just my favorites, but generally all the fight scenes were thrilling and bloody and splendid.  The only thing I would have wanted to see more of, really, was Saito (the samurai-turned-police chief) since in the anime he really had a lot to do with Kenshin's life.  But I suppose the film would have gone a little too long if even more character development was expounded upon.  As it is, I personally think it's perfectly awesome.  Obviously, I'm a fan. 

More information on Rurouni Kenshin (Live Action Movie)

A Wizard of Earthsea - Ursula K. Le Guin

Ged was the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, but once he was called Sparrowhawk, a reckless youth, hungry for power and knowledge, who tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world.  This is the tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death’s threshold to restore the balance.  (Book cover)

This is exactly the kind of book that I love to read, and dream I could write – intelligent, deep, thought-provoking, and with magic and dragons in it!  I have loved Ursula K. Le Guin for a long time, but it had been especially difficult for me to find a complete set of her Earthsea books.   At last, on a serendipitous foray into an obscure corner of my small world (Cubao  J), I came upon a second-hand-books store that had it!  Joyous day it was indeed!  I tried not to get too excited, so I let the books settle for a while in my bookshelf, let them get used to the atmosphere of my room, but constantly I knew they were there, waiting for me.   The Earthsea series has spawned a radio dramatization, a television series, and even an anime film from the famed Studio Ghibli.

So Ged learns from a very young age that unlike the other kids, he’s special, gifted – he can do magic!  His beginnings weren’t so bad, he was a naturally curious child who liked to explore and learn more and more about his world and about what he can do in it.  He even ends up helping to save his village from savage invaders, risking his life in the process.  Good thing someone comes along to take him in hand, his teacher, Ogion.  The benevolent and quiet old man believed the boy to be incredibly powerful and sees in him unlimited potential, but Ged is impatient and impulsive.  He thinks the teacher isn’t actually teaching him anything.  So he does something that will have terrible consequences later – in secret he reads a dangerous book and summons up an unexplained darkness that no one will be powerful enough to confront, except Ged himself.   Ogion then does the only thing he could do at that point – he sends the rough-hewn Ged to wizard school, that he may learn what he needs to become a powerful wizard. 

Everyone at school acknowledges Ged’s undeniable giftedness.  But there he meets Jasper, older, more learned and just as confident in his skills as Ged was in his; they quickly rub each other the wrong way.  And though Ged makes good friends in Vetch and in the other aspiring wizards, he carries a constant grudge toward Jasper.  Then comes the fateful day when, issuing a challenge against Jasper, he ends up releasing the Shadow into the world.  In a desperate attempt to save Ged’s life, the Archmage sacrifices his, and Ged is left to hover at the border of life and death.  Thus begins his true development into the wizard he was destined to be, and his journey all over Earthsea in a quest to defeat the unnamed evil no one else but he could possibly face.

I loved every single word of this book.  Reading it, you can clearly see that the author has a profound understanding of what it means to be human – imperfect.  I love the fact that Ged started off just like any other kid who knows that he’s got something that other kids don’t.  He was cocky, boastful, arrogant, and with a little mean streak that helped him dominate all the other kids.  But of course, the world knows exactly how to teach kids like this the lesson that they need.  Ged learns humility the hard way.  In many ways he reminds me strongly of Beowulf (Yes, hero of the earliest known epic in the English language.  Read that, too!).  The point is that Ged learns from his terrible experiences, acknowledges his faults, and works hard to try to remedy the situation himself.  He doesn’t just give up and hide in a corner somewhere, asking other people to protect him.  In the process, he discovers just who his real friends are, and what it means to be only a small part of the great balance of the world, and that having power doesn’t mean having control and dominion over what or who seems powerless. 

I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!  I sincerely hope that whoever you are, wherever you are in the world, you may also find something that gives you such pleasure and joy as well-told stories like the Earthsea Saga does for me. 

Ursula K. Le Guin's website

The Red Necklace and The Silver Blade - Sally Gardner

The winds of change are blowing through Paris in the winter of 1789, both for France and for our hero, a striking and mysterious Gypsy boy named Yann Margoza.  He was born with a gift for knowing what people are thinking and an uncanny ability to throw his voice, and he has been using those skills while working for a rather foolish magician.  That work will soon end, however, and on the night of the magician’s final performance, Yann’s life will truly begin.  That’s the night he meets shy Sido, an heiress with a cold-hearted father, a young girl who has only known loneliness until now.  Though they have the shortest of conversations, an attachment is born that will influence both their paths.

And what paths those will be!  While Revolution is afoot in France, Sido is being used as the pawn of a fearful villain who goes by the name Count Kalliovski.  Some have instead called him the devil, and only Yann, for Sido’s sake, will dare oppose him. (Book jacket, “The Red Necklace”)

As the French Revolution descends into nightmare, Yann Margoza, a mysterious and extraordinary practitioner of magic, uses his skills to confound his enemies and help spirit refugees out of France.  If he fails, their fates lie under the blade of the guillotine.  But the question of Yann’s true identity and the kidnapping of his true love, Sido, expose him to dangers that threaten to destroy him.  With Paris on the verge of collapse, Yann must summon all his strength and courage to rescue his beloved Sido and outwit the devil’s own – this time for good. (Book jacket, “The Silver Blade”)

Strongly reminiscent of two other of my favorite books (The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy and The Fallen Angels by Susannah Kells), I immediately fell in love with these two books.  What strange serendipity that all three stories happen to be set in the French Revolution and all three are stories of adventure, intrigue and heroism with a generous touch of romance.  I guess I am a sucker for this kind of story.  The main distinction that differentiates Gardner’s books from Baroness Orczy’s and Kells’ books is that they are geared towards a young adult audience.  Compared to “Pimpernel” and “Fallen Angels” these two are quite light, easy, and fantastical.  There was no element of the magical/supernatural in either “Pimpernel” or “Fallen Angels” (just the most thrilling sly and ingenious cleverness and wit) whereas Gardner’s books held a healthy dose of magic.  In fact, there was a scene in The Silver Blade that I felt bordered on the awkward and incongruous (I won’t relate it here, for fear of giving spoilers), but I enjoyed the story so much that I didn't mind a little deus ex machina.  Why is it so rare to find stories like these nowadays?  I thank the gods that I managed to stumble upon these books at a book sale – there they lay in a random pile of pitiful-looking marked-down books and when I saw them, I didn't even think twice.  They were practically calling out my name.  It was fate, definitely fate – and I only paid a seventh of the original price for them!  Fabulous.

What I liked most about these two books is that although the plot centers on the love story between Yann and Sido, it does not detract attention from the deeper underlying themes that pervade the setting of the tale.  The French Revolution was a brutal episode in human history.  It began with noble ideals – equality, fairness, justice, liberty, and so many other lofty dreams – but all too quickly deteriorated into a violent bloodbath where neither the guilty nor the innocent were spared of the lash of human greed and conceit.  Yann suffered the dilemma of his role as a ghostly, magical rescuer colliding with his longing to be free of the blood-covered Hell that Paris had become and simply be together with Sido.  Added into the mix was the fact that he had to confront the monsters of his own personal history, the origin of his strange abilities, and the fearful enemy that threatened him and all those he loved. I appreciated that the hero of this story was portrayed in such a way as to be cognizant enough of the meaning of responsibility and mindful of the consequences of selfishness – especially since this tale was meant for a young adult audience.   Heavens know that young people (everyone, in fact, not just the young) nowadays need to learn that particular lesson among many others.   I also liked the fact that Sido was not satisfied with being a prettified doll sitting in the lap of luxury and wealth, that she managed to overcome her imperfections and didn't settle with being a typecast figure.  Her character clearly showed that wealth and luxury can be as stifling and restricting as any other prison, and she chose not to let herself be held by those opulent bindings. 

While these books are apparently romance-themed, I appreciated the fact that more than being about romance, they dwelt heavily on adventure and heroism, about taking risks and making excruciating decisions and sacrifices.  The plot was quickly paced and exciting – not a dull moment.  It carried you through the characters’ fears, frustrations, dangers, and joys.  You could witness the unfolding of events of one of the most crucial times of history as you followed their tale.  Just wonderful.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a well-told tale, and who wants to savor the closing of a book with a full head and a full heart. 

Please also read The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Fallen Angels if you come across them.  Enjoy! 

Click here for Sally Gardner's website.

Enchantment - Orson Scott Card

Book jacket synopsis:

The moment young Ivan stumbled upon a clearing in the dense Carpathian forest, his life was forever changed.  Atop a pedestal encircled by fallen leaves, the beautiful princess Katerina lay as still as death – while a malevolent presence stirred in the hidden depths below.

Now years later, Ivan is compelled to return.  He finds the clearing just as he left it.  This time he does not run…

This is probably the third or fourth time I’ve reread this book.  It’s one of those stories that I gravitate towards when the world around me seems to have lost all its magic, and all its inhabitants seem to be moving about merely following patterns that loop back and never change.

As the title suggests, it’s a story that lets me want to believe that there are still some things beautiful and wonderful in the world.  I’ve mentioned before that I’ve always had a special fondness for fairy tales, and that Sleeping Beauty is my favourite.  Well, this particular adaptation of Sleeping Beauty is one of the best I’ve ever encountered so far.

We meet Ivan, a ten-year-old Russian boy, suffering from identity crisis.  His parents have suddenly decided that everyone will turn Jew – and that this will have serious implications as to which parts of his anatomy will remain unscathed; all this in a desperate effort to escape Russia.  They sojourn at a relative’s farm in Ukraine, where on one of his running sprees, Ivan finds the sleeping princess Katerina and runs away, frightened by the palpable evil that guards her resting place.  The family flies to America where Ivan grows up to be a scholar and an athlete; but not for one moment has he forgotten the mysterious clearing, and the sleeping beauty that lies in the middle of a great chasm filled with dead leaves. He returns to her, unable to move on with his life unless he does, and when he does find her he takes his destiny in hand and his life – as well as Katerina’s – become hopelessly entangled in events that lead them to discover what truly mattered in their lives.  But did he actually end up saving the princess, or bringing her further trouble?  Was Ivan the man that the princess needed, or will he end up regretting his actions and wishing he had left Katerina trapped under the curse forever? 

Baba Yaga is certainly powerful, but it is never enough.  She ensorcells Bear, the god of winter, and taps into his power, using it to get even more.  The curse she placed on Katerina and the Bear seemed fool proof, until Ivan came along.  And now she must use all her wiles and employ all her magic to get everything back to how she wishes it to be.  But even as they find themselves betrayed left and right by people supposedly trustworthy, Ivan and Katerina manage to find some allies of their own. 

I love how this book sent me back in time to when I was a kid eating up all the books on folk tales in my school library.  I remember the tales from Russia; Baba Yaga and the Bear, and brave Ivan who had as many or even more adventures than did the more western Jack.  I loved that the characters that peopled this story weren’t glamorized.  They all had their own problems to deal with – even the witch and the gods had their unpleasant circumstances to face.  I love that both Ivan and Katerina were not your stereotypical fairy tale prince and princess.  They both surely had their many failings right along with the qualities that redeem them in each other’s eyes.  But their journey is a long and perilous one, filled with magic and science, bitterness and betrayal, and intertwined along with theirs are the lives of everyone around them. How were they to know that they held the fragile balance of the world in their hands?  Too many times in the book did it seem doubtful that goodness, nobility, sacrifice, and even love would make any difference in their efforts against their terrible and powerful adversary.  And I am taken along for the ride.  I follow them across the unseen bridge through time and space into two different worlds, each with their own brand of good and evil, of truth and lies, and most of all, of magic. 

As long as I can read, and as long as the pages of this book are intact, I believe I shall never tire of reading it over and over.  Rarely is there ever such a book that comes this close to the soul that once it is found, it is ever let go.  I hope you find such a book yourself, and gain a revitalizing source of magic when and where there seems to be no more magic to be found. 

Final Fantasy Tactics for PS1

A warrior takes sword in hand, clasping a gem to his heart...

Engraving vanishing memories into the sword,

He places finely honed skills into the stone.

Spoken from the sword, handed down from the stone,

Now the story can be told...

The Zodiac Brave Story

I am reliving my long-lost youth again by playing this game.  It's my all-time favorite.  It's much like playing chess.  You need to be a pretty good strategist to really enjoy it.  The story is fabulous, too.  Of course this is a Final Fantasy game, after all, so the indispensables are there: epic battles, unrecognized heroes, gods and deities, dragons, castles, princes and princesses, and a quest to save the world.  Too bad they never made another like it, though there have been so many that have adapted a similar format.  I'm so glad it could be downloaded for the PS3.  I highly recommend it.  Enjoy! 

Thomas the Rhymer - Ellen Kushner

The best thing about this story is the music.  You could almost see yourself in the halls of the kings and nobles, in the gardens and fountains, and in the magical realm of Elfland, immersed in the powerful music and magic of minstrelsy.  Seldom have I encountered a book with so much music and sound in it.  You will hear the susurration of silks, the rustling of leaves, the baa-ing of sheep, stories of tragic loves and heroic rescues, and music, music, music. It’s wonderful to hear music from your own imagination, brought to you by the power of words on a page.

The book gives us the life of Thomas, a minstrel.  We meet him first when, as a young travelling harper trying to find escape from the consequences of his youthful indiscretions, he finds himself in the care of a farmer and his wife deep in the quiet countryside.  He sings them his songs, new and old, and shares with them the gift of his music. The couple takes him in and is soon as fond of him as if he was their own child.  There among the hills, ranges, meadows, and music he meets Elspeth.  Their love is young and innocent, playful and easy.  But Thomas’ fate takes a drastic turn when one day while taking a stroll through the trees, he encounters the wondrous Queen of Elfland, who strikes a bargain with him and takes him from Earth and into her magical realm to be her lover and servant for seven years. 

In Elfland Thomas meets many strange and wonderful characters.  Hunter, the queen’s brother, tries to challenge him at every turn.  Thomas’ invisible servant sees to his needs but also hides a grim and sad story of her own.  There is the dove that weeps tears of blood when it hears Thomas’ music – bespelled by Hunter.  There is the King Who Waits, who calls Thomas “brother” and with whom Thomas feels a strange bond.  And then of course, the Queen.  He serves as her harper and singer in the halls and as the lover in her bed.  Thomas’ time in Elfland is full of magical stories, mysteries and riddles that he must solve, as well as innocents he feels compelled to save from cruel fates.  His true mettle as a minstrel is tested there, and he learns more about himself and about life and death from his incredible experiences.  At the end of seven years, and as a reward for solving a riddle and making a noble sacrifice, the Queen returns him to Earth with the gift of “a tongue that cannot lie.” 

I will leave the rest of the story for you to discover.  It is filled with magic and music.  If you enjoy a good, colorful fantasy enhanced by lyrical and imaginative storytelling, then you will appreciate this book.  It is a winner of the World Fantasy Award and Mythopoeic Fantasy Award.  It also strongly reminded me of the tale of “Tam Lin” (I think it might be based loosely on this folk tale because of the many similarities and direct references.) and “Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell” which I also enjoyed immensely and consider as one of the most memorable books I ever read.  In any case, I believe "Thomas the Rhymer" is definitely worth reading.  Enjoy! 

Psychic Detective Yakumo （心霊探偵八雲）

I just finished watching this anime series.  心霊探偵八雲 (Shinrei Tantei Yakumo) was released in 2010, and was based on a novel by Manabu Kaminaga.  They also adapted the same story into a manga (Japanese comic book series), a live action drama series, and a stage play, I think. 

The story revolves around Yakumo, whose left eye is a demonic red colour and with which he is able to see the spirits of the dead. Because of this “affliction” he chooses to keep to himself and tries to isolate himself by being quite abrasive and anti-social.  Things begin to change when he meets Haruka, a girl who heard of his rumoured psychic abilities, and came to consult with him regarding the possession of her friend by the spirits of some dead.  Haruka is the first person Yakumo met who thinks his red eye is beautiful and who doesn’t behave as if he’s some kind of freak.  They solve her case, and from then on the connection is made.  As the series progresses, we meet the other characters whose lives are intertwined with Yakumo’s.  As more and more strange cases are thrown their way, they begin to discover that the master manipulator and perpetrator of these crimes is actually someone who is targeting none other than Yakumo himself. We get to know more and more about Yakumo as his mysterious past is slowly unveiled and he begins to change into a much kinder person who is more accepting of himself and of others.

The pace of the series is good enough, and the storyline holds enough mystery that carries you well to the last episode – there is never too much information revealed to make it predictable at any point during the series.  I also liked the soundtrack; I found it fitting with the mood and tone of the story.  Character development is where my peeve lies, especially with regard to the villain.  The villain’s persona went largely ignored and I was left with too many unanswered questions.  How did he get to be the way he is?  What were his motivations?  Personally, I really like it when a story is as much about the villain as it is about the hero; or when the lines are really blurred between these roles.  That’s not the only problem here either.  All the other characters, except Yakumo, are pretty much flat and stereotyped.  But then, I suppose the story is supposed to be all about Yakumo anyway, so.  I’d say this anime is pretty entertaining and interesting.  It wasn’t boring, but it wouldn’t be in my top ten.  Give it a try, maybe it’d be more to your taste than mine.  Have fun! 

Allan Quartermain - H. Rider Haggard

I’ve kept this book waiting on my shelf for the better part of two years.  I’d bought the copy out of sheer curiosity, and because it was being sold quite cheaply.  The curiosity began in 2003 when they came out with the movie “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.”  At that time, I didn’t know that Allan Moore had made a graphic novel series on which the movie was based.  But the idea of putting together several central figures from beloved and memorable literary classics in one highly commercialized mash-up of a Hollywood cash cow seemed quite intriguing to me.  So I saw the flick, was sufficiently entertained, and left with an itch to read or reread the books where those characters came from. 

H. Rider Haggard wrote “King Solomon’s Mines” and “Allan Quartermain” in the late 1800’s.  I don’t know much about this period, but I assume that Haggard was one of the founding fathers of the adventure genre (correct me if I’m wrong).  There have been so many stories, movies and TV shows that featured the character of Allan Quartermain over the years.  He is a very popular example of the British gentleman-adventurer.  In these two books, Quartermain takes the voice of the narrator as he tells the stories of the many challenges and daring adventures that he undergoes. 

Surprisingly, Allan describes himself as a coward, preferring to run away and confronting only when there is no other recourse.  In the books, his actions are often motivated by financial needs, but in Allan Quartermain he set out adventuring for a deeper reason and well, just for the heck of it.  He has plenty of respect for the Africans – calling them brave and noble.  I never encountered a line that seemed derogatory towards them.  The book has what you could only expect from the genre – perilous quests, girls in need of rescuing, battles against hostile tribes, near-deaths by starvation and being eaten by monstrous crabs, underground rivers and deep-sea volcanoes, falling off of cliffs and waterfalls, being sucked by whirlpools, war and battle, jealousy and betrayal, and (of course!) a long lost kingdom of riches with stunningly beautiful princesses to fall in love with.  Allan Quartermain has it all.  But this wouldn’t be a classic if it didn’t have anything meaningful and timeless to it, and there were plenty of these.  Here are some of my favourite lines from the book:

At the very beginning, he grieves for his lost son. “December 25.  I have just buried my boy, my handsome boy of whom I was so proud, and my heart is broken.” I love how simple and honest this sentence is.  It being unembellished all the more adds to its emotional impact, knowing that this grief comes from a man you assume to be a hardened, heroic adventurer.

“Civilization is only savagery silver-gilt.”

“Man’s cleverness is almost infinite, and stretches like an elastic band, but human nature is like an iron ring.  You can go round and round it, you can polish it highly, you can even flatten it a little on one side, whereby you will make it bulge out on the other, but you will never, while the world endures and man is man, increase its total circumference.”

“So when the heart is stricken, and the head is humbled in the dust, civilization fails us utterly.”

“Although she was at an age when in England girls are in the schoolroom and come down to dessert, this ‘child of the wilderness’ had more courage, discretion, and power of mind than many a woman of mature age nurtured in idleness and luxury, with minds carefully drilled and educated out of any originality or self-resource that nature may have endowed them with.”  As a teacher, I cannot ignore this line.  I have a niggling feeling that it is TRUE – that we are essentially educating our children OUT of their creativity and originality, turning them merely into what we think society deems “productive.”  The fact that the author observed this and wrote about in the 1800’s is just wow.

This is a beautiful description of a sunrise: “…till at length the east turned grey, and huge misty shapes moved over the surface of the water like ghosts of long-forgotten dawns.  They were the vapours rising from their watery bed to greet the sun.  Then the grey turned to primrose, and the primrose grew to red.  Next, the glorious bars of light sprang up across the eastern sky, and now between them the messengers of dawn came speeding upon their arrowy way, scattering ghostly vapours and touching the distant mountain-tops, as they flew from range to range and longitude to longitude.  Another moment, and the golden gates were open and the sun himself came forth gloriously, with pomp and splendour and a flashing as of ten million spears, and covered up the night with brightness, and it was day.”

If you are into this genre, or you happen to like adventuresome characters like Indiana Jones and others like him, reading H. Rider Haggard’s stories and getting to know Allan Quartermain will prove worthwhile.  Enjoy!

Katanagatari

Quite a while back I finished the anime series "Katanagatari" and I enjoyed it immensely.

It's the story of Shichika and Togame's search for twelve legendary blades.  Togame conscripts Shichika, the swordless samurai, into the search.  Eventually a deep bond between the two of them grows.  As time passes and they endure the hardships and challenges that come their way, they learn more and more about respect, pride, power, friendship, and love. 

This is one of the most memorable anime I’ve ever seen. It is at par with "Ninja Scroll" in my book. I just love the character development - the slow but sure awakening of Shichika and Togame’s humanity. I also loved all the villains, especially Nanami and Emonzaemon. The drawing and animation were no less magnificent - caricature enough to be cute and entertaining, and yet vicious and sharp enough to be chilling and merciless. I don't know much about art, but I think this style may be called avant-garde (?), I'm not too sure.  It's all very artsy and surreal.  I have only seen a few anime before that used such a radically different art style in the rendering of the story.  If the artist had used the more or less "usual/common" anime style, it would have made the series much less remarkable indeed.  I also loved the fact that it had one-hour episodes so you are never left hanging and still eagerly anticipating the next chapter. Each episode is absorbing and gracefully paced: alternately tip-toe-around-the-corner and edge-of-your-seat at all the right moments.  Truly superb, I highly recommend it to all anime lovers. Cheerio!

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card

I got to listen to this novel on audiobook.  I only recently started getting into audiobooks, and I find the experience much to my liking – depending on whether the reader is good, of course.   

I’ve always had a soft spot for science fiction and fantasy and Orson Scott Card is up there with the best in this genre; “Ender’s Game” won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards as proof.  His novel, “Enchantment”, is one of my best beloved stories of all time.  But back to Ender’s Game; it came out as a novel in 1985, and many other stories that have followed since resonate with the images and ideas first presented herewith – most notably and recently, The Hunger Games Trilogy.

Set in a futuristic world that is facing possible annihilation by a hostile alien race called “Buggers,” Ender’s Game revolves around the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of a boy named Andrew.  When he was young his sister started calling him “Ender” because she couldn’t pronounce “Andrew” correctly.  The name stuck and eventually the boy lived up to the name in all its double meanings. 

Ender had quite a difficult first few years – he was a “third,” technically an unwanted third child in a society that strictly regulates its population, and he was made painfully aware of this by his cruel bully of an elder brother.  Although their parents cared for him well and treated him as kindly as his siblings, the only person he felt close to and had genuine love for was his sister, Valentine.  Now being a third, he was carefully monitored by the government.  An incident of bullying in school where Ender demonstrated extraordinary ruthlessness in order to defend himself became the turning point in his life.  The military stepped in and took Ender away for training as a soldier and possibly a future military commander at “Battle School.”  Almost immediately the military singled Ender out from all the other recruits as a boy with great potential, and throughout his training and study in Battle School he was tested relentlessly in cruel, merciless ways. 

I’ll stop my summary there to avoid giving spoilers.  But the whole point of Ender’s Game for me is the potential of the human spirit for terrible cruelty as well as astounding kindness and courage, all personified in this exceptionally gifted, lonely little boy who carries a great burden he didn’t ask for.   The book also explores the notions of friendship, leadership, respect for authority, and heroism.  While listening to the story such questions came to my mind as, “Must one really need to be ruthless to be a good leader?”  “It’s been said that It’s lonely at the top, but is it necessarily true that it’s difficult for great leaders to have trusted friends?”  “We always paint our heroes in a certain ‘glorious’ light, but never question their own true thoughts about their own heroism – do they think they deserve being called ‘heroes’?”  Ender’s Game was able to address these questions and more.

I felt so much empathy for young Ender.  I couldn’t count how many times I wanted to sink myself into the book and give him a big hug and cheer him up somehow.  But in the end I saw the point of all that he had to go through, and I knew that if the hero of the story had not been a boy like Ender, everything would turn out very differently.  By the ending of the story, even though my heart ached for him, I felt quite proud of the boy, and believed that everything is as it should be. 

I don’t know what it’s like to read the book as text, but I assure you that I enjoyed the audiobook.  The voice actors were awesome – they brought the world of Ender’s Game to glorious life.  In his afterword, Orson Scott Card himself says that listening to the story is probably the best way to experience it.  But whether you choose to read or listen to it, I can definitely say that it’s a thrilling, memorable, thought-provoking, and heart-wrenching story deserving of all its acclaim.  They say a movie is in the works, and whenever they adapt a great book into a movie I always have misgivings and a healthy dose of doubt that they’ll do the story justice.  But I’m willing to give it a try.  One thing’s for sure – I’ll continue listening to the rest of this series and I’m sure I’ll enjoy it all as much as I did this first novel.  Give it a try – I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.